I am thinking of getting the Queen when she arrives but want to first know if it will take advantage of P3D real time reflections or will it have it's own env maps?

Paul,

 

We tried it both ways during development and the real time reflections on a model this large and complex had an unacceptable performance hit even on high end machines. Jason's running an overclocked 6700K with a GTX 970 (which we think is a pretty typical type of machine a serious simmer might have) and it cut his performance basically in half. We realize there's probably someone out there with SLI Titan Xs and a 5GHz 7700K who can run it, but we have to deliver something most customers can reasonably expect to be able to use with good performance. The other issue is that if you turn off the real time maps, P3D will default to using what we feel are rather ugly global maps in place of them. The only way around both issues is to do custom maps. (which still look really good as you can see in the various screenshots we've posted over the past few weeks, all of which are from P3D)

 

This will be reevaluated in the future if LM delivers a version of P3D that can do the real time effects on this type of model without the huge performance loss.

This is very disappointing news and will effect my buying decision. I think your are incorrect in  your evaluation. With real time reflections on low, sitting on the runway at Pago Pago with the A2A Constellation in cockpit I get around 90 fps. If I turn real time reflections off fps remain about the same, maybe losing one or two at the most. With real time reflections set to ultra I lose 10 fps in this same situation. 

 

A2A also provides custom env maps (two) within the main texture folder for use when real time reflections are off. 

 

Your reluctance to provide the user with  this alternative is frustrating and not letting us have the option ourselves, but rather making that decision for us, is perplexing. 

 

I am running a 1080 card, nothing special, no SLI or overclocked cpu or gpu. Forward thinking companies like A2A know that most of use will be using cards such as this or better in the near future and thus allow us to take full advantage of the software provided by LM. 

 

I hope you reconsider your option in this matter for the few of us that really want the best visual experience we can get and let us make that decision to lose a few fps for a better immersive experience.

 

You most likely say that your model is so much more complex than the Constellation but real time reflects performance should remain constant using the Piper Cub or the 777.

 

I can provide PMDG with video of my experiments with fps and real time reflections if it would help.

 

 

A2A Constellation

A2A constellation vs PMDG 747? I hardly think the two are anywhere close in terms of model complexity. If this is a major factor for you, then perhaps the PMDG product line is not for you.

 

I defer to PMDG's judgement on this one - they are a developer with the experience that if they say its no good, I believe them.

I think you are wrong and from my experience real time reflections performance remains the same no matter what plane I load, be it the LM Piper Cub or the Capt Sim 777. I will buy the new 747 and prove this to you with video soon. 

I think you are wrong and from my experience real time reflections performance remains the same no matter what plane I load, be it the LM Piper Cub or the Capt Sim 777. I will buy the new 747 and prove this to you with video soon.

 

I can't help but be amazed at people who, without access to the product, can assert that the developer is wrong in their research. Good one Paul!

 

 

I can provide PMDG with video of my experiments with fps and real time reflections if it would help.

 

 

why  would  they  want  to,   since  they been  testing  the 747  if  they  say  it  cant  be  done without  cutting  the fps  in half  than  you got  to go  with what they say,  since  they know  better  than  any of  us.  And  if  you don't  like  their  decision   than don't  purchase  the 747.

Yearh...quite amazing, that people can judge a product which isn't even released... 

 

Dynamic Reflections is quite a hard-hitter - at least on my machine... 

Oh, well... to each their own.

If dynamic reflections on the external model are the sole deciding factor for your purchase, then quite honestly this probably isn't the product for you Paul. There's a heck of a lot more to it than the visuals (which again, are already among the best we've ever produced). I've explained our position and I'm going to lock this thread as it can only go downhill from here.