This thread will be updated with future comparisons as more screenshots are released (assuming I can find the locations).

 

All screenshots are using stock scenery and aircraft with max graphics settings.

 

San Fransisco Bay

Dovetail Games Flight School (DFS)

 

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D v3 (P3Dv3)

 

Microsoft Flight (Flight)

 

Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition (FSX: SE)

 

GIF version

 

 

Innsbruck

Dovetail Games Flight School (DFS)

 

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D v3 (P3Dv3)

 

Microsoft Flight (Flight)

 

Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition (FSX: SE)

 

GIF version

Thanks for the shots, Brandon.  I found the Microsoft Flight shot, there are so many autogen trees on distant mountain, the other three sims, are just plain empty textured mesh mountain.

Very cleverly done, thank you for posting these.

 

My favourite is the MS Flight shot, the DTG one has some very exaggerated lighting.

Very cleverly done, thank you for posting these.

 

My favourite is the MS Flight shot, the DTG one has some very exaggerated lighting.

 

I dont think its exaggerated. 

 

They've built in HDR and rayleigh scattering (also seen in x-plane and outterra); heck, you can turn it on with google earth in one of the experimental option box. 

 

Photography is all about the lighting; the shadowing and lighting effects in FSX/P3D is really poor in this regard; IMHO it fails miserably at night; looks only ok in the day. 

 

Heres a good explanation --

 

I like the MS Flight Most. DTGFS looks like FSX with overdone lighting

It certainly seems overdone and too blue for my liking, but it's all a matter of taste. The raleigh scattering and HDR lighting in X-Plane is much tamer in comparison and looks more realistic. I guess like everything though, it will be configurable (well, one can hope).

For me Ms Flight. I think the trees are in 3d.

So... I loaded up Google maps and took a look. Turns out, Prepar3D v3 is the more accurate. There's a great deal of urban buildup around the airport now and the trees aren't very close to the airport any longer. Though they all have some forests where there are none today.

Thanks for the comparison Perhaps show it to Martin too? 

Yeah you can definitely notice the difference in land class between P3D and the others.  I didn't realize LM has done so much work to update LC.  I wonder if it would be possible to convert P3D scenery to Flight...  Also reminds me I need to take some time to update the conversion to use more cliff texturing on the slopes

 

As far as lighting, I am inclined to believe the DFS light intensity may be more accurate than the others due to atmospheric scattering that they state they use (just look at how there is no bloom at all in P3D and FSX around the sun).  The color is definitely "artistic" though.

 

They sure did pick a screenshot that doesn't show off much interest in the diffuse lighting and shadows, so you lose the strength of MS Flight there.

 

Thanks Brandon!

Flight, while having a load of trees, doesn't look that great IMO. I'd say in order P3d, FSX, Flight then DTG.

 

Thanks for the shots.

Look at the position of the sun.  In DFS it is much lower than in the other shots.  That could account for some of the variation in color. 

Here's a screenshot from Google Earth:

 

 

 

And, for a comparison with another product different from the FSX series, a screenshot from a competing flight simulator:

 

 

A screenshot from Outerra would be interesting as well.

 

 

Yeah you can definitely notice the difference in land class between P3D and the others.  I didn't realize LM has done so much work to update LC.  I wonder if it would be possible to convert P3D scenery to Flight...  Also reminds me I need to take some time to update the conversion to use more cliff texturing on the slopes

 

As far as lighting, I am inclined to believe the DFS light intensity may be more accurate than the others due to atmospheric scattering that they state they use (just look at how there is no bloom at all in P3D and FSX around the sun).  The color is definitely "artistic" though.

 

They sure did pick a screenshot that doesn't show off much interest in the diffuse lighting and shadows, so you lose the strength of MS Flight there.

 

Thanks Brandon!

 

The scenery formats haven't changed much, if at all in Prepar3D. It might not be too difficult to get the conversion process working with it.

 

Look at the position of the sun.  In DFS it is much lower than in the other shots.  That could account for some of the variation in color. 

 

The sun position is actually the same in all shots. The FSX shot is particularly helpful for determining this, as the lens flare lines up near perfectly with the DFS shot.

Remember guys, that screen shot is from DTG Flight School, not the full blown Flight Simulator (which they have said is still under development with landclass and scenery to be updated). One would assume Flight School would not be nearly as robust.