Just wondering if this conversion will involve replacing existing add ons and possibly even upgrading PC's to take full advantage of 64 bit, which would not be an inexpensive upgrade for many people. I clearly remember when the move from FS9 to FSX happened, and many didn't make the move because they just didn't have the money to do it at the time. I notice that the other 64 bit sim requires at least 16 GB of ram and they say 32GBs is even better, and I don't think most people have a PC that can handle that much ram. ( I may be wrong about this). 

 

32Gb of ram costs less than a copy of p3d so it shouldn't really be an issue for anyone serious about upgrading. 64-bit OS have been common for at least 5 years.  it's the flight sims that are very much behind the times in this regard!

 

i'd agree that upgrading add-ons that require re-purchasing is probably a bigger factor in cost.

 

also having a top-of-the-line GPU seems really important to get the most from p3d. of course, that is true for 32-bit as well.

 

i'd argue that anyone who is running 32-bit p3d right now can probably run 64-bit without any upgrading necessary at all, since it is already a group that is using relatively high-end pc hardware.

 

cheers

-andy crosby

 

 

Sim-wise it looks like I am historically rich, but futurisitically poor!
 

 

Sort of like glass half full or half empty.   :smile:

 

Vic

I have tried X Plane couple of times, and it has a long, long way to go to even catch up with 32 bit P3D.

 

from what I've seen right now, I agree with you. From what I saw from the xplane 11 stuff and thier engine they are working on, it will be way ahead of p3d.

 

 

From what I saw from the xplane 11 stuff and thier engine they are working on, it will be way ahead of p3d.

 

Where did you see xplane 11 stuff? I havnt seen much talk or screenshots about it at all.

 

 

64 bit P3D is inevitable. I welcome it. It will be a long process to get everything switched over, but its needed to deal with every changing and more complex scenery and aircraft which is craving more memory. Most of all, we dont have to see any more threads... Just bought XYZ and its causing an OOM. Which is ridiculous.

Where did you see xplane 11 stuff? I havnt seen much talk or screenshots about it at all.

 

Laminar Research's presentation at FlightSimCon.

It will be a year or two after release before I get the 64bit version. I imagine outfits like PMDG will take a few years to get there stuff working in it. They are notoriously slow with their projects (worth it in the end mind you). Imagine the A320 from Flightsim Labs. We are just now on the cusp of getting that after years of development for the 32bit version. Nevermind all the scenery from Fly Tampa, FSDT, Flightbeam, Aerosoft, LatinVFR, Taxi2Gate, etc.... The weather programs from HiFi, REX, the Orbx stuff... Ya, no way for at least a couple years. I'll be quite happy with version 3.3.5 for a long time to come.

Is Lockheed still planning a 64 bit version? Yes

Will it be an upgrade option for the 32 bit version or standalone purchase? No

I love it when someone answers an "A or B?" question with "yes" or "no"....

It will be a year or two after release before I get the 64bit version. I imagine outfits like PMDG will take a few years to get there stuff working in it. They are notoriously slow with their projects (worth it in the end mind you). Imagine the A320 from Flightsim Labs. We are just now on the cusp of getting that after years of development for the 32bit version. Nevermind all the scenery from Fly Tampa, FSDT, Flightbeam, Aerosoft, LatinVFR, Taxi2Gate, etc.... The weather programs from HiFi, REX, the Orbx stuff... Ya, no way for at least a couple years. I'll be quite happy with version 3.3.5 for a long time to come.

I think you're consufing a lot of different product/program type that will not need that much effor to convert, and in some cases it should not even be needed to convert them at all as long as they can interface correctly with the sim... I.e. ASN doesn't get the OOM, FSX/P3D does....

64bit is inevitable if the simulator is to further evolve and take advantage of the new technology. Many will not adopt it immediately as it happened to FSX, where many stayed with FS2004, the same way that many stayed with black and white TV's when the color TV appeared, but inevitably progress prevails.

Current addons will not work, but since Dovetail is also working on a 64bit version, I hope they can reach an agreement in order to have the updated addons working on both platforms. That for addon developers means reduced costs and bigger market for their products. Bigger market means more products avalable.

Dovetail Flight School is already 64bit and that is the reason why only two planes are available.

It will be a year or two after release before I get the 64bit version. I imagine outfits like PMDG will take a few years to get there stuff working in it. They are notoriously slow with their projects (worth it in the end mind you). Imagine the A320 from Flightsim Labs. We are just now on the cusp of getting that after years of development for the 32bit version. Nevermind all the scenery from Fly Tampa, FSDT, Flightbeam, Aerosoft, LatinVFR, Taxi2Gate, etc.... The weather programs from HiFi, REX, the Orbx stuff... Ya, no way for at least a couple years. I'll be quite happy with version 3.3.5 for a long time to come.

 

+1

64bit is inevitable if the simulator is to further evolve and take advantage of the new technology. Many will not adopt it immediately as it happened to FSX, where many stayed with FS2004, the same way that many stayed with black and white TV's when the color TV appeared, but inevitably progress prevails.

Current addons will not work, but since Dovetail is also working on a 64bit version, I hope they can reach an agreement in order to have the updated addons working on both platforms. That for addon developers means reduced costs and bigger market for their products. Bigger market means more products avalable.

Dovetail Flight School is already 64bit and that is the reason why only two planes are available.

 

Just look at all the people still staying with FSX, and how many years it has been around. I just read the other day that DTG has sold over 600,000 copies of FSX-SE. 

Laminar Research's presentation at FlightSimCon.

Thanks.  Sounds promising. Just makes flight simulation that much stronger along with our other options.

Just look at all the people still staying with FSX, and how many years it has been around. I just read the other day that DTG has sold over 600,000 copies of FSX-SE.

 

Yes, because the average customer does not care whether the sim has 32bit or 64bit as long as the sim feels right and looks good.

Do we know that 64-bit programs cannot call 32-bit routines?

Do we know that 64-bit programs cannot call 32-bit routines?

We know that 64-bit programs can call 32-bit routines - your 64-bit OS executes 32-bit programs

Though in truth it's not that simple...

 

Back in the day of 16bit to 32bit conversion it was called 'thunking' (see wiki).

 

The issue I think will be that 32-bit code (in the addons) will be trying to call in to the 64bit sim - an interface layer (a DLL) of 32bit code that translates the calls could be provided...might even work some of the time...

Worse the add-ons may be relying on internals in the sim that have changed radically.

 

So possible, but likely less reliable than now... :(

But converting the add-ons should be easy for the producers, especially if they don't rewrite to take advantage of the new capabilities...mostly just a recompilation.

Cheers

Keith

It will be a year or two after release before I get the 64bit version. I imagine outfits like PMDG will take a few years to get there stuff working in it. They are notoriously slow with their projects (worth it in the end mind you). Imagine the A320 from Flightsim Labs. We are just now on the cusp of getting that after years of development for the 32bit version. Nevermind all the scenery from Fly Tampa, FSDT, Flightbeam, Aerosoft, LatinVFR, Taxi2Gate, etc.... The weather programs from HiFi, REX, the Orbx stuff... Ya, no way for at least a couple years. I'll be quite happy with version 3.3.5 for a long time to come.

 

This is pretty accurate. At the present state nothing... and I mean nothing will work in a 64bit sim. It would require a lengthy amount of time adjusting to a new SDK, possibly redoing all material properties and re-exporting and re-compiling everything. It's really up to the sim's developer to give the developers an early look and access to get a head start.

 

 

and it has a long, long way to go to even catch up with 32 bit P3D

 

No it doesn't, in fact since XP is already 64bit, I would say its the other way around.