Prepar3D

[garymbuska]

Hello everyone I am new to this area of the forum and want to know if some one could explain the differences between the Professional License and the Academic License with out writing a book about it. I do not under stand why one version is $200.00 and the other roughly $50.00 is the cheaper version not a full fledged version or what.
I can not make heads or tails at the site where you purchase this from.
Thanks in advance.

[Daube]

There are no differences at all, excepted that you don't get the "Academic licence" watermark in the top-right corner.
The Professional licence is aimed at the people who want to generate money with P3D. For example, people who offer training that you have to pay for, people who want to sell services.

[garymbuska]

There are no differences at all, excepted that you don't get the "Academic licence" watermark in the top-right corner.
The Professional licence is aimed at the people who want to generate money with P3D. For example, people who offer training that you have to pay for, people who want to sell services.

Thanks for the reply I wish they would have come out and stated that it would make it a lot easier. So basically the Professional version is so costly because you are buying multiple licenses in a sense. This allows you to use it commercially, But my next question is this any better than FSX or about the same? what is the biggest difference between the two. Or is this just another flight simulator.
I still do not think I want it because from what I have read none of my payware programs will work without me buying one made for Prepar3D. So there must be some difference between the two.
Or is it the same as the difference between FS9 and FSX which has to do with Scenery and how it is designed.

[Fozzer]

With my Flight Unlmited II/II, Gunship, Fly!, FS '98, FS 2000, FS 2002, FS 2004, and FSX....

...and all the gubbins that goes along with them...

I think I've got more than enuf stuff to be going on with, for a long while yet.... ...!

Probably don't need any more stuff.... ....

I'm presently drowning under what I've got already!... ....!

Paul.... ... ...!

[Daube]

Thanks for the reply I wish they would have come out and stated that it would make it a lot easier.

Think of it like the Microsoft Office series.
You've got the professional version which is aimed at the professional users, and the student version which cannot be used by professional users. It's the same, here.

So basically the Professional version is so costly because you are buying multiple licenses in a sense. This allows you to use it commercially, But my next question is this any better than FSX or about the same? what is the biggest difference between the two. Or is this just another flight simulator.

"Your mileage will vary" would be the generic answer here
Basically, on my outdated computer (CPU is an old i7 960), I manage to get a bette performance in P3D v3 than I ever had on FSX.
Excepted in one case: in the very heavy sceneries (like, next to the major airports), the FPS impact is greater in P3D than it was in FSX.... That being said:
- my graphic settings in P3D are higher than anything FSX could do (shadows etc...)
- on other, lighter areas, I get more smoothness, and MUCH LESS blurries. So I can now fly my military aircrafts without problems.

I still do not think I want it because from what I have read none of my payware programs will work without me buying one made for Prepar3D. So there must be some difference between the two.
Or is it the same as the difference between FS9 and FSX which has to do with Scenery and how it is designed.

Yes, payware can be a problem. For example, the old A2A aircrafts (up to the P-51) are common licence for FSX or P3D, but from the Cessna 172 and onwards, you have to buy one licence per simulator....
Same with some other companies... PMDG for example, will even charge much more for P3D licences than for FSX ones :/

[zswobbie1]

Is P3D better than FSX?
Well, FSX development died when Microsoft killed it & sold the 'commercial version' or ESP as it was called, to Lockheed Martin who is continually updating it, about 7-8 itterations by now, & development is ongoing.

Microsoft then 'sold' FSX to Dovetail, who slightly modified to become FSX:SE (the Steam version, as it is distributed by Steam).
Dovetail has released 'Flight School' as an entry level sim, as a 'closed sim' where add-ons cannot be added. They are developing their own sim & that should maybe be released within a year (or 2). Both these new sims will be based on the FSX engine, & will use a 64bit architecture, meaning that most, if not all current FSX add-ons will not be compatible. That's about all we know at this stage.

Also, development of their FSX:SE has been frozen, so no more updates!

What do I suggest? Academically speaking, & not discussing any licence issues, P3D without a doubt, as it has ongoing development in it's favour. There are rumours of a 64bit version being developed as well. Also, think of P3D as a totally new sim & not as an update of FSX. Yes, some add-ons will work.

Hope this helps,
Robin

[pete]

What do I suggest? Academically speaking, & not discussing any licence issues, P3D without a doubt, as it has ongoing development in it's favour. There are rumours of a 64bit version being developed as well. Also, think of P3D as a totally new sim & not as an update of FSX. .

I would also agree with that - again due to the addon-ability and therefore open source aspect of P3D (in other words anyine can create addons. It's not controlled by them)

Yes, some add-ons will work

So far I have found that most 'quality' addons work fine in P3d - but then I don't use payware and have never really been tempted to buy it. (or even use the 100's of payware uploaded, but not approved, here. ..& It's a total myth that payware is necessarily better than much of the good quality freeware. There are 1 or 2 exceptions - like PMDG -- but I personally couldn't be bothered with all those pre flight procedures ....... )

I check out dozens of uploads every month for 'quality control' and tend to use mainly P3D now. Rarely is there a problem. If I do find one, it either doesn't get approved or I contact the uploader to get him to fix it.

Like I say, almost all seem to work fine in P3D.

[Daube]

..& It's a total myth that payware is necessarily better than much of the good quality freeware. There are 1 or 2 exceptions - like PMDG -- but I personally couldn't be bothered with all those pre flight procedures ....... )

I can't really agree with that. It's more like the other way around, in fact.
At least when it comes to aircraft addons, "there are 1 or 2 exceptions doing WORSE than freeware".
If you look at payware addons like Abacus, that's the worst thing you'll ever see in the FS world, despite being payware.
But the terrible addon makers are now well known by the community, and carefully avoided.

