Difference between the FSX vs the P3D aircraft models?

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Kalnon
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Difference between the FSX vs the P3D aircraft models?

Post by Kalnon »

I recently switched from solely using FSX to P3Dv5 and I want to be able to fly the A2A planes I have for FSX in P3D but after looking at the P3D versions I'm having a really hard time accepting that I'll be paying full price for the exact same aircraft twice. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of A2A aircraft and I would have no problem paying an upgrade fee to have compatible airplanes but full price is hard to stomach for as much as A2A planes cost. I looked at the photos between the FSX and P3D versions in the store very closely and I don't see any difference in the versions other than maybe a little PBR added, hardly enough to justify full price in my opinion. I know A2A usually has an end of year sale which I missed this year because I was really sick at the time, and I wouldn't mind paying sale prices to get them but now since it's the only sale they ever have, I have to wait all the way until the year end sale at the end of this year and just hope I don't miss it. Is there some other differences in the aircraft that I'm just not seeing or not aware of that make it worth paying all that money?

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Oracle427
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Re: Difference between the FSX vs the P3D aircraft models?

Post by Oracle427 »

The cost is covering the additional development effort required to integrate and continually adjust the P3D versions of the product to the evolving P3D platform. While there may be some feature tweaks to the products, they have previously stated that they could not treat them as an upgrade given the time and effort that was required to bring these aircraft over to P3D.
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MkIV Hvd
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Re: Difference between the FSX vs the P3D aircraft models?

Post by MkIV Hvd »

You won't see any external differences, as they're all "under the hood" so to speak. P3Dv5 has greatly improved P-factor and torque specs over FSX, to the point that I basically had to re-learn how to fly the T-6, Spitfire and Mustang in P3D when I upgraded. The P3D airplanes are *not* FSX upgrades, they are completely new aircraft for a completely new sim and that's why they sell for full price.

Just suck it up and buy them, you won't be sorry... :mrgreen:

Cheers,
Rob
Rob Wilkinson
A2A: Civilian Mustang, T-6, Bonanza, Comanche, Cub, C182, Spitfire, P-40, Cherokee, P-51 - VATSIM P4 and some other stuff...

Kalnon
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Re: Difference between the FSX vs the P3D aircraft models?

Post by Kalnon »

Ok thanks for the replies, at least I understand now why they want to charge full price. I didn't realize they changed some stuff under the hood. I thought it was just compatibility tweaks. I just wish they had more than one sale a year, guess I will just have to suck it up if I want them anytime soon :lol:

Kalnon
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Re: Difference between the FSX vs the P3D aircraft models?

Post by Kalnon »

Speaking of FSX vs P3D versions, I notice that there doesn't seem to be a P3D version of the B377, one of my favorite A2A planes. Are they working on making it compatible with P3D?

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Mantock
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Re: Difference between the FSX vs the P3D aircraft models?

Post by Mantock »

Sadly the B377 has not been updated over the years. It officially still only works in FSX. But if you want to fly it, it will work properly all the way up until P3Dv3. I fly it in P3Dv3 and Captain of the ship still all works as intended. Some friends of mine have managed to get it to work in P3Dv5 but it doesn't have the full functionality which means its harder to fly properly.
The way you install it into P3Dv3 is - you change the install path from FSX to P3Dv3 root directory and it works fine.

For proof that the B377 works in P3Dv3, here we go https://youtu.be/VOy0BCTuPUA

Regards
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Skycat
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Re: Difference between the FSX vs the P3D aircraft models?

Post by Skycat »

I still have a simple version of FSX installed for the P-47D Razorback and to make use of some of my older payware (GEX, UTX, Active Sky 16, AS Cloud Art). P3D v5 gets my ORBX scenery, Active Sky P3D and REX Skyforce P3D. I enjoy both products but I see P3D as my 'serious' build.

I only bought 5-6 of my FSX Accusim aircraft a second time for P3D, and really only because P3D v5 supports VR. I've used FlyInside for FSX as well and some aircraft rendered well while others, like the A-T6 Texan, were problematic. But if VR and various P3D graphics improvements like cockpit shadowing and windscreen rain drops are removed from consideration, I've seen minimal differences between my duplicate aircraft.

Every user's needs, capabilities, and interests are different. I'm able to keep several flight sims including the new MSFS on my hard drive. That said, MSFS is quickly overtaking P3D in every capacity and I don't plan to spend any more money on either FSX or P3D v5. I personally recommend that you invest sparingly in P3D v5 for now and suggest instead to allocate $100-$150 for the Standard version of MSFS "40th Anniversary Edition" and the upcoming A2A Comanche when it is released.
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Kalnon
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Re: Difference between the FSX vs the P3D aircraft models?

Post by Kalnon »

Unfortunately I don't own any older versions of P3D, I went straight from FSX:SE to P3Dv5 so looks like I'll still be using FSX to fly the B377. I actually have multiple flight simulators installed, in fact most of all my hard drive space is allocated to flight simulators, all together I have FSX:SE, P3Dv5, X-Plane 11, X-Plane 12, MSFS Premium all of which I use for civil aviation aircraft as well as DCS World and IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles installed for some combat simulator fun. In fact, I still use all of these simulators depending on which airplane I am in the mood to fly. I actually don't use MSFS very often though because I just don't like the flight modelling, most aircraft just don't feel right to me or they feel very arcade like compared to all the other simulators, even expensive 3rd party planes feel that way. The graphics are beautiful of course but the bad flight modeling is a big turnoff for me.

I don't mind still using FSX despite it's age, I have at least several aircraft that don't exist for any other flight sim like the B377 I that I still love to fly so I'll still be using FSX for a long time to come. Especially since I have the all the same scenery installed for FSX and P3Dv5. For FSX I have all HD textures installed, like FreeMesh X, REX HD Worldwide Airports and REX Texture Direct as well as Orbx HD Buildings for HD autogen, Trees HD etc. so I have given FSX a complete makeover so it looks pretty dang good for such an old simulator. The main difference between FSX and P3D for me is I use RDShade presets to make P3D look amazing visually. I have to say, I was extremely disappointed with the way default P3Dv5 looks. Everything looked so dark, I could barely make out the instruments and switches in cockpits for example, thank god for RDShade so I can make it look a thousand times better. For now, I will probably be switching a lot between simulators, for me, they all have their different reasons to still be used.

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