To X-Plane or not to X-Plane is, just like most everything in life, a question of cost vs benefit... No simulstor was ever made perfect, and probably no one will be, so, someone like me, for instance, has to weight the pros & cons of taking the plunge...

 

I am really not that much worried about the buildings I see at my home town being exact replicas of their RL counterparts, and I do have a much closer to reality set of major structures in a town like Lisbon in either fsx or p3d than I do in x-plane10 + osm, BUT, I really couldn't care less provided the clues I have for a plausible town like Lisbon, and it's main airport, specially when approaching at night/dusk/dawn are good, and indeed they are a lot better in default x-plane10 than in the other sims...

 

I want a good weather model. X-Plane10 already has one, and it is getting even better (just like with many other areas, LR listens to users, and is allways oppened to suggestions, provided they can e included in the long roll of desired features / bug fixes / etc...). It includes a credible atmosphere up to the higher/orbital levels, allowing to operate some special aircraft/ships in a credible/plausible way, not quite in fsx or p3d or even ms flight, where above those 50000'+ you get all but a credible physics... allowing to (even in ms flight) make the most weird and totally inplausible manouvers...

It's also good to have, natively and without the limitations of fsx and derived, atmospheric/ weather features compatible with soaring, both from thermal and orographic sources...

 

I want to be able to simulate helicopter flying, vectored thrust, variable geometry, different types of jet/prop/turboprop/electric engines.

 

I want to have realistic / plausible behaviour from the systems / engines, and preferably without having to use external code - something that is true of default X-Plane10 - it's native!

 

I want to have plausible landclass/mesh without having to spend a small fortune in add-ons...

 

I like to have a Plane-Maker, and not have to rely on C++ programming, or the "magic" of airfile editing (not officiallly supported) only to tweak my flight / systems models, and even so not being able to get all of the possibilities I have natively in X-Plane10.

 

I like to be able to use OSM2XP to increase, at my will, and for free, the plausible World where I want...

 

And many more reasons which summed up to finally point me to the only available option - X-Plane10 :-)

The question is, are my concerns going to be fixed? I'm sure the ATC and AI will be improved in the future because X-Plane's developing greatly. But what about the scenery? Plus, Austin really has to fix his altitude towards Microsoft's products.

 

@HiFlyer': Exactly my concerns. I use ATC a lot, and the scenery in the X-Plane demo doesn't convince me. I am happy that GUI is being improved, but it needs more.

 

I'm staying with the FSX (possibly Prepar3D in the future) side for now.

 

CB, I think the expectations are just different. What users at the "onion" and other cutting edge sites expect as a base in modern software may be of a much lower priority to the adherents of "technical" sims in general and perhaps Xplane in particular. I have always thought the two worlds could be convinced to meet in the middle, and I am still gonna hope so.

The question is, are my concerns going to be fixed? I'm sure the ATC and AI will be improved in the future because X-Plane's developing greatly. But what about the scenery? Plus, Austin really has to fix his altitude towards Microsoft's products.

 

@HiFlyer': Exactly my concerns. I use ATC a lot, and the scenery in the X-Plane demo doesn't convince me. I am happy that GUI is being improved, but it needs more.

 

I'm staying with the FSX (possibly Prepar3D in the future) side for now.

 

Why is Austin's attitude towards MS products any of your concern? If you do use ATC a lot like you say, use the online networks, works a treat for realism. If you are staying with FSX and P3D, I suggest you roam those forums till you decide otherwise, this forum is for X-Plane users as stated by Avsim staff.

The question is, are my concerns going to be fixed? I'm sure the ATC and AI will be improved in the future because X-Plane's developing greatly. But what about the scenery? Plus, Austin really has to fix his altitude towards Microsoft's products.

 

@HiFlyer': Exactly my concerns. I use ATC a lot, and the scenery in the X-Plane demo doesn't convince me. I am happy that GUI is being improved, but it needs more.

 

I'm staying with the FSX (possibly Prepar3D in the future) side for now.

