2D panels or VC?

Which do you use?

 

I would say the users of newer flight sims would likely be a VC crowd. Here in the FS2004 world, it may be a different story. Have you moved away from 2D flight or are you happy to remain a dinosaur?

It's usually us dinosaurs with the poorer eyesight that like the 2D panels! Right Klee??

2D panels here too, especially if I'm converting a flyable to ai I hex edit the VC panel out and the 2D panel as well.

If you enjoy flying a camera more than flying the airplane, go VC. They look great but you have to admit that Microsoft's flightsims have a rather crude implementation often resulting in people wearing funny-looking gear on their heads to make it half-way enjoyable. I won't submit myself to that humiliation, certainly not in front of my teenage son. :p

 

I prefer flying the airplane, love 2D panels.

 

Which do you use?

 

I would say the users of newer flight sims would likely be a VC crowd. Here in the FS2004 world, it may be a different story. Have you moved away from 2D flight or are you happy to remain a dinosaur?

 

Can you actually have a 2D panel in X or PP3D. Its interesting that the assumption would be a VC crowd as I don't believe there are many sims that don't have a VC, unless we're going back a few years. Anyway, a VC is nice but is oversold as the way.

 

The thinking here being the more options that are available, the more fun it is.

 

Mark

Can you actually have a 2D panel in X or PP3D. Its interesting that the assumption would be a VC crowd

 

I was browsing a few FSX payware aircraft just for fun, I'm 100% committed to FS2004 and 2D panels. From looking around, reading a few threads, seems developers and users are either liking or 'being sold' on VC's. For me it's another great reason to stay away from the newer sims!

 

Personally I love the graphical type 2D panels. I think they look modern, classy even. Example below of the Caravelle panel. For me this is one of the best looking panels in any sim.

 

I've been going back to using 2D panels as well. I'll use the VC for taxing, occasionally for landing especially if hand flying a circuit.

 

The Aeroworx 2D panels are some of the best out there. Amazing!

 

Also I've been using the 2D for the iFly 737 and 747. The latter also has stunning 2D panels (admittedly it has one of the best VC's out there).

 

I don't find it less 'immersive' (hate that word, it's a PC 'game' inside) then VC's. I actually find it more realistic to use the 2D.

 

A real aircraft panel is flat. Just like the one on my screen. The persons head doesn't do a slow pan to do things. It's a flick of the eyes while the head remains prett still. Or a sharp look out the window at the runway then back again. Much like a snap view in the 2D panel.

 

^^ pure scientific reasoning right there. :p

I agree with all the above. I find it much quicker & easier to use the 2D panel, and rather than being outdated, I think some 2D panels are timeless works of art in their own right. Aeroworx, as mentioned above, and the PSS panels which were originally designed for FS2002 are great examples. Maybe it is a dying art, maybe it's cheaper not to bother at all, maybe it's jumping on the VR bandwagon, maybe it's all three - whatever, I for one won't buy a VC-only plane.

I note the prestigious PMDG are abandoning 2D panels, which I feel is a mistake as it will lose them sales.

 

Me, for a start!

Another dinosaur, chalk me up for 2D.

I remember when Virtavia started releasing their latest military planes without 2D panels. I asked them why, and the reason told was to reduce the cost of development. :(

+1 poor eyesight and 2D panels

2D Trilobite here. Could never get used to the VC!

 

Alan :pilot:

2-D mini-panel flyer all the way. Great scenery and hands-on flying.

Sail on Silverbird!

OK, Finally found this one, Zippy. I am so happy to remain a dinosaur that I not only prefer the 2D panel, but I have also sidelined FSX in favor of my tried and true FS9! There are two articles in this website's archives that express my sentiments better than I could reproduce here. One is a review for a Carenado product that delivered without a 2D panel (https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/content.php?16577-Review-Carenado-Piper-PA34-Seneca-II). I blasted it and built one so I could better fly the airplane. The other was an article on exactly how and why I build and prefer 2D panels (https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/content.php?16724-The-Flight-Simulator-2D-Panel). In short, I love to fly, suffer from Macular degeneration, have aging eyesight, am a former private pilot , and believe the dials, switches and necessary instruments for flight should be displayed right in front of you and beneath the most important element in the airplane, the windshield! Any flight instructor will teach you a basic instrument scan and instill upon you the necessity of looking out the windshield. I find looking around a panel and cockpit by flicking a "hat" button cumbersome and unrealistic, therefore, I prefer the 2D panel (that I can see and read) and a good, clear outside view. If that makes me a dinosaur, then I'm proud to wear the title, just call me T-Rex!

I am very much a 2D guy but I do not consider myself a dinosaur. This is because every switch I need is fully modeled (approximately 30 if you count the yoke), spoiler lever, throttles, flaps lever and I have four rotaries for the DH, ALT, SPD, and HDG. So I use the 2D view to mainly model the PFD and EICAS, not all that different than a real flight deck. I just never could deal with virtually moving around a flight deck with Track IR and definitely operating switches with a mouse distracts my flight. But it took me a long time to get here and plenty of $. I very much agree with KCD, I will not buy anything that does not model 2D. I am sorry that the current trend of many developers is to skip 2D.

DD for me please.

 

Edited: sorry, I meant 2D. Honest.

^^^ and we have our winner! :D

^^^ and we have our winner! :D

 

Haha, yes! I started this thread because I was thinking maybe I am a dinosaur? Very pleased to read I'm nowhere near extinction!

Hi,

 

2D for me too. You can use 2D panels in FSX no problem, I don't know about P3D. The latest version of P3D is incompatible with FS2004 aircraft and VC's though.

The latest version of P3D is incompatible with FS2004 aircraft and VC's though.

 

Let's hope that won't have a negative impact on all those dedicated trainees, academics, and software developers! :p

I am a fan of using the VC to span 3 monitors but need to have a lot of 2D pop-ups panels. I too find 2D panels much easier to read. Also, I don't like moving my window all around trying to flip a switch or zooming in on a gauge to see it better. Jim

Why bring all of the FSX, P3D and XP 'tweakers' into the Discussion? In their eyes, us Niners are so far down the Evolutionary ladder, we should be using knapped stone knives and wearing Bearskin hides for clothing!

 

There's a great add on in the File Library for the Carenado C-185 to give it a 2D Panel; the Author took the bitmap of the Panel from the VC and used FSPS to import the Gauges to the 2D bitmap... works great! Now, if Carenado could be convinced to provide a Panel Template for their other offerings...

 

Alan :p

Why bring all of the FSX, P3D and XP 'tweakers' into the Discussion? In their eyes, us Niners are so far down the Evolutionary ladder, we should be using knapped stone knives and wearing Bearskin hides for clothing!

 

I have nothing but the utmost respect for those of you who fly legacy flight sims like FS9! :p

 

VC all the way for me, don't understand how anyone can still fly with 2D? In fact I've disabled the 2D panel option in FSX altogether so that it doesn't even come up when I cycle views.

 

I've been simming since the 1980's on a ZX Spectrum, and today still fly FS9 on my PC, but mostly FSX and a little bit of P3D. For me it was an evolutionary process and once i progressed to TrackIr and widescreen monitors, 2D made absolutely no sense any more.

 

I have also flown small aircraft in real life and a static 2D panel is nowhere near the same sense of realism compared to TrackIr and VC combination, where you have complete freedom of movement and views. Soon we'll have Virtual Reality and 2D will become a true relic.