Soon to be X-Plane Newbie!

[Sethos 4,335]

It's not bad but I just feel it leaves a lot to be desired.

[Colonel X 1,430]

It's not bad but I just feel it leaves a lot to be desired.

 

I know what you mean. However I'll take X-Plane's real puffy "through-flyable" 3D clouds over P3D's "textures" any day.

 

SkyMaxx 4.0 will come, and along with better GPU's, it's only a matter of time until X-Plane will trump the old sim in that respect. Same goes for Ai / ATC with World Traffic 3.0+.

[mjw8899 31]

I love it and hate it. The airliners are just not of the same caliber as those available on P3d or FSX. The GPS is nothing like the Flight1 GTN 650/750. There are no GA aircraft like anything A2A produces. Finally support is not great from 3rd parties; I have had a terrible time with the SSG Emb 170 without any support from the developer other than telling me its me and my system. However, in general xplane does run better, doesn't have OOM issues and has a much better camera system (I hate hate hate EZDok, but what else is there?). 

 

If you make the switch, get the PMDG DC-6, which runs great out of the box, has a fantastic automated flight engineer to handle the intricacies and is a joy to handfly.  Others to considers are the SAAB, or maybe ixeg 737, though it has issues. Rotate's MD80 is fun though its missing some key features. 

[Sethos 4,335]

There are no GA aircraft like anything A2A produces. 

 

What's your take on the REP packages and the AFL 172 in comparison to A2A?

[mjw8899 31]

You make an interesting point. I havent flown them primarily because I would have to buy a carenado plane, but I have read good things. Vflyte's cherokee isnt bad either. I just havent been disappointed with anything from A2A but it does seem as if these offerings are closing the gap.

[Cjr60611 31]

Can't help but notice that people have been FLOCKING to X-Plane recently   !!!

 

Lol!  It sure feels that way!  

 

I kept both P3D and X-Plane for about two weeks and decided "screw it" and have been 100% X-Plane since.  I miss somethings about P3D and FSX but, mostly it's the ORBX scenery, Aerosoft and PMDG add-ons I enjoyed not the actual platforms.  After close to 20 years of FSX then periods of dabbling in P3D, X-Plane seemed to be a natural progression for me.  I guess it is for others as well...  

 

I think what X-Plane is lacking in can only be resolved by more people converting to the platform.  That will get the attention of developers.  They will then go where the potential revenue resides, naturally...

[apollothethird 4]

There's a big learning curb.  It feels very different initially.  FSX has features where you can fly almost immediately without having real skills or a lot of understanding about the dynamics.

 

With X-Plane, you have to actually study and learn lots of dynamics and theory to get the action and be able to have a smooth flight.

 

I'm still learning.  I enjoy the journey.  Don't fly as much as I used to, but might in the future.

 

After my purchase of X-Plane, I didn't fly FSX any more.  I put myself into a mindset of how it was initially with Flight Simulator as a beginner.  It took me a little while to get the feel.  So I decided to do the same thing with X-Plane.

 

-- L. James

 

-- 

L. D. James

jlames@apollo3.com

www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[bonchie 2,305]

I recently got XP back up and running. 

 

Tried to go back to P3D but the night environment and the hard line/short distance autogen (introduced back with 3.1 I think) just kills it for me.

 

I thought OpenLC NA was going to be a difference maker to switch me back, but it really wasn't. 

 

Like I tell everyone new to XP, just take the time to get things right. There's literally so much free stuff that you can get by with just spending $100 or so on addons and be set (a good payware plane + skymaxxpro). If you need tips on what plugins I've found essential, let me know. 

 

Now, what you like is a major point as well. I like to fly GA in XP, so the lack of decent AI and ATC doesn't bother me that much. 10.50 is supposed to of improved the ATC but I haven't tried it yet. And there's addons like you need with P3D as well.

 

Someone mentioned no GTN...X-Plane's native 430/530 is really good. You can update the database and actually fly current GPS approaches. I haven't found any features I need that it's lacking to perform up to date RNAV procedures (and I use a 430 in a real life all the time). So yeah, it's not 100% functional, but it's 10x better then FSX's native GPS and is actually useful for real life training. 

 

For P3D, I basically can't fly it anymore unless I'm in an Orbx region. It's just too lacking in too many respects. 

[LAdamson 240]

You make an interesting point. I havent flown them primarily because I would have to buy a carenado plane, but I have read good things. Vflyte's cherokee isnt bad either. I just havent been disappointed with anything from A2A but it does seem as if these offerings are closing the gap.

I like the vFlyte Cherokee & Flight Labs (?) Cessna 172 as well as A2A's products, because I don't care about the airplane maintenance features that are incorporated into the A2A machines.  I owned & performed aircraft maintenance in real life for many years, as well as aircraft building;  so I just no longer care to do it sim wise. For others, I'm sure it's a nice feature.  In fact, in regards to flight dynamics, these are the first GA, in addition to a few Carenado products, brought from FSX & redone for X-Plane, that I've really enjoyed flying.  For years, X-Plane was too unstable, and required too much trimming, especially in roll.  Some simmers just had the thought that FSX was too easy, while X-Plane required more skill, patience, or whatever. More a challenge, they would say.  To me, it just felt like annoying out of rig airplanes. Seriously!  Part of my thing in real life, was fixing out of rig airplanes.  Regardless of all that, IMO, X-Plane is really getting there. I have realistic flying GA, to go along with excellent desert & mountains, provided by X-Planes programming, and some 3rd party help. It's just wonderful topography.  Throw in the night lights, and Mr. X airports, and it's great!

