AGP Texture acceleration unavailable

I just fixed a strange problem. All of a sudden overlay mode stopped working when I watched movies. I checked my Dxdiag settings (Start>run>dxdiag) and DirectDraw acceleration and AGP texture acceleration was unavailable.

I reinstalled DirectX and the drivers for my Graphics card. To no avail.

Then in a forum I found the solution:

1. Start netmeeting (start menu>run, type conf.exe in the run box and hit enter)

2. Go to tools and enable remote desktop sharing, install with the wizard.

3. After the wizard finishes go to tools again and uncheck remote desktop sharing.

4. Close Netmeeting.

5. Run Dxdiag (start>run type: dxdiag), AGP texture acceleration and DirectDraw acceleration should be available now!

Flight Simulator X – Multiplayer, VATSIM and IVAO

Introduction

The new Flight simulator X will include a major improvement in multiplayer capabilities. Amongst other enhancements it will be possible to share a plane, as pilot and co-pilot, with someone over the internet. It will also be possible to act as ATC (Air Traffic Controller). Now the ATC function has existed for several years for FS8 and FS9 through the online multiplayer communities of VATSIM and IVAO. These communities are quality controlled, mess up here and you will lose your membership and ability to log in. ATC is trained in a peer system, and only qualified ATC will be able to take control of the airspace. This is much needed since the ATC duty is not an easy one. Pilots also have to follow the same rules as real world pilots, which can be a daunting task at first.

The question

Now the question is, is FSX going to change all this with it’s multiplayer options?

The short answer

No.

The slightly longer answer

First of all, The VATSIM and IVAO community is going to exist with FSX as a client too. The special software designed for the interface, radio communication and logon (Squawkbox for example) works with FSUIPC as a base. FSUIPC is a 3rd party addon to Microsoft Flight Simulator that works as an interface to the Software. Using FSUIPC other software can be programmed to talk to the simulator. Microsoft has stated it works together with 3rd party developers to ensure their addons will work with FSX. This is good news, as it means FSUIPC and Squawkbox for example, will work in FSX. This probably means that addon aircraft eventually will work in FSX, probably needing an update from the manufacturer.

Another good news is that the SDK, the developer kit for FSX will be released at the same time as the FSX game. This means that 3rd party developers will have a much easier task adjusting their addons to fit the new game. FS9 SDK was released much later than the game, and I’m glad that Microsoft this time has realized the importance of 3rd party addons for the FS community. Simflight.com for example has stated that their next version of FSNavigator, v5, will work in fsx.

Another possible issue, that I at the time of writing don’t have an answer to is if the scenario is going to be compatible with FS9 senario flying online. That is, will runways and taxiways be the same in both clients? Will airport height and obstacles be the same? If not, we are going to have problems with aircraft positions between the two clients.

Conclusions

Finally, my conclusion is that the built-in multiplayer will be fun for the mainstream user, and used in smaller portions, say between a coulple of friends, rather than directly competing with the big structured online communities like VATSIM and IVAO. These communities are truly aiming for “as real as it gets!” and have achieved that now for quite some time. Being able to talk directly to a human ATC is breathtaking and scary at first, but it gives you a whole other insight into the world of real pilots. I would recommend it for anyone who doesn’t mind a steep learning curve, knows how to act responsibly and dosn’t fear tinkering a day or two with settings making it work Perhaps the new FSX Multiplayer options will be a step into the world of online flying in the big leagues

Cold fusion, politics and the limited scientific method

I just started reading and learning about cold fusion. It is some sort of nuclear reaction that occurs in normal tempereature. I am no chemist or physicist at all, but from what I can understand this method seems to be a very interesting way of producing excess heat in an easy way. The effect was first noticed in 1989, but because the scientific theory at that time could not explain the results, it was pretty much abandoned by most scientists.

I feel this is a typical field or situation where science locks itself in a little cocoon of what is known and repeatable and “safe” because it can be explained by theory. In my opinion this is completely wrong. Where would we be today if there hadn’t been scientists on the brink of pseudotechnology and understanding daring to go into the unknown. If we continue to fiddle around in our own safe back yard where we can explain everything, and refuse to give the unknown a chance, where will science go? Nowhere.

Considering the situation with power demand all over the world, In my opinion every string has to be pulled and examined, and deserves a second and third and 10:th chance as far as clean power production goes. Even cold fusion. After all many scientists all over the world have been able to repeat the results with cold fusion, and allthough it might not be explainable by the theories we have today, does that mean that we have to abandon the thought all together?

I hope that science would embrace the unexplainable a little more, because that would give us the edge we need to go forward. A scientist without imagination and a thirst for the unknown is in my opinion not a good scientist. The world today relies too much on science, as if that was everything there is. I’m sure that science is very good at explaining some things in our world and universe, but there is no evidence that what science cannot explain does not exist. Science has a limited set of tools and a limited scope on what it can research according to its scientific method. But who is to say that it is omnipotent?

Think about it.

And I have a nagging feeling that politics and economy are involved here as well. I dont think that big oil money with their lobbyists would like if we all of a sudden found out a new way of getting clean power.

Think about that aspect too.

Read about cold fusion at Wikipedia, general info about it, and about Eugene Mallow, one of the pioneers, who was murdered(!).

Movie regadring of the unexplained murder of Dr Mallow

Excerpts from his video “Fire from water”, (Google Video)

And while you are at it, if you have not seen it, watch the documentary on electric cars “Who killed the electrc car”

For those of you who like to share knowledge, here’s the torrent for that movie.