PMDG 737-700 has been released!

[JSmith2112 317]

For those still looking for the Simbrief downloader folder, here is mine that is working on the MS Store version of the sim:

C:\Users\[Your Windows User Name]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\packages\pmdg-aircraft-737\work\Flightplans

[Steve Dra 7,588]

4 minutes ago, Plimmy said:

I don't really want to go down the route of flexing system specs, but as you mentioned we are all striving for better performance. I find it odd not having this option as other AC do.

Oh...I hate flexing systems too...because I'm that skinny kid on the Intel beach that gets sand kicked in his face, LOL....in other words I have a moderate system at best. 🤣

Knowing what I know about the internals of model design (which is not much, but more than your common simmer), what you're asking is a challenge in several ways...with a lot of either compromises or mine fields if the coding, modeling and execution are not done perfectly.  Just like in the real world...your virtual 737 is a collection of tens of thousands of individual parts (virtual parts...but parts just the same)...all flying in perfect formation.  If one part, smack dab in the middle, wants to break formation, it can bring the whole flight down.  

So while not impossible, if it were decided by PMDG to take it on, I can imagine you guys would still be waiting to fly her. 😉 

PMDG took the route of carefully optimizing the entire plane holistically vs per logical parts groupings, and I think they did a bang up job (ooohh...bad example...they did a stellar job!)

Let's keep hoping for better performance though...can't ever fault a simmer for that! 🙂 

[Steve Dra 7,588]

14 minutes ago, neucoas said:

Steve, where can I find you awesome repaints?

Simply click the link you see below in my sig...

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(those Vs are arrows pointing down, LOL)

[DAD 2,650]

6 minutes ago, Steve Dra said:

Simply click the link you see below in my sig...

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(those Vs are arrows pointing down, LOL)

the TUI looks great. Thanks, Steve

[regis9 4,014]

First thoughts: Looks great, sounds great, feels at home after having not flown a sim 737 in a few years.  All feels very familiar coming from the NGXu.

My biggest beef is the lack of a utility to configure the throttle axis like FBW, Aerosoft CRJ etc have.  My throttle quadrant has a detent for reverse thrust that needs to be properly set up in the aircraft for it to work, otherwise I can’t use reverse thrust with my throttle quadrant plus idle thrust is below the detent.  Throttles don’t seem to work when calibrated in FSUIPC so that options seems like a no go so far.  Frankly this is something that should work in an advanced airliner by now.

Only other issue I noted was that on a SID out of KSJC last night it overshot the 180 degree turn after departure and blew through the speed limits.  That was my first flight though so I’ll fly a few more complex SIDS before getting too worried.

Overall quite nice but a throttle calibration utility really needs to happen.

[Boomer 1,619]

6 hours ago, verbal said:

Nope, figured it out, it's at:

 

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages\pmdg-aircraft-737\work\Flightplans

No it's not, not on my W10.

[Plimmy 4]

16 minutes ago, Steve Dra said:

Oh...I hate flexing systems too...because I'm that skinny kid on the Intel beach that gets sand kicked in his face, LOL....in other words I have a moderate system at best. 🤣

Knowing what I know about the internals of model design (which is not much, but more than your common simmer), what you're asking is a challenge in several ways...with a lot of either compromises or mine fields if the coding, modeling and execution are not done perfectly.  Just like in the real world...your virtual 737 is a collection of tens of thousands of individual parts (virtual parts...but parts just the same)...all flying in perfect formation.  If one part, smack dab in the middle, wants to break formation, it can bring the whole flight down.  

So while not impossible, if it were decided by PMDG to take it on, I can imagine you guys would still be waiting to fly her. 😉 

PMDG took the route of carefully optimizing the entire plane holistically vs per logical parts groupings, and I think they did a bang up job (ooohh...bad example...they did a stellar job!)

Let's keep hoping for better performance though...can't ever fault a simmer for that! 🙂 

Haha!!

