X-Plane

[Don Maddox]

Anyone here tried it? If so, what are your thoughts on it? I don't currently own it, but I have to admit the screens of the new terrain they released are very impressive. http://www.global-scenery.org/

[Leftie]

Anyone here tried it? If so, what are your thoughts on it? I don't currently own it, but I have to admit the screens of the new terrain they released are very impressive. http://www.global-scenery.org/

Don,

Sorry for the lateness of this reply but I just found the thread. I have played X Plane before and I must say that if you are a serious flight sim enthusiast, that it is definitely worth your time and money. The graphics are not up to par with Microsoft's works, 3d cockpits were scarce when I played, the interface requires a little getting used to, and multiplayer is a bit of a pain in the butt to get working. If you can look past those issues than X-Plane is definitely a blast.

You can even design your own planes, fly on different planets, or plan trips around the world. The terrain is much more accurate than Flight 2004 and you can download user made terrain overlays for free.

[Leftie]

Wow, I just checked out the current version of the game and it seems that they have improved upon many if not all the things I criticized in my last post. I would definitely recommend picking the title up if you are at all interested in civilian plane sims.

[blackdeath]

I used to own both MS and X-Plane 8. XP8 was a great title, but unforgiving in the flight mechanics, seemed more real than MS. Ms though has better graphics due to new mesh packs you can get from places like abacus. XP8 has built in editors for planes and graphics and unlike MS, XP8 planes will not fly if they are enginered poorly. No flying shoe boxes here. I just sent NWS my XP8 and also MS2004 and 12 add ons....check there if you want them since XP8 still sells for 40-45 retail. MS 2004 is around 30 and expansion packs are around 20-25 each easily....

[nicotum]

Don, I fly with X-Plane since version 3

I'll don't say it is better than FS2004, it is simply different.
I love its flight dynamics above all.. and the new global scenery is great (from an italian team btw :smoke: )

Give it a try.. it's a serious simulator, but don't approach it trying to compare it with FS, consider it something completely different.

[blackdeath]

The other thing to consider is that if your into flying different planes, XP does not have as many addons as MS does. Not to say they are not as good, but I sold NWS a package where it adds on great texture (3 dvds) for updates to the terrain sold by abacus. It looks so real it was freaky, other than a few things XP is more realistic, but MS offers more expandability easily. Rumor has it that this fall MS will be releasing a new Flight simulator with incredible graphics almost photo realistic.....

[Hertston]

Rumor has it that this fall MS will be releasing a new Flight simulator with incredible graphics almost photo realistic.....

They've announced it now. Screenshots HERE (http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kds?$=main/notams06/fsx0104.htm).


If you have some experience with MSFS you will find X-Plane 8 a revelation. It's not about terrain though.. the new stuff is a very accurate elevation mesh (the whole lot is about 60 gig!), and looks a lot better than it did, but MSFS 2004 is still the choice for flying around looking at pretty scenery - I'm sure that will be even more the case with FS10.

The strength of X-Plane is, simply, the simulated flying of airplanes. Its flight modelling (based on real-time calculations) is significantly superior - they feel like planes whereas those in MSFS, in all honesty, do not. That's why the "X" stuff is so much fun to play with, as is the shuttle - they behave like they ought to (at least in theory!) even at the limits.. something the far simpler MSFS approach simply cannot do. The X-Plane engine is as good as that in commercial simulators and its aircraft/airfoil design features are used in commercial design (check out THIS (http://www.cartercopters.com) ) and (for concept stuff) by NASA - yet you don't need a PhD in aeronautics to see if you own designs might actually fly!

Yup, I'm an enthusiast as you may have guessed, but although I own both, 95% of my civvie simming is with X-Plane. X-Plane is the better simulator. Both are excellent entertainment products, which is "best" depends pretty much on exactly what entertainment you are after. Try the demo - it doesn't include the scenery of course, but you can try out all the planes which ought to be be enough to base a purchase decision on.