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birdmanmike

Why all this doom and gloom with 2.+?

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Reading all this recent P3D disparagement, LM not doing their job and everything,  I see a fair few of Johnny-come-lately's whinging, but few of the people using P3D for a long time are complaining.

 

Let me put it this way.  Like Rob, i've spent most of a working life-time in IT, though I'm now retired.  I've used FS on and off over the years in many iterations, but seriously got back in again with FSX in 2008.  I do a little development.

 

The FSX limitations were already apparent even then, and the ACES team were already gone.  I've spent a lot of time over the years since doing the various tweaks, upgrading hardware where it seemed it could help, but generally keeping my head down to avoid the flame wars.

 

I started using P3D when it first came out and have been using that on and off as well as FSX still.  P3D has been a curate's egg.  A lot of two steps forward and one back.  I got as far as 2.3 and then we seemed to be tweaking more than we did with FSX.  With 2.4 I gave up for a bit, deleted everything and decided to wait for some serious change for the better. Personally I think 2.5 has achieved that.  Let me elaborate.

 

i downloaded and installed 2.5 within 24 hours. i may have been lucky, but even with sub 3Mb broadband I had no problems.  2.5 has run without problem.  The only CTDs i had were caused by an un-needed nVidia .dll which once deleted, no probs.  A little help from Rob's stuff, Steve et al, sorted any display problems.  I am getting over 40-50 FPS over photo scenery with complex airports and medium complex aircraft (2700K OC to 4500, 2x670, not sli). I would add that I am installing add-ons gradually and ONLY when the developer has 2.5 valid installer.  No EMT, no hacks to gain a few days.  After all - I use this to fly - not drive around an airport looking at the eye-candy (I believe this is what P3D is about anyway?).  No OOMs.

 

I mean it - NO problems.  Having to restart after a scenery change wasn't exactly major - 2 or 3 minutes?.   And now the hotfix.  Downloaded to desktop, unzipped, copied to P3D install folder, checked each .dll etc. replaced correctly.

Still running over 3-4 hours flights, no OOMs, photo, complexity, no weather problems (REX textures and OpusFSI).  Clouds can slow a bit, but still well OK.  Stutters? - what stutters?. Smooth as heck.

 

One of the reasons I didn't junk FSX was multiplay.  i use FSinn and FSX multiplay to fly with mates, on-and-off a VA.  Quite honestly, in the last week or so, this has become the only reason to keep FSX.  

 

We're all nerds in flightsim but some are more nerdy than others. Fortunately we have the likes of Rob and Steve - and others who i haven't named who are positive and helpful.  The angry (young?) men complaining about a developer because he hasn't immediately updated an installer on a Saturday night? Come on!   LM haven't found and fixed all problems in seconds?  I suggest some of the moaners read the Big Boys Book of Computing before they complain.  Fools rush in, as they say, and too many are just complaining - often for problems that are their own fault, then just waiting for Rob, or LM or anybody but themselves to fix it.

 

So, how about a little laissez-faire?  Don't just denigrate, be a contributor.

There, that's my old farts rant over.  This version of P3D is pretty damn good - I'm even thinking don't need 64Gb - or I won't live long enough anyway  :(

 

Let's hear from a few people who think this is pretty good!

 

Mike

 

PS  Mind you - before anyone says it - and surprised no-one mentioned before, a litlle note from P3D home page:

"Prepar3D furthers the development of Microsoft® ESP™ while maintaining compatibility with Microsoft Flight Simulator X, allowing many thousands of add-ons to be used within Prepar3D"  My underline - but I forgive them - it's better this way . . .

 

And the subject of course is 2.5+!

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I also had very little trouble with the re-install of P3D and getting my addons working.  I have to admit that I wasn't looking forward to doing that.  But, it turned out to be not that big of a deal and everything including quite a few addons are all working just fine and the sim looks and runs great!


Rick Abshier

5900X | RTX3080 | 32 GB@3600 | India Pale Ale

 

 

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Well written and spot-on!  I am all-in with P3D and no longer use FSX.  While P3D isn't perfect, it is a much improved experience over FSX, and it's on a continuous development path.  Folks ought to be as excited about this as they would have been had Microsoft restarted FSX development.  And with LM's focus on the commercial/military market, there's likely to be steady revenue to keep development moving forward.  As an FS geek, I couldn't be more pleased and encouraged.

