Rating: 
Summary: hoped Microsoft would do better with 2004 version
Review: As I headed to the store for fresh copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: Century of Flight, I was hoping for the very best experience and couldn't wait to launch it when I got back home... unfortunately, the game is somehow disappointing. It can be certainly very impressive piece of software to those without any previous experience with MSFS series, or to those who flew it in the days of MSFS version 98 or earlier. This version is really just polished up MSFS2002 (which isn't so bad thing overall), but many annoyances of previous version persist. I have the program since release day (7-29-2003) and flew a few trips in Skyhawk, DC-3 (new) and Ford 3-motor (new), but experience is similar to FS2002. The low-res textured virtual cockpit is ugly, the regular cockpit is the same as in the days of FS2000 (no option to illuminate the instrument gauges only - either the whole panel or nothing as always), the overall graphics are fine but with occasional clipping (?) problems where sky or clouds touch the ground, unrealistic sudden atmosphere changes when you cross certain altitudes (should be a bit more fluid in order to call it "as real as it gets" - I travel (as a passenger) in the real aircraft fairly often and know how it should look to call it "real" ) , the clouds which MS claimed to be the most realistic experience ever can look so-so at times.... The terrain looks great from the higher altitude, but again pretty sub-average at close distance, particularly the low-textures on buildings or tree sprites. I use moderately fast (or call it slow, whatever) P2.4GHz/Asus P4T533-C fine-tuned homebuilt (Win2kPro), with gigabyte of PC-1066 and Radeon9500Pro; running at 1600*1200*32-bit with high detail (like 75-100%) on most things; the game plays smoothly (30+FPS), but cannot max-out the settings on "all" sliders to the full right really anymore, doing so results in the slideshow in the dense areas or in the thick clouds. Also, got to take it easy with AA settings in ATI control panel, and leave it on default 2x. I ran into the ugly problem (which is clearly not my system specific only) with screen flicker/switching and garbled kneeboard panels in full screen mode (all OK if windowed); since Microsoft and ATI are the leaders in both worlds (sw&hw), one would think that they could prevent this to happen. I don't blame neither, but the game shouldn't be released before this was fixed, since about every second gamer owns ATI9700/9500 series accelerator. This version claims dynamic weather system and enhanced ATC, better approaches and more, also new historical aircraft; well these things are really just polished a bit here and there, few new things added here and there, but the old "ugly" stuff from the previous versions of MSFS was carried over as well. This version should be sold as add-on to MSFS2002, not as a new game. Final recommendation: buy it if you must always have the latest MSFS release, or if you don't own MSFS2002. If you have the previous version (2002), you may want to stick with it until Microsoft will create something really new instead of polishing the old stuff over and over again... I thought to give it 4 stars out of 5, but when looking at what I wrote I'll give it just 3, that's what it deserves. It's still much better then their CFS3, which is straightforward bad... I don't think I'll buy any more of MS game releases in the future unless I'll read 100% positive ratings first. Doing so would save me many bucks just on these two games I bought recently (MSFS2004 and CFS3).
Rating: 
Summary: i like this game
Review: Key New Features
Dynamic weather system based on realistic atmospheric physics, with true three-dimensional clouds that form and dissipate, and automatic real-world weather updates when you're connected to the Internet.
Weather "themes" that generate a wide variety of stunning-and challenging-flying conditions with just a few clicks of a mouse
Enhanced interactive air traffic control (ATC), including traffic at all airports around the world (including non-towered airports), altitude changes en route, pop-up IFR clearances, and precision and non-precision approaches to multiple runways
Interactive 3D "virtual" cockpits-tune radios and operate key aircraft controls and avionics by pointing and clicking in the virtual cockpit view.
Scenery improvements, including taxiway and runway signs, enhanced auto-gen 3D objects, more high-detail airports, and improved lighting and sky effects
Garmin 500 and 295 series GPS with color moving maps and airport/facility information
Improved full-color map view with terrain display
Improved support for 3D graphics hardware acceleration in multiple windows and across multiple monitors
Learning Center--a "Web site on the disc" available while the simulation is running that includes a Key Topics visual guide to the features in Microsoft Flight Simulator, direct links to flights and lessons, flight briefings, how-to procedures, aircraft handbooks, and more.
New and expanded lessons and ground school topics
Kiosk mode for unattended demonstrations
Core Features from Previous Versions
Worldwide scenery with accurate 3D terrain and auto-gen objects that fill in the world with appropriate buildings and vegetation no matter where you fly.
