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How To -- Further Improve Your FS2000 Graphics By Tyler G. Jenness Most of us FS2000 users that either have made a lot of downloads, have a slow system, or have other games and software installed, are plagued with low frame rates. Most people say that the solution is to turn down the graphic bars on the "Display" box. But this tells FlightSim 2000 to take out half the fun: seeing the passing scenery. So, here are quick, easy, and most importantly, safe steps to improve your frame rate and turn up the graphics a bit. Before we go on, I want to say that this procedure is most effective for FS2000 users that make several downloads (such as those users that fly for a VA and download the aircraft). To do this, you need one (I strongly recommend two) ZIP-100 disks, and therefore you need a ZIP drive. Or, at the end, another way is described using just your existing hard drive. First, label the disks so you know that it pertains to FS2000. Second, insert a disk into the drive and open it. At the top click "File", point to "New", and select "New Folder". Name it with a catchy name like "FlightSim 2000 Aircraft" (that's what my folder is called, you can call it whatever you like). Open your new folder, and then create two more folders. Name one "Private" and name the other "Commercial". With any luck by now it should look something like this: Open up "Private" then minimize the ZIP contents window. Now open up Windows Explorer. To get there go to Start Menu----->Program Files----->Windows Explorer. Now open the folder called "Program Files". Open the folder called "Microsoft Games". Open the folder called "FS2000". Finally, open the "Aircraft" folder. Now maximize the ZIP contents window and use the arrows along the edges to make the window smaller so Windows Explorer is in the background. Now that you are in the FS2000 "Aircraft" folder, I want you to take all private aircraft (the Mooneys, Cessnas, sailplanes, etc.) one by one and move them to the middle of your screen. Be sure to turn off the "Auto Arrange" feature if it is active. Don't forget to move the folder called "Fsfsconv". After all of the private aircraft are in the middle of the screen, highlight them. Then click and drag them into the ZIP drive (you should be in the "Private" folder). By now the screen should look something like this: After all files are copied, delete all private aircraft from the "Aircraft" folder in Windows Explorer. Yes, delete them. You have copies on your ZIP disk, and can put them back whenever you want. Congratulations! That wasn't too hard, was it? Now before we go on any further I want to say that FS2000 has an option that lets you select the flight and/or aircraft you want FS2000 to open when you go back into it. If the default flight is the beginning flight at Meigs Field, Chicago, FS2000 will not work because you deleted your Cessna, which is the default aircraft. What I recommend is that you change this. Open FS2000, then click "Flights", then click "Select Flight". Scroll down the list until you find a flight called "Previous Flight". Select it. The "Previous Flight" saves your aircraft and position when you leave FS2000 and puts you right where you left off the next time you happen to open FS2000. For example, if you landed a 737 at Chicago O'Hare, taxied to the gate, and left FS2000, the next time you open FS2000 you will be in the 737 at the gate you arrived at, with any settings that you had set (such as autopilot settings). Now it's time to work on some more aircraft. Open your ZIP disk contents folder and go into the "Commercial" folder that you created. Go back to Windows Explorer, and go into the "Aircraft" folder (if you aren't already there). Click and drag all Single Aisle aircraft and put them in the middle of your screen. Single Aisle aircraft include planes such as 737s, 727s, MD-80s, etc. Also include the Learjet 45 and the Beech King Air 350. Now highlight them and put them into the "Commercial" folder. Now it should look somewhat like this: However, do not put the default Orbit Airlines Boeing 737-400 into the "Commercial" folder and delete it, because no other aircraft will work if it is gone. Delete them from the FS2000 directory when you are done. Now remove the ZIP disk and put in the other ZIP disk. Create the same folders that you used for the previous ZIP disk, only don't create a "Private" folder, but DO create a "Commercial" folder. After all of this is done, go into Windows Explorer, into the "Aircraft" folder. Click and drag all jumbo jets and put them in the middle of your screen. The jumbo jet range includes DC-10s, Airbus A340s, Boeing 747s, etc. Highlight these aircraft and then put them into your new "Commercial" folder. Now it should look somewhat like this: I put the Concorde in the folder, but if you put it in the Single Aisle folder on the other ZIP disk, leave it there, just make sure you know where to get it. Now delete all of your jumbo jets from the FS2000 directory. All done! Make additional notes on your ZIP disk labels that tell what kind of aircraft you have on them. Now some more info on the "Previous Flight" option. If you are using this option, and if your last flight was in a 757 and you deleted it, put it back the FS2000 "Aircraft" folder so FS2000 will work OK. If your next flight is in a 777, put the 777 from the ZIP disk into the FS2000 "Aircraft" folder. You do all of this by simply clicking the aircraft folder from your ZIP disk and dragging it into the FS2000 "Aircraft" folder. If you have installed a panel for your aircraft, copying sometimes takes around 30 seconds to complete. Now that the 777 aircraft is in the main directory, open FS2000. Select your 777 from the aircraft pull-down menu, then minimize FS2000. Delete the 757 from the main FS2000 "Aircraft" folder. Now that you are in your 777, you can plan and enjoy a flight to anywhere in the world. Repeat the above steps anytime you wish to change aircraft. Now you should have higher frame rates. If you are getting really good frame rates, it's time to turn up the graphics so you can see more scenery. I like to have my graphics set so I can get at least 20+ frames per second, of course this will be lower when there is more scenery to be seen. When you download aircraft, also save them to a ZIP disk. Then unzip the contents and unzip any panel you also downloaded. Put them all into a folder, then move this folder into one of the ZIP aircraft folders. Then you can copy it into FS2000 when you want to use it. Be sure to put sounds and gauges into the main FS2000 Sound and Gauges directories. Another Idea There is another way, perhaps an easier way also, to improve your frame rate. Create a folder on Desktop, and name it so you know it corresponds with FS2000. It's rather simple. Just put all your aircraft in this folder except for the one you are flying (which should be in the FS2000 "Aircraft" folder). Since this folder is not in the FS2000 directory, it is being "hidden" by your computer from FS2000. You simply move the folders back and forth between this new folder and the FS2000 "Aircraft" folder whenever you want to use them. Personally, I still use the ZIP disk option, mainly because when I'm done with an aircraft, I can delete it with a copy ready to go back if there is a problem, but this option appears to work just as well. It's mostly a matter of personal choice that will determine which method you choose. This idea was not mine; I am giving 100% credit to the webmaster of FlightSim.Com, Nels Anderson. He was the guy who thought of this idea. The only thing I had to do with it was testing the idea. Good job, Nels! Yet Another Idea There is another way to keep FS2000 from recognizing your aircraft. This idea was submitted to me by Jurjen Braakhekke. Simply rename the "aircraft.cfg" file of your aircraft to something like "aircraft.bno". I tried this and I got an "Aircraft Initialization Failure" message indicating that the aircraft was not being recognized. Just be sure that you rename the "aircraft.cfg" file to its original name if you want to use it. Also keep the "aircraft.cfg" file named as original for your current aircraft if the "Previous Flight" option is selected in the "Select Flight" feature of FS2000. Thats it. Good thinking Jurjen! Yet Another Idea Simply renaming the aircraft's .cfg name will tell the sim that the aircraft isn't there. Rename the .cfg file to .out or something. Leave the aircraft that you will use named as aircraft.cfg or you will get a failure message. Upon testing this idea I found that the graphics and frame rate outside the aircraft were clear and smooth, while inside the aircraft the frame rate was a bit choppy. It was acceptable though, if it were a "last resort" type of thing. Whenever you want to enable an aircraft just change the name back to "aircraft.cfg". Why This Works This method works because the game has less to "think" about. For example, imagine yourself trying to study for a test with rock and roll in the background. Chances are, you have a hard time studying. Turn off the music and voila, you can finally concentrate. Computers behave in a similar manner. Even though you are not thinking about the music, it is there, distracting you. And even though the game isn't thinking about the aircraft, they are there, distracting the game's perforamce on graphics and frame rates. Well, that's all there is to it. If you have any questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to email them to me. Safe flying always! Tyler G. Jenness jennfam2@teleport.com