General information for FSX

[werbemaxe]

Hi there. I'm new here in the forum.

 

I bought a Flight Simulator X for my kids and I have questions about it. The last time I played with a flight simulator was when Monica Lewinsky had a special job ;);)

 

So here are a few questions:

- I installed Flight Simulator Professional. However, no icon or entry was created either in the start menu (Win10) or on the desktop. I've now started FSX with the Exe file in the directory. That can't be quite right...:eek:

 

- the CD was in a SET as "Gold Edition" together with the Acceleration CD. I also installed this. But now only acceleration starts and gives me an error that it could not be activated properly. But when installing FSX Professional I entered the activation code and everything was ok.

- I always see incredibly good graphics on pictures on the web. My graphics aren't much better than they were 10-20 years ago though... I've already set all the sliders to maxiumum. The PC can actually handle it. It's not the newest PC, but it should be fast enough. Used to be a gaming PC. It also doesn't stutter when everything is set to max, so I think it's ok. BUT the graphics don't look that great. Are the images on the web only when the appropriate scenery has been loaded?

- to the scenery. How is this installed? I downloaded two sceneries from flightsim.to. But if I want to add them to the settings under scene library, it doesn't find a corresponding file in the decompressed directory.

- I have a Thrustmaster T.flight Stick X joystick. It also works very well. But I saw that you can install special setups especially for FSX. Should I do that or is that superfluous?

 

What other tips can you give me? This is for my boys, they are 9 and I don't have enough time to look up all the information on the net.

 

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

 

Max

[mrzippy]

Copy that FSX.exe from the directory (also known as the Main FSX folder) onto your desktop and then you can start the Sim from there. What error is show when you start it? There should have been an activation code for the Acceleration disc. Can you link to the 2 sceneries you downloaded from flightsim.to?

[lnuss]

Copy that FSX.exe from the directory (also known as the Main FSX folder)

 

Better yet, create a shortcut, which will cause FSX to actually start from the FSX home directory, eliminating some potential problems caused by starting it from some other location. This has to do with environmental variables, which are Windows' way of storing and using certain information that many programs need for finding some dependencies. This is what the system does when it puts a shortcut on the desktop and/or an icon on the task bar during installation.

 

If the latter part about the variables doesn't mean much, ignore it -- FSX just works better this way.

[mrzippy]

Better yet, create a shortcut, which will cause FSX to actually start from the FSX home directory, eliminating some potential problems caused by starting it from some other location. This has to do with environmental variables, which are Windows' way of storing and using certain information that many programs need for finding some dependencies. This is what the system does when it puts a shortcut on the desktop and/or an icon on the task bar during installation.

 

If the latter part about the variables doesn't mean much, ignore it -- FSX just works better this way.

 

Thanks for the clarification, Larry! That is what I meant! Right-click on the ICON in the main folder and create the shortcut and send it to the desktop. Maybe too much holiday cheer last night! ;)

[longbreak754]

Hi Max,

 

Further to Charlie's post...

 

Ref the poor graphics FSX Settings try the following things listed below - note that setting everything to 'max' does not automatically mean that you get better visuals...it can actually have a detrimental affect on how the sim runs and displays stuff..

 

1. Start FSX

 

2. Select Settings from the left hand menu

 

3. Select 'Customise' in the left hand pane

 

4. On the 'Graphics' tab check and change the following as appropriate

 

'Device Specific Options'

 

A. 'Device' - when first run FSX will normally pick up what GPUs are available - ensure that FSX is using the dedicated GPU (if you have one fitted) and has not defaulted to using the motherboard fitted GPU (usually an Intel) chip

 

B. 'Target FPS rate' - this normally defaults to unlimited, change to either 20, 25 or 30 - this will ensure a stable system if you only have a on board GPU or if you have a dedicated GPU it will allow for testing to see if the current issue has been resolved and then can be increased in small steps later to find the capability of the GPU if you wish - (tip: with FSX its not about high FPS rates but what gives the most stable performance that avoids 'stutters' as new areas are loaded as the flight progresses)

 

C. 'Full Screen Resolution' - this normally defaults to 1024x768 16 bit (on board GPU) or 1024x768 32 bit (dedicated GPU). Change this to the native 16/32 bit resolution for the monitor being used - Note: FSX can be used in Full Screen or Windowed mode (in game changed by using Alt+Enter to switch modes) some systems give better performance in one mode than the other so that may be worth checking out once you have resolve the issue)

 

D. The other two options are GPU dependent and will need to be set as required - testing is the name of the game here because these option can affect scenery load times and causes stutters etc...

