For the OP: This is nonsense. Read each release from 1.0 to 2.5 and you'll agree.

 

Could you tell me in what regard I am talking nonsense? Maybe I've missed something but to me P3D really is FSX, only looking a LOT better.

Read. Read every word. Then, ask the programmers how each one of these changes was done. Ask them how many lines of code have been changed. Ask them how many hours were spent toiling through that code, by how many people. I find it offensive that someone could dismiss so easily all the hard work that has gone into this project for the past five years by both paid professionals and beta testers, and further try to convince a newcomer that none of this matters. Your reply to the OP was not only misleading, it's false. It's not a matter of opinion. P3d 2.5 is not basically FSX, it was once, ESP, a commercial simulation program.

 

From LM website:

Throughout 2014 and 2015, Prepar3D has released five version updates to our v2 license, adding countless features, while optimizing the software for the best performance. One of the features that was added is the Flight Instructor mode, an interactive tool that makes it easier than ever to rapidly create graded flight segments, so that instructors and trainees can create, grade, and debrief flight segments and flying maneuvers in real-time. There were many critical bugs that were fixed that has stabilized our software and has provided our users with the best possible experience.

 

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v25.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v24.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v23.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v22.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v21.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v20.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v14.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v13.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v12.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v11.html

http://prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/what_is_new/new_v10.html

I find it offensive that someone could dismiss so easily all the hard work that has gone into this project

 

Offensive... dismiss... I think you read something in my post that I never meant to say. :wink: The question was: "Also, I'm not certain about whether it really concentrates on hardcore flight simming as I read about this underwater operation thingy?" Apparently the OP thought P3D was really something else when it comes to the actual flying. Well, no matter how much better P3D is, it's still the same when it comes to (amongst others) the actual flightsimming that most Avsim users do. I am not dismissing anything because P3D is imho far superior to FSX but again, when it comes to flightsimming, it offers the same as FSX (also proven by the fact that add-on planes for FSX and P3D are completely the same) and mainly graphics (lighting, performance, etc. not textures) have been enhanced. I was just stating a simple fact. It was certainly NOT meant to say something bad about all who contributed to the sim I love.  :wink:

I think you read something in my post that I never meant to say.

That's cool. Glad that you enjoy it as much as I do. I use it as a training tool at home and at the flight training center where we are making use of features that are NOT available in FSX. Just would like the OP to understand exactly what P3D 2.5 is, and what it is not.

That's cool. Glad that you enjoy it as much as I do. I use it as a training tool at home and at the flight training center where we are making use of features that are NOT available in FSX. Just would like the OP to understand exactly what P3D 2.5 is, and what it is not.

 

Ah, ok, yes, so you are one of the guys who actually do use the new training features! That explains your post even more. But I am glad you posted what you did because if you read something not too positive in my post others might have done so too and I surely don't want that! But I think that's clear by now.  :wink:

Jeroen,

 

I think the words you used that perhaps caused such a response was "So when it comes to simming it offers the exact same as FSX." and "P3D really is FSX" ... neither of these are accurate even at an opinion level - code has changed and visuals are different and P3D has features FSX doesn't.  

 

Much compatibility has been retained between P3D and FSX, they are "similar" in some areas but not in others.

 

I don't think it's that your post is positive or negative, it's more of just not being accurate.

 

Cheers, Rob.

Thanks to everyone who tried to explain what P3D is, I'm switching over to P3D but waiting until v3 is released (which hopefully won't be ages).

 

According to the LM website my quad core i7 at 3.4 as well as GTX560 at 4GB is more than recommended. Will I be able to run it smoothly? (I'm aware that it depends on a number of other factors too that I'm not mentioning, just an assumption maybe)

Thanks to everyone who tried to explain what P3D is, I'm switching over to P3D but waiting until v3 is released (which hopefully won't be ages).

 

According to the LM website my quad core i7 at 3.4 as well as GTX560 at 4GB is more than recommended. Will I be able to run it smoothly? (I'm aware that it depends on a number of other factors too that I'm not mentioning, just an assumption maybe)

Just start without any tweaking. Remember the settings in P3D are "stronger" than FSX. Normal in P3D would be like extremely dense in FSX, etc. Fly for a bit at default and then slowly start adjusting until you get a good stable setting. I'd make an image backup at that point. THEN you can start with add-ons.

 

Have fun -

 

Vic

I don't think it's that your post is positive or negative, it's more of just not being accurate.

 

I understand. I think I looked too much at how I use the sim myself, hence forgetting about options that are new but which I don't use. And a simple user like me doesn't think too much about unseen code (sorry, developers!). Those improved visuals luckily can't be missed! Which brings me to the following:

 

According to the LM website my quad core i7 at 3.4 as well as GTX560 at 4GB is more than recommended. Will I be able to run it smoothly? (I'm aware that it depends on a number of other factors too that I'm not mentioning, just an assumption maybe)

Smoothly should be possible but be prepared to lower a few settings. Some of the new visual options may be too much for your system. But also take note that the recommended specs are for v2. Could well be v3 will have higher recommended specs! But even for v2 a CPU at 3.4 isn't much. 4GB on the card is nice but a 560 is pretty old already. So yes, smooth should be possible but don't expect being able to turn on all new P3D eye candy.

@jimmy64,

      Is there any chance that some of the SimDirector training features that you are using frequently could result in you providing some tutorials with example scenario files for us P3D users? The examples that L-M have provided just don't help all that much. It would be great to encourage all of us to use some of those features - right now, they seem difficult to get started on.

 

Thanks much

 

Dave

Thanks Vic, that's just what I did with FSX. Does P3D run better at roughly the same settings than FSX does?

 

 

 

So yes, smooth should be possible but don't expect being able to turn on all new P3D eye candy.

 

I wasn't expecting to max all the sliders and turn on everything there is anyway. Cockpit shadows really is a must for me as that's what's been annoying me in FSX all the time. Cloud shadows maybe as well, we'll see. I just want P3D to look better than FSX at a decent frame rate while of course using payware addons.

Thanks Vic, that's just what I did with FSX. Does P3D run better at roughly the same settings than FSX does?

Generally yes but as I said - if you had a setting set to MAX in FSX - it might be equivalent to NORMAL in P3d. Agtain - do NOT apply the "usual" FSX tweaks - P3D needs none with the exception of Affinity Mask and FFTF which are optional.

 

Start with the lower P3D settings and adjust as you system can take it.

 

Since P3D has offloaded quite a bit of processing to the GPU, P3D is more GPU dependent that CPU. Get familiar with which settings affect GPU ( lighting, shadows, tessellation) and which affect the CPU ( ai traffic, autogen, etc).

 

But start fresh out of the box and see how you like it - then add ons as necessary.

 

Vic