FS9 popularity v FSX etc

There are occasional posts on here regarding FS9 and how popular or unpopular it is, and how it is fading away, and will scenery continue to be made for it? etc etc. I remember one poster stating that obviously FSX is more popular than FS9 as there are always more folks looking at the FSX forum than the FS9, though as 75% of the posts are about problems that did not appear to me to be a recommendation! However, I realised there was a way to measure the relative popularity and the result slightly surprised me. The Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport PABR at Barrow was made in 2016 for FS9, and for FSX. Both versions feature real life buildings (the FSX version was made using buildings converted from the FS9 version) and the two are pretty much identical. The FS9 version was made in April 2016, and the FSX version was made in October 2016, so both have had enough time to demonstrate their appeal. The FS9 version on flightsim has been downloaded 644 times, the FSX version 515. On avsim the proportions are reversed, and total 442 for FS9 and 547 for FSX, so both total almost identically as 1,086 and 1,062. A reasonable conclusion is that FS9 remains at least as popular as FSX. Given that there are excellent scenery products that are available only for FSX and not for FS9 (Orbx, for instance) which must encourage folks to switch, and given that anyone newly taking up using a flight simulator will usually buy the newest, it appears that FS9 is really hanging in there. I know why I will not switch; too much scenery investment that would take years to recreate from scratch in FSX, or P3D, or Xplane!

A Superb and interest article I know from feed back I get that most FS9 users have a real passion for it, "I know I have", probably not so much with X users.

 

Howard

Web : http://biggles11.wix.com/the-natural-world

Mail : biggles11@btinternet.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004916148824 (Sorry No Friends please)

Howard, I also have the first edition of your landscape textures.

GREAT post Roger. I attempted to switch to FSX, tried many times and always went back to FS9. I am up to 35GB in scenery and aircraft enhancements and would not change it for anything. Also The flights are nice and smooth. Long live to FS 2004!!!!!

Hi Roger you are not alone with my old Howards Mix you are one of many, but TNW2017 really is a step up to this decade and set to move FS9 up a notch in the TNW2018 edition using a scenery idea that has not yet been developed for any other newer flightsim to date, if all goes plan. I strongly suggest a upgrade to the latest. I will email your article to my local flightsim group and the Irish group both of which produce a excellent monthly news letter

Howard

Howard, I will take a look at the latest version, but where are there screenshots available? One observation about land textures in Canada, if I may, is that almost all farm fields are rectangular and aligned with similarly straight roads. I have no idea if your textures reflect this. Flight Ontario have posted some that do. Mostly do, anyway.

Roger,

I just downloaded the floatbase at Quebec, Canada. But, I don't have Ultimate Terrain, I don't have TTools, and I am not going to search for the models needed for AI part. Can I still use it? Of course. But it will not be the same. Right? Right. Then 'scnery.x' needs to be above 'scenery.y' for IT TO WORK. Really. Ah! Too much work (sorry).

 

I have both FS9 and FSX and enjoy them both. I only have 'scenery' such as race car tracks (FIHO, by D. Stuck in FS9 and Race Tracks 4 FSX by OK Daley). That's it. And if I do install some other scenery I 'de-activate' the race tracks. Just to see how much stress the scenery places on sim (fps, etc). I visit it and if I don't like it I delete it. No harm done.

 

One thing I notice is that some simmers place ALL the bgl's from 10 different scenerys all in the default 'AddOn Scenery/scenery' folder. You explain how to do it but other's do not and the newbies get traped into doing this. Someone need to write a book (or article) how to properly install scenery so that other developers can use it as a STANDARD. Or am I dreaming? After all we will be here doing the same thing for the next 10 years (hopefully).

Chuck B

Napamule

Hi Roger,

A great article. Thanks.

However, (always a 'however'..)

Using a benchmark, such as the one you used, only appeals to those with an interest in that particular add-on. I'm sure that there are many simmers all over the world whose interest does not lie there. BUT it does give a snapshot of a portion of our simmers.

 

It could be interesting to compare an aircraft, such as one of Milton's or even a DC-3/C-47, as, I'm sure an aircraft will have more appeal with our world-wide simmers.

 

Howard's TNW is awesome, & I'm looking forward to the next version.

 

Regards,

Robin

Cape Town, South Africa

Robin,

 

I realise that just one benchmark may give a skewed result, when the park is huge and full of benches to rest one's judgement on. However, I chose that bench as I was familiar with it, having made the FS9 version.

 

Where can I see some screenshots of Howard's TNW?

Have a look on Howard's site. There are some there.