Whats the deal with FSX?

[DaveG]

P3d's biggest feature is also it's biggest curse. For better or worse you know what you're getting with FSX.

[Airspeed]

Hi Mike..

....so I'm staying put until such time I win the lottery

ATB
DaveB

Here's a dollar $, so that's a fifty-fifty split when WE win, Dave

[rohan]

... but it is not as yet what one might call a 'finished product' ...

I find it truly amazing that LM sell this as a professional product at professional prices yet version 1.4 was the only stable version that has been made available. Historically, each of the version 2 releases have had quite a few existing features broken while providing other new features and better performance overall, so it seems that the small development team just can't get their heads around a proper QA process. Yes, v2.3 is streets ahead of FSX in both functionality and performance while also being much less stable. And if you use add-on apps like weather or scenery, you frequently have to wait for these products' developers to catch up with the internal changes made by LM - and their updates aren't always free either.

Moreover, if you buy v2.3 now, then v2.4 is already on its way through their development process and will be a free upgrade when released. However, when v3 hits the streets (presumably next year) every existing user will have to pay for that upgrade by buying another new license.

Despite the improvements that have come with v2.3, I'm still on the fence about buying this myself ...

[DaveB]

For better or worse you know what you're getting with FSX.

I think that sums it up nicely. While FSX will get no better, neither will it get any worse. It is what it is whereas P3D is NOT what it (hopefully) will be. Ro hit a very important nail on the head re' upgrades and new versions too. While upgrades (to a version) are free.. new versions themselves have to be bought again and I can't be doing with that.

And Mike.. if I win the lottery, I'll buy you a version You'll have to buy a suitable bit of kit to use it on yourself though

ATB
DaveB

[J0hn]

Whilst I really like how the aircraft etc look in P3Dv2, I have to admit that, since I uninstalled it last week, ready for a complete re-install. I haven't actually re-installed it at all.

In fact, I haven't even considered it, whilst planning my next VOR 'tour' in FSX.

It's just a bit too much hassle right now. It's the last few flights I had that put me off. For example - I flew the Aerosoft F-16 for that video, but when it overstressed and "crashed", the sim loaded the default flight and aircraft.

It's done that several times, and it means I have to reselect and load everything again, which is a pain. It also doesn't 'remember' the country you like to fly in, so you always have to select the country again, then the airport etc. A small thing, but again, it can get tedious.

A lot of my models look great in the sun, or rain, but they look shockingly bad in clouds or mist. I wanted to do a tour of Papua New Guinea, using the Bush Trekker scenery from PIS (just about my favourite) but due to this cloud issue, and the altitude of those mountain-top strips, it was an awful experience.

So I would say go for FSX Gold for the time being, at least. And also, make sure you pay the right price (i.e. no more than £22). Too many places are still selling it at ridiculous prices.

Ahem: LINKY

[Scorpius]

Oh well, I find myself at odds again with some of you!

V2.3 is very stable and a vast improvement over previous versions. My FSX has been gathering dust for some time now and I won't be going back to it, ever. I did manage to overstress Ricks Varsity in P3D yesterday however during a tight turn.

LM for me!

[DaveG]

I'm with you. Can barely bring myself to use FSX these days. Once Tacpack comes out for P3d I think FSX will be uninstalled for good.
Out of all the FSX native aircraft I've tried I think only the Superbug doesn't work.

[J0hn]

Well, all of my aircraft have worked so far - some with a little help - but lots have this issue, for example (unfortunately I deleted pic's showing it better):



See the black bits standing out? Now, this is an FS9 model, so maybe the problems should be expected, but it happens a lot with FSX ones, too. The further the aircraft goes into the cloud, the more those black parts stand out. Sometimes, when the cloud is thick, you can only see the black bits, floating through the air.

Then there's the landing lights. Regardless of how I change the settings, my landing lights always have a huge orb:



Again, I deleted the worst looking ones, so that picture is not fully representative, but the problem is evident.

Also, on external views, the image of the aircraft can get really rubbish - such as this FSX default DC-3 on a default FSX mission:




Finally, there's the 'rain'. Here, flying the JF DC-3 in PNG:



Those are some raindrops!

I know there are many benefits to flying P3Dv2, but these are the things (along with those I mentioned in my previous post) that are making me start up FSX instead at the moment.

[SkippyBing]

See the black bits standing out? Now, this is an FS9 model, so maybe the problems should be expected, but it happens a lot with FSX ones, too. The further the aircraft goes into the cloud, the more those black parts stand out. Sometimes, when the cloud is thick, you can only see the black bits, floating through the air.

I think that's where the aircraft parts aren't textured and are just showing the colour of the model geometry. Certainly while I've been testing stuff I'm building in P3D parts that aren't textured show up through cloud and also don't cast shadows so I suspect the rendering engine doesn't like them.

[Vancouver]

And here was me on page 1 praising P3D, now it has started with the unexplained crashes and I have done nothing other than install the paid for FSUIPC. It gives no clue as to why it crashes nor does it do the FSX thing of restarting the sim. DaveB seems to be correct and we are just Beta testers.
I've tried all the usual things, delete the cfg etc. But it just crashes at random times. On booting, on certain settings screens, in flight anywhere and any aircraft. It is just a matter of time.
I have gone back to FSX which although heavily modified and in DX10 mode runs great.