Manage updates with the Download AppMicrosoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe Edition (PC)
Manufacturer: Microsoft Part number: 9AM-00014
- CNET Editor rating: Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 6 reviews
- More product information:
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Description:
- Flight Simulator X immerses you in a beautifully rich and realistic world with dozens of aircraft and interactive missions for a gaming experience. Through rich graphics and an active environment, gamers and simmers of all ages and skill levels will feel firsthand what it's like to be an aviator traveling the globe solo or online with others.
Where to buy
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User reviews
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Fantastic simulation, heavy specs
by simtim on January 10, 2007
Pros: Selection of aircraft, living scenery, multiplayer
Cons: Requires high-end computer to run smoothly
Summary: So you love aircraft but don't have the opportunity or money to hop in a CRJ700 at your local airport? No problem! Fly Microsoft Flight Simulator on your computer ...
Summary: So you love aircraft but don't have the opportunity or money to hop in a CRJ700 at your local airport? No problem! Fly Microsoft Flight Simulator on your computer instead....!
Seriously, Microsoft has been making Flight Simulator since before Windows existed. This is the culmination of 20 years worth of versions starting in the early 1980's. This product has nearly everything one would expect plus a few surprises. There is a large selection of aircraft (from single-engine props to heavy multi-engine jets, helicopters, and historical planes) and more can be added simply by searching the popular flight simulation related web sites. No weapons can be fired from the aircraft, making it mainly a civilian flight simulation. So if you are looking for a dogfight, this is probably not for you. Although, support is added for possible releasable objects from your aircraft.
A very nice touch this time around is the missions. FSX has taken note of other games in which awards are given after completing a task. In this simulation, awards and certificates are given to the pilot after completing missions and goals. For instance, "Tin Wings" are presented to the user for successfully landing for the first time. A Private Pilot certificate is presented once the user has completed the flight training course. And other awards are given to the pilot for completing specific missions, like being offered a contract from a flight demonstration squardron after completing the Red Bull course in record time! Having many missions to complete keeps the simulation fresh and fun.
The scenery itself is immaculate! As you are flying you will see trees and houses in the suburbs and buildings and streets in the cities. This is not new - but what is is that there are cars on the roads, birds in the air, whales in the ocean, and elefants in the Sahara! This is what Microsoft calls a "living environment." Ships are at sea. Harbors buzz with activity from pleasurecraft and sailboats. Speaking of sailing, sail-planes can go far in the simulation, since updrafts are properly modeled for the first time in Flight Simulator, giving non-powered pilots a chance to go gliding on the winds. As an added bonus, a tow plane is required to get you airborne instead of starting from mid-air like in previous versions.
Multi-player is quite fun in the version. Support for multi-player is included in the game, including voice transmission from the cockpit, instead of needed additional software for the task. The user can either be a pilot, or act as an Air Traffic Controller and peer down from the tower.
With all this fun stuff going on in the game, is there anything bad to write? Well, I'm afraid so. Unless you are running a high-end PC, it will be very difficult to use these cool features or even see the beautiful scenery. Sliders are included to allow the user to scale back processor-eating features like AI traffic and scenery intensity. But if you can not see the scenery, what is the point of the software? On a basic system, you can expect to get a frame rate of 15 frames per second or less. That is barely adequate to fly a plane. Mid-range systems can expect 17 to 25, which is for the most part ok. The more memory you have, the faster your processor, the more up-to-date your video card, the better your copy of FSX will work. Microsoft boasts of even better-looking scenery once Windows Vista and DirectX 10 comes out. In Microsoft's defense I can say that this situation has ALWAYS occurred with EVERY version of Flight Simulator. It is always on the cutting edge of technology, pushing the boundries of how realistic PC flying can be. Just about the only thing missing from this simulation are passengers for your planes. If you are considering this simulation and do not have an up-to-date computer, consider getting the previous version (Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight) since even though it was cutting edge at the time of it's release, nowdays high-end systems can easily run circles around the frame rates. Besides, it still is fun! (I personally run a copy of FSX for modern aircraft simulation, and FS9 for historical aircraft with highly customized scenery to appear from the golden age of flight.) Undoubtedly, in two or three yeaars (2009?) FSX will no longer be something only the high-end computers can run and everyone will be able to enjoy all the great fun.