 

or you could buy them all and be like :yahoo: , i own fs9, fsx, prepar3d, xplane10, dcs: A10, Take On Helicopters, etc. etc.

No problems here. I am happy with the progress made thus far. The past couple of betas have increased my performance greatly. Now I am able to run in hdr with decent frames. ^_^

No problems here. I am happy with the progress made thus far. The past couple of betas have increased my performance greatly. Now I am able to run in hdr with decent frames. ^_^

 

me 2, with HDR on and 4xFSAA i get over 25fps all the time. :yahoo:

But what about the scenery?

 

What is with the scenery? You can use the dafault scerneries, enhance it with texture maps and OSM buildings, or use a photoscenery. They don't stop you. While a pure photoscenery has its obvious limitations I am now really convinced with the current situations.

Take a look at http://forum.aerosof...7332-lszh-lfbo/ which was a small discussion about the current situation, although even this is no longer up to date. These images used an older OSM map for europe and 10.10rc2 changed the look of streets and airport lighting a bit.

The modifications compared to a default X-Plane are: UrbanMaxx Extreme V2_3D, the use of a free OSM_europe map, the payware airports of LSZH and LFBO and the DC-3.

But I have my fingers crossed

 

But I have my fingers crossed?

 

Watch your language.

But I have my fingers crossed?

 

Watch your language.

 

What is your point?

 

What is your point?

 

For the same reasons you think using the word Jihad is offensive. Crossing your fingers have Christian roots and our non-Christian friends can be offended.

Why is Austin's attitude towards MS products any of your concern?

 

Austin tends to dismiss his competition as simply children's toys in his scientific world. This is concerning to many present and potential users of X-Plane who recognize that there are features in his competition's products which would be of great value to X-Plane, but are skeptical they will ever see the light of day due to Austin's often polarizing opinions.

 

Laminar Research has aspirations to develop "your next flight simulator", but their CEO has a history of publically deriding the competition for the content and style of its product. Staunchly criticising his competition throughout the years does not advance the cause of X-Plane - it only tends to harden the opinions of those who disagree with him. It makes people wonder whether Laminar will ever attempt to include or improve the elements which keep potential customers on the competition's platforms. Will Austin's opinions on such things as eye candy, AI, ATC, and other elements be the driving force which keeps X-Plane a niche product, never able to compete on a higher level with even decades old products?

 

Despite this, it would seem that Laminar's other developers recognize the value in improving the product above and beyond the torque settings of a starter motor, or the air inlet speeds for supersonic flight modeling. Hopefully the other developers can continue the trend of improving the product along a direction which is more suitable towards general flightsim users, rather than aerodynamics geeks. THAT is what will drive customers to X-Plane, which in turn will draw 3rd party developers, which will drive more customers to X-Plane... and the snowball truly begins.

 

Austin tends to dismiss his competition as simply children's toys in his scientific world. This is concerning to many present and potential users of X-Plane who recognize that there are features in his competition's products which would be of great value to X-Plane, but are skeptical they will ever see the light of day due to Austin's often polarizing opinions.

 

Laminar Research has aspirations to develop "your next flight simulator", but their CEO has a history of publically deriding the competition for the content and style of its product. Staunchly criticising his competition throughout the years does not advance the cause of X-Plane - it only tends to harden the opinions of those who disagree with him. It makes people wonder whether Laminar will ever attempt to include or improve the elements which keep potential customers on the competition's platforms. Will Austin's opinions on such things as eye candy, AI, ATC, and other elements be the driving force which keeps X-Plane a niche product, never able to compete on a higher level with even decades old products?

 

Despite this, it would seem that Laminar's other developers recognize the value in improving the product above and beyond the torque settings of a starter motor, or the air inlet speeds for supersonic flight modeling. Hopefully the other developers can continue the trend of improving the product along a direction which is more suitable towards general flightsim users, rather than aerodynamics geeks. THAT is what will drive customers to X-Plane, which in turn will draw 3rd party developers, which will drive more customers to X-Plane... and the snowball truly begins.

