P3D question

[robbie]

Hi Guys
Well after 2 weeks of endless bother with FSX I've decided to splash out on P3D, I'm thinking I need to buy the professional licence is that what most people get?.

My new system is quite capable of running it, I've been reading on their web site and they quote:
"Prepar3D® has the capability of being enhanced by adding add-ons of Aircraft, Scenery, Missions and more. These add-ons can improve your Prepar3D experience. Prepar3D is fully compatible with FSX SP2 add-ons, including freeware and payware applications.".
That surprised me as I thought I would need to buy my add-ons all over again!! any comments on this please.

FSX is dreadful on my new system, so unstable it crashes when ever I select "map", or "atc" etc, never the same problem though, just a complete pain the the Butt!

Cheers
Robbie.

[blanston12]

For the longest time I had professional using the developers licence at 10$ a month, but recently switched to the academic version. There is really no difference between them except the "academic" watermark I. The upper right corner of the screen, and that it's 140$ cheaper.

The reasons I made the switch was first that many add on products like tacpac only work with academic or they charge for for pro. And second when they release a major upgrade they make you get a new licence. Based on how long it was between v2 and v3 we may have less than a year till v4, and i did not want to get locked into the developer's licence for the rest of my life if I wanted to continue to use v3

[DaveG]

The academic watermark can be turned off.
Some software will require a new purchase, such as TacPack / Superbug & PMDG stuff. Others have dual installers or can be fooled into installing. I'd avoid using the "migration tool" though.

[blanston12]

I agree with DG, most installers can be fooled into installing into the P3d folder simply by copying the fsx.exe file into the main folder.

You can also setup P3d to read from your old FSX folders also. In the folder ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3d v3 is a series of .cfg files for effects, gauges, simobjects, scenery, sound, just about every folder. Modify them to read from your FSX folders also so that when you install aircraft that can only be used in FSX, P3d will pick them up also.

Only thing you would need to do is create a new folder in FSX for those aircraft that are in BOTH p3d and FSX so that P3d does not complain about duplicate names, if you care about using fsx also you will have to find the .cfg file that defines the location of its simobjects folder and add the duplicates folder.

Personally I have setup two separate directory structures, one for payware and one for freeware where I install add on aircraft outside of the normal P3d folders, that way if I have to re-install of P3d you don't have to reinstall all your aircraft. This has worked for all my extra aircraft except the aerosoft PBY. I did copy the prepar3d.exe and fsx.exe files into the base of each to fool the installers, and I have not tried to reinstall my captain sim aircraft yet.

[robbie]

Thanks for that guys,

May as well go for the academic, at least it won't hurt the wallet too much if I have problems, I knew the PMDG T7 would need to be re-purchased but quite honestly it's boring flying the modern stuff lol.

Looks like the MilViz 737-200 will be on the top of the "go get" list.

Robbie

[blanston12]

I have actually been surprised on how many 'FSX' payware products work fine in P3d. The only two that I have tried that did not were the A2A Boeing 377 and the Captain Sim 707.

[Buggyman]

I agree, go for the Academic Licence it is cheaper.

ATB


Allan

[Vancouver]

The academic watermark can be turned off.

Intriguing!

[blanston12]

The academic watermark can be turned off.

Yes Dave, inquiring minds want to know?

[DaveG]

Easy. Go into the P3d general settings page and down in the bottom right there's an area where you can turn off various on screen messages. Un-tick the master setting. You'll lose messages like the red "brake" etc but no more watermark.