Does anyone know if this will happen and what the timeframe could be? I think a really good 64 bit simulator is overdue, I wonder if Prepar3d will achieve this in a future version. Is Prepar the definitive choice for PMDG as the platform for future developments so far? I just think that just by having a 64 bit platform similar to fsx would improve performance by quite a lot and allow for more addons unlocking pc power, but I don't know at all if it would be too significant. For example I run a few addons with PMDG aircraft and only get 30 fps average but my cpu usage is around 75% or less most of the time.

Performance doesnt have much to do with 32 or 64bit.  64bit goes beyond the current 4gb Virtual memory limitation we have right now. It will make for more detail and sophisticated addons because they wont have to worry so much about memory. 

 

What we need and so far p3d is starting to do is optimize the poor code of FSX.

If you want 64 bit, then try xplane but its not the holy grail for performance. 

Closest thing to your fantasy would have to be X-Plane!

Speaking as someone who has worked directly with major defense contractors and DoD program managers, I think it's only a matter of time before we see P3D go 64 bit.  It's simply impossible to produce what I firmly believe LM has in mind without either a 64-bit conversation or emulation (reverse "emulation" is sure to draw flies, but it's possible - thanks to today's processor power).

 

The timeline is what is in question and in my opinion it's not all that likely within the next 2 years.

 

I have no crystal ball, I've attended no meetings with these guys and I have no inside track. My hypothesis is based solely on my own past experience and architexture knowledge of some specialized systems, and as any prospectus illudes future performance is not based on fast experience. Add the new licensee of MS Flight Sim franchise (if that is what it turns out to be) and we might see everything in flux.

 

P3D is, I believe, the best chance we have for a 64-bit ESP platform.  Just don't wait around for it, and understand that in the end everyone has plans and speculation, but it's all subject to change.

 

Instead of "what the heck did he just say", realize that any speculation is a long, dark path that may lead to nowhere. LOL

X-Plane is most likely going to be the future flight sim for entertainment purposes, since Prepar3D is only licensed for commercial applications (and LM has not plans on changing that).

 

I've been using X-Plane 10 as my main flight sim for about six months now, and I'm really liking it. The only thing its missing is a PMDG aircraft.  ^_^

Not to mention, it never crashes.  B)

I've been using X-Plane 10 as my main flight sim for about six months now, and I'm really liking it. The only thing its missing is a PMDG aircraft.  ^_^

Not to mention, it never crashes.  B)

Sorry but this is not true. Xplane does crash and quite frequently if you are not careful with how you organise your addon scenery and addon aircraft.

 

David

 

 

The only thing its missing is a PMDG aircraft.

 

It is missing a lot more than just PMDG.

 

Seasonal textures

Real Weather

ATC

Ai

 

It has a long way to go before it is a fully featured platform and at its current rate of developement it could be years before it catches up.

PMDG aircraft are of little use if the Simulator does not support the features that simulating airline operations requires.

Another thing X-Plane is missing is OOMs although we do have OSM. 

It is missing a lot more than just PMDG.

 

Seasonal textures

Real Weather

ATC

Ai

 

It has a long way to go before it is a fully featured platform and at its current rate of developement it could be years before it catches up.

PMDG aircraft are of little use if the Simulator does not support the features that simulating airline operations requires.

 

Seasonal textures - true, X-Plane doesn't have that.

Real weather - X-Plane does in fact have that.

ATC - X-Plane has it, but it's pretty crap.

AI - X-Plane kinda has it.

Another thing X-Plane is missing is OOMs although we do have OSM. 

 

What's an OSM?

Sorry but this is not true. Xplane does crash and quite frequently if you are not careful with how you organise your addon scenery and addon aircraft.

 

David

David, and what do you have to do to keep FSX not chrashing and working fine. There are reasons to use XP and reasons to use FSX.

 

And BTW using P3D is a no go - LM is the biggest killing machine in the world and as a peaceful simmer I will not go with those killers.

Cheers Tom

 

 

What's an OSM?

