Here and there on these forums I'd read mention of RealityXP gauges. Over the past months I've slowly been building up my FSX Add Ons and I've got to the point where I'm curious about this RealityXP stuff.

 

So I hopped over to their website and read what was available about them.

 

I understand that they are somehow "replacements" for the gauges in other aircraft with a more realistic version.

 

I was just wondering if you might share your opinion on a few things:

 

How much different than the default gauges are they? I've only ever used the default aircraft in FSX and its hard for me to have a frame of reference to understand how the experience might be different with RealityXP gauges.

 

How hard are they to use and set up for a novice?

 

How big of a performance hit are they? I'm guessing that if they look a whole lot better than the default...maybe they are performance hogs?

 

Can you use them in any FSX aircraft...default FSX or payware AddOns? Or do the aircraft have to have been specifically built for RealityXP Gauges by the creator?

 

Any other opinions, observations, of information you'd care to share on it would be terrific.

 

Thanks!

Are you sure you read about RXP gauges...? Most people talk about (and enjoy) the RXP GNS's (430 or 530)! They are the best (most realistic) GPS devices for FSX. The gauges sure are fine too, I guess, but I don't read about them that often. I just say this to make sure you are looking and getting excited about the right addon... ^_^

J Van E, you are right on!!......I would be lost without the 530 on the second monitor.......this is a "must-have" for me......B42L8

If you never fly online or don't care about updated charts they won't me much good to you.

 

Other than that I couldn't fly online without RXP 430W and/or 530W. You can get an updated database from summer 2011 - instructions over at the simforums.

Actually I was inquiring about any and all of the add-ons from Reality XP, but especially their instruments. I was also curious about their GPS, but the regular replacement instruments was what I was most curious about with regards to my questions above.

I use the RXP Flightline gauges in some of my older Carenado aircraft (eg Bonanza F33A) and they are also good for upgrading panels in the default airplanes. Never noticed any performance hit, and they have a lot of options for customization. I think they are a worthwhile upgrade.

 

As for compatibility, it seems like some newer aircraft model the entire panel including the gauges in 3D, so in that case you probably cannot use them unless the developer (eg. Milviz is pretty good about doing this) provides an alternate panel that is designed for outfitting with replacement gauges.

Thanks Barry.

 

Do these only work and function well with the virtual cockpit? Or only for the 2D Panel view?

Oooh... meh. The Flightline would be good for older payware and small default planes.

 

Most payware today are so good that you don't need the 2D smooth gauges (because they use 3D smooth gauges). It was really a good thing for FS9 when 2D panels were still popular (not that you can't use them in VC's).

Do these only work and function well with the virtual cockpit? Or only for the 2D Panel view?

 

They work in the VC if the VC has not modeled the gauges in 3D, but many newer aircraft do use 3D gauges. As Ryan says the FLT/FLN gauges are OK with older models and default planes that use 2D, which is where I use them. If you're mainly using newer models, especially ones that don't come with a customizable panel then these gauges will not be of much use.

 

They should be OK for use with any 2D panel but I never use 2D so don't have any experience with them.

I was wondering all the same things myself. Thanks all.

 

Mike

The FLT and FLN gauges work very well in the VC [in FSX and FS9] and significantly improve the instrument panel in aircraft such as the default Cessna 172. If a fixed card ADF is too demanding for you, replace it with an RMI! The Dreamfleet Baron panel is another one that benefits from installation of the RXP gauges.

Presumably the older Carenado types would benefit too, eg the 172N, Archer, Saratoga and 152?

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Oooh... meh. The Flightline would be good for older payware and small default planes.

 

Most payware today are so good that you don't need the 2D smooth gauges (because they use 3D smooth gauges). It was really a good thing for FS9 when 2D panels were still popular (not that you can't use them in VC's).

 

Thanks Ryan. I hate to say it but unfortunately I didn't quite follow some of that. You'll have to forgive me but I've only been at this a few months now so I'm still learning. I'm not sure what 2D smooth gauges versus 3D smooth gauges are. I only use the VC and TrackIR, never the 2D panel.

 

At this point, I don't really have any payware aircraft yet and am still enjoying the default C172. I used to have the Flight1 C172 back in FS9 but in FSX right now all I've got is the default aircraft. I'm waiting patiently to pick up the A2A and/or RealAir C172 when they come out

 

So I'm guessing, based on your statement that the payware aircraft are so good today....that the RealityXP stuff will be really great for me in the Default aircraft but probably won't be necessary in eventual payware aircraft that I might pick up.

 

They work in the VC if the VC has not modeled the gauges in 3D, but many newer aircraft do use 3D gauges. As Ryan says the FLT/FLN gauges are OK with older models and default planes that use 2D, which is where I use them. If you're mainly using newer models, especially ones that don't come with a customizable panel then these gauges will not be of much use.

 

They should be OK for use with any 2D panel but I never use 2D so don't have any experience with them.

 

Thanks Barry. As I mentioned above to Ryan, unfortunately I don't understand some of that stuff you just mentioned. I only use the VC and TrackIR, never touch the 2D panel. So I'm guessing they'll really help the VC of the default aircraft but won't help me much in the future with really high quality payware aircraft. Does that sound like I'm understanding you correctly?

