GMAX 1.2

[AutoliteParticipant]

Is anyone here familiar with the use of GMAX 1.2 for creating MS flight simulator aircraft models? I’ve been thinking about perhaps getting into this as a hobby but it looks to be brutally time consuming and very complicated.

Opinions???

[SilverOneParticipant 440]

I wish I could help you. Flight simming is one of my 4 hobbies (I’m retired; lot’s of time). Unfortunately, I don’t do Windoze. I gave up on it after 10 irretrievably crashed on both of my computers. I now run Linux. There are only a couple of sims that play nice with Linux. X-Plane is excellent, and comes with a great designer suite. My brother has actually used it to design a couple of ultra-lights. It runs Windows, Mac and Linux. It is not as full featured as X-Plane, but I run FlightGear. It has a great flight model, and once you learn how to tweak it to your controls, it flies better than just about anything I’ve tried. It is open source and there is a large developer community. FlightGear also runs in Windows

I don’t believe in female magic anymore. And will never again gut myself to make room for it. --Narwhal--

[AutoliteParticipant]

Thanks for that reply SilverOne. A buddy of mine has tried to talk me into Linux but everything I have is Windows based and I’ve never had a bad experience with Windows.

Are you saying that X-Plane is better than the MS Flt Sims???

[SilverOneParticipant 440]

Autolite wrote:

Are you saying that X-Plane is better than the MS Flt Sims???

At least I and my brother (he is a pilot) both think so. It definitely has a superior flight model, and if you really like to design aircraft, the integrated development suite is hard to beat.

I understand the problem with everything you have being Windows oriented. I was in the same boat, except I had no choice; Windows would not re-install. Actually, I lost no data. I was able to find similar applications in Linux (all free) that could use the Windows data formats. Also, most folks don’t know, but a proper installation of WINE (Wine Is Not an Emulator) allows you to run 80% or more of Windows applications, natively, in Linux with full functionality, and even more with some limitations. If you want to really get into it, we can start a new thread rather than hijacking this one. You could install it as a second operating system and test drive it for a while to find out if it is a viable option. It’s not as if it is a risky investment. The OS and 95% of applications are free. Just ties up a little hard drive real estate.
BTW… I have had MS Flight Sim X running in Linux with WINE

I don’t believe in female magic anymore. And will never again gut myself to make room for it. --Narwhal--

[AutoliteParticipant]

SilverOne wrote:

If you want to really get into it, we can start a new thread rather than hijacking this one. You could install it as a second operating system and test drive it for a while to find out if it is a viable option. It’s not as if it is a risky investment.

Thanks for the offer. I’ll most sincerely keep it it mind.

I would be willing to install Linux as a primary OS. I have several refurbished older desktops that I’m not even using. I will probably someday put a Linux OS on one of them just to see if I like it or not…

[AutoliteParticipant]

SilverOne wrote:

If you want to really get into it, we can start a new thread rather than hijacking this one.

Well maybe can you give me a safe, clean download link for the Linux OS? Something that you know can be trusted?

You don’t need to worry about high-jacking this thread. I started it and you’re the only one who’s replied.

Many thanks…

[RennieParticipant]

Like suggested above X-Plane is highly customizable. It has stuff I could only dream of having in Flight Simulator 20 years ago. Like the ability to easily design your own c~~~pits with a graphical tool.

Autolite wrote:

Are you saying that X-Plane is better than the MS Flt Sims???

Flight Simulator is pretty much a thing of the past now, since Microsoft shut down the Aces studio years ago. Stuff like X-Plane and Digital Combat Simulator(DCS) are kings of the rock now.

[SilverOneParticipant 440]

Good deal, Autolite. I would recommend Ubuntu. It has the largest user base, and by far the most packages already developed and ready to use. Though a lot of people like them, I find many of Ubuntu’s UI’s to be a little kludgy. I use Linux Mint. It is an Ubuntu derivative, so it uses all of the Ubuntu resources, and offers better looking UI’s. I am a minimalist kind of guy, so I use the XFCE UI. As installed, it is very minimal, but it is imminently customizeable, light, and very fast. One of the great things about Linux is you are not married to a particular suite of utilities for the whole OS. For example, there are at least a half dozen file managers that work equally well for all UI’s. I think Thunar is the FM for XFCE, but I prefer Cinnamon’s Nemo, so that is the one I use most. Use the one you like best or install any or all of the others to suit special needs. Cinnamon is a full featured UI that is very easy to use and a little reminiscent of Mac, and KDE is a more Windows-like UI. If you find the one you install doesn’t suit you, you can go to your package management client and install any other one you want. These are just the three most popular. There are a myriad of others that you can install as well. If you are really into computers, you will be amazed what you can do with Linux.

