Bass wrote on Feb 19^th, 2013 at 11:44am:


My Banjo playing attracts Hill-Billy loose women... ... ...!

Paul... ... ...!

What has worked 100% reliably for me since the release of FSX, is to avoid the tweaking. The sliders in game are the best starting point to figure out what your computer can actually handle efficiently. I run very high settings on all, with a quad core AMD and 4 GB of ramm, with a 1GB video card.

I've discussed this issue with others in different forums too. I have an opinion (and it is purely my own, based on no independant testing or otherwise) that the biggest problems with FSX are caused by the constant manipulation that occures when too many addons are added, and too many tweaks are invoked, and they all start to fight for the limited resouces that FSX is able to call on. We all know that FSX is highly dependant on the CPU, and some manipulation of multicores can help to a point, but I tend to believe that this also becomes a choke point when trying to induce too much out of FSX with too many addons. Memory issues abound because of the 32 bit nature of FSX. And as you've noticed, the biggest baddest GPU or SLI combination may not actually result in a drastic performance increase for FSX. I also believe that a lack of standard file formatting between addons causes problems.

Thus what works for me, is to steer clear of all these bells and wistles, and leave my expectations for FSX as they are. The graphics are tolerable. I can see trees. They may not be the best 3D trees I've seen, but I can sure tell they are trees and I should avoid having them directly infront of my graphical display. I can see runways. They may not be the best hi-def runway textures I have ever seen, but I know that I can land and take off there.

So in summary, my personal preference is not about the many (and some very expensive) graphical enhancments available for FSX. I do use the CH products yoke, TQ, and peddals, which is about as high a sense of realism that I am willing to pay for. With these control peripherals, and the countless buttons and switches, it allows me to practice flying as best as possible from the comfort of my basement. It makes FSX a reasonably decent systems and proceedures simulator.  EDIT: By not making myself reliant on the GEX and the REX and the UTX and the NGX and the whateverX addons out there, I find that my eXpectations are well within the intended purposes that microsoft released FSX on. An application of the K.I.S.S. principle?

Computer specs wise, I was aware of what could adequately handle FSX and purchased my last computer with this in mind. However, like the OP, my computer has more primary purposes, and FSX is allowed to run so long as it behaves itself, which it has done so for 6 or 7 years now.

As I get older my options are getting limited. What I can do is enjoy the world vicariously through reading, and every now and then I take a flight to where I’ve been, or where I would like to go.

I use my desk for too many things for it to be just a “sim pit”. So what I can do to make “flying” more enjoyable to myself, without completely taking over the desk, I try to do.

MY SIM PIT
When it’s not set up to “fly”, my desk is set up in a small corner like this –

*  The desk itself is a 2 1/2’ X 4’ office table that I bought at an office furniture auction back in the mid ‘90s for $10 (they had a lot of the same type of industrial tables left over after the auction. When I asked how much he wanted for one the guy just said, “ make an offer”).
*  The throttle is pushed off to the side.
*  The yoke is removed and placed under an old stereo stand that now acts as a footrest and a printer stand.
*  The 2 little USB monitors are kept in a nearby bookcase.
*  There are 3 monitors, 2 matching but bought years apart. The wife’s old screen isn’t all that good, but it does work.
*  The monitors sit on a self-made shelf to bring them up to eye level. Take two 1 ½ deep particleboard shelving (the type that has a veneer covering the flats and edges). One shelf will be cut to make supports for the top board.

I built this back in the late ‘90s and have always used it as a regular desk. Total cost, with the boards, was about $20.

FoMoCo63 wrote on Feb 19^th, 2013 at 10:57pm:

You just reminded me of an actual "Ultimate in a Poor Mans ...)

I was waiting at a traffic light and looked off to the right. A homeless man had placed a tent against a street light pole. He had taken the cover off the pole near the base and was tapping the electric power to run his laptop.

I would have to say that the term "poor man" is relative. Shoes for a man who has no food is a luxury.

FoMoCo63 wrote on Feb 19^th, 2013 at 10:57pm:

I'm sorry that I didn't pay proper attention to your posting!

You're saying that someone stole your computer!!!!

I've got an old computer case in the shed that you can have.

If we all chip in I bet that we can get you up and running in just a few days.

HANG IN THERE, BUDDY, WE'LL ALL LEND A HAND.

Now we are getting somewhere...
When buying new stuff, why not send the old to some who needs it!?
By selling it, you wont get much, but if making another happy and that person pays for the sending, everyone is happy!
I know, it must be on a new thread...
Just a thought

FoMoCo63 mentioned that he’s had to buy 4 or 5 joysticks because they “just gave out”.

I’m not being facetious here, but I’m really curious. How do they ware out? The one that I have seems well make (even if it was less than $15) and simple enough to last for a very long time. On the other hand I don’t play video games all that often.

I’ve seen joysticks, and joystick combinations, that cost many hundreds of dollars. I just have to assume that, if you’re really competitive with action video games, any advantage (real or imagined) will give you an edge over others.

I understand that it will be up to an individuals wants, needs, capabilities, experience, and funds as to what they will want and buy. But just as I found out that a faster video card didn’t significantly improve my FSX experience, I’m sure that others will be much more knowledge about joysticks.


With regards to flight simming - at what price range can you get a good GENERAL purpose Joystick? Anyone with a recommendation on what is a good value? What to stay away from?

I can easily recommend the Logitech Attack 3 Joystick. It’s still available (used) for $15 or less. The best feature is that you can assign any button to act as a shit key, thereby almost doubling the number of keys to assign to the flight sim of your choice. The scroll wheel at the bass can act as a trim wheel.



Just a side note - There’s a free program called

HIDMacros

that gives you even more options and works with any HID (human interface device) mouse, keyboard, and most joysticks. It’s not perfect, but it does give you a lot of options without having to do any programming. Another feature is that it lets you use multiple keyboards on you computer. That way you can modify a keyboard just for your flight sim. Need a cheep keyboard? I've seen them, used, for $1.00.




Any other recommendations?