What Do I Buy As A Newbe?

hi i am new to this im hoping some one can give me advice wanting to get in to the flight sim i need to purches the correct stuff i know i need to purchess microsoft x gold just watched utube dan the great hd landing punta cana what gear is he using switches even camra veaws can some one give me advice please

regards

stormer

Hi stormer,

You do not "need" to purchase FSX Gold. The Steam version of FSX is equivalent except does not contain some software for creating new objects for use in FSX. The missing software is available for free on line. It's likely that when the video you watched was made the Steam edition was not available.

The videos are the result of hours of work; not what you experience in real time. Just as a movie is the result of many different scenes with different camera angles and much editing and composition the same is true of the videos you see.

Just about any computer can be used to create the videos as the scenes can be saved at very slow speeds which allows all the computer processing be done for each "frame" of the movie before the need arises to create the next. Then the result is sped up so that the result looks normal.

What you'll experience, as a user, is dependent on your computer and what additional software you have.

Jim F.

Welcome to the Forums, stormer!

One other thing... bear in mind that the Airplane used in the Video (the PMDG B737NG) is a highly complex aircraft, with a very steep Leaning Curve; it's also spendy, at $69.95 USD.

It's highly advisable to start out slow, and go through the Tutorials that are included in FSX. Learn the Fundamentals of Flight, and practice, practice, practice! As you become more proficient, then you can move into more complex airplanes. RW Pilots go through the same regimen; it can save you lots of time and frustration in the beginning.

Hope this helps!

Alan :pilot:

Welcome!

One thing that saves a lot of headaches and money to remember. FSX is a very CPU speed dependent program I'd start out by spending my money of the fastest CPU and hard-drive (a Solid state hard drive if possible) I can afford.

Six or eight core CPUS, hot GPUS, etc. are wonderful things for use with other programs. But FSX runs great with a very fast quad core CPU. I am told that FSX Steam utilizes some of the other more modern hardware but I haven't tried it. So I can't say for sure.

Also don't install your FSX in the programs or games folders. Make a new folder for FSX and install it and other FSX related software there. Many people end up having to do a complete FSX re-install because of hassles caused with FSX installed in the standard program or game folders.

Hi very grateful for the advice given appreciated took on board would you say that fsx is better than x plane what would the downfalls be

thank you

I think you should grab a used copy on ebay and play with it for a while. Once you get the hang of what's going on, you're looking at a few basic categories as far as upgrading the sim. Here's a simple list.

1) Add-on aircraft

2) Simulator visual enhancements

3) Airport add-ons

Add on aircraft is self explanatory. Simulator visual enhancements are those things that make the simulator look better such as programs that give you a better sky, clouds, mesh, ground textures. Examples of those are REX, Ground environment, Ultimate terrain, etc. Airport add-ons are individual airport sceneries.

An example must buy list would be REX+Ultimate terrain. You get better clouds, sky/horizon, lighting effects and other stuff. With ultimate terrain, you get lots of ground stuff like night lights, enhanced roads, etc.

Keep looking around for add-ons both free and payware. It's taken me years of poking around to find things that I use and I still run into new things that I adopt.

stormer,

At this point, we need to get an idea of:

1) Your Computer Specs (CPU, RAM, Graphics Card, Hard Drive space, etc.)

2) And, the most important thing... What You Want to Get Out Of the Sim?

Ultimately, what kind of Flying do you want to do? Airliners? General Aviation (GA)?

What expectations do you have as far as what the Terrain looks like, how the Airports look, things like that?

It's a big decision deciding what Sim platform to choose; there's more and more add ons coming out for X Plane, but some struggle with the User Interface. FSX has been around longer, but how it works will ultimately depend on your System. Either way, time and effort will need to be spent 'tweaking' both XP and FSX to get the best combination of Appearance and Performance.

Alan :pilot:

First, tell us the computer stuff, as the other guys here have mentioned so we can advise planes and whatnot. But before you do any buying of planes, scenery, whatever....

get a joystick.

Believe me, the keyboard is terrible if you want to fly anything above the default Cessna 172. Good used ones can be had on Ebay or even Craigslist, and it makes the sim 100% more enjoyable.

Welcome to the hobby! You will not regret it. :pilot:

hi guys thanks for your thoughts i did have some years ago a PPL but due to circumstances let it laps now i need to update my self and also gain knowledge of larger aircraft but i want to do it right first time so i do not want any limitations i am new to Sim as for the pc that i have is old so intend to start Afresh new

so really need top CPU, with no boundary,top graphics, plenty memory, big and fast Hard Drive, also what windows should i use

i eventually would like reality scenery as good as it gets and so forth i would just like to get this Wright first time this will be not only Be a hobby But get me back in the air and hopefully teach and learn so i also don't want any limitation larger air craft so any help you guys can give me regarding pc and software would be grate once again thank you all good bunch should have joined long ago

thank you

regards

stormer;)