Nothing wrong having a negative opinion of a product, but your 2ct would be more helpful to a reader if you list some specific details of exactly what it was you didn't like ... you really haven't provided anything specific. Of course being specific means you open the door for counter views/information ... but that's all part of the process of providing an opinion.

 

Rob,

 

I thought i did give some info, my main problem is erratic fps behavior from teens to 80's or so, with rex, asn orbx+ vector, nothing else. While my machine is decent.

 

The " want to like " is certainly true for me, because while arwen seems to think I'm xp10 all the way, this is far from true. Fsx and p3dv2 are much more visually immersive, but I just cannot get decent performance, I only ask roughly consistent 30 Fps or so.

 

I, mistakenly?, thought OP could benefit from my personal experience, as well as from the other posters...

 

I don't go into forums to insult people or just to bash a product I still use.

 

Roland

Arwen, sorry. I will refrain from giving my opinion before i check with you If you approve. My bad.

 

Some people see insults in everything, but call someone else petty almost in the same sentence.

 

sparkie66, I don't look for insults, but you came here and wrote a post on the Prepar3D forum and pretty much insulted everyone here who has stated that they like P3D . . . like we are all delusional or something, just because we prefer P3D over your preferred flightsims, What did you expect?

 

I stated that it would be petty of me to do that, because I honestly would feel petty doing that, based on my own feelings about what these forums are intended for. Petty has a lot of meanings, and I'm sorry if you took what I wrote the wrong way . . . my intended use was: "of lesser or secondary importance" . . . as in, going to sim's A forum and stating that Sim B is better, is NOT the best use of these forums (based on my view that these forums are mostly for support).  Unlike your post, I was trying to be fair, and stated what I saw as the positives and negatives of BOTH P3D2 and XP10.

Arwen,

 

This is the trouble with forums, where you cannot see the other person, like in normal conversation.

 

I did not mean any insult to anyone, I am not married to xplane(I recently bought p3dv2, the orbx stuff and rex, asn all for p3dv2). I guess my wording needs adjustment when I post stuff. I will take care to do that next time.

 

My apologies for any insult taken.

 

Roland

my main problem is erratic fps behavior from teens to 80's or so, with rex, asn orbx+ vector, nothing else. While my machine is decent.

 

So your only negative is erratic fps?  I'd recommend you lock at 30 fps rather than unlimited.  You will need to tune REX, ASN, Orbx products (including Vector).  I've posted links to my settings in numerous threads, but here they are again, specifically for ASN, Orbx, REX: http://www.robainscough.com/Prepar3D_Settings_TIR5.php.

 

If you want extremely good AA then these settings are good for that purpose: http://www.robainscough.com/P3D_2_3WY6.php (but not good for fps).

 

My system is decent also, not "top of the line" but decent and I have no problem finding a good compromise of visuals to fps.  Orbx Vector (all features enabled) and ASN (with many cloud layers) will place a heavy load on the CPU/GPU.

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

 

So your only negative is erratic fps?  I'd recommend you lock at 30 fps rather than unlimited.  You will need to tune REX, ASN, Orbx products (including Vector).  I've posted links to my settings in numerous threads, but here they are again, specifically for ASN, Orbx, REX: http://www.robainsco...ttings_TIR5.php.

 

rob,

 

I know of your testing and website, it's in my favorites. I tried it locked at 20 even for some reason it dips to 15 or so erraticly.

 

Could it be vector? I did a reinstall because my disk died, and I have screenshots from before the reinstall with 40 - 59 fps sitting in an aerosoft apt with 4/8 clouds. Running win 8 btw, but doubt win 7 will be better. (no odd processes or services running as far as i could tell, disks/ ram and cpu have room to spare)

 

Would hate to do a complete wipe again.

 

Roland

 

 

 I don't believe there is a demo for FSX (correct me if I'm wrong)?

 

 

There was a pre-release demo for FSX that included a small area around st maarten. I don't remember if that demo supported 3rd party addons, but I'm fairly sure you couldn't test addons in that demo. FSX is so cheap these days many people get it for free. I got a second copy from a mate who got it for free with a laptop he bought.

I have been flying Flight Sim since it was Bruce Artwick's baby at SubLogic. For anyone up here who is older than dirt (like me - note my picture ), they will remember the cockpit panel and the airport at Chicago Meigs Field. Compared to that, and that I have owned every version of MS Flight Sim since that "attempt", it's easy to say that FSX, with all of its bug-a-boos, is still very much a very good sim. When you add the realism created by developers like PMDG and A2A and CoolSky, etc. it can still go head-to-head with P3D and XP10.

