I'd be careful there--I can't speak for the Concorde X but the quality of the Maddog VC is (in my, yes, completely subjective opinion) way, way below that of the MD11 both in technical sophistication and aesthetics. The number of really low-resolution textures and switches that just aren't shaped right is a big immersion killer, IMHO.

 

James

I will politely disagree. I find the immersion factor in the Maddog does not come from the graphics but an unparalleled level of realism, which I have not yet seen surpassed.

 

This is an aircraft that first came out in 2006 in its base shape for the current model, and even from that time until now, I cannot find any other aircraft in the same systems depth level. Maybe the Concorde-X but cannot vouch for it as I don't own it.

 

I actually never have quite understood why people complain about the VC of the MD11 - no it's not texture wise on the same level as the NGX or the Majestic, but It's still pretty darn good and the ambience feeling is second to none IMO. As for the Maddog, the quality of the VC is lower than the MD11 but it's still such a magnificent aircraft and the VC is good enough so it won't distract me from immensely  enjoying it.

I actually never have quite understood why people complain about the VC of the MD11 - no it's not texture wise on the same level as the NGX or the Majestic, but It's still pretty darn good and the ambience feeling is second to none IMO. As for the Maddog, the quality of the VC is lower than the MD11 but it's still such a magnificent aircraft and the VC is good enough so it won't distract me from immensely enjoying it.

+1

Very well said!

gpbarth, on 22 Jun 2013 - 2:38 PM, said:

 

the 737 has me start FSX with the Powered Hang Glider and then load the 737 with the 2D panel (and waiting for about 20 seconds before going to the VC)

All we recommend is keeping the default FSX ultralight as your default flight because whatever aircraft is there loads in the background while FSX starts. If you have a complex addon set as the default aircraft then it's going to load it in the background. FSX has some long standing bugs with clearing certain internal variables that a lot of complex addon aircraft use. If another addon gets loaded before the NGX, it can screw it up because the NGX can't initialize those variables to what they need to be. We have never said that you have to actually load into the sim with the ultralight and certainly not that you have to use the 2D panel and then switch to the VC after 20 seconds.

 

I actually use all three aircraft you mentioned there directly from Free Flight and they all work fine. (The Maddog does have to be configured first through their manager or the VC is missing from the model, the fuel load is wrong etc)

I will politely disagree. I find the immersion factor in the Maddog does not come from the graphics but an unparalleled level of realism, which I have not yet seen surpassed.

 

Fair enough! I actually didn't mean to say that it's not an immersive plane. You're right, the depth of systems is stunning, let alone for an older addon, and the immersion is there. BUT, for me that's very much in spite of the VC rather than because of it--which is in contrast to the MD11, as others have said.

 

James

All we recommend is keeping the default FSX ultralight as your default flight because whatever aircraft is there loads in the background while FSX starts. If you have a complex addon set as the default aircraft then it's going to load it in the background. FSX has some long standing bugs with clearing certain internal variables that a lot of complex addon aircraft use. If another addon gets loaded before the NGX, it can screw it up because the NGX can't initialize those variables to what they need to be. We have never said that you have to actually load into the sim with the ultralight and certainly not that you have to use the 2D panel and then switch to the VC after 20 seconds.

 

I actually use all three aircraft you mentioned there directly from Free Flight and they all work fine. (The Maddog does have to be configured first through their manager or the VC is missing from the model, the fuel load is wrong etc)

Well, first of all, I like the explanation for the trike start. At last someone has given me the real reason for this. And that is now how I start FSX for everything. I don't load the trike - it's just the default A/C at the start. I found out about the Maddog manager and although it is unique, to say the least, I'm getting used to it. But I'm still at odds with the Maddog "launch the Cessna, shut everything down, lean the mixture, turn off all the switches, then load the Maddog." If I were to load the trike, it would load cold & dark (not running). So I've been starting with configuring the manager, starting FSX with the trike, and then loading Maddog. Maybe there is some hidden problem, but far as I know, I haven't found it yet,

 

As far as starting the NGX in 2D mode, it's not NGX procedure - it's FS2Crew procedure. Seems FS2C wants that while it loads its own config. And the timing thing IS NGX - there is a 20 second (?) initializing timer when it loads. Hence the "loading the 2D panel and waiting 20 seconds" thing.

 

Dang! It would be nice if all we had to do was open the steenkin' flight sim, pick a plane and fly! I guess this is the price we have to pay for all of this realism stuff. Can't wait to see what that 777 is going to be like!

 

And

This airplane ranks in my top 3 going back to the SubLogic days.  While the VC textures are not great, every other aspect of the airplane enables you to look past that with ease.

as the maddog is probably one of the best tubers around, upgrading vc textures and using fsx native 3d model should improve performance.  underlying gauges and fde are still top notch. 

 

hope it happens soon...

gpbarth, on 27 Jun 2013 - 05:24 AM, said:

 

Well, first of all, I like the explanation for the trike start. At last someone has given me the real reason for this. And that is now how I start FSX for everything. I don't load the trike - it's just the default A/C at the start. I found out about the Maddog manager and although it is unique, to say the least, I'm getting used to it. But I'm still at odds with the Maddog "launch the Cessna, shut everything down, lean the mixture, turn off all the switches, then load the Maddog." If I were to load the trike, it would load cold & dark (not running). So I've been starting with configuring the manager, starting FSX with the trike, and then loading Maddog. Maybe there is some hidden problem, but far as I know, I haven't found it yet,

 

As far as starting the NGX in 2D mode, it's not NGX procedure - it's FS2Crew procedure. Seems FS2C wants that while it loads its own config. And the timing thing IS NGX - there is a 20 second (?) initializing timer when it loads. Hence the "loading the 2D panel and waiting 20 seconds" thing.

