Why have I been banging my head into wall with FSX..When all I needed was P3D? !!!!!!

Have to admit to all the nay Sayers, why turn down P3D over FSX, if you havent even given it a try! I am loving it, the frame rates are awesome, ability to migrate atleast 68 of my favorite airports (so far). Not taking chances with my much older ones! The only let down is the ability to not transfer my aircraft inventory! I am loosing a lot of aircrafts in FSX. But I cant say its a big loss with all the airports I am still able to use! Who knows some of them might just got a nod by their designers to come out with patches for them. I am currently at least able to use my Aerosoft F14X (which is now F14 Extended), Qualitywings B757 and BAE 146. I am especially happy to be able to fly one of my own repaints in P3D , the Virtavia UH-60 US COAST GUARD livery! I have lost alot of interests in this hobby because of the lack of enjoyment with FSX on the same PC that P3D is tearing it up with better textures, better frame rates. I have the Captainsim B777-200 but that aircraft I am terrified of might be a huge hog and cause Frame Rate issues. But if I dont see anything come out of OPENSKY for P3D compatibility of their B777. I am going to take a chance. Hell if it effects frame rate with all the things going on in the aircraft, I can just delete, but that was one expensive addon. I will never do again! lol

 

Guys P3D is awesome, without even adding REX4 the first thing that will impress you is the frame rate and the water effects as well as the way the water looks ! From there the sky is the limit just be very careful with what you port over with the migration tools that it doesnt install something real outdated that may interfere with the sim itself! Again Airports seem to be the easiest thing to transfer. But a ton of payware aircrafts are not compatible. They may get into P3D visually but some of the controls wont work properly or you may not get them to display properly by just copying files and using outdated guages with them! But P3D is da bomb! All I need is a working aircraft carrier so my Tomcat has a home! Bottom line is FSX cannot handle the demands of newer scenery files and having other payware aircrafts has nothing to do with it.

 

For example I can fly a Quality Wing B757 into LGTS Thessonliniki and there would be so much lag in FSX it was annoying. I dont even have my sliders on HIGH in P3D and everything looks very detailed! The same flight same aircraft and the frame rate are smooth and responsive. No lag at all! This is just a better sim over all! Lockheed Martin did the FSX make over perfectly with P3D! In some ways I think of P3D as Microsoft FLIGHT which never got released. It had the same casting of sunlight in the cockpit!

meh, I'll wait for a x64 version

meh, I'll wait for a x64 version

 

OK, then start saving NOW, as almost everything will need to be repurchased: Those that need technical or software changes will not be available as a free upgrade; those that are capable will need license and installer extensions (and probably some changes to avoid conflict with other `portable` products). Some just won't port. At all.

 

And the performance on current hardware will like as not be the same, so you'll need to upgrade that as well.

Welcome to the crowd. I had basically the same experience, with the increased frame rate, and even smoothness was improved on occasions (very dense areas) when frame rate gets in low teens or worse, though that is much more rare these days. And the improvement became even greater when I swapped my GTX 570 for a GTX 970.

The major benefit of 3.2 is simply that for most of the people, most of the time, it works best if you DON'T mess with it... even the default settings seem to offer better balance and performance far more consistently than the same thing in either FSX, or earlier versions of the sim - it could be that the L-M developers actually DO know what they're dong, ARE listening to their customers, and ARE refining the residual elements of `old code` that held things back.

 

No need for any of this unthinking 64-bit nonsense, unless or until the entire platform is replaced - my bet is that DTG's new 64-bit simulator will look, feel and operate in a vastly similar manner to P3D. And until that is proven to be wrong there is no need at all for this product to go 64-bit.

I concur with the OP's sentiments about the latest version of P3D. I recently decided to install FTX global and a few addon aircraft and have kept the sliders on dense. Frame rates have been quite steady indeed, and I have had zero CTD's or OOM issues. I never had them in the previous version, but FTX global caused some frame rate issues in the previous version. I'm happy!

meh, I'll wait for a x64 version

 

lol you dont know what your missing its unexplainable! But all my heavy addons work smoothly and have awesome frame rates in P3D! you dont know what your missing!