 

The FLT and FLN gauges work very well in the VC [in FSX and FS9] and significantly improve the instrument panel in aircraft such as the default Cessna 172. If a fixed card ADF is too demanding for you, replace it with an RMI! The Dreamfleet Baron panel is another one that benefits from installation of the RXP gauges.

 

Wow...great images. Thanks for posting those Labrador. The default FSX C172 is all I fly right now so thank you so much for posting those pictures. Maybe I'm wrong but I think those gauges look really nice in the default C172. How do they function during flight compared to the default gauges? Do they have the same functionality, more functionality, or less? Have they caused any FPS hits that you could notice? How difficult were they to set up?

 

Its really funny that you posted that pic of the DreamFleet Baron. I was flying FS9 back in 2006 and I only owned 2 payware aircraft. The Flight1 C172 and the Dreamfleet Baron. I really liked that baron. I think I've still got the Baron and the Flight1 C172 zipped up on my drive somewhere...I just never unzipped and installed them in FSX as I didn't know how well it would translate over to FSX from FS9 and I didn't want to have any issues and I didn't know if they'd be better or worse than the default FSX Baron and C172.

At this point, I don't really have any payware aircraft yet and am still enjoying the default C172. I used to have the Flight1 C172 back in FS9 but in FSX right now all I've got is the default aircraft. I'm waiting patiently to pick up the A2A and/or RealAir C172 when they come out

 

I admire your patience. The default C172 is very good for learning and I'm sure both the A2A and RealAir models will be great.

 

You may want to look at the free RealAir C172 download for FS2004, some people take the .air file from that plane and use it in the FSX plane. It's supposed to improve the flight dynamics. There were also flight dynamics upgrades by Alexander Metzger but his website seems to be gone. Maybe someone has an updated link.

 

 

Thanks Barry. As I mentioned above to Ryan, unfortunately I don't understand some of that stuff you just mentioned. I only use the VC and TrackIR, never touch the 2D panel. So I'm guessing they'll really help the VC of the default aircraft but won't help me much in the future with really high quality payware aircraft. Does that sound like I'm understanding you correctly?

 

I only have a vague understanding myself, but here's what a VC looks like with all the gauges modelled in 3D: http://i.imgur.com/KaMrp.jpg. Developers use a tool such as 3DS Max to make these models. I suppose in this case all the needle movements and knobs are done using 3D animations. You can't alter the model, it is controlled by the developer including how the textures are applied. Most new aircraft being developed use this 3D approach.

 

A VC can also just be modeled using one or more flat planes with maybe some 3D bezels, and then the gauge is a sort of 2D "window" that draws all the graphics inside the bezel. For the latter 2D case, you can use the RXP gauges instead, but in the 3D example above, the modelling would cover up most or all of the 2D gauge, if you could even figure out how to add it to the panel. The same problem happens with the GPS, in the picture I linked you can see how the developer also modeled the GPS bezel and knobs.

 

What some developers do is they provide alternate non-3D panels so you can customize them with whatever gauges you want. It's still a VC and it still looks 3D but they have removed the 3D knobs and other things that would get in the way of the 2D gauge. Or in some case they will make a panel with 3D steam gauges but give you a flat space to put the RXP GNS 430 or 530 since not being able to have the RXP GNS is a deal breaker for some.

 

2D cockpit panels are just bitmaps with cutouts where you can place 2D gauges, so you can also use the RXP gauges in 2D cockpits but since you don't use 2D cockpits this doesn't really matter.

How do they function during flight compared to the default gauges? Do they have the same functionality, more functionality, or less? Have they caused any FPS hits that you could notice? How difficult were they to set up?

 

Reality XP gauges have very smooth and fluid movement - much more realistic. This is especially noticeable in a turn.

 

They function exactly the same. RXP provides options if you wish to use a different version of the gauge. You could install a black and blue AI instead of the brown and blue Cessna one for example. As mentioned in the previous post, a rotating compass card RMI can easily be substituted in for the fixed card ADF.

 

No noticeable FPS impact.

 

Set up is simple and explained in the instructions that come with the gauges. The default Mooney panel can be automatically configured with RXP gauges when they are being installed on your computer. For all other panels, swap out the default gauge for the RXP one. Minor positioning adjustments are sometimes required to move the RXP gauge up or down, right or left however. Here are applicable bits of the C172 VC sections in the panel.cfg file for the panel pictured above:

 

[VCockpit01]

gauge01=rxpFLN!VOR1, 259, 1,140,140

gauge03=rxpFLN!RMI, 259,283,145,145

gauge11=rxpFLN!VOR2, 259,142,140,140

 

[VCockpit02]

gauge00=rxpFLT!Gyro, 0, 0,163,162

gauge01=rxpFLT!TurnCoordinator, 164, 0,158,158

gauge02=rxpFLT!Attitude, 323, 0,158,158

gauge03=rxpFLT!Altimeter, 0,163,158,156

gauge04=rxpFLT!Airspeed, 164,159,155,155

gauge05=rxpFLT!VerticalSpeed, 323,159,156,157