 

'Global Options'

 

The key entry here is the 'Preview DirectX 10' option. Deselect this if on to see if it makes things better as this can also cause scenery issues...

 

As stated above putting everything at max can cause issues - the other options in the Global Options area can impact performance so a bit of testing will be required to see what suits you - tip hover the mouse cursor over the written title and a description will be displayed in the box at lower left of the tab.

 

'Aircraft' tab - the two main settings that may cause issues are the two 'shadow' related options under 'Exterior settings'...when selected they may cause scenery issues and/or crashes...at least turn them off to test if it resolves the issue that you have.

 

'Scenery' tab - all these setting can cause stutters, etc but again the main one that can cause issues is the 'shadow' related option under the 'Scenery Objects' section...action as per the 'Aircraft' tab.

 

Another change you can make that should improve things graphically will require you to edit a specific file...the following details it...

 

FSX.cfg file changes

 

This part involves changing a setting and adding a new one...it requires you to edit the FSX.cfg file which is located at C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX...Make a copy of the file so that you have a reference file just in case you accidently delete something that you shouldn't...

 

All FSX related .cfg are best edited using Notepad (which is a basic text editor that ships with Windows), opening them in Word or other programs may corrupt the file - word for example adds hidden' function codes that FSX does not recognise.

 

1. Right click on the file and select 'Open'

 

2. Under the [Graphics] section locate the following entry:

 

TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD=1024

 

3. Change the entry to read =4096

 

4. Directly underneath the TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD entry, add the following statement

 

HIGHMEMFIX=1

 

WRT the scenery - first, the files you have downloaded from flightsim.to are incompatible with FSX - they are for use with MSFS 2020...

 

Second, adding scenery to FSX can be done in a number of ways and is very dependent on what it is,(e.g. an simple airport, a detailed airport, library object etc), what it contains in the way of files and in some cases, may be reliant on having other scenery installed as a pre-requisite for it to display correctly...I would first suggest sorting out the activation and graphics issue before looking at scenery - feel happy to PM me when you are ready to add some scenery and I can provide with the ins and outs of where to and how best to install such stuff in both default locations and other - purely based on my experience of course which may differ from others views.

 

Likewise with the 'special' setups that you refer to - IMO the current stuff will be fine for your kids (and you) - its gives a functionality that beats using the mouse and should meet the needs of the kids to get enjoyment out of the sim...you can consider other stuff once you know the kids are really interested in simming...

[ViperPilot2]

All I can offer based on previous observation is that, unfortunately, you're gonna need to expend some time and energy looking on the Web for recommendations on fine tuning FSX to your particular system, specifically tweaking your Graphics Card to maximize its Performance to give you the best Graphics.

 

Nowhere is the term "Your Mileage May Vary" more apropos than with FSX, even within the various Releases... Gold, Acceleration, and Steam.

 

Sorry to put it that way, but it is what it is. Realistically, unless you've got a full blown home cockpit with multiple switch panels and such, just stick with the Default Keyboard/Joystick Assignments interface.

 

Use the Search Tool to look for the tweaks you want to do, then read away.

 

Again, I apologize that I 'sunk your Battleship' regarding making tweaks and adjustments, but that's how it goes.

[Cas141]

Longbreaks post is excellent info for you. As he says, be careful that downloads you may fancy are for FSX and not for the new msfs 2020.

Glad to see you have a joystick. Can’t,imo, fly FSX without one. Best way to set it up is to go into Options and Controllers and just select a function in the keys part and click it to a button on your joystick.

