MadDog 2006 or 08...

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Re: MadDog 2006 or 08...

Postby vic365 » 22 Feb 2010 07:10

TheDude71 wrote:Vic,

There is an option in the load manager that disables the VC. As far as frame rate hits go, there is a performance tool with slidders to adjust the settings for your system. Instead of telling you all of this, I will post some screen shots so you can see what I am talking about. On the studdering issue, I have none except looking left or right and then they are gone. No studders anywhere else. The VC is very smooth for me, but like you, I don't fly in VC mode. So reading the threads, I wonder if my left and right views in 2d are 3d bmp's??? Idk?? That stuff is above my knowledge base. So with that said, let me load the MD with out the VC checked and see if that resolves my issue. Would you like a screen shot of the panel folder or cfg file?? Anything like that, that can help you?? Just let me know.


Brett,
I'm glad to hear the Maddog has a built in tool (load manager, in this case) which allows the disabling of the VC. I'd love some screenies.

I have several times had this same issue of stuttering when looking left or right in 2D (or any direction in which terrain can be seen) in various flights, in various aircraft. It does go away after awhile in most cases. For whatever reason I've found that doing 2 reboots to my gaming hardware profile, before starting an FS9 session, stops this...I have no explanation for this. It almost seems like a first start of the system leaves something behind? That makes absolutely no sense...but it works for me.

You should be able to tell, right away, if your views are from the VC or from a BMP...VC views rendered in 2D will be really oogly, with poor quality around window frames and such.

If you ain't using the VC, like me, always turn it off when payware allows you to, my friend. Even when you fly 2D, allowing the VC to exist will use unneeded resources.

I'm checking your PM now.

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Re: MadDog 2006 or 08...

Postby vic365 » 22 Feb 2010 07:22

Aha! See how much better things go with VC off (if you aren't a VC user)? And those screenies you PM'ed prove another point...using the VC to make side views always turns out ugly. Most payware aircraft provide a seperate set of BMP's for your 2D views, if you are able to and choose to disable the VC. I'm glad to see the Maddog 08 does this also.

I think the Maddog 2008 is a "Go" for me, at this point. I'll be hollering at you for the start-up procedure you mentioned when I get her installed.

Thank you, Buddy!!

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Re: MadDog 2006 or 08...

Postby TheDude71 » 22 Feb 2010 17:24

You bet. Glad I could help and glad for the redponces on this thread. Don't think i would have thought of turning off the VC.

Give me a shout and I will send you the start up procedure. Also you might notice your windowns iceing up. This is fixed with the "control panel" and to use that, read the manuel. You need to connect the load manager to the control panel via you computer and port. The control panel allows comm with gnd crews for ext pwr and deiceing. The menu has these options but they are grayed out, that's why you need to connect to the control panel. Open the control panel and it will give you the ip address and port # then you put these into the load manage. Now you can open the control panel via the fs msaddog menu " connect to control panel" option. Fun stuff. Give me a shout when you got her installed and let me know how it goes!!

Enjoy!!
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Re: MadDog 2006 or 08...

Postby vic365 » 23 Feb 2010 00:52

Brett...did you purchase through Leonardo or Simmarket? I'm just wondering if there is any advantage to either one.

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Re: MadDog 2006 or 08...

Postby TheDude71 » 23 Feb 2010 02:39

Good question Vic,

I save all my reciepts for all flightsim related products (tax deductable!!), the first time I purchased I went through SimMarket, for the upgrade I went through PayPal. Looking at my bank statemaent, Paypal charged me an extra 1.39 for useing PayPal.

Also, my purchase codes were different, I thought they were the same and maybe that might of been the reason for the instant activation key or it could of been just the upgrade. (FYI, the upgrade is the full version, I had to delete the whole 06 version prior to the 08 version) but my fingers are crossed for you that Leo has fixed this issue and when you go throough the process, you get an instant key.

So, with that extra 1.39 charge I would go through simmarket, but then again, that could of been the difference between the time I got my keys (Paypal=Leo) and SimMarket set up different...idk??. It might be worth it to go through Leo who will redirect you to Paypal and save you a headace to get the key quicker.

Either way, I went through both...long winded, sorry...but there you go. :mrgreen: Also, check your email, Im sending you the start up procedure!!
TheDude71
 

Re: MadDog 2006 or 08...

