To bk-pilot. I am interested in replacing my GP Real Flight G-2 and was interested in your comment that you tried them all out at Toledo and the Horizon one was the best. How did it compare with the G-3. I would appreciate any comments that will help me make a decision.

Brian Cheadle

What about user made planes for this sim, is that possible?

Also is there any way to change engines, airfoils, balance cg, size or tweaks in any way?

I just saw it in one of the LHS.

They had a decent monitor. It used to be the monitor for G3. G3 is now on a cheaper monitor and on a different aisle. I think they set them apart for a reason.

I was in the shop about an hour and checked out the FSOne every so often. It was lunchtime and a number of flyers came through that I know to be decent flyers. I'd hazard a guess that most of them felt the same. It doesn't look quite as good and the few airplanes that were tried seemed to be ok.

Everyone who tried it asked the people there how old the pc was. It's new and a decent machine. I didn't see anyone buy it. Fact is, I didn't see any flyer that was impressed. It certainly didn't sweep anyone off their feet.

I wasn't impressed. I flew the model available that was closest to one I have and I'd say it was pretty realistic handling, but sure didn't look "photoreal".

The owner confided that he wasn't exactly overjoyed with it's impact. And he's a flyer and said it didn't exactly impress him.

But you know what...... I think we're all spoiled a bit. It looked about as good as G3 had looked on that monitor. And darned if they both don't look real enough that with a little help from our own imagination, after awhile, we THINK they're real. Guess that's good enough.

I just posted a limited review of FSone compared with G3 and G3.5 here:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4855472/tm.htm

BTW -- The first patch for FS One is now available at:

[link=http://www.fsone.com/Articles/HobbyWire.aspx#646]FS_One_Patch_1_0_2[/link]

This patch addresses the calibration and/or re-calibration issues encountered by some users.

You can also navigate to the patch via the FS One website:

[link=http://www.fsone.com]FS One Web Site[/link]

Check the "Latest News" in the lower right.

My LHS told me today that FS One was recalled and they are not sure when they'll be getting it. Any truth to this?

You're noticing a performance change because your laptop is "throttling back" the CPU to conserve battery power when you have it unplugged from the AC Adapter. You can change this setting in the power management part of the control panel.

FSONE guys....

what would it take to make a custom JR 10x transmitter icon for the transmitter selection.

Thanks

Good point. I'm glad you brought this issue to our attention. I for one will not buy this product or any other product that has a list price higher than the actual price.

I get on here trying to decide how good this new sim is and this is the kind of criticism I see? GEEEEEEZ!

Riotgear -- FS One is certainly NOT being recalled. I don't want to be disrespectful, but your LHS must be confused somehow. Where do such rumors come from?


One other note: It is always important to determine the full configuration of a demo PC that's showing FS One (or any other RC sim). Sometimes people will say they got a brand new computer, so it *should* be fast enough. This isn't necessarily true. These simulations (G3, FS One, etc) all require a good graphics card, a reasonably fast processor, and a decent amount of memory. In particular, the graphics card is very important. Unfortunately, graphics chip manufacturers don't have a numbering system that clearly indicates the true performance of the graphics card. It is also important that a proper, up-to-date graphics driver is used.

We've tested FS One on three year old computers and it runs very smoothly and at a high frame rate. Just remember that there is a big difference between graphics cards, even for a given manufacturer. Some cards share memory with the CPU -- this is generally not good for performance. Try to avoid those.

I hope this helps when checking a demo of any RC sim.

I've been reading complaints that FS One contains few airplanes. Does it not have over 30 models like the web site says? 30 sounds like alot of planes and helis to me, and I'm sure that more will be out in the near future. Also, to you guys that have tried it, how well does FS One simulate helis?

Actually, it's pretty simple.

1) Get an image of the Tx you desire.
2) Convert the image to TGA format (using something like Photoshop)
3) Adjust the size of the image to 256x256 (be sure to do this or it will not work as a Tx Icon)
3) You may want to add an alpha layer that is a mask (if you know how to do that, but it's not necessary)
4) Save your file, giving it a name such as: myCoolTx.tga (be sure to use .tga file extension and do NOT use compression)
5) Copy your file to Graphics\RadioEquip\Controllers in the FS One installation folder.

At that point, you can start FS One and edit your transmitter. From the Edit Transmitter menu, you should select the "Tx Icon" button near the top of the screen. This will allow you to select your new Tx Icon, which should now appear in the list of possible Tx Icons. Simply click on your selection (you should then see your Tx Icon that you created) and click Select. Next, click on "Ok" in the top right. There will be a pause as your new Transmitter data is written to disk. You will now see your new TX Icon for that radio.

Enjoy.

Yes, it has over 30 aircraft as indicated on the web site. There are 26 unique airplanes and 7 unique helicopters. There are also many variants of these. For example, there are heli variants that include training gear. There are variants of sailplanes that have electric power. There are also a wide range of variants that are scaled -- well over 60 scaled aircraft are included, ranging from a 3-inch wingspan Aerobird Xtreme to a full-scale (100%) Edge 540. Each of these flies differently, due to the mass, power, and aerodynamics scale differences that are accurately modeled. When variants are included, the total number of aircraft (airplanes and helis) in the sim is over 100. Rather than include variants, we simply state "over 30 models", but you can see that you'll get considerably more.

Besides just being fun to fly aircraft of different sizes, there are other benefits as well for scaled variants. For example, during the Toledo show, a guest was trying FS One and mentioned that he was wanting to learn to fly 3D aerobatics. He tried flying the Edge 540, but was having trouble hovering and doing torque rolls. We then selected a scaled aircraft (in this case it was a 72-inch wingspan Tribute) and he tried again. As he flew, I provided him some training comments and within about two minutes, he was able to fly the large Tribute pretty well. We then switched back to the normal scale Edge 540 and he did much, much better than before. It was actually quite amazing. A rather unique way to learn. Later that day, he came by with a friend, pointed to FS One, and said, "This is the sim that taught me how to hover." Quite a compliment.

When you say you aren't that impressed, what are you not impressed with? You say it had pretty realistic handling - that sounds like you are talking about how the planes fly, the physics. But then you go on to say they don't look "photoreal" - now you are talking about the graphics.

I would sure like some comments from someone who is familar with other flight simulators, and who is at least an intermediate level 3D pilot. For myself, all I care about is how realistic the physics are, I don't care about the graphics.

Thanks
Malcolm

I'm an intermediate to advanced 3D pilot. On the Edge-the only model that I flew- the 3D characteristics were very poor.

These are the steps I took to make the 10X radio icon.

1. I took the stock image from JR's web site for the 10X...
2. imported into photo shop
3. changed the image size to 512x512....
4. changed canvas size switched 7.11 x 7.11..
5. converted to TGA file
6. Used the magic wand to capture the edge of the Tx
7. Inveted the selection
8. Created Alpha1 layer under the channel on right side of PS
9. Created black background and white insert for Alpha layer
10. Saved as JR_10x

This also works if you take a high quality picture of the Tx and do the same process.

Ok...I am baffled about how to save the CG setting. I can move it forward but not aft in any plane. I can go in and motify the file directly, but would rather not do that. What is the right way to do it.

Just a warning to those flyers that want to buy FSOne without the controller and use it with their Futaba radio(s).

The kit does NOT come with an adapter cable that fits the majority of the Futaba radios sold these days. It only comes with the round 5-pin DIN plug adapter, which is the old style connector for Futaba radios.

Since there is no way to determine this until the package is opened, you are stuck with it as they will not accept any returns once it is open.

They do say that there is an optional cable that can be purchased for an extra $13, but even that will not be available until the mid-to-end of November.

This is corrected in the second FS One patch (which corrects the CG limitation issue and now allows negative values). This patch is currently in QA/Test, and pending acceptance by QA, it should be deployed to the FS One web site sometime on 13-OCT-2006. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

One thing to keep in mind when "flight testing" aircraft in any RC sim:

As we all know, expo and dual rate settings can really make a plane "feel" differently. Be sure to verify that your control throws behave as expected. Spins and high-alpha 3D maneuvers are, of course, effected greatly by how much the control surfaces are being deflected and by the expo setting.

The TacCon controller, with stock Tx configurations, typically supports "flight modes" on the top right 3-position toggle, often with a low rate and high rate/3D setting, as well as custom mixing. When using your own Tx, you can either setup your Tx to handle expo and D/R as desired or can use the Edit Transmitter menu to configure a "software radio", with full control over Tx settings. You'll see a big difference in performance/handling as Tx settings are modified, just like your real model at the field.

When I flew the Edge, I had it on 3D rates most of the time. There should have been plenty of throw to throw the plane into a nice spin. Expo shouldn't have changed any spin characteristics as I had the sticks at full deflection. The CG was really far forward and this could have changed the spin characteristics. This IS an Edge though and maybe that's the problem.....................




50%

this simulator just came out and there are already two patches for it?. how many more are to come. im so disapointed. i was waiting for my local hobby store to get this simulator in stock to purchase one.
but what im hearing so far im not sure is worth $200 bucks. i have g3 already but it sounds fsone is really not much better.or impressive enough to go ot and spend 200 bucks more.
Please, someone correct me here if im wrong.

Keith, since you are a big G3 fan,(as I am) you probably know about all the updates that G3 has had before it became a goood sim. I fully expect FSone to be the same way. IMO, you can't get much better than G3.5. I suggest that you fly FSone back to back with G3 before you make the call as to whether FSone is worth it. FSone didn't really float my boat as much as I had hoped, but it might be just the thing for you.


50%

lol g3 only recently became a decent sim, like within the last 2 updates not including g3.5 that I've not had the chance to try yet. It's been painful. One patch would make it good, next patch make it bad, so on and so forth. I'm actually not happy with the way G3 flys right now. I bought G3 just a few months after they released it in late 2004. It has taken well over a year for them to fix many of the issues with it. You wanna talk about angry customers just take a look back in these forums here, over on rcgroups sims forums and the knifedge forums themselves for how pissed people were with G3.

I'm curious about what it was with the Edge that you felt was poor for 3D handeling. That model set-up is from my own Edge and IMHO simulates it amazingly accurately. (see the vids on the FS One site of the actual model and the sim).
I wonder if its possible that the set-up had been edited since you flew it in a Hobby Shop. Maybe not an accurate experience with the sim.
Any specifics about what you didnt like in the 3D area with the Edge? FWIW, my Edge, and the sim set-up, has a middle of the road CG. If I were going to set-it up for IMAC, I'd move the CG forward more.