FSX-MS Regretful purchases for FSX

[BilboBaggins 82]

Well, finally picked up something I mildly regret: the new Golden Age Simulations Stinson SR8.

 

Looks pretty enough on the outside, but the VC is shockingly low-quality; lots of visible edge joins, overly simplistic textures, especially around the dashboard. The polished walnut reflection effect is not convincing, either, though a nice idea.

 

Beyond that, the engine idle sound has the all-too-common "tick" sound that is created by a bad sample edit (not at the wave zero-crossing point). The transition between engine sounds at different speeds are also artificially abrupt, not at all blended. The looping of the engine sounds is also too apparent.

 

No sounds for the switches in the cockpit, which makes using them difficult. Not even default FSX quality here.

 

On my system, the plane has to be reloaded via alt-A-A before it will start, another annoyance. And then the comms radios cut out, soon after takeoff, and can only be revived by yet another alt-A-A (yes, I have the generator on).

 

The text in the details for the aircraft is cut-and-paste, and overflows the buffer size in FSX in the Main Menu, so gets cut off mid-sentence.

 

None of this is earth-shaking, but once again one wishes all these little things were caught before release.

 

I'd have said well, that's what you get for $20/US, but then compare with antsairplanes' recent T-28! Night and day difference.

 

Update: the devs have been very responsive to input, which makes all the difference in the world. No regrets now. I have to add that it is a very fun plane to fly.

[Kuckoo 2]

 

 

 

I fly this one quite a bit for practice and use it for the MS-RTWR... I don't understand the criticism.

 

I am currently using the Epic LT v1.9... it could be you have a different (earlier) version, but I am going to comment on a few of your points.

 

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I don't understand the "too low"... looks great to me.

 

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Are you referring to the .air file (two different file sizes)?  The aircraft.cfg does not appear this way.

 

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Can't say I have ever experienced this...

 

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Using the spoiler key has no effect on airspeed.

 

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Ok good catch here... I agree if it says "TAS" it should display TAS.  I never noticed this until your post.

 

That said, TAS isn't something I am paying attention to (as I said, I never noticed).  Not really necessary as I am not filing a Flight Plan.  Since I have IAS and GS, that is what I am using in FSX.  So now I have two places I can read GS.

 

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Sitting on the ground at Wadi Halfa, Sudan (HSSW 42°C) oil temp was up to 32°C.

 

But really... before this... I never looked... or cared for that matter.

 

Remember... it's a game.

 

Yes... I suppose sitting on the ground at a Desert Airport during the day, it would seem reasonable to get higher than 32°C... but not a deal-breaker for me.

 

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On my version there is... and it works.

 

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Inexcusable?  Wow...

 

Again... I never noticed.  And now that I know... I really don't care that there is one on the C172.  I guess I am not expecting 100% fidelity from a game.

 

 

Now... my shorts would be in a real twist if I went to say... Simcom... and paid $10,000+ for a week (if they had it) an Epic LT simulator... and there was no TCAS display.

 

I consider it a very nice add-on.

 

One other thing... there are sales sometimes around Christmas.  So a good thing to watch for.

 

 

> I have (or 'had') v1.9

 

> Textures are fine, but are fairly low resolution, especially when you compare them to the Lufthansa textures created by Toby Rayfield.

 

> I did say "airfile", not "aircraft.cfg".

 

> The phantom airbrake is there.  The author confirmed it.

 

> It definitely happens.  I've had numerous takeoffs in the aircraft where after I've cleaned up, the aircraft stayed below 150 knots until I "retracted" the "airbrake".  Again, it's there, with the author's confirmation.

 

> 32 degrees C is still rediculously low for operating oil temps, especially for a jet engine.  It should be up in the 70s - 90s or so, if not higher.  Look at your oil temp indicator closely.

