Maddog 2010 review

[DC_Ed 3]

Hey guys. After a brief leave from Avsim due to professional issues, I have returned here and have restarted my work as part of the reviewing staff.This time is the Leonardo MadDog 2010. I'm planning to include a section in my review about how the public feels about this add-on so I decided I would ask the good folks here what they think about the aircraft.Do you like it? What's to like? What's not to like? Have you had any issues with it? General concepts...anyway. Any feedback is appreciated.Thanks in advance for your help guys. Glad to be back!

[Krister 51]

Ed,my answer is going to be very short! The general impression I get is that many of its users think it's the best add-on ever made for MSFS. It's a deep and very rewarding simulation and the only negative thing I really can think of is that, at least the last time I checked, the developer is totally absent from the English support forum. I've seen reports of CTD's but personally I am still to see it's ugly face. Pairing it up with FS2Crew Voice edition isn't a bad thing either!

[kdfw__ 542]

Agree, one of the best FS add ons w/ excellent system modeling. And developers seem to abandon the product/users--example, CTD when exiting the flight when the WX radar is used, this is reported in the their forum but totally ignored, just like everything else. It's maddening.Maybe a reviewer can light a fire under their behinds and get them to finish the job (and end up selling more).

[NeilC 3]

The most realistic addon there is available for FS!I really only fly the Maddog nowadays, and with the Voice FS2Crew support, it is out of this world.Don't forget to mention the random failure generator/MEL list, the spot on flight model, the control panel/load manager, which again is better than any other offering out there. Every system works like on the real aircraft. There are no dummy switches, and all systems interact together. Basically, you have to fly and operate this aircraft like the real one.I used to be a big Flight1/Coolsky fan, but then I tried the Maddog, and was blown away with the detail. It makes the other MD80 offerings seem a bit simple!I don't have any CTDs, never have had (again, unlike the Coolsky which used to give me OOMs on flights over 1 hour, a problem which couldn't be solved). I do get FS9 crash when I exit (with or without using the WX radar), but as I am exiting at the time, this is no issue.The only real negative is that the developers do not interact with the community. They have set up a great forum, and there is a very helpful community to answer all the questions, including many Ex or realworld MD pilots. The developers however, have stopped answering questions, and just seem to get on with developing the next even more excellent version, without any word to the public. If this helps them work faster, maybe this is a good thing!I have racked up in excess of 1000 hours on it, and love it. If you would like any help with the review, just let me know.Neil

[teeps 0]

I find it harder on the frames than other addons, but other than that it's very good.

[Benjamin J 751]

It can be a bit hard on the frames, and what I have always disliked is that loading the textures in the VC gives a period of stuttering where the FPS is diminished to 2 o3 FPS. Other than that, this is probably the most complete and most advanced aircraft simulation I have ever seen. It is a symbol of excellence and there are very few planes that can claim to be equals of the Maddog 2010!

[out 769]

Hi, Ed!Being in MFS since its beginning I have flown most aircraft ever made for it. Professional addons started coming out somewhere in the times of FS2000 with the famous DreamFleet 737-400 for instance.I soon understood I needed a more serious play in the sim for real enjoyment, and I found myself interested in so-called 'demanding' addons (do they say: hard-core?).When I first heard Leonardo Maddog would be out, I knew that is something I can't miss. An extremely detailed addon plus an aircraft I had quite a lot of flights with in my real life (I flew Alitalia a lot).I however chose the Standard, not the Pro version, for two reasons: it was cheaper (means less risk in case you don't like it as you hope to) and I thought I won't be using the Pro additional features too often.I fell in love with that bird. It was a love at first sight, or at first flight - I should say. I remember sitting at the gate with cold and dark and switching on power.When I heard the collection of excellent internal sounds that suddenly started coming from the waking systems, I swear I got goose bumps.Trying to have engines on in a traditional (737/747/767) way also turned out to be a set of discoveries, maikng you think why it doesn't work and checking if all failures are off (they were, of course!).And the final shock (in the positive meaning of course) was my first takeoff. It was to be an Alitalia flight from Naples Capodicino to Milan Malpensa, both excellent freeware sceneries by the way.Right after liftoff one of my engines went off (which is something I never experience in my simming) and I had to concentrate to make my first ever serious emergency landing. Successful. :smile:This is when I understood this is not a plane you 'take and fly'. YOU HAVE TO LEARN to fly it. And I MEAN 'learn'. When I did, it became my all-time favourite.Unfortunately I am not flying it now. I am a 2D panel guy who switched to widescreen (16:9) and I fly only those addons which have the WS option (thank you iFly!).I know the Pro version does offer widescreen but it would be a paid upgrade for me and I have a limited FS budget now. Anyway I guess I will make this step one day.Do you want me to sum this addon up in one word only? OK, let me find a good one..... here it is: I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E! PS The only problems I've ever had with this bird were due to my lack of knowledge on how to pilot MD-8X. No FPS or CTD problems ever.Of course there is a question of almost no support from the developers but - first - it is an almost perfect piece of software and - second - there is a group of dedicated maddog fans who share their experience at a dedicated forum.

[Epikk 62]

You SHOULD get de Pro version Rafal... You REALLY SHOULD.

[out 769]

You SHOULD get de Pro version Rafal... You REALLY SHOULD

Ok, Fritz, guess you've made me do it soon! :(

[Epikk 62]

Ok, Fritz, guess you've made me do it soon! :(

Good !

[Bill Alderson 24]

I love it! A bit heavy on the frames, especially in VC, but it's the only aircraft in my inventory that I fly, and I have 'em all!

[Bigmack 29]

It can be a bit hard on the frames, and what I have always disliked is that loading the textures in the VC gives a period of stuttering where the FPS is diminished to 2 o3 FPS. Other than that, this is probably the most complete and most advanced aircraft simulation I have ever seen. It is a symbol of excellence and there are very few planes that can claim to be equals of the Maddog 2010!

There's a post on the Maddog web site where someone reduced the VC texture size. In turn got faster loading and was able to keep the visual quality. I tried it my self, and it works great.

[ghiom 2]

There's a post on the Maddog web site where someone reduced the VC texture size. In turn got faster loading and was able to keep the visual quality. I tried it my self, and it works great.

The loading time is due to the missing alpha-channel in the original DTX3 VC textures. Just add them (or simply resave w/o bitmaps with DXTbmp) and the problem will be gone!With this fixed, it is probably the best in the market!Ghiom

[level7 172]

The loading time is due to the missing alpha-channel in the original DTX3 VC textures. Just add them (or simply resave w/o bitmaps with DXTbmp) and the problem will be gone!With this fixed, it is probably the best in the market!Ghiom

can you elaborate on this a bit more as to how to do thisedit: so it seems like i just open and resave in DXTBmp based upon this thread:http://www.flythemad...?showtopic=8778edit edit: oh it's your thread, thanks works great :)

[level7 172]

Do you like it? What's to like? What's not to like? Have you had any issues with it? General concepts...anyway. Any feedback is appreciated.

i'm a fairly new simmer but just to keep this thread above the water here:+ve-the feature list is huge (no need to repeat), this plane is probably the most thoroughly simulated jetliner available-emphasis on multi-player with the multi-crew support-beautiful 2d panels-ve-slow / no support from developers on the forums-virtual cockpit only available for one panel format