Just crossed over!!!

[Michael Bonertz 966129]

WOW!!!! That's about it.

 

But seriously to all of you out there that are thinking of getting X-plane I highly recommend it. Just installed it tonight messed with it for a couple hours and it is awesome. A little harder to navigate around the menus than MSFS but that will just take a little time to get used to, flight dynamics are a million times better than FS and probably the best simulated that I have flown (fyi have flown several commercial full motion sims) Graphics are excellent and overall a very neat program.

 

If you have the choice take X-Plane over Microsoft you wont be dissapointed.

 

Mike

[Keith Smith]

Slowly but surely

[Antonio Palmieri]

Welcome to realism and more accurate flying.

 

Yes, it will take time to get familiar with a different layout and a different architecture. But remember how long it took to get to where you are now with MSFS. The time is well spent though.

 

I recently took a VFR from two big airports, following VFR chart and entry points along the valley, ATC at both places, and it blew me away how real it felt.

 

Antonio

[Erhan Atesoglu 1050499]

I like x-plane to the extent that it is a better offering then FS9/FSX, but the reality is the PMDG/LDS models have not been in anyway surp[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ed by anything X-plane has to offer.

[Keith Smith]

Erhan,

 

If you are flying big metal, that is probably true. If you're flying GA, the flight model of X-plane is pretty incredible. My real world landings have improved considerably over time as a result of flying in x-plane.

[Erhan Atesoglu 1050499]

Keith: I totally agree. Personally I don't see ACES being around far too much longer. They've had the engine development taken away from them as of late, and if they can't get the quality of the aircraft/trains up to par with the 3rd party developers whats the point. It be easier just to sell the engine and license a few add-ons like they did with the F-18. When you have a product like x-plane out there already and you realize its really just 1 guy and a few friends helping out,compared to a staff of 100+... I'd start handing out pink slips ASAP.

[Steven Perry]

Keith: I totally agree. Personally I don't see ACES being around far too much longer. They've had the engine development taken away from them as of late, and if they can't get the quality of the aircraft/trains up to par with the 3rd party developers whats the point. It be easier just to sell the engine and license a few add-ons like they did with the F-18. When you have a product like x-plane out there already and you realize its really just 1 guy and a few friends helping out,compared to a staff of 100+... I'd start handing out pink slips ASAP.

 

The end is nigh!

 

Hasn't MSFS been historically one of the best selling games in PC history? It would take a Pointy-Haired Boss-esque effort to squander that brand. They aren't standing pat either, they've made the game "gamey" enough to keep the casual user coming back version after version. Every holiday season I hear coworkers talking about the fun they had on their kid's new flight sim game. The most dedicated fans demand Level-D, PMDG, or equal... and they pay for it, after paying for MSFS.

 

I'm not an MS apologist, I was a big fan of the Fly! series. It seemed to be the next big thing. AVSIM editorialized it as "having the magic" that only MSFS used to have (that is, extensibility). Flight [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment: ATP, ProPilot, Flight Unlimited, etc etc. They have all been hailed as the replacement to MSFS. It hasn't happened. There's even a free open source flight sim out there, Flight Gear. None of these has made a significant dent in the commercial success that MSFS has enjoyed. How many XPlane users out there will never buy a MSFS release again?

 

In the end, commercial success is all MS cares about and I doubt they'll close up shop so long as they're making money. Meanwhile, we all benefit as they push the envelope with their significant resources, inspiring to some extent (one [Mod - Happy Thoughts]umes) the likes of Austin Meyer.

[Brian Ratledge 962606]

I couldn't agree more with Antonio's post. The ability to practice for a real world flight using a timer and x-plane's wonderful scenery is invaluable.

[Erhan Atesoglu 1050499]

Steven: not really.. FSX sold quite a bit but that was due to a huge marketing effort on MS's part. Otherwise there is absolutely no money left in PC Games no matter what the title is, especially an esoteric title like flight sim. The funny thing is you could release X-plane for both the 360 and PS3... but MS can't release on the 360 until the new people in charge of the engine(ESP) get it performing at a constant frame rate, be it 30fps/60fps. Either way I only predict the demise of Aces studios..not FS itself Wouldn't it be nicer if FS11 came with the PMDG 737/747? I mean say FS11 sold a million copies, at even 5 dollars for both planes PMDG would walk away with 5 million...

[Wade Williams 877539]

Otherwise there is absolutely no money left in PC Games no matter what the title is, especially an esoteric title like flight sim.

 

Flight sims are definitely challenging due to their small market. However an awful lot of developers would argue with you about your contention that there's absolutely no money to be made in PC games anymore. I think the folks at Blizzard for example might take issue with your premise.

[Erhan Atesoglu 1050499]

Wade: yes I'm sure they would. WoW does make a ton of cash but its more of an exception than a rule Just look at Crytek... Crysis was by and far the most popular game last year and they swore off the PC market this year. Just go to best buy and watch how many people are in the console aisle and how many are browsing through the PC games. Then ask the sales guy if he's ever actually sold a PC game, that wasn't bridge for seniors... 99% of PC software sold today is for productivity, or some sort of anti-virus.

[Wade Williams 877539]

Erhan,

 

The death of the PC as a gaming platform has been predicted since the release of the first console.

 

While I'll certainly agree that consoles have become a hugely important market for game developers and definitely more important than PC's if you're developing an "epic first-person shooter," there's still plenty of money to be made on the PC. Naturally, that depends on your definition of plenty. Want to win game of the year and recoup a $20 million development investment? You'd better be available on consoles. Want to make good money? There's good money to be made on the PC.

 

The console does not lend itself well to numerous game types, flight sims probably being the most obvious example.

 

So in short - you're absolutely correct - consoles are THE major focus for those creating mainstream games. However, that fact doesn't mean the PC is dead as a gaming platform. Never has been, never will be.

 

Now back to the X-plane topic.....

[Erhan Atesoglu 1050499]

Wade: I dunno I think the "Games for Windows" is a joke. Especially when you have Microsoft's Xbox division paying companies like TTWO 10 million dollars not to release a game for Windows. Sony paid another 10 million on top of that and both console makers got a 6 month lead on what was originally a PC game back in the day. 20 million in total for doing NOTHING! Things like this make me a lot less optimistic than you