Atomic Systems

Well FSX is stunning, FS9 with all the add-ons I've put on it is excellent, but they're still both pretty sluggish.

So when Mrs F started complaining that her copy of Sid Meir's Railroads was like a slideshow on her laptop I asked if she wanted a PC like the one I use at home. Of course she replied yes.

So she can have it. And the 17" TFT monitor that I use.

Aren't I the best hubby in the world?

Of course, I need something to replace my lost PC, so I've spent a small fortune on:

Core 2 Duo 6600
2 GB DDR2 RAM
P5N-E SLi MoBo
768MB NVidia 8800GTX Graphics
500GB SATA2 HDD

And Vista, plus I had to add a 19" widescreen TFT.

Now I'm looking forward to seeing how FSX SHOULD run.

*Smug git mode*

Anyone else interested, it's the last (PC Format Gold Award) one on this page and looks smart before you even look at the specs.

http://www.advancetec.co.uk/acatalog/Atfx_system.html

Thoughtful indeed... so selfless

Enjoy FSX - it runs OK on my computer, but I'm still using FS9 as FSX is still largely addon free - though the adventures are good fun!

LOL... Should be here tomorrow, so I'd better start backing up important info and saved game files this evening.

I got FSX and the Gen X scenery. With my Flight 1 payware Cessna 172 installed and Rick Piper's FSX Chipmunk, it does a great deal for me just VFRing around the UK. A lot of Dave Maltby's jetliners work nicely as well, as long as you follow the instructions put up in various forums for gathering the FS9 textures into the aeroplane's folder. Trident, BAC 1-11 and Argosy have all had thumbs up.

And the MAAM DC-3 package has been fully FSX prepared now and is perhaps the most immersive aeroplane ever made for FS.

With all that and a new PC that'll show a lot more of the standard install detail, it should look pretty good still.

Just waiting for Gary Summers to update his UK2000 airports to work in FSX.

Mind you, if you're into the more modern stuff, I'm sure there's plenty out there as well.

Hi Fodda

How's you getting on with your new toy????

Errr... how should I put this?











And Vista...






The machine itself is marvellous. I installed FSX and over the GenX VFR scenery I can crank every slider to the right and still get locked 30fps!

However, once I get anywhere with autogen it's a different story. The baby elephant rescue mission runs nicely at around 20fps (and that plain is a lot more full of trees with max autogen.

Worst is LAX at midday with full traffic. 2-3fps being the order of the day there. But then that's understandable at the mo.

For most of the time I get locked at 30fps and I've adjusted the sliders to GenX recommendations, and cranked the scenery and autogen down to normal.

However, busy airports really still need to be sorted out (Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle, LAX, JFK etc). I think autogen on lowest setting (which equals FS2004 max around them may well be order of the day until DX10 arrives.

Now for Vista Home Premium 64 bit... It's gorgeous and has a good lot of things going for it... BUT! Flipping admin mode! GGRRRRRR! It asks me about three times if I'm sure about doing anything! And even in my standard Admin account I still have to specify if I want to do anything as an Admin. I suppose I'll get used to the new OS eventually, but so far, it's just plain awkward.

Haven't got MSTS on yet as I've been oohing and aaahing over FSX and Silent Hunter 4 with full graphics options on and huge sea battles!

Overall: It's excellent.


Put the other PC together on Friday evening for Mrs F... All connected and ready, push power switch... Nothing. Hmmm... Is that a burning electricals smell I can detect? Ask Mrs F... She says she can smell it as well. DOH! New PSU required... :S

I'm soon to join the ranks of the mega-PC brigade!

Placed an order for:
Core 2 Duo 6700
2 GB DDR2 RAM
P5B-E S/L MoBo
768MB NVidia 8800GTX Graphics
400GB SATA2 HDD 7200
150GB SATA2 HDD 10000
Vista Home Premiun 64 bit

And I can't wait.....

Oh you Intel boys with your Core 2 Duo processors. I challenge the...

AMD Athlon64 X2 5200+
ASUS M2N4-SLI
2GB OCZ Bronze DDR2 667 Ram
2 x 160GB SATA 10,000RPMs
ASUS 512mb nVidia 7950GT Graphics
Windows XP Professional (Soon to be Vista Ultimate on a separate HDD)

Sorry, but I don't subscribe to the "Mine's better than yours!" game.

You have a powerful PC. I'm getting a powerful PC. They'll both be old technology in a few months time.

dkightley wrote:Sorry, but I don't subscribe to the "Mine's better than yours!" game.

You have a powerful PC. I'm getting a powerful PC. They'll both be old technology in a few months time.

Months, its more like days. My 5200+ has already been outdone and the next 8600s are due out soon too.

I've always been pretty hacked off when buying - what most people would see as a high-end PC - only for it to chug along when you throw the current version of Flight Sim at it with a complex add-on such as the Level-D 767.

Sure it ran the latest FPS and Company of Heroes at glorious resolutions at unnecessary frame rates, so why does it render FS with all the bells and whistles like a flick book?

Do your new toys have similar issues with FSX?

I'm stuck on a virtually archaic P930D, 2GB 533MHz, 256MB 7800GT. Its only 15 months old but I've been looking and salivating at the Alienware website for a couple of weeks now and I'm awfully tempted.

Can't answer your question yet.

My box is still on the production line....I'm hoping to have it by this time next week.

Speedbird083 wrote:I'm stuck on a virtually archaic P930D, 2GB 533MHz, 256MB 7800GT. Its only 15 months old but I've been looking and salivating at the Alienware website for a couple of weeks now and I'm awfully tempted.

IMHO, scrap Alienware and look for a local retailer. They are cheaper and can usually get all the high end parts in. They are also there so there are no calls to India and usually great after-sales service.

You could even buy the components and build it yourself. Thats what I done.