Uploaded December 2013 | Updated September 2026, 11 minutes ago
Years ago, I used to upload FS comparison videos, but they were flawed. I didn't have a few key FS versions for a long time so they weren't included in most of those videos (for example: FS2002 was absent until early-2011), and I didn't have the graphics maxed out in later-era FSs (post-FS98/CFS) because of the low-end laptop I ran them on used for years, besides that I also modded each FS version to the point in which they looked like another computer program. I removed all of those videos about a year or two ago because of those reasons. Now, I've been giving a thought about reviving the series since I have a more powerful PC to handle each FSs' graphics rather well (less so for FSX). The problem with this is that making these types of videos is rather frustrating and time-consuming, which keeps me from making more. Getting to run and record all of the DOS and Windows-based FS versions is easy, but the other versions such as FS II for C64 are irritating because of the emulators they need, lock-ups within the emulation, and different keyboard function layout they have.
Here are some notes/trivia about this video:
-The editing was rushed. I don't like to waste too much time editing a video. It's not been my thing ever since 2011.
-I cut out ten minutes of length from the original. I don't like to spend too much time uploading a video. This video took me over an hour to upload, and what if there was a problem with it at 99% before processing? I would have to waste another hour reuploading it...
-For the Atari, C64, and Apple II FS versions, I did not figure out how to change the view direction inside the plane. I used to know how to, but I haven't touched these versions for a long while until a couple of days ago.
-FS II for the Atari locked-up before the Sears tower came into view.
-I forgot to change the view to the spot plane on A.T.P. so you could have seen the plane.
-FS98 was recorded on another computer running Windows XP. That computer is weak, and you may see lag in the FS98 clip.
-The FS98 clip does have sound, but it is very quiet. If you want to hear it, turn the volume all the way to the max, but turn it down as soon as you see the FS2000 splash screen.
-The FSX and Google Earth clips are laggy because I don't have the strongest PC in the world...
-My FSX runs on medium-high/high settings because of the reason stated in the above note.
-All FSs are set on late spring, light cirrus clouds at 15,000, and 20 miles of visibility. FS versions prior to FS5.1 have no visibility system, and FS versions II/2.xx and 1.00 for the Mac have no clouds set because their cloud layer options have no thickness settings, meaning there are always overcast clouds, rendering a white/gray sky. FS3.0 has no clouds because their short draw distance, while FS4.0 has two systems of clouds: the one from FS3.0, and another one that generates automatic clouds, which is the one you see in the video.
-All FS versions starting with FS98 have anti-aliasing settings applied to them. The settings are 8x super sampling, no CSAA/EQAA, no MLAA, and no edge-detect. No anisotropic filtering by the way.
-FS5.1's runway texture looks worse than FS5.0's because in order to get haze, I have to sacrifice the image smoother. No worries, since the image smoother only covers Meigs as far as I know.
-The Google Earth clip originally featured a song from Machine Head ("This is the End") because I recorded the clip while playing the album "Unto the Locust" in iTunes, but I muted it to avoid those nagging copyright complaints and to not scare people with the thrashing insanity of the song.
-I recorded FSX with a non-4:3 aspect ratio by mistake, while FS II for C64, Atari, Atari ST, and Apple II can't have their aspect ratios set to 4:3 without messing up the pixels.
-In the FS2004 clip, I did not use the R182 because FS2004 does not include it, so I used the 182S instead. In the FSX clip, I used the 172SP because the 182S is not included.
-FSX does not include Meigs because it was closed and turned into a park, so I took off in the same place the runway used to be at.
Years ago, I used to upload FS comparison videos, but they were flawed. I didn't have a few key FS versions for a long time so they weren't included in most of those videos (for example: FS2002 was absent until early-2011), and I didn't have the graphics maxed out in later-era FSs (post-FS98/CFS) because of the low-end laptop I ran them on used for years, besides that I also modded each FS version to the point in which they looked like another computer program. I removed all of those videos about a year or two ago because of those reasons. Now, I've been giving a thought about reviving the series since I have a more powerful PC to handle each FSs' graphics rather well (less so for FSX). The problem with this is that making these types of videos is rather frustrating and time-consuming, which keeps me from making more. Getting to run and record all of the DOS and Windows-based FS versions is easy, but the other versions such as FS II for C64 are irritating because of the emulators they need, lock-ups within the emulation, and different keyboard function layout they have.
Here are some notes/trivia about this video:
-The editing was rushed. I don't like to waste too much time editing a video. It's not been my thing ever since 2011.
-I cut out ten minutes of length from the original. I don't like to spend too much time uploading a video. This video took me over an hour to upload, and what if there was a problem with it at 99% before processing? I would have to waste another hour reuploading it...
-For the Atari, C64, and Apple II FS versions, I did not figure out how to change the view direction inside the plane. I used to know how to, but I haven't touched these versions for a long while until a couple of days ago.
-FS II for the Atari locked-up before the Sears tower came into view.
-I forgot to change the view to the spot plane on A.T.P. so you could have seen the plane.
-FS98 was recorded on another computer running Windows XP. That computer is weak, and you may see lag in the FS98 clip.
-The FS98 clip does have sound, but it is very quiet. If you want to hear it, turn the volume all the way to the max, but turn it down as soon as you see the FS2000 splash screen.
-The FSX and Google Earth clips are laggy because I don't have the strongest PC in the world...
-My FSX runs on medium-high/high settings because of the reason stated in the above note.
-All FSs are set on late spring, light cirrus clouds at 15,000, and 20 miles of visibility. FS versions prior to FS5.1 have no visibility system, and FS versions II/2.xx and 1.00 for the Mac have no clouds set because their cloud layer options have no thickness settings, meaning there are always overcast clouds, rendering a white/gray sky. FS3.0 has no clouds because their short draw distance, while FS4.0 has two systems of clouds: the one from FS3.0, and another one that generates automatic clouds, which is the one you see in the video.
-All FS versions starting with FS98 have anti-aliasing settings applied to them. The settings are 8x super sampling, no CSAA/EQAA, no MLAA, and no edge-detect. No anisotropic filtering by the way.
-FS5.1's runway texture looks worse than FS5.0's because in order to get haze, I have to sacrifice the image smoother. No worries, since the image smoother only covers Meigs as far as I know.
-The Google Earth clip originally featured a song from Machine Head ("This is the End") because I recorded the clip while playing the album "Unto the Locust" in iTunes, but I muted it to avoid those nagging copyright complaints and to not scare people with the thrashing insanity of the song.
-I recorded FSX with a non-4:3 aspect ratio by mistake, while FS II for C64, Atari, Atari ST, and Apple II can't have their aspect ratios set to 4:3 without messing up the pixels.
-In the FS2004 clip, I did not use the R182 because FS2004 does not include it, so I used the 182S instead. In the FSX clip, I used the 172SP because the 182S is not included.
-FSX does not include Meigs because it was closed and turned into a park, so I took off in the same place the runway used to be at.