Postby vic365 » 03 Mar 2010 02:10

A few observations after my first flight of the Maddog 2008:

I'm not sure why but she is extremely squirrely on the ground handling. Joystick settings which work perfectly for all my other aircraft result in some extreme turns while taxiing at 10 knots? This became even worse when landing at Las Vegas...as soon as the nosewheel touched down (well within my Vth speed) it was all I could do to keep her on the runway, and control inputs seemed extreme. I was sliding left and right as if the tires had absolutely no grip...weird. Finally got her going in a straight line and parked at the gate. I might need to do some FSUIPC tweeking on this one!

I finally gave up on it's totally unrealistic windshield icing...I departed Fort Collins - Loveland (KFNL) in 55 degree F weather...but the windshield iced up...Bah!! I've turned off all icing in FSUIPC until this unrealism is fixed by Leonardo. :roll:

Once airborne she was fine and acted as I would expect. I did have some major stuttering when looking at the forward, panel view, in 2D but found a few "performance" changes to make, in the Maddog settings, which corrected this, at the FTM forums. This stuttering occured all the time, by the way, not just at detailed scenery.

I would not rely on the flight planner to set your fuel...it was way off for my first flight and I had to add fuel on the way to avoid running out. My fault, as I thought the numbers looked way wrong before departure.

This aircraft is highly detailed in it's systems and start-up requirements, and it took a lot of reading and experimenting to get to an engine start. That being said, you can ignore a lot of the "test this" and "test that", included in the turorial/checklists, as it will not affect your flight. I thank Brett for his start-up procedure...alas, it did not work for me. I always ended up with a "hot start" on one or the other engine. The issue seems to be getting from holding the engine start button while the rpm's come up, to the fuel shut-off valve after reaching 20% N2...it's tricky and not guaranteed. If you have a Mouse Wheel, however, your problems are solved. By rolling the mouse wheel down on the engine start switch...it will "hold" rather than spring back. You can then slide your cursor over to the pedestal fuel lever for the engine and just wait for the N2 to get above 20%...when it does, slide the lever up and...Bingo! a good engine start. It took me 8 flights, and 8 attempts at an engine start before I found this little trick at the FTM forums. It was a life saver because after you spend 40 minutes on aircraft and cockpit setup...the LAST thing you want is a hot start!!

I cannot comment on the VC (what's a "VC" anyway? :P ).

The exterior visual model is very good and doesn't suck resources like some I have. I really like the crew and ground crew interactions which occur...really sweet. You MUST read the tutorial to get them to work, however. It involves turning on microphones and speakers for "INT" (interphone) and "PA". It's all explained if you take the time to read the tutorial.

Do NOT make a false entry into the FMS Route page (waypoint or airway), If you do I have no idea how to fix it. Unlike the PMDG and other products, the "delete" function is sketchy, at best. I had to restart 3 times due to experimentation with flightplan waypoint entry function. Get it right and double check it, BEFORE you hit the relevant LSK!

All in all, I would recommend much reading at the FTM website forums, before you decide to purchase this addon. The tutorial included seems insurmountable, at first glance, but as you "mess" with it you will see that it is telling you everything a RW pilot would do, and it becomes up to you how much you adhere to it. Some things, of course, must be done before the Maddog will fly.

All that being said...I like it very much. I am still going to search for an answer to it's very bad ground handling/taxiing behavior and will let you know if I find an answer. This is NOT an aircraft for the "CTRL+E" crowd...not even close! If you like to start up and fly, within 10 minutes...give it up, this ain't for you!

More later, as I figure it out.

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Re: MadDog 2006 or 08...

Postby vic365 » 09 Apr 2010 22:07

Well...I figured out the strange ground handling...but not WHY it happens. It seems that, every once in awhile, loading the Maddog2008 will severely alter my FS9 "Controls" settings. I found my Sensitivities and Null zone settings completely whacked after several attempts at loading this aircraft.

So, I determined to check those after loading the MD80 in the future.

I chose the MD80 for leg 5 of my 7 Wonders event, KLGA to CYYZ, for a trip to the CN Tower. Things went well and after resetting my "Controls", the Maddog taxiied and took off without issues. Then, climbing through FL260, I got a total black screen lockup. Nothing would work but a cold, hard reboot.

I have not had this kind of problem in many months, since changes I made to how I was overclocking and configuring. For this kind of issue to rear it's ugly head again while flying the Leonardo MD80, when it's been non-existent with every other payware aircraft I own, lead me to request another aircraft for this leg. I just don't have time to do more troubleshooting on the Maddog, at this point.

BTW, I've requested that Mr. Alan Black, my excellent CDO for this Event, change the aircraft to a B732. You know what that means...if you know me. I will be flying the trouble free Tinmouse2 Boing 737-200 freeware for this leg.

Sometimes you just have to resort to "what works...every damn time".

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