Use the ”hat” of the joystick to the views so that you can look around using the hat. Then it’s best in virtual cockpit mode.

[werbemaxe]

Thanks Larry and MrZippy.

 

Of course I created already a shortcut, but I wonder why this has not been created in the first place when installing the program. I am not a computer novice, I work with Computers since MS-DOS ;-) So I know how to create a shortcut. But it's strange an installation doesn't create a shortcut or start-menu entry automatically.

 

For the sceneries, I have downloaded these ones:

https://flightsim.to/file/22566/kln-city-cologne-germany

https://flightsim.to/file/33945/cagliari

 

Thanks,

Max

[longbreak754]

Hi Max,

 

Its been along time since I last had to do a install but possible reason why no entries were made is because you missed the options to do so during the install process....IIRC there was a option screen during the install that you could select whether these two items were created...

 

Again, WRT the sceneries - as per my earlier post the website where you have downloaded the two sceneries from is dedicated to MSFS 2020 the latest flight sim developed by MS....they are not compatible with FSX...if you view the info page for the Cologne item, about halfway down, you will see that it specifically sates that it is for MSFS 2020...

[werbemaxe]

Perfect, thank you.

One more question: Now that I have installed the Acceleration, it only starts this one, not the FSX Professional anymore. Any way I could start both or only the Pro version? i think it had more features...

[werbemaxe]

Thanks a lot Brian, perfect help.

I downloaded some FSX sceneries, they are NOT for the 2020, but for the X version. However, I cannot install them. They have a /scenery directory and a /texture directory, but there is no other file I could click to load/open.

[mrzippy]

Thanks a lot Brian, perfect help.

I downloaded some FSX sceneries, they are NOT for the 2020, but for the X version. However, I cannot install them. They have a /scenery directory and a /texture directory, but there is no other file I could click to load/open.

 

https://www.nmgsimulations.co.za/support/knowledge-base/how-to-add-scenery-into-fsx-fsx-steam-edition/

[airernie]

At least for me, I have found Scenery Config Editor quicker and easier than the FSX method.

 

However, it does require having Java installed.

[longbreak754]

Hi Max,

 

A not so quick but basic guide regarding scenery installing...I appreciate that it is a long read but adding scenery incorrectly can cause frustrating issues...

 

Basically, scenery is made up of two files classes:

 

Scenery - These have a .bgl extensions and contains the 'layout' of the scenery in question. For example, if an airport scenery it will contain the runway and taxiway layouts, parking spots, buildings and other objects.

 

Texture - These generally have .bmp and .dds extensions and contains 'dedicated' textures for the objects they are 'assigned' to. For example a scenery may have a dedicated terminal building model and its 'assigned' texture will provide the appropriate look of it.

 

Types - there are several types that you need to be aware of...

 

A. Airports - These provide the airport layouts and can be classed as either Basic or Detailed. Basic will only consist of scenery file(s) (mostly just a single file that contains the whole scenery but some may contain multiple files, for example one will have the airport layout and others may contain objects etc) and Detailed will contain both Scenery and Texture files.

 

B. Library Objects - As the name suggests, these are scenery files that provide 'common' objects that can be found in the sim. For example, the default hangers, buildings etc that ship with FSX are such items. There are loads of addons libraries out there, including a few essential common ones that are used in many sceneries. If you don't have the required library installed the scenery will not display properly. A good scenery author will provide a list of any such libraries that he/she has used in the building of any scenery so check for a readme file that should detail those required.

 

C. Landclass and Mesh - The first provide files that alter what you see on the ground when overflying an area and the second alters the lumps and bumps (i.e. the hills, valleys, mountains etc). These are normally separate downloads but SOME airport scenery may include 'corrective' files that cover such areas, most commonly being the inclusion of a landclass folder and associated files. This is important to know because the Landclass folder requires to be handled in a specific way so that the airport scenery shows correctly with the new landclass- see below.

 

Installing Scenery

 

Scenery can be installed inside of FSX, or even outside of FSX and on a different drive, as long as the following criteria is met...

