BlackBox Simulations

[Gizmo05 0]

Greetings Everyone & Happy New Year to all,

 

Just need to find out does anyone have any experience in BBS's A320 and is it worth purchasing? In comparisons to Aerosoft's ABX, how does BBS fair? Your honest opinion would be appreciated.

 

 

Thank you & Regards,

 

[aceridgey 324]

Hi there,

 

To be honest, I would hang fire with BBS. They have produced a good product as it stands, but they are frustratingly slow and I doubt that the completed version will ever make an appearance. I hope to be proved wrong.

 

I would wait until the new update comes out, but also keep an eye on FSL.

 

Alex

[mas618 17]

I own both, and to be honest I find the AXE to be miles ahead. I like my AC as deep as possible in systems and either of the two reaches a satisfying level in my personal, hard-core-simmers opinion , BUT, the AXE is finished, it is well made and it delivers to the point of advertising. The BBC is still WIP and I find the developers are doing everything they can, but they a small number and things are progressing very slowly. Systems wise they both lack certain areas, hard to say wich features you'll miss the most. On that matter they are equally missing some systems features. But in every other aspect - sound, vc modelling, Co-pilot feature(BBS has none) , lightning, general finish, load manager (BBS has none), I find the AXE to be the best product - IN CURRENTS STATE OF THINGS. BBS might turn out to be everything they advertise, but that's all in the future...

 

Mas

And as Alex says, if you can wait for the Fslabs, I would do so! AXE is keeping me over until the Fslabs is out...

 

Mas

[G7USL 117]

I don't know why your contemplating buying a half finished product? It's not as though It's going cheap for beta testing is it?

 

I own the NGX's and the Aerosoft A320's with free upgrades for the forthcoming A319 and 318.  The AXE is finished and I can quite honestly say, It's the most immersive A320 ever.  It has ATC chatter, flight deck crew and much more.  You get a real feeling that your flying something really special and as real as it can get.

Certainly FSLabs are going to have to pull out something very good to beat it.

 

As for BBS well check out their past and ask yourself why they started the A330 before finishing the first project and with no completion even on the horizon.

[aceridgey 324]

As a secondary point I personally wouldn't purchase the Aerosoft Bus now, with the FSL on the Horizon.

 

 

Alex

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

The AXE will be "retrofitted" with additional features being developed for the A318/319 and, after that, for the A330 (as applicable). Currently it also features locked (... to the Airbus) versions of FS2Crew's RAAS and MCE.

 

Definitely value for money, unless you want to wait for FSL's "deep systems simulation".

[G MIDY 26]

The AXE is really good at the moment, the Blackbox product I haven't tried but from what I have seen and gathered from the comments on here it still lags behind on visuals and the systems are practically similar to their PSS roots. If you want a quality simulation that is already well polished with constant development and support than the AXE is the best out there. The Blackbox does provide an A330 which to me is the only thing that distinguishes it above the AXE so far. Again though from what I have heard there are still bugs and issues that are slowly being rectified, the final product just isn't there yet.

[Gizmo05 0]

Thanks Guys!! Appreciate it

[Scarp 20]

I'm a BBS driver, not going into any arguments, but, the BBS 320 package contains all models from 318 to 320 with the 321 coming in the next update. They also contain all engine configurations so there's a whole bunch of models wrapped up in one package. And it works in FSX, P3Dv1 and v2 and you can have it installed in all the sim's.

 

As far as systems go, this is the closest thing you get to airbus as of today.

And updates have been coming on a regular pace up until one of the two developers lost his wife last summer.

Considering that they are only two guys working on it, plus the unfortunate happening last summer, I think the guys are doing well as far as updating the project. Next update will contain not only a 321 but also a brand new VC plus further systems updates and implementations.

 

As far as the "they should finish the 320 first" argument is a moot point in my opinion. What is time consuming in aircraft development is system programming and not necessarily 3D modeling (without detracting anything from that process, I'm a modeler myself). And consider that the airbus systems are much the same over for all aircrafts in a series, I'm certainly not crying my heart out because I got a bunch of different models in one neat package.

 

 

 

 

 

[DavidP 492]

I agree with Scarp. I have both and they offer different things.

 

I chose to purchase BBS as an unfinished product - my choice, so I don't need chastising by other "simmers". I am happy with the way it's developing and as previously mentioned it contains most variants. Hopefully it will reach version 1.0 - if not, well that's the chance you take.

 

FSL - well, we're all assuming it's going to be groundbreaking - perhaps it will be, but I don't think I will be holding my breath waiting for it to be released. Maybe this year we will get a couple more screen shots, perhaps the inside this time...

[FScamp 250]

I wish BBS would get a new update for the A330 within some months, currently especially flight dynamics seem to be a bit off, the roll rate even with full left / right aileron seems extremely slow to me... I really would like to have a well simulated A330 with good enough systems/ flight dynamics / graphics. Currently none of the models out there seem to have all three done well. 