 

Sounds like Bill Gates and Microsoft advocating for their lineup of Windows OSes and we all know what the majority of users run on their PCs.

 

Every developer has his/her own POVs as to how a software should be developed and how that software compares to the competition

For the same reasons you think using the word Jihad is offensive. Crossing your fingers have Christian roots and our non-Christian friends can be offended.

 

Between this and that thread concerning a certain voice file in MCE from a week or so ago, I'm starting to get really disgusted with people who begin their day deciding to get offended at one thing or another. There's all sorts of stuff I see every day that I find offensive, but I don't make it a point to declare it every chance I get. If making a statement about crossing ones fingers in anticipation of something is now suddenly verboten because someone, somewhere out there finds the generations-old figure of speech offensive, then I guess I'm going to have to unplug my computer and turn into a luddite.

Between this and that thread concerning a certain voice file in MCE from a week or so ago, I'm starting to get really disgusted with people who begin their day deciding to get offended at one thing or another. There's all sorts of stuff I see every day that I find offensive, but I don't make it a point to declare it every chance I get. If making a statement about crossing ones fingers in anticipation of something is now suddenly verboten because someone, somewhere out there finds the generations-old figure of speech offensive, then I guess I'm going to have to unplug my computer and turn into a luddite.

 

+1000 totally agree!

 

Austin tends to dismiss his competition as simply children's toys in his scientific world. This is concerning to many present and potential users of X-Plane who recognize that there are features in his competition's products which would be of great value to X-Plane, but are skeptical they will ever see the light of day due to Austin's often polarizing opinions.

 

Laminar Research has aspirations to develop "your next flight simulator", but their CEO has a history of publically deriding the competition for the content and style of its product. Staunchly criticising his competition throughout the years does not advance the cause of X-Plane - it only tends to harden the opinions of those who disagree with him. It makes people wonder whether Laminar will ever attempt to include or improve the elements which keep potential customers on the competition's platforms. Will Austin's opinions on such things as eye candy, AI, ATC, and other elements be the driving force which keeps X-Plane a niche product, never able to compete on a higher level with even decades old products?

 

Despite this, it would seem that Laminar's other developers recognize the value in improving the product above and beyond the torque settings of a starter motor, or the air inlet speeds for supersonic flight modeling. Hopefully the other developers can continue the trend of improving the product along a direction which is more suitable towards general flightsim users, rather than aerodynamics geeks. THAT is what will drive customers to X-Plane, which in turn will draw 3rd party developers, which will drive more customers to X-Plane... and the snowball truly begins.

 

Agreed. Not only is this statement good ethics but frankly it would seem to be good business sense. I wouldn't have thought you need to be a rocket scientest to figure out that if you want to bring people from an existing, well-established product such as FSX over to your own, then you need to understand what it is that users appreciate about that product and seek to add or improve those features in yours. This is an elementary concept surely? I just hope Austin can understand this one day and give us the sim we've all been waiting for.

X-Plane sounds great and I'd really consider switching to it if it weren't for those three things: 1. The terrible ATC and AI. They are still years behind FSX, and need lots of work. 2. The fake but "plausible" world. Seriously? Why can't they work on having the scenery match the real world? 3. Austin Meyer's stinking altitude. "The GUI we have now is so perfect, if people don't like it, put up or shut up!" Not to mention his mockery towards Microsoft Flight or the constant nagging about switching from MSFS. I am aware of X-Plane's great development and strong points, but until they fix those three, it's a no-go for me. Not paying $70 for "plausible" scenery.

 

Best summarization of my feelings for XPX that I have seen so far.

 

Between this and that thread concerning a certain voice file in MCE from a week or so ago, I'm starting to get really disgusted with people who begin their day deciding to get offended at one thing or another. There's all sorts of stuff I see every day that I find offensive, but I don't make it a point to declare it every chance I get. If making a statement about crossing ones fingers in anticipation of something is now suddenly verboten because someone, somewhere out there finds the generations-old figure of speech offensive, then I guess I'm going to have to unplug my computer and turn into a luddite.

 

+1!!!!!