MD-11 is a dissappointment visually - sorry

[Guest PPSFA]

Just to add my .02, for me the VC is totally unusable. The font problem is so bad that unless I zoom in I cannot read any numbers, letters. The 2D is fine, the VC isn't.Preformance wise, I am using the addon liveries and all had to be mit mapped FPS is ok with them but nothing outstanding.JayXP Pro SP2-FSX SP2AMD FX60-8800GTS-2 Gigs RAMFEX-GEX-UTUSA-FSGenesis-and a bunch of other stuffComputer optimized by www.fs-gs.com

[Fallap 4]

I agree, the font is terrible. And the windows looks cheap :/The aircraft is still awesome though :D- Philip

[mfrantz 45]

>Display characters seem to make extensive use of Windows XP>built-in fonts (I loathe this technique, it just doesn't>'feel' realistic). Dave,Characters on the Display Units and the MCDUs use custom made fonts, prepared to match the ones of the real aircraft. Just compare with any MD-11 picture and you will see what I mean. I have personally created them, character by character (one font for the DUs, a different for the MCDUs), so your comment about built-in XP fonts really surprises me!Any chance that something went wrong in the installation and you see substitude fonts?Other than that, I can't say anything. I respect your personal view althought I disagree :-)P.S.There are some options in the FS menus that make the VC display in lower resolution/detail, maybe you have any of these on? This could explain your impressions. I can't remember them now, but Vin can step in and remind me.

[Guest PPSFA]

Just to clarify, for me its EVERY letter and number on everything on the instrument panel, every button, every display, all are unreadable if I am 'zoomed back' far enough to actually see the panel.XP Pro SP2-FSX SP2AMD FX60-8800GTS-2 Gigs RAMFEX-GEX-UTUSA-FSGenesis-and a bunch of other stuffComputer optimized by www.fs-gs.com

[Guest viking7117]

hi,i kind of tend to agree with what has been written,another concern for me was the inability to hear the engine sound as in 747-400 perhaps i have got used to hearing the loud engine sounds of 747,though i do not know in reality if the engine sounds in md-11 is a true reflection of what in get in the sim, as i have never had the opurtinity to travel in md-11,even with full thrust i never seem to hear the blasts of three enginesotherwise md-11 seems a decent package though i still prefer the 747.virtul cockpit is a disappointment.

[stevenp 1]

I honestly disagree with you all entirely, I think they did a very good job with this. I like the visual model much more than the 747x in my opinion and the vc looks just as good at the 747x. They went much deeper than the 747 with this project and I think they did a very good job. Congratulations PMDG, keep up the good work.

[Guest FrancoisH]

For me, it's perfectly readable, I suppose you got some trouble in the installation process because I do not feel characters as being "default Windows" at all.For the eye candy, it's all about your FSX options in the VC and can be really ugly or really nice depend of what you select/perf of your computer.Finally, for the "sound" issue, you should have read more carefully everything that beta team and technical advisor said. Engine are not to being ear from the cockpit in the MD11 at it is in the 747, except at T/O thrust... This is due to the fact that at least one of the engine is really really far from you...Anyway I find sound superb and don't understand those crictise for a product of this quality... The 2D panel on the other side is the most usable I have ever see until now.Regards.

[Guest FirstOfficerFast]

My

[Guest AV]

What resolution are you running at? On my machine with a 19" LCD at 1280x1024 (I want a widescreen badly) with the FSX anti-aliasing on everything's pretty legible on the captain's side. As far as the sounds go, that's as real as you'll get from the pilot's point of view. There were multiple, lengthy discussions on this. More engine sound...less engine sound...what do you hear in the real plane, what do you hear on youtube, what do you hear in the cabin. On and on. There's always the sound sliders in FSX options if you would prefer a different balance.Be fortunate that PMDG elected to go with a later style standby gauge that doesn't need to be rattling nonstop for hours at a time, though some people actually preferred to have it!

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[Tabs 2,790]

One thing you guys should try is rebuilding your FSX.cfg by deleting the current one and letting the sim rebuild. During testing I had really strange looking zoom angles etc in the VC and it was because of stuff that was somehow stored in FSX.cfg. It looked far better after I did this.Some of the text on the FCP and such really is smaller than the text is on the 744 though (comparing the real planes I mean) and there's more aliasing on those fonts just because of the way a video card draws smaller things.

[ssanchez 1]

I tend to disagree with the negative comments in this thread.I do not have the 747 so I cannot make any comparisons to that plane, but my sub-par computer display a beatiful rendition of the VC and is completely useful for me. I do thank PMDG for using alternative methods to lower FPS, as this is one of the reasons I havent got the 747.My only complaint is on the visual model. I'm still missing pieces of the plane, but other than that, its a joy to fly. By the way... I live close to KDFW so I get a chance to see 747s and MD11s, and MD11s engines is in no way as loud as the 747.Thanks for a wonderful (and expensive) product. (If my wife ever finds out what I paid for it, next thing I'll see from her is the divorce papers =) )

[chiswick72 145]

We spent alot of time making sure the engine sound levels in the cockpit are as realistic as possible, however if you wish to have louder engines it is very easy to do.Go to FSX options, to the sound menu and there you can change the "engine sound" slider from the default value of 50 to say around 60, but I wouldnt go too much higher as the sub bass volume mixing is optimised for the default volume of 50 - higher values may overload your speakers.Armen L Cholakianhttp://www.veryquiet.com/pics/sig_PMDG_MD11_DevTeam.jpg

[Pod562 0]

Well, having bought everything that PMDG has ever released, having also paid over 250 Euros for the MD11(FS2004 and FSX edition) and printed manuals, I feel entitled to express my opinion.I wasn't going to say anything because the MD11 has been so universally applauded but I find the 2D panels of the plane a complete disappointment. I am not talking about the functionality of the plane which is, no doubt, second to none.It is a cartoon plane and I think visuals are very important part of the immersion. It looks less like a real cockpit then the PMDG 737, which was released over 8 years ago (I think)and on an old platform.Visually, look at Digital Aviations's Piper Cheyenne's overhead or Ayres Cockpits for Falcon 4 to see how realistic panels can look.Visually, it also a complete backward step from the PMDG 747, whether FS2004 or FSX.But that is the end of my rant. PMDG is an excellent company and I have no other complaints. But I hope the 737 NGX will be different as this is my most early anticipated plane.Cheers all.Pod.

[Tabs 2,790]

I really (and I'm sure Vin will too as the modeler) have to take issue with you calling the VC a "Wilco type production" though - do you see any 2D pictures of knobs anywhere instead of 3D modeled ones or other hallmarks of such low quality VCs? This VC was created right off of the actual engineering schematics that were used to build the real cockpit by the way.

[Guest bob]

HiI am with Pod all the way, I have not taken to the sky yet waiting for the fuel level sliding selector problem to be solved. But when I sit on the VC flight deck, it looks poor, not nearly as good as the 747x. It just does not give the feeling of a PMDG product. For me. I think there is a good possibility it will stay in the hanger.Bob