"Debug" wrote


"Jack Straight" wrote in message
s.com...
"Quilljar" wrote
Admittedly, you do need a 2.6 plus chip to get the most out of it
though.

Thanks.

Exactly. I have a P4 3.0ghz w/R9800pro and even FS2002 doesn't run
completely smooth maxed out in the graphics so I have no real desire
to get FS2004 just yet as I like good frame rates in my flight sims. I
figure I'll have to turn off the extra eye candy in FS2004 to be happy
so may as well stick with FS2002 for now. In the long run I will have
a PC fast enough to run 2004 smooth and I will get the game for less
than the going rate of $79.99 CAD.

The less the better.

I've seen screen shots comparing the two side by side over at
www.simhq.com in the MSFS forum but I doubt they are still there as
that was when FS2004 first came out. The airports look more detailed
and the weather effects are nicer (I also hear ATC is improved)but I
didn't notice any great difference between the two going by the screen
shots I saw. BTW, has MS improved the flight models in FS2004? I have
X-Plane 5.66 and Fly!/FlyII and both of these flight sims have better
(more believable) flight models than the MS series. MS series kills
them in the eye candy department though. But I want to see MS improve
the flight models, ground handling and damage effects more than eye
candy improvements.

When I bot my last flight simulator, Flight Unlimited III, Microsoft was
killed in the eye candy department. But I like smooth frame rates
too and years later I was amused, still trying to run Flight Unlimited
III well (I can run it fast now). I paid $15 USD for FS98, skipped 2000
and 2002, and just bot FS2004 from someone who couldn't run it well. I
did a whole lot of reading the Usenet archives in these groups first.
Since I didn't have 2002, I figure the extra eye candy in 2004 can be
turned off until I upgrade. Between now and then, I can take a slide
show peek at what I will be upgrading for. If it wont run at all, I can
use my new (refurbished) cordless joystick and/or cordless gamepad with
Flight Unlimited III in the meantime. I will enjoy seeing whether
Microsoft has taken us anywhere since Looking Glass Studios (RIP) showed
us what we in the eye candy department were missing. I am aware the the
paid-for FS LearJet panel still sucks, but oh well.