FSX --> FS9 Backwards Compatibility Question

How does one know when an aircraft download for FSX will be backwards compatible for FS9?

 

Back in summer of 2010, I downloaded a pack of Convair 990A's from the Simviation website. It said they were for FSX, but for some odd reason without even realizing I had done it at that time, I installed them into my FS9, and they worked.

 

Now I tried installing an Antonov An-225 file I liked (that said it was native to FSX) from this website file name: 'tom225x.zip'; and it didn't work in FS9.

 

I'm wondering why one download that says it's for FSX would also work in FS9 (even when it didn't say in so many words that it would), but the other one doesn't?

 

Could it be that the Convair file that did work's texture files were all .bmp so that it worked in both, but the Antonov, since it also has .bump and .dds in addition to a few .bmp's-- that that changes things?

 

I'm guessing most FS9 are forward compatible into FSX, but I do still have some confusion as to how you know when the reverse is true.

 

Thank you,

 

-- John

The best thing to do before you download the FSX planes is to use the VIEW the download feature. If you see the dds files then it won't work in FS2004.

Some do forget to add they are for both but usually the FSX model is different than the FS9 model and it won't work, as a rule you can go up but not down.

A lot of the planes advertised as being for FSX are actually FS9 models that have been made to work in FSX, or "ported over".

 

FSX native models will not work in FS9, period.

 

Open the model folder, is there separate models for the interior and the exterior?

 

If so you have an FSX native model and it is a no go for FS9.

 

You can also open the .mdl file with Notepad.

 

It may take a minute for Notepad to sort it out and most of what you see will be gibberish.

 

However, near the beginning of the file you will see something like MDLXMDLH which indicates an FSX model, or MDL8MDLH which indicates a pre-FSX model.

 

If you have an FS9 model that has been ported over to FSX it may have textures that are either DXT5 or .DDS textures, or both. Those would need to be converted before use in FS9.

 

Also watch out for FSX gauges which will not work in FS9.

 

On more than one occasion I have seen posts from people who suddenly lose their FS9 GPS because they installed an addon that overwrote the FS9 GPS with the FSX version, which does not work in 9.

 

peace,

the Bean