Jeppesen NavData database, including VORs, NDBs, ILS, low- and high-altitude airways, intersections
Approximately 24,000 airports worldwide (increased from about 22,000 in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002).
Flight planner to create realistic VFR and IFR flight plans and navigation logs
Flight analysis to play back a flight on a moving map that shows ground track, key flight data, and a vertical profile
Instructor's station--link two PCs so that one pilot can observe a Flight Simulator session, change weather, fail systems, and provide comments and help via a chat window.
IFR training panels for selected aircraft that include all key instruments, avionics, and controls in one window for realistic IFR flights.
Multiplayer capability over a local network or the Internet.
System Requirements
Windows PC
2000/XP - 128 MB Ram
98/Me - 64 MB Ram
Processor:450 MHz minimum
Available hard drive space:1.8 GB
DirectX 9 or later (included with Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight)
Video card: 8 MB/3D with DirectX 7.0 or later drivers
Other: mouse, joystick/yoke, sound card, speakers/headphones
Online/multiplayer: 56.6 kbps modem or LAN
i like this game.
it is very best than flight simulator 2002 Professional.
microsoft sidewinder force feedback2 joystick is a suitability for it.
Rating:
Summary: Alright boys and girls, we have lift off!
Review: A while back I gave Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2004 one star (see review from 23 November) where in I took issue with MS's listed minimal system requirements ...Windows 98/2000/XP/Me, Pentium 450 or greater processor, 64 MB RAM for 98/Me, 128 MB RAM for 2000/XP, 8 MB/3-D with DirectX 7.0 or later videocard, 1.8 GB hard drive space... I ran it at those specs (on a Windows 98 machine) and as I noted in my review... "I couldn't leave the ground at more than 4-8 frames per second (fps) or cruise at more than 11 or 12 fps with settings a rock bottom! The world outside my cockpit was jagged and twisted as my 777 chugged painfully through the not so friendly skies like a wounded wildebeest trying in vain to outrun a charging cheetah!"... well although I still stand by my disgust for misleading minimum requirements stickered to the side of software boxes (Microsoft not being the only offender) something wonderful happened on the way to my virtual airport the other day, I slapped down the cash for a new system...
Presario 8000T, Pentium 4 - 3.20E GHz processor, XP Home Edition, 256MB DDR ATI Radeon 9600 (Direct X 9) video card, 1 GB DDR / PC3200 Ram, 160GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive... and what a wondrous world I discovered at ground level and 35,000 feet! With all settings to high including "Building Storms" selected in weather and AI aircraft set to 100 percent my performance has jumped to the stunningly beautiful and silky smooth new heights of 25 to 35 fps on the ground at large busy airports (Chicago O'Hare or Miami International) and 40+ at smaller strips like say Rapid City, SD or Madison, WI! "Volumetric" clouds build in the distance, spraying twisted flashes of lightning across the sky as you would see in real life and as I climb through these true to life cotton balls, I'm seemingly enveloped by a fine mist, breaking in and out of the dense cover and able to spy specks of light from towns and highways far below. Gone are the 2D "sprite" clouds from previous incarnations of MSFS, this truly is as real as it gets! And did I mention my frame rates remain at a rock solid 24-30+ fps as I slice through the weather just beyond the safety of my cockpit?! (Note: the images you see on your NTSC TV only run at 30 fps with PAL and film running at 24 fps) ...to top it off my frame rates frequently soar to 45-50+ fps and beyond when the atmosphere opens up! On a personal note may I recommend flying at dusk? Brilliant! The terrain fading smoothly into a hazy horizon and the setting sun, wow! MSFS 2004 is truly a world to behold with too many extra's technically and visually to list here, just know however that there's a realism and flight model setting for every level of experience (or lack there of) and the graphics (if you can take advantage of them) are nothing short of stunning! You can ran run it on a lesser machine to be sure but for best results a P4 2ghz + machine with a bare minimum of 512 DDR ram and a 128 Mb (Direct X 9 compatible) video card is recommended. And oh yes don't forget (at the very least) a good joy stick, say a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro (5 stars) with twist handle (for rudder) to make your day of flying complete.