What is the difference between FSX basic and FSX Deluxe? This review was written for the deluxe version. The higher-end version includes more aircraft, and includes the software development kit allowing users and third-party developers the ability to highly customize their product.
Be warned, the base installation on your hard drive is about 13 gigabytes (that's gigabytes with a G) and comes on 2 DVD's. My personal recommendation for enjoyable play system specs: Microsoft Windows XP or Vista operating system; 2.8 gigahertz processing speed (or higher), SLI duel-video card setup with 256 megabtyes or more Video RAM, 2 Gigabytes RAM. joystick with throttle(s) and rudder.
This review was written after approximately 50 hours of actual flying time in the simulation. The system used matches the suggested specs above. I generally got 25 fps except in high-traffic areas.Updated
Microsoft recently released Flight Simulator X Service Pack 1 which addressed a number of issues users had which the initial release including slow frame rates and content updates. I have to say that I have never seen such an incredible boost of performance out of a single patch. After installing the update and reconfiguring my graphics setup I never drop below 20 frames per second, which is very good for a complex simulation. The download can be obtained by going to http://www.fsinsider.com/. Happy flying!6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Love it one minute hate it the next
by Atv821 on February 5, 2007
Pros: Great Realism and awsome graphics
Cons: You better have atleast 512 MB ram and a 64 MB graphics processor or its a bit glitchy
Summary: I love this game and its great for aspiring pilots or current pilots to train with. It has really cool missions with a co-pilot to guide you through the mission ...
Summary: I love this game and its great for aspiring pilots or current pilots to train with. It has really cool missions with a co-pilot to guide you through the mission unlike the previous MSF 2004. Now the big question--to buy deluxe or basic. Well i have deluxe so I know what is included so here it is. There are a couple extra missions as well as aircraft and there is the extra content software to build aircraft(Gmax). There is also the feature to be the airport tower controller. This is big for you id you want to play online and is only available in online play. Well theres my review for MFS X Deluxe---its a great game
Updated
I know that I said you need atleast 512MB RAM, but know that this is still somewhat glitchy(somewhere around 5-15 FPS) depending on where you are flying, or if you have AI, and most importantly, your graphics settings. I set mine somewhat mid term, and get around 15 FPS with my(Compaq Presario C502US, 1.5GB RAM, 1.86 GHZ, but running Windows XP!). Now 15 frames per second is deffinetly liveable but mind that this is on medium settings, so to get the rich experience that Microsoft Flight Simulator X can deliver, you need a really high end computer, I am getting a Dell XPS 1710(about $5,500), one of Dell's best performing gaming laptops, so I am expecting much better performance and I will write another review covering the experience with the XPS.Updated
I know that I said you need atleast 512MB RAM, but know that this is still somewhat glitchy(somewhere around 5-15 FPS) depending on where you are flying, or if you have AI, and most importantly, your graphics settings. I set mine somewhat mid term, and get around 15 FPS with my(Compaq Presario C502US, 1.5GB RAM, 1.86 GHZ, but running Windows XP!). Now 15 frames per second is deffinetly liveable but mind that this is on medium settings, so to get the rich experience that Microsoft Flight Simulator X can deliver, you need a really high end computer, I am getting a Dell XPS 1710(about $5,500), one of Dell's best performing gaming laptops, so I am expecting much better performance and I will write another review covering the experience with the XPS.1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Fantastic! Just buggy/glitchy and good PC recommended
by nicholasaishk on March 30, 2011
Pros: Fantastic for aircraft/flying enthusiasts
Thousands of detailed airport locations
Add-ons allowed - creates good customization
Sunrises and sunsets are VERY nice
Features aircraft features similar to real flyingCons: Several Bugs
Graphic Intensive
High Performing PC recommended for decent experience
Overall simulation is mediocre...
Expensive for what it features
Terrain is not realistic at all!
Add-ons not easy to installSummary: A fantastic game! Thousands of airports to land at, several default aircraft to use.
Unfortunately very buggy and requires a high performing PC for a decent experience...even though the ...Summary: A fantastic game! Thousands of airports to land at, several default aircraft to use.
Unfortunately very buggy and requires a high performing PC for a decent experience...even though the game is almost five years old! The terrain is absolutely horrible (trees, grass, sand etc.)
Hope that the upcoming Microsoft Flight will be waaaayy better than this! :) -
Dunno what to say!
by watto star on January 30, 2008
Pros: Captures the real flying expiernce, fun and great.
