Carenado announces King Air C90 for FS2004

[EMatheson]

I think I just felt my wallet lose weight....

http://www.carenado.com/CarSite/Portal/index.php

[Sunny9850]

I did buy their KA200 for FSX since my Aeroworx 200 did not transport to that version of the sim and it is pretty darn close to perfect. So the KA-90 for FS9 just might have to be my first pay ware for the old sim once I get home to Germany and settled in.

Cheers
Stefan

[EMatheson]

Just updated - now with pictures of the VC and cabin - with what appears to be working instruments. I'm predicting release in May...

[EMatheson]

Even more pictures now! More exterior shots of a different livery. Now they've got pilots in the cockpit - as someone commented in the FSX forum, when Carenado starts showing screenshots with pilots inside, it's soon to be released!

[patful]

Hmmm...the usual "Friendly FPS" is not in the description. I noticed the FSX version offered a VC Lite. If anyone has the FSX version, is the frame-rate hit from the instruments, textures, or all those lovely seats and windows? Looks lovely, but at thirty bucks, I'd like good frame rates without a lite version.

[EMatheson]

Well, I'm downloading it now to try it. I'll let you know.

[EMatheson]

This plane is insanely beautiful and packed with tons of animations and features - things like opening doors and windows in the cockpit - window polarizers and seat tables in the cabin - switch-click sounds in the cockpit - clean texturing, beautiful lighting.

If you thought the Carenado C-337 was beautiful, the Beech makes it look shabby!

I'm not a pilot IRL, but I have spent about an hour behind the stick of a real C-90. This rendition has the appropriate stick feel and the right sort of sounds to match.

Regarding FPS, the framerates are not as good as the C-337s - but not bad, either. They're more in line with what I got from their C-208 or from the Bull Stearman. That's understandable, given the detail, but I think the problem might be the switch-click gauge sound rather than the detail... I think that it might therefore be a drag unique to my system (I've had to delete sound systems from some of my other aircraft for FPS reasons, too - but again, I think that might just be me.)

If you want to see how this looks in FS2004, take a look at the screenshots Carenado has posted of it - both for FS9 and FSX - and that's what I'm getting on my system. If I'm feeling particularly motivated this afternoon, I'll post some screenshots - but I think I might be distracted flying it!

[patful]

Thanks. It does look better than anything they've released for FS9. I noticed a slight drop in FPS with my Baron (conventional gauges?) over the Skymaster and Centurion. But my Bull Stearman gets a full 15FPS less than the Carenado offerings. I'll have to think about it for a while before deciding whether to buy.

[Sunny9850]

While they do not have a try before you buy policy at Carenado in the one instance where a purchase did not work for me they promptly returned my money.
You might want to check with them via email to see if you can "return" it if FPS are an issue.

Cheers
Stefan

[EMatheson]

I have discovered that if you convert all the textures to DXT3 and run the DXTfixer program to fix the alpha channels, you gain back five to ten FPS on this one.

[patful]

Thanks for the info, guys. It just looks too purty to pass up, so I might give it a try. I'm on the road right now though, so it'll have to wait a while longer. Thanks.

Pat

[andersel]

Slightly, but not quite, OT but does anyone know if Carenado does PayPal? I REALLY want to buy the C90 but I'm trying very hard not to use credit cards any more. Thanks

LA

[patful]

I don't think they use PayPal, at least not as of January. My card number is processed through a Chilean bank. Nothing crooked. You might ask them, though.

Just remembered, simmarket sells Carenado, and they do take PayPal. It's not up there as of yet, though. Should be soon.

Pat

[wombat666]

Really nice aircraft and no FPS hit on my box.
I'd buy it anyway as Carenado are one of the very few Commercial developers who make an effort to produce aircraft for our 'Obsolete' FS9.

[patful]

Wow, you've got a serious computer there, puts mine to shame. But I will buy the C90. I do appreciate that they're still converting them for us.

Pat