It's been out for a while now...

I ordered my copy the other day, partly because I'm lacking a good civil flight sim, and partly because I like this 'style' of software and how it's developed.

I've been mucking around with the demo while I wait for my 6 x Scenery DVDs to arrive (around 10 days apparently). Just starting to get used to things.
I'm wondering if anyone else is on the X-Plane bandwagon and wants to share any thoughts, tips or tricks, particularly regarding configuration, recommended downloads/plugins and anything else X-Plane related that might be interesting.

Cheers.

The scenery is nice in X-Plane however it doesn't compare to well with FS9 with products like the PMDG 747-400.

I haven't bought X-Plane since 7, but played the demo of 8 and 9 quite a bit. I love it. Far far far superior to anything made my Microsoft. Doesn't have the bling of Microsoft, but likewise can be played on a computer that predates the year 2310

Quote :

The scenery is nice in X-Plane however it doesn't compare to well with FS9 with products like the PMDG 747-400.

Looks like a very in depth product, but not really what I'm looking for in a civilian flight sim. I'd be more inclined to fly short legs in a GA type plane like a Piper. Besides that I already have FS2004 but there are quite a few things that annoyed me, so I haven't installed it on my latest rig...

I had a very very early public version of x-plane, and it was buggy and not very good at all, but the latest xplane does look very impressive!

Quote from 5haz :

the latest xplane does look very impressive!

I reckon the graphics are rather pretty. Like any flight sim, some of the details look a little clunky close up, but overall it's good. I attached some quick and simple edits taken from the demo.

Wow, i'm suitably impressed, looks better than FSX in those pics.

How are the 3d cockpits, are they fully clickable ? any chance of a pic or two ?. I'd like to see how they compare with FSX, as it's the main reason i've not moved over to X-Plane. Dunno why, but i really hate flying with a 2d cockpit.

Here's the 3D cockpit in the Cessna, and yes it's clickable.
I haven't downloaded any planes yet, but the quality of cockpits in the demo planes varies. Some of them are rather dodgy, but the Cessna one as you can see is great.

i got into x-plane because its the only sim out at the moment that has decent helicopter physics. FSX just doesnt come anywhere near close. I love practicing autorotations. For me it's the LFS of flight sims. I borrowed the dvd off my neighbuour who uses X-plane to practice flying and navigation for when he flies his real helicopter. And being able to fly into orbit is always fun (but very hard).
Most recent aircraft have 3D cockpits and most of them have fully working instrunments/switches, etc.
Heres a short video i made in a heli http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjBuCaiaqh8

Thanks for that

Doesn't look too bad either, almost on a par with FSX.

I have heard that some of the planes are pretty ropey, which considering how X-Plane works, is a bit of a shame. However, it's only $40 USD at the mo, so i think i might give it a try again. (not tried it since v7.3) But those 70gb's worth of scenery files is a bit of a worry, can't afford that kind of space on my pc atm.

Anyway, i think i'll download the demo and give it a bash.

Is there a helicopter you can fly in the demo? If so I'll definitely give it a try. I've never been much of a fan of flying planes, but I do love helicopters. And what I've seen from X-Plane so far really does look great.

Quote from wildwilly :

it's the LFS of flight sims.

I'm really starting to form that opinion too. Xplane is just such a neat little piece of software. Very modular, highly configurable, great physics and developed with that little bit of extra love and care.

I guess that that would make FSX is like the rfactor of flight sims, but I haven't played it so I won't make such assumptioms...

Nice heli landing too! -Edit- I'm sure you've seen this Willy, but for the benefit of people who don't know about auto-rotation, have a look at the movie below. It's basically landing a chopper by cutting the engine and using a physics cheat. Not for the faint of heart!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wOJSo6_F6mE

Quote from Mazz4200 :

...those 70gb's worth of scenery files is a bit of a worry, can't afford that kind of space on my pc atm.

As I understand, the scenery is broken down in to regions, and you only need to install the areas you want. Europe is around 10GB apparently.

Can someone go to Prestwick (In europe) (EGPK) and take a few screenshots please?

So can you fly a chopper in the demo or not?

Not sure about.

Bell 206, Bell 47, Robinson R22beta and the S-61 (Sea King) is listed. I´m still having problems to end the shuttle-approach-scenario...

Quote from obsolum :

So can you fly a chopper in the demo or not?

Yep, you can.

X-Plane is protected by a time-limitation on using a joystick. The program checks for a DVD in the drive, and if it isn't there, then the joystick stops functioning after, I think, 15min. Otherwise, the program is fully functional in all respects, as far as I know.

The quality of some aspects of the program, is less than totally satisfactory. Some included aircraft are not textured, and some do not have a decent cockpit. However, a user can take care of such things, for himself. Perhaps the best aspect of X-Plane - besides a very good and versatile physics engine - is that it is thoroughly configurable; additional programs are included, for modeling airfoils, aircraft, panels and scenery, and virtually any aircraft, of any size/weight/shape, can be created, with any reasonable number of piston or jet engines (and there is also rocket-assist, at least), and there is a large number of instruments and such, in various styles, with which panels (fully clickable) can be constructed.

Additionally, the program can be interfaced with some full-motion simulator platforms (I have no experience with this), and reportedly, the simulation physics are realistic enough to have been used by some training facilities and actual aircraft designers.

The general features available, are at least equivalent, I think, to those in MSFS, although seemingly less polished, overall. The documentation is pretty incomplete, although the basic stuff is easy enough to figure out.

