So I tried out the demo last night...

[Jimmy RFR 406]

You all, with your amazing screenshots as of late, had finally convinced me that I should give the demo another shot.  Well that, and the fact that I very recently upgraded my video card to a 780Ti.  I had tried out the demo quite a while back with my old ATI card, and had decided at the time that I couldn't get decent enough performance to make me happy.

 

So after going through the rendering options and getting everything so it looks good with high levels of AA, I'm getting about 40 fps.  Not sure how that scales from one add-on to another, but there's lots of downward room on the sliders to go If I needed to.

 

One of the reasons I decided to give the demo a try again, other than the really nice visuals I've been seeing as of late, is because I've heard a few times now that helicopters are modeled much better.  To that end, and after briefly glancing at the two included, I went on a hunt to see what sort of freeware I could find.  I came across the EC-135, which seemed decent, and then... I came across the Mil Mi-2.  Wow!  I gotta say, the level of depth has me in heaven.  Very, very well done.

 

However, it sure took me a bit to configure my controls so that the helicopters weren't quite as 'touchy'.  I spent several relaunches of the demo flying around and doing little touch and goes, and the flight model seems pretty good, but my-oh-my if you're not careful you can start over-compensating in a hurry.

 

To be honest, what I've seen so far has me starting to think about picking up X-Plane as a secondary sim platform.  Before I do, however, I'd like to see what kind of scenery I can try out within the context of the demo.  Any recommendations for improving the default scenery in the demo area that I could try out?

 

Also, there seems to be a lot of small little X-Plane 'corners' on the internet.  What payware locations are the most important?  What freeware locations should not be overlooked?  I'm not too concerned about scenery at this point, but I would like to check out what sort of high quality / high fidelity planes and helicopters would be available in the X-Plane world.  Primarily I'm looking for GA / Bush planes, military jets, and helicopters.

 

Last, are there any freeware military offerings on the level of Dino Cattaneo's FSX jets?  Any payware that level or above?  So far in looking around, I haven't seen a whole lot of high fidelity military stuff, but perhaps I'm not looking in the right places yet.

 

 

 

 

[BleedAir 28]

I originally hated the Seattle demo.  I used it for 5-10mins and quickly deleted the folder.  I then watched several youtube videos plus the promo trailer on xplane.com THEN I bought it for approx over $120 shipping included from Aerosoft in 2012.  I have bought many many payware addons and downloaded many freeware addons that look like payware which have made XP10 very amazing.  Give it a try! :drinks: click that buy button :lol:

[Pe11e 812]

I've tried XP10 demo at least 3 times this year, and hated it every single time, lol.

 

Last time I tried it with default B747, and hated it a lot. Awful graphics, awful VC, aaaawful default scenery, and utterly awful sounds (most of them are mono). And worst of all performance was worse that FSX! Note: I've tried 64bit demo.

 

Only positive thing is flight physics, very good. But it's not worth it when you have eyes.

 

Sent from my U8815 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Murmur 3,941]

I've tried XP10 demo at least 3 times this year, and hated it every single time, lol.

 

Last time I tried it with default B747, and hated it a lot. Awful graphics, awful VC, aaaawful default scenery, and utterly awful sounds (most of them are mono). And worst of all performance was worse that FSX! Note: I've tried 64bit demo.

 

Only positive thing is flight physics, very good. But it's not worth it when you have eyes.

 

Sent from my U8815 using Tapatalk 2

 

Feast your eyes on this: :lol:

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/428012-i-just-had-so-get-this-out/#entry2868840

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/428012-i-just-had-so-get-this-out/#entry2869079

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/426254-omgthe-finest-night-rendered-scene-in-any-flight-simulator/#entry2852085

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427026-x-plane-with-new-hd-mesh/?p=2859683

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427472-xpx-collection/?p=2864090

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427442-various-shots/?p=2863817

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427445-xpx-dal2295-from-salt-lake-city-to-san-diego-caution-bandwidth-alert/?p=2863830

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427570-city-lights/?p=2864878

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427727-ga-randoms/?p=2866243

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/426305-aircraft-perspectives-very-large-2-mb/?p=2852209

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/426726-chopper-in-chicago/?p=2856574

[Jimmy RFR 406]

Okay guys... I posted because I've tried the demo, got my settings to an acceptable level, found a freeware plane I really enjoyed... and liked it.

 

I'm just trying to to see if there's enough items present for the platform that I'm interested in to make the investment!

[JonRD463 146]

I've tried XP10 demo at least 3 times this year, and hated it every single time, lol.

