1 hour ago, Rimshot said:

The term 'subjective' was already mentioned in this thread and your remark is a perfect example. I do understand what you mean by it though. X-Plane 12 isn't better in this regard as far as I'm concerned. Just like when flying in MSFS 2024, when using X-Plane I also have that immersive breaking notion I'm looking at a computer generated world. In some cases that notion is much stronger with X-Plane, in other occasions with MSFS...

I agree, however it’s not only what I am looking at. When I plug in the Xbox controller and give it to my 6 year old, msfs24 becomes an arcade game. 
 

She can’t do that in XP12, it’s not possible, at least I don’t think it is, and if it is, it certainly isn’t in plain sight. 

I do think X-Plane can be controlled with an Xbox controller, at which point it could also become arcade. But let's not have this discussion here. This topic is about how great X-Plane can look and I think we both agree with that.

1 hour ago, Rimshot said:

Now I am curious about your definition of 'a long way off' and 'very close'. Again, when traffic is 'a long way of' you'll probably never see it in real life, so what's the benefit if a sim is capable of showing it? I'll have to fiddle with X-Plane again and try LiveTraffic to see for myself how it looks 👍

I think my definition of 'a long way off' is further than MSFS ☺️  I like looking off into the distance and seeing a B747 18,000ft below taking off, an airliner clearly visible 30,000ft above or a GA on TCAS that can be seen and avoided.  When I transit a control zone and I see other aircraft arriving and departing.  It isn't just about GA, but a sky that is living and breathing, not empty as in MSFS.

1 hour ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

it certainly isn’t in plain sight

Make sure your system drivers are in order? My cheapo, wired xbox clone controller shows up in the joystick list just fine. Biggest trick is to make sure pitch trim is assigned.

It's very useful for dev work. Controlling camera views or just a quick hop in a plane to check on something. Sits nicely in the lap or right next to the mouse/keyboard for a quick tap w/ the palm of hand or a finger.

On 7/8/2025 at 3:33 PM, MrBitstFlyer said:

Quite incredible what LR and the addon community has achieved

I get nearly zero excitement from it but XP mobile stands to get some big improvements in not to distant future after they get vulkan and tiled rendering in place. It's incredible.... and then you can put it in your pocket.

1 hour ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

I agree, however it’s not only what I am looking at. When I plug in the Xbox controller and give it to my 6 year old, msfs24 becomes an arcade game. 
 

She can’t do that in XP12, it’s not possible, at least I don’t think it is, and if it is, it certainly isn’t in plain sight. 

Let's just say I'm far from 6 years old and I've used my xbox controller with both Xplane and MSFS, so I can speak from experience. Since you seem to be unsure, I can assure you that plugging your xbox controller in does not change the flight physics and the sim DOES NOT suddenly become an arcade game because of it.   In fact, it works really well with my gaming laptop and the simulators when I'm on the road. Of course, you are free to treat them like an arcade game if you desire.

I have what many would call an advance sim setup on my desktop but I'm still planning to purchase the X-Ray Flight Controller when it is released.

2 hours ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

When I transit a control zone and I see other aircraft arriving and departing.

I think as part of the multicore thing, they are going to use that for AI so it may mean more AI planes in the sky, more planes at airports, and more complaints about aircraft on ground taxing and go arounds.

11 hours ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

She can’t do that in XP12, it’s not possible, at least I don’t think it is, and if it is, it certainly isn’t in plain sight. 

give them a quest 3(s) headset and hand controllers and it will be like they are really there.

12 hours ago, mjrhealth said:

I think as part of the multicore thing, they are going to use that for AI

I don't like AI traffic, especially as real world traffic is available through LiveTraffic/RealTraffic.  I may feel different when ATC gets more natural in the sims, but as of now I don't find any of them realistic enough.

On 7/8/2025 at 11:33 PM, MrBitstFlyer said:

I continue to be flabbergasted every day with what I am seeing AND feeling in XP12.2  How can the other sim be described as the best graphically?  Quite incredible what LR and the addon community has achieved!

 

EDIT - Apple Maps Pro with the Map Enhancement Tool Pro.

very easily just like using ms2020 with the same said tool 

On 7/10/2025 at 1:48 AM, brinx said:

X-Ray Flight Controller

Consider me on the fence between disgust and genuine interest.

 

Edited July 11, 2025Jul 11 by Bjoern

18 hours ago, fluffyflops said:

very easily just like using ms2020 with the same said tool 

MS2020 does not look like that screenshot.  

On 7/8/2025 at 11:33 PM, MrBitstFlyer said:

I continue to be flabbergasted every day with what I am seeing AND feeling in XP12.2  How can the other sim be described as the best graphically?  Quite incredible what LR and the addon community has achieved!

 

EDIT - Apple Maps Pro with the Map Enhancement Tool Pro.

This is what happen when you do not have Xbox in the middle of the way !!

On 7/10/2025 at 9:48 AM, brinx said:

Let's just say I'm far from 6 years old and I've used my xbox controller with both Xplane and MSFS, so I can speak from experience. Since you seem to be unsure, I can assure you that plugging your xbox controller in does not change the flight physics and the sim DOES NOT suddenly become an arcade game because of it.   In fact, it works really well with my gaming laptop and the simulators when I'm on the road. Of course, you are free to treat them like an arcade game if you desire.

I have what many would call an advance sim setup on my desktop but I'm still planning to purchase the X-Ray Flight Controller when it is released.

I tried that at the expo.  They had a working demo model of it.  When I asked, they said it would retail at $USD100, but that could change.  Very sturdy and not cheaply made.

I'll be getting one, purely for portability.

On 7/9/2025 at 11:43 AM, Ianrivaldosmith said:

I agree, however it’s not only what I am looking at. When I plug in the Xbox controller and give it to my 6 year old, msfs24 becomes an arcade game. 
 

She can’t do that in XP12, it’s not possible, at least I don’t think it is, and if it is, it certainly isn’t in plain sight. 

I think XP mobile runs most of the same code as the desktop ( @mSparks?).

and the UI there is perforce arcade. But the stuff going on behind the arcade inputs wouldn’t be. 

AFAIK, controllers are just USB joysticks as far as the computer is concerned, so while XP might not be Plug N Play in terms of auto recognizing axes and such, it should be easy to do custom assignments.