Prepar3d For Dummies ?

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi All, OK - I've been to the LM site and read a few posts... I'm still a bit lost here... What is Prepar3d ??? Is it a new Flight Sim ??? Is it the wave of the future with a serious potential to de-throne MSFS ??? Is it stand alone - or - does it need FS9/FSX installed ??? What advantages does it offer over the traditional MSFS ??? Are the flight dynamics better modeled in a more realistic manner ??? I guess MSFS file need to be modified to run in Prepar3d ??? Is there a list of programs that will work with Prepar3d ??? Any other guidance to offer a "newb" - as this seems to be generating a fair bit of excitement ???Regards,Scott

[greggerm 312]

What is Prepar3d ???It is the Lockheed Martin implementation of Microsoft's ESP platform, which is essentially FSX. It is designed to be a "platform" on which corporations/military/educational clients can build simulations of all shapes and sizes - flight, ground, underwater.Is it a new Flight Sim ???Yes and no - it is a slightly "tweaked" version of FSX, with some additional time having been spent on certain performance components and other features. Is it the wave of the future with a serious potential to de-throne MSFS ???No. It is not a consumer product, not priced as a consumer product, and while it is gathering some interest from our community due to the modest improvements which have been made to it as compared to FSX, it is not designed or intended to de-throne ANY simulator, nevermind MSFS. Is it stand alone - or - does it need FS9/FSX installed ???It is stand alone. What advantages does it offer over the traditional MSFS ???Minimal. There are some performance improvements and some graphical improvements over FSX, but they (*in MY opinion) do not warrant the buzz which seems to have cropped up for it. Are the flight dynamics better modeled in a more realistic manner ???Identical to FSX. I guess MSFS file need to be modified to run in Prepar3d ???Addons might need some special care and feeding to get them loaded into P3D, but there shouldn't be any major modifications. Is there a list of programs that will work with Prepar3d ???There are very few developers actively making items for P3D. We know Orbx will make scenery items for a cost for the corporate/military customers of P3D, but P3D isAny other guidance to offer a "newb" - as this seems to be generating a fair bit of excitement ???Don't buy into it. :)P3D gathered some steam because people are overreacting to the current "state" of MS Flight, the new simulator under development by Microsoft. The news and information coming out of Microsoft is vague at best regarding Flight, and this is causing some folks to jump ship to P3D as some sort of alternative for the future.Some folks are playing around with it for fun, others are trying to use it as the platform on which they will base their flight simulation work in lieu of FSX, and still others think it is the holy grail.At $10/month for the developers license (which allows you and I to "subscribe" to P3D), or the $400-$600 single-seat license for outright purchase, it is an expensive proposition to consider P3D a viable alternative to MSFS, XPlane, or other personal desktop flight simulator.There's my $0.02!-Greg

[Mike_CFII_MEL 788]

Hi,I've been working on Prepar3D for some time now. On my system (specs shown below) P3D is FAR SUPERIOR to that of FSX, just about all adjustment sliders are to the right and I use PMDG's 737NGX and I'm getting upper 20's to 30 FPS. I am using FPS Limiter and its set to 30. My FSX sliders are set lower than that of P3D and yet FSX yields 18FPS on average with momentary spikes to the low 20's. My system resolution for both platforms are set at 5760x1200x32 spread out over three monitors.Seeing how I spend thousands on my flight simulator system (hardware/software), $10.00 a month is peanuts. Until another viable option emerges (Xplane10 maybe), for me Prepar3D is the only option. If and/or when All FSX software becomes compatible with P3D, FSX will be removed from my system in a heartbeat.

[scottb613 1,188]

Thanks guys - appreciate you taking the time... Honestly - 90% of my time is still burried in FS9... I did note in a few of the pix that the colors seem more vivid... I was hoping it was going to be something to dramatically improve the flight dynamics - while of course we need decent graphics - the flight models are the most important aspect for me... LOL - hence my beef with Carenado... I'll keep an eye on this as see how it progresses.... Thanks again...Regards,Scott

[dogtrack 18]

+1 MIKE_CFII_MEL.......just waiting on ORBX. Everything else is sweet and all to the right.

[Foxtrot789 3]

Wait... ten bucks a month to have THOSE much higher frame rates? And everything is compatible?What's the downside? Cause it's not the ten bucks a month...

[OmniAtlas 93]

Prepar3d is going to have a new licensing agreement (hopefully more consumer friendly); orbx will be developing for prepar3d (they've signed a NDA with them); so hang in there.

Wait... ten bucks a month to have THOSE much higher frame rates? And everything is compatible?What's the downside? Cause it's not the ten bucks a month...