Welcome to the crowd. I had basically the same experience, with the increased frame rate, and even smoothness was improved on occasions (very dense areas) when frame rate gets in low teens or worse, though that is much more rare these days. And the improvement became even greater when I swapped my GTX 570 for a GTX 970.

 

Oh my graphics card is kicking it with P3D the sunlight gleaming in the VC cockpit, the shadow reflections and sun glares over the airframe look awesome and the detail of ground bldgs of add on sceneries man I am using the same hardware that I used with FSX and FSX had horrible framerates ! FSX is officially dead to me now! All I am doing is holding out for P3D upgrades to port of most of my stuff! Already moved a ton of my airports! Just got 4 of my fav aircrafts working! Though I am disappoint Capt Sim says the 1.7 version is compatible with P3Dv3 and yet I get an aircraft with no landing gears or control surface functions and no working guages in the vc cockpit!!

The major benefit of 3.2 is simply that for most of the people, most of the time, it works best if you DON'T mess with it... even the default settings seem to offer better balance and performance far more consistently than the same thing in either FSX, or earlier versions of the sim - it could be that the L-M developers actually DO know what they're dong, ARE listening to their customers, and ARE refining the residual elements of `old code` that held things back.

 

No need for any of this unthinking 64-bit nonsense, unless or until the entire platform is replaced - my bet is that DTG's new 64-bit simulator will look, feel and operate in a vastly similar manner to P3D. And until that is proven to be wrong there is no need at all for this product to go 64-bit.

 

I like this comment and you are right there is no need for them to do a 64-bit sim at this time when things are running so well it right now! Like I said I dont know why I have been wasting my time banging my head in the wall trying to tweat the crap out of FSX. This PC was catered around running FSX and it never fit the bill and when I finally gave P3D a try I was stunned at how smoothly everything run and the frame rates increased dramatically! I couldnt believe how smooth it was. Trying to land a B757 with full throttle you get a real sense of low altitude high speed flight across the runway through the airport! With 0 hits on frame rates no lagging at all! really impressive! I am talking about Heathrow which in FSX lagged like crazy!

...The only let down is the ability to not transfer my aircraft inventory! I am loosing a lot of aircrafts in FSX.

 

That's the only thing I absorbed from your 'promo' post. You'll be saying the same thing when the P3D x64 version eventually comes out while your praising the merits of the newer version.

 

I'm not going to purchase a bunch of add-ons for P3D v3 then as you said possibly not be able to migrate them to a x64 P3D version and have to buy them all over again.

 

Besides my system is fast enough for FSX with an occasional stutter here and there I'm willing to put up with.

That's the only thing I absorbed from your 'promo' post. You'll be saying the same thing when the P3D x64 version eventually comes out while your praising the merits of the newer version.

 

I'm not going to purchase a bunch of add-ons for P3D v3 then as you said possibly not be able to migrate them to a x64 P3D version and have to buy them all over again.

 

Besides my system is fast enough for FSX with an occasional stutter here and there I'm willing to put up with.

 

But the whole point to that statement is if we really needed a 64 Bit version of P3D if it runs all the 32BIT aircrafts seamlessly! I hear you on why buy v.3 if the x64 P3D will require entirely new scenery and aircrafts. The bottom line it seems is to take the FSX loss and get P3dv3 because it runs most stuff smoothly with no OOMs. As you stated stick with old faithful and deal with the stuttering and occasional OOMs!

The only real downside to P3D is some apps require a completely new purchase for a P3D version like I am finding out right now about Captain Sim B777-200 base pack! You need to get a P3D version. TacPACK did the same thing different versions and requiring you to pay for the same addon to work in P3D. Bad salesmanship on both counts. Neither of them offer any discounts if you purchased the FSX version already! I am good with my Aerosoft and Qualitywings addons atelast they showed courtesy to their customers by making small tweaks to all their aircrafts to port over into P3D without having to buy a new complete aircraft! That is why these two vendors get my business!