 

> OK, NAV1 then.  As a toggled window around the PFD HSI, ONE of the toggle flanking NAV flags is unavailable on the PFD, for sure.  You get to choose one NAV window, an ADF window, and an airspeed and direction window.  That's it. Again, it's been a while since I deleted the LT, so I might have gotten that confused.

 

Now, I know of the upgraded version of the G1000 available for the EPIC, but that's more money to be spent on top of already buying the aircraft.  I'll pass, thank you...

 

> Well, at least you agree on the TAS/GS.  The author disagreed when I indicated this to him.

 

> Inexcusable because: 1) it's payware, and fairly expensive payware at that, and:  2) if both the default C172 and Baron have TCAS for their G1000s, then considering the price range of the EPIC LT, and that one of it's touted features is the G1000, it should have TCAS, too.  No reason not to have it.

 

> Blowing things a bit out of proportion, are we?  Don't play semantics.  This is, after all, a regrettable purchases thread, and the LT qualifies as a regrettable purchase.  You don't have to like what I think.  If you like the LT, fine; keep flying it.

 

I agree that it's a nice add-on, but not for $25.  Too many nagging fundamental issues to warrant the price, not to mention that it has a copied/pasted FSX default airfile.  That alone should raise eyebrows.

[Howell 7]

Now that you mention it, I remember having bought that plane, too. And I also regret it very much, what a waste of money!

 

Any purchase from wilco is a bad purchase....man the airbus....bad, ejet....bad,.......learjet....bad....Wilco sucks! 

[pilottj 198]

You know, I am probably going to get some flak for this but Alabeo's Staggerwing.  It is a visually beautiful airplane, no doubt.  Alabeo did an excellent job on the visuals.  If you plan to just firewall it and take screenshots, it is an excellent airplane for that.   The Staggerwing, particularly the G17S, is one of my favorite airplanes, such a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, like a lot of vintage airplanes of her era.  I quite enjoyed Alabeo's Waco.

 

No documentation.  No checklists, not even a rudimentary flying guide.  This is a unique airplane, with a unique layout.  It just might have some unique handling qualities or stall characteristics.  I would like to know what those are if any.  Would be nice if there were some flying notes, a V speed reference chart at least.  If you look at it's fuel selectors, they are a little more complex than your average Cessna or Piper.   What is the proper order for fuel tank usage on the Stag?  What is the average fuel burn at cruise power settings?  What are the recommended cruise power settings?

 

Systems...well par for the course...actually if the Waco is Par, then the Staggerwing  Bogied to use golf terms.   Magneto switch issues, prop control issues, is the carb air temp gauge functional?  Should there be some sort of carb heat/alt air lever somewhere?

 

I know some will say 'well its only 20 bucks'.  Ant's T-28 is about 20 bucks and is excellent.  Lionhearts airplanes are pretty cheap, GAS airplanes are cheap.  LH and GAS planes aren't particularly system deep either, but they do provide documentation, and you can at least generally go through the motions of flying proceedures for a particular aircraft. 

 

Flight dynamics questionable.  They could be good, they might not be, who knows, without documentation to reference, it makes flying by the numbers pretty difficult LOL.  Now if Alabeo does a service pack and fixes some of the glaring issues like the Mags and the Prop issues, then that Bogey could drop down to a Par. 

 

Listen, I am not expecting accusim level at all, but it seems to be even lacking systems at even the default level, even they have basic checklists and reference charts.

 

I ignored my own advice of waiting until the Alabeo/Carenado visual beauties are on the F1 wrapper system.  I should have kept my advice...last time I jump the gun on that.   

 

This rant isn't to bash Alabeo at all, they have made some good stuff that had some very innovative ideas to boot, just this one I guess my expectations were too high.

 

 

ok rant off

 

TJ

[ryanbatc 12,812]

I see where you're coming from. But I think Alabeo exists for the users who just want to have fun. (I think it says that on their web site somewhere). They remind me of Microsoft Flight. People just want to have fun.