 

Last time I tried it with default B747, and hated it a lot. Awful graphics, awful VC, aaaawful default scenery, and utterly awful sounds (most of them are mono). And worst of all performance was worse that FSX! Note: I've tried 64bit demo.

 

Only positive thing is flight physics, very good. But it's not worth it when you have eyes.

 

Sent from my U8815 using Tapatalk 2

 

Ok.

[HighTowers 1,434]

Im going to have to agree about the demo. I see some very nice shots on avsim and around net, but the demo experience is horrible. If they really want to attract people, then clean up the demo that reflects a little more of what XPX really is. 

Once the VC interface is more intuitive, having an aircraft that doesnt sound like its skidding down the runway, adding custom AI, and with a more plausible scenery that actually looks recognizable rather than just very nice autogen that doesnt take up boatloads of GBs, it will be alot more attractive to even more people. 

[HiFlyer 9,343]

Im going to have to agree about the demo. I see some very nice shots on avsim and around net, but the demo experience is horrible. If they really want to attract people, then clean up the demo that reflects a little more of what XPX really is. 

Once the VC interface is more intuitive, having an aircraft that doesnt sound like its skidding down the runway, adding custom AI, and with a more plausible scenery that actually looks recognizable rather than just very nice autogen that doesnt take up boatloads of GBs, it will be alot more attractive to even more people. 

Honestly I agree with most of that, and was actually thinking just the other day that the demo didn't really seem to reflect very much effort on LM's part to put their best foot forward and show what the sim could really do, visually at least.

 

Put then we all know LM is their own very special type of beastie about these things.

 

Even today I was noticing that the trees are so close (generally) to the color of many of the ground textures (and of such a uniform color en-masse) that they effectively disappear against the backdrop of the ground, to the extent that having a lot of them doesn't matter in many cases: You just cant see them!

 

Or how about the clouds that so many claimed were absolutely fine....... until there finally appeared an alternative; that we are jumping on like somebody dying of thirst being offered a gallon of ice-cold water.  :lol:

 

We wont even mention the "T" word! 

 

When the emperors clothes are looking a little amiss, somebody has to point that out, or things might never get fixed.

[Murmur 3,941]

Im going to have to agree about the demo. I see some very nice shots on avsim and around net, but the demo experience is horrible. If they really want to attract people, then clean up the demo that reflects a little more of what XPX really is. 

Once the VC interface is more intuitive, having an aircraft that doesnt sound like its skidding down the runway, adding custom AI, and with a more plausible scenery that actually looks recognizable rather than just very nice autogen that doesnt take up boatloads of GBs, it will be alot more attractive to even more people. 

 

You make a valid point and I partly agree as well. On the other hand, consider that there are people who (rightfully) complained when they bought X-Plane after trying the demo, and then discovered that the full version was missing global building coverage at airports (while just looking at the demo, one could infer otherwise). So if the demo is too "customized", there will be more people complaining. At least the demo now is representative of the default full version (without add-ons). :smile:

[Jimmy RFR 406]

 

 

At least the demo now is representative of the default full version (without add-ons).

 

I very much agree.  After years of layering up FSX so that it looks nothing like default, I have no misconceptions about what default X-Plane is going to offer.  And after seeing all these screenshots as of late, I have a good idea of what it can look like.

 

I'm just trying to see if what's available to fly, either payware or freeware, matches my interests.

 

In the helicopter world, some research has turned up the following results that look like they range from top of the line to mid grade:

 

N-D Art & Technology - MBB / Kawasaki BK-117
Dreamfoil Creations - Bell 206 Jetranger III
Dreamfoil Creations - Robinson R22 Beta II
Dreamfoil Creations - Eurocopter AS350 B3 Plus
Dawson Designs - Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King  (Virtavia model from FSX??)
Dawson Designs - MD-902 Explorer
STMA - Kaman K-1200 K-MAX

 

Anything I'm missing here?  What's the top, say, two or three?

[Murmur 3,941]

N-D Art & Technology - MBB / Kawasaki BK-117

 

This is universally praised as one of the best helicopters available for X-Plane. Even at www.hovercontrol.com I only heard good things about it.

[Robert McDonald 167]

Well, I had the 'demo' experience, honestly speaking, the time limit was so short that I simply could not make a valid determination of whether or not X-Plane was viable for me or not.  So I bounced back to FSX and then went and bought X-Plane.

 

I disliked the empty airports quite a lot, a real buzz killer.  I missed my beloved PMDG.  I returned to FSX with a vengeance and kind of forgot about X-Plane for a while.

 

Then one day, I got fed up with the memory problems and pretty low frames rates in FSX and thought about X-Plane again.  Why not? I thought.  I already own it!