 

That being said, IMNSHO, until someone comes along with a 64-bit system that gives me everything FSX does, I'll sit right here.  I have yet to try P3D, but as LM has developed P3D as a simulation system for everything from aircraft to ships, tanks and submarines, I don't think they're going to cater to us mainly.  I'm itching to try it, but with the huge investment I have in FSX add-ons that may or may not work with P3D, I'm not sure I want to spend the money. I know I don't have to buy the full-blown version, and I have 2 500 Gb drives, so I have the room and resources.

 

I'm gonna hang tight and hopefully someone will do the work to give us a FSX in 64-bit mode. Now THAT would be awesome!

I guess I will find out, as I"m downloading P3D now.

 

One thing to note about P3D. LM doesn't exactly have a lack of funds, and seems to have given the developers full control of the product. (Speculation)

 

Otherwise, lighting, DX11, etc would not be important. Only the feel and mechanics would be (which is valid too, but some eye candy can't hurt)

Okay I just saw P3D on a bud's pc and it it is much better than FSX for many reasons.

 

But BUT does anyone know if PMDG will release content for it and will it be much more expensive...?

 

Also, will the LDS 763 work in P3D?

Arwen,

 

This is the trouble with forums, where you cannot see the other person, like in normal conversation.

 

I did not mean any insult to anyone, I am not married to xplane(I recently bought p3dv2, the orbx stuff and rex, asn all for p3dv2). I guess my wording needs adjustment when I post stuff. I will take care to do that next time.

 

My apologies for any insult taken.

 

Roland

 

No problem at all, and I'm also sorry if my reply came off the wrong way. Due to a severe head injury when I was little, I have language issues, and I tend to be very literal (not a good combination for someone trying to communicate through an internet forum).

 

Rob's suggestion in setting you FPS to a locked 30 is a good one, but that does not mean that your FPS won't drop below that at times. As I posted earlier, P3D needs to be better optimized, and improving performance is suppose to be the main focus for the next update. The problem is that, in its current state, P3D's graphic options can be set way higher than what most of our systems can effectively handle (the same is true for X-Plane 10), so we have to be a bit more conservative in the settings that we use. For many sliders, 50% (midway) in P3D2 is about the same as 100% in FSX (for a similar setting), yet too many users expect to be able to use the same setting for P3D2 as they did for FSX (and then they get upset because their FPS drop to the basement). One other thing that I have noticed is that you can often change a setting in P3D without seeing any difference in FPS . . . UNTIL you restart the sim. This is why it is so important to find the settings that work best and then stop messing with them, and just fly the sim.

 

Yes, Orbx's Vector can result in a big FPS drop in some areas, since it can make the scenery a lot more complex by adding a lot more roads and water features/details. Have you tried using Orbx's FTX Vector Configurator to reduce some of the scenery that Vector is adding? Using Vector does not have to be an all or nothing addon.

 

Have you tried using an external FPS Limiter with P3D? I have an EVGA graphics card, and EVGA's Precision X overclocking software includes an option to enable a FPS TARGET LIMITER (there are similar utilities available for other GPUs). I generally set it to 30-35 FPS, and then in the P3D Settings, I set target FPS to Unlimited. The end result for me, is that P3D runs smoother, with more consistent FPS, and with less stutters. I've been using this for quite a while and it does really improve performance. This is one of the two tweaks I am using for P3D, the other is the addition of AffinityMask=242 in the Prepar3d.cfg.

I'm FS4 forever, then FS9...now FSX. I bought Prepar3D (got bored waiting for PMDG SP1/300ER) over the weekend and been flying around with it. Then tweaked it so that

my system can handle all the neat features.

I tell you, this sim is fantastic, after installing some of my payware airports like Flightbeam, FSDT, ORBX Global and Carenado planes the sim experience is much better,

I like the clouds shadow movement on the ground, when the plane is flying under it casting a darker shadow and VC shadow movement are just awesome.

Right now it looks faster than FSX cuz i have not installed a lot of add-ons, Will see once i start putting all my paywares that are compatible for this platform.

I will probably use it for props and VFR flights and use FSX for airliner route flying.

 

 

Kin M.

(Klax)

 

 

But BUT does anyone know if PMDG will release content for it and will it be much more expensive...