[Mike_CFII_MEL 788]

Hi,The only downside(s) I see is the installation of addon software. Although most addons work with P3D, its a hassle to get some of these programs installed/configured since they were designed to work with FSX. The other downside I see is that not all FSX addon software is compatible with P3D.Even with its downside, P3D runs so much better than FSX on my system configuration that I prefer P3D over FSX.

Wait... ten bucks a month to have THOSE much higher frame rates? And everything is compatible?What's the downside? Cause it's not the ten bucks a month...

[Highiron 21]

I fully agree Mike, and I might add, a lot of developers are starting to support P3D as the news gets around.For now, I have tried to keep my installations to items that are being modified to work in Prepar3D. My main reason being, I don't want to import something into P3D that wasn't optimized for it and get negative impact or results that may be unfair to performance or versatility of Prepar3D. I have installed some third party aircraft such as various Carenado products with very little difficulty, though there is some changes in the flight dynamics, very minor though.I know there are some that say Prepar3D and FSX are the same in the flight dynamics category, but evidence does not support this statement. I have worked with some aircraft files and found different results using the same values between P3D and FSX, and I have discovered I'm not alone in this theory, so I feel comfortable to rule out the "placebo effect". I found various parameters that were used in FSX caused over-performance in P3D. These parameters in a lot of cases did not reflect the real values of the aircraft in question. After changing the values to real world values for the aircraft, it handled and performed like a dream in P3D. In FSX, the same values created a flying cow. Others testing of PMDG's NGX is also uncovering this fact since they used real values supplied by Boeing. The aircraft is performing better and more realistically in P3D.I strongly encourage users of P3D that want programs that are available for FSX to work in P3D to let them know through their support forums. I did precisely that on the My Traffic X support forum. There was enough inquiries that the developer took notice. He has since made an exclusive installer for My Traffic 3D for Prepar3D which I am helping beta test, and I must say it looks very good in P3D, and you don't have to mess with folders to get it to work. He is also changing some of the code from VS2007 to VS2010 to allow all the functions to work within Prepare3D, no small feat. I now have full functioning AI traffic in Prepar3D, which with some work by the developer will become native to P3D. He didn't know much about it like most people until just a couple of weeks ago. He purchased the monthly subscription and is absolutely impressed with the platform as a developer. He is also very happy with the P3D Development support team as he gets to communicate directly with them on issues. Something as a developer, he is not used to. I have always stated, when developers are happy with a platform, it is us in the flight simming community who reap the rewards.

[MatthewS 761]

Seeing how I spend thousands on my flight simulator system (hardware/software), $10.00 a month is peanuts. Until another viable option emerges (Xplane10 maybe), for me Prepar3D is the only option. If and/or when All FSX software becomes compatible with P3D, FSX will be removed from my system in a heartbeat.

Is there any risk that the $10 monthly subscription might be cancelled in the future? Seems like in your line of business purchasing outright ($600?) might be a safer option. I guess its tax deductible for you anyway?

[Highiron 21]

Hi Mathew,I suppose there is always a risk that the monthly subscription might change in the future. Are we guaranteed to see the light of tomorrow? If it does, I have to have faith that alternative options are fair and appropriate.The Prepar3D team has stated repeatedly they are in this for the long haul as they have obligations and responsibilities to commercial customers.I had considered the the outright purchase, but at the moment I am fine with the subscription as I only use the platform for none profit use. Like any good theory, it has to be tested and proven, and I'm watching how the Prepar3D team deals with problems, conflicts and inputs from developers. For myself personally, I tend to follow where the quality developers go. Even a very good platform is of no use to me if I can not get material for it. Several quality developers are starting to tip toe on board while Orbx has committed. It's a chicken or egg syndrome in my view. If lots of simmers are using Prepar3D, the development will certainly follow. If lots of developers started creating content for Prepar3D, simmers will migrate over. I'm sure this challenge is well appreciated by the Prepar3D team. There is a certain element of risk for all parties involved, but probably more so with 3rd party content developers. In the end I think they will determine which licensing is the safer option.

[TacomaSailor 191]

Can I pay the $10 for a couple months then not pay for three months while I am off sailing and then come back and start paying again?Would I have to do a reinstall after my sailing trip when I start paying again?

[JasonHarris 96]

Can I pay the $10 for a couple months then not pay for three months while I am off sailing and then come back and start paying again?Would I have to do a reinstall after my sailing trip when I start paying again?

I believe so, just start paying again, I think when you buy another month you will be given another code to enter to keep things going.

[Mike_CFII_MEL 788]

Hi,The activation code remains the same, you don't get a new activation code each month. It gets turned off if you stop paying.

[TacomaSailor 191]

MichaelWhat happens when I start paying again - how do I reactivate? Will another install be necessary?