 

So it began again, and then I met a guy who has a full-size honest-injun Boeing 737 NOSECONE in his garage, with all the overhead, mip, throttle quadrant, lower pedestal, real-deal Boeing seats, in-your-face 18-year project sim!  Plainly speaking, it blew me away.

 

Next thing I knew, I embarked on what I consider a stellar feature of X-Plane, the triple monitor display - but (drumroll) with THREE PCs, one per video display.  Next thing I knew, an all-in-one HP Rove 20" for the glass cockpit, plus Sim-Avionics software.  The FlightDeckSolutions pro-level CDU.  Game-changer!

 

See the results on my YouTube page.  Then you tell me, which is more appealing?  Hint:  If frames really matter to you, you'll likely say X-Plane. Watch the big video (that's from FSX).  Notice the stuttering!  Annoying! Complex airplane + Complex Scenery + Rex Weather = Less than great frames!  Now watch one of the newest tri-screen videos (all are from X-Plane).  What can you say about the smoothness and the graphics quality? It's not even close, IMHO.

 

Now that XSquawkbox has released in 64-bits (and PilotEdge.net can also fly in 64-bits in XPlane), there is no excuse to remain trapped in 32-bit software any longer.  Also, X-Plane can use ALL of your VRAM which is something FSX cannot do.  X-Plane has gotten a LOT better, plus there is a wealth of add-on stuff (free, paid or donation-ware).  Must-own add ons include UrbanMaxx, SkyMaxx Pro 1.1 weather, HD Mesh 2.0, and a wide variety of airports, including fine work by Tom Curtis ("Howdy").  His San Francisco and South Bay stuff is killer, most-notably San Jose and KSFO.

 

Not knocking FSX or Prepar3D, but just sayin... take a look at the frames counter in this short clip from XPlane 10.25

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W802HbTz3ak

[TOGA-saurus 330]

I'm relatively new to x-plane. About two months ago, I perfected my FSX. After years of tweaking and buying the best add-ons, my setup had reached its prime. And then it got boring I decided to try out the XP demo and I was very very impressed immediately. I downloaded some freeware aircraft and I like what I saw. So I bought the Global version from eBay for about €40 brand new, not bad Since then I've been populating it with some incredible payware aircraft, and the cherry on top... SkyMAXX!

I see such a potentially bright future for XP. I think it is miles better than FSX+add-ons. Except for the sound engine, it's a shoddy aural experience. Thought most add-ons come with a fantastic custome 3D sound engine to make up for that.

[Pe11e 812]

Feast your eyes on this: :lol:

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/428012-i-just-had-so-get-this-out/#entry2868840

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/428012-i-just-had-so-get-this-out/#entry2869079

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/426254-omgthe-finest-night-rendered-scene-in-any-flight-simulator/#entry2852085

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427026-x-plane-with-new-hd-mesh/?p=2859683

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427472-xpx-collection/?p=2864090

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427442-various-shots/?p=2863817

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427445-xpx-dal2295-from-salt-lake-city-to-san-diego-caution-bandwidth-alert/?p=2863830

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427570-city-lights/?p=2864878

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427727-ga-randoms/?p=2866243

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/426305-aircraft-perspectives-very-large-2-mb/?p=2852209

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/426726-chopper-in-chicago/?p=2856574

 

I knew this was coming. :lol:

 

I was talking about demo, and as others said here, it is baaad. I'm not talking about full retail version, or with addons. I'm talking about out of the box default XP 10 demo. Demo is there to attract potential simers to buy XP10.  And just because of that utterly awful demo, I would never even consider purchasing XP10.

 

Most of these screens look brilliant, and most of them are with scenery addons. The demo is looking nowhere near this, and I cranked the settings, still was awful. first two links you posted have the best screens of XP10 I've seen in a long time, but 25fps over forest? Unacceptable.

[HiFlyer 9,343]

I'm relatively new to x-plane. About two months ago, I perfected my FSX. After years of tweaking and buying the best add-ons, my setup had reached its prime. And then it got boring I decided to try out the XP demo and I was very very impressed immediately. I downloaded some freeware aircraft and I like what I saw. So I bought the Global version from eBay for about €40 brand new, not bad Since then I've been populating it with some incredible payware aircraft, and the cherry on top... SkyMAXX!

I see such a potentially bright future for XP. I think it is miles better than FSX+add-ons. Except for the sound engine, it's a shoddy aural experience. Thought most add-ons come with a fantastic custome 3D sound engine to make up for that.

I've actually "borrowed" a few sound files from FSX and used them in x-plane.