Still using 2.4 great performance and solid, why should I upgrade to 2.5?

[motoadve 49]

2.4 Its working great for me, why should I upgrade to 2.5?

[MartinRex007 390]

You shouldn't, I'm also still using 2.4 and very happy with it. Will make the switch perhaps with V3.0 if there is one?

[CFIJose 5,485]

I do NOT use P3D v2, but this question made me think, why not?

 

The pros for upgrading:

 

1) SLI is now supported.

2) If sliders are setup right, you should get very good performance and a smoother sim.

3) AG doesn't pop up like it does in FSX.

4) The cloud shadows look nice.

5) I love the VC shadows at dusk.

6) The water seems better and darker.

 

The cons are:

 

1) Very expensive for the pro version.

2) Many of my expensive add-ons will not work in P3D.

3) It would require a better video card to get some of the eye candy.

 

Finally, did I mention that it would be an expensive transition?

 

Back to the original question, if there's nothing in 2.5 worth upgrading from 2.4, then there's not need to upgrade.

 

Jose

[ErichB 3,640]

Well I asked that exact question a week ago and went with the popular route because everyone else was doing it. FAIL. I'm probably not the best person to ask right now but do NOT go to 2.5 if you have a solid 2.4 install. There is not enough material reason to.

[Guest]

2.4 Its working great for me, why should I upgrade to 2.5?

 

Not really sure the point of this quesiton, it's kinda odd ... but here are reasons to upgrade:

 

1.  Several 3rd party products will only support the most current version of P3D v2.x

2.  Unexpected results from using 3rd party products designed for P3D V2.5 HF3 in P3D V2.4

3.  Obtaining support from 3rd party that only support the latest P3D version

4.  Many many bug fixes

 

General Platform Updates

• Fixed a crash that would occur if licensing check on startup failed
• Fixed a bug where thumbnail images for missions and aircraft were not matching up properly
• Renamed missions to reflect their content
• Restructured path configuration files to support third party developers
• Fixed issues that would prevent multiplayer missions from correctly validating
• Added several new settings available to use with a multiplayer mission

Rendering and Performance Updates

• Added post process for night vision that includes bloom
• Added a light scalar to camera so that NVG cameras can have a brighter scene
• Added a configuration option to the Prepar3D.cfg and Camera Definitions that allows cameras to share a single terrain view
• Added an option to specify whether or not a panel should write alpha when rendering into a texture
• Improved long range sensor capabilities by allowing plug-ins to set the scenery load origin for a camera independent of its location
• Fixed a bug that would prevent the HideAircraft flag from hiding aircraft attached effects
• Fixed a bug that would cause all extrusion effects to draw with a visible sawtooth pattern
• Fixed a bug where the exclude VC panels sensor setting was not working as intended
• Fixed a bug that would cause effects with smoke and fire to appear blue
• Fixed a bug that would prevent rotor wash effect from rendering
• Fixed issues with the bridge pylons that would cause them to look tall/stretched
• Fixed issues with resolution differences between shadow views and main views causing shadow artifacts to appear
• Fixed issue that caused clouds to face vertically
• Fixed out of memory issues with the Vehicle Selection Screen
• Fixed an issue that would prevent effects from visually displaying if the effect was at a low level of detail distance
• Fixed issues with shaders failing to compile if material is created without setting a specular map
• Fixed an issue that would cause some aircraft to load with the engines turned off
• Fixed an issue that would prevent engine wash effects from rendering