 

Again, great post... +1



Doug Miannay

PC: i9-13900K (OC 6.1) | ASUS Maximus Z790 Hero | ASUS Strix RTX4080 (OC) | ASUS ROG Strix LC II 360 AIO | 32GB G.Skill DDR5 TridentZ RGB 6400Hz | Samsung 990 Pro 1TB M.2 (OS/Apps) | Samsung 990 Pro 2TB M.2 (Sim) | Samsung 990 Pro 2TB M.2 (Games) | Fractal Design Define R7 Blackout Case | Win11 Pro x64

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Myself I am very happy with Prepar3d version 2.5.

 

Despite my hardware not being that great I am in a great position now where I am flying the PMDG 777 with Orbix FTX Global, Orbix Vector and FS Global 2010 mesh scenery.....with AI supplied by UT2. I have AI traffic for airliners at 100% because busy airports is important to me and with Vector I have all the options ticked except for tertiary roads and I removed the option to see traffic lights with primary roads as I do not need to see traffic lights.

 

With all of this installed and flying something as graphically intensive as the PMDG 777 my flying in prepar3d is enjoyable and pretty smooth.

 

Saying that however this does take some work because you need to put on a Sherlock Holmes hat and work out how to get prepar3d 2.5 working great on your specific system.

 

First thing I do is to work out what addons are important to me......as shown in my list above. It is really important not to burden the flightsim with an abundance of addons as the more you have the more stress you put on the flightsim and the more issues you will see.

 

With my list above this gives me a starting point and I then adjust the settings in the display menu with the pmdg 777 as my active vehicle..... what you will find is that it will take some time to find the right combination of settings to get p3d 2.5 working smoothly for you. Start with the default settings and increase the settings one at a time and with each change go into p3d and see what that one change did. If the change is negative, go back into settings and take out the last change. Doing these changes one at a time will teach you what each of the settings changes will do to p3d and this is important if you want to get a smooth result with p3d. Once you have the settings screens set, take screenshots of the settings so next time you reinstall p3d you can go back to those settings.

 

Weather is the next thing to install so Active Sky Next is installed....... as well as Rex Soft Clouds...... go back into p3d and make sure that p3d is still smooth and  not sluggish. In my case absolutely happy.

 

I have Rex Direct 4 and install that but as soon as I apply textures I see my frame rates dive...... do some testing and realize that I can have the great visuals of Rex Direct 4 but with a loss of some smoothness. I make the decision not to install Rex Direct until I upgrade my hardware in a few months time.

 

Install a few other addons and make sure that they don't impact p3d performance and I am done and happy.

 

In summary, it is important to work out the scenery settings, display settings, shadows, how much cloud to have and so on to get the most out of p3d. I find just increasing one setting to the right could impact performance so do each change one at a time and see what the effect is. I do not tweak my system at all..... I use what comes with p3d 2.5 and am happy with that.

 

So in the end I am flying the pmdg 777 with detailed mesh , orbix global scenery and vector and 100% AI and I am happy. I had some issues getting UT2 to work with the changes in p3d 2.5 but got that sorted.

 

When I was using FSX I was finding FSX would crash in the middle of every 2nd or 3rd flight...sometimes every flight. I almost gave up flightsimming because of that. I then moved to P3d when  the first version came out and I have not had one crash to desktop in p3d.

 

For that one reason alone I am very happy...... light and shadows in the cockpit add to the realism and enjoyment.

 

 

Roy


Roy Jordan

 

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Very pleased with v2.4 and will probably wait a bit before updating to v2.5. 

 

Cheers

Martin

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Well written Mike. The funniest posts about P3D are by the ones not even using it, complaining... Huh? In my case P3D made me come back to simming, and with pretty decent hardware and great add ons it′s the best experience I′ve ever had. Only thing right now I′d like to see resolved is the cloud shadows coming on and off as one turn or look around, but it′s so far from a deal breaker  as one can get. Happy P3D camper here :)

 

Using P3Dv2.5 btw.

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Same here, Martin. If I have to wait for yet another set of installers for some of my addons (or fiddle around to get UT2 working again), then it makes no sense to upgrade from 2.4 at this time. It may well be a lot easier than I think, but why take the chance when I am happy with my current installation? Having said that, I am very happy for the OP (and everyone else who has upgraded to 2.5). So long as it works for you, then that's fine!


Christopher Low

UK2000 Beta Tester

FSBetaTesters3.png

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Birdmanmike-

You say you do not have EMT and keep FSX alive only so you can fly on line with your friends? I am an avid Multi Player participant and fly with a VA that has its own dedicated on line server. We have members on line together using FS9, FSX, and P3D v2.4 and v2.5 with FSInn. But for P3D to work with FSInn, you must use the EMT , which I do and I am using P3D v2.4. We all see each other and have a ball. Without EMT, we could not do this. Since FSinn is an old unsupported program, you must use the EMT to make it work. Just make sure you download the latest version of EMT for P3D v2.5 This week I will go to P3D v2.5 and then will completely delete my old FSX.

