Good day, everyone! I know that such a topic appears every year and several times a year, so please do not judge harshly. Time goes forward and everything is rapidly changing and developing.

The essence of the issue is as follows - I want to buy PMDG 747 with an add-on and 777 with an add-on and Prepar3D v5, since officially there will be no support for PMDG for v6. Based on what I saw and read on the Internet, I believe that the PMDGs for P3D were of higher quality than they are now in MSFS, although they are also of very high quality in MSFS. I'll jump right ahead and say that there are also ASP3D, REX, ChasePlane and Orbx on the lists for purchase, but this is gradual.

I would like to hear the opinions of P3D and PMDG users.

1. Are PMDG 747 and 777 really so good that I should spend about $300 considering that I'm willing to go for it?

2. Is it worth entering Prepar3D v5 now in the run-up to 2025?

The decision, of course, is mine, but I will be grateful for your opinions.

P3D is practically dead sim, it is good to use if you have a ton of addon collected through years, but starting from beginning - it does not make much sense in my opinion.

Also mind that 777 for P3D is very old, and probably MSFS version will beat P3D version by far.

If i had to to start over this approach i would use.

1. PMDG 747 for P3D 

Spent money on the departure and destination airports

2. PMDG 777/737 for MSFS

3. Go scenery buying for MSFS/MSFS 2024

Michael Moe

 

7 minutes ago, Michael Moe said:

If i had to to start over this approach i would use.

1. PMDG 747 for P3D 

Spent money on the departure and destination airports

2. PMDG 777/737 for MSFS

3. Go scenery buying for MSFS/MSFS 2024

Michael Moe

 

I like the visuals of MSFS, but for some reason the model all look kind of toyish. Maybe this is something, that camera does to the look of it, I am not sure. In P3D and XP planes do look like real big jets.

@V_Pilot this is a question only you can answer depending on your age and finances. MSFS graphics look better and that is where most development is going so if your young and financially enhanced that is where I would focus. Personally I prefer P3DV5 because at 72 I can’t walk away from thousands of dollars invested in addons, especially all the study level planes I enjoy most. 
I don’t think PMDG planes for PD3 are still available to buy are they?

Just now, Patco Lch said:

@V_Pilot this is a question only you can answer depending on your age and finances. MSFS graphics look better and that is where most development is going so if your young and financially enhanced that is where I would focus. Personally I prefer P3DV5 because at 72 I can’t walk away from thousands of dollars invested in addons, especially all the study level planes I enjoy most. 
I don’t think PMDG planes for PD3 are still available to buy are they?

They are still available at Aerosoft.

I am almost 40 and unfortunately, I missed the days when P3D was popular, but I think today it matured and is a stable trouble-free (hopefully) experience. I went with XP11. But know having a lot more experience in "simming" I can say I am not feeling it with MSFS, especially because I am very much into study-level addons. Fenix, PMDG, iFly - all great, but for some reason I'm not feeling the same.

28 minutes ago, Patco Lch said:

I don’t think PMDG planes for PD3 are still available to buy are they?

No. There are no planes shown on their website as available for P3D.

I don't like what PMDG did with the P3D 777 back in 2022 (when they updated the bird for the -200ER release). Yes, they added all the PMDG ground services and stuff, but they ruined the trim big time. I even opened a ticket with them, and they took a year to tell me that it won't be fixed for P3D, but will be considered for MSFS. Fortunately, I purchased this bird before the update. I'll lose the ground services (no big deal, I had GSX already) but I'll get a trim I like more.

I understand the MSFS 777 has a better trim feeling, closer to what manuals say (i.e., they did what they told me they were going to do). I can't confirm, since I'm still waiting for the pax -200. Regarding the 737, the NGXu is no longer available, so it won't help you. But I have the P3D and MSFS versions, and I like better the P3D one. I'm even converting some MSFS liveries.

Now, should you invest the $300 you are considering? Let me reply to you with two questions:

1) How long should you work to earn these $300?
2) Do you think you will enjoy P3Dv5+747+777 for longer than the time you spent earning these $300?

That may help you to make your mind. If, after all this, you decide to go for it, please secure first the 747 and 777. AFAIK, they're only available at Aerosoft. The -200ER is not available anywhere anymore.

PS: no one, but money and SSD/HDD space should tell you not to fly more than one sim.

 

Edited November 16, 20241 yr by Luis Hernandez

5 hours ago, Beardyman said:

P3D is practically dead sim, it is good to use if you have a ton of addon collected through years, but starting from beginning - it does not make much sense in my opinion.

Also mind that 777 for P3D is very old, and probably MSFS version will beat P3D version by far.