The only real downside to P3D is some apps require a completely new purchase for a P3D version ... Bad salesmanship on both counts.

 

The bottom line it seems is to take the FSX loss and get P3dv3 ...

 

Nice that you like P3D for your training and educational efforts, but ...

 

Programmers don't work for vendors for free. Someone has to be paid to modify code every time P3D changes, and that's a real downside for vendors trying to get a return on investment, for their P3D-compatible products. Take a look sometime at PMDG's site, their forum, for a clear narrative about the economic challenges they face with marketing P3D aircraft, and why they must price P3D products at higher rates than FSX aircraft. I don't think salesmanship has much to do with it. It's about profit margins and the bottom line, trying to make a P3D product line sustainable.

 

And it's hard to believe that people will choose to "take the loss" and pony up for commercial-level pricing after meeting the entertainment-market prices for great aircraft, sceneries, add-ons, and FSX-related hardware.

 

It sounds like you never got FSX to work properly, OOM problems and such, but not everyone has those problems. I don't on my FSX rig, after research, configuring, and making the effort to get best performance. That required my time, knowledge, and effort, not repeated payments to vendors, I'm glad to say.

And there FTLDave you provide the VERY SIMPLE argument about why 64-bit isn't going to be a panacea...

 

If the developers have to develop without integrating a profit into their commerce, they simply won't do it. `Early` P3D and FSX (and FSX Steam) could all be accommodated under a single development budget under the `more-was-the-same-than-was different` concept. JV at ORBX is already whining about the cost of supporting divergent platforms when it doesn't instigate new sales or paid-for upgrades, only moaning from FSX simmers about why they have to wait so long for a free upgrade to portovers.

 

As P3D diverges farther from its shared parentage, don't expect developers to continue, not without a profit motive.

 

Quite obvious therefore why ORBX has hung its hat on the peg of DTG's new sim: Whether they continue to support P3D will be down to how much they can solicit in cash terms from the relationship and in shared development cost and time.

 

Expect the `next gen` of addons for any 64-bit P3D to be at least twice as expensive as today. With little or no cross- and retro-compatibility - and any there is will be with DTG 64-bit FS, NOT with FSX or derivatives...

 

Now I happen to think this will be a Very Good Thing:

The P3D audience is currently driven to lowest common denominator levels by floods of non-qualifying, non-academic users, mostly whining about their prior experiences - not with aircraft or flying training syllabus or courses but with FSX and FSX-SE - for which few were temperamentally suited and it's beginning to drown out the genuine target audience.

 

Just browsing through the L-M official fora tells us that most - not `many`, most - users over there really had no place buying into the license in the first place. If it continues to dilute the L-M development and support effort, I'd expect either stricter EULA interpretation or a far more expensive price point except for direct approaches from recognised educational and academic institutions.

 

At a stroke that would price all but the `richest dumbest` out of the market, while attracting the kind of user who wouldn't think twice forking out a couple of hundred bucks for a scenery or airfield because it is relevant to their training needs. That might be enough to keep some developers in the game otherwise, like it or not, DTG is the ONLY future for tabletop simmers.

 

Interesting times, we live in.

FS2004, FSX, X-Plane, P3D - there are people using each who flatly state that they have no reason to change - they get perfect satisfaction from their current sim. Fortunately for the developers, that is not a prevalent attitude else we might all still be using horse drawn wagons. The thing is - when and if the individual sees something in the new sim that hits home - they will go for it. For some, price will be the excuse not to upgrade - for others - too much trouble reinstalling, etc. etc. etc.

 

Bottom line - if one sees something that will fulfill their needs and can afford it - they will buy it.

 

I have to chuckle when I read about "I'm holding out for the 64 bit version" - Other than memory, it's not the Holy Grail of flight simming. Probably will be more trouble than it's worth initially - down the road, with the changes in VAS, it will allow dev's to possibly provide more bells and whistles - but that will take time. AS for current VAS, except for some unique specific cases, LM has made great strides in eliminating OOM's.

