B-50 display issues

Hi there!

I am the designer of the recently released B-50 Superfortress and I understand some users are having problems with getting the a/c to display properly -- mainly missing parts and textures.

It seems the problem is related to older setups running DirectX 9. I noticed there is a 7 years old thread at avsim discussing the same effect, and users reported fairly favorable results following a tweak suggested by fsx guru "Bojote". The tweak mainly consists of adding some adjustments to fsx.cfg.

1 - With FSX not running, find your fsx.cfg, usually at c:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\fsx.CFG

2 - Make a backup copy, say fsx.CFG-001

3 - Using Notepad, check if there is a section called [bufferPools]

4 - If there isn't one, add it as follows

[bufferPools]

UsePools=0

If the section is already there, but has different settings, change it to read as above.

5 - Find the section called [GRAPHICS] and check if it contains the line

HIGHMEMFIX=1

If not there, add it.

6 - Save and exit. Run fsx loading one of the original B-50 models and see what's with the artefacts.

Note, Bojote also has some pointers concerning video settings and it may be worth reading up his more detailed comments such as this one here:

https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/280688-graphics-corruption-in-fsx-update-possible-solution-found/?do=findComment&comment=1745212

I'd be grateful if you could try this out. If it does, great, if it doesn't go back to the backed-up fsx.cfg.

Thanks,

Manfred

Hi Manfred, Happy Holidays!

Even with those changes to the FSX.cfg, my one and only one issue remains. No cockpit glass or plexiglass domes. VC wing view is no longer a concern because of the camera views I installed. The Monitor panel works perfectly and I have no issues with scenery.

I know my issue comes from the model because I have the same issue with Milton's new A-20 series. I corrected that by using the FS9 model, which shows perfectly.

You C-97 version 3, the C-47 ver 2, ver. 3.12, and ver. 3.14 all show correctly. Just curious if you are using any new modeling techniques in the B-50? I'm running WinXP 32 bit with FSX Standard with SP1 and 2.

Hi,

I'd installed the B-50 but hadn't checked it out thoroughly. I'm running the disc version of Acceleration. I have unnecessary background tasks disabled and run FSX at Above Normal priority. I placed the B-50 at KEDW with fair weather. I spent about 5 minutes checking things out and everything seemed to be working properly. I took off and shortly after take off all of my external scenery appeared washed out. The B-50 flew normally but there were obvious display issues. Rather than continue I quit FSX to recheck this post. I saw the BufferPool reference and although it didn't seem to apply to my problem I decided to install it just to see if it changed things. NO MORE SCENERY PROBLEMS!

My thanks for the fine aircraft and the solution to what I suspect has been a scenery problem of long standing.

Jim F.

Manfred, sorry I haven't been able to reply until now. Like Jim, I run FSX Acceleration, and I have an i7/7700K CPU at 4.2 GHz with a nVidia GTX 960 graphics card. Because the CPU delivers data to the graphics card much quicker than it can process with UsePools=0, I have to have buffers, or I get artifacts galore.

I started the B-50 today at EDDH with fair weather, and it sat on the runway without rudder, bomb bay doors and plexiglass nose cone. It took off and flew normally for over 10 minutes without any scenery washout, but when I looked at the aircraft from the outside from time to time, the rudder, bomb bay doors and nose cone were still missing. In addition, there was an "object" tagging along under the centre of the aircraft, and above the centre section of the wing there was some oddities on the aircraft itself.

I have forgotten all about taking a screenshot, but if some kind soul will enlighten me on how to do this, I shall gladly post one here.

Thanks -

Jorgen

I have forgotten all about taking a screenshot, but if some kind soul will enlighten me on how to do this, I shall gladly post one here.

 

Thanks -

 

Jorgen

If taking more than one screenshot press the v key for each, then go into Pilot Records to save them to you computer. If only taking one, then press Print Screen key, then go into Paint and press ctrl+v key and save the pic to your computer.

Thanks for the feedback so far.

MrZippy: yes there are several mods over the earlier models: it has combined p3d/fsx functionality (p3d can work with exterior mouse rectangles), variable configuration via the title line, 32 and 64-bit gauge setup for sounds and fuel dump. All this had been removed from the red tail model you are showing in your pic.

Jorgen, your setup is very useful and welcome because the effect is obvious and drastic (no pic needed).

Would you perhaps consider flushing your shaders cache, as per these instructions?

https://fsxtimes.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/clean-up-shader-cache/

I had both a Shader folder and a Shader10 folder, I deleted everything inside both of them. Ran FSX again and loaded the B-50, now everything looked normal.

So, I think I'll have to install the B-50 in P3D....

