Future of p3d ?

[lownslo 592]

2 hours ago, newtie said:

So, if there's a third option...

Perhaps... they'll make an announcement if/when they're ready?

[newtie 533]

More than likely.

[lownslo 592]

Until something happens, I'm still making good use of 5.3.  Works fine here...

[Lorby_SI 2,036]

On 5/17/2023 at 10:40 PM, Daube said:

The "attachment" that you mentioned, is more like making your plane a fixed attachment to the refueling plane, which is not how it is in real world.

The "attachment" was referring to attaching a drogue to the (any) tanker and a probe to your own aircraft at runtime. No editing of config files etc. required. 

You can indeed latch on to the tanker, for convenience sakes (as shown in the video), either manually or automatically when you get the probe in the right spot (you have to be very precise for that). And while latched, doing stupid things will break the connection. This app is not about accuracy (as shown in the first part of the video where I attach a couple of AGM88 missiles to a Maule), but about fun and "good enough". I enjoyed several flights with the JustFlight Hawk, creating my tankers in advance and then flying for example non-stop from Sardinia to Scotland. With PMX I could also attach external tanks, but the tankers were more fun.

Then again, this is an old app anyway. I just thought that you might enjoy it. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Lorby_SI

[evaamo 549]

I hope they continue to support existing products in versions 6.

Just this weekend I spent close to 200 EUR purchasing P3D add-ons I had on my wishlist.

I've invested lots of money in XP12 and MSFS in recent months, but honestly, none of these fill the void in their current state.

I own both the NGXu (P3D) and the NG3 (MSFS). I also have LSH's Maddog for both platforms. Regardless of the evident graphics improvements in their respective MSFS versions, and even considering P3D 5.3's shortcomings, fact is I prefer both add-on versions for P3D. It's not only they feel more "mature" in P3D, but their interaction with the environment feels better (regardless of MSFS "dynamic" atmosphere). 

Just as an example: I spent some time hopping between Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in these two over the weekend. Even using the "outdated" navdata and AFDS of the NGXu, it felt light-years ahead of how the NG3 feels in MSFS. Gone were the crazy FD bars and its quirkiness, and the pitch instability. On the other hand, the Leonardo felt much better when hand flying (even if it "flies on rails").

Another aspect: during these flights, the weather wasn't great and I quickly reflected on how an important factor (I'm using ActiveSky) wx really is in P3D (while being FAR from perfect). The ability of depicting SigWX brings a lot of joy in flight planning, but also forces you to make decisions based on the forecasts and employing the wx radar (as basic as it may be compared to real-life). In the other sim, regardless of the "scary" looking volcanic-ash clouds, nothing really happens. XP12 is better in that regard, I admit. But it's still missing many important things at the moment to be considered my go-to simulator.

Anyway, back to the P3D argument: not only was cloud depiction spot-on, but in general the entire weather dynamics were very accurate and made the entire flights worth planning. The times I hit bad weather conditions, it really felt like I was in a place I shouldn't be or would not rather be. Even with P3D's "aged" graphics, I have yet to experience in the other simulator the fascination of seeing thunderstorms at night from a safe distance while cruising at FL340, keeping them in check on the wx radar, and understanding it's not only a cool graphics effect but really nasty stuff happening there.

I hope LM manages to retain compatibility in v6 with current add-ons... otherwise it'll be 5.3 for a long time to come.

Edited May 23, 2023 by evaamo

[Daube 352]

Do you have any screenshot? So far, I haven't seen any screens of P3Dv5 in which the weather depiction could be called "good".

Concerning XP12, some recent news and screenshots posted over there seem to show some radical improvement to the weather depiction as well, which is quite welcome, since their cloud-drawing technology is a bit lacking so far.

Concerning MSFS "volcanic ashes", sorry but this comment is outdated since one year and a half or so. Earlier iterations of the sim had indeed some cloud coloring problems, but it's been a while since they rectified that issue. While some adjustment would still be needed here and there (clouds are still a bit too dark in some conditions), there is nothing "volcanic" about them anymore since a long time. And don't get me started about the turbulences, which are nothing close to "nothing really happens"...

[evaamo 549]

9 hours ago, Daube said:

Do you have any screenshot? So far, I haven't seen any screens of P3Dv5 in which the weather depiction could be called "good".

Concerning XP12, some recent news and screenshots posted over there seem to show some radical improvement to the weather depiction as well, which is quite welcome, since their cloud-drawing technology is a bit lacking so far.

Concerning MSFS "volcanic ashes", sorry but this comment is outdated since one year and a half or so. Earlier iterations of the sim had indeed some cloud coloring problems, but it's been a while since they rectified that issue. While some adjustment would still be needed here and there (clouds are still a bit too dark in some conditions), there is nothing "volcanic" about them anymore since a long time. And don't get me started about the turbulences, which are nothing close to "nothing really happens"...

Like I said above: XP12 has the best default wx depiction / atmospherics simulation of the three. It isn't my "go-to" sim for other reasons.

I'm not going to nor am I interested in engaging in a discussion between simulators (we all know how this ends up), so I'll just say this: just yesterday I fired MSFS and made a quick NRT-KIX flight in the A310. Weather was bad around Tokyo and along the route. I saw good storm clouds but also prominent "volcanic ash" clouds. I also flew the aircraft towards and crossed an area showing red on the wx radar and all that happened was some visible small jumps due to turbulence and wind shifts that only translated in small variations in IAS. Besides the nice visible rain effect, nothing extraordinary to report.  Now, I'm not saying there has to be hurricane-strong winds or hail storms every time (although the clouds looked like I was about to enter one), but there was little to no worrying consequences from doing so. I'm using "default" turbulence settings, in case you're interested.