[gojozoom 21]

Just Flight DC-3

Just Flight Viscount

Just Flight Constellation

 

They have a fantastic choice of planes, but the cartoony VC, the lack of systems and the goofy flight dynamics put me down...

 

Although, I have to say that the BAE 146 almost saved their bacon for me, although it needed a certain amount of tweaking to get the handling right and due to custom coding, I can't really use my hardware with it...

 

Dan

 

PS: On the Alabeo stuff:I feel your pain, I've also had high hopes for it, but I say, let's just give them some time. According to my experience it usually takes a couple of months for any developer to get rid of most of the bugs. I guess this kind of feedback will help them to steer away from over-simplifying stuff in the future...

[Fox-Bat 31]

Agree by far the worst payware purchase I have ever made too.  Completely binned after flying a few times and uninstalled.  I didn't even back up its setup file which I do for all payware because I will never fly it again.

 

That said I like Lionheart Kodiak so I guess every developer will have a few offs.

 

 ... Epic LT Lionheart

 

^^ This. ^^

 

The Lionheart Epic LT ranks as one of the two most disappointing purchases I've ever made for FSX,

[phmcr 93]

My list in random order;

 

- REXE : popping clouds and haze. This might have been solved now but that was the reason to stop using it then.

- OpusFX: cloud popping and rearranging cloud formations changing the outside view frequently

- FSDT's GSX: pushback truck making strange turns, a/c push back often not accepted or strangely performed

 

Menno

[Holdit 551]

I see where you're coming from. But I think Alabeo exists for the users who just want to have fun. (I think it says that on their web site somewhere). They remind me of Microsoft Flight. People just want to have fun.

 

I don't have any Alabeo stuff, but the impression I've always got is "Carenado Lite"...as if Carenado wasn't lite enough already.

[kirk_johnson 1]

Razbam Metroliner

 

I got razbammed in my personal San Antonio sewerpipe. If you know what I mean...

 

 

-Kirk Johnson

[Anxu00 176]

Wow, old thread resurrected just like zombies.  Anyway if regretful purchase is defined as Add-ons bought but no longer installed due to lack luster interest or problems of various kind, then the list is long for me.  I was enthusiastic back in 2009-2010 when I just got into FSX and boy, did I buy and regret (warning some of these are favorites among simmers but did not appeal to me): Lionheart Epic Victory, PMDG 747 (yes the queen, performance was bad and I found out I was not into quad engine airliner), all the Carenado I ever bought, PMDG J41, I did not like the look of the plane (tried to but could not). Feelthere EJets and ERJ (VC graphics is subpar).  Aerosoft AirbusX (I did not like the second CDU used as FS input).  I can go back in time, knowing now of what I really like to sim, the list would shrink down to F1 Mustang, F1 KingAir, RealAir and A2A Comanche and the BayTower RV-7 and the Aerosoft Twin Otter.

[Celis 24]

P3d Captain Sim 777  :Shame On You: 

[jwyman 0]

All the Aerosoft, BlackBox, and Wilco Airbus series which force you to use a joystick.....I know they a cheap to buy, but I do not have the room to have one on my desk. All my other PDMG, QW, and Feelthere E series jets allow for KB use.....

 

 

Jim

[overspeed3 410]

When this thread first started I finally got a high-end gaming rig able to run FSX-SE (almost zero stutters & amazing FPS)

 

But that's when I went on a ridiculous spree:  Bought the A2A C182, the Dash 400 Pro, the PMDG 200 + the 300!  And REX. Plus some other FS apps...

 

My regret was I had to spend so much time reading the manuals, I hardly had to time to fly.  Bit-off much more than I could chew.  Now, I finally got these flying money pits in the air and completed some long IFR routes, though still fighting the learning curve.  (Like, the Dash 400 is an absolute beast trying to land in some crosswinds with the AP shut off).

 

My favorite purchase from a while back: The Eaglesoft Citation X.

[simmerhead 885]

FSX:SE - I don't thik I've ever used it