Looking to love my sim...just enough

[hrhett]

Okay Prepar3d, here it is.

The community has been abuzz surrounding the release of MSFS2020 this past week. There’s an interesting business read entitled “The innovator’s dilemma” by Clayton Christenson that came out some years ago. In a nutshell he talks about developing technologies and how they can be obsoleted before the technology matures as technology enables micro improvements during the product maturation lifecycle. I think the P3D product falls squarely in the what he describes as ‘sustaining technologies’ category it being a legacy product and that FS2020 is ‘disruptive’ because it’s solved problems previous platforms have been either unwilling or unable to. If no one on your team has read it then you need to.

The community as a whole has been awaiting and watching the release of MSFS2020. Arguably, the global scenery is pretty much what we’re all looking for and they’ve come close to nailing it. Not to mention the unbelievable detail in the graphics. With that said, this isn’t a poke P3D in-the-eye post. I would guess that many simmers, like myself, are heavily invested in the (a) platform. I have X-Plane, P3Dv4 & v5 and MSFS2020 all installed. But I virtually never use X-Plane because I have to buy all the add-ons all over again and the aircraft offerings just isn’t as robust as P3D. But I’m sure that there are many and who love it as much as your product. And while MSFS200 is a major leap forward, its not a slam dunk. The truth is that it’s just not done yet. They baked a really nice cake but no one has even started thinking about the frosting, decorations or lettering! Your cake, by comparison, tastes pretty good (you’re a lot further along) but it doesn’t look as nice as theirs.

So here’s my humble challenge if anyone is listening: Get 3D sat data into P3D, improve the graphics (as you’ve started to do in v5). You already have the publishers of many of the worlds most commonly flown airports in detail and most of the commercial and GA aircraft (which arguably will take MSFS publishers years to develop given their past release history). You have strong publishers (PMDG, Quality Wings, Carenado, Majestic, etc.) with mature products. If you care enough about the hard-core simmers (who I would guess make up a large contingent of your customer base?) make these changes and I, and more like me, would never have a reason to switch platforms.

Remember, most of us are here to simulate flight as close to real world as possible, not to own multiple simulation platforms. I’m financially committed to a single platform to date and aren’t interested in spending money on the same scenery I already have for another sim. If you want to see me (and those like me) stay, then up your game. Competition is good.

Howard

[choppa]

Couldn't agree more. I wrote a far less detailed post, and not as eloquent, some time ago. I was an Alpha/beta tester for MSFS2020. All i can say is, I am staying with P3D, I looked at my investment and considered the opportunity that LM has to catch up with the new competition. My main concern now is, will LM chase them or withdraw, as MS has done in the past. Only LM can answer that, and hopefully sooner than later. I am keeping an eye on the new sim to see how it develops over the next 6 months, but I'll be keeping even a bigger eye out on LM to see what they can bring to the table. As you stated....Competition is just what this hobby need...bring it on.

[chudobja]

I am not sure if P3D and MSFS 2020 are comparable products. Why? Because P3D is a simulation of realistic flying. MSFS 2020 is rather PC or some console game. I am saying that after four days spent exclusively with MSFS.
Day 1: After smooth download, smooth installation and first launching - I was excited. What an incredible graphics, and the sky! Unbelievable.
Day 2: VFR flying, testing, setting up, changing destinations. Still very new and very good.
Day 3: Both VFR and IFR flying with GA and Airbus as well. And... I had to take off my rose-coloured glasses. I understand that it is a new baby platform, so it would be naive to expect that everything will be perfect. However, the flight dynamics of all planes is horrible, or rather missing. The ATC uses wrong phraseology. Why? The ground textures are nice when flying at low altitudes. Contrarywise, when flying with jet at FL 200 and above, the ground is blurred, and the sky is somehow fogged up. The game is overbright, or rather the lighting is imbalanced. And so on.
Day 4: Continued testing it but felt bored.
Today I re-opened my P3D (flying with PMDG over Italy) and the feeling of real and exciting simulation was there.
So, I wish LM to continue in further development, and first of all put the TrueSky into operation.
And yes, I agree that competition is healthy. So, I cross my fingers for Microsoft to manage to convert MSFS 2020 into real and quality sim.

[aguiar]

I agree with you guys, hope LM keeps up P3D development, and don't let us down

[Alox]

Yep, now Prepard3d V5 is more stable. the better think is that i can play it with almost in max settings with heavy add ons: (Orbx and Pmdg 737 Ngux, etc), for me looks much better than MS2020.

This is an example:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9ymd4xfgfuaia ... 5.mp4?dl=0

Let's hope LM doesn't let us down.

Regards.

[choppa]

regrefully I still have the odd hang up re video card. Hopefully LM will be releasing a Hotfix soon to solve this issue. When it runs it is fantastic. But I have kept V4 on my drive just in case.
The Hang up usually occurs when I change from Full screen to windowed screen....any suggestions anyone?
I am running a 8Gb Geforce 1080
!6GB on board fast ram

[Martyson]

Howard,

I also have X-Plane (v11 in my case, previously v10), P3Dv4 & v5 but not MSFS2020 all installed.

Question.
Why do you keep Xplane version ?? , P3Dv4, and MSFS2020 installed on your PC?

Note:
Not long ago I also had FS9 and FSX installed.

[hrhett]

Question.
Why do you keep Xplane version ?? , P3Dv4, and MSFS2020 installed on your PC?

I have no good reason for X-Plane. Posterity perhaps? As soon as space becomes more of an issue it'll come off. v4 on the other hand is because while most scenery and aircraft ported to v5, PMDG has yet to update the T7 of which I fly from time to time.

Howard

[Martyson]

Question.
Why do you keep Xplane version ?? , P3Dv4, and MSFS2020 installed on your PC?

I have no good reason for X-Plane. Posterity perhaps? As soon as space becomes more of an issue it'll come off. v4 on the other hand is because while most scenery and aircraft ported to v5, PMDG has yet to update the T7 of which I fly from time to time.

Howard

And, MSFS (2020) ?

[hrhett]

The value proposition that MSFS brings is the promise of improved ground scenery (by default). FS Altitude came out many years ago but I still use it in combination with ORBX products for ground realism. Orbx is nice but can be pricey and doesn't cover the whole planet. I mostly fly commercial (domestic and international) but with MSFS I've found myself flying more GA under VFR. It's still mostly P3D though. The jury is still out: If MSFS appeals to a more 'gamey' (i.e. game-like audience) then my interest will probably be limited. As publishers start to release titles (i.e. QW, PMDG, FSDT, etc.) I'll most likely install and compare the two (P3D/MSFS). Either way MSFS will be some time coming before it matches the breadth of titles published in P3D. P3D is hands down just more mature.

Howard

[hrhett]

In short: It simplifies the management of custom global scenery (MSFS) and enables the operator (me) to spend less time managing my add-on purchases and let's me focus more on flying. Which is the whole point.

[choppa]

Good points. The other thing that prompts me to be patient is that I have invested heavily in add ons for P3D, to throw them into the bin and jump to MSFS is a big financial decision, and one that I am not prepar3d to make at the moment. (sorry about that...just couldn't resist!)