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I did wait until the Orbx scenery had been made compatible but after that everything went mighty quick. Downloaded 2.5 within some 20 minutes. Completely reinstalled Windows 8.1 to get a nice clean start, installed P3D, my favorite planes, my favorite Orbx scenery, TrackIR, PFPX, HDE clouds and sky and by the time I was done (it didn't take more than a few evening hours) the ASN update had been released. I don't use any tweaks, only edit the config for some UI changes, and that was it. I was flying within no time. And just as with previous versions I have had no OOMs or CDTs or anything else. The sim runs awesome with rather high settings (and very high when flying VFR) so... I am a happy flyer! And I have been so since the day v2 was released: FSX Has been gone ever since.

 

So nothing but positive news from me!!!

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What you normally find is that the majority of people who use P3D 2.5 are very happy with it so have no need to post.

of course if most of the time all you see are users complaining or bashing then it can make you think that everyone is unhappy with it.

I for one have a few issues to sort out ,mainly scenery addon updates.for me though for what it costs it is absolutely incredible.

when i think back to FS4 and look at flightsims now i count myself as very very lucky.

 

  steve

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Same here, Martin. If I have to wait for yet another set of installers for some of my addons (or fiddle around to get UT2 working again), then it makes no sense to upgrade from 2.4 at this time. It may well be a lot easier than I think, but why take the chance when I am happy with my current installation? Having said that, I am very happy for the OP (and everyone else who has upgraded to 2.5). So long as it works for you, then that's fine!

 

 

 

Hey Chris, we've been here for forever and have seen so many changes in this hobby over the years.  I'm a late bloomer as far as P3D is concerned...but I bought and installed this past Friday, and can't stop flying it! (2.5 is my first and only version...and has only given me issues that were 100% user-induced).

With a new system in place that can handle it with ease (4790k @ 4.7ghz), I was totally wrapped up in FSX:SE and don't get me wrong it too has been amazing for me, but as all other P3D users are saying, P3d is quite literally a game-changer.

 

Its the smoothness for sure...but these two screenshots drive it home for me:

That shadow on the flightdeck is mesmerizing to watch when you're turning...in the air and on the ground.

tps6RZ.jpg

 

Watching the shadows on the fan blades move when the plane is in a turn adds so much to the realism, and also the shadow on the exterior of the nacelle when the fuse is blocking it from the sun is amazing.

dv5co3.jpg

          

And those are just on the aircraft....the scenery shadows (clouds, mountains, trees, buildings)...stunning.

 

Anyway...I'm having a blast with the Aerosoft Airbus, and will probably get the PMDG 777 on the last day they offer it at current price...both excellent products that showcase the advances we've made in this hobby. (I remember how cool the Sublogic ATP yellow 767 was with its 8 sided flat engines was when I panned around it, hehe...we've come a LOOOONG way since then)


Regards,
Steve Dra
Get my paints for MSFS planes at flightsim.to here, and iFly 737s here
Download my FSX, P3D paints at Avsim by clicking here

9Slp0L.jpg 

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Very pleased with v2.4 and will probably wait a bit before updating to v2.5. 

 

Cheers

Martin

 

To be honest I can't really tell a difference in 2.0-2.4  so not going to bother running 2.5 until my Orbx, Active Sky and REX all work fine.  I try to limit my addons, so once those 3 are a go I'll go ahead and update.

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I made the move last Friday from Fsx to P3D and it went better than I thought it would. The performance is even better than I was thinking it would be. I am spending more time flying then tweaking and restarting flights cause of crashes or oom. I haven't installed the hotfix yet cause I

am reading mixed reviews of it messing up ASN, so going to hold off on it just yet. I have also been gradually moving up some sliders and was expecting a drop I'm FPS but no it's is SMOOTH! So if anyone is on the fence like I was make the switch it is worth it two fold.


Kevin Humphryes

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Hey Chris, we've been here for forever and have seen so many changes in this hobby over the years.  I'm a late bloomer as far as P3D is concerned..

 

Welcome Steve on the dark site lol (boy we have had that several times in the past)

But it's amazing to see it mature and once you have seen the lightning in combination with the rest...

 

Then it's history... Now only P3D native add-ons because a lot isn't most regarding night stuff and SDK rules lol


 

André
 

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