 

Dang! It would be nice if all we had to do was open the steenkin' flight sim, pick a plane and fly! I guess this is the price we have to pay for all of this realism stuff. Can't wait to see what that 777 is going to be like!

 

And

That's odd that you actually have to load into the sim first to get the Maddog to work. I definitely am able to just pick the livery I set up from Free Flight without loading the sim first and it works fine for me. Dunno there.

 

I'm not sure why FS2Crew says to do that - I use that as well just fine without doing that. Regarding the 20 second countdown - I can explain that too. What's happening there is that we're basically waiting for our external processes to sync with FSX. One of the big things here is syncing our external engine simulation with the FSX internal engines. In order to do this we have to basically restart the internal ones - that's the majority of what you see happening during that 20 second countdown. Our older planes like the 747 do it too but we just didn't have the bar there with the countdown. Just about any complex addon I've ever seen that modifies the internal engine model like this has to do this too to get things working properly - ie, the LDS 767 etc. It's just one of those FSXisms that there's no real way around. (believe me we've tried, I know that it's really annoying when you load a saved flight in the air to have to wait for that, but it's the only way.)

That's odd that you actually have to load into the sim first to get the Maddog to work. I definitely am able to just pick the livery I set up from Free Flight without loading the sim first and it works fine for me. Dunno there.

 

I'm not sure why FS2Crew says to do that - I use that as well just fine without doing that. Regarding the 20 second countdown - I can explain that too. What's happening there is that we're basically waiting for our external processes to sync with FSX. One of the big things here is syncing our external engine simulation with the FSX internal engines. In order to do this we have to basically restart the internal ones - that's the majority of what you see happening during that 20 second countdown. Our older planes like the 747 do it too but we just didn't have the bar there with the countdown. Just about any complex addon I've ever seen that modifies the internal engine model like this has to do this too to get things working properly - ie, the LDS 767 etc. It's just one of those FSXisms that there's no real way around. (believe me we've tried, I know that it's really annoying when you load a saved flight in the air to have to wait for that, but it's the only way.)

One more explanation, and I apologize for not being thorough in my description. I know that Maddog config also launches FSX, but I can't use that method because I launch FSX from REX Essentials with the weather. As for the FS2C, I found that if I didn't load the 2D first, the hotspot on the dash for the FS2C panel didn't seem to work.

 

Can't wait for the 777! When will that thing ever be released?

 

 

because I launch FSX from REX Essentials with the weather

 

Uncheck the auto launch  of  fsx within the rexe option than

You don't need to use auto lunch with any of them, this options are there for you confort(i guess ) Or you can select one of them to use if you like it

REX Essentials loads the real weather, and it also has a "Fly Now" button. Doesn't have to be used, but I usually do. Maddog also has the FSX "launch" button, which I am not using at the present time. I learned real quick that the Maddog setup has to be run prior to starting FSX, and that I have to know which livery I am using before I run it. So I run the Maddog setup, run REX, and then launch FSX from there. And then pick the Allegiant livery (that I configured in Maddog), as a lot of my flights are between Florida and PA.

 

To each his own, I guess.

I flew MD80 a long time ago. I never had any problems. The aircraft flew without any issue.
 
I make fresh Windows 7 x64 and fresh FSX. I use last FSUIPC v 4.928.
Now I have problem with unstable fly with MD80 (Maddog 2010 v3.3).
After good start engine, take off, climb to TA...the problems start. (from FL100 to FL340).
Stab trim works always, I cannot reach decided altitude smoothly. Autopilot and Autothrust often disconnected. Nose went down then up, very unstable flying.

I use AS2012 (B5067). I tried without AS2012, but same problem.
I think  (my opinion) that FSUIPC is problem? I read that FSUIPC had problem with ASN?
Can some user confim that new Maddog works fine with new FSUIPC?
I didn't try use old version of FSUIPC.
I din't try use old version of Maddog (version before v.3.3 (sp2).

All others airplane( MJC Dash8, PMDG737) work fine in my system.
Please help.
Thanks.
 

If you want realism (the risk of hot starts, etc.) then the Maddog is really your only choice for the lean mean McDonnell Douglas machine. The price is a VC that is -- and this is subjective, of course -- an offense to pious eyes. "Clunky" would be how I would describe the approach; things out of scale. Now, having said that, you tend to get used to visuals. I will always have a soft spot for the Maddog, going back to the halcyon days of Lago. It is still sitting in my Simmarket download section, and I am always tempted to see if I'm still pilot enough to master it.

 

Interestingly, Coolsky took the opposite approach in their very nice, if less realistic Super 80 Pro. The overhead is almost entirely 2D, but executed in a very effective trompe l'oiel style that works for me personally better than the subpar 3D efforts of the Maddog.

 

Both can be fairly criticized for graphics, but I prefer the cleaner look of the Coolsky. That said, my advice is if you're looking for one of the most realistic airliners for FSX, you might consider overlooking the clunky 3D VC of the Maddog and going for it. You're probably going to be so busy you won't have time to think about the graphics.