Cons: System problems, to complex, hard to fully understand everything.
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Brilliant piece of software
by 214968510754136076221267265594 on January 3, 2007
Pros: Great details in graphics, plane design, etc...
Cons: Requires 15GB of hard drive space (previous games of FS is no mroe than 2GB), and it uses a lot of Proccessor and RAM.
Summary: I have the both editions of the game (standard and Deluxe). I am writing this review for the standard. Anyway, I like this game because of the rich details. You ...
Summary: I have the both editions of the game (standard and Deluxe). I am writing this review for the standard. Anyway, I like this game because of the rich details. You can see lots more trees, there is more sea traffic, there is actually airport traffic, and there is road traffic!!!
The only major problem with the game is that it's system usage hungry. It say on the game that it's recommended for 256MB Ram (for XP), but I would recommend something like 512MB or more.
Some would complain against activation (I thought I'll point this out), but if you read the EULA, you will see that you are only legally allowed to install the software on one PC. So, activation to me makes a lot of sense (same with the operating system).
Thanks for reading anyway...Updated
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Just thought I'd add (if the previous is still above the line, not used "Add to comments" before)...
Anyway, I'd like to point out that all new games use up all the system requirments don't they, and they work better as technology moves on. Like Flight Simulator 2004, at the time of the release, the average MB Ram then was either 128MB Ram, to 256MB ram. Now, Flight Sim runs smoothly. It will be the same with Flight Sim X, as technolgy moves on, Flight Sim 10 will get steadily smoother.
Thanks for reading...Updated
I thought I'd add to my previous comments...
___________________________
Anyway, I'd like to point out that all new games use up all the system requirments don't they, and they work better as technology moves on. Like Flight Simulator 2004, at the time of the release, the average MB Ram then was either 128MB Ram, to 256MB ram. Now, Flight Sim runs smoothly. It will be the same with Flight Sim X, as technolgy moves on, Flight Sim 10 will get steadily smoother.
Thanks for reading...Updated
hi, again.
I've decided to update my flight simulator, and I no major problem.
Just remember that if you're buying your the game, to check your system specs, as if you have less than 1GB Ram, you may need to upgrade, and less than 2.5GHz proccessor speed. The best way to check speed of the proccessor and RAM, is by going into the control panel, and double clicking "System" (and click "General" tab). To check hard drive space, you just click on "My Computer" on the start menu, or desktop, and right click the local drive (C:\), and it tells you the amount of space you have there. If you have less than 20GB free, DON'T INSTALL THE PROGRAM! IT WILL BE WORTHLSS TO YOU!!
If you have a big hard drive, but not enough space, you may need to uninstall programs. No, don't make the error of simply deleting it from "C:\Progtam Files", doing it this simply removes program files, but the Windows Registry has not been modified. To uninstall the program properly, go into the control panel, and click on "Add or remove programs". Click the program you want to uninstall, then click "Change / Remove". (Note: To install or uninstall software, you must be logged on as the computer administrator).
Thanks for reading...0 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Save your money -- buy FS2004 for a third the price!
by colossians128 on November 25, 2006
Pros: Lots of horns and whistles
Cons: Graphics are poor even with high performance computers.
Summary: I purchased FSX, upgraded my computer to 2 gig memory and 256mg grapics accelerator. The scenery disappears and is replaced by black, white, and blue blotches. Buy FS9 (2004) and ...
Summary: I purchased FSX, upgraded my computer to 2 gig memory and 256mg grapics accelerator. The scenery disappears and is replaced by black, white, and blue blotches. Buy FS9 (2004) and enjoy it, or spend 3 X for this product and be disappointed.
0 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Microsoft
- Part number: 9AM-00014
- Description: Flight Simulator X immerses you in a beautifully rich and realistic world with dozens of aircraft and interactive missions for a gaming experience. Through rich graphics and an active environment, gamers and simmers of all ages and skill levels will feel firsthand what it's like to be an aviator traveling the globe solo or online with others.
Product Basic Spec
- Platform PC
- Genre Games - simulation
- Elements Simulation - civilian plane flight
- Context Realistic
- Operating system Microsoft Windows Vista ,
Microsoft Windows XP SP2
Minimum
- RAM 256 MB
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Microsoft products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Microsoft
- Address:
One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052 - Phone: 1-425-882-8080
- Fax: 1-425-706-7329
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