nwadc10

You do have a point there, funny that I didn't see it that way as I watched the videos. How do you move from one camera preset to another, is it key combos or are there clickspots that you add to the panel?

I appreciate your respectful response. I am watching videos on both options to begin my research. I'm not all that thrilled about having to invest more money but if that's what it takes I might have to bite the bullet. The internet connection where I am at right now is pretty bad so videos are a bear to attempt to watch. I made it through most of a video using EZCA. To me it seems like what I mentioned before that root action is taking the VC and positioning the camera to view a panel from a 2D perspective. If this is the best we can do, why aren't we keeping the full compliment of 2D panels? Now I'm looking at videos with TrackIR which look a little more promising. I'll have to wait to get home to hit the research hard. Thanks for the tips.

Let's take this in a different direction. Before we do that, it's interesting that the pro VC posters here don't think it's a big deal that a 2D panel is missing that's required to start the engines and instead proceed to tell the 2D guys to get over it. The pro 2D guys meanwhile show no ill will towards the pro VC guys, at least I don't. FS has the capacity to do both panels, why not do both to completion instead of one complete and the other missing this little used but very important panel? That panel is needed for the fuel cutoff switches. Having to change to VC soley to actuate the fuel cutoff switches isn't acceptable. Sure we've got keyboard commands and I've got my CH throttle quad switches programmed to cover this function which somewhat deadens the issue but this is an issue of principle for me personally, it's bigger than just a missing 2D panel.I digress. So last night I sat down determined to get to know this VC panel with an intent to like it. I saw this industry shift coming long before any of you posted above and long before the NGX was released. I don't get it. The VC is horrible in terms of functionality. It's so bad that I figure I'm doing something wrong because so many others love the VC. My serious question to the VC guys is how do you do it? I'm not asking to start any arguments, I'm asking to learn to like the VC. The following questions and statements of my own observations also has the same intent to learn and point out the current frustrations I have with VC. My first observation is that the eyepoint is far too high and forward to make the overhead panel useable. What are the tricks you are using to make this workable? Are you moving the eyepoint aft and down so you can see what the switches on the other side of the overhead are? I know one technique is to use the bookmark/shortcut, whatever they call them, of a head on view of the overhead or other panel. But this is essentially giving you a 2D panel making this whole argument like that of a politician. I played with a couple of methods such as opening the overhead in 2D, moving it to my second monitor, then going back to VC but it creates a bad experience on the overhead in that when I right click a switch it first opens the popup menu and a second right click actuates the switch. VC works great for taxiing, that feels good and realistic. I just don't see how to make it functional in terms of interaction with systems, hopefully someone can enlighten me. At the end of the day functionality must rule to have a good experience.

I agree, the lack of 2D throttle quad is beyond frustrating. Unless I get a good explanation as to why PMDG intentionally left it out and refuses to consider it in future updates I will be adding this fact to my description of virtual pilots interested in the product and I will be labeling it as LAZY PROGRAMMING!I run a multiple monitor setup, I don't need or want VC. I am a real world airline pilot and I have tried VC, it is not realistic or even feel like it. Multiple monitors running 2D panels is the closest you will get to feeling like you are in a cockpit. PMDG may as well have left out the overhead panel from 2D as well for crypes sakes. I do have the CH throttle quad so I will still be able to start and shutdown engines without going to the keyboard. However, my anger is based on the principle that the PMDG "gods" omit something so basic and even worse, their inattentiveness to their 2D panel customers.My frustrations regarding PMDG have been growing over the last few releases. It's not because the products are bad, they are great models but their business practices are pathetic, I truly feel that they don't care one bit about their customers only about the cash we keep handing over to them. This issue is icing on the cake.