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The Natural World 2019 Tweaks

 

Tips for FS9 Running on modern PC's

Tips compiled By Howard for running FS2004 on modern PC's

Foreword

One of the main drawbacks of running older software is that the software was written for Pc's that were widely available at affordable prices at that time with differing drivers, and of cause a different version of Windows. All the tweaks in the past were geared towards getting FS2004 to run on PC's that were not quite up to the task and the tweaks did the job well. Given the advances in computers since FS9 SP1 was released by Microsoft, it’s no longer the case now we need to really open things up. I certainly can’t fault Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 which can run and look really good even if it’s well over 10 years old.

OK we will need to do a little work to get thing opened up to take advantage of faster computers with graphics cards that have more on-board Ram than the old PC’s had on the mother boards, plus the norm now is large wide screens which again upsets things in flightsim 2004.

I will split this down into sections, to save wading through a whole lot of typing to find what you want  

 

These setting are based on a low to medium spec PC / running Win7 32bit/64bit PC's, running a 64bit OS has lots of problems as FS9 is a 32bit program. Depending on your hardware and software configuration these setting will need to be tweaked to suit

(The main draw back after completing all the tasks is all the limitations Microsoft incorporated in FS2004 to protect the hardware of the time).

  

Settings within FS9, do this bit this first as clicking OK in here will reset some of the .cfg  file entries you do later providing your PC can handle it.

Set all scenery sliders to Max

Terrain Detail : Land Only (enables water effects)

Bitmap set to 4,  or 5 or higher on a high spec, really high spec can handle can handle 7 without shimmering but I find to maintain that it needs plenty of defrags but the effect is stunning.

Water Effects=High

Frame Rates =Unlimited : Unlimited seem to allow FS to render at full throttle I do it for a few weeks really opens thing up, knock it back to something over 30  

Dawn/Dusk Texture=Tick

Extended terrain textures > Tick

 

Modern Wide Screen Display’s

FS2004 was written for 14, 15 to 17 inch CRT displays with a resolution of  1024X768 and a aspect ratios of 4.3, this is one area of FS9 that does show its age and to date there is no real permanent fix. If you are running a multi monitor surround vision or just a wide monitors of any size, it’s the wide bit FS9 can’t cope with, the default zoom displays too close and you can see very little of the virtual cockpit and scenery is to close. Zoom out to 0.50 using the + - top/right main key board. (Typically for a wide screen its fully zoom out then in one). All the views have to be adjusted to the same zoom, even the top hat switch, when I do this I treat it as part of the pre-flight checks and setup, unless it is a saved flight which has the zooms saved with it. I know that might be OK for long timers but a lot will have joined the hobby while wide displays are the norm so I’ve included 3 screenies of the default Cessna 172, Boing 737 and the Beech Barron 58 Turbo installed with TNW2019 extreme graphics upgrade, showing the view you need on a 24” 16.9 wide screen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                    

 

Doing this will also correct the distance and perspective (POV: Point of View) of the scenery. If you are unsure about what is best the trick here is getting the virtual cockpit to look the same as with an old 1024X768 screen ratio allowing for a bit extra each side for wide screens,

 

Distance Slider in Weather Options

Never have Unlimited Visibility set in the World Weather, modern graphics adapters will display textures to vibrantly with a very unrealised horizon. Possibly 40nm will be realistic depending on your system and settings.

 

Let’s talk about Bitmaps

The reason you can’t view a lot of Flightsim textures with windows programs is they can be quite strange in their properties. Let’s stay with the ground textures (extended DX1 Bitmaps) as they are the main reason for this article and the position of the Bitmap slider in FS9 display/hardware options [which I think we are all pre-programed to leave on four after all these years]   Let start by understanding the Bitmap and the best way of doing that is to show you one BELOW.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 images in one, depending on the distance from your POV which image size it uses, also explains why ground textures pop in and out of focus. It is possible on really high spec system to move the bitmap slider to 7 without shimmering

FS9 Ground Texture Preferred Value Sizes

      128

      256

      512

    1024

  

Flying in Spot Plane View

To stop the aircraft from zooming about the screen like a demented shopping trolley:-   Press Alt to display the Menu Bar then click View from the drop down box, click the View Options to open the Options Window, remove the Tick from the Gradual Transition and change the Type to Fixed. 