[mjw8899 31]

As far as the xplane gns 430, its ok. There are no STARs or SIDS and the interface is a little clunky, but its true, it works ok. Weather in xplane is frustrating, I have skymaxx pro, but its not the same as AS. The feeling of descending through a solid overcast is just not replicated in XP.  

 

Each update of XP may be an improvement, but it also breaks many addons. My FF 767 hasnt worked since I updated to 10.50.

[efraindavila 0]

Greetings folks;

 

I finally installed X-Plane and went ahead and also purchased SkyMaxx Pro v3, Real World Connector, and even went ahead and got the IXEG 737 to start off with since I was a heavy PMDG flyer back in P3D.

 

First of all, I am really loving the flight modeling of X-Plane, the night lights of cities, airport runways/taxiways, etc. I'm also loving how not all airport runways are completely flat. 

 

The only thing(s) I am having a hard time with and really disliking is the moon lighting during night flights, and how the clouds render at night. I assume there are tweaks and other stuff I may be able to download in the net but not too sure where exactly and which ones. If any of you X-Plane veterans can shed some light my way on this would be much appreciated!  :smile:

 

I also downloaded a few freeware sceneries by MisterX. Very nice sceneries I must say. I just hate it when scenery makers add static traffic to their airports. I can't find anything easier to get rid of them other than deleting each parked aircraft one-by-one using the OverlayEditor. If anyone knows an easier way, please let me know!

 

I did a flight last night from KFLL to KLGA and I also disliked how the night ground textures are lost and all I see reflecting on the ground are the star reflections while flying at 35,000ft. I felt like I was flying in outer space. Very unrealistic. Then when I fly near an airport at that altitude, the field looks like its floating. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong? 

 

Regards,

[MisterX6 51]

I also downloaded a few freeware sceneries by MisterX. Very nice sceneries I must say. I just hate it when scenery makers add static traffic to their airports. I can't find anything easier to get rid of them other than deleting each parked aircraft one-by-one using the OverlayEditor. If anyone knows an easier way, please let me know!

 

X-Plane 10.50 will introduce a new system that lets you toggle static aircraft in the options, but it will only work with updated sceneries.

 

I plan on converting all my sceneries to the new static aircraft system as soon as there is a stable WED version.

[efraindavila 0]

 

 

X-Plane 10.50 will introduce a new system that lets you toggle static aircraft in the options, but it will only work with updated sceneries.
 
I plan on converting all my sceneries to the new static aircraft system as soon as there is a stable WED version.

 

Thank you for the reply sir. And that is awesome news. I'm only a day old X-Plane newborn and I must admit, I am already a fan of your work. To be fair, the static aircrafts look amazing for now since I still haven't started flying on Vatsim thru X-Plane. But once I begin that phase using the new platform, it would be awesome not to have so many static traffic populating so many gates.

 

I am very happy to know though that you are planning on updating you're already amazing sceneries. :smile:  

[data65 1]

Honestly, FSX  is showing it's age now. X-plane has completely accurate roads, actual overpasses , real lighting...I mean lights are the only thing that light the scenery.....no illuminated textures. The lights at airports aren't just colored dots...they are actual physical objects. It is stunning!

[avgaskoolaid 292]

 

The only thing(s) I am having a hard time with and really disliking is the moon lighting during night flights, and how the clouds render at night. I assume there are tweaks and other stuff I may be able to download in the net but not too sure where exactly and which ones. If any of you X-Plane veterans can shed some light my way on this would be much appreciated!  :smile:

 

I also downloaded a few freeware sceneries by MisterX. Very nice sceneries I must say. I just hate it when scenery makers add static traffic to their airports. I can't find anything easier to get rid of them other than deleting each parked aircraft one-by-one using the OverlayEditor. If anyone knows an easier way, please let me know!

 

The moon doesn't look that good and I don't think there's a mod for it AFAIK (believe me, I looked far and wide). I've never had a problem with the clouds at night, but I use Skymaxx Pro and Real Terra Haze, so maybe those improve the look of the clouds at night. Here is something else you may want to try: http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/23164-night-light-transition-and-white-clouds-lua-scripts/

 

Also, you get used to removing static aircraft with the Overlay Editor after a while and it usually only takes a few minutes. I was also disappointed by static planes in the beginning, but the right models really add a lot of detail and life to airports. You can replace your static planes with better models that come with The Fruit Stand library (http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/27545-the-fruit-stand-aircraft-library/) and the FAIB library (http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/29079-the-faib-aircraft-library/). Both of which are simply MSFS AI models converted to XP10, and they look quite good. In fact, I've grown fond of using Overlay Editor to fix up my airports and add just the right static AI planes. The great thing about XPlane is that everything is so easily customizable  :wink: