Everything is confusing - what do to?

[737_800 434]

Hi flightsimmers,

I am struggling at the moment how to proceed astutely with the change in flight simulation. Especially when I see X-Plane vs. P3D v4. The most confusing is, it's not clear, how and in which platform to invest. I still use FSX and have spend a punch of Money into it. 

I also want to buy the FSL A320, and till the release of P3D v4 I can buy the FSX Version and update to P3D v4 for free; so I would have both version. Do you think it's worth buying it now? The Airbus for X-Plane look really good, it XP has slope runways and rain effects. Anyway I don't know about the flight dynamics.

 

 

[Gridley 257]

This goes without saying, but...

The simplest but least-practical solution is to buy them all and decide for yourself!  The most practical but least-satisfying answer is to wait a few months (or more) and see how things develop with time.  The good news, from early reports, is that on the scenery front little is changing with file formats so support for FSW and P3Dv4 will be rapid.  Also, most recent aircraft with XML-based gauges will be able to be made compatible without too much developer pain.  Of course, time will tell!

[737_800 434]

Yes, I read too, that the sceneries and aircraft will be compatible. My aim was to safe money, trying them all would be a waste of.

Question here is, should I buy the FSL A320 now?

[Chock 17,769]

It's true that X-Plane does have some cool features which will impress, and of course you can check out a demo of it so that helps, as indeed you can with P3D. But in doing that, I think you will find that whilst stuff like sloped runways is cool in XP and vastly more realistic than in ESP-based sims, there is still a lot with XP to be desired, particularly if you like IFR airliner flights. Yes there is a cool A320 for XP, and there is a brilliant 757, 767, 777, 727, 707, 737, A350 etc too (some of these are way better than anything you can get for FSX or P3D, but what there is not, is good ATC and good flight planning in XP. There are some add-ons which are okay that will soup up ATC and flight planning a bit, but they aren't anywhere near as good as anything you can get for P3D/FSX and I can guarantee you will be disappointed with what it can do in that regard when compared to FSX/P3D. This may change of course with third party developers, but right now all that stuff is good to go with P3D and FSX and you probably already own some of that stuff too.

Check out the demos, but I'm pretty sure you will come to the conclusion that as cool as some stuff in XP is, it still needs work before you would pick it as the sim of choice for airliner operations.

[MarkW 1,491]

I see it as P3D v4 providing the greatest variety of addon software....or at least it will over time.  XP has less to offer but much healthier freeware community.  If cost is no issue then P3D is the way to go....if you will rely on more freeware then xp11 is probably better.   As stated earlier, there is always the option of installing both and getting the best of both worlds. 

[737_800 434]

Chock: That would no problem for me. I don't understand people who use the integrated ATC. We have VATSIM guys, come on.

Actually, I did spend to much in Addons for FSX. Most of them will be compatible, at least I hope. So I think I need to with P3D. But I really do hope, that they will add these features in the future, especially the rain drops.

Would you guys buy the FSL A320?

[Murmur 3,941]

If you use online ATC (and hence I presume you don't use AI traffic), then the disadvantages of X-Plane 11 in the airliner IFR arena are greatly reduced.

[Chock 17,769]

25 minutes ago, 737_800 said:

Chock: That would no problem for me. I don't understand people who use the integrated ATC. We have VATSIM guys, come on.

VATSIM was a bit hit and miss for me when I tried it, in terms of coverage, I appreciate some people really like it, but that was my experience, so I use Pro ATC. There is no similar equivalent in XP, so it's a big minus point for me, which is a shame because there are now many very cool airliners for XP available. I think it is one of the things which prevents many airliners simmers making the switch.

[737_800 434]

But XP would mean - at least for me -  all my addons are not anymore useable. I think I forget XP.

[Guest]

P3D is more similar to FSX and you might be able to re-use some addons. If you want a better version of FSX with most of the addons which you know from FSX, P3D is the way to go.