SimDirector Updates

• Added an Undo feature in SimDirector. Undo allows a user to undo and redo most actions in their mission. A history window provides visual feedback of what actions have been done
• Added a Measure Tool to SimDirector. This allows the user to measure distances in several different unit types
• Added a setting that allows the user choose whether or not they would like to load their mission in Prepar3D after closing SimDirector
• Added the ability to preview actions from the visualization window in Preview Mode in SimDirector
• Added an option for hiding icons and bounding boxes in SimDirector
• Added catalog preview into the catalog and created object preview
• Added an Effect.cfg file to configure where system looks for effects
• Added ability to edit mission while in Preview Mode
• Added a setting that allows the user to filter object references by group
• Added the ability to copy values from the condition editor
• Added better error handling and error reports for missing Mission Briefing files
• Added a unit converter to several distance related properties
• Added the ability to read friendly names for third party models
• Added option to set whether SimDirector controls or Prepar3D controls have precedence when hovered over the Prepar3D window in Virtual Instructor, Flight Instructor, and Preview Mode
• Fixed a bug where saving scenario alters camera orientation
• Fixed bugs dealing with multiple item selects
• Fixed bug that effected saving properly observation profiles
• Fixed a bug that would prevent the file name from updating and saving properly in different modes
• Fixed a bug that would prevent pop-up windows from scrolling through all the options
• Fixed a bug that would prevent the context menu in the logic editor from opening properly when using non-standard DPI settings
• Fixed a bug that would remove referencing of an ownship if the ownship aircraft was changed
• Fixed a bug that would prevent multiple external properties from updating in monitoring
• Fixed a bug that would cause issues with loading missions located in Program Files
• Fixed a bug that would prevent visual model from updating orientation changes reflected in the property grid
• Fixed a bug that would prevent catalog friendly names from loading properly
• Fixed a bug that would prevent single row text box to extend scrolling with the cursor
• Fixed a bug that would cause backstage to hang when clicking the arrow
• Fixed a bug that would prevent property observation profiles from saving
• Fixed a bug that would prevent build object list from increasing the count
• Fixed a bug that caused bulk lasso selection to not appear as one selection
• Fixed a bug that would not progress the object list count
• Fixed a bug that would prevent visibility from resetting when toggling the weather on/off
• Fixed issues with broken timer validation check
• Fixed an issue where object preview would not display mobile scenery
• Fixed issues with Virtual Instruction recording while in inner group visualization
• Fixed SimDirector window sizing issues
• Fixed an issue that prevented Mission Preview from re-enabling the user interface
• Fixed issues with search boxes in SimDirector. All search boxes now search for any part of search phrase
• Fixed issues with selecting actions inside of a Virtual Instructor session
• Fixed issues with observer look-at and look-at-ground functionality
• Fixed issues with monitoring in Virtual Instructor mode
• Fixed issues that would cause the Preview window to stop working
• Fixed issues that would cause a slow down when dragging objects around in SimDirector
• Fixed an issue where the Preview Window would cause crash when resetting scenarios
• Fixed issues with waypoints being placed too close to each other or other objects
• Fixed issues with mouse cursor state not changing as expected
• Fixed issues that would cause crashes if user sim was null
• Enhanced translate, rotate, and scale gizmos
• Enhanced speed of object selection from validation window
• Enhanced speed of switching between viewer sim and vehicle
• Enhanced drag and drop feature in SimDirector
• Enhanced preview subset feature in Preview Mode
• Fixed an issue where mission menu windows would close prematurely

SDK and SimConnect Updates

• Added a way for developers to add and modify path configuration files through installers
• Added ability to manipulate visual effects during runtime through the PDK interface
• Added ability to retrieve attach point data via SimConnect
• Updated documentation regarding supported pylons, objects, and their interactions
• Added scenery load origin settings to camera definitions and PDK development
• Fixed a bug where bglcomp.exe could not parse Coastline values
• Fixed a crash that would occur if a panel developer requested an aircraft variable while the aircraft was shutting down 

 

 

These are not the ONLY items addressed, there were many others not included in this list.  If you don't like "changing platforms" then P3D might not be your best choice ... with change comes better visuals, bug fixes, performance enhancements, driver support, and the building of a more robust platform for a long term future.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

You shouldn't, I'm also still using 2.4 and very happy with it. Will make the switch perhaps with V3.0 if there is one?

Still with a great running v2.4 as well.  Will probably go with a v3.0....when that happens.

[ErichB 3,640]

That sure is a convincing list Rob.  

 

But I have just reinstalled my original 2.4 configuration with Aerosoft's EGLL, PMDG 777, EU England, ASN and it is as smooth as butter.  Not only is my performance more consistent with same/similar settings as 2.5,  but I have had no OOM errors after flying around London and over Heathrow backwards and forwards for the last hour in the A2A Comanche with 30% AI traffic. (MyTraffic 6).    I think I'll wait for the next version of P3D or when other addons exclusive to versions >2.4 are inticing enough.