October 2006 - Posts
I have sure been getting a lot of traffic on the blog since the release of FSX. There were over 50 comments posted to this thread, but I simply had to remove most of them because they were unconstructive or just plain insulting / rude towards the ACES team.
For those that posted the nasty comments. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEFORE! When we had NO feedback or information from the team? Yes, the same team that I and plenty of others spent a LONG time convincing to start blogs, communicate, work with us.... would you prefer the Flight Simulator team just went back to the release a version, dissapear for two years, release another version method?
Sorry for shouting, but STOP AND THINK before posting. You can put forward your concerns and be firm... just don't resort to rudeness, I cannot abide it. I am one of only a few FS Related blog sites where the comments are not immediatly moderated, I would like to keep it that way, but if this continues I will be left with no choice but to check every post made here.
Now onto the good news! Paul has just posted on his blog about the areas that the team are working on at this time.
The beta is opening up... but you need not one, not two, but three 64bit machines to consider joining...
I guess that was the excuse I was looking for to purchase those new servers ;)
More on Kevin's Blog
Mr Woods say's it well...
"Holiday my a^$..... ;) "
Good man Adrian... it's GREAT to hear that you are releasing those GMAX tools nice and quickly after the release of FSX. I am sure you will make a lot of people happy.
I'll be the first to thank you, oh... and hound you for more tools ongoing. Did you ever get that tool finished to fix the FSX attached effect blob working? ;)
No more running Release Candidates and betas. The links are not public just yet, but you can now download IE7 from these links:
Windows XP SP2 Version
Windows 2003 Server 32Bit
Windows 2003 Server x64 Edition
Mark Minasi has written in his monthly newsletter (part 2) that Microsoft Vista will almost certainly release to manufacturing next Wednesday.
The newsletter gives you the pro's and con's of choosing Vista as your operating system and is well worth a read.
I am still on the fence.
Anyone else having this issue? I have confirmed with two separate people so far.
Adding a new MSN contact does not notify the person you added, and you are not notified of a new addition? Signing in on another machine sometimes, and only sometimes notifies you.
EDIT - This fixed it for me:
Go to Start, run, then type "regedit"
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\microsoft\MSNMessenger\Policies
Delete the key "contacts.msn.com"
Launch Windows Live Messenger again.
Be sure to check it out!
A big thank you to the ACES team on the MVP page, you know the way to our hearts!
For those whom have been moving their head around wildly, but having no effect on the game...
Naturalpoint have just released updated FSX Drivers! Nice work guys. The download is directly available here or you can visit the main page.
For those that don't have TrackIR, you are missing out. The link on the left side of the screen gives you a discount on the purchase!
Microsoft have released the following support articles to the website:
The known graphics-related issues that you may experience when you play Flight Simulator X
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=925722
You recieve an activation message after you play Flight Simulator X for 30 minutes
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=925723
Information about the ports that you must open in WIndows Firewall to play or to host a Flight Simulator multiplayer game
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=925896
I have also written up, in support article format, Adam Szofran's "Blurrie" fix and tips. However, because the product list was not updated for us yet, it will be in the category of FS2004 until that is fixed. Also, the article is not live yet, but it will be at:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=555738
I have been getting lots of email from people whom have been lucky enough to get their hands on FSX. A lot of them have been saying "Ewww, it is slow on my machine".
I mean, come on... what did you expect! Microsoft were never going to release a version of the sim that would run with all the sliders maxed out on current hardware. They have put a serious amount of graphical goodness into this version, but it is fair to say that until the new generation of video cards come to the market, you are not going to see the full benefit.
By the time FS (Nextversion) comes to the market, you will all be saying the same thing again. I know I was when FS 2004 ACOF was released. I have upgraded my machine twice since then.
So, some advice for the "virgin install" of FSX on your current hardware.
1. Load the game, put all the sliders to maximum, watch the smoke rise from your Dual Core machine that you thought was "all powerful", go back to the setting screen.
2. Turn off Autogen
3. Turn off Bloom
4. Go back to the game, and enjoy for a few months
5. Save money, wait for the release of DX10 Video Cards, and then wait some more for the second version of the DX10 Cards. Then buy one.
6. Go back to settings and turn on Bloom and Autogen
7. Enjoy the game some more
Soon.
One of the clever people, "MatthewS", on the new FSDeveloper.com community site is developing a tool that will convert Google's KML files from Google Earth into FSX Scenery.
Matthew has already started to write the manual for the system on our new WIKI and I simply wanted to point this out to you all! You can discuss the tool on the forum thread he created.
It is also worth noting that others can add to our WIKI, and make it the ultimate manual for FS development. That includes you Microsoft :)
That is it.
I have had about my belly full of Symantec and McAfee drivel. The PR crud they are both putting into the public realm is annoying to say the least.
I am not going to repeat what other more intelligent people than I have said, but I want to point out to all that McAfee and Symantec really have become the bottom of the pile when it comes to AV solutions for a corporate network anyway... so I dont give a damn.
The recent comments from McAfee and Symantec were really the nail in the coffin for me on looking at alternative solution for our clients desktop virus protection. I needed a product that was not "bloatware" and would be simple enough to implement.
I heard through the grapevine that some sections of Microsoft Ireland were using a product called NOD32. I have to confess, I had never even heard of it. Either way, I decided to give NOD32 a go and all I can say is WOW!
After removing Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition 10.x from my PC, an immediate speed improvement was obvious. Installing NOD32 has, so far, made zero obvious difference to my operation speed on my PC. It is like I don't have antivirus installed, but have the protection!
That rocks :)
Hi All,
I thought it worth noting that in the release version of FSX, Adam Szofran's "Blurrie" setting is not in the default FSX.CFG file.
You can read Adam's post on AVSIM about the issue here before making the choice to add the entry to your FSX.CFG File. If you do choose to add the "FIBER_FRAME_TIME_FRACTION=0.33" then you add it in your [MAIN] section.
Whoa... it seems I have rattled a few cages with my Netstreams venture!
Over the past two weeks, since it's launch, the new site has generated some good leads, and has also generated some anger from other AV companies in Ireland whom seem intent on not allowing anyone new into their club.
My poor distributor has had more complaints about the new site than he as ever had before. Rightly so... the new site was not clear that we were just another dealer for Netstreams. Apparently other dealers threw their dummies out of the cot and thought we were a distributor for the product. I guess they missed the line on the site that says "NTES are a dealer.....", but there you go. So, as requested, I have put my companies main logo on the front page and jigged around the text so that it is clearer to all that we are just a dealer for the product.
This only makes me think more about how much trouble I had trying to source information about home control products in Ireland, and how unhelpful and non-technical most of the companies were that I called. It only drives me more to get this product sold, for a reasonable installation price, in Ireland. The Netstreams product is truly the best in it's class, but it really needs to be easier for "Joe Public" to understand and purchase. That is what I aim to make happen.
Joel Deyoung
Owen Hewitt
Norman Blackburn
Pete Dowson <<< No link to a profile yet (Well overdue the award)
Congratulations guys!
Also a big shout out to Dudley, whom I have not encountered online yet... but hope to soon.
Hopefully, right about now, we should be getting some new Games MVP's. 'bout time I tell you! I am sure they will all come and join Arno and I at our forums and new developer portal fsdeveloper.com
On another good news note, you are stuck with me for at least one more year as the renewal came in.