P3D V2 as it stands

[Padpilot 0]

Hi simmers,

 

I'm very new to the whole flight sim world but have recently invested heavily in hardware. I need to make a decision within the next couple of weeks on which flight sim software to use, FSX or P3DV2.

 

I plan to use it to run an Engravity MiP probably with ProSim737 or the SimAvionics suite. The rig is an over clocked I7,

with 16Gb RAM, SSDs, Nvidia 770 and 64 bit Win 7.

 

Clearly P3D ought to be the obvious choice but I've noticed that as experience grows with it more people seem to be finding serious bugs.

 

Bottom line: is P3D2 ready and stable enough to run it in a training environment or should I use FSX to start with whilst waiting for P3D to mature a bit?

 

Id be really grateful for some thought from the experts!

 

Many thanks in anticipation,

 

Graham

[Dillon 2,197]

Hi simmers,

 

I'm very new to the whole flight sim world but have recently invested heavily in hardware. I need to make a decision within the next couple of weeks on which flight sim software to use, FSX or P3DV2.

 

I plan to use it to run an Engravity MiP probably with ProSim737 or the SimAvionics suite. The rig is an over clocked I7,

with 16Gb RAM, SSDs, Nvidia 770 and 64 bit Win 7.

 

Clearly P3D ought to be the obvious choice but I've noticed that as experience grows with it more people seem to be finding serious bugs.

 

Bottom line: is P3D2 ready and stable enough to run it in a training environment or should I use FSX to start with whilst waiting for P3D to mature a bit?

 

Id be really grateful for some thought from the experts!

 

Many thanks in anticipation,

 

Graham

 

P3D v2 for sure. It's a refined version of FSX where like most software all you need to do is install it, configure the in sim menu options to give you the best performance for your system, and your done. FSX is too cumbersome meaning it doesn't work right out the box without you tweaking config files, overclocking your CPU, and whatever else that's needed to get it to run half as decent as what you'd get from P3D v2 (it was coded for hardware that never made it to the market). P3D v2 is new so add-on's will trickle down over the next few months. All of FSX stuff needs minimal tweaking by the developers to get their products to work in P3D v2. So have patience and get into this hobby for the love of flying not side IT work.

[dskviator 4]

Let me start by saying I have zero experience with P3D, but based on similar observations as I am following the discussions on avsim and other sources, how much time are you willing to spend on getting things to work, given that you might have some already to do with the hardware setup itself as this will be your first. FSX costs USD30. Atleast once you setup FSX with a stable suite on your hardware and it's all configured, we know it works very well and so many have done it before, then you can consider P3D when you would've kind of been there done that and probably know the difference. Diving head first into Hardware and P3D both of which might be new to you, atleast I would think twice as it offers too much variables. I won't be sure which is failing, you know what I mean.

 

All the same, good luck with your setup, whichever way you choose to go.

[Matthijs 79]

If you are new to the flightsim world, start with Prepar3d V2. This is the future for sure. And it's a platform with great support from LM.

[Dillon 2,197]

I'll add to the above post by Charan and offer a different point of view. Setting up new hardware is one thing but having to fanangle with FSX to get it tuned right and chase down tweaks that work best for your system is silly. P3D v2 is new and easy to get into. Just install and go. The only configuring you'll have to do is like you would any other software title and that's adjusting the in-sim menu settings to suit your needs. You won't be in the middle of training with an OOM issue popping up out the blue. The best advice we all can give to you is only use 100% P3D 'v2' compatible add-ons. The only issue at this point with it being new is getting our add-ons in this community to work with it. You have the hardware all you need to do is install and go. Yes FSX is only $30 but it's not even made to exploit much less use today's current hardware efficiently. Get the Academic License for P3D v2 with a 60 day money back guarantee. In another year or two P3D (whatever version by then) will be the standard for this community, might as well get on board now.

[dskviator 4]

I'll add to the above post by Charan and offer a different point of view. *snip*

 

Point well taken

[CT5 1]

Fsx users have suffered too long with tweaks, theories, overclocking, CTD's, stutters, FPS limiters,etc,etc,etc,etc,  Go with P3Dv2.  It is the future and it looks bright too.  What an interesting time for flight simulation!

