My Experirnce with X-Plane

[darthranger]

Happy Easter ya'll !

I picked up X-Plane on a whim a couple of weeks ago and have been exploring it since then. 

I thought I'd share my '2 cents' worth in this new forum.

To begin with, I guess it really depends on what you are looking for...

At the beginning of the X-Plane Operational Manual, it states: " X-Plane is not a game, but an engineering tool that can be used to predict the flying qualities of fixed and rotary wing aircraft."

Interestingly... I found that after identical flights, in the same aircraft (C172 - which I have flown in the real world)... the FSX model flew just as good or better + closer to reality than the X-Plane version.

AND... the FSX default version is a a much higher quality model visually !

Unfortunately, I was looking for and hoping to find an improvement over FSX in terms of visual quality in a simulated flight experience and that is not the case for me.

I find myself totally unimpressed by X-Plane.

I suspect that if you want to fly on Mars, land the space shuttle, or delve into the world of aeronautical engineering... then your opinion may be different.

I'm just a former private 'Bush' pilot and aircraft owner who likes to fly low + slow.... and only occasionally high and fast... so, on a scale of 1 to 10, X-Plane is a 1, and a disappointment for me.

I can certainly see why there are literally thousands of FSX / FS9 sites out there, both freeware and commercial, and still only a few X-Plane sites in comparison. 

I have returned to my 'faithful' FSX... which works very well with my Saitek controls, Go-Flight modules, and TH2Go multiple monitor set-up... + with it's excellent virtual cockpits in an endless array of all types of aircraft (freeware + payware), excellent scenery + huge Flight Sim Community throughout the world.

Perhaps, now that Mr. Gates has come out of retirement, he will reactivate the FS development team and keep MSFS alive...

As promised... My '2-Cents' = Try before you buy X-Plane... to see if it offers what you're looking for !

Happy Holiday !

Rick



   



 

[Andy Hatcher]

Wow! That's the first really negative review I've seen for X-Plane. Most every review you see talks about how much more realistic X-Plane is as far as flight dynamics go. I really love the fact that the flight model is not separate from the visual model. You can't create a brick and give it an F-16's performance. The graphics are there, but just like FSX and FS9, you'll need to tweak the settings for optimum performance. Basically, I haven't removed any of the three yet. I'm leaning more and more towards X-Plane, but for now, I'll keep all of them.

[darthranger]

Hi Andy

I still have it too... and will probably go back and play around with it some more, at some point.

I'm curious now that you've said "the graphics are there", because I played with the settings a lot and just couldn't find anything that came close to FSX.

My biggest disappointment was/is  the lack of cockpit detail in comparison to FS, and/or no VC in most models.

To top it off, whenever I tried to crank things up, my frame rates bottomed out (< 19FPS) and it shut me down. 

I can't understand that because I'm running a pretty 'fast' home built PC and GPU.   However, I suspect that it has something to do with my 3 monitor TH2Go set-up and the associated high res.

I'm very interesting in hearing how some of the other folks out there feel about it...

I suspect that the lack of posts on this forum since it was started, may be representative of an overall lack of interest to date in X-Plane throughout the FS community + perhaps that will change as it develops further.

Curious.... "Does anyone else have X-Plane and/or tried it out" ?

If so... or... if not,  please RSVP to this thread ?

"Through Discussion Comes Knowledge"

Rick

[Andy Hatcher]

First, let me post my specs;

     

• Intel Quad Core i7 Processor at 2.93GHz
• Windows Vista Premium 64-Bit
• 12 Gigabytes of DDR-3 1333MHz RAM
• 1.5 Terabyte (1500 Gigabytes) Hard Drive at 7200RPM and 32MB cache
• Nvidia GTX 260 PCI Express Graphics with 896MB of Video RAM
• Two HP1707 17" widescreen monitors

                   
     
     With that said, the worst frame rates I get anywhere in the world in X-Plane is 38fps at KSEA with aftermarket scenery installed. At the same airport in FSX, my frame rate drops into the teens (options set to max in both sims). In the air, I routinely average well over 100fps, flirting with 200 on occasion, depending on what all I have running. Once you get things cranked up and tweaked, all you have to do is to look at a couple of my screen shots to see the details. As far as the aircraft go, there are some that are pretty spartan as far as their layout and quality go, but some of the add-ons that are coming out are fantastic (xB737 comes to mind). It's like the FS series when it was in its infancy. Right now, add-ons are relatively sparse, but with the disbanding of the MSFS developement team, things are starting to take off for X-Plane. The one area that I really don't care much for on X-Plane is the FMC. There are a few add-ons that simulate a better, more functional FMC, but let's remember, there aren't any default FMCs in FS at all, so even a rudimentary FMC is better. I suspect that it won't be long before a fully functional FMS is implemented.

     FS also does not simulate bird strikes, hail damage, uneven runways, and so on. On one of my more recent flights, a flock of birds took off just as I was rotating and the #1 engine on my xB737 ingested one, causing immediate engine failure. Even a bloody broken windscreen was simulated. On another take-off, this time from KSEA, I had built up a bit too much ground speed on my takeoff roll and hopped the plane into the air when I crossed over the apex of the runway at about midpoint. From then on, I extended my takeoff roll and not applied full throttle until just before the apex.

     Given time, X-Plane will be a serious contender for flight sim's best sim. It still lacks a bit but seems to be catching up fast.

Some screen shots of a freeware B767
Leaving Seattle in the default B777
 

[darthranger]

Andy

I think you're absolutely right + I think the future may be with X-Plane if developers shift their efforts in that direction.

Also, your 12 gigs of RAM seems to support my findings with respect to my 2 gigs of RAM adversely affecting my frame rates on 3 x 22" monitors + Matrox TH2Go... despite my Core 2 @ 3.2 gigs.

Rick