Linux Mint XFCE
Linux Mint Cinnamon
Linux Mint KDE

I don’t believe in female magic anymore. And will never again gut myself to make room for it. --Narwhal--

[SilverOneParticipant 440]

Good deal, Autolite. I would recommend Ubuntu. It has the largest user base, and by far the most packages already developed and ready to use. Though a lot of people like them, I find many of Ubuntu’s UI’s to be a little kludgy. I use Linux Mint. It is an Ubuntu derivative, so it uses all of the Ubuntu resources, and offers better looking UI’s, kind of “Ubuntu Grown-Up). I am a minimalist kind of guy, so I use the XFCE UI. As installed, it is very minimal, but it is imminently customizeable, light, and very fast. One of the great things about Linux is you are not married to a particular suite of utilities for the whole OS. For example, there are at least a half dozen file managers that work equally well for all UI’s. I think Thunar is the FM for XFCE, but I prefer Cinnamon’s Nemo, so that is the one I use most. Use the one you like best or install any or all of the others to suit special needs. Cinnamon is a full featured UI that is very easy to use and a little reminiscent of Mac, and KDE is a more Windows-like UI. If you find the one you install doesn’t suit you, you can go to your package management client and install any other one you want. These are just the three most popular. There are a myriad of others that you can install as well. If you are really into computers, you will be amazed what you can do with Linux.

Linux Mint XFCE
Linux Mint Cinnamon
Linux Mint KDE

I don’t believe in female magic anymore. And will never again gut myself to make room for it. --Narwhal--

[SilverOneParticipant 440]

Good deal, Autolite. I would recommend Ubuntu. It has the largest user base, and by far the most packages already developed and ready to use. Though a lot of people like them, I find many of Ubuntu’s UI’s to be a little kludgy. I use Linux Mint. It is an Ubuntu derivative, so it uses all of the Ubuntu resources, and offers better looking UI’s, kind of “Ubuntu Grown-Up. I am a minimalist kind of guy, so I use the XFCE UI. As installed, it is very minimal, but it is imminently customizeable, light, and very fast. One of the great things about Linux is you are not married to a particular suite of utilities for the whole OS. For example, there are at least a half dozen file managers that work equally well for all UI’s. I think Thunar is the FM for XFCE, but I prefer Cinnamon’s Nemo, so that is the one I use most. Use the one you like best or install any or all of the others to suit special needs. Cinnamon is a full featured UI that is very easy to use and a little reminiscent of Mac, and KDE is a more Windows-like UI. If you find the one you install doesn’t suit you, you can go to your package management client and install any other one you want. These are just the three most popular. There are a myriad of others that you can install as well. If you are really into computers, you will be amazed what you can do with Linux.

Linux Mint XFCE
Linux Mint Cinnamon
Linux Mint KDE

I don’t believe in female magic anymore. And will never again gut myself to make room for it. --Narwhal--

[SilverOneParticipant 440]

Sorry, don’t know how that happened. My edits made 3 different posts!

I don’t believe in female magic anymore. And will never again gut myself to make room for it. --Narwhal--

[AutoliteParticipant]

So, if I download the OS installation files and burn them to a disk I can install a Linux OS from the disk to a blank-formatted HDD???

[SilverOneParticipant 440]

Exactly. The file is an ISO for the installation. Just burn a DVD, and boot it up. It brings up a UI in your chosen flavor. There is limited usability to allow you to explore the system a little. To install, just select the “Install” app. There are several install options, including stand alone, stand alone replace, and side by side. If you have a computer you are not using, with no files you wish to save, the stand alone and replace is the best option. If you wish to save files, the side by side would probably be best. If you are really conversant with computers, you can do a custom partitioning. If you want help, just message me 🙂

I don’t believe in female magic anymore. And will never again gut myself to make room for it. --Narwhal--

[AutoliteParticipant]

SilverOne wrote:

If you have a computer you are not using, with no files you wish to save, the stand alone and replace is the best option.