 

Yes, PMDG have stated that it will be more expensive for the P3D version and "might" be out late 2014, but it doesn't appear to be a high priority for PMDG.  In the meantime, try CS 777 for P3D (latest version) ... the CS 777 brings a lot to the table for a fraction of the cost ($40).

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

 

Could it be vector?

 

Yes, Orbx Vector is very hard on FPS, especially if you have road traffic settings turned up ... even at just 10% it can generate A LOT of road traffic.  Don't get me wrong, Orbx Vector brings a lot more realism to the simulation ... but as always, at an fps cost ... nothing is for free.  My links include Orbx Vector settings to help out with fps.

 

Cheers, Rob.

Sacrifices for the future... I remember when I first got Prepar3D (v1.2) there was nearly nothing  "P3D ready"... And I know it was even worse for the very first adopters of it.  We had to finagle our way to get product installed by whatever means necessary. And a lot of times "behind closed doors".. We didn't admit or say we were flying such and such aicraft or addons in Prepar3D. More of a *wink wink* *nod nod*..

 

It's really amazing how far reaching and fast the acceptance of Prepar3D has come by developers by adopting their installers and products for it. As a user it seems like forever but in the grand scheme of how software development works. It has actually been insanely fast. 

Ok every, this is what my experiences are with P3D in about 4 hours of tweaking. Remember, I can only really compare this to FSX on Youtube, not on my machine. And of course the things I've heard.

 

Specs:

2600k OC'd to 4.3

32GB Ram

GTX 680ti with 3gb RAM OC'd +100core +700memory

SSD

 

I flew the default stock F22, which goes quite fast forcing things to load very fast.

 

Vanilla install with no OC'ing on the graphics card gave me 30fps city, 60 highway on full settings. Capping FPS to 30 in P3D made it at 30 the whole time.

 

Then I installed:

 

P3D

Rex Texture Direct 4

ORBX NA Blue (KDPX is the starting point)

 

This is what changed things drastically framerate wise, so I knew I was going to have to do some tweaking. This is what I have found out. My FPS was 12-15 in the city, 30 highway with no tweaks with ORBX and REX installed.

 

However, I must stress this. There was NO STUTTERING, so 15fps was still flyable.

 

Things to note:

 

Venetubo works with P3D

 

"Level of Detail" is a framerate killer. I turned it all the way down and it got me about 10fps extra

 

You don't need to load ultra textures, max AA, or MAX anisotropic filtering. It doesn't add much. I have it on 2048 texture size. I chose 2x MSAA and Trilinear filtering. Though I may play with that a bit after my result. The texture size on the scenery tab seems to affect it more, though the resolution selection would be for the cockpit as well.

 

Scenery should be maxed if you are using FTX or other scenery packs. The mesh and texture resolution should be maxed as well (but not level of detail) You CAN lower it, but you lose some of what FTX gives.

 

REX tells you to install DT5 as the compression algorithm is better, but that ate FPS for me. Setting it to 32bit set me at about 15-20fps in the city, and didn't make any visual difference.

 

I set the resolution of the clouds and roads to the lowest in REX. It actually makes the clouds look a bit fluffier. I will tweak these settings now that I've found a decent FPS.

 

I set all the DX11 I could.

 

By this time I was getting about the same frame rates. (15-20ish in city) Then realized:

 

I had my FPS capped to 30. (in P3D)

 

I set my FPS to unlimited and bam!

 

25-28 fps in the city, sometimes 30, and then going up and up as you get away from the city.

 

Then I loaded a GA (stock Baron 58) aircraft, and it's even smoother, though the FPS seems to stay (it's a slower aircraft)

 

Weather so far doesn't affect any framerates much at all that I can see.

 

 

So the verdict is, I was able to get good framerates in P3D after doing a bunch of tweaking. Unfortunately I am not able to text any major payware aircraft at this time. And we have no idea how PDMG will fare.

 

That being said, P3D relays on a lot of the GPU, and my understand is FSX relies on the CPU. So hopefully PDMG won't get hit too hard as it's fairly CPU intensive.

 

NOTE: When I first loaded P3D I had tons of white squares everywhere. If you get this, uninstall your nVidia drivers and re-install, but DO NOT use the beta ones.

 

*cringes at poorly written post*

Sorry had to get my thoughts down before bedtime!

For me P3D is most certainly looking like the future for me, and if they do manage to get it into a 64 bit code, consider myself sold and FSX will permanently be on the shelf for eternity at that point. P3D 2.0+ looks absolutely astonishing and like many others have said LM, cares about the product and are putting many many hours into it to make it as viable to the user base as possible.