The MD-82 in MSFS and the future

[desbean 357]

It’s beautiful to look at, I’ve watched lots of videos of it, and I like vintage airliners, but all of that complexity with no copilot, in a plane that was flown by three in reality, is more than I want to learn to do or to actually do. Bring in a copilot like the PMDG DC6 and I’ll buy it. I’ll even pay double!🙂

Edited October 18, 2023 by desbean

[martinboehme 522]

20 minutes ago, desbean said:

all of that complexity with no copilot, in a plane that was flown by three in reality, is more than I want to learn to do or to actually do

The MD-80 has a two-person cockpit. Maybe you're thinking of the DC-10?

Appreciate if this isn't your thing - it's certainly different. However, the workload in flight is very manageable - most of the additional button pushing and switch flipping happens on the ground.

[micstatic 4,340]

Yep. Google chucks guides me-80. It’s very helpful to learning this plane. 

[eslader 1,814]

2 hours ago, Sunshine13 said:

Yes its much challenging to fly than the PMDG 737, what holds me back is the sound

What program are people using for the sound???

You can barely hear the engines from the cockpit. Which is pretty much how it was in the real plane. I have no problem with the existing sounds - they certainly aren't enough to get me not to fly it.

 

[sd_flyer 6,087]

MD-82 series is the best airliner for MSFS. My friend used to fly them for American until their retired it. He absolutely  loved them.

For those who missing sound check this video. Engines are in the back what do you expect to hear?

 

[Michael Moe 496]

They also have added the HUD lately allthough i havent used it yet. Will do some flights and training with it in  FSi panel. I like that software as it also have PMDG and Fenix and others for training approaches.

Michael Moe 

[Torsen 496]

It still amazes me that Leonardo is keeping a pricetag for most of the EU including VAT of 90 EUR. That is an amazingly high price tag for a port with visuals stuck in p3d times. And even in p3d the visual model and texture quality was not on the latest whats possible. I loved the dog in p3d but for the current overall build quality of the product for msfs I will continue to ignore the product. I'm with most of the comments that it is system wise a great product but in no way groundbreaking anymore. Taking a look at the textures and model quality I then can't follow anymore. Even no use of decals or other current technology to give the visuals the love it deserves. One can say I'm not interested in fancy graphics but even the cockpit where I spend 99% of my time is quite far away from the competitors. Plus the external load manager in a mixture with an EFB that both in UI and usability is on the lower end of expectations. Trying to stay compatible with the p3d series and reusing stuff, accepted. But thats not state of the art anymore. Navigraph charts coming at least announced after how long released? I see a product as a mixture of overall immersion and that includes system depth (where it is for sure 100% on the good side), visuals, sound and integration in the overall sim world on up to date technology. And in this bigger picture at least for me the dog fails.

An at least 30% reduced price would be more appropriate but still on the high side seeing the complete picture. With the current price tag Leonardo is setting itself in a niche again where they could appeal much more pilots to an interesting classic airliner with a lot of automation already but still the charme of the old jet era.

Highly subjective as usual... Enjoy it if you like the msfs rendition. I will load it up in p3d if I feel the itch of flying the dog.

Happy flying

T.

 

 

[Matchstick 1,902]

I definitely agree the issue is price.
The success of JF's BAe 146 and Fokker F28 shows there's a market for older airliner, but €75 + tax (which in my case makes it €90) seems to be more than the market is willing to pay (and I can't say I blame them).

The plane might offer more detail than the Fenix or PMDG 73x but I personally don't think it offers ENOUGH more to justify the price.

(I wonder if only being available on Simmarket doesn't help sales either - it's not the best shopping experience in simming)

Edited October 18, 2023 by Matchstick

[Torsen 496]

2 minutes ago, Matchstick said:

I definitely agree the issue is price.
The success of JF's BAe 146 and Fokker F28 shows there's a market for older airliner, but €75 + tax (which in my case makes it €90) seems to be more than the market is willing to pay (and I can't say I blame them).