Thanks for your help SilverOne. It’s most sincerely appreciated! I have a couple computers which I’m not using at all. I’d like to try and do a ‘clean’ install on a formatted HDD like you’ve described.

I will give it a try whenever I can get my lazy ass off these damn forums… 😀

[AutoliteParticipant]

SilverOne wrote:

Good deal, Autolite. I would recommend Ubuntu. It has the largest user base, and by far the most packages already developed and ready to use.

@silverone

Reference Linux, I just wanted you to know that I took your advice. I’ve got a clean install of ‘Ubuntu 16.04.02 32bit LTS’ up and running now on it’s own HDD. I find that it’s like learning a second language. I now have to try to ‘unlearn’ Windows.

But on the same computer I also put in another HDD with a clean install of ‘Linux Mint 17.3 “Rosa” 32bit Cinnamon’. I just want to see how that works. I still haven’t got it running properly though. It ‘crashes’ each time that I boot it but I’m working on that now.

I’m also keeping the WinXp HDD installed on the same machine. It’s sorta like ‘training-wheels’ for a Linux newb… 🙂

[SilverOneParticipant 440]

Autolite wrote:

But on the same computer I also put in another HDD with a clean install of ‘Linux Mint 17.3 “Rosa” 32bit Cinnamon’. I just want to see how that works. I still haven’t got it running properly though. It ‘crashes’ each time that I boot it but I’m working on that now.

I’m also keeping the WinXp HDD installed on the same machine. It’s sorta like ‘training-wheels’ for a Linux newb…

Cool, a side-by-side with something reliable is a good idea. Glad to hear you have Ubuntu running. What kind of troubles are you having having with Mint? The most common problem is video driver incompatibility. Tell me what’s up and I may be able to lend a hand….

I don’t believe in female magic anymore. And will never again gut myself to make room for it. --Narwhal--

[AutoliteParticipant]

SilverOne wrote:

What kind of troubles are you having having with Mint?

Well the Mint 7.3 OS would crash and go to it’s default mode (or whatever you call it) each time it booted. I read online that this was a common issue so I decided to ditch the Mint 7.3 OS and go back down to the Mint 7.1 “Rebbeca”.

However, the Mint 7.1 “Rebbeca” does the same thing. When I boot I get an error message telling me that the system crashed and is going to run in default mode. I read online that it could be a graphic driver issue (like you mentioned).

I’m online right now with Mint 7.1 BTW… 😀

(I’m running a 32bit OS also. It’s on a older HP Pavilion 700 desktop and that’s about all this old beast can handle…on a good day)

[AutoliteParticipant]

Also, how do you shut down a computer running Linux Mint? I read that you press the ‘Super Key’ (the ‘Windows’ Key) but that doesn’t seem to do anything…

[SilverOneParticipant 440]

Wow! you got a really old version of Mint… I am running 18.1 Serena. Rebecca is ancient. 17 was hacked, and is not safe. To exit go to the menu, and select exit, it will give you a sub-menu to select from. Failing that, you can ctl-alt F5. That will drop you to command line, and then ctl-alt Del. Manually kill power when it goes to the GRUB menu. You can go to https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php and get the latest ISO, in your favored flavor. It is still available in 32 bit

I don’t believe in female magic anymore. And will never again gut myself to make room for it. --Narwhal--

[AutoliteParticipant]

SilverOne wrote:

Wow! you got a really old version of Mint… Rebecca is ancient. 17 was hacked, and is not safe.

That’s good to know! You’re the first person to tell me that. I realize now that there is something seriously wrong. I’ve downloaded and tried to install about three different versions of Mint 17.X and each one crashes to ‘Fallback’ mode even when the Demo loads.

I install it anyway and once installed the OS doesn’t even respond correctly to keystroke shortcuts or commands. The downloaded OS doesn’t even look or behave like the demo. It’s too bad about the hacking issue because I thought that security was one of the main reasons for switching to a Linux based OS!

I’ll try your last suggestion but if that doesn’t work I’m going to have to give up on it for a few weeks. I’m already near my ISP usage limit for the month… 🙁

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