P3D v2.3 is absolutely INCREDIBLE!

[twharrell 38]

Welcome to our world, where the sky is bluer, the grass is greener, cockpits are livelier, and flying through a cloud is something you get all giddy about. And all this after doing a simple install without having to follow a 100 step, 20-page setup guide. This is a sim where you actually fly instead of spending endless hours tweaking. It's what we all do this for, and that's for the love of flight. Enjoy!

[N1G 88]

LOL, how is your install going, Bob?   BTW...I was parked in front of the ORBX freeware Global Mackinac Island airport terminal building. It was around 15:00 hours in my sim settings.  I then went to DUSK, and almost fell out of my chair....for the two ORBX people sitting on the bench to the left of the terminal entrance, as well as the person standing at the corner of the building, to their left, started casting shadows onto the terminal wall behind them (because of a pole light about 20 feet away from them), not to mention...the SLOTS of the bench they were sitting on...all brought about by the HDR engine.  I took off...and no more 'one minute it is dusk...with time chunks, making things go darker...nope...but now, such a slow transition (real world) that you feel you are there...as day gives way to night.  I also now believe as I headed alongside I-75 Southbound, that with ORBX Global installed, and their Vector lighting system, now  being processed by the new HDR routines....you now have the finest night environment, that.... has finally eclipsed XPX.  Another way to state it...is if anybody has been thinking about picking up those Night Environment Programs of different cities.... well...you now have that exact and busy look....but GLOBALLY!  The HDR system in v.2.3 is responsible for that...in how it parses specular light radiation.   I haven't even begun to reach out to this sim..and explore all the new enhancements.  Enhancements, by the bucket load.....

 

You know Mitch, I believe I can fly after reading that. Fly like an Eagle. I just feel like leaving on a jet plane and doing the Loop De Loop. Why don't you come fly with me when you get some time?

 

Great Job Bud! I did get the install done and am fiddling with all the goodies. Just have ORBX PNW. I just cant get myself to like the water though, and it even looks worse in HDR. Next I will be

 

installing new clouds and lights, and taking a flight, then coming back to try another hack. 

 

I am excited about 2.3. And by the way, great detailed review LOL. You crack me up!

 

Bob

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

 

You know Mitch, I believe I can fly after reading that. Fly like an Eagle. I just feel like leaving on a jet plane and doing the Loop De Loop. Why don't you come fly with me when you get some time?

 

Great Job Bud! I did get the install done and am fiddling with all the goodies. Just have ORBX PNW. I just cant get myself to like the water though, and it even looks worse in HDR. Next I will be

 

installing new clouds and lights, and taking a flight, then coming back to try another hack. 

 

I am excited about 2.3. And by the way, great detailed review LOL. You crack me up!

 

Bob

 

Glad that I can entertain, (wink).

[sparkie66 81]

Yeah...I hear ya...I'm getting 'the look', too......

 

The one with the rolling eyes? 

[Christopher Low 5,332]

For an update to this story, see the "P3D v2.3 is absolutely RUBBISH" thread. Coming soon to a flightsim forum near you :wink:

[pkofman 4]

Hey you guys are pretty excited. Im almost with you except i have allot of Blue triangles on the terrain , evidently courtesy of Nvidia drivers. So no tessellation. 

Can you guys let me know what card/drivers you are using to achieve these fantastic results.

Pete

[niyoko 7]

I'd have to agree. So far v2.3 is running like a champ! It is by far a nice bump in performance over v2.2 on the same settings.

 

I have done a clean install to avoid the mess that everyone is having. After that I installed REX4, FTX Global, and A2A's Piper Cherokee. I'm using REX3 for the weather engine since ASN is broken for v2.3 at the moment.

[FlyBaby 659]

LOL, how is your install going, Bob?   BTW...I was parked in front of the ORBX freeware Global Mackinac Island airport terminal building. It was around 15:00 hours in my sim settings.  I then went to DUSK, and almost fell out of my chair....for the two ORBX people sitting on the bench to the left of the terminal entrance, as well as the person standing at the corner of the building, to their left, started casting shadows onto the terminal wall behind them (because of a pole light about 20 feet away from them), not to mention...the SLOTS of the bench they were sitting on...all brought about by the HDR engine.  I took off...and no more 'one minute it is dusk...with time chunks, making things go darker...nope...but now, such a slow transition (real world) that you feel you are there...as day gives way to night.  I also now believe as I headed alongside I-75 Southbound, that with ORBX Global installed, and their Vector lighting system, now  being processed by the new HDR routines....you now have the finest night environment, that.... has finally eclipsed XPX.  Another way to state it...is if anybody has been thinking about picking up those Night Environment Programs of different cities.... well...you now have that exact and busy look....but GLOBALLY!  The HDR system in v.2.3 is responsible for that...in how it parses specular light radiation.   I haven't even begun to reach out to this sim..and explore all the new enhancements.  Enhancements, by the bucket load.....