Improvements in the "X-System" are always ongoing, as with LFS; minor patches are free, new versions must be repurchased (I currently have version 8, upon which experience, the above description is based; I expect to buy version 9, when I get a new computer). What I especially like in X-Plane, compared to MSFS, is the ability to fly vectored-thrust aircraft; I like the helicopters, too, although I also like those of MSFS and, as I stated, MSFS is a more polished program and so, more satisfying in some ways, although I don't think that I could really explain why it feels that way (just aesthetics, somehow, I guess).

I am curious to know, from owners of version 9, if the virtual cockpits have been improved. In version 8, there is a virtual panel, but if you rotate it too much, you find that there is just blank (transparent) space, surrounding it. Have these been filled-in, so that there is really a virtual cockpit, now?

All I know is, being the neat freak I am, I went and re-labeled all the folders of the aircraft so that instead of 'cessna_172' it said "Cessna 172." The result of this was that now not a single aircraft can access it's skin file, so I get nice big gray airplanes.

Just had a go of the 9.21 demo. Took forever to download, took ages to set up the joystick, didn't change any of the graphics settings, or any other settings for that matter, but, i've got to say i'm impressed.

The graphics are good, very good, almost on a par with FSX, if not better in some areas. The 3d cockpits are great, although can look a bit flat at some points (i.e the radio stack looks 2d) and i don't think it's quite as clickable as FSX, but it's easily good enough to fly with, and there's no clipping when panning. On the whole, FSX just shades it, but X-plane is a worthy contender.

The sound is great, much better than FSX, and it's got real ATC sound samples which really adds to the atmosphere, (although i didn't have time to interact with ATC myself it should be at least as good as FSX).

But the flight modelling is something else, the plane feels so much more alive in your hands, it makes FSX feel so wooden and lifeless. You can really tell FSX use's canned effects to mimic flight physics, whereas X-plane uses real world aerodynamic modelling. I don't know if X-plane supports force feedback, (not that i've got a force feedback stick), but it would be utterly joyous if it did, if you've got a top quality feedback rig that is...

One thing that did bug me though was i couldn't get it out of window mode. Dunno if this is all you get in the demo, but not being able to pull it up to full screen is a bit of a pain. And it only gives you 10mins before it disengages the stick and pulls up a" please buy me" box in the middle of the screen.

All in all i definately think it's worth getting, although i'm not to happy about this 'having to pay again for each new version' thing. Anyone know if you get the 9.3, 9.4, 9.5 etc updates for free, then have to pay for each version 10, 11 etc. Or do you have to pay for every (point).4, .5, .6 ?

Time to start clearing all the unused crap from my HDD's me thinks

It does support FFB.

You should be able to get it full screen. Have a fiddle.

You only pay for majoy version changes - 9, 10, 11. The decimals are free.

It does make FS feel rubbish, but some people don't want realism (even if they say they do).

That's not very surprising, is it?

I have to admit though that despite the better feel of X-Plane, play FSX more often. Now the emphasis here is on "play": the missions are just great fun compared to the "take a plane and an airport and head in a random direction" which wears off for me quite quickly.

That's good to hear.

I did try the feedback in FSX with one of my wheels, and other than take off and landing it was pretty tame, didn't really add anything to the 'flying feel' but i'd hope X-plane would be much better.

I've got an old feedback wheel lying around somewhere, will have to see if i can somehow mode my yoke with the motors from it.

Oh another thing, before tonight i hadn't tried X-plane since version 7, but at the time i felt it was'nt quite good enough to drag me away from FS (hate flying with 2d panels). But this new version 9 is soooo much better, it's almost a different game...er sim

Quote from ColeusRattus :

That's not very surprising, is it?

To be honest we could be here all night discussing the various aspects of flight sims. Needless to say FS is good at what it does, and an FSX 3d cockpit is a very nice place to sit and fly. But even all through it's version 7 and 8, X-plane and FS were very comparable in their end results. (X-planes short comings were solely down to the actual modelling of the aircraft themselves and not the aero modelling) But this new version 9 seems to have stepped up a notch

Quote from ColeusRattus :

I have to admit though that despite the better feel of X-Plane, play FSX more often. Now the emphasis here is on "play": the missions are just great fun compared to the "take a plane and an airport and head in a random direction" which wears off for me quite quickly.

It's the other way round for me. I got bored of the missions pretty quickly, but find i get far more enjoyment of doing everything by the book, including flight checks, navigation, tuning the radio's buy hand, ATC communications, even start-up and shut-down procedures. But i will say if you're into the missions you should check out Just Flights Cargo Pilot, and Airline Pilot add-ons.

Quote from tristancliffe :

You should be able to get it full screen. Have a fiddle.

iirc, it's a tick box in the Render Options menu
I'm still waiting for my DVDs to arrive, and the 10 minute time limit is annoying as hell, but at the moment I'm having a blast just playing around with the weather. It's just implemented so nicely.

The current amusement comes from hiting the Randomize Weather button until eventually, I get cyclonic winds and my Cessna blows off the runway.

Dont forget x-plane comes with everything you need to make you're own aircraft. Theres Planemaker and Airfoil maker. Has anyone fiddled much with the planemaker? Apart from building the 3dmodels, its also kinda like lfstweak, but you can change EVERYTHING on the aircraft, it would take hours and hours to make one from scratch, or you can just mess with a finished plane. Ive played with it a bit but unless you really know what you're doing most of it is a bit confusing. Does FSX have anything like that?