Prepare3D v4 or X-Plane 11?

PC Software. Anything to do with PC Games & software!

Prepare3D v4 or X-Plane 11

Prepare3D
X-Plane 11
 
View results

Prepare3D v4 or X-Plane 11?

Postby BE58D » Fri Oct 06, 2017 9:14 pm

Looking to get back into Flight Simulation full force sometime soon, but FSX is dated. I like Aerofly FS2 but it's very limited in terms of airports, weather, etc.
User avatar
BE58D
Major
Major
 
Posts: 1612
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2002 12:50 pm
Location: KAPC

Re: Prepare3D v4 or X-Plane 11?

Postby Flacke » Sat Oct 07, 2017 1:34 am

For anyone thinking about getting XPlane 11 its wise to download the FREE DEMO and try it for a while first. Then if you feel that its not for you there has not been any money wasted. If it is for you then at least you will know what you are paying for.
User avatar
Flacke
1st Lieutenant
1st Lieutenant
 
Posts: 451
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 8:25 pm

Re: Prepare3D v4 or X-Plane 11?

Postby tjitah » Sat Oct 07, 2017 2:11 am

BE58D wrote:Looking to get back into Flight Simulation full force sometime soon, but FSX is dated. I like Aerofly FS2 but it's very limited in terms of airports, weather, etc.

Hey BE58D, I have all the flightsims you mention and am still grappling with exactly your issue, which one to go with!?

I come from FSX (have about 300+ payware add-ons), absolutely hated XP10, and only occasionally dabbled in the monthly P3D versions up to version 3. For me, there was never a compelling enough reason to ditch FSX in favour of P3D, until version 4 came along. XP10 was never in contention, until XP11 came along.

So let's start with XP11. I first flew the beta version and despite not getting good frame rates, I immediately liked it. They fixed just about all the annoyances of XP10 and vastly improved on many other things. It is 64-bit (as was XP10) and looks absolutely gorgeous. A few updates and tweaks later and it is now running silky smooth on my PC. Default graphics and scenery are excellent. When you fly over an area, it is very accurate in its detail. Residential areas, dams, rivers, power lines, roads etc are where they're supposed to be. There is a ton of freeware scenery and aircraft available and a lot of XP10 add-ons can just be dropped into XP11 and work fine.

However, there are still a few things I don't like about XP11 (user ignorance perhaps): No flight planner, atrocious/non-existent ATC and not as many payware add-ons as FSX/P3D, but that is changing rapidly.

On to P3D4. At first glance there is not a big difference between it and P3D3, besides being 64-bit. They have made subtle changes in the menus and options, but cosmetically that is about it. However, being 64-bit makes a HUGE difference. Now you can go ape-shit with your add-ons, memory problems are a non-issue and you can run anything with anything. With the right settings, it runs smoother and better than FSX and previous versions of P3D. However, for me it is still not perfect either.

Firstly, I still hate it every single time when I'm presented with a flight planning/scenario menu on P3D start-up, instead of the lovely FSX start menu where you have all the options in front of you and can choose where to go or what to do BEFORE you actually fly. If you want to activate/delete a freeware airport in P3D for example, you first have to set up a flight, then wait for it to load, then finally when you're inside the sim you can go and make your changes. With FSX, you can do that straight away.

Secondly, most FSX/P3D3 add-ons will not work (or work properly) in P3D4. This is causing me some frustration, as it is being exploited by many payware developers. Only a handful of developers have provided free upgrades for P3D4, the rest are milking it and charging anything from an "upgrade fee" to full price. I have actually made a list of the developers providing free upgrades and they will have my 100% future support. The rest I will treat more carefully and some I will just completely avoid from now on.

Lastly, default P3D scenery is not that much different from FSX in its detail. Rivers, dams, residential areas etc will be exactly the same as it was in FSX. You have to spend a lot of money to get P3D4 looking as good as XP11 does natively. Having said that, you can also achieve a fair bit with freeware programs.