 

For now, I'm just enjoying the experience with P3D - I'll deal with tomorrow - tomorrow.

 

Vic

I agree with Vic on everything.....I am not a tweaker ...I am a flightsim pilot...currently and right now flying my beloved PMDG 777 from Singapore to Bangkok...where I once was in the US Army before they shipped me up to Korat....for a year.....BUT....I like FSX and will keep it....and I hope when I upgrade my computer I can re install FS2004 so I can use the 727 from I think it was the Greatest Airliners which many say is the best 727 in the entire history of flight simulation...and I agree....al v I wanted to add that I will not purchase any product now that does not include both FSX and P3D......

Its a buyers market, I agree people should be paid for their work. Qualitywings offered free upgrades to their product line by updating The BAE146 and B757 (their best sellers) because they know when they have a great product and loyal customers! The problem with this world is everyone wants to make a profit but they go about it the wrong way! You have a great product line and want to keep customers coming back you know you have to give em the most bang for their buck! At the very least if I purchased your product for FSX, why not offer a discount off the P3D product for a return buyer! I feel if one or two vendors offer free upgrades, the least others can do is offer discounts! Good business ethics draw in customers. Create better products and you will keep them coming back for more! Case in point the minute I discovered Taxi2Gate sceneries, The quality was worth the price! I purchased up to 7 of their sceneries and each of them were compatible with P3D! There was no need to purchase the same scenery all over again. Does that take profits out of Taxi2Gates pockets! Not at all because they have a great product line and newer products that will be compatible for Both FSX/P3D or eventually just for P3D will still sell because they have a great product! So I am sorry I will not cry over companies that charge an arm and a leg for their product and have the nerve to ask for people to buy the same product with a few code changes to make the same exact product work in P3D. Its not about profits, its just greed.

True, there could be far greater use of the `points make prizes` approach with cumulative benefits applied to the individuals account, allowing them to decide where, when and how much of the accumulated benefit to apply to a subsequent purchase - the Just Flight benefits model has seen me make more purchases from them over the years than for any other vendor.

 

As a sales & marketing professional I do not understand why this is not focussed with scalpel-like precision by individual developers - at a single stroke it promotes direct sales, repeat sales, customer loyalty AND greater flexibility in stated pricing versus what a`loyal customer` actually pays - it's their reward to apply as they see fit.

 

My guess is that most developers are bedroom-table providers with little or no commercial vendor experience, or `business smarts`.

 

For example, I have NEVER, EVER seen a specific airport scenery for sale at the real world airport or airfield. The ideal `try before fly` solution for real pilots flying into these locations hasn't even occurred to these computer geeks..? Or is it that they lack the sales skills necessary to close a deal?

 

As a real pilot I have consistently and persistently used the advancing realism to prepare for flights into new fields for YEARS. It is today by far the greatest use our club P3D sim gets. For `home` and `away` flyers as a familiarization tool (not training, familiarization, one still needs to consult the charts).

 

WHAT a missed market opportunity. And nothing to do with the misconceptions around 64-bit and World Peace, or whatever other farcical notions keep getting expressed.

 

This lack of commercial instinct afflicts even the greatest. Which is why it comes across as `greed`, when in fact it's absolute commercial stupidity.

 

And 64-bit anything ain't gonna fix what ails us with THAT.

 

This playground persists in being children, playing.

Well said brother! my point exactly! But it is all good, they will learn their lesson, like PC-Aviator! Who to this day keep sending me emails waving a $5 dollar credit in my face asking me we havent seen any sales from you in a while! Please come back! To that I will say that they dont have what I am looking for in terms of Scenery and Aircraft vendors. I have chosen my main vendor now for buying my software because I like how they keep you aware of upgrade software when it becomes available! Now that is good marketing and the loyality system to offer you a discount immediately in your total when you buy anything on their site! Now that is how you do business! As I mentioned before my rant would have not have started if they had only recognized me as a loyal customer and not a new user. If I purchased an aircraft from you and now I need it for P3D the least they could do is apply a returning customer discount!