I remember in FSX that the cabin could be removed, pretty sure I did this manually within the folder structure, although that was loooong ago! I'll have a dig around......................

[MattNischan 3,778]

1 hour ago, Plimmy said:

Hi all, does anyone know if the virtual cabin can be turned off in order to achieve better frame rates? I tried looking through the FMC plane setup but cant see any reference.

This isn't really necessary anymore in MSFS. The engine is capable of pushing a ton of geometry, but also, the virtual cabin is not even rendered when you aren't looking at it. With the level of detail that the cabin is modeled at, in MSFS you can consider it to be free as far as performance goes.

In other words, even if they did have that option, it would not improve your framerates in MSFS.

[iFlySimX 751]

Hey Steve, I saw someone having trouble getting the PMDG into Blender. They are seeing the below. 

glTF-Blender-IO-MSFS can't import the model.

Is it due to to a protection? Any tips? Thanks!

[Drumcode 1,893]

7 minutes ago, Boomer said:

No it's not, not on my W10.

Just use Windows Explorer search in your C drive for pmdg-aircraft 737 folder.

It’s worth noting that all of the sub folders (Flight Plans and WX) in the Work folder DO NOT get created until the aircraft initializes in the sim for the first time, so don’t try to look for these right after the installation.

[Plimmy 4]

10 minutes ago, MattNischan said:

This isn't really necessary anymore in MSFS. The engine is capable of pushing a ton of geometry, but also, the virtual cabin is not even rendered when you aren't looking at it. With the level of detail that the cabin is modeled at, in MSFS you can consider it to be free as far as performance goes.

In other words, even if they did have that option, it would not improve your framerates in MSFS.

From my observation this isn't true. Some AC out there allow the option of this and when removed testing my end it can make a difference. Remember this is basically FSX (still using FSX legacy code) reskinned with ASOBO bolt ons, ie the folder structure is exactly the same.

[odourboy 1,289]

So has all the dust settled over at PMDG headquarters? This was going to be a 'day 1' purchase, but with all the fulfillment issues, I backed off. I've never purchased from PMDG, so I have no account at their store and I'm not familiar with their download and install logistics (which looked kind of complicated based on reports). So I don't need any extra challenges beyond the normal process a brand new customer faces. 

[rjack1282 316]

The sluggish trim wheel, yoke, throttles, speed brake handle, windshield wipers, etc. just seem to be a leftover performance scavenging trick from legacy ESP based sims.  I see the same thing in the Maddog.  Aircraft that were actually built from the ground up for MSFS (i.e. default planes, A32NX, etc.) don't display this type of behavior, nor is it required in MSFS to scavenge for every little drop of performance savings.  I would guess the penalty for these moving pieces is basically nil in MSFS.

I have no doubt, because it is obvious, that the texturing and modeling were completely redone for MSFS, but it would appear some of the underlying systems have been regurgitated.  I wouldn't necessarily mind that but it is kind of distracting when I'm setting take off trim and the trim wheel is spinning at 5 FPS and I have 60 FPS in the sim.  These animations could have be redone up to modern standards.

[iFlySimX 751]

Just now, odourboy said:

So has all the dust settled over at PMDG headquarters? This was going to be a 'day 1' purchase, but with all the fulfillment issues, I backed off. I've never purchased from PMDG, so I have no account at their store and I'm not familiar with their download and install logistics (which looked kind of complicated based on reports). So I don't need any extra challenges beyond the normal process a brand new customer faces. 

Yes go for it...Very easy. 

[Drumcode 1,893]

1 minute ago, odourboy said:

 I'm not familiar with their download and install logistics (which looked kind of complicated based on reports). So I don't need any extra challenges beyond the normal process a brand new customer faces. 

It's not a rocket science. Pay, get the email, click on the link, click on download, generate the e-mail with the code, grab that from your e-mail, paste, get authenticated and start downloading. 🙂 Pretty simple when it works.