I really started flightsimming back in 1998 when I purchased FS98. It wasn't until I joined Noble Airlines VA, that it became a serious hobby. After experimenting with both commercial and freeware add-ons, I really began to become more sophisticated in what I required for each flight.
I am at the point now where I need the following criteria in order to have what I call a realistic flying experience. Even though there are many fine developers out there who do quality work, I put in parentheses the finest add-on for that particular aspect. First of all, I need ATC (Proflight98). I need almost true to life panels that include a start-up sequence (Eric Ernst's 767 panel). More importantly, I love "Seatbelt" and "No Smoking" signs because such a small detail is a major flight characteristic. I also require GPS. On the ground, I need airports that have more realistic building textures, as well as, air bridges (Barry Perfect's GB Airports). I also want airplane models that are very realistic in the way that they actually fly.
I truly believe that FS98's success was due to all these types of add-ons. Like it is in FS98, look at the default airplanes, panels and buildings in FS2000. Not a lot there! Which brings me around to questioning the success of FS2K after just one year. I would have thought that Microsoft would have taken the cues from some of the top add-on developers and incorporated some of their ideas into FS2000. What we got was more or less a rehashing of FS98. Sure there are more airports to land at in FS2K, but they just have the same old buildings with different, albeit just as bland, textures. No air bridges! The planes were okay and the panels were a bit better, but add-on developers had already done a lot better with FS98. Oh yes the weather generator is better in FS2K, but don't forget that the payoff was a decrease in frame rates.
At this point, I have to assume that add-ons will have to carry FS2000 as well, but where are they? I look at the FS2000 compatible add-on files at FlightSim.Com and there isn't a whole lot there. This is not a criticism directed at the developers, or even a quality issue; there just aren't a lot of them, period. Whereas new FS98 add-ons keep being uploaded every day. I have to wonder if there is still more interest in FS98 than FS2000?
In summary, if FS2000 is being heralded as an advancement in flightsimming, then I believe that it is a very small step. I do have FS2K on my hard drive, but am reluctant to advance (or is it sidestep) to using it completely. I have spent hours building my FS98 into a powerhouse sim. I've seen nothing to get excited about with FS2K. Commercial companies have become very wise and included an FS98 version with their new FS2000 add-ons. I hope that this is a trend that continues.
Am I alone in the way I feel about FS2000 and what a disappointment it is? I would welcome any comments either way.
Rob Olson
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a response by David Fidler.
RockmanO@aol.com