  

Addon Programs

Apart from your personal preferences Airports, Aircraft etc., there are only two things to get FS looking good. Textures and a highly detail mesh of your choice. I use Global 10 which is now free at Avsim The Natural World provides the full Texture upgrade needed to get FS9 virtual world looking really good. 

 

Modern Large Display’s

FS9 was written for old 15 to17 inch CRT displays, this is one area it does show it age and to date there is no real fix. If you are running a 24” wide monitors like me them the default zoom is too close. So you can only see very little of the virtual cockpit. Zooming out using the + and – keys can sort it out, I always go by the size of the VC as seen on an old 1024×768 with an aspect ratio 4.3 and not a modern HD1920x080 with an aspect ratio of 16.9

 

Editing the FS9.cfg

FS9.cfg file folder can be easily found by :- in win7 and Vista:

Click the Start button –Type %APPDATA%\Microsoft\fs9  in the search box, to locate the folder  Or search in other window versions

All the cfg tweaks in the past have been to getting FS9 to run on PC's that were not really up to the job, now it’s about getting FS to look even better and use more of the PC resources.

 

Note about preferred values first

 Example ::    The entry Under [Weather]    MAX_UNLIMITED_VIS=241401

Now given that the number 241401 is not just a random number pulled out of a hat by Microsoft (and I am stabbing in the dark here) but something worked out under the heading of  “a preferred value”  preferred values are used widely, I used them in electronics and now in  computing, it follows then that any alterations must be a multiple or part multiple of that number to keep things balanced and working smoothly, so I have double the value to read as below 482802.

 

Cfg EDIT:-

To make your DVC gauges look more crisp.   

Add this lines under [PANELS]
VIRTUAL_COCKPIT_TEXTURES_scale=2.0

  

 

Add these two lines above [GRAPHICS]

[MEMORYUSAGE]

FSUTIL_MEMORYUSAGE=8000 FSUTIL_MEMORYUSAGE=8000

 

 

Under [GRAPHICS]

PERFORMANCE_MODE=1

TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD=4096   ////This value was better matching the amount of on-board graphics  RAM, but on modern faster PC’s works better set at a higher Preferred Value of X4

 

MAX_UNLIMITED_VIS=482802  289682           ///Preferred Value again, FS9 DOES NOT like this much over x2 

  

[DISPLAY]

UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=0

TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=4096      ///Preferred Value again

  

Listed under  [DISPLAY]  can be adjusted to suit the size of your display,this is set at 0.8 giving a slight reduction in  size

[DISPLAY] 

RUNWAY_LIGHTS_VASI_SCALAR=0.8                // VASI lights

RUNWAY_LIGHTS_APPROACH_SCALAR=0.8     // approach bars

RUNWAY_LIGHTS_STROBE_SCALAR=0.8            // Rails and ODALs

 

I have written a brand new FS9 CFG file entry

 If used with the other settings can improve the graphics of FS2004 by a minimum factor of X2 by scaling the Terrain by a factor of x2.    Also works in FSX   (still testing in FSX) and first results seem good

 Listed under  [TERRAIN]

 [TERRAIN]

TERRAIN_TEXTURES_scale=2.0               /// increases the texture detail and scenery looks more vibrant

TERRAIN_ERROR_FACTOR=100.000000

TERRAIN_MIN_DEM_AREA=10.000000

TERRAIN_MAX_DEM_AREA=100.000000

TERRAIN_MAX_VERTEX_LEVEL=21       // Normally 21 for 1mt mesh mine is 23 for the small enhancement 

TERRAIN_TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=8

TERRAIN_AUTOGEN_DENSITy=5

TERRAIN_USE_GRADIENT_MAP=1

TERRAIN_EXTENDED_TEXTURES=1

TERRAIN_DEFAULT_RADIUS=0.000000

TERRAIN_EXTENDED_RADIUS=0.000000

TERRAIN_EXTENDED_LEVELS=3271232           ///Preferred Value again

  

Enable Panning with the hat switch in 2D cockpit mode

 [CONTROLS]

PAN_IN_COCKPIT_MODE=1           ///  Note : Press space bar to reset to default front view quickly

 

 

Hard drive partitioning
If you have two hard drives, have FS9  on one drive and install your detailed sceneries on the other. If you have created a dedicated partition on a large hard drive, this does not really achieve anything as the data still have to be read from the same physical disc and go along the same data lead to your mother board.