[KingGhidorah 209]

I'll add to the above post by Charan and offer a different point of view. Setting up new hardware is one thing but having to fanangle with FSX to get it tuned right and chase down tweaks the work best for your system is silly. P3D v2 is new and easy to get into. Just install and go. The only configuring you'll have to do is like you would any other software title and that's adjusting the in-sim menu settings to suit your needs. You won't be in the middle of training with an OOM issue popping up out the blue. The best advice we all can give to you is only use 100% P3D 'v2' compatible add-ons. The only issue at this point with it being new is getting our add-ons in this community to work with it. You have the hardware all you need to do is install and go. Yes FSX is only $30 but it's not even made to exploit much less use today's current hardware efficiently. Get the Academic License for P3D v2 with a 60 day money back guarantee. In another year or two P3D (whatever version by then) will be the standard for this community, might as well get on board now.

 

Dillon, lets keep this friendly of course, but almost nothing of what I'm reading indicates that P3D is just an install and go affair, at least not at this point, or for everybody.  Is this truly where P3D stands? I don't have it myself yet, but I guess you're fully up and running with it now, with your new hardware and stuff, right, so you can attest that it is completely tweak/workaround/trouble free in it's vanilla form?

[Padpilot 0]

Wow! Many thanks for all the advice. What a great forum! The last thing I need to do is spend time tweaking, this isn't a hobby for me but a necessity for training ATPL students!

 

I'm hugely relieved to hear that most of you think P3D is ready for the job!

[Padpilot 0]

Not up and running yet - still buying kit for the 737 rig. I've spent the last 3 weeks getting our A320 FDS hardware and software up and running. Talk about baptism of fire! The A320 is running on FSX and for the moment. My operating principle is if i aimt broke don't fix it!

 

However, for the new 737 system Im starting completely from scratch.

[Noel 4,486]

 

 

Is this truly where P3D stands?

There are definite bugs, few products are 'optimized' for V2 and hopefully there is such a thing as optimization for V2, but yes you can start it, run it, enjoy it, many/most add ons work w/ it w/o many or any issues.  But clearly, it's not polished and those bugs while not complete show stoppers do appear to be actively being addressed (visit the V2 forum at P3D, and even 3PD sites like ORBX and presumably others).  In practical terms, I can create a flight plan & run it with NO problems, as long as I use the known workarounds for the known issues.

[Dillon 2,197]

Dillon, lets keep this friendly of course, but almost nothing of what I'm reading indicates that P3D is just an install and go affair, at least not at this point, or for everybody.  Is this truly where P3D stands? I don't have it myself yet, but I guess you're fully up and running with it now, with your new hardware and stuff, right, so you can attest that it is completely tweak/workaround/trouble free in it's vanilla form?

First of all you can't compare what it takes to get FSX up and running to P3D v2 even at this stage where it could use a patch for the minor issues reported, that's my main point here. Most of the issues people are reporting concern trying to run the sim with settings higher than they should, hack installing FSX add-ons, or needing to upgrade their hardware. Outside of that the issues reported aren't show stoppers from using the sim. With FSX if you don't find the right tweak it's a show stopper. Most after a few initial rounds are finding they like P3D v2. J van E, Arwen, and others have attested that they can install, configure the menu options to suit their machines and go. No one is saying they have to go into config files in the way one had to do with FSX. If you can find those write-ups let me know. Here's two examples on my end:

 

Here J van E had a situation trying to use FSX add-ons, after he went back to default to wait for official patches P3D v2 had no issue. P3D v2 runs great most are reporting vanilla:

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427860-back-to-hell/page-10

 

Here we have Arwen's testimate to P3D v2, she's using it with FTX Global:

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/428296-prepar3d-v2-with-ftx-global/

 

I trust these people along with the likes of PMDG and Aersoft who are jumping on board to support this for a reason. I'll have the sim up and running soon enough but until then I challenge you to find me posts where people have to tweak P3D v2 with config hacks like they have to do with FSX. The OP will have far less work installing/configuring P3D v2 than he'll have with FSX.

[Matthijs 79]

I can also confirm: P3D V2 works perfect without any tweak on my system.

[KingGhidorah 209]

I can also confirm: P3D V2 works perfect without any tweak on my system.

 

I should think it would be running quite nicely with your 5ghz overclock and 760 card

[Matthijs 79]

That's right, but for FSX I had to use a lot of tweaks to run it nice and stable.