 

Just to clarify your description...

 

On my machine, FSX has always ruled the day (flying), and XPX has always ruled the night (flying). I have alway thought that XPX has an awesome way to cast light onto objects that seemed real (and not just glowing textuers to appears as if light is casting). Such as, the car headlights that cast onto roads and sparkles across water etc in XPX.

 

So...are you saying that P3D now has that "casting light" effect that is similar to the way XPX looks at night? Meaning, I could finally have the best of both worlds in one sim?

[CarlosF 1,234]

So...are you saying that P3D now has that "casting light" effect that is similar to the way XPX looks at night?

 

 

XPX is way way better at casting light effects in HDR mode, just can't compare with what P3D has to offer, PERIOD.

 

A few days ago I paid for the a 30 day test run and downloaded 2.2,  I was really impressed with what LM has done visually and performance wise, kind of made me think again the possibility of taking the plunge. Then here comes 2.3, after downloading the 155mb file and updated, I just didn't had the same experience i had with 2.2 performance wise using same settings. So I said, ok lest just re-download and install a fresh 2.3,....total disappointment, 2.3 is just not up to par with 2.2 in terms of performance and honestly I didn't see any major improvements. I don't see anywhere in 2.3 what Mitch has very so enthusiastically described.

 

So,  I would take Mitch's enthusiasm with a little bit of salt.

 

 

You are now flying in a real world...through real atmospherics, that have NOT been processed or duplicated by any other sim to date

 

I'm I missing something 'cause as far as I know, P3D doesn't have an option to depict real weather...unless I'm too blind and haven't seen that option.

Also do mind sharing what changes you made to the CFG file and settings that made p3d absolutely INCREDIBLE?

I like to give P3d a chance but so far my experience has been too many microstutters and I still see autogen behaving like popcorn.

 

thx 

[Jim Robinson 122]

Hey you guys are pretty excited. Im almost with you except i have allot of Blue triangles on the terrain , evidently courtesy of Nvidia drivers. So no tessellation. 

Can you guys let me know what card/drivers you are using to achieve these fantastic results.

Pete

 

337.88 is the one you want for the time being.

[iGorland 0]

I really dont like it

 

I hate it

 

Cause now I cant do my work, cant clean the room, cant go eat supper, cant go to bed... and the list goes on

 

The wife ran out screaming something about stupid f@ games

 

wonder what that was about? its not a game its academic learning ! How dare she

:t4020:

 

maybe I can tweak the wife to be ok with it?

 

Anyone know what folder is her cfg file in?

You need to constantly update her shoes software.

[nathanpinard 0]

But, having said that, I can NOT stress strongly enough, that what has me so excited about this version (v2.3) can NOT be captured in a still, screen grab.  You are now flying in a real world...through real atmospherics, that have NOT been processed or duplicated by any other sim to date.  I am even calling out XPX on this.  No other flight simulator, will give you real-time light scatter changes that occurred, as I turned from downwind, to cross-wind, and then onto final to Mackinac Island.  Folks...(for those obviously that also do not have v2.3 running on their system already), you are now to all the visual senses...flying an aircraft through light, darkness, shadow, bright sunlight. From the shadows that move and play across your cockpit, from the new, intense sunlight swaths that almost blinds you...as it sweeps, or flashes briefly, across the instruments as you taxi....totally new..never before seen, via the HDR engine.....all of this, will not be captured with a screen grab.

 

You are acting like everything is brand new and it isn't. P3D 2.2 had a lot of the same effects. The 2.3 HDR can't be that much better. The performance however is supposed to be.

[CaptCWGAllen 49]

Well I am with Mitch. The transformation is just stunning. The HDR lighting is so realistic even down to creating eye adjustment as you turn into bright sunlight. The night environment is also much much better - but no it doesn't have the light casting as does XPX which is very realistic - but it does have more variation in the night lighting which gives it a very nice visual - vastly improved. I still get a slight feeling though of disappointment that the street lights and taxi/runway lights are just floating orbs in P3D, whereas X Plane has lamp posts and stanchions which are very realistic in isolation if not a bit monotonous in that they are so uniform.