The thing is, the quality standard raised dramatically once FSX came to the market. PMDG is not the only example. There are many addon makers producing very good models with no freeware equivalent unfortunately.
Of course it depends on what kind of realism one is looking for. I'm sure there are still some people satisfied with, for example, the Virtavia (ex-Alphasim) aircrafts.... but the thing is, there are much less of these people than in the FS9 era.

Don't get me wrong: I love freeware addons and addon makers, and I still have a few very good freeware aircrafts in my hangar. But freeware is always limited, with one or two exceptions. When one wants the highest realism, he has to switch to payware (when it's available).

[striker]

Please let's not get into payware v's freeware again

But I'm with Prepar3d instead of Steam. Personal choice. I just hope it keeps getting better and we can see some google earth out the window one day. I am so impressed with flying over Google Earth with p3d .. it would be great to see it from inside the cockpit and be able to pan around.

[OldAirmail]

Hello everyone I am new to this area of the forum and want to know if some one could explain the differences between the Professional License and the Academic License with out writing a book about it. I do not under stand why one version is $200.00 and the other roughly $50.00 is the cheaper version not a full fledged version or what.
I can not make heads or tails at the site where you purchase this from.
Thanks in advance.

As has been said, there is no significant difference between the two.

If you have a flying school, they want you to use the Professional, or Professional Plus License.

The Academic License is to be used in a private (home) setting, and is only to be used by those who will "learn" something (Anything really. They are intentionally vague about what you learn). This one is not to be confused with those learning in a structured setting, such as a flight school.

Personally, I learn something every time that I use Prepar3d. I could even say that I find "learning" to be entertaining. But Prepar3d , of course, is not to be used for "Entertainment" purposes.



What to do, what to do.....

Seriously, I'd suggest waiting until either Steam comes out with a really good 64bit flight simulator, OR Prepar3d V4 comes out, assuming that it too is a 64bit version.

Imagine buying Prepar3d V3 now, and a 64bit v4 comes out in 6 to 9 months, or even 12 months from now.


On the other hand, I don't think that $60 is too much for a good simulator, and Prepar3d V3.x is certainly good.

Looking at it another way, when I lived in New York, and then Boston, I used to go to orchestral concerts & plays. I though the money very well spent.

Sixty dollars isn't all that much if you go to a "good" restaurant either. And you know what happens to that food the next day. Talk about high priced s#*t!



The way that I see it, Prepar3d V3.x is somewhat better than FSX overall. And in a few areas it's much better.

Go ahead and buy the "Academic" license version, BUT with the understanding that within a year, or possibly longer, you may want to buy a new V4.x version that might be incompatible with many of your add-ons.

(For what it's worth (VERY little at this point), I've read that Orbx/FTX THINKS that their scenery MAY be useable with a 64bit Prepar3d. Time will tell.)

[Sinkrate]

Sixty dollars isn't all that much if you go to a "good" restaurant either. And you know what happens to that food the next day. Talk about high priced s#*t!

Right on – especially if you take SWIMBO with you!

I’m still looking for a flight sim that has a good model of UK. I’d like to be able to recognise roads and towns so that I can navigate the old fashioned way.

[Fozzer]

Sixty dollars isn't all that much if you go to a "good" restaurant either. And you know what happens to that food the next day. Talk about high priced s#*t!

Right on – especially if you take SWIMBO with you!

I’m still looking for a flight sim that has a good model of UK. I’d like to be able to recognise roads and towns so that I can navigate the old fashioned way.

Sink....

...sorry Mate... ...!

Uncle Bill's Scenery programmers didn't notice that there was an island called; "Great Britain" when they looked at a map of the World!
I gave up on it a long time ago!
For that very reason, I have been touring the whole of the USA ever since 1998, (and Flight Unlimited II), every day, 'cos that's where Uncle Bill and his scenery programmers live, and all the scenery there is very realistic, 'cos they reckon its the best, (including the USA), and they look at it every day.

UK scenery in the Flight Sim is a total waste of space...trust me... ...!

Pop over to Sunny California with me instead, and enjoy the awesome majestic scenery of the Pacific Mid-West and South-West!

Bring a straw hat, shades, Bermuda shorts, and a beach ball!

Forget naff British weather, and flat scenery.... ...!

California Cruisin' is the way to go!... ....!

Ice Cream, Palm Trees, and sun-kissed Beach-Babes... ...!

Paul.... ...!

[Daube]

Sixty dollars isn't all that much if you go to a "good" restaurant either. And you know what happens to that food the next day. Talk about high priced s#*t!

Right on – especially if you take SWIMBO with you!

I’m still looking for a flight sim that has a good model of UK. I’d like to be able to recognise roads and towns so that I can navigate the old fashioned way.

Didn't OrbX release the Great Britain region ? I think that's what you are looking for, isn't it ?
https://www.fullterrain.com/product/eng

There are also photosceneries covering England, but I think these are the ones mentionned by Fozzer. The quality of this addon is not that great....

[garymbuska]

Wow ! now that is what I call an answer. Thanks everyone for your replies I really appreciate it. I now have a better understanding of Prepar3D .
But unless something changes I will stick with FS9 and FSX for now as I really do not want to buy another version of all my payware that I have.
I know for a fact that I would have to buy a version of ACTIVE SKY for PREPAR3D and now there is a newer version which I plan on getting around the holidays. I Am not sure about the MEGASCENERY or FSMAP though they might work as is. I also think the payware aircraft will work but not 100% sure.