Help an old Dad out...

[Riddlin 0]

Hello all and I hope I can get some guidance and suggestions on my "needs / wants". 

Brief background (you can skip it really ;))...my daughter was born in 2010 and one of the things I did while she was a baby was to build a Cessna 172 simpit.  She began flying with Daddy every day.  In late 2014 she was entering Pre K and we began upgrading the simpit to a Cessna 208.  Had some custom panels built, we were serious about it.  I built a new PC, and because my 5 yo was flying way more than me, we got a copy of Prepar3d 2.0.  Was was in April of 2015.  Shortly after this, disaster.  I lost my job and in the process we nearly lost our home...enough of that! 

I am back and evaluating what I have to restart with.  My daughter now is 8yo and she is the reason we are rebuilding OUR simpit (with an extra seat for Mom, she says).

 

Our main PC is:

ASUS  Sabertooth Z97

Intel i5-4690K 3.5 (it'll hit 4.2 stable)

16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM

256GB SSD (2x 128GB RAID 0)

&

GTX 970 4GB

 

I know this isn't a MOOSE machine but, to start with we will be running P3D 2.5, just to get our wheels back under us.

I have 4 monitors, 3 for exterior(6080x1080) and one for instruments(1920x1080)...this ran well on a much less powerful machine using FSX so, I have hopes it will still serve us well until we can get a beefier system.

 

Add ons we used:

Ultimate Terrain X - USA

SceneryTech - North America Landclass

Ground Environment X North America

Active Sky (for weather)

REX Essentials+ Overdrive (for the textures)

Traffic 360

Carenado's  C172N & C208B

 

I have an option to upgrade all the landclass and terrain stuff from where I purchased it but, I figure i will need to repurchase the new AS and REX programs as well as getting a new traffic generator...

I guess I am just wanting a pat on head and a "that'll do pig, that'll do..."  A LOT has changed in the last 2-3 years and I am feeling a little lost...pretty much how I felt back in 2010 when I first started in this hobby.

 

Does any of this sound right and/or make sense?

 

If you've read this far, thanks for your patience and time...

Edited November 6, 2018 by Riddlin
Cleaning it up!

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

The current release level for P3D is actually V4.3. which is an improvement over previous releases.. any reason to not install that instead?  (pat on the head..) 

And for a nice C172 or C182.. look at a2a Simulations.

Edited November 6, 2018 by Bert Pieke

[mpw8679 428]

25 minutes ago, Riddlin said:

Hello all and I hope I can get some guidance and suggestions on my "needs / wants". 

Brief background (you can skip it really ;))...my daughter was born in 2010 and one of the things I did while she was a baby was to build a Cessna 172 simpit.  She began flying with Daddy every day.  In late 2014 she was entering Pre K and we began upgrading the simpit to a Cessna 208.  Had some custom panels built, we were serious about it.  I built a new PC, and because my 5 yo was flying way more than me, we got a copy of Prepar3d 2.0.  Was was in April of 2015.  Shortly after this, disaster.  I lost my job and in the process we nearly lost our home...enough of that! 

I am back and evaluating what I have to restart with.  My daughter now is 8yo and she is the reason we are rebuilding OUR simpit (with an extra seat for Mom, she says).

 

Our main PC is:

ASUS  Sabertooth Z97

Intel i5-4690K 3.5 (it'll hit 4.2 stable)

16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM

256GB SSD (2x 128GB RAID 0)

&

GTX 970 4GB

 

I know this isn't a MOOSE machine but, to start with we will be running P3D 2.5, just to get our wheels back under us.

I have 4 monitors, 3 for exterior(6080x1080) and one for instruments(1920x1080)...this ran well on a much less powerful machine using FSX so, I have hopes it will still serve us well until we can get a beefier system.

 

Add ons we used:

Ultimate Terrain X - USA

SceneryTech - North America Landclass

Ground Environment X North America

Active Sky (for weather)

REX Essentials+ Overdrive (for the textures)

Traffic 360

Carenado's  C172N & C208B

 

I have an option to upgrade all the landclass and terrain stuff from where I purchased it but, I figure i will need to repurchase the new AS and REX programs as well as getting a new traffic generator...

