Jump to content

After all, FSX still a GOOD choice - thx to CumulusX!


jcomm

Recommended Posts

I've been away from flight simulation for quite a while. I fly gliders for real, here in Portugal.

In the past I never used FSX for gliding. As a matter of fact, flying for real and using Condor and SW did put an end to my MSFSX use.

After comming back, I had to decide, since my machine is still the same - very out of sync with new standards - what to re-install. I installed Condor, and then decided to have a look at DiscusX! from Aerosoft. I was rather skeptical about it... At the very same time I re-discovered CumulusX!.

Together, CumulusX! and Aerosoft's DiscusX are now the only 2 add-ons I have installled in FSX. I might re-install FSUIPC too.

I have to say that glifing in MSFS has rose to a point where it became really usefull, including for real world practise, thanks to both CumulusX! and DiscusX!, so, I am really grateful to both teams for their EXCELLENT work.

Peter's support is great, and I have exchanged a few emails with him. I really look forward for further enhancements of this already GREAT software.

Thanks Peter, and thanks Aerosoft!!!! Keep the good work and have a GREAT 2012!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

I'm also a real glider pilot and I'm interested in Condor too. Unti now I only own FSX with Discus X and CumulusX! and I'm wondering how much better Condor is.

Could you comment on the difference between Condor and FSX with those addons?

And by the way, as you didn't mention it: Have you already tried WhinchX? With it you can do winch launches in FSX.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Emi,

one of the main limitations, for me, in Condor is the total absence of the Portuguese terrain. I am unable to "fly" in Portugal with it :-). I look forward to be able to create a scenery for Portugal, but I am running out of spare time, as usual.... FSX, albeit it's many problems / Limitations, when added by really good add-ons such as FSUIPC, CumulusX! and now DiscusX! can be a very useful trainning tool.

Regarding flight and weather model, the default MSFS weather, although including features not found in other simulators, such as temperature layers, T and Td, does not really make any use of it. Programs like CumulusX overcome those limitations by providing a very credible gliding environment. Presently I really find FSX+CumulusX+DiscusX equal in performance and usefulness to Condor.

Condor has been designed as a Soaring simulator, so it includes very nice features such as support for link to external devices you use for real world soaring, task definition menus, gliders that are said to be up to their real counterparts in terms of performance (always arguable...) Scenery wise, Condor is very limited in terms of VFR data we use for our RL flights (specially for me who will probably never be able to fly at those exotic scenery areas in RL :-|

There is some sort of wave model in Condor too, but I never experienced it. Also, although the model is there (just as in Silent Wings), there are no wave clouds to help us glimpse the right points to be at the right time, so, I look forward for Peter to add some sort of wave model to CumulusX, probabley with nice (staic :-) ) wave clouds too :-) This will make CumulusX almost PERFECT!

Condor is also a very easy program to run smoothly even on very low end machines like mine. In FSX I get, with the graphics settings down to Low or VEry Low, no traffic, etc... sometimes as low as 9fps! This really spoils the experience, and certainly interferes too with the performance of an "injector" like CumulusX and the FM of the great DiscusX.

Condor is apparently stagnated - I can't see a word about the next version. It's been there since 2005 and appart from 2 glider packs, and a few patches, it is still the same.

Now, although FSX is also stopped, and FLIGHT is apparently not going to bring good news, there is a miriad of good add-on products, and there is CumulusX!.

If I were you I would stay with FSX + CumulusX and invest in detailled scenery for your area of flight, including good mesh.

Yesterday I flew the Discus in Serra da Estrela - Portugal's highest mountain. CumulusX! performed beautifully in all respects! It was as if I was really there. To be honest when I decided to try it I couldn't really believe I would have such a great experience!

We could arrange for some online flights, but I have yet to recall how to enter multiplayer sessions in FSX...

Hi,

I'm also a real glider pilot and I'm interested in Condor too. Unti now I only own FSX with Discus X and CumulusX! and I'm wondering how much better Condor is.

Could you comment on the difference between Condor and FSX with those addons?

And by the way, as you didn't mention it: Have you already tried WhinchX? With it you can do winch launches in FSX.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Emi,

one of the main limitations, for me, in Condor is the total absence of the Portuguese terrain. I am unable to "fly" in Portugal with it :-). I look forward to be able to create a scenery for Portugal, but I am running out of spare time, as usual.... FSX, albeit it's many problems / Limitations, when added by really good add-ons such as FSUIPC, CumulusX! and now DiscusX! can be a very useful trainning tool.

Regarding flight and weather model, the default MSFS weather, although including features not found in other simulators, such as temperature layers, T and Td, does not really make any use of it. Programs like CumulusX overcome those limitations by providing a very credible gliding environment. Presently I really find FSX+CumulusX+DiscusX equal in performance and usefulness to Condor.

Condor has been designed as a Soaring simulator, so it includes very nice features such as support for link to external devices you use for real world soaring, task definition menus, gliders that are said to be up to their real counterparts in terms of performance (always arguable...) Scenery wise, Condor is very limited in terms of VFR data we use for our RL flights (specially for me who will probably never be able to fly at those exotic scenery areas in RL :-|

There is some sort of wave model in Condor too, but I never experienced it. Also, although the model is there (just as in Silent Wings), there are no wave clouds to help us glimpse the right points to be at the right time, so, I look forward for Peter to add some sort of wave model to CumulusX, probabley with nice (staic :-) ) wave clouds too :-) This will make CumulusX almost PERFECT!