If P3d is practically dead, then I love flying this dead sim every single day.  I do use MSFS but only for eye candy - VFR flying.  I absolutely love P3d for my long hauls.  The planes in my stable are too numerous to mention and most of them were FREE.  Using Active Sky, Force Feedback (with Russell Dirks' software), Cloud Art, and so many other great sceneries, I expect to fly P3d for many, many more years.  MSFS is going to be quite different in 2024 and much improved...but all the little games like some of the missions and checking pilot's salaries, and building this imaginary life (as in most adolescent video games) is just not for me!  I just want a good flight model, very good scenery, and the ability to fly wherever I want.  P3d is better than most people might think.  I just returned from Germany not too long ago, and when flying out of Frankfurt, I took a picture of the Cityscape.  When I flew that same runway out of Frankfurt with P3d, I was amazed at how perfectly the buildings and topography were represented.  Don't underestimate the investment in a great sim.

Still sticking with P3DV5 and if ORBX completely adds Global scenery for V6, will move to it.  Have both XP12 and MSFS2020 and have done less that 20 flights combined in both of them.  Most of my flying is in northern parts of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.  The MSFS 2020 scenery for this part of the world is marginal in a lot of areas and it get worst the farther north you go.  Missing water bodies and the same water body can have water, trees and snow at the same time.  Still like having snow outside my house in winter and also having snow in the sim, P3DV5 has this feature. Also, in P3DV5, you can turn off the road night lighting unlike XP12 where every single road has streetlights no matter how remote it is, kills the night flying immersion factor for me.  My other main reason for still using P3DV5, I can easy change things to my liking.  This includes airports, scenery, can modify gauges if they don't work properly, etc. They are all great sims, and each one provides different features for their users for the type of flying they do and areas where they fly.  P3DV5 works best for me.

John C.

Edited November 16, 20241 yr by johncott

1 hour ago, spilok said:

If P3d is practically dead, then I love flying this dead sim every single day.  I do use MSFS but only for eye candy - VFR flying.  I absolutely love P3d for my long hauls.  The planes in my stable are too numerous to mention and most of them were FREE.  Using Active Sky, Force Feedback (with Russell Dirks' software), Cloud Art, and so many other great sceneries, I expect to fly P3d for many, many more years.  MSFS is going to be quite different in 2024 and much improved...but all the little games like some of the missions and checking pilot's salaries, and building this imaginary life (as in most adolescent video games) is just not for me!  I just want a good flight model, very good scenery, and the ability to fly wherever I want.  P3d is better than most people might think.  I just returned from Germany not too long ago, and when flying out of Frankfurt, I took a picture of the Cityscape.  When I flew that same runway out of Frankfurt with P3d, I was amazed at how perfectly the buildings and topography were represented.  Don't underestimate the investment in a great sim.

Promoting the false narrative that MSFS is merely "eye-candy" does a great disservice to newcomers in the flight simulation community. The truth is that MSFS is a significantly more advanced simulator than P3D. It features an integrated weather engine, a superior physics system, and an extensive selection of aircraft equipped with advanced avionics.

If you have the budget, consider waiting for the release of MSFS 2024, which promises an unprecedented variety of aircraft, many offering robust FMC/MCDU simulations. At the very least, don't fall for the misconception that P3D is the superior simulator—it simply isn’t.  If you do decide to purchase P3D, be preaperred to spend hundred of extra dollars to achieve a reasonable simulation.  You'll need a weather engine, additional ground textures for VFR Flights, camera controls, etc...

Edited November 16, 20241 yr by kingm56

10 hours ago, V_Pilot said:

1. Are PMDG 747 and 777 really so good that I should spend about $300 considering that I'm willing to go for it?

2. Is it worth entering Prepar3D v5 now in the run-up to 2025?

The decision, of course, is mine, but I will be grateful for your opinions.

I bought the 777-200 and 300ER package a couple of months ago from Aerosoft after PMDG withdrew them and the 747 with no prior notice. The reason given when they’ve done this before is it would cause confusion with the MSFS versions and people may buy the wrong one.

You can believe that if you wish. I’m sceptical. But with them not appearing since for PMDG I’d advise you to buy asap from Aerosoft if you want them for P3Dv5 as that’s the only outlet.

https://www.aerosoft.com/en/shop/flight/p3d-fsx/prepar3d/aircraft/2250/pmdg-777-200lr/f-for-p3d-v4/v5?number=AS14229

I’m very pleased with the 777 and whilst I don’t have the 747 I imagine it’s the same quality.

5 minutes ago, kingm56 said:

You'll need a weather engine, additional ground textures for VFR Flights, camera controls, etc...

AS P3D, REX (not sure if it's superior to ASCA), not going to fly VFR (fly in MSFS), ChasePlane.

7 hours ago, Beardyman said:

P3D is practically dead sim, it is good to use if you have a ton of addon collected through years, but starting from beginning - it does not make much sense in my opinion.

Also mind that 777 for P3D is very old, and probably MSFS version will beat P3D version by far.

Then why are you here talking about a “dead” sim? The OP talked about P3Dv5.  He expressed no interest in buying MSFS.

2 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

You can believe that if you wish. I’m skeptical.

I heard they removed their P3D addons because keeping them sold on their website cost them more than they were selling. But this might not also be true. I think this is all in their business model. I think they are legacy addons now.