chicagorandy

the more I read these type threads on the complexity of this new & improved flight sim game, the happier I am that I use FSX-SE.

I have long been of the opinion that any general population gaming software that requires the study of a very lengthy manual and multiple hoop-jumps to use it is crap software.

Thanks for the vid - I'm still waiting for the inevitable SP1 version of the game, but are the flight dynamics really as crappy as your video seems to indicate? Scenery is pretty of course, but I'd like an airplane sim to react like an airplane in its environment. The jet looks rather 'herky-jerky' and cheesy in its movements in that video.

I appreciate threads like this. No matter how "Beta" testing anything has, companies do seem to rely upon all the 'early adopters' to be their QA Departments. It also reinforces why I usually won't be an early adopter of 'stuff', especially software. I prefer to let others find all the bugs and wait for the firms to apply the bug spray. For now my FSX-SE is pretty much working just fine & dandy. I WILL be buying FS2020....just not yet.

Sometimes folks will whinge just for the sake of whinge-ing. We all have an unusual hobby or two - lol Like me - I'm NOT switching to that there 'color TV' thing-a-ma-bob until I'm sure the technology will stick around. My B&W set works just fine, thank you very much. :p

I selfishly applaud all "First Adopters" of new products that come to the market. It is the only practical way for the always anticipated and always present bugs to be found and corrected. Then those who choose to wait a while before buying something new can enjoy fewer hassles of ownership.

I am still quite content with FSX Steam, but WILL be switching to the Premium new FS after it has been out for a few months and the early bugs/glitches get discovered and worked out, as typically happens with any new product.

LOL - I don't think I've ever bought a PC from either Best Buy or Amazon that wasn't obsolete by the time I got it home and unboxed it - lol Shucks, they also try to convince us that some styles of toilet paper are "new and improved" :)

So for each plane they would purchase a different set of controls?

Very impressive looking items. Congrats. Forgive a retired dumb-guy question (never played a flight combat sim). I infer that some flight sim players stick to only one airplane and then built a full sim cockpit around that choice for their air combat play?

Caveat - I am a TOTAL newb to IR Headtracking. I bought the WONDERFUL Grass Monkey Odyssey wireless unit and my 'experience can be measured in hours & minutes rather than days or weeks. Here however is a setup "tip" that I have not seen covered in any instructions and it concerns the very important MAPPING function in OpenTrack. It may be obvious to techie people, but this retired geezer didn't have the light bulb go on over my head till a few minutes ago - lol The HORIZONTAL line (bottom line) of the mapping graph represents your head movement -left, right, up, down roll etc. The VERTICAL line represents the screen view result in the particular game you're playing. Setting up points along a diagonal line changes the line from a diagonal to a curve and 'smoothes out' the relative motion as seen on screen. Example - YAW (left/right) - Setting it at about 25 horizontal and 180 vertical, translates to moving your head 25 degrees will look like it's moving 180 degrees in the sim. Adding a curve point or two makes it look more natural. This 'dumb-guy' tip is probably super-stupid simple to everyone else out there, but I figured if it confused me? It may well confuse others, so I guess there's no harm in sharing my slow education to the world of IR.

The Grass Monkey headset system arrived today. Woo-Hoo! 1st impression? Very quality bit of hardware IMHO. It still needs some 'fine tuning', but I was able to get it operational with a little e-mail help from the vendor. GREAT and fast customer service response too. The PS3 USB camera is simple plug&play and the wireless headset is quite light and powered by a single AA battery. At first FSX-SE didn't recognize the IR Tracker, but setting the camera output in OpenTrack to FSX Sim Connect did the trick. I did also activate the three SimConnect SDK Legacy interface msi files. Once I get the tracking dialed in for my head movements and preferences it will be a huge enhancement to the whole sim experience.

I went with the wireless headband unit from Grass Monkey - Made in the USA: https://grassmonkeysimulations.com/ It arrives in a few days and I'll be reporting back how it works for FSX-SE. The name-brand TrackIR was too pricey for my sim budget.

