A B W A I N: FSX

FSX SP1 is here.....go get it!!

Wed, 16 May 2007 02:16:33 GMT

GO....have fun....!!!

Available on http://www.fsinsider.com.

Here are the direct download links to the exe

English
http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/5/2/8526e721-0a01-4f7b-8529-0ae8286619cb/fsx_sp1_ENU.exe

French
http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/8/2/682bcb3a-7fb0-4a8c-8681-5404d6d49793/fsx_sp1_FRA.exe

Italian
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/7/b/57bdc11c-18a4-430c-9c23-89286baabeb7/fsx_sp1_ITA.exe

German
http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/a/f/7af84201-aba4-4979-a750-f592e1399abf/fsx_sp1_DEU.exe

Spanish
http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/a/3/7a3895f5-06e3-47e9-a60e-042e322e64b7/fsx_sp1_ESP.exe

Polish
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/7/3/c73b5c32-b133-4709-88c0-d83f02ac9acb/fsx_sp1_PLK.exe

FSX SP1 on the horizon

Fri, 11 May 2007 00:03:43 GMT

Well, I wish I could say more but as Phil mentions in his blog they hope to release SP1 very soon. Not much more can be said on that here.

Pop over to Phil's blog to read up on his comments.

It's going to be a great step forward, I am sure everyone will have something good to say. At least I hope so.

What's your opinion? I want to know...

Tue, 08 May 2007 02:34:18 GMT

There is a couple of things I wanted to touch on. I was doing some testing and my mind passed on a few posts I have seen about the FSX SP1 Beta. An interesting post I saw asked an interesting question. Why doesn't aces allow for a public beta of the SP1? Isn't knowing about the Beta and it's progress enough? Hasn't Aces put themselves out there enough, practically updating the community weekly if not more? Wouldn't Aces have already taken the time to pick a representative beta team to help in testing? What do you think?

Something else....I have been involved with MSFS for many years. And I have seen the ebbs and flows of the community. However more and more recently I have seen, a real increase in heated discussions, sharp responses to opinions given and very emotional outbursts. It would seem that MSFS has become a real part of people lives. Do you see a difference in the community? Is it a good thing?

Now, what do I think? Well I am usually the guy to sit at the back, and listen to others go at it. However I have this blog now, so why not put an opinion piece out there for readers (if any) to respond to. I think Aces has done a great job at getting information out about the progress of MSFS. Never before have we 'the community' had such an insight into the work under the hood of FS the good and the bad. In most cases 'the community' have accepted the open lines of communication with a positive response. However it has disappointed me that a few have taken the opportunity to openly attack the Aces team and FS. It would seem such ones, no matter how good FSX gets, will never be happy, and are content to complain and point fingers for the fun of it. Now wait a sec, yes I know everyone is entitled to their opinion, albeit expressing that opinion in a respectful manner, so as not take away from what they feel may be an issue.

Yes I also will agree there have been some problems with MSFS over the years, that have caused even myself some aggravation. However I learned to workaround the problem, or turned to the same community I speak of above for help. For 95% of those times I have been helped. Now, isn't that what FS is all about? Bringing a diverse group of persons who all have a common love, Flight!? I think so. I also feel that Aces now opening up is a good thing for the future of FS. I only hope it stays that way, and there is no need for Aces to close up again due to unrelenting accusations and attacks.

There I said it, I won't delete it, and if feedback is good it won't go anywhere either. So, see that feedback thingy down below? Go ahead press it, it won't bite.

New News on SP1

Sat, 05 May 2007 01:46:21 GMT

SP1 Beta 4 a la ACES...

A quick drive-by note on FSX SP1...

Sat, 28 Apr 2007 01:45:57 GMT

Two words.....BETA 3!

Does ACES ever take a break? Well I am off to downlaod and chomp away at it. You can see Phil's latest here and here. He states:

"We had a couple extra 3rd party bugs that needed to be fixed ( animated parts, mouse rects on the panels, lighting ) that we needed to fix and in fixing the stutters with the first round of threading code we lost some perf and had another bad bug lurking in there. And we identified an issue with 3 AI aircraft, 1 of which is fixed in Beta3 - if that aircraft passes muster in Beta3 we will fix the other 2.