 

1. Scenery files must go into a Scenery subfolder - i.e. Scenery\ will work but \ will not.

 

2. Texture files must go into a Texture subfolder - as per 1. above

 

3. FSX must be aware of the location - i.e. the scenery must be activated as per the link Charlie provided...

 

As to the location - FSX provides simply and easy way to install scenery into a folder that is already activated - namely the default Addon Scenery folder located at ...FSX\Addon Scenery. Simply copy the appropriate files into the appropriate sub folder and that's it. When you run FSX it will recognise the new scenery files (you will see a info box about the scenery database being updated)...

 

Whilst this provided a quick and easy way to install scenery it can quickly get messy as you install more scenery. Whilst most .bgl files will normally have individual names that readily identify the airport by its ICAO or name, some may have the same name (mostly restricted to object .bgls). Likewise, texture files may also share common names. Obviously, the danger here is that you may overwrite a file with the same name thus causing issues for a piece of scenery...

 

A better option is to think about creating a folder system that meets your needs and then install individual sceneries into this...

 

Here are some examples that I use - although I will use the default Addon Scenery folder as the main target to show what I mean I actually install most of my addon scenery outside of FSX...

 

Lets take a situation that you have indicated regarding some scenery that you have already downloaded...

 

1. Unzip the contents into a temp folder - this will allow you to see what is included in terms of files and determine the best install solution...for example based on your comments you have a scenery that contains both a Scenery folder and a Texture folder. Check the contents of these folders and install using the best scenario that fits the scenery. Basically, the chooses are to create individual folders for each airport, areas, etc that suits your needs but for this example I will use a individual airport based folder...

 

2. Navigate to the ...FSX\Addon Scenery folder.

 

3. Create a folder named for the airport - for example EDDK Cologne - and then create two sub folders, one called Scenery and the other Texture

 

4. Copy the appropriate files (as indicated above) into the appropriate folders.

 

5. Start FSX and use the info given in the link by Charlie to activate the scenery.

 

In the case of scenery that only contains Scenery files (i.e. no texture files) you could create a folder just to hold them on a regional or country basis - for example Germany...

 

Also note that any scenery that contains both a Scenery and Texture folder when unzipped but has an empty Texture folder there is no need to install the empty folder - it just wastes space and can cause scenery memory leak issues...

 

If a scenery includes dedicated Landclass folder then it is essential that when you activate the scenery that you add the Landcalss folder first followed by the Airport folder so that, when viewed in the FSX Scenery Library settings priority list the landclass folder is BELOW the airport folder...this will ensure that it is loaded into memory before the airport file.

 

A quick note on the priority listing view. When you install new scenery it is automatically placed at the top of the list at P1. Its actually misleading in that, when FSX loads the scenery into memory, the entry at P1 will be the last to be loaded and the entry at the bottom of the list will be loaded first.

 

Likewise if you install any library object related scenery, this must be moved down the priority listing as far as possible to a position between the Default FSX scenery entries and any addons that you have added - this will ensure that ANY addon scenery that utilises the object library will display them correctly...

 

Storing outside of FSX follows the same rules only in a location of your choosing. And of course you can make this folder system as simply or complex to meet your needs...

 

A final word of caution - when you want to delete any scenery that you have added into any other you MUST follow the following procedures (based on the type of deletion and its location) to avoid issues...

 

If the scenery is in a dedicated folder that has be activated for it

 

1. Start FSX.

2. Go to the Scenery Library settings page.

3. Locate the desired entry and untick its box and then click OK - let the database rebuild.

4. With the desired entry highlight click on the delete area button, click OK and then let the database rebuild.

5. Exit FSX and then navigate to where the scenery is stored and delete it.

 

If the scenery is in a shared activated folder then all that is required is to delete the required files. When FSX is next run it will detect the change and rebuild the database.

 

If you take the time to download and install the suggested scenery config tool you can actually use that to activate scenery without starting FSX and using the FSX settings. It also provides other usefull tools, including notifying you of any issues and the ability to change the priority listing using buttons or editing an entry directly to change its list number.