Purchase of P3D can be done at any time now or in the future

 

 

If ever or when P3D takes advantage of 64bit I will move over then.

 

Be careful with this if you are a PMDG user.  During the original post RSR made about PMDG and P3D he made a cryptic comment regarding that the cost would be more prohibitive once the move to 64-bit had been made.  I have asked several times what this comment means and if it would apply going forward and have had no answer. 

 

So at least in my case i moved over to P3D, unlike "Aceridgy" i have seen little benefit over FSX DX10 and the cost was substantial.  Was it not for the above RSR statement i would have stayed with FSX.

I too was on the fence, but jumped in with 2.4. Initially I was pretty happy. But then I started noticing a few things. Here's what I found:

 

LIkes:

1. Cloud shadows and lighting

2. Much improved frame rates (Seattle)

3. No autogen popping

4. VC shadows

5. Much improved picture quality (not much jaggies)

6. Improved AI fps hit

7. Handling feels more realistic

 

Dislikes:

1. Clouds (they don't render as well as FSX)

2. Water (same)

3. Can't use ENB (FSX looks so much better with it, and SweetFX isn't as good handling bloom)

4. Can't see AI strobes in distance at night.

5. Occasional graphic spiking

 

So on the whole there are more positives, but clouds and water are a big deal for me, and one reason why I'm keeping FSX. And yes I've tried many different textures (REX Ess and REX4) and settings. But I will continue to fly P3D.

 

I installed 2.5 and it was a big disaster. Lots of graphic corruption. I have a 3Gb card. Tried several things to no avail, so went back to 2.4, which aside from the occasional spiking, works well.

This is interesting thread. I include myself on the fence but nobody has provided a comparision between FSX Steam and P3D 2.5.

 

A lot of people are also saying good things about FSX Steam and I know that I wouldn't need to re-purchase PMDG aircrafts for this sim.

 

So if I am to jump which way should I jump ???

P3D is on the horizon, but still a ways off for me for several reasons, in addition to those mentioned above. 

 

1. My current FSX rig is about at it's limits, so any worthwhile install of P3D would require a new system build, so there is ~1000USD.  

 

2.I am a certified pilot, and P3D is professional flight training software, I would be obligated to go with the P3D & Addon pro licences because any flying I do in P3D could be seen as refresher training.  +$$$.  

 

3. I also don't see the current jump in simming technology between FSX and current P3D to be worth that cost.  This isn't like going from FS9 to FSX.  Perhaps this jump will be more justified with later versions of P3D.  When P3D v4.2 happens, then I'll jump on it....with my towel of course. 

 

4. Addon developers are still supporting FSX, and based on their project projections, will be developing content and supporting FSX for another 10 years at least.  When A2A says, "we are no longer building projects for FSX", then I will look at P3D more seriously.

 

Cheers

TJ

This is interesting thread. I include myself on the fence but nobody has provided a comparision between FSX Steam and P3D 2.5.

 

A lot of people are also saying good things about FSX Steam and I know that I wouldn't need to re-purchase PMDG aircrafts for this sim.

 

So if I am to jump which way should I jump ???

 

Well, there are comparisons, but perhaps not the kind of comparisons you would like to see? Are you looking for a side by side comparison? I think there are a couple on YouTube.

 

I would use caution on the FSX Steam Edition. While others have claimed great performance gains or no more OOM errors, my own results showed perhaps those claims are exaggerated to some extent, much like the Prepar3d claims are. I do see small improvement in FSX:SE of about 10-15% in my framerates, consistent with one of their patch notes, but the OOM crashes can still occur certainly. My VAS can drop significantly during my enroute after departure, which seems to have lowered my chances of OOM.

Do I have to buy my 737 and 777 again?

And that is why I jumped off the fence back to FSX. I'll wait till the 64 bit version comes out since I need to repurchase all my PMDG again anyways. Yes, I know, I will have to repurchase everything else, trust me, much will be left behind. Besides, until the 64 bit comes out, gives me plenty of time to save.

