Prepar3d - fsx in a new box or not for the likes of us?

[ians]

I'm putting this thread in this forum. maybe it will be moved to the FSX forum, I'm not sure, anyway, I've seen the vids, read the hype and put my eyes back in the sockets when I realised the price of this sim. Its not for your ho hum run of the mill simmers like wot I am so my question is/observations are, its graphics are supurb, of that there is no doubt, and it looks like Microsoft has sold its fsx rites to Lockheed Martin so unless the new MS Flight is radically better in everything, is it worth spending $400/£300 (vat inc) for the next step which will not take advantage of 64bit architecture, which I find is a big fail, then again will MS Flight be? Has anyone out in fs land got this software and is it worth it? or as I said above is it for professionals and not for the likes of us mere simmers? serious ones or not. $40 a month subscription could get you some seriously supurb software and if FS Flight is being built to take advantage of 64bit technology, who would be cueing up for those addons instead of paying for a slightly prettier version of FSX. I'm being swayed neither way at the moment, I am interested in learning more and hearing what the forum says and thinks. FTR I'm still loving FS9 and it took me some time to take to FSX, (those who use it still would possibly agree with me). So, Where do we go from here?

[mgh]

Before changing, note what John Nicol of Lockheed Martin said about Prepar3D in its forums

Bottom line, don't use it as a replacement for a game, it needs to be used for non-entertainment purposes.

http://www.prepar3d.com/forum-5/?min...iewtopic&t=682

[ReggieF5421]

it looks like Microsoft has sold its fsx rites to Lockheed Martin

No - Microsoft did not sell Lockheed Martin any rights to an FSX type game or any other game.

or as I said above is it for professionals and not for the likes of us mere simmers?

Prepar3D is based on the ESP engine developed with FSX and for professional flight simulation only.

So, Where do we go from here?

We build on the vast untapped potential in FS2004 and FSX. Both have plenty of room for growth and a future. And as computers continue to get better, our FSX experience will get better.

X-Plane is still in development. Maybe XP12 will approach many of the unfilled wishes of FS2004/FSX fans. We have time left with FS2004 and FSX to wait for full development of AI, multi-player, etc.

We see where Flight goes. Yes, the initial information sounds like not what dedicated Flight Sim fans want. But we have to see how MS expands the program in the future.

As far as full 64 bit, the market is too small for that at this point for anyone to develop a 64-bit only version of a flight simulator. The computer world is four or five years from making that economically viable.

The sad truth is that the market of FlightSim fans like visit this site is too small to support development of the flight simulator we want. We would be looking at about $100-$200 per year in programming development from each of us, for every year, to support the type of full featured sand box world we have in FSX - with improvements.

The most important thing is that we are not at a crisis.

FS2004 and FSX are not going away.

Yes, we have some things which we really wish would be changed. That is where addon developers come into the picture. There is a lot of room for fixing FSX 'issues' with addons. We just have to make it financially viable for the wonderful developers to make the effort.

[alaskancrab]

Ians; Well ask yourself you've seen MS Flight, and you see what a "game" really is... perhaps you aren't playing a game at all? P3D is a step above FSX by far... just you'd never know that looking from the outside in. You really need to pay the $10/month and see if it delivers the right level of value for you. If things like FSX crashes don't bother your, or you don't notice the bugs, then there is no point. Otherwise P3D is really the only choice for serious simmers. For me FSX is like taking a bath with dirty water...there is nothing nice about knowin an OOM error is right around the corner.

[benEggleston16]

I agree with reggie on his viewpoint of MSFS having lots of life. P3D is a serious step away, and investment

But the point about P3D not being a game is absolutely true. I was reading an interview with Lockheed-Martin about it and I could tell LM were visibly agitated/annoyed when the interviewer kept asking about how it might impact FSX. 'This is for commercial use only!' It was very arrogant. But I think they have softened abit now, that was a couple of years ago. For example, in the same magazine, they've offered a free 30-day trail until the end of February (well, 27 days now). Also at the time, there was no mention of the $10 a month, I just took one look at the $499 and said 'no'. Some developers, namely Aerosoft and ORBX have embraced P3D but they seem to be the only ones. ORBX's Jon Venema won't shut up about it, how it's they way forward and any serious simmer needs it now.