If you want to experience something new, try X-Plane. It has its very own advantages and its very own quirks. It needs to catch up in 3PD development, but has a great freeware scene and a lot of projects which could elevate the sim to the next level.

In any case you should try the XP demo as it's free. And you could also try P3D, it has a 30day refund policy if I am not mistaken. XP comes at 60$, P3Dv3 was 60$ or 200$ depending on the license that is applicable to you and I assume the same pricing will remain for v4.

[n4gix 4,947]

1 hour ago, domae001 said:

In any case you should try the XP demo as it's free. And you could also try P3D, it has a 30day refund policy if I am not mistaken.

Sixty (60) day refund policy is in effect...

[barrel_owl 304]

5 hours ago, 737_800 said:

I am struggling at the moment how to proceed astutely with the change in flight simulation. Especially when I see X-Plane vs. P3D v4. The most confusing is, it's not clear, how and in which platform to invest. I still use FSX and have spend a punch of Money into it.

Same situation here. I have invested a lot is FSX(-SE) along the last years and I will wait for FSW to grow to a full simulator. Meanwhile, I bought X-Plane three days ago. The biggest problem I am having at the moment with X-Plane is how to come back to any ESP-based platform thereafter without having the impression to be playing with a toy. Obviously this is a strictly personal opinion, but I am not the only one. Just saying.

5 hours ago, 737_800 said:

I also want to buy the FSL A320, and till the release of P3D v4 I can buy the FSX Version and update to P3D v4 for free; so I would have both version. Do you think it's worth buying it now? The Airbus for X-Plane look really good, it XP has slope runways and rain effects. Anyway I don't know about the flight dynamics.

It looks like you like liners. At the moment, P3D could probably be your best choice then. However, please consider that it will take some time before your current FSX/P3D addons will be available for P3Dv4. And, of course, this will not include all addons who were specific for FSX. In my opinion, X-Plane is not a huge investment and is absolutely worth trying.

One last remark about ATC. Many people mention ATC as a major drawback within the X-Plane ecosystem compared to ESP. Which ATC are we talking about exactly? Obviously, not the default one. I have Pro-ATC/X. While I am pretty satisfied especially after the last update, be aware that it costs € 50,00 and, unless you fly exclusively liners from/to major airports, it still has several shortcomings. If you are trying to land to a minor airport without procedures using a GA or turboprop aircraft, be prepared to be vectored sometimes against a mountain, not to mention the fact that VFR is completely unsupported. Also, only a limited set of voices are available as default (although a guy named Mike Collins is making a incredible job expanding it) and if you fly in Brazil, be prepared to often hear "Manchester" or something similar in the chatter. All in all, a good product, but far from being perfect. If you want a more realistic ATC, fly online and do not use this parameter to make your future decision.

My two cents.

[Christopher Low 5,352]

Quote

That would no problem for me. I don't understand people who use the integrated ATC. We have VATSIM guys, come on

Why do you assume that everyone wants to fly online? Many of us enjoy flight simulation without having to worry about whether others will be flying at the same time, or if there will be ATC controllers at our preferred departure and arrival airports. The default ATC and AI planes provide an atmospheric environment at ALL of the airports that we choose to upgrade, and they will ALWAYS be active.

[Wobbie 938]

Chris, 100% correct. Not all of us want to fly online, & not all of us fly Boing's or Bus's.

Having said that, For me, P3D is the way to go, based on their support as well as developer support. It does seem more 'professional', academically speaking!

Also, I would prefer native 64bit add-ons in a 64bit sim, not modified 32bit ones. I would fly my older 32bit stuff in a 32bit sim, & obviously 64bit ones in a 64bit sim.

Erm, it is not an 'investment' to buy a sim or an add-on, it is simply a normal purchase. (but that's just me!)

[Luke 782]

8 hours ago, Wobbie said:

Also, I would prefer native 64bit add-ons in a 64bit sim, not modified 32bit ones.

What is the difference, and how can you tell?

Cheers!

Luke