Single installation vs multi installations (Questions for community)

[Eagle114th]

Hello everyone,

 

I am just wondering how everyone manage each of your own SF2 installations.  I am wondering if it is good idea to simply merge all mods into single huge SF2 installation or is it better idea to divide SF2 into different installations.

 

The reasons why I ask this:
 

1) Does it take longer to load SF2 if installing all mods into single SF2, compared to dividing them into separated SF2 installations?

2) What is pro and con about single SF2 installation vs multi-installations

(Does SF2 load up all data when starting simulation or does SF2 only load required files for running SF2?)
 

3) Since I am running Dell Latitude E6530 with Geforce NVS5200 and Intel i5 dual processor, I have very limited hardware to run SF2.  I am running SF2 from an external hard drive while it is plugged into my laptop. So I want to ensure I have good performance with SF2 for now until I get my new gaming laptop that will be able to handle SF2 with new up to date hardware.

 

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I have learned so much about installing and customizing SF2 installations and tweaking each mods that I install into SF2 installations.  I plan to clean my SF and install SF2 from scratch again and this time, I will completely install each mods more carefully instead of dumping many mods and overwrite everything I can see.  So that way I don't accidentally overwrite Soundlist.ini and other files which I did.  For example, I did not realize that some mods have their own soundlist.ini and I kept overwriting it several times without realizing it until now.  

[+Fubar512]

The default is for the installer to merge all titles.  All the terrains aircraft, and ground objects will then be available from within SF2, You can install all your mods into that one title's mod folder, and you'll be able to access everything from there.

 

Load times depend on the terrain, objects (number, complexity, etc.), that you select.  The only issue is that your gfx card is a bit weak for the most recent models and terrain sets.

 

Also, how is the external drive being accessed?  Is it through USB 2, USB 3, or external SATA?  I would opt for at least the last two.

Edited August 22, 2016 by Fubar512

[Eagle114th]

Good evening Fuber512,

It is great to see you again!  I am not sure if you remember me before.  I am known as Eagle114th / ChaoticDragon16 / Chaoic16 from different forum, including Column5 forum when it used to be open.

By the way, my external HDD is Western Digital 1.5 TB (7,200 rpm) external hard drive and I am connected to it using 3.0 USB directly from my laptop.

By the way, thank you for the answers, I will wipe all separated installation and pour all mods into SF2 carefully without accidentally overwrite any important .ini files.  And for now, I will only use default SF2 terrains until I have newer laptop.  (My goal is to have new customized gaming laptop from Origin (or other companies) with either nVIDIA Geforce GTX 980 or newer 1080 (whenever they come out for laptop.)

Edited August 23, 2016 by Eagle114th

[+yakarov79]

Single vs. multi it is only about your own preferences.

Me myself have several "games"..where specific theater is available and other are disabled..ex:

Vietnam war only south and north Vietnam terrain  with only Blue side playable (I removed all red aircrafts pits so am not flying as NVAF)

In israel it is only IsraelMe terrain available and only Israel AF available to fly. While in Iran-Irak mod i got both sides availabe and one terrain. Also on my Japan Fighters instal i have only Japan side  flyable and all pits removed for red side planes... but in my total Instal based on North Atlanitc i got huge mess with planes,everything can be fly but only on Europe map and Iceland. Also my seperate instals got seperate weapons pack customized for specific time/region/country etc..I just simply don't like mess in weaponloadouts and strange aircrafts flying in wrong terrains. So thats for pros in my case. As for cons many weapons/ground objects/aircrafts are doubled in several instalations..which is hdd space unfirendly...

[+1977Frenchie]

I prefer having them all in the same folder, so the variety is complete. on my all-5 merge install i have also :

 

Korea Campaign

Cuba campaign

Desert Storm

Med crisis

 

SF2V expension pack

SF2NA expension pack

Desert campaign carrier add-on

and a lot more...

 

a whole buch of aircraft downloaded here (thanks to all of them who made them)

 

I run on full detail and load time is about 8 seconds whatever campaign i start (about 5-6 sec on single mission).

 

I installed it on a SSD on my new computer instead of a HDD and maybe i gain something here, but the gain would not be that big imo.

 

And btw, i'd like to thank the many people who continue to do great aircrafts, skins, missions, campaigns, etc. This game may be old but i still like it after these years! (this is the only flight sim i'm playing as the choice is overwhelming).