should I have fsx to install addons in Prepar3d?

So as the headline says: Is it nescessary or a good idea to have fsx installed in order to install addons in P3d?

I´m on FS2004 and I´ve never had fsx. I´ve been reading about P3d and addons untill my eyes and brain are all square (its very confusing reading). I´m considering buying a new PC and starting up with P3d and for once in my life be where things are new and happening. :p

I can imagine wanting to try a lot of freeware and payware addons and since many were made for fsx, I dont know if I need to have that installed as well or if its something you will advice me to have.

Not necessary. There is a product called Estonian Migration Tool (EMT) available which basically fools the installer into thinking that you have FSX and the add-on will install into P3D.

Many add-ons already have dedicated P3D installers, many will install using EMT but there are some that either will not install or are not licensed to use in P3D.

You should have a whole bunch of fun stuff to play with! :)

Vic

But be aware that if you go down that road there will be no support from developers of the product or the platform, only from rank amateurs who have hardly a clue, so the advice is ALWAYS to only install what is declared as suitable for P3D in P3D.

That doesn't stop you installing anything else, but you'd better know how to extricate yourself from any difficulties you create, as it's nowhere near as easy to fix P3D as FS2004. A huge number of topics in the P3D forum have been locked, deleted and removed as they were about product which should never have seen the inside of P3D in the first place.

And many of those lost topics ended up with a full reinstallation, precisely because they started with that tool..

Starting with a blank canvas it will still take you months to get up to speed, by which time there will be many, many more addons with actual P3D installers, so it may not be an issue.

And no, almost nothing from FS2004 will port over to P3D.:)

Thanks for the answer.

In the start I will be mostly interested in making the world look better. not so much airports, but more landscape. Default msfs is dull. and In fs2004 I always fly with some addon mesh, landclass, texture, cloud etc. I´m totally sure that I wil find many free or payware aircraft that I will find interesting.

The Orbx line of products is being developed for P3D so you're good to go there. Aerosoft and others have product for P3D. The Ultimate Terrain folks have an XtremeCities product that looks good. There are many freeware options in scenery also. IMHO, P3D is a good place to be right now.

And take heed to Mallcot's caution - if the developer prohibits install or does not support install in P3D - skip it. It will save you time in the long run and more and more developers are porting their product to P3D, if not developing a native product.

Vic

Well there is FTX Global and Vector for FSX and P3D. This makes the whole default landscape look more realistic check them out at https://www.fullterrain.com/product/ftxglobal

Regards

Keith

P3D & FSX totally separate. Well done & good luck with your move to P3D.

The above scenery add-ons will get you going & there is also some great freeware stuff, planes & scenery (DC-3's etc.)

Big BUT!!! Before you start loading stuff, get used to the default P3D. It will be far better for you in the future.

Good Luck, & Happy Landings

P.S. There is a lot of FSX stuff (not all) that will work with P3D.

Thanks for the replys.

I might wait a bit more. I still have a few things to explore in fs2004 and I´m not really ready yet. When moving, I will try to take it easy, learning to use the sim and only install a few things a time.

I know that installing to much a time in flightsims only means more headache and less flying.:confused:. Setting up a good flightsim is a lot of work. Many hours and one easily forget that the most important thing is the flying itself.

I also need to find out how to make a good new computer setup from the start. I will go budget with only 1 harddisc and a midrange (gtx750 2gb) graphics card, so I know that I shouldnt install to much heavy scenery etc. The problem is that default msfs airports are dull and look like prison camps and alternatives are huge fps impact mega airports that doesnt really interest me. Good aircraft that fly well is important and a decent looking world makes enjoying flying that aircraft nicer. These huge airports scenerys should have a light option. Just changing the settings for the airport and not the rest of the world.

Your first port of call should be the EULA, to ensure that you meet the legal requirements for the license.

But I would not recommend even trying to run P3D on a low-end rig (what you describe as 'midrange' is nothing of the sort). P3D switches some of the emphasis to the GPU, but it also needs matching with appropriate CPU, or else bottlenecks occur. Also, file sizes are getting bigger and SSD with a back up large HDD fast multi-core CPU and 4 gig single GPU is really an entry-level proposition for effective P3Dv2.x use. You can make do with less, but you will never get to the levels of the screenshots and videos you see - and in fact FSX might be a better proposition if you can't get the hardware.

I have read the eula. And I am aware that I need to spend a bit more on hardware. Right now goal is gtx 760oc, Some i5 clocked at 4 - 4,2ghz. SSD drive with Hdd backup etc.

Is there any reason in using the P3Dv1.4 ?

I have read the eula. And I am aware that I need to spend a bit more on hardware. Right now goal is gtx 760oc, Some i5 clocked at 4 - 4,2ghz. SSD drive with Hdd backup etc.

 

Is there any reason in using the P3Dv1.4 ?

Absolutely none!

Vic

I am using P3Dv1.4 because I'm using an i5 Laptop, Windows 7 64bit, 4GB Ram. Also P3Dv1.4 uses DX10! The higher versions of P3D (V2+) needs DX11.

So, my hardware is DX10 & software is DX11. Not good enough for P3Dv2.4.

Without the correct DX11 graphics hardware it just will not work.

Even so, I dumped FSX for P3DV1.4. Big smiles!

Also, V1.4 is a lot more easy going with FSX addons.

BUT, if you have the required hardware, go for P3DV2.4

Skip FSX completely, Why go for a 6-7 year old sim when P3D is out there & is being regularly updated?

P.S. I still really enjoy my FS9 & Golden Wings.

I´m plannining to keep fs9. Dont throw away good and not to complicated friends and I´m also thinking about using it as a Golden wings sim. They suit each other. fs9 for relax and p3d for being serious.

I´m in the process of getting the hardware together. And thats why I wrote that i wasnt sure if I was ready for p3dv2. I might start up with a decent overclock motherboard (z87), some good fast ram and a a decent mid - high range gpu (I have ordered a gtx 760oc that I got 20% of list price) Maybe a sdd and a hdd. I will then see what my money wants to use on the CPU. I may end up with a cheapo g3258 and overclock to + 4ghz. (Later on an i7) or I may go directly for an i5 4690k and clock it +4ghz.

Sounds like you're approaching it properly. P3D is more critical of the GPU than CPU so the 760 would be a good choice. Whatever cpu you get - you really need to be over 4ghz clocked for the best results. Under 4ghz will work but there us a significant loss overall.

Vic