In conclusion, which one am I using most and what is my final verdict: FSX, XP11 or P3D4? The simple answer is that it is a draw. I still spend about as much time in FSX as in XP11 or P3D4. The wealth of add-ons, simplicity and familiarity ensure that FSX stays in contention. I'm a real-life pilot (small single-engine plane) and whenever I plan to fly a route, I first fly it in FSX in default scenery, then add a few landmarks and/or enhance the airfields (very low-level amateurish stuff). Because scenery development for FSX is so accessible and well documented, it is my first port of call. Then I will fly it in XP11, for the sheer beauty and accuracy of the landscape. The lack of ATC, flight planning and appropriate aircraft is a major drawback though. Finally, I will fly it in P3D4, which is loaded with ORBX Global and Vector, Pilot's Mesh etc. With all the payware add-ons, it approaches the accuracy and beauty of native XP11 and of course being 64-bit, you can just go for it and not have to worry about crashes or constraints.

I'd say that P3D4 probably gives the most complete experience, but only after you have thrown a ton of money at it. If more developers provide free or very low-cost upgrades, I'd probably go with P3D4, but we all know that is not going to happen. And I WILL NOT buy everything twice, it will just not happen. Therefore I'm leaning towards XP11 for the future. If they can add proper NATIVE ATC and flight planning, it will be the ultimate flight sim.
i7-4790K @ 4.6 GHz, ASUS Maximus VII Gene, GTX 1070 8GB, 16GB DDR3 2400MHz, ASUS PG348Q 34" 3440x1440 monitor, CH Products Fighterstick, Pro Throttle and Pro Pedals, Track IR 5, Oculus Rift, Windows 7 64-bit
tjitah
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2017 6:53 am
Location: South Africa

Re: Prepare3D v4 or X-Plane 11?

Postby tjitah » Sat Oct 07, 2017 3:01 am

Completely forgot to mention Aerofly FS2. Yeah, it is not in the same league as the others. It is by FAR the best VR experience, but that is about it. Very limited detailed areas to fly in, completely desolate skies, no traffic, no ATC, small number of flyable aircraft and absolutely MASSIVE hard disk requirements (about 100GB for only two small parts of the US vs 70GB for the whole world in XP11). In fact, Aerofly FS2 has caused me some major hassles in trying to install additional scenery. It needs more than twice the size of the scenery file to be installed (in Steam) because it creates an image first and then installs from that (if I understand correctly). However, it is very smooth and beautiful where it is properly modeled and an absolute blast with Oculus Rift. At this stage, I'd say it is for entertainment only, serious pilots will find it lacking. I spend very little time in Aerofly FS2

Time spent:
FSX: 30%
XP11: 30%
P3D4: 30%
AF2: 2%
Others (FS9, XP10, DCS World): 8%
i7-4790K @ 4.6 GHz, ASUS Maximus VII Gene, GTX 1070 8GB, 16GB DDR3 2400MHz, ASUS PG348Q 34" 3440x1440 monitor, CH Products Fighterstick, Pro Throttle and Pro Pedals, Track IR 5, Oculus Rift, Windows 7 64-bit
tjitah
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2017 6:53 am
Location: South Africa

Re: Prepare3D v4 or X-Plane 11?

Postby papituwall » Sat Oct 07, 2017 5:55 am

I agree in general with previous comments.

I use FSX-SE and P3DV4. Also I'm following FSW development. I have also installed DCS.

I'll focus on why I have left X-plane, apart from the general comments: few addons, flight planning and traffic.
I have worked a lot with X-plane 10, even porting and improving Xp-9 aircraft with plane maker, so user interface for me is actually not a problem.
X-plane 11 improves in user friendly but still not at FSX and derivatives level.
Nice landscape but no seasonal textures and really stupid roads placed over long bridges that are inexistent in real word, this is boring in VFR. I never understood, sloped runways is perfect but, why not roads?.
User avatar
papituwall
Captain
Captain
 
Posts: 833
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:42 pm
Location: LEZG

Re: Prepare3D v4 or X-Plane 11?

Postby BE58D » Sat Oct 07, 2017 8:44 pm

I like the detail of X-Plane 11, I have tried the demo version... the things I don't like, my former home airport (KCCR), the AI Traffic has the 747 taking off from there, one it's a GA airport and second, there isn't a single runway there that meets the minimum requirements for take-off. No ATC, and very few add-ons available.
User avatar
BE58D
Major
Major
 
Posts: 1612
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2002 12:50 pm
Location: KAPC


Return to Computer Games & Software

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 102 guests