I posted this somewhere else but since no-one else will ever dig it up, I though I will:

ORBX are obsessed with P3D. I won't be spending even $10 a month for somehing based on FSX.
For anyone interested, I'll give you a code for a 30-day trail
http://www.prepar3d.com/pcpilot/
Follow on-screen instructions and when requested for a 'Priority Code', enter
PCPILOTMAG
Offer ends end of Feb 2011

For me, the only pros of P3D are FSX addon compatibility likely and possible improved performance but both of those are 'ifs', so I no where my £321.96 isn't going
Also see this:http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showth...An-alternative

[ians]

"No - Microsoft did not sell Lockheed Martin any rights to an FSX type game or any other game



Prepar3D is based on the ESP engine developed with FSX and for professional flight simulation only.



We build on the vast untapped potential in FS2004 and FSX. Both have plenty of room for growth and a future. And as computers continue to get better, our FSX experience will get better.

X-Plane is still in development. Maybe XP12 will approach many of the unfilled wishes of FS2004/FSX fans. We have time left with FS2004 and FSX to wait for full development of AI, multi-player, etc.

We see where Flight goes. Yes, the initial information sounds like not what dedicated Flight Sim fans want. But we have to see how MS expands the program in the future.

As far as full 64 bit, the market is too small for that at this point for anyone to develop a 64-bit only version of a flight simulator. The computer world is four or five years from making that economically viable.

The sad truth is that the market of FlightSim fans like visit this site is too small to support development of the flight simulator we want. We would be looking at about $100-$200 per year in programming development from each of us, for every year, to support the type of full featured sand box world we have in FSX - with improvements.

The most important thing is that we are not at a crisis.

FS2004 and FSX are not going away.

Yes, we have some things which we really wish would be changed. That is where addon developers come into the picture. There is a lot of room for fixing FSX 'issues' with addons. We just have to make it financially viable for the wonderful developers to make the effort.[/QUOTE]

I'm enlightened by your reply and thanks very much for explaining how it started. I don't think flight sim is in a crisis by any means and far from that there is a lot more that can be done with it I agree. I suppose I am one of the lucky ones who has a 64bit machine and initially hoped that any gains made by my buying a pc of this type could have had an advantage of better, well, everything in flight sim, and I mentioned that p3d isn't as yet a 64bit version, is xp12? FS9 and FSX are surely not going away I understand, but its obvious to me that at the moment a lot of hot air has been blown around this fantastic new flight sim, some forums (I am not quoting from anyone in this forum I think here they know what they are on about in the main) and some pundits mentioning that LM had bought the rights to FSX, its the best thing since sliced bread etc etc.... The videos are nice but are they nice enough to entice anyone to buy a professional flight training system instead of a fly at home hobbyist piece of software? I was duped and blinded by the initial light of a super-duper flight sim, would I buy it or will I wait to see what else is out there and to what extent are the packages more attractive? As Reggie says, if we each gave that level of money to some s/w company who would give us a flight sim package that we require or indeed if LM gave a spin off of that software at a better price strictly for home developers and enthusiasts - would we then be interested?

[benEggleston16]

I'm pretty sure it was made with the ESP rights

[ians]

ive just downloaded it and used the free month - 1st impressions not too impressed but I'll be looking through it until march!

[ians]

this message is becoming more apparent, only some simmers like I was are under the impression that it was a new version/sort of FS....

[Ragtopjohnny]

Features

High-detail living world with 45 airports and 39 cities
Environment includes highway, air and maritime vehicles and traffic, as well as livestock and wild animals
Customizable, data driven graphics and models
Whole earth WGS-84 model
Accurate topography with regionally and culturally appropriate textures
Modifiable real-time weather system, continuous time of day, seasons and a variety of lighting effects
Realistic air traffic control
Expandable library of vehicle models


That seems VERY limiting -- 45 airports and 39 cities? Even FSX has more than that. I love my FSX. Don't need any more.

John Thuot II