 

One silly little thing I noticed flying near Prince Rupert in Orbx PNW at night is that all the channel buoys are all properly placed and lit at night (red and green). Not seen that in any sim before but I may have missed it. Really adds to be immersion though.

 

But overall my vote now goes to P3D for overall lighting effects by some margin night and day - you do feel like you have real sunshine during the day, with real shadows etc - much closer call at night but P3D just shaves it. This was not the case for me in v2.2 and I kept going back to X Plane for full immersion - but not now. Will post a screen shot of the sun on the panel of my A2A Cherokee tomorrow when back with my PC - it is stunning - I use three monitors so when I post it if you have three monitors be sure to show if full screen. If not you will sort of get the effect but not in the same way.

 

The only issue I have with the visuals is the extremely shiny water - using REX TD HD with the P3D HDR option ticked. But no matter which ocean and wave setting I use the water is too shiny. I believe LM are working on water issue as are a REX. But if anyone has found a way to dull the ocean down a bit please share.

 

Performance is now very fluid - the equal of X Plane. LM really have pulled the rabbit out of the hat in all areas. It is so compelling.......and yes I too am getting those looks from the other half....it is so hard to close down the sim....just want more and more!

 

Cheers Peter

[N1G 88]

Well I got a few things adjusted with HDR enabled and I must say that coming into KSEA at dusk does not get any better, and I have come in and out of that airport 50 times in a ten year period. I had the "Building Storms" weather theme, Max clouds, and the lighting was incredible. A little bit overdone I think, as the lights at the airport terminal were way to bright. Other than turning down the brightness on the monitor I guess there is no tuning it. All in all though, with a little give and take on the reflections and shadows, and it is lookin good. 

 

Bob

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

You are acting like everything is brand new and it isn't. P3D 2.2 had a lot of the same effects. The 2.3 HDR can't be that much better. The performance however is supposed to be.

"Well..I might get a 'you're naughty private post from AVSIM'..and will take that risk...when I reply, with v2.3 HDR as a discussion point....."...it sure as hell is!"   Ok..I'm ready, with my body padding on...lol.  

 

The flight from KFNT, to Mackinac Island in this version was breathtaking..and as it transitioned into night...the HDR blew...me...away!  Nothing blew me away in this regard with v2.2.  It was FSX on steroids.  P3D v2.3 is a new sim all on its own...

 

As a result, I will be removing FSX (redundant now...totally redundant...) as soon as all my paid-for ORBX candy has been given the 'tripple-install' wax and shine. When that happens, I shall retire FSX with all honors......it has done its job...and now can rest in peace....P3D v2.3 and beyond that in the franchise, will be the wind in my sails....  P3D...long live, the King.....

XPX is way way better at casting light effects in HDR mode, just can't compare with what P3D has to offer, PERIOD.

 

A few days ago I paid for the a 30 day test run and downloaded 2.2,  I was really impressed with what LM has done visually and performance wise, kind of made me think again the possibility of taking the plunge. Then here comes 2.3, after downloading the 155mb file and updated, I just didn't had the same experience i had with 2.2 performance wise using same settings. So I said, ok lest just re-download and install a fresh 2.3,....total disappointment, 2.3 is just not up to par with 2.2 in terms of performance and honestly I didn't see any major improvements. I don't see anywhere in 2.3 what Mitch has very so enthusiastically described.

 

So,  I would take Mitch's enthusiasm with a little bit of salt.

 

 

 

I'm I missing something 'cause as far as I know, P3D doesn't have an option to depict real weather...unless I'm too blind and haven't seen that option.

Also do mind sharing what changes you made to the CFG file and settings that made p3d absolutely INCREDIBLE?

I like to give P3d a chance but so far my experience has been too many microstutters and I still see autogen behaving like popcorn.

 

thx 

I do not reference weather injection...but the look of the sky and ground around you, as you fly...and being transformed in color tone, and hue in real time via HDR as objects interact and develop around you....it is the SKY...the atmospherics you are flying through that no other sim to date can now touch....nope!   Because of this...FSX is being retired. I just can't go back to firing it up...when I know what the same scene...the same X-Y would look like to fly and interact with...in P3D v2.3, fully raked out....all lighting effects enabled.  No...as of last night, I have no desire to fire up FSX, unless it is a scenery that has not been tripple- treated...(smile).  This suits me.  There are others that this scenario will not....and that is fine.