In keeping with established Microsoft traditions, it has released a complete re-build of the Flight Simulator X (FSX) game engine, humbly dubbed "Service Pack 1", that now makes the simulation usable and great fun for the first time. On my game PC (dual-core 2GHz Intel processor, 2GB RAM, 256 NVidia Graphics Card) the performance enhancement is at least a factor of two. Turns out that Microsoft added multi-core support and optimized DirectX calls throughout the simulation. The original FSX sucked badly. "Sucked" is a technical programming term but means the same as the street expression.
In addition to the greatly enhanced performance the Simulation now reacts more predictably to control inputs via Yoke and Rudder. I had blamed the poor controllability of the simulation on the CH Products Yoke and Pedals, but that turned out to be wrong: FSX was the culprit. In my despair I had completely disassembled the CH Yoke, only to find that the potties inside were all ok and reasonably linear and that there was nothing I could easily do to improve these controls. But it is all good now. FSX "Service Pack 1" fixed everything.
I think that Microsoft has a patent on the process of delivering a barely usable and highly annoying piece of software, and then, through the use of "Service Packs" turning it into a productive and effective software application. It is their modus operandi with almost everything they’ve done so far….ok, not quite…with MS Vista they actually reversed that procedure, but that is a different story.
Here the links:
Download FSX Service Pack 1
Technical Details on FSX Service Pack 1 (great fun to read!)
CH-Products Yoke, Rudder and more
Below the FSX customer reviews as of this date, taken from Amazon.com….it is clear that FSX WITHOUT the Service Pack 1 is really not a great game/simulation…It was simply too slow and erratic to be fun.
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Flight microsoft simulator update x responded on 17 Dec 2010 at 12:21 pm #
[...] JJG Journal » Microsoft Flight Simulator X Update Service Pack 1 15 Nov 2007. Microsoft Flight Simulator X Update Service Pack 1 - Get it now. In keeping with established Microsoft traditions, it has released a JJG Journal » Microsoft Flight Simulator X Update Service Pack 1 [...]