It is what it is; we are trying to get it right. That does take time. And we believe the result will show that care and attention to detail."

FSX - News on SP1

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 03:14:31 GMT

News on SP1 is breaking. Phil Taylor commented earlier about how SP1 for FSX is progressing however there is a slight delay, and mentions that SP1 is going to a 3rd beta release.

His comments located here:

"It is true, for perf testing the upcoming Beta3, I gave advice to turn AI aircraft down. Some AI aircraft have a high render cost and will skew the results of perf testing Beta3. We had a perf regression in trees we believe Beta3 will fix, and need results that are not skewed to validate that.
And yes, this means we won’t make April, sorry about that. We are trying to get it right."

Beta 3 as Phil mentions in earlier posts, helps a few 3rd party issues that were found, to be resolved. This is good news in my opinion. The extra time gives the ACES team the needed time to 'get it right'.

My comment to Phil and the Aces team is to, take the needed time, update when possible, and I have no doubt the community will be there with smiles on our faces to grab SP1 whenever it's ready.

FSX SP1 Beta 2 Released to Beta Testers

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 23:13:03 GMT

As has been already announced by Phil Taylor of ACES Fame, Beta 2 has been released to the FS Beta Testers today. Phil says:

"We hope Beta2 verifies we have fixed what needs to be fixed. Then we can take a final build end of next week, and start our 2 week final test pass."

With all the hard work, late nights and weekends the team has been putting in, I am sure this release will be a real breakthrough for FSX. As soon as more can be said, it will be.

What does it mean?

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:51:26 GMT

Ok for those who do not know what NDA means....

No, it is not a Government Agency that polices software betas. It is NOT the 'National Dumbness Agency', it is not the 'North-American Dork Association'. It better not be the 'Nuclear Decommisioning Agency'.....yikes.

NDA stands for Non-Disclosure Agreement, an agreement to which Beta testers agree to before joining or being invited to a beta program. That is for private, controlled beta programs. Public betas can have NDAs attached but are much less restricting. See a definition HERE.

For FSX/SP1, there is a strict NDA in place. No details about the actual beta process or software itself is allowed to be discussed in public. However, MS employees are not bound so much by the NDA testers are held to. For example, thats why Phil Taylor, Hal Bryan, Paul Lange, Adrian Woods, Mike Singer, Tim Gregson, Brian Hunt, Mike Zyskowski and Jason Waskey can reveal such information to us. They are a few of the ACES team who are brave enough to venture into the wild and quench our thirst for more and more FS information.

Oh yeah, and I haven't heard from the NDA 'guy' since. And my car is fine....unfortunately.

Heck why not....

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 02:22:57 GMT

Well I was off today, unfortunately my wife wasn't and had to work. So I decided to plan a little FSX testing, to counteract my boredom. Testing of a little known fix or something of that nature (can't really say), that is supposedly to be on an FSInsider site near you (I can't prove it). Yes, I was one of the few FSX beta testers (or not), and this was my first chance to be a part of a Flight Simulator beta run (maybe). I learned a great deal about the process and a great deal about the dedication of not just ACES, who by the way are an awesome bunch of guys, but those same beta testers. FSX, heck all of the FS version are one heck of a beast, it is no small task to to get this software out the door and to the masses, to keep the masses happy and joyous.

Alot have questions about 'the fix', and I am in no position to answer any of them. However I will venture to give one snippet of info. And that is........................wow some guy just knocked at my door saying he is from the NDA. Oh well, guess that means you will have to wait.

In anycase it's going to really be........that's really weird, the same guy who said he was from some NDA place, just called my phone and said my car was on fire........and that I must leave my computer on while I go check.

Hmmm..

Sim-Outhouse, Milton Shupe and team - A26 'Invader' Released

Fri, 06 Apr 2007 18:36:24 GMT

If you have been a part of the FS community for the past few

years, you will have no doubt used or heard of Milton Shupe and team. Their aircraft for FS are simply brilliant. I beleive I have all of them in my hangar.

Sim-Outhouse and Milton recently released a real beauty of an aircraft for FS9 and FSX. The A26 Invader. You can see the thread and download HERE. I just downloaded it and will be taking it up later.