Navigraph 2020 survey results: MSFS is the winner!

[lambourne 211]

8 hours ago, Nyxx said:

Interesting. P3D v5 is lower than v4

I was tempted by v5 until all the reports of VRAM problems came out from early adopters so I held off. When MSFS's release date was announced I said to myself I wouldn't spend money on P3D again.

Since the MSFS release we've all become aware of how buggy it is and how Asobo's updates break previously stable functions so I've bought a couple of P3Dv4 airports and one aircraft.

Had MSFS not been rushed out last year I was getting increasingly tempted by Xplane. As it is, I'll stick with P3Dv4 until FS2020 matures in 12-18 months. It's no fun firing it up only to discover all the modded aircraft (GA and tubeliner alike) need updating because the latest mandatory sim update has broken them all.

[PWJT8D 446]

Keep in mind this survey is primarily for developers. All eyes are on MSFS 2020 as to why it is most likely given it's own category. I did not purchase P3Dv5 because we had a MSFS release date. I was not going to spend another $60 on a simulator just to buy MSFS a few months later. So I just rode v4 out until MSFS was released.

Once some good airliners and more robust add-ons from the top developers start rolling out for MSFS over the course of the next year or two, we will see these numbers start to heavily shift towards MSFS and the shares of P3D begin to drop off. What is keeping a that 50% or so from switching over is their current add-ons. PMDG absolutely knows this as well. Call me a conspiracy theorist but PMDG in the beginning was strongly promoting the 737 for MSFS. Then all of a sudden its 1-2 years out. Lets be honest here, PMDG has a huge pull on the community. If they release an addon for MSFS while they still have products in development for P3D, it's almost a nail in the coffin for those P3D products to generate much sales as everyone jumps ship to MSFS. They have a lot in the pipeline for P3D right now, years of R&D and money invested. I know I've heard it in these forums before "I'm not switching to MSFS until PMDG releases the 737". I think PMDG is trying to avoid that exodus from happening just yet.

[a321 207]

Just shows you can punch out a beta, make it accessible, pay youtubers and blind people with pretty graphics. 200+ Sceneries (says a lot to me) but a small smattering of sort of ok rehashed GA planes with less features than they have in the other sims, and its a winner! Oh and then systems and flight model etc...wow!!

Seems like brainwashing does not only work in politics too!

Edited January 13, 2021 by a321

[pmb 5,138]

20 minutes ago, a321 said:

Seems like brainwashing does not only work in politics too!

Sorry, I don't need any brainwashing. I have all present sims up and running and I I've got my own eyes, and this is enough.

Kind regards, Michael

[a321 207]

8 minutes ago, pmb said:

Sorry, I don't need any brainwashing. I have all present sims up and running and I I've got my own eyes, and this is enough.

Kind regards, Michael

So what's your point? 

[Alvega 2,125]

Just now, a321 said:

So what's your point? 

It's more like, what's yours?

[sd_flyer 6,088]

1 hour ago, a321 said:

Just shows you can punch out a beta, make it accessible, pay youtubers and blind people with pretty graphics. 200+ Sceneries (says a lot to me) but a small smattering of sort of ok rehashed GA planes with less features than they have in the other sims, and its a winner! Oh and then systems and flight model etc...wow!!

Seems like brainwashing does not only work in politics too!

You feel pretty insecure when your opinion is not shared  with others? Lol Tough luck!

 Numbers speak for themselves  not big words 😉 Facts vs believes 

[Glenn Fitzpatrick 3,799]

My V8 driving friends say the same thing about my Mx5/Miata but it is actually more fun, cheaper, more reliable, moreeconomical, faster in the twisties, quieter and overall a far more practical car then the 5/6/7 litre dinosaurs they drive.

Edited January 13, 2021 by Glenn Fitzpatrick

[amahran 47]

Funny this forum concludes from the survey that MSFS is the clear consumer choice. The P3D forum topic on this exact Survey result has people concluding that P3D is still holding its own against MSFS (quite the opposite of what I’m seeing in this forum topic).

This really goes to support my personal opinion that raw data is dangerous, one can always look at the same bulk raw numbers and, depending on their opinion, can reach an entirely different conclusion.

 

EDIT: Before I get mobbed, just gonna say that I’m still of the opinion that MSFS is undoubtedly the only way forward, not P3D.

Edited January 13, 2021 by amahran

[somiller 694]

10 minutes ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

My V8 driving friends say the same thing about my Mx5/Miata but it is actually more fun, cheaper, more reliable, moreeconomical, faster in the twisties, quieter and overall a far more practical car then the 5/6/7 litre dinosaurs they drive.

...and just like aircraft, they're great until you run into something or something runs into you.

[pmb 5,138]

1 hour ago, a321 said:

So what's your point? 

Actually, there are two points.

(i) MS indeed made a strong marketing campaign. Actually, that was something I was hoping for to bring fresh blood into a hobby under danger to die with old codgers like me. I still hope for something like a second Golden Age of flight simulation as we had in the 1990-s.

(ii) The vast majority answering the survey are thinking people with a lot of experience, usually with more than one simulator and a perspective in time. They are well able to make their decision without YouTubers, brainwashing and such.

Kind regards, Michael

[a321 207]

36 minutes ago, sd_flyer said:

You feel pretty insecure when your opinion is not shared  with others? Lol Tough luck!

 Numbers speak for themselves  not big words 😉 Facts vs believes 

No not insecure I think what I think and others can think whatever, I am more astounded than anything. By your standards then you will say MSFS is a better Flight Simulator than XPlane? If so then that truly is beliefs VS fact, XPlane is a far better flight simulation Fact... So tough luck is on you. 

[sd_flyer 6,088]

41 minutes ago, a321 said:

No not insecure I think what I think and others can think whatever, I am more astounded than anything. By your standards then you will say MSFS is a better Flight Simulator than XPlane? If so then that truly is beliefs VS fact, XPlane is a far better flight simulation Fact... So tough luck is on you. 

X-plane is fine simulator, but like any other sim has it's own problems. Visuals that many people look down upon  is in fact a big deal. MSFS has a better potential out of the box even with all shortcomings. And yes for me as flight instructor MSFS represent a better value. Why?

Generally speaking no simulator will teach you stick and rudder skill no matter how sophisticated it is. You gotta fly a real airplane, get a feel or real controls. And yes x-plane can fulfil some instrument training goals and so is elite and frasca  and other less sophisticated  ye FAA approved sims . However, for those who learn to fly IRL see picture over the cowling is more important than glue their eyes to instruments. Visual flying is foundation of everything else to come.  Situational awareness, environment, developing visual cues here were MSFS shine as is. Remember primary training comes with visual flying . And yes heck I can fly and see my house in MSFS. Do some bush trips in amazing locations. I couldn't get that kind of visual XP11 even with ORBX. 

As far airliner lovers. We can go by with WT CJ-4 and FBW A320 for now. MSFS will mature and more sophisticated airliners inevitably come.

[CJ1045 469]

I think that, sadly, the survey questions are a little lacking. A question like 'Which is your favorite flight sim?' would have been good. For the developers 'Which flight sim are you likely to invest in most in the next year?'.

CJ

[vadriver 248]

7 hours ago, pmb said:

(ii) The vast majority answering the survey are thinking people with a lot of experience

michael

I believe I am a "thinking people with a lot of experience" ...... so i did not contribute, it is a load of nonsense to me.

How does the survey reconcile how many users of whatever did the survey .... there 1 short on the "best".