Rating:
Summary: Will be completely awesome
Review: This flight simulator release will be the best yet. The weather effects are greatly enhanced, and you can now fly in real-time weather. (say it's raining in Seattle, and when you start your game there, it's raining). There's also major improvements to overall graphics, improved ATC (Air traffic control), and 24 planes to fly (9 old ones, such as the Wright Brothers plane). FS2004 also includes 2000 more airports, bringing it up to 24,000 worldwide. I can't put URLs here, but do yourself a favor and search for some screenshots of this game. In short, get this game! The system requirements are:
Windows PC
2000/XP - 128 MB Ram
98/Me - 64 MB Ram
Processor:450 MHz minimum
Available hard drive space:1.8 GB
DirectX 9 or later (included with Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight)
Video card: 8 MB/3D with DirectX 7.0 or later drivers
Other: mouse, joystick/yoke, sound card, speakers/headphones
Online/multiplayer: 56.6 kbps modem or LAN
Rating: 
Summary: game to just travel around and see stuff
Review: kinda like a game but kinda not like a game only buy if you like it it would be funer if there was a war in it
Rating:
Summary: Really FANTASTIC!g Twenty Stars!
Review: Why did I buy the newest Flight Simulator from Microsoft? I already had FS2002 Pro and loved it. I bought my first FS software to fly the number one freeware aircraft simulator on the Internet - The TR-3B Flying Triangle. I flew fighters for the Air Force in late Vietnam, specifically the F-111 and am rated commercial also. The TR-3B Flight Simulator for Microsoft's Flight Sim, is based on the writings, lectures, and TV interviews of Edgar Fouche who wrote "Alien Rapture." (See amazon) Why? This is what the genius who developed it wrote: "For the experienced flight simmer on FS2002 PRO, I have developed this complete exotic amphibian TR-3B package, which is now available as freeware for download. It includes 3 models - the purple Astra, blue Locust and white Hellas - and as an extra 4th model the TR-3X with its own speedy attacker flight dynamics. The package includes TR-3B panel & gauges, noise cancellation sounds, fsuipc and special lights effects. This TR-3B is a heavy tactical reconnaissance aircraft equipped with a magnetic field disruptor that reduces the weight by 89 percent (it is not the same as anti-gravity, though). It has been created for Microsoft Flight Simulator. All gauges are included. The TR-3B can float like a speedboat at Mach 1.5 over water, fly like a heavy helicopter, like a bush plane, a business jet, like a military jet and lift like a rocket. Cruise speed is approx Mach 4.7 at FL340 and above, and approx Mach 2 at sea level. Service ceiling approx 69,000 feet ASL. Super stable. FSFREEWARE, SURCLARO, FSPLANET aircraft simulator sites have reported as many as 5000 downloads in one week! I searched and read many many web pages about his book and the author, Edgar Fouche including; startfinish(put in the dot com.)biz/wise Click on links for Fouche and Flying Triangle. You will find his full presentation, and the download links for the TR-3B. Great Top Secret aircraft simulator which I recommend, and fantastic details on it. Buy MS FS 2004 and learn to fly the Flying Triangle. Really FANTASTIC!
Rating: 
Summary: Big Improvement from FS2002. Excellent.
Review: I am in love with avaiation, and therefore FS has become a part of my computing experience. I purchased FS 1998, and though it was a tolerable product, I in no way felt that it was a great simulation of flight. It just didn't have the look and feel of flight. However, I was blown away by the progress made in FS 2002. Though the clouds were not always realistic (modeling gave them a two-dimension look that was disconcerting to say the least), I thought that the overall experience was pretty good. I saw FS 2004, and I thought it was probably mot much of an improvement based on reviews I had read. Let me just say that the first reviews I read were wrong. FS 2004 is a major improvement over FS 2002, and it stands as a all-time gret product for aviation buffs like me. Improvements: 1. Weather: for the first time, flying on FS2004 simulates almost perfectly the experience of actually flying. Clouds have the mist look when you fly through them. The weather systems seem to generate randomly, just as in the non-virtual world. Also, I like the weather themes that can generate snow conditions, thunderstorms, and fair weather with high altitude stratocumulus clouds. In short, the weather is a fantastic approximation of reality. FS 2004 truly represents a quantum leap in simulations. (although IL-2 still has the best clouds). 2. ATC: FS2002 had the feel of real ATC but with some stupid problems. For example, if you fly using IFR (insturment flight rules), and you failed to reach your assigned altitude, the ATC would terminate their services (what the heck is that about?). If you wanted to fly at a different altitude you couldn't. Also, you couldn't change you IFR route, or change from VFR (visual) to IFR in flight. FS2004 makes those changes. For the first time you can change your altitude, you can change your route, and you can switch between IFR and VFR. Yea!.
