It's about time!

[archangel1]

Finally, nearly two years after taking early retirement, I have a new computer hot enough to run FSX at a decent level.  It may not be optimized for the sim but, to be honest, that really wasn't my top priority.  I'm also a big fan of strategy games likeTotal War, Combat Mission, Men of War and the like, so they were my real impetus behind the acquisition of a  new system (besides the fact that my old one was giving obvious signs of mortal illness or mental decrepitude at the least).  The fact that FSX plays well (so far) is an added bonus.  Don't get me wrong, I'll be spending a lot of time in the air but, since I haven't flown properly for about 7 or 8 years, it's going to take a while to get back up to speed.  Definitely need some rudder pedals, a new joystick/yoke and the latest version of TrackIR.

I'll tell you one thing - the venue has certainly gotten larger in my absence.  When I deleted FS9 way back when to gain some drive space, it covered about 70 GB.  So far, after installing  the main game, two sets of FS Global terrain data, ORBX PNW, PFJ, NRM, CRM, Australia Gold, NZSI, two of their airports, a couple of planes and RTMM's Misty Moorings and Nina's Landing, I'm already over 120 GB! I've still got REX and FEX, two dozen more ORBX products and umpteen payware (including Tongass Fjords, which is buried somewhere) and freeware products to think about.  My secondary drive is 1 TB and I don't think it's going to be big enough, particularly with all the other wargames I intend to install.  I've already planned for a 2 TB external drive and I'll have to see what I can shift over there.

I can now start to contribute more to this excellent forum and not feel so much like a parasite, taking and not giving.  I've only had a brief glance at Misty's and Nina's so far but it's already obvious why RTMM is so highly regarded.  Can't wait to take a boat out for a closer look! Well done, folks.

Cheers,

Mike

(I'll shortly be posting (I hope!) a picture over in Screenshots of one of my favorite aircraft, in a most unusual place.  )

[jeff3163]

Yay!!!  I'm happy to be the first to say "Congratulations", Mike.  Glad to hear it.    You've been around so long, I forget you don't fly.  Well, welcome to the virtual skies, again.  If you're like me, you'll find that those other programs take too much time away from your flying time.  FSX is all I do any more.  Sometimes I relax with a game of Tiger Woods Golf or Dirt 2 racing.  But then it's back into the cockpit.

A note about hardware, I've found that Saitek is pretty nice.  Better than the CH ones I had before.  That goes for the yoke as well as the peddles.  And I have grown quite fond of my "trim wheel" as well.  It is so nice to be able to dial in a level flight, with a nice big trim wheel below my throttle controls.

[corbu1]

Hi Mike,
congratulations to your new computer and that you are back in the virtual skies!!!
Have fun with your new rig and all the different programms you play. I also liked it playing the Total War- series strategie games for quite a while. But since some years I´m running only FSX...Good to hear fsx runs well on your machine. Now, fasten your seat belts ..... and climb up into Misty`s virtual skies!!!!!

[archangel1]

A note about hardware, I've found that Saitek is pretty nice.

Thanks, Jeff.  I also like Saitek.  I'm using their Cyborg Evo joystick at the moment, which isn't bad, but I'm looking at getting their X52 PRO stick (sensors rather than mechanical connections) for my combat sims and the PRO Flight Cessna Yoke for the civvies.  I'm also keeping track of a set of the PRO Flight Rudder Pedals at a better price than Amazon.ca (usually the cheapest for me).  They've got one left in stock but I don't get paid until next Friday so fingers crossed.  No Dirt 2 (yet) but I did get Grand Prix Legends to run on Windows 7!

Danke sehr, Klaus.

[DaveLTB]

And I have grown quite fond of my "trim wheel" as well.  It is so nice to be able to dial in a level flight, with a nice big trim wheel below my throttle controls.

There's a poor-man's alternative to a dedicated USB trim wheel - If you have a registered FSUIPC, there is an option in there to quickly and simply convert your mouse scroll wheel into a trim wheel.

[jeff3163]

Cool!  I didn't know that.  I do occasionally hit my knee on the trimwheel housing (cramped quarters), but I like the fact that it looks very much like a real Cessna trim wheel.  You don't get that aspect with a mouse.  Yep, that is a little surprising to me now, that I never considered the mouse wheel to be the trimwheel.  That's funny.  Good to know.  Thanks Dave.