I hope Asobo reverses their decision of keeping the wx API closed to third parties such as Hi-Fi, the potential is there.

 

[psolk 3,037]

So with the release of 5.4 I actually think that is probably "it" for P3D as we know it.  Do not misinterpret that to mean P3D is dead.  What I am saying is LM promised backwards compatibility in regards to P3D.  They have delivered that with 5.4   At the same time we know in parallel there have been articles referencing LM using the Unreal Engine.  Never was it stated that was a V6 that would maintain backwards compatibility.  Being that it took so long to deliver 5.4 I am personally (just my worthless opinion) thinking that the P3D code train maintaining backwards compatibility will end at 5.4 or maybe 5.4with a few HF's...   I personally don't see whatever is "next" as a P3D V6 running on Unreal and maintaining backwards compatibility.  At some point it becomes a P3D Unreal (I should trademark that 😉 ) built from the ground up and that means breaking backwards compatibility.    

This is of course purely speculative and to be honest would not hinder me if I could maintain 5.4 while a next gen P3D matures.  Then the question becomes do the Dev's come back with high quality add-ons eventually or is this "next gen" version strictly for their commercial customers... 

All speculation of course but it would make a lot of sense to sunset this iteration on 5.4 so the next gen platform doesn't have to maintain backwards compatibility anymore. 

Who knows though, 5.3 was fine for me though so I am happy 🙂  

Edited May 23, 2023 by psolk

[KL Oo 695]

@psolk you raise some good points. I don't believe that the casual simmer market such that most of us are were ever LM's target audience (in my professional capacity I've seen and used what they deliver to non civilian companies). So with the success, money and technology that is being thrown into MSFS I wonder if they will just forgo delivering to this (casual simmer) section of the market. Just my musings. 

[F737MAX 5,552]

3 hours ago, psolk said:

So with the release of 5.4 I actually think that is probably "it" for P3D as we know it. 

[…]

All speculation of course but it would make a lot of sense to sunset this iteration on 5.4 so the next gen platform doesn't have to maintain backwards compatibility anymore.

Agree on a lot of this. Except, if you approach LM's current situation dispassionately, it makes sense from a business perspective to call it a day on any future version of “Prepar3D.”
If LM are going to use new technologies, such as Unreal Engine and AI tools to create a 3D digital Earth, then from a sales and marketing approach, they'd want to differentiate their new, next-generation simulator from their current platform.
Calling it P3D v6, creates the impression with buyers that it is another iterative and incremental improvement, rather than a revolutionary one. Plus, given P3D's major selling point of backward compatibility (for scenery products at least), it would be a fundamental change to break that concept while attempting to maintain it is of the same lineage.

The mutually beneficial relationship triangle between consumer-level users, third-party developer product ecosystem and LM is a mere shadow of what it was.
To change the current dynamic requires LM to bring out a compelling new offering. Let's see if, at next month's FlightSimExpo, LM reveals something great.

[okupton 308]

You guys could be right about P3d v5.4 being the end of prepar3d as we know it. From 3rd party development, I think it is the end as we know it.  
 

But, I still hold some level of confidence that there will be a V6 based on the beta page that was leaked last fall as well as the majestic installer having a v6 entry.

either way, I’m happy with V5 so I’ve got no reason to complain. 

[blaunarwal 432]

I think speculating what will be, is meaningless. It can mean a lot of things, when they release a small update instead of the big one expected. 

This update should have been released 6 months after of 5.3 HF2. It is only fine tuning of the version before. The End of version 5, which of course will get another hotfix or two. But then it's really finished. We had this before with earlier main versions.

A new version number makes some addons to refuse to work. I'm pretty sure TOGA addons will not accept the new versions as well as RXP gauges. If I'm wrong, please tell me.

My Sim is pretty stable at the moment. I will not feel the improved stability for sure.

A performance increase has not been felt so far by the people who tried 5.4.

The sim looks still like before.

So nothing to win at the moment. I continue to wait and see what's happening. 

Dan

[787flyer 633]

Agree Dan. For some users v5.4 might give them more stability, but my rig was running fine with v5.3 until Windows 11 burped on me.

I will make the update to v5.4 once Chase plane is compatible and will be quite happy running this version until the direction of P3D becomes clearer which hopefully will happen in the next 2-3 weeks.

[okupton 308]

7 minutes ago, 787flyer said:

Agree Dan. For some users v5.4 might give them more stability, but my rig was running fine with v5.3 until Windows 11 burped on me.

I will make the update to v5.4 once Chase plane is compatible and will be quite happy running this version until the direction of P3D becomes clearer which hopefully will happen in the next 2-3 weeks.

Speaking of chaseplane, have you seen any statement from the developer that they will update to make it compatible with 5.4?

[Iadbound 211]

20 hours ago, okupton said:

Speaking of chaseplane, have you seen any statement from the developer that they will update to make it compatible with 5.4?

Directly from the dev in the //42 Discord "This is currently under consideration. There are currently no new open tickets."  So I would suggest you open a ticket.