Condor is also a very easy program to run smoothly even on very low end machines like mine. In FSX I get, with the graphics settings down to Low or VEry Low, no traffic, etc... sometimes as low as 9fps! This really spoils the experience, and certainly interferes too with the performance of an "injector" like CumulusX and the FM of the great DiscusX.

Condor is apparently stagnated - I can't see a word about the next version. It's been there since 2005 and appart from 2 glider packs, and a few patches, it is still the same.

Now, although FSX is also stopped, and FLIGHT is apparently not going to bring good news, there is a miriad of good add-on products, and there is CumulusX!.

If I were you I would stay with FSX + CumulusX and invest in detailled scenery for your area of flight, including good mesh.

Yesterday I flew the Discus in Serra da Estrela - Portugal's highest mountain. CumulusX! performed beautifully in all respects! It was as if I was really there. To be honest when I decided to try it I couldn't really believe I would have such a great experience!

We could arrange for some online flights, but I have yet to recall how to enter multiplayer sessions in FSX...

Thanks for the detailed answer. So I think I'll stay with my FSX.

Flying online togeather would be great, but I don't use FSX multiplayer. When flying online I always use VATSIM. It's a far better network for flying online than the FSX multiplayer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hei there,

I was flying some gliders a loooong time ago, only K8 and ASK-13, but had to stop then. With DiscusX, CumulusX etc. I was getting again hooked. I am regularly coming back to condor and check the forums etc. But I did not actually buy it for the same reason. I would like to have the experience of flying in areas that I familiar with it. I was building the Airfield I was doing the gliding with "Airport Design Editor". Im mostly in the Innsbruck and german alps area.

I would be highly interested in flying online together. I did it several times with my brother over the FSX-multiplayer option and it was fun. Though I have little experience with VATSIM, I never flew glider with it. I'm wondering if the position update of Squawbox is good enough for flying together using gliders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi RafaelK,

VATSIM is ok, but you have to follow their rules, namely not to spawn on RW, comply with RW airspace sectors, and being prepared for communication. VATSIM/SB or FSINN works, however displayed MP aircraft are behaving a bit choppy, compared to FSX MP. The same with FSHOST (see the servers sf4j has set up, along with teamspeak).

Another option might be aerosoft's Andras Field Server which is FSX native, also along with Teamspeak (and not FSX voice). Not sure, if they mind if you don't have purchased their scenery, but for the time being the may be happy for every user.

Frequently, open FSX MP servers ban gliders for their notoriously persistent tow planes (once used it stays for ever alive in the server and each new one adds up).

bests,

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the hints, Peter.

I will check them out. The main concern I have with VATSIM is indeed the choppy position update of mp-planes. I guess it can be difficult to fly in the same thermal on close range. However, I know that the UK Virtual Glider Association is flying via VATSIM. But I do not know what kind of software they use. I also remember that there is a "formation flight"-option in FSInn. I will try to read a bit more into it.

The tow plane persistance is of course a problem. The solution for it might be to reposition in air and connect airborn to VATSIM or whichever server. I know that VATSIM in general does not forbid airborn spawn.

Best,

Rafael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Rafael,

You don't have to worry about the tow planes on VATSIM – they are not visible to other users. The UK VGA members fly regularly online using CumulusX! on VATSIM with synchronised soaring environment (typically twice a week). We take advantage of the multiplayer features of CumulusX! to provide a common soaring environment for our association group launches. So we often have multiple gliders sharing the same thermal, of chasing each other along the same ridge, although with our club the competitive aspects of our online soaring are mainly focused on x-country task completion and badge achievements rather than outright racing.

Most of our members are now using FSInn in preference to Squawkbox mainly because it seems to be more reliable but also the graphics representation of other aircraft appears to be slightly less choppy. FSInn is much harder to set up properly though. Also there can be issues with glider models not displaying as the correct aircraft type to other players if you fail to set your model type correctly before connecting to VATSIM, or if they don't have your model type installed. Our club has some configuration files and advice for members to minimise this. Nevertheless, there are still some issues because our members like to use a wide variety of glider models, particularly on our vintage nights. Also the Aerosoft Discus X is a worst case for this sort of issue because on VATSIM it looks as thought it is standing upright with its tail stuck in the ground when on the ground although it looks normal when airborne.

We have done some testing of FSX Multiplayer Mode using the Wippien VPN and/or direct connects and the results were very good compared to VATSIM, however this mode requires reliable broadband connections, which a few of members do not have. VATSIM is more tolerant of disconnections and a player can reconnect without interrupting the task that they are flying. So we now only use FSX Multiplayer Mode for ad hoc events or buddy flight arranged between members. Tow planes are a slight issue in this mode but if you use the registered version of CumulusX! then you can optionally use the smart towplane feature, and then sometimes your tug will find its way back to airfield, land, taxi to parking and then vaporise, but not always. You have to be careful when launching that there isn't a tug returning to land, so the call from our launch point controller of “All clear above and behind!” has some real meaning in this mode. Also some of our members prefer to winch launch anyway. So far the lost tugs haven't been a big issue for us when using this multiplayer mode.

Cheers,

-James

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy & Terms of Use