Jorgen

I had both a Shader folder and a Shader10 folder, I deleted everything inside both of them. Ran FSX again and loaded the B-50, now everything looked normal.

So, I think I'll have to install the B-50 in P3D....Jorgen

Now everything looks normal? That is excellent news! Thank you so much Jorgen! I know it's a drastic measure and I really hesitated asking for it. If this holds good for an extended period of time (sustainable solution the word I'm looking for I guess) I am finally ready to release the turretless weather and recce version.

And it is absolutely a good idea to fly her in P3D, at least up to V3 - you can swivel the turrets via mouse clicks and wheel, you can start an engine via a click-and-hold on a spinner, you can call up the GPU, remove the chocks, open the bomb bays etc etc. In V4 some external gauges aren't ready yet, mainly the battery charger, but I am confident Doug Dawson will give us the 64-bit gauges in due course.

It is actually P3D v4, only got it last Sunday. Along with the B-50 I'll also install the U-2 and Paul Varn's SR-71.

Jorgen

Thanks for the feedback so far.

 

MrZippy: yes there are several mods over the earlier models: it has combined p3d/fsx functionality (p3d can work with exterior mouse rectangles), variable configuration via the title line, 32 and 64-bit gauge setup for sounds and fuel dump. All this had been removed from the red tail model you are showing in your pic.

My screenshot was showing a new download of the B-50 with a new paint, not the test model. I have none of those shaders cashe folders in the location given in the link.

I added the line SHADER_CACHE_VERSION=x (where x = any number) to my FSX.cfg and everything in the aircraft window was black.

This is the only folder that has anything to do with shaders and what's inside the folder.

This is the folder containing FSX.cfg, etc

Are you sure that you don't have those shader folders? Maybe check the link again (I had to do that), it's not the same location as FSX.CFG.....

Jorgen

Are you sure that you don't have those shader folders? Maybe check the link again (I had to do that), it's not the same location as FSX.CFG.....

 

Jorgen

I finally did a search and found it. Luckily I did not delete it but I did just move it out of the folder and left it on my desktop. I restarted FSX. It did rebuild a much smaller shader folder. I still get a black screen but can see the aircraft selection screen. Is this normal and should I just try starting a flight?

I tried it again and this is what I get with the new shaders folder. And when starting a flight, the screen is pure black.

Not a pretty sight. Hadn't heard that flushing the shader cache could lead to such consequences. I guess it is a welcome reminder to always make a backup copy of the shader folder before flushing it.

I assume you were able to revert to your backed-up folder and now all is as before?

One request, could you zip up your working shader folder and put it in an attachment so that I can try it out and perhaps make your issue reproducible on my rig? That would be fab.

Not a pretty sight. Hadn't heard that flushing the shader cache could lead to such consequences. I guess it is a welcome reminder to always make a backup copy of the shader folder before flushing it.

 

I assume you were able to revert to your backed-up folder and now all is as before?

 

One request, could you zip up your working shader folder and put it in an attachment so that I can try it out and perhaps make your issue reproducible on my rig? That would be fab.

I could do that! I just sent it to your listed email from the README in the B-50 download.

Thanks:D

I do agree it's crazy what happens when I removed the original Shaders folder. I restarted FSX and a new Shaders folder was created with the subfolders inside. The subfolders remained pretty much empty no matter what I did. Reverting back worked fine! I even tried making it after removing my current FSX.cfg....still did the same thing.

Got it. Removed my own Shader files, put yours in, started fsx. Noticed eight files were added to your set in folder Shader\General. B-50 coming up all correct and present.

Flushed Shader subdirectories and let fsx rebuild. Much smaller number of files, as in your case, but selection window okay, and B-50 fine.

Monitor says my FSX version is 10.0.61472. Exactly like yours, I believe.

:confused:

Got it. Removed my own Shader files, put yours in, started fsx. Noticed eight files were added to your set in folder Shader\General. B-50 coming up all correct and present.

 

Flushed Shader subdirectories and let fsx rebuild. Much smaller number of files, as in your case, but selection window okay, and B-50 fine.

 

Monitor says my FSX version is 10.0.61472. Exactly like yours, I believe.

:confused:

Interesting! Does this mean my Shaders are OK and not causing my problem, which is what I thought?

What would happen if I was to use your working Shaders folder in my Sim?

OK, with your Shader folder, which was at 650KB when installed and about 3.18MB when I closed FSX, it's now a combination of better and worse. I'll play around with this for a while to see if the cache builds up over several startups. I now have nosecone glass and bubbles on top of the aircraft. Opppsie, no landing gear!

Still only using the original B-50V.1 download not the "test" version.