I do LUV a challenge, so I've just now placed an order for their Odyssey unit. Should be here in a week. I'll be posting a follow-up once I get it working satisfactorily with FSX-SE, or pics of me smashing it with a big hammer - LOL

Hmmm. 116 views with no replies. I'm getting the 'hint' that not that many people use the combo of FSX-SE and the Puck? Or at least not many who visit this forum. But should I just go ahead and 'buy it and try it'? I'll report back on my success/tribulations using it.

OK, so in for a penny, in for a pound. I like FSX-SE and am of course anxiously awaiting FS2020. Having recently purchased the Logitech yoke and throttle, the Thrustmaster rudder pedals, a 32" curved HD monitor and a new gaming computer I have 'of course-lol' started investigating budget IR Headset options. I can do, but don't want to mess with, a DIY unit. I don't really want to spend the big-bux for the $160USD TrackIR 5 but could do the $75 choice of the Grass Monkey Puck: https://grassmonkeysimulations.com/ Even the maker in his YouTube vids acknowledges some users 'could' have problems with his Puck and specifically the FSX-SE flight sim. Anyone out there in FSX-SE land using the Puck successfully or care to offer their review? All suggestions welcome.

Internet speculation on the future of something is always a fun read. I dunno, I've been playing MS Flight Simulator since 1982 when I was in my 30's, I have a strong hunch MS will figure a way to continue to financially succeed during the release of a new version of the game that has MASSIVE pent-up demand while still maintaining its present customer base. I also dunno, as I currently fly FSX-SE. I incur NO monthly subscription fees, paid a one-time reasonable price for the game with free updates, and enjoy many free and payware add-ons with every flight. But that's just ME and MY experience with Microsoft Flight and Steam. YMMV. p.s. IF the actual cost isn't ridiculous? I WILL be getting FS2020 for my home cockpit. I do luv me some airplanes.

I imagine the folks who might want to chime would first ask - What is your budget 'range'? and What kind of gaming? There are $, $$, and then there are $$$ Monitors. I am currently happily 'flying' a new Acer ED323QUR 31.5 Inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) Curved 1800R VA Gaming Monitor with AMD Radeon FREESYNC Technology - 4ms; 144Hz Refresh Rate, that I was VERY lucky to snag off Amazon on 4/05/20 for $275, It's now about $500. NO idea if something like that would meet your needs or budget.

I have heard a rumor ( OK.... I'm making up a rumor) that MFS 2020 will include a Space-X Mars mission. The downside being it will take about 7 months of game play to complete the one-way journey, so likely only REALLY die-hard flight simmers will try it.

I used the "Crucial" company's memory website and upgraded using the correct memory sticks. In your case that is all you should need to do. I don't mess about with over-clocking processors or such uber-techie system mods. I'm a plug & play PC user.

I'm NO kind of techie guru, but I would 'assume' that motherboard could simply have the 8 gb sticks replaced with 2x 16 gb? Something like these (not in stock right now for this brand, but others should be?) https://www.amazon.com/XPG-Gammix-3000MHz-Memory-AX4U3000316G16-DRG/dp/B076QBQX4X

I did find this whilst Googling about: https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Nvidia_Profile_Inspector

In motorcycles we often say "Have pride in whatever you ride" - if it's got a motor and wheels? It's all good. IMHO in flight simming? If it's got wings - it's all good. I have NEVER purchased a new PC that wasn't obsolete before I could get it out of the box and setup. lol There is ALWAYS something newer and "better". So I've learned over the decades to stop shopping or reading reviews after I've made a purchase, and I just blissfully enjoy my new thing. If being 71 has taught me anything, it's that I only gotta keep ME happy.

I don't think so, I looked up several of the items and none sell for anywhere close to those numbers. All are a small fraction. One example, that motherboard sells on Amazon for about $110 USD "Assuming" we're talking USD. Pound Sterling or Euros, and not lira. lol

I am NOT some kind of gaming OR techie guru but the system you list seems to meet the 'Recommended' specs for FS2020 quite well? Not sure what the numbers after the components represent? Can't be the cost of each item? I note you chose 2 fast M.2 SSD cards and then a mechanical spinning SATA 2TB hard drive. Why not just one M.2 on the MB with a 2.5 1TB SSD hard drive for file storage? It would save a few $$ on the overall build?