Realistic view setup in FSX

I recently read the CalClassic Propliner Tutorials which while otherwise very good were also highly critical of FSX while recommending FS9 for its "realistic viewpoint" saying that FSX is just a "role playing video game not a flight simulator" and emphasized on "view distortion in VC mode due to unrealistic zoom levels" and stressed a great deal on "harmonization" of Cockpit View i.e.2D mode as most 2D panels in FSX are "hopelessly broken".Is it true? Can somebody elaborate how it is so?

Also I have a single 19" widescreen monitor at a resolution of 1366x768 with TrackIR and have wideviewaspect=1 enabled in fsx.cfg. With this setup i wish to have the most realistic view point possible. What zoom settings must I use for maximum realism? Is a zoom factor of 0.60 (which i am presently using and which PMDG also recommends for the NGX) realistic enough for judging heights and distances correctly especially on final approach?

Hi, what do they mean by "viewpoint"? The position of your head in the VC? The use of EZDOK negates this, as you set up your viewpoint exactly as you see fit.

2D panels: as a lot of planes even are VC only these days, so they have a point. Me, I don't like 2D panels at all, I prefer full VC with TrackIR and EZDOK. "Broken" probably referred to the fact that not all 2D panels worked when ported over from FS9 to FSX. In principle FSX should be superior in this respect, as it brought quite a few new features and ways how to access the sim (like SimConnect).

Zoom level depends on what you are comfortable with and how big your screen is. As you can move your head in 6 degrees of freedom with TrackIR + EZDOK, you can set up the zoom in such a way, that you all but eliminate the fisheye effect at the sides. Sure, all instruments may no longer be visible at a single glance all the time. Just look down slightly when you need them. On single screen I used a zoom setting of at least 0.8, now with three 24" screens in 5760x1080 I am using 1.00 - 1.15. The sides are still stretched, but this is only my peripheral vision anyway. When you keep the screens aligned and do not angle the outer ones in, the view is actually accurate. The center of my FOV always remains sharp when turning my head.

Btw, "realisitc" is a relative term in my book. Just use the settings that you like to see.

It IMO is not at all realistic to look at an aircraft's cockpit through a small window (= the screen) anyway...

Is a zoom factor of 0.60 (which i am presently using and which PMDG also recommends for the NGX) realistic enough for judging heights and distances correctly especially on final approach?

.60 is a good 'one size fits all' but it may or may not be realistic, depending on the specifics of your setup. If you really want to set things up correctly look