I am pleased to report that the beast flies just nicely in P3D v4.

However, I noticed a couple of things wrong in the pictures that Mr. Zippy posted. In the top picture, the front upper turret has a "thingy" sticking up over it, the other turrets don't seem right either, and the tail guns should not sit in a transparent hemisphere, but in a solid one.

In the bottom picture, again none of the turrets seem quite right, and the transparent bubble on the side of the rear fuselage (which looks about right in the top picture) is missing here.

Jorgen

Manfred,

I have either walked on water or suffered severe brain flatulence. I said to myself..."self, why not try

combining Manfred's shaders with my own?" I opened each of the sub-folders and copied and pasted into my shader file sub-folders all of your info overwriting what was in mine. Low and behold it's looking 99% better than ever! Thanks for your help on this project!

mrZ, do yu still have the black selection screen? If so I'll look into it. (I think I remember a thread on it, I will try looking for that.

Adding: My ShadersHLSL folder (the one you should Not remove) has another folder in it. A folder you don't show in your screenshot.

Called: Common

I have FSX Accel, Disc version. (Gold).

That may be why I have that folder and you don't. But just in case, I'd say look in a fsx backup to see if it should be there in your pc.

A list of all folders in my: ../Microsoft Flight Simulator X/ShadersHLSL

Common

FixedFunction

General

misc

PostProcess

Terrain

Thanks il, you were right. I just checked my USB storage device where the vanilla FSX is and I copied the Common folder from it and placed it in the ShadersHLSL folder. Let's see if it makes any more difference!:D

HELL'S BELLS that was it! Both you and Manfred are lifesavers! I was going to pull my one remaining hair outta my head. Now I can let it grow and comb it over! ;)

Looking 100% correct now!

Great MrZ!

In the mean time I searched for those other threads on black preview. Found a few. In those the cause was different. (and less clear).

I'll post the links just in case. For others that have a black preview window as well.

This issue in FS2004

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?286627-Black-preview-window-fs2004&highlight=preview+window+black

In FSX

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?242120-Black-Aircraft-Preview-Window-Problem

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=5424.0

(Oh, and in case your aircraft preview ever shows normally... but has the aircraft itself missing from it... check this thread:

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?285145-No-aircraft-preview&highlight=aircraft+preview+missing )

Happy Flights!

Great MrZ!

In the mean time I searched for those other threads on black preview. Found a few. In those the cause was different. (and less clear).

I'll post the links just in case. For others that have a black preview window as well.

 

This issue in FS2004

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?286627-Black-preview-window-fs2004&highlight=preview+window+black

In FSX

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?242120-Black-Aircraft-Preview-Window-Problem

 

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=5424.0

 

 

(Oh, and in case your aircraft preview ever shows normally... but has the aircraft itself missing from it... check this thread:

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?285145-No-aircraft-preview&highlight=aircraft+preview+missing )

 

Happy Flights!

Thanks for the help! Ain't it past your bedtime?;)

I hope I'll be off to the land of Nod soon!

(Just waiting for the B50 to finish downloading;) )

Hello M. Jahn,

I just installed the B50.

File name: boeing_b-50v1.zip

from Flightsim.com.

My PC: 3570k with GA-Z77X-d3h mainboard and GT430 videocard with the latest driver. Using NvInspetor as well.

Windows 7 Home Premium - 64 bit

My sim: FSX-Accel Disk version (Gold edition box).

Settings in FSX.cfg were already:

Highmemfix=1

[bufferpools]

UsePools=0

So I left those settings like that.

I did nothing to my shaders folder.

I installed the B50, and allowed all gauges. Including the 64 bit ones. (and allowed them to be added to trused)

(I forgot to count the gauges. I think there were 5 to OK.)

I think it is showing OK on the outside.

I'm not sure what it is supposed to look like inside.

I find it very dark inside. (Gauges are visible fine. Textures are dark and low cockpit lighting.)

It is a bomber, so maybe it is supposed to have low lighting??

Also there is no reflection showing on the windows when seen from the inside.

When switching from outside to 3D VC I briefly see a "layer" there. But that disappears quickly, and then no reflection shows.

I'll show some images.

First 4 of the outside. Walkaround.

Then 1 of the Dome outside.

Then 2 of the Dome inside.

Then 2 more trying to get dome reflection in the dark.

Walkaround:

-----

Dome Outside:

----

Dome when swapping from outside view to VC briefly shows this:

Dome inside by day:

Two more attempts to get reflection at night. (To make the image more clear I increased the brightness on my videocard menu.)

I hope the info is helpful,

Thank you for this aircraft,

il.