 

Graphics Card Setting   This might not work on all video cards.

If you are running FSX or Xplane 10, better ignoring this section and setting it up for your higher spec sim

 

TIP:
A great tweak guide you will find here: ATI & NVIDIA Video Card Tweak Guide

Anisotropic & Antialiasing setting=X8 : FS9 doesn't seem to like any higher on my three flightsim PC's

Texture filtering- Negative LOD bias=Clamp  Note:- leave the AUTO-LOD=0 in the FS9.cfg at “0” setting this higher will lower scenery quality.  

 

Maximum Pre-Rendered Frames=Set to max number

Threaded Optimisation=Auto

Vertical sync=off  This allows the graphics card to carry on rendering during raster fly back, also good for FSX

TIP setting more detail here until frame rates drop uses more of the computer resources to render quality

 

Force Windows to use more Ram 

Force Windows to Make Better Use of Available Memory:  All Win Versions
The more RAM you have, the better your PC will perform, since it can place more data that’s it working with in the fast ram memory instead of having use the slower paging file on your hard drive. But regardless of how much RAM you have, the Windows caches, used to speed up file transfer operations, remain a fixed size, meaning some of your RAM is potentially wasted. By applying the following tweak, you can force Windows to make better use of your available RAM by expanding the amount used for caching operations:-

1\   Click the Start button followed by All Programs and then Accessories.

2\   Right click on the Command Prompt shortcut and select Run as administrator from the menu that appears (XP users just click Command Prompt).

If prompted to do so, enter your password and press [Enter].

3\   At the command prompt, type:  fsutil behaviour set memory usage 2 then press [Enter].

Restart.

 

ALL USERS WITH MORE THAN 2GB RAM SHOULD APPLY THE FOLLOWING TWEAK TO
FS9.exe FILE

 Modifying The FS9.exe File

The FS9.exe must be modified to address the additional memory. Also works with the modified No CD Crack exe file, the no CD FS9.exe must be in pace first.
Download laa204.zip from my Dropbox:

Link https://www.dropbox.com/s/e65gcvmb03xa3mc/4gb_patch.zip?dl=0

 (Very user friendly), this is a tool which allows you to make applications large address aware. When a 32-bit application is Large Address Aware, it can access up to 4 GB’s on x64 operating systems and up to 3 GB’s on x86 32bit. Full instructions in the down load.

 NOTE: It is not advised to use this application if you have less than 3 GB of RAM.
So both 32 bit and 64 bit operating system users should make FS large address aware.
As in all things involving the OS and changing files, pay attention to the details. If you are not sure what you are doing don't do it. And put a copy of your FS9.exe in a safe place before making the change. Also, your results may vary.         NOTE: IF THE LINKS ABOVE SEEM DEAD, COPY AND PASTE THEM TO YOUR INTERNET BROWSER.

 

Windows 10

FS2004  runs fine in win10, To prevent any issues, the fs9.exe has to be run in XP Compatibility mode, & as Administrator, or else the sim will not start.

This has to be once only. (Right click the desktop icon, select Properties, & just follow the prompts)

 

And lastly    Defrag

After using thing like the Texture Swaps in the Natural World which writes a lot of FS data to the hard drive always consider a defrag when convenient because windows places most of the data in a different position on the drive. I normally just start it while I am nipping out for five, as it’s OK to stop it at any time. Never do work or have open programs running on a PC during a defrag operation.

   

                   Agreement

 This Document remains the property of Howard of the TNW2019 Scenery, You may use it, pass on in any format, or post it freely in the public domain, no charge must be made directly or indirectly. By using the document you agree to distribute it in full with this agreement intact and giving the credits to me.

Compiled By Howard  of The Natural world 2018 ( Howards Mix upgraded & branded)

 

Full Support and further Information only can only be given to TNW registered users :- 

Email biggles11@btinternet.com

Web  http://biggles11.wix.com/the-natural-world

 

The Natural World 2019 - Full FS2004 Graphics Up Grade

 

 

 

Last Revised Nov 2018