Devil's Advocate:  So I am on a short final, AP OFF, yoke in one hand, throttles in the other...I notice an amber or red flag on the EICAS but I can't read the message or numbers clearly without switching views or moving my viewpoint.  Short final is not a great time to be pressing buttons, using the hat to move my eyes, or zooming in on a piece of a 3D panel.  I love PMDG products, but flying with a 3D panel on 2D monitors is not working for me as it greatly detracts from the realism.  I'll stick to the 737NGX :-)

TrackIR, free track, EZdok, undock EICAS popups to a second monitor, etc etc etc etc etc etc.......................

Would have loved to see a 777 2D panel. The 737 one is a true artistic masterpiece.

 

Good thing I care more for the ´37 than I do for the Tripple 7.

 

 

I love PMDG products, but flying with a 3D panel on 2D monitors is not working for me as it greatly detracts from the realism.

 

Except, as discussed in the 777 intro documentation, your viewpoint in the actual aircraft wouldn't allow you to look at the EICAS message without turning away from the external view either. 

 

Having every portion of the main panel in at-a-glance sight as well as a view of the outside is in no way more realistic.

TrackIR, free track, EZdok, undock EICAS popups to a second monitor, etc etc etc etc etc etc.......................

 

Sounds expensive.

Pilots should have a choice as to what mode of panel they want to use.  I much prefer the 2D display.

Please consider providing one in the first updates.  :(

Use "A" and "Shift-A" to move forward and backward through the VC Views.

Except, as discussed in the 777 intro documentation, your viewpoint in the actual aircraft wouldn't allow you to look at the EICAS message without turning away from the external view either. 

 

Having every portion of the main panel in at-a-glance sight as well as a view of the outside is in no way more realistic.

Wow, someone read the manual!

Sounds expensive.

well most have already spent a fair bit so nothing new. Anyway free track is umm.....Free, and you can spend £10 on a second hand monitor to undock the FMC & EICAS. people can make as many excuses as they want but many options exist to get round a lack of 2D cockpits. This whole thing has been done to death....

 

 

people can make as many excuses as they want but many options exist to get round a lack of 2D cockpits. This whole thing has been done to death....

 

Exactly.

Wasn't my intention to re-start the 2D / 3D debate, sorry.  That ship has sailed, PMDG made a business decision that some disagree with.

 

As many have suggested, it would be nice to have a 2D option for those who prefer it and not have to deal with 'workarounds' or 3rd party perpherals.  The 2D was so well executed on the 737NGX, and in cruise, IMHO, the 3D is nice to have as an option when you want to look out the window from a more realistic viewpoint. 

 

I agree, having the full panel on a 2D view is not 'more realistic', but I am suggesting it is more practical for flying a desktop using 2D monitors as the medium.

 

I have not read the 1000's of posts on this topic so I don't fully understand the reasoning why PMDG decided not to develop a 2D for the 777, but it's never a good idea to limit options with software unless the cost to develop those options would outweigh the revenue gained.   

 

Rob.

Pilots should have a choice as to what mode of panel they want to use.  I much prefer the 2D display.

Please consider providing one in the first updates.  :(

Me too !

I am also craving a 2-D panel but its not bothering me too much. What I have done is used the keyboard controls to move the camera when in Second officer view and move the camera across to the left and get all three screens, the AP bar and the yoke in one view, like the Dashboard view on the airbus X

Rob, I agree with you.  I have TrackIR, but landing in 2D is my preference.  Why?  Because I can see the panels and the runway at 100% zoom.  When I fly in 3D, I am at 40-50% zoom (just to see the main display) - but the runway seems soooo small.  I wish I can zoom the runway view to 100% while keeping the 3D cockpit zoom at 50%.  Another thing, with the HUD available, I did not need to look at the instruments for the last 30 seconds.  No HUD on the 777 makes me really miss the 2D.  But I am getting good at 3D landings and getting 40 fps.  I would have paid double for the 2D panel though.

I never liked the VC - the view is stuck in one place and looking around is a miserable experience - looking up at the upper panel you need to twist your head 90 degrees to look at the switches and knobs.   Maybe it's me and I may not be doing something right, but I seriously miss the 2D panel view right now.   I don't have any of the fancy trackIR or similar device.   Is there a key combination to move the view point like we see in the videos?  I looked around the documentation, found references to popup but these are just big squares appearing on the screen.    

 

Can we ask for the 2D panel back?   is that an option?  

 

Any tips, info would be appreciated,

 

Michel.

I drag those big squares to a second monitor that is in front of and below the main monitor.

You can keep FSX in full screen view mode to do this (windowed mode not required).

You can then zoom to 100% in the VC and see a big runway through the fwd window while still looking at your instruments.

TrackIR hurts my neck. It's unrealistic because in the real aircraft, I can see plenty keeping my head still and just moving my eyes. You can't do that with TrackIR obviously. Looking at anything off-screen requires you to move and contort your neck.  I prefer the 2D panel myself but I'm trying to get used to the VC. Gonna give EZdok another try.