Another big improvement is the ATC feel itself. For the first time, I actually feel as though I am flying in a populated world. Lots of traffic at big airports, just like in reality. Fly into San Francisco International, and you may just see airplanes lined up to land. This is a big improvement. 3. GPS: In FS2002, the GPS was very basic and frustratingly difficult to use. It was based on a second generation handheld, and consequently, there were few features. The GPS in FS2004 ahs lots of features, is far easier to use because of a new interface window that you can access in flight (see above), and you can switch to terrain features and in-flight messages. It is a more realistic approximation of a GPS device you would use in flight. 4. The World: FS2004 adds signs at airport runways so you can see where your going! It lso adds more features to the world around you, such as construction cranes, and different buildings not seen in previous models of FS. Although I have noticed a new "Chick-fil-a" looking restaurant, I can state definitively that no such place exists in San Diego, CA next to the Lindbergh field runway. However, the scenery looks a lot better than FS2002. Little details really add up and make flying in FS2004 much better. The airports really look great. Denver Int'l looks very realistic now, as does Seattle-Tacoma. ( I would rate more but I just havent had the chance to fly all over to world yet!) 5. Computer: For some reason, FS2004 sees to run better on my machine than did FS2002. No "slide shows" (bad framerate) that I have found yet, and the computer seems to run better with FS2002. I like this very much. I haven't added to many third-party add-ons with FS2004 yet, but it just seems to function better than does FS2002, so perhaps FS2002 had some unresolved framerate problems. 6. Open architecture: In general, MSFS has open architecture which allows aviation geeks like me to ad-on scenery, and hundreds of planes, general, military and specific airlines as well. Most of the products and downloads I have found are excellent and work well with FS2004. Complaints:
Given how I feel about this product, I have very few complaints.
I wish the ground textures were better. However, you can either download or purchase products that have photo-realistic scenery, so you can really fly though England of Souhern California and really recognize the ground.
Also, I wish the aiports had more realistic aircraft in them. Sometimes flying through LAX, I realize that Cessna would probably not be at that airport.
However, these are minor probelems, and overall Microsoft FS2004 is an excellent product and is well worth a purchase.
Rating:
Summary: An Awsome Game
Review: This is one of the best games I've ever played. It has a abundent selection of Aircraft and from the 1903 Write flyer to the DC-3 to the Boeing 747,737,and 777 all avalible in a variety of colors and Simulated Airlines . The affects in this game are also very realistic. You can download your own realworld weather which includes not only rain and snow, but wind, temp, and even turbulence. The best part of this game I think is the interactive Air Traffic Control, and the Flight Planner. I think if there going to try to inprove this game for the next version (even though this game is alraedy the best) I think they should add passenger comfert levels (Like Train Simulator) and/or make the Airports more interactive and alive. (EX:Interactive or Moveing Gas Trucks, Push-Back Trucks, Anti-Ice Trucks, Hangers, ETC)
Rating:
Summary: "As Real as it Gets", huh?
Review: The simulator part is very accurate, or at least I think it is, because I know almost nothing about airplanes or flight, but the graphics are nothing like the box. Probably becuase you do have to download the new textures. It is very complicated for kids. You go through buildings; they are not solid, and on my system (XP) increasing the resolution messes up the menus. Also on this system, mountains and other scenery garble and blink. But, the plane models and cockpits are very realistic, and so are the clouds. Very in-depth, but sometimes difficult lessons. Overall, I suggest buying this game if you plan on taking some time to learn it (if you're new to flight sims).
Rating:
Summary: Excelente pero todavia con fallos.
Review: Era la primera vez que usaba un simulador y realmente me ha parecido excelente. El manejo del avion parece bastante real y creo que en general el juego es bastante bueno. El unico pero que le encuentro es que muchos lugares, al menos los de America Latina, todavian necesitan acercarse a la realidad. Por ejemplo, cuando se vuela por la ciudad de Panama, esta no parece en lo absoluto a la inmensa masa de rascacielos que en la realidad hay. Mientras Managua parece una ciudad moderna cuando en la realidad esta desde lo alto parece un pequeno pueblo. Las formas de algunos lagos y rios tambien necesitan acercarse mas a la realidad. Ojala estos detalles mejoren en la proxima edicion.
|
