Some of the features being currently planned for X-Plane 10:.Better Scenery with the integration of Open Street Map..An editor to let users quickly design airports (default buildings are not yet to be expected for every airport in the world)..Better, localised weather (I guess similar to the station-based weather in MSFS?)..Better default planes, with at least two high detailed aircrafts (Dornier 328 and MD 80)..Improved ATC..(Still to be decided) speech recognition?Seems like X-Plane v10 is still a long way to go though.Marco

There was a conference in France where some of this was addressed.http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?showtopic=38701

There was a conference in France where some of this was addressed.http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?showtopic=38701

I viewed the report and I have to say I am disappointed-it seems a little too little, and a little to late-and promised in the future when it should be now, or in the past. :)I really like many aspects of xplane. The in the air handling (dutch rolls etc.) is outstanding-fs feels like it is on "rails" in compare-once in the air xplane feels very real-until you try to trim...On the ground though-forget it-I still can't take off or land. The systems failures are outstanding. The ability to create one's own aircraft with included tools are outstanding. Things like bird strikes, hail, rain are great. I prefer the water in xplane .However, one thing has changed the balance for me big time-the Real Air Duke in fsx. It is not "twitchy" in fact somehow it feels on my spring fed joysticks exactly like a Beech. How they do that I don't know-but it is a testimony that a sim can feel and react like a real plane-it is amazing! It can be trimmed, and flown properly-and I can both takeoff and land it. I do miss the feel once in the air of xplane-and the proper sounds of syncing a prop that xplane does amazingly though.The instrumentation in the Duke is real working-the Reality xp gps though I have for both fsx and xplane is superior in fsx. I have in fsx rw ai air traffic flying at the same time, atc which is vastly superior to xplane's, and clouds and atmospherics that are also superior. I have airports that when I approach and land look somewhat real as they have buildings, and I have ground terrain that is vastly sharper and more rw looking. I can have have unlimited visibility and fps of 30 with all that going on-with xplane I get a message that xplane must reduce the visibility every time to minimums and get less fps-with settings that are not anywhere as complex as fsx. Then there are the video driver crashes which destroy any productive time-I don't get those with fsx. I am a photoscenery fan and have bought xplane photoscenery which by the way is a bargain compared to fsx photoscenery titles and excellent. However, due to xplane limitations it does not appear to have the resolution or looks we enjoy with fsx photoscenery-both mesh and resolution.In the past I have tried xplane many times and promptly shelved it. Now-I will give it an occasional run-the multi engine aspects are very good (especially the sounds) and I have a pretty good mockup of my aircraft which is enjoyable to take up here and there. It has interest for me.But an add on like the Beech Duke and the features of fsx make xplane have a lot of catching up to do-lots. I would like to think a little patience will balance the two out-but there is so much that is so far behind I don't see it happening soon. ...and I need/want to practice now. Even though the Duke is not my plane-it is closer in the total experience for me now than my own plane in xplane.

G2XPL is very good for gathering photo-scenery IF the stuff on the map sites looks good which is true in less than 50% of the USA. XPlane should render whatever resolution you can find. Mesh is poor with 1990 era triangles for mountains. Having tasted 5m mesh in FSX, XPlane is tough to take. I ain't no pilot but I felt compelled to go into Plane Maker to try to get trimming to improve. Most aircraft are old nasty looking creations with good exteriors and not so good interiors where the customer sits. Even some payware looks bad inside. Gauges are lo-res but very smooth. I was surprised when re-trying FSX with the FSInsider 152 it felt like my uneducated mind thought an aircraft should feel. All the other stuff felt like scenery viewers. Need to try the Duke as per your description. The conference goodies list looks interesting but 12 to 24 months out - Wow!

G2XPL is very good for gathering photo-scenery IF the stuff on the map sites looks good which is true in less than 50% of the USA. XPlane should render whatever resolution you can find. Mesh is poor with 1990 era triangles for mountains. Having tasted 5m mesh in FSX, XPlane is tough to take. I ain't no pilot but I felt compelled to go into Plane Maker to try to get trimming to improve. Most aircraft are old nasty looking creations with good exteriors and not so good interiors where the customer sits. Even some payware looks bad inside. Gauges are lo-res but very smooth. I was surprised when re-trying FSX with the FSInsider 152 it felt like my uneducated mind thought an aircraft should feel. All the other stuff felt like scenery viewers. Need to try the Duke as per your description. The conference goodies list looks interesting but 12 to 24 months out - Wow!

My sense is they are making so much $$$ on the iphone xplane apps that this is taking the majority of attention now (as a disclaimer I'd probably do the same).It looks like it will be a while. I'll take the Duke in the meantime...

My sense is they are making so much $$$ on the iphone xplane apps that this is taking the majority of attention now (as a disclaimer I'd probably do the same).

Hi!Ben blogged on this subject a while ago:http://xplanescenery.blogspot.com/2009/04/...t-zero-sum.htmlMarco

Hi!Ben blogged on this subject a while ago:http://xplanescenery.blogspot.com/2009/04/...t-zero-sum.htmlMarco

Yeah-I have read that.

I would still say that Flight Gear with its price tag :( still gives X-plane a go for its money... :(

Yeah-I have read that.

Hi Geof, :( I just noticed in the new Beta-13 the "continuous flap adjustment" feature you were requesting has been addressed:"New flap option in Plane-Maker: Flaps are INFINITE-ADJUST. HOLD the button or keyboard flap command to move the flaps up or down smoothly as long as the button is held."Marco

Hi Geof, :( I just noticed in the new Beta-13 the "continuous flap adjustment" feature you were requesting has been addressed:"New flap option in Plane-Maker: Flaps are INFINITE-ADJUST. HOLD the button or keyboard flap command to move the flaps up or down smoothly as long as the button is held."Marco

Thanks Marco!-I have been keeping up with the betas but had not noticed this!