OK, on vacation now so I'm barely visiting in here for the last few days, but right now I've just seen some interesting things about Prepar3D (especially Word Not Allowed's test). I was planning to buy FSX Acceleration to "pimp" my FSX, but now I'm wondering if it's not worth investing in a dead product now, and instead buying Prepar3D.

 

I'm considering Prepar3D a lot more now, but I've got some questions before I can seriously consider it. Here they are:

 

1. I'm eyeing the academic version of Prepar3D. I've seen the watermark in screenshots, but would you say you forget about it in a while? I'm a bit worried about it, because I don't think I'm a person that would do so.

 

2. Is the free flight screen really gone and now it's like X-Plane where you just customise the default flight? Is that planned to return sometime?

 

3. Can you port over the default aircraft from FSX that's missing from Prepar3D? Maybe the FS2004 aircraft too? Just the default ones, no add-ons in here.

 

4. Since Prepar3D is fully SM3.0 now (isn't it?), this means that clouds will run well on AMD cards, right?

 

5. Does Prepar3D have the FSX missions or new ones?

 

6. Does Prepar3D have multiplayer? If yes, does it use anything like the GameSpy client?

 

7. Is light bloom performance improved?

I'm considering Prepar3D a lot more now, but I've got some questions before I can seriously consider it. Here they are:

 

1. I'm eyeing the academic version of Prepar3D. I've seen the watermark in screenshots, but would you say you forget about it in a while? I'm a bit worried about it, because I don't think I'm a person that would do so.

 

I never notice it until I'm post processing screenshots..

 

2. Is the free flight screen really gone and now it's like X-Plane where you just customise the default flight? Is that planned to return sometime?

 

Yes this is true and no idea if it is planned to add one. LM have not commented on any sort of frontend for the sim.

 

3. Can you port over the default aircraft from FSX that's missing from Prepar3D? Maybe the FS2004 aircraft too? Just the default ones, no add-ons in here.

 

Yes for default FSX aircraft. 2004 aircraft, no idea.

 

4. Since Prepar3D is fully SM3.0 now (isn't it?), this means that clouds will run well on AMD cards, right?

 

Performs the same as the shader fix for FSX for clouds.. Nvidia still has the edge here.. All LM did is basically is the same fix. (NewMaterialUsage = false)

 

5. Does Prepar3D have the FSX missions or new ones?

 

No

 

6. Does Prepar3D have multiplayer? If yes, does it use anything like the GameSpy client?

 

Yes, but it's direct ip connections only. No GameSpy etc

 

7. Is light bloom performance improved?

 

Sorta but nothing to write home about

OK, thank you for the quick answers. I guess I'll miss the free flight screen, but I guess I can do with it. As for the missions, there's still FSX for that.

OK, thank you for the quick answers. I guess I'll miss the free flight screen, but I guess I can do with it. As for the missions, there's still FSX for that.

 

Most are just setting up a slew of saved games setup at their favorite airports etc and launching them directly by associating save game file with Prepar3D.exe (double click a save to run it) or using this little launcher (just make sure to edit the ini): http://www.keithb77....me/P3D/P3D.html

Thank you for the utility.

 

By the way, I just looked at Prepar3D's website and found a screenshot that shows missions. Is it incorrect?

 

Oh yeah.. Those.. I guess they are missions huh? :lol: Sorry man.. My head is in such a fog today from doing a reinstall and getting things back in order.. I have no idea what I originally thought you were asking. :ph34r:

Ah, OK. As I can see from the screenshot, there are some old missions and some new. Are they for training purposes?

More than training purposes, they are examples for developers to build training scenarios by using P3Ds. You can see that unlike FSX's missions, these have an utilitarian instead of adventurous feel.