[pao 30]

Was watching again the FSlabs guy at the Aerosoft conference on Youtube...  as soon as FSlabs releases their Airbus, i'll uninstall the Aerosoft straight away...  whatever version they offer...  I also own the BBS one which I uninstalled a few month back.... too buggy....  and I won't be even downloading their coming updates....  I prefer to wait for Fslabs and fly the "real" thing. It will be a game changer and beat all the other aircrafts around   :wub:

[EpicWin 21]

avoid BBS at all cost. useless VC, bugged systems, ugly visuals, badly modeled VC.
Aerosoft, have nice VC, simulating normal procedures, flight from point A to B.. i dont know how much is realistic or not, i never flied with real Airbus and so far its nice to handle i dont care about "thats not realistic".. and the price is low, which is nice.
FSLabs airbus, about i know nothing unless many posts about "most realistic airbus" it keeps me calm. Im not interested into any emergency situations etc.. But if it can fly normal ops better than Aerosoft bus i may consider switching into it. But intil then im calm.

Next bus (probably) on horizon is NLS A380, (reincarnated few day back) nice shots on their FB page.. 

So far i would you recommend to wait untill FSLabs will release their bus and you will see. 

[Lewicide 6]

I have both the bbs a320 and a330 and I am extremely frustrated because I dont have facebook and dont want facebook so I have had no updates from purchase and no way to contact them. At no point did bbs say facebook membership was a requirement, they do not respond to their own zendesk support forum easily the worst support of any sim company I have ever purchased a product from in my many years of flght sims, I dont even get an e-mail about updates if anyone has an e-mail contact for them that works I'apprecizte it rant over

[vc10man 498]

@Lewicide

 

Like you, I detest Facebook and do not want it at any cost, and now thanks to your post, I can keep away from this developer. Thanks for the warning about support.

[MindYerBeak 53]

 

 

I dont even get an e-mail about updates if anyone has an e-mail contact for them that works I'apprecizte it rant over

 

 

As far as I know the only way to stay "up to date" is to read their FB page. Yesterday they said the 0.080 version should be released in 48ish hours.

[Nuno Pinto 648]

Facebook support is useless anyway, they delete whatever posts they dislike. I asked about development some time ago and my post just vanished into thin air. I bought their A330 because there isn't a single good one in the market yet, but i wouldn't buy it if i knew it would turn out like this.

 

Wilco's A330 is untrustable (it steers away from the route whenever it feels like, among TONS of other bugs) but this one isn't much better yet. I just hope this 0.80 update makes it flyable so i can have some enjoyment for my money.

[fluffyflops 856]

so PSS... sorry i meant BBS,,,dont go near it. 

 

just get the ASE... a great product, proper support you dont have to go on bloody facebook or 2 different fourmns to get support,  

 

as for updates, they have been "ready to update" for nearly a year now" once in a while they will put up a picture on facebook showing a "fantastic" new shot of the VC.. 

 

I think they are on the same dessert islands having cocktails as the guy from PRO ATC, although one of their better excuses for not realeasing an update was it was a "bit hot in their office"...

[Lewicide 6]

Does anyone know how you go about getting an update, is there a link anywhere?

 

cheers

[Phillip Gallagher 101]

I need about 10 cumulative updates on the BBS A330.  It's so completely unfinished that it's perhaps the worst aircraft I have ever purchased for FSX...caveat emptor!  

[Finnerz 2]

I've been following the FSLabs a320 forum for a while and it if it has the features they claim (something that seems likely considering all I've heard about their Concorde and the fact it would probably take as much effort to create such lies as doing it properly) it will be the best out there (I think I've seen people compare it to the AXE in a similar way to comparing PMDG to iFly, neither of which I personally own!).  However release doesn't seem to be something to hold out for any time soon - new beta testers would be sought out "soon" in January.

 

PS I've bought the AXE but haven't flown it yet.

[vc10man 498]

 

 

bought the AXE but haven't flown it yet.

Use it with FS2Crew. You will really enjoy it.

[pao 30]

 

They have update their A320 to 0.8 today....  new VC (even worst than 0.70, ugly with stupid face reflections on the ND :rolleyes:  ) and  so many things going wrong from font placement, switches placement on MCDU, missing sounds, navigation line crossing all ND display..   uninstall under process right now.  Can't wait for FsLabs.

[calooom 48]

Well I asked about the A330 update on their Facebook page and got a pretty blunt reply back, asking me to stop asking questions they've answered before. Their aircraft are awful and their customer service follows suit. I'd avoid it at all costs.

 

Their new update 0.8 appears to have more bugs than their previous version and they're shrugging off the complaints on their Facebook page BACK to the customer as though it's their fault.

 

So long BBS.

[fluffyflops 856]

on but the funny thing is theres always 2 lone guys on facebook that love there product, then when you complain they turn around and say they have "1000s of happy customers".... I doubt they sold 200 let alone 1000