On P3D V2.4, I was getting upward of 60fps on the Dash 8 with a buttload of addons running. Of course I don't use any FSDT airports but I use a lot of ORBX product and ASN. ON PMDG, I get 30fps+.

When I see a real big difference and possible 64bit then I will move over.  Right now it is throwing money away on something that looks the same to me.  Sure, it looks all dressed up and pretty but underneath all that it is still FSX .  Yes, I already tried it and was not impressed at all!. My suggestion would be to let the hardcore flight sim addicts throw their money at it and let them test it first and play around with it, they seem to have $$$ to burn.

When P3D2 was first released I recall the onslaught of P3D evangelists who would not permit an ill word be said of it, and who hadn't a clue when to let up with their sales pitch (I don't categorize this thread in that category, just to be clear). Almost made me want to barf. I had thought that at this stage i would have gone over to P3D, but I have never seen a case made for it that is compelling enough to justify the cost and effort of either transitioning to it, or even running it side by side with FSX. Not even enough to even try it out. I used to think that when PMDG came on board that it would tilt me signifigantly to P3D, but it didn't. Maybe someday, and as it continues to develop, we'll see. I even hope so, actually.

 

 

Sure, it looks all dressed up and pretty but underneath all that it is still FSX .

 

Like a pig with lipstick. 

LOL, I didn't want to say it that way but your right!... Look, I want the best flight simulator to be made just as much as the next guy but this P3D is just a waste of money right now for people that already have FSX or FSX-SE.  There is no reason right now IMO to convert.  Why pay again for add-ons like PMDG just so it could run on P3D?  It makes no $$$ sense to me.  It will simulate the NGX plane just as well on FSX/SE. 

 

Like I said, this P3D is truly for the hardcore fanatics that have the hardware and the dollars to spend and can afford it and won't blink an eye on what they just spent to play a flight simulator game.  I've seen people here buying graphic card for $1000+ and CPU's and motherboard costing in the thousands just for P3D!,   I say God bless them that they can afford to do that.  They must have a good life and a well paying job.   I think the average (me) person will never get to do that in their lifetime and will be happy for what they have, which I am and I don't have much. 

 

Peace!

I run P3D 2.5 and FSX DX9 side by side. For me P3D's overall frame rates are marginally better, color is much more vibrant (almost too much so at times), most of my stutters are gone.  However VAS use is significantly worse and frame rates take a big hit in clouds. Perhaps future 2.X updates will address these issues.

IMO P3D is just FSX all over again.  It still has the in-sim look and feel of FSX, plus note all the same discussions on the endless seach for better performance and stability.  Until we can get past having yet another FSX, I'll enjoy my DX10 enhanced FSX experience as it is right now.  In this light I find XPX as compelling an alternative as P3D for I've seen screen shots and videos of XPX that puts P3D to shame when it comes to visuals.

 

 

Like a pig with lipstick.

No pig here nor lipstick!  Seriously though, unless people want to spend money to find out what P3Dv2 has to offer, there are just too many opinions rather than facts.  I have been a FSX, FSX-SE user but now I am on P3Dv2, it simply offers a much more realistic sim environment for me.  I have not had any crash, nor OOM and I had none of the stutters that FSX had.  To really enjoy P3Dv2 you need a very good GPU.  FSX does not take advantage of GPU, but P3Dv2 does.  Simply keeping the same hardware and switch will not give you the benefit, unless you already have a good GPU/CPU to start out with.  I choose P3Dv2 because I know eventually Win 7 will be end of life and I know I can take advantage of future hardware.  If money is of no object, all will have been on P3Dv2.  Let's face it, it's painful to spend hundred if not thousands again.  The main reason why the mass migration to XPX did not happen.  I will need to spend money but I would rather spend on a platform that will be sure to evolve.

 

 

In this light I find XPX as compelling an alternative as P3D for I've seen screen shots and videos of XPX that puts P3D to shame when it comes to visuals.

 

And FSX visuals can put XPX to shame. Without owning 3PD, I'll assume it will do the same or better than FSX. I do run FSX & X-Plane 10 side by side.  I'll get the WOW moments, with both sims, when it comes to the visuals. Just depends on the time of day, where, and what scenery is being used.