I guess I am just wanting a pat on head and a "that'll do pig, that'll do..."  A LOT has changed in the last 2-3 years and I am feeling a little lost...pretty much how I felt back in 2010 when I first started in this hobby.

 

Does any of this sound right and/or make sense?

 

If you've read this far, thanks for your patience and time...

Not sure what your really after.  Your planning to run the same addons on a more powerful machine and wondering if it will run ok?  Also why P3D v2?  I would not invest anything into the 32 bit sims.

 

[himmelhorse 1,276]

Riddlin,

Just a couple of things.

Firstly, I think your old kit should work although it aint not ever gunna be a rocket with P3D v2 or 3. I would think that your biggest problem is going to be the dreaded VAS issues.  You may want to consider an upgrade to v4 64bit before any other upgrades. This will go a long way to aleviate that particular VAS (memory) problem. I am als o somewhat surprised with you achieving any sort of performance with 4 monitors as I felt "stuck" with FS2004 because of performance issues using more than 2 monitors. I was using up to 8 monitors with FS2004 ... Later, reduced to six... with more than acceptable FPS and smoothness. I have only just converted to P3Dv4 and had to accept using only two monitors for acceptable frame rates.

I sympathize with your financial plight and as an aged pensioner can understand it completely.

You next problem, I think may well be a need to upgrade your SSDs . I say this because I started out with a 128gb SSD for just my OS and very quickly found myself running out of space and upgraded to 256gb SSD for my OS.  This too, is now getting close to requiring an upgrade. I further feel that 128gb should be considered a fairly temporary SSD for your P3D platform. This is because I do not know anyone who is happy with the "basics" for very long, and your "addon" inventory will, indeed, grow over time. I do not think either of these SSDs need urgent or immediate replacementink about it over time., but you do need to think about this aspect.

There are many more and much smarter minds than my old feeble one who can and will offer a lot of advice here for you , I believe.  I wish you luck and a BIG welcome back.

Regards

Tony

[mtrainer 136]

Ahh the memories, yes you must build all you can with your daughter and wife.  My son and I enjoyed many hobbies together, and alas, now he is a college graduate and lives 940 miles South of me.  When living in the moment life seems to crawl by, but when looking backward, you realize it is racing by.

Pat on the head, given.

I suspect you'll do just fine regardless of the details.

Mark

 

[flyinpilot212121 724]

2 hours ago, Riddlin said:

Hello all and I hope I can get some guidance and suggestions on my "needs / wants". 

Brief background (you can skip it really ;))...my daughter was born in 2010 and one of the things I did while she was a baby was to build a Cessna 172 simpit.  She began flying with Daddy every day.  In late 2014 she was entering Pre K and we began upgrading the simpit to a Cessna 208.  Had some custom panels built, we were serious about it.  I built a new PC, and because my 5 yo was flying way more than me, we got a copy of Prepar3d 2.0.  Was was in April of 2015.  Shortly after this, disaster.  I lost my job and in the process we nearly lost our home...enough of that! 

I am back and evaluating what I have to restart with.  My daughter now is 8yo and she is the reason we are rebuilding OUR simpit (with an extra seat for Mom, she says).

 

Our main PC is:

ASUS  Sabertooth Z97

Intel i5-4690K 3.5 (it'll hit 4.2 stable)

16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM

256GB SSD (2x 128GB RAID 0)

&

GTX 970 4GB

 

I know this isn't a MOOSE machine but, to start with we will be running P3D 2.5, just to get our wheels back under us.

I have 4 monitors, 3 for exterior(6080x1080) and one for instruments(1920x1080)...this ran well on a much less powerful machine using FSX so, I have hopes it will still serve us well until we can get a beefier system.

 

Add ons we used:

Ultimate Terrain X - USA

SceneryTech - North America Landclass

Ground Environment X North America

Active Sky (for weather)

REX Essentials+ Overdrive (for the textures)

Traffic 360

Carenado's  C172N & C208B

 

I have an option to upgrade all the landclass and terrain stuff from where I purchased it but, I figure i will need to repurchase the new AS and REX programs as well as getting a new traffic generator...

