Great addons?

I'm going to look through all the Flightsim files and the other site for 2002 addons but are there any great addons elsewhere worth mentioning? These would be very hard to find for me so I'm asking about any download that might be on a developers site only. I should be able to find anything else.

When in doubt, go over to Virtavia.com and check out their Old Freeware page. :D

 

Most of those titles will work fine in FS2002. Some just won't and some will need a lot of TLC to fully convert to FS2002. For example, the Virtavia F-4 Phantom pack looks great in FS2002 but you'll need to fix the .air files and bring them back down to FS2002 standards.

You'll also need to be running a stout CPU. The Virtavia Phantom (packs 1 and 2)is the most complicated MDL I can get to load in FS2002.

If you're into the military stuff, you should also check out the old Virtavia/Alpha F-111 in all of its download forms (there's an FSX F-111 set here that's an overhaul of the Alpha F-111, excellent flight characteristics and repaints but the panel and VC may need some tweeking).

 

What else? Still on the military jag, you can download the Dean Reimer (early) F/A-18 Hornets for free from sim Market.com in the UK. These are the old FS2002/FS9 payware Hornets and you can snag them for free. :D I'm pretty sure they work just fine as is, but I may have had to adjust some .air file values.

The KBT (newer) Hornets for FS9 will work with minimal tweeking. One sticky point is the ADI display in both the 2D and VC cockpits. You could use the ADI from Dean's Hornets (it will actually be two gauges) or rob the display out of a T-45 Goshawk package.

 

Otherwise, there are tons of FS9 planes that either will work "out of the box" just fine or will need some minor conversion work. It all really comes down to which compiller was used to produce the MDL and whether or not the gauges and .air will be compatible or will need some minor tuning.

Great, thanks, got it!

This might take a little effort, but the results are a blast. :D

 

Start with Kirk Olsson's F-16 for FS9.

Its a great download for FS9 but it just won't fly right in FS2002.

 

Now, download the KBT Mitsubishi F-2 for FS9.

The MDL won't display in FS2002 which is fine, we'll be borrowing some other parts.

 

Use the KBT air file to cure the Falcon's "yips" in FS02. Just drop the F-2's air file into the Viper folder and edit each "sim=" line to "sim=F-2".

Drop the KBT F-2 sound folder into the Falcon. The afterburner will really come to life.

I also used an IRIS freeware F-15 HUD gauge in the Falcon's 2D cockpit and (as a bonus) the HUD from the KBT Hornet works best in the VC after some fiddling around.

Top it off by adding some NVG headgear from my Having Fun At Night thread.

 

You kind of wind up with a hybrid F-16 (a frankenfalcon? ) that's a kick in the pants to fly and very controllable in FS02 plus there are many repaints available for Kirk's Viper. Since the F-2 and F-16 are very close cousins, the final result is a fairly accurate F-16 with no bad habits. :cool:

 

This is how we have to do things in FS02. :pilot:

 

This is how we have to do things in FS02. :pilot:

 

lol

 

I'll be sticking with FS9 for the FS9 stuff. Might pull something like textures or some other bits from FS9 for 2002 but mostly intend to use the 2002 stuff in 2002. There looks like there is plenty of it to keep me more than busy!

For all those FS02 downloads, you may find yourself "hitting a wall" sooner than you thought. ;)

 

FS02 wasn't at the top of the FS heap for very long. It was stuck between FS2K and FS9 for starters, so you're not going to find that much innovation in terms of freeware or payware.

Like I've said before, it took modern hardware and OS's to shake out FS02's bugs.

 

It looks good and runs great NOW, it was a handful and a half back then. :rolleyes: