How to get FS9 nearly perfect

hi
would love too , but I wouldn't know a dxt3 or dxti if they ran over me .im only at the stage of swapping texture files internally. even then I have to rename the original aircraft so I have several defaults in one file. while your there, how much ram does fs9 need and how much above an amt 6700 drive should I get as I need a new hard drive soon.
thanks
greycap

Here is some external advice:

https://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/microsoft-flight-simulator-2004/10233


The required diskspace is for the standard installation. With all the addons available I'm sure you will need much more. I have several FS2004 installs and from the top of my head they are all around 50 Gb (Can't check as I'm behind a different PC now).

But a 1 Tb harddisk is currently quite cheap and common and will definitely provide enough diskspace.

Cheers,
Huub
 
hi
would love too , but I wouldn't know a dxt3 or dxti if they ran over me ...
greycap

DXT files are compressed image files that can be seen by FS but not by Windows. To see them and work on them you need a little program called DXTbmp, freeware from Martin Wright Graphics (http://www.mwgfx.co.uk/) It allows you to open all kinds of image files, work on them in your selected image handling program, and save them in a variety of formats including DXT.

We need this sort of thing because FS can't see 24-bit files. FS can see 256 color files, but 256 colors often aren't enough to produce the colors and shades you might need, and they sometimes look soft and fuzzy in the sim. So we have DXTbmp and we can use DXT or 32-bit (very high res) file formats.

DXT formats are very lossy, so you should never save a file in a DXT format until you are completely finished with it. That's because it becomes progressively more corrupted every time you open, change and save it. Work in 32-bit format, then if you need to worry about file sizes, save your finished work in DXT3, or if file size isn't an issue, just keep it in 32-bits.

If you get DXTbmp, don't forget to also grab the required associated files as indicated on Martin's site.
 
In addition to Mick's splendid explanation, I would like to give you the advice to try it. It is one of the easiest programs I know to use and I'm sure that for (almost) any problem that yo might encounter, you will be able to find an answer here.

One additional word of advise: When you try it on the trees, don't touch the alpha channel.

Cheers,
Huub
 
In addition to Mick's splendid explanation, I would like to give you the advice to try it. It is one of the easiest programs I know to use and I'm sure that for (almost) any problem that yo might encounter, you will be able to find an answer here.

One additional word of advise: When you try it on the trees, don't touch the alpha channel.

Cheers,
Huub

thanks very much for all your replies and taking the time , however I down loaded dxtbmp . I think I need a tutorial for extreme dummies to use any thing to do with this sort of thing
best wishes and stay safe everyone
greycap [aka. double extreme fs9 dummy]
 
Meanwhile, while doing some random "dumpster diving" at Amazon and EBay, I have this showing up later in the week:

51UZ1iX4mkL.jpg


:jump::wiggle:

This was one of those "split titles" Abacus did for FS9 and FSX. Their carrier scenery is actually pretty good but it wasn't my main motivation. Aircraft listed (including AI) are several Harriers, the Rafale M, and the F-35B and F-35C models. :biggrin-new: I knew there had to be an F-35C for FS9 out there, somewhere.

The scenery includes a modern French carrier (I'm pretty sure I already have this scenery installed off the coast of Brest) and a modern UK carrier. :very_drunk:
The US carrier is the USS Bonnehome Richard, not the old school CV but a modern LHA.
Its tough to tell, but I think there are four locations* for the scenery in FS9 and I want to see where Abacus put the ships.

To be honest, I bought this title for the Rafale M and the F-35C plus the package can join my FS Payware Box collection. Carrier Strike Force came out a little after Flight Deck 6, so while Abacus aircraft tend to be a little "chunky", they were defiantly fly-able by this point and I can always fine tune them.


*- Finding reviews of really old payware can be its own adventure. I didn't want the "Rah rah" reviews or the "long list of Cons" reviews, but something that gave a good over-all picture of what was included. Basically, there are four locations for the FS9 scenery and one of them has me interested- "North Pacific". :wiggle: By this point, I'm pretty sure Abacus had the catapult and trap zones encoded into the BGLs (like in Flight Deck 6), but I'll know for sure once the package arrives. The other locations look like "predictable", but we'll see.
 
When I'm in the 2D Cockpit mode (Fullscreen), the GPS display flickers. Could this he a Graphics Card issue, or something else? :wavey:
 
First up, finding a good Rafale. :wiggle:

I wanted to try to fix the Rafale M from the Abacus Carrier Strike Force package and tripped over this:

https://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/23740/fsx-dassault-rafale-and-c-update/

Its an interesting package of a rare aircraft for FS9 with a great VC and tuned FD by Bob Chicilo. Ignore the FOR FSX ONLY stuff, however-

WARNING! While it works fine in my install, I haven't spent enough time with it to say it WON'T goof up your Sim.

The 3DO is a little limited but not that bad. The textures are good old DXT3 and won't cause any issues. The flight dynamics are VERY stable although there still is a tendency of having the plane barrel roll on the ground (but you really need to abuse it). I tried a basic install and didn't add any of the FSX gauges and the VC looks (and works) fine right out of the box.
To be honest, this thing flies a little TOO good and the designer, Cyril Pioffet, was an obvious fan of the real aircraft while it was still in testing. The only thing you're missing for carrier flights is an arrestor hook in the 3DO but it will trap in the cable zone with the best of them. Recommended if you REALLY need a Rafale for FS9 and you're willing to take some chances with possible FSX dynamics issues and a fairly old paint scheme. :applause:

While I'm on the subject of French carrier aviation, MAIW has a really nice scenery and AI package for FRENCH RAFALES. The two main Rafale M bases are included (within a realistic distance of the MAIW Charles de Gaulle and the "local" Abacus Charles de Gaulle in the Eastern Med). MAIW includes a full set of VPCMod files.

Filling out your your French carrier experience, a quick search will turn up a nice repaint for the Abacus E-2C Hawkeye in Aeronavale markings:

I *think* this repaint is also available at the regular sites, but I snagged mine here:

https://www.fs2000.org/2014/06/17/fs2004fsx-aeronavale-e-2c-hawkeye-4f-logo/

MAIW says the callsign for these Hummers should be "French Navy" but that seemed a little silly if they're flying over home turf so I went with the generic "Navy" callsign and a random number.

Abacus included the E-2 and the C-2 COD in their Flight Deck 4, 5, and 6 packages. While they're a bit goofy in real life as turboprops, don't sneeze at these two planes. They are a HANDFUL in FS9 when you're looking for a Three Wire landing and figuring them out will make you a better FS pilot. :wiggle:

Heading back to the US, I was also on the lookout for some "Eastern/Atlantic Fleet" texture sets for the E-2 and C-2. Normally, I look for textures done by Antonio Diaz but this time I spotted a texture set that covered ALL of the CODs of VAW-120 homeported at NS Norfolk. :adoration: This set (VAW120E2C2.ZIP) was done by Aaron Haase as AI traffic for FSX and FS9, but you get full texture folders for the Abacus COD. He also includes the "Greyhawk" call sign and all you really need would be to add the "AD" call letters to the tails if you wanted them. Pair all of this with the MAIW scenery for Norfolk, Va. and the Carriers2006 package and you wind up with a really nice area for carrier landings.

That's it for now, may your next wire be a 3 wire. :loyal:
 
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