FSX Multiplayer on Gamespy and VATSIM

[pusser]

I have recently joined the VATSIM network and to get everything working properly I downloaded FSInn v1.3.

Prior to finding VATSIM, I used the inbuilt multiplayer mode over the gamespy network. OK, Gamespy is full of a lot of kids who have no idea of flying properly and just want to buzz everything in sight, but there are a lot of serious kids there too. I have no gripe with them or Gamespy. I could connect, join a session and fly in that session and generally have a great time. My problems with FSX (SP1) arose after I installed FSInn. I can no longer connect to the Gamespy network if I just want to play but I can connect to the VATSIM network with no problems at all.

Actually, what happens when I start FSX is this....
It loads and runs perfectly well in Free Flight and Missions, I can make a Flight Plan, save it and fly it as long as I am in Free Flight. If I connect to Gamespy for multiplayer use, I get ito the lobby, can choose a session, and log into it, I can choose my aircraft and when I click "Join Session", everything starts to load but the Terrain Details just keeps loading in a never ending loop. I may get a brief look at the airfield whose session I have joined but then the Terrain Details load again, and again, and again. It is actually quite frustrating and as long as I have a brief period between loadings, I can exit the flight and be dropped back to the lobby, if I don't get long enough periods, only Ctrl/Alt/Del will help me get out of the loop and then I have to close down FSX.

If I uninstall FSInn, the problem goes away and I can use the Gamespy connection properly again. I want to use both Gamespy (to play) and FSInn (to be serious) but NOT both at the same time.

I wonder if anyne else has experienced this problem and if a solution was ever found? Any help will be gratefully received.
Regards,
Mike

[L. D. James]

I'll try to find a way to duplicate the problem you describe. I'll mention that I haven't seen it. I along with many others who use the Shared Skies feature often use Gamespy in conjunction with VATSIM to allow the copilot to join the session.

So, even though you describe somehow having a confusion with the combination of FSInn and Gamespy, there should be no conflict at all.

In the meantime try unchecking the autoload options in the FSFDT Control Panel (the icon that looks like a traffic light in the task tray). You'll find this in the Options menu in the FSFDT Control Panel. After that you'll have to start the FSFDT Control Panel manually when you want to fly on VATSIM.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[pusser]

Many thanks for your very quick reply. I have done as you suggested and disabled FSFDT from running when I start FSX. Since then I have had the computer shut down for a couple of hours. On starting up again and loading FSX, I went straight to Multiplayer and signed in. I selected a session and joined it, selected an aircraft and clicked "Fly Now". I was astounded to be able to get into this session and fly! "Success!!" I shouted, and flew for just a few minutes to make sure. Then I left that session and tried to join another. No luck this time, same old terrain data loading loop. :-(
I tried a few more with the same result. I left the computer and did other things for a while and when I came back to it at tried to join a session again, I got similar results, 1st one I got a terrain data loop, 2nd one I got into, 3rd and the rest all looped and would not let me in. I am looking at firewall settings but those have not changed since well before I installed FSInn and I could connect consistently to GameSpy netowrk prior to installing that. I understand your point about there should be no conflict between the two and if you and others are able to use both, then I do have some kind of a problem. It is interesting that I could get into 2 randomly chosen sessions on GameSpy but others refused to load without going into a terrain data load loop.
I don't understand it, but am willing to try and sort it out.
Thanks again.
Mike

[L. D. James]

Try completely uninstalling FSCopilot/FSInn and see if you continue to have problems with Gamespy. Try a few Gamespy sessions and see if the problem is completely gone before reinstalling FSInn.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[pusser]

I uninstalled FSInn and immediately could get into any number of GameSpy sessions with no problems at all. I knew that would happen anyway, I have done it before. I got into GameSpy sessions as soon as FSINN was uninstalled but I shut the computer down later and restarted and still have no problems getting into any sessions.
I will reinstall FSInn later.

Just out of interest, if I hosted a session of my own on GameSpy, I had no problems getting it to load and fly.
Mike

[pusser]

Having uninstalled FSInn and Co-Pilot, as I said before, I was able to get into every GameSpy session I wanted to, both voice and text.
In the meantime, I have obtained (again) the latest FSInn and Co-Pilot files using help from this forum. I have installed them this afternoon and I am now able to get into GameSpy session AND FSInn.

One thing I would make a point of saying here is that I was able to use GameSpy the first time I ever installed FSInn but that option was denied me for the reasons in my first posting. However, today, everything is working just fine and I am a happy bunny!

We shall see over the next few days whether this is a total fix or not, as I said, I was able to use GameSpy with FSINN installed when I ever first installed it but after a couple of days, I was unable to get into GameSpy.

Thanks for all your help and if it turns out that I don't need it again, then thank you again!
Mike

[pusser]

OK, now I have, as I said, done a complete reinstall of FSInn and since I wrote my last message, everything has been great!
I have been able to use both GameSpy and VATSIM with no problems at all.

Once again, thanks for you help.
Mike

[mlswartz]

I have the same problem with my FSX/Accel Vista x64 setup. When connecting or hosting multiplayer sessions my terrain kept loading and loading. I also noticed that when using missions the loading process seemed too long and sometimes the mission timing was corrupted.

In any case, I tracked this down to the FSCopilot function TIME SYNC, SYNC TO ZULU TIME AUTOMATICALLY (located in the Addons menu). Uncheck this feature and the problem goes away. Check it, and the problem comes right back. SYNC TO ZULU TIME AT START UP doesn't cause any problems on my system.

This might explain why reinstalling FSINN eliminates the problem. At least until the user rechecks the SYNC TO ZULU TIME AUTOMATICALLY feature.

Larry, perhaps you have a theory as to why this might cause a problem?