FSD Seneca V

[Guest]

Hi all,I've been looking around for a good payware twin for FS2k2 and I'm kinda partial to FSD's Seneca V in particular. (Not to mention that Flight 1's Cessna 421 eagle is much more expensive.)I was wondering if anyone who owns this aircraft could give me some insight as to how you like it or dislike it.Thanks

[Guest lawyerpilot]

The 421 is much better in terms of framerates. The seneca textures and 3-d panel are really hard on frames. As a reference, I get 18fps with all sliders maxed, 75m Genesis mesh, on my system below. SOunds are much better in 421 as well. Seneca, turbo, or non-turbo, doesn't sound like RW Seneca's that I have been in.Sidoli? Do you agree?

[N562Z 4]

I never had that problem with frame rates, and found the FSD Seneca very enjoyable to fly, even on my 1 GHz, 640MB RAM GeForce3 64MB system. Of course I don't fly that plane into LAX, and I don't run my faders all the way to the left (taxes any computer's resources most likely,m especially if you've added a ton of AI planes like I have). But with 50-60% AI and 75% clouds, I've found the FSD Seneca a joy to fly. I have the 421 as well. Maybe I'll take them both up into Maine this weekend to check out that new scenery I've heard so much about.http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/3447.txthttp://www.expedia.com/pubspec/images/airlines/smNW.gifAlex ChristoffN562ZMinneapolis, MN

[Guest ucanfly]

I too have been eyeing the Seneca V. I've read that the flight1 421 is hard on framerates but don't have any firsthand knowledge. My problem is that I have a Voodoo3 which may not allow the Virtual cockpit gauges to be readable. Anybody use a Voodoo3 that has the Seneca V?

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies, keep them commingLawerpilot, I didn't see your PC specs below, what are they? I have an AMD Athlon XP 2200 (1.8 Ghz) with 512 MB SDRam and a Geforce 4 MX 440 Video card.I've used most of POSKY's aircraft exstensively on this system without to bad performance as far as frames go, so I wouldn't think that the FSD Seneca would be any worse in that respect.This will be my first payware aircraft purchase ever, and while I can afford it, I find that the price on the 421 is just a bit on the high side for my liking. Although I think that it looks a bit better than the Seneca, I just can't justify spending close to half what I paid for Flight Simulator for just one aircraft. Let alone close to $20.00 for the Seneca.

[1mikel151 71]

Hey Bro, I have both and really like the Cessna over the Seneca, I find the opposite with FPS, that the Cessna is more of a hit, but not by much. I love the Seneca, but the Cessna looks a little better (great copilot! LOL) and has more speed, a big factor since I use the Cheyenne over the Seneca more because of this. They are both great, but the Cessna wins out barely here.I understand your financial resoning, but the way I look at it is this, the amount of freeware addons that are available would be 10X-20X what I paid for the sim if they weren't free, so I can justify buying a few quality aircraft every now and then. Hope this helpsRegards, Michaelhttp://mysite.verizon.net/res052cd/mybannercva1.jpg

[Guest gasebah]

Having almost any payware GA that is available today I have to say that the seneca is still my favourite plane. The Cessna is surely nice, but the VC of the Seneca is fantastic. It has all the details and incredible night lighting (which the Cessna lacks of).Regarding FDs, well they are both done by Steve Small. How can someone want more quality proof :-).Alex

[someone 0]

If you're not in too much of a hurry, DF2000 is about to release a Cessna 310.http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/Previews/C310/7CM_Info.htmBTW, I have the Flight1 421 and I love it.

[Guest Ian Ritchie]

I have the Seneca and the 421. I find myself flying the 421 more, because i prefer the panel...Edit: The Cessna 310 from DreamFleet will appeal to me most, probably.

[alastairmonk 0]

Using the full 32-bit textures, the 421C is frame-rate intensive, but if you use the DXT3-texture option, things are much better, and I'm hard pressed to see any significant drop in quality. This on the following:Athlon XP1700 1.47GHzGeForce 2 Ti 64Mb graphics with 43.00 drivers set512Mb DDR RAMWin XP Home1200x900 resolutionI have both, but fly the 421C more frequently.Alastair

[Egbert Drenth 250]

Hi,I have both and I prefer the C421 because of the better panel graphics. Regarding the flight model, they are equally good (as far as I can tell, not being a real pilot)My 2 cents,Egbert

[Guest]

I have both the Seneca and the 421. The Seneca has a great VC, outside visual, and flight model as does the 421. The Seneca V, however, has a somewhat campy 'pretend' GPS while the 421 has a very polished Garmin GPS. Overall, the Seneca has a few quirky issues with panel graphics and readability (on my system Athlon XP2100+ and GF4 Ti4200 card), while the 421 just seems to be better 'polished' overall with it's cockpit gauges.Both aircraft are good but I think if I had to do it all over again I would go for the 421, faster, sexier (copilot hee hee), better cockpit overall. In real life the single engine performance of the 421 is light years ahead of the Seneca too (probably doesn't matter so much in Flightsim) but I read in a FAA circular about light twins that the Seneca V loses 89% of initial take-off climb performance with engine failure. Yikes!

[Guest progrmr]

I have the Seneca, but not the 421. Now as far as frame rates, I was just flying last night in the Seneca from the VC getting between 55-65 FPS, but I set my scenery and display options way down as I favor smoother framerates over outside eye-candy.Seneca is a GREAT plane, I love it. FSD makes nothing but top-quality addons and they are great guys to boot.

[Guest lawyerpilot]

Sorry, the auto signature didn't show. And to clarify on the Seneca's hit on framrates. It just makes a little difference in the loading of scenery/terrain textures and makes it a little jumpy from time to time. You can tell it's using more resources. The 421 is smooth as glass with no stutters. Of course, I do get stutters around the L.A. area, etc. in anything.P4 1.8768 ram 80 gig hardriveVisiontek Ti4 4600CH yoke/pedalsElite Multi quadrant19" inch monitor-Soundblaster PCI 512Win XPInstrument rated ASEL -224 hoursAOPALawyerPilots Bar Association"Men without dreams are never free, twas thus this way and thus will ever be."

[Guest]

Bite the bullet and get them both. You wont be disappointed with either one. And don't feed us the line that it's not in your budget. Just skip a few trips to KFC and you'll have the money.Jay