I guess I am just wanting a pat on head and a "that'll do pig, that'll do..."  A LOT has changed in the last 2-3 years and I am feeling a little lost...pretty much how I felt back in 2010 when I first started in this hobby.

 

Does any of this sound right and/or make sense?

 

If you've read this far, thanks for your patience and time...

“Pat on the head - That’ll do donkey, that’ll do!!!”

But one must ask, Why P3D v2?

P.S Glad to hear you made it out from the financial woes. I was there a few years ago, got laid off, had to sell the toys and live in my sisters basement for 6 months or so, Not a good feeling especially when my kids would come to visit, didn’t feel independent at all.

Edited November 7, 2018 by flyinpilot212121

[flyinpilot212121 724]

15 minutes ago, mtrainer said:

When living in the moment life seems to crawl by, but when looking backward, you realize it is racing by.

Oh does it ever, I had my oldest daughter when I was 22, at the time it seemed like things crawled along..fast forward to 35, I now look back on the baby and toddler ages and wonder where it all went!

[Riddlin 0]

3 hours ago, Bert Pieke said:

The current release level for P3D is actually V4.3. which is an improvement over previous releases.. any reason to not install that instead?  (pat on the head..) 

And for a nice C172 or C182.. look at a2a Simulations.

Thanks!  I have heard nothing but GREAT things about the A2A stuff.  I think that will have to be on my Christmas wish list 😉

[Riddlin 0]

2 hours ago, mpw8679 said:

Not sure what your really after.  Your planning to run the same addons on a more powerful machine and wondering if it will run ok?  Also why P3D v2?  I would not invest anything into the 32 bit sims.

 

Yeah, I get that about the 32 bit and I see a FEW questions about "Why v.2?"  Main, and really ONLY reason, I already paid for it.  <shrugs>  However, if my machine could actually run 4.3 reasonably well, I am not against getting another license.

[regis9 4,002]

Just have to say how awesome it is to read about you and your daughter doing this project together.  My daughter is six and enjoys sitting on my lap and flying sometimes, or just watching daddy fly his planes.

[Riddlin 0]

Finally, my desire is to keep this little girl of mine INTERESTED in this hobby, something we both love, for as long as I can 😉

As for all the other stuff...I really just need some direction.  Seems the consensus is upgrading to v.4 may be the best choice even with my older hardware.  I do want to get a 500GB SSD and a 'meaner' video card.  Those are on my todo list for sure.

What I am struggling with is the latest add-ons, what would really help vs what would hurt the aging system I have now.  I just want to get as many miles out of this as I can...I guess that is the goal of EVERYONE in this hobby, right?

Thanks again to everyone for your time and thoughtful responses! 

[mpw8679 428]

5 minutes ago, Riddlin said:

Yeah, I get that about the 32 bit and I see a FEW questions about "Why v.2?"  Main, and really ONLY reason, I already paid for it.  <shrugs>  However, if my machine could actually run 4.3 reasonably well, I am not against getting another license.

Your machine will run v4 just fine.  U will just have to take it easy with the eye candy settings.  This will give u room to grow when u can upgrade your system.  I would not invest in the 32 bit sims because if u upgrade to v4 or v5 when it comes out u will be much better off.  

[Riddlin 0]

5 minutes ago, regis9 said:

Just have to say how awesome it is to read about you and your daughter doing this project together.  My daughter is six and enjoys sitting on my lap and flying sometimes, or just watching daddy fly his planes.

Yes sir!  She was flying at 2...she could cold start a C172 at 3, taxi and take off from our local runway and even pretended to buzz our house!  Even today, we will go out to the old runway and she will laugh about running off into the grass in that snowstorm or trying to land in the fog on Christmas Eve...our family members still thinks she is just joking around but we just wink to one another.  We will ALWAYS have those memories and they are just as real to her as if they had REALLY happened.  😄

[regis9 4,002]

Amazing!  Sounds like you have a natural on your hands.

[signmanbob 592]

I would definitely go for P3Dv4.3.  It is so much better than anything previous.

Also I would get the GTX1080Ti for a graphics card.  Also a big improvement.

Expect to be  buying a real Cessna 172 or 182 before too long for your up coming pilot, but the A2A will be a close runner-up till you do.

Congratulations.

 

Bob