I've used both FSX and XPX extensively and enjoy them both. Each one has its own issues that I don't like, but the ones specifically for X-Plane that bother me are:

 

1) Airport/Scenery/Buildings - This has been discussed to death already. The default terrain mesh is much nicer than the ones in FSX. The detail is much higher quality. However I am let down by the overall look of scenery. The colors are very bland and washed out and when looking at water areas from a distance they seem to have no detail at all until you are closer. The autogen buildings need more variety and lack detail as well. Every place I fly to looks like NYC. You know, the typical brownstone buildings all over the city. I know Honolulu isn't suppose to look like NYC. I really hope there will be scenery developers who will offer a much better package to really bring out the potential in 64bits XPX. I have a few scenery packages for FSX that I converted to XP and I don't think they look as good as they do in FSX. Which should be obvious. Airport buildings are lacking dimension. Even with payware ones.

 

2) Lack of AI - Makes the sim very empty. The built in one just isn't as nice as I'd like it to be. Would love to see something like UltimateTraffic. Would be nice to fly or depart from an airport full of activity.

 

3) AI Taxiing - I use AI mode from time to time when I feel like sitting back and relaxing to watch the plane takeoff and capture screenshots. But at certain or most airports the plane will get confused at intersections and attempt to turn only to turn back and continue forward. I am still seeing this type of behavior in the latest final release of 10.20 and would hope that this been corrected already but it still happens.

 

4) Glitches - When there's lightning, it will appear in front of the plane.

 

5) From a certain angle/altitude, the scenery will look unnatural. Kind of like looking at a computer circuitboard/motherboard, and again, the color just doesn't help it much. Not sure what it is with the colors but they really are unappealing when flying.

 

6) Night lighting/Airport Lighting - Could be a tad bit more vibrant. Night time flying is pretty impressive in XPX but it feels a bit on the darker side. The lights could really use some brightening up.

 

I really am trying to enjoy XPX, and hope that things will move on from here since it's no longer beta. I cannot use FSX no more, even though I love it very much. It's outdated 32bit technology and there's simply to many problems that one has to deal with, CTD, OOM's, you name it. I just want a flight sim where I can load up and play and not have to tinker around much with config settings, tweaks, etc just to get it working optimally. That's one thing I appreciate about XPX is that the interface is simple, and everything you need in order to configure your game is pretty much centralized and not all over the place. When I look back at FSX, I'm terrified at all the stuff for it is just simply a big mess. I am fortunate to not have to go through the process of reinstalling FSX. Thank god. I think if something were to ever happen to my machine where I had to go through that, I'd most likely not come back to FSX at all. That would definitely be the end of it for me.

I think the night lights are spot on realistic. FSX is far too bright on the ground and the night skies. I've only got a few hours flying at night in real life but XP takes me right back to it.

I agree that FSX night lighting is far too bright, but I think it would be better if X-Plane's night lighting be a tad bit brighter.

I agree that FSX night lighting is far too bright, but I think it would be better if X-Plane's night lighting be a tad bit brighter.

It would be a nice feature if we could adjust the brightness in the sim ourselves.

I think the night lights are spot on realistic. FSX is far too bright on the ground and the night skies. I've only got a few hours flying at night in real life but XP takes me right back to it.

 

FSX didn't have night lighting as much as it had smears of bright textures at night. X-Plane 10 has actual individual light sources which is why it looks so much better.

 

 

 

You can get that in FSX with Experience X, UTX, or Orbx - but it's not quite as good...

I was comparing default, obviously.

Indeed, I hate flying at night in FSX, as it just looks bad IMO. The lighting is just textures after all, and the sky and stars look very unrealistic. I wish I could lock FSX into sunset/sunrise, as this is visually the nicest time to fly (in both sims). Night flying in X-Plane is brilliant and very immersive when flying over large towns and cities.

You can get that in FSX with Experience X, UTX, or Orbx - but it's not quite as good...

 

Not quite the same thing. Each individual light in XPX casts light onto the surrounding objects, no add-on needed. There are several thousands in a cityscape. Can you imagine if a third party developer decided to enhance this feature?

Can you imagine if a third party developer decided to enhance this feature?

Don't forget the night landscape is not yet complete. Since the latest autogen enhancement, building's night textures has not been added. This should happen for 10.21 if I remember well. The night should then still look better.

I'm really hoping for autogen improvements. The buildings and objects from autogen still needs some work imho.

I'm really hoping for autogen improvements. The buildings and objects from autogen still needs some work imho.

 

It does need work, but I do like the look of larger cities in X-Plane, than I do in FSX.

That said, addon developers need to take heed. You have a big market opportunity in X-Plane 64bit.

I will not buy anymore large cities for FSX, since they just bring the sim to its knees.

In X-Plane 64bit, I can fly over the most dense cities, and never stutter.

I'm done buying addons for FSX. I will use what I have for FSX and buy new for X-Plane 64bit.

The one thing that kills immersion for me the most in X-Plane right now is the viewing distance, which with P3D and FSX can be stunning when combined with Orbx for my little part of the world.

 

 

 

 

For an example if you go to CYXX on a sunny day in the real world, Mt Baker will tower over you, its just an awesome view. In X-Plane from CYXX, you cant even see Mt Baker. I really hope Laminar will approve upon this aspect in the not too distant future.

Nothing is perfect!!!

Yes we know nothing is perfect but there's always room for improvements. Which is why I am doing the same. I am not purchasing anymore addons for FSX. I am done with it. I am saving my money for addons for X-Plane. Which I hope will soon come. Default X-Plane just looks terrible and I really need something to spruce it up.