 

The Open Street Map scenery that is currently making X-Plane look stunning as well as realistic. Roads, railways buildings power lines all in the right place. Its Orbx on steroids and best of all it's free

 

 

Seasonal textures - true, X-Plane doesn't have that.

Real weather - X-Plane does in fact have that.
But it really is not very good, show me a Weather injector as good as ASN on X-Plane

 

ATC - X-Plane has it, but it's pretty crap.
Austin feels that it is perfect, hence it will likely not get much better

 

AI - X-Plane kinda has it.

Again Austin feels it is the best Ai system in any Sim, perfect (in his own words LOL)

 

 

Those last two points illustrate what is holding back X-Plane, Austin just does not get it.

He seems to be incapable of recognising what has made the Microsoft sims so succesful, Xplane may have some outstanding features but it is not a well rounded product

It is Austins design desicions that keep so many away including developers, basically it does not have what it needs to support simulating Airline OPs, namely good ATC and real world levels of Ai.

I'm in favor of open debate, and believe me the more interest expressed in the flight simulation genre the better for us all as it shows current and would be developers that while a niche market, the market is strong AND continues to grow.

 

Discounting Flight, we currently have more than 6 PC based flight simulation products in release and being updated (including by 3rd party) and/or actively being pursued. It is to our collective benefit that this continues.

 

Remembering that P3D is a commercial product (which by license may be used by anyone from a young person not old enough to drive all the way to aviation enthusiasts and pilots, with the goal being to learn aviation.  But LM has their sights trained on civilian and military vehicular training, and ESP has the backbone to facilitate this. 

 

In the past several years, the airlines and military around the world have increasingly focused on advanced simulations rather than flights and operational exercises not only because of the extreme differences in cost, but because simulation provides for tremendously more training, repeatability, lessons learned, playback and further study.

 

Tie the above into LM having thousands of experienced testers (the intermediate to advanced flight simulator enthusiasts) and a large pool of addon developers from which to choose and learn from, and it becomes easy to see why LM opened up P3D to the FS community.  Frankly, it was a stroke of genius by their P3D Program Manager - just the reduction in development costs alone make this an incredible strategic move (seriously, my hat's off the the PM).

 

I'm not forgetting other flight simulators by the way, and there are many positives for each of them.  But the financial strength, ties to many different large airlines and military forces around the globe (a.k.a. the true market) and internal and external resources, well, I don't see how P3D can't grow into something that will blow all our hair back.

I think, no matter which sim you pick, you will never get the perfect sim.

 

X-Plane does have it's faults but let's remember that FSX has grown from many years of re-invention and promotion. The original Flight Simulator had no AI traffic or ATC, even FSX only has basic AI with people upgrading to get better, same with ATC, only a basic on with addons to make it better. Airports, aircraft, land is all very basic in FSX and I don't think many people fly with the standard FSX. Then when you add the extra's then you find more problems such as low framerates and OOMS. Increases in computing power and tweaks help but not cure the problems.

 

Moving over to P3D may keep the wolves from the door for a while and give it a bit more life but I think it will come a time when LM has reached it's limit of what it can do and the it will be up to LM to decide to make a complete rework, then how many addons will work with the new version. Even moving from FSX to P3D v2 is causing problems.

 

I would love to say that X-Plane is the way to go, the trouble with that is the market is not as big as FSX, the programing I guess is a lot different from the language that FSX developers have grown up on and as such it lacks the addon market that makes FSX so popular. I think if you could get PMDG, Majestic, Aerosoft and all the other planes, along with things like ASN, Orbx land or the like and the airports available for FSX in X-Plane then it would be a complete walkover.

 

Saying that, developers such as PMDG are always finding fantastic ways of pushing the FSX boundaries. I'm sure when they fully support P3D then I might change or if X-Plane gets more big developers then that will be the way. Until then I am happy with FSX.

 

And you never know, Microsoft might decide that there is a future in Flight Simulator and bring out FSX11. Then again I could win the lottery this week.... No chance.

FSX11

 

Flight Simulator 10 11?