The plane might offer more detail than the Fenix or PMDG 73x but I personally don't think it offers ENOUGH more to justify the price.

Exactly. Just do some simple maths. Buy the dog plus the extension for us at 120(!) EUR. For a few bucks more you get a 8(!) model/variants BAe146 package AND a pmdg 737-700 with 3 variants. Same works for without expansion with taking the 736 instead of the 700. And the overall immersion and money for quality level factor is in my eyes a lot bigger.

Cheers T.

[Lucky38i 1,106]

Been wanting to pick this up for a long time cause I know what Leonardo can offer. However, the price is pretty steep for what you're getting. You're getting a highly detailed aircraft in terms of systems, avionics and underlying things like pneumatic, hydraulics, fluids etc. That's it though. The model isn't all the great for when you're asking 90 EUR (inc tax, At least where I live). There's still binary switches rather than animations for little things that add alot to immersion. emissives are fairly average. I think we can all agree sounds are just not at all up to par for what they're charging. There's new visual and auditory standards in msfs so it's not bad to expect something similiar from the most expensive plane in the sim.

Personally I think at the price point, it's fair to make these criticisms because you're basically expecting the full package but I'm not really seeing that here. Then there's the expansion where I was expecting the analog variant of the MD-80 lines but that's not the case. It was more of the same, deeply simulated aircraft but that's about it.

Leonardo has been great with providing bug fixes, but I heard talks (don't ask where, idk if that's concrete info) about revised sound package but that's yet to come. This leads owners to use Ftsim, practically increasing the total cost of an already expensive plane. I love the classics (flying ini's and JF offerings most of the time), so if this aircraft has a more approachable price I'd pick it up in a heart beat, but I think the current pricing model and it being a classic makes a lot of msfsers abrasive to picking it up.

[Michael Moe 496]

Hmm i find the cockpit in 4K better than the Fenix for instance. The immersion comming from the cabin towards the cockpit is really nice.

Might be a biased as i love the aircraft but the cockpit and lighting is great.

Yes its pricey for sure but worth every penny in my opinion. 

Navigraph might be important in VR but i use an external Ipad for that now that it also got the simbrief flightplan integrated. Aviaworx and a second Ipad for the FMS.

Michael Moe 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Michael Moe

[Matchstick 1,902]

2 hours ago, Michael Moe said:

Yes its pricey for sure but worth every penny in my opinion. 

The problem for Leonardo is that not that many people seem to feel the same way.

[btacon 1,848]

4 minutes ago, Matchstick said:

The problem for Leonardo is that not that many people seem to feel the same way.

How would you know that?  Do you have visibility into his sale numbers?

Sometimes, just enough is enough. Maybe Leonardo is quite satisfied with what he has made and sells?

-B

 

[micstatic 4,340]

I agree on price.  It would probably help them sell more at a lower price point.  Also would help if they sold at other than simmarket.  But I'm able to over look the price as the plane is a joy to fly.  Regarding sounds.  I realize in the real plane you basically couldn't hear the engines.  Nonetheless I'm using the plane on a desktop simulator without other sensory cues like motion and even vibration.  So hearing the engines adds to the immersion for me, even if the sound is more a kin to sitting halfway back in the cabin.  The other thing not mentioned is that the default external sounds are terrible.  They do not sound anything like the real airplane.  That's another advantage of the currently available FTSim sound pack.  

[Matchstick 1,902]

1 hour ago, btacon said:

How would you know that?  Do you have visibility into his sale numbers?

Sometimes, just enough is enough. Maybe Leonardo is quite satisfied with what he has made and sells?

-B

 

I say that because in the wider MSFS community it appears to have very little impact, which considering the way it was lauded ahead of release doesn't bode well.

As for whether Leonardo are happy with sales if, as seems entirely possible, they still think of the Market in P3D terms they may well think that it's sold well while pricing out a vastly larger audience.

Edited October 18, 2023 by Matchstick