FSX-MS The Touches That Make it Real

[Zatoichi 45]

In the absence of real VR or the real thing there are a few programs I consider must haves to make the FSX (most apply to P3D or XP) experience all that more real.

AccuFeel - Some 3rd party addons aircraft are well modeled as far as aerodynamics are concerned. Carenado comes to mind. They dip and move with the wind - as it should be. Other aircraft feel like they are on rails with no deviation other than the dead zone or your hand and the amount of shake you impart to the yoke.

Accufeel makes each of the aircraft feel as though they are man made, fallible things.
Besides the sound aspect which it adds to immensely, there is a "feel" imparted by Accufeel that makes the normally sterile joystick environment into a much more life like reality. 
And as you come in on Final and are lined up, the crosswind bites which you hear as well as see and as I said...almost feel in the non force feedback stick. A touch of rudder and then the wheels take hold. You hear them - individually if you come in and are not level.

EZCA/EZDOK - it makes for a very natural feel in the cockpit. When you first install FSX you learn ways around to view the aspects you want but in each way there is a feeling that you are missing something, just does not feel natural. Once you get used to navigating around EZ - using versus editing - it makes for a real natural feel when looking around. As close as you can get to VR without a headset. 
The ability to also pan outside the aircraft for views is great. The only caveat is - this software is not perfect; it takes time to learn and you can get the feeling that things break due to EZDOK. But it is worth having and endeavoring to make work without a doubt.

Rex Extreme Environments

The airports come alive, There is much more activity and the variation in appearance from stock makes the airports real for me. While I am starting up I am  looking around ate the environment, some of which get very, very busy. Sitting in the small gate area of McCarren or San Francisco and you can watch the traffic on the highways as well as activity in the skies.

The change to the standard cloud textures are amazing at 4096.