X-Plane?

Thinking of ordering version 9 from there site. Has anyone tried this? I tried FSX and it ran rather poorly and had limited aircraft out of the box. FS2004 ran perfect but the water looked ugly and not realistically colored. How does xplane compare? Are the graphics better/worse? Does it have the same demanding need for power like FSX? Also I dont understand the whole concept of buying and downloading scenery (im new to flight sims). Can someone explain it to me and how xplane looks out of the box?

 

X-Plane runs rather well compared with FSX, granted it doesn't look as good, but still is quality. However, consider buying the boxed version from Best Buy or elsewhere because it typically costs $10 cheaper ($40 @ X-plane, $30 @ retail) not sure why. X-plane is more hard core than FSX basically. TBH, you can get a similar experience using FS9 and add-ons but at better frames.

 

MSFS vs. X-Plane -
Well, there are tons forum posts already posted, a simple Google search should be suffice for you to make the decision. There's a demo on X-Plane's website, you should try it out.

FS9 -
What you need is "Real Environment Professional for FS2004"
http://www.realenvironmentxtreme.com/downloads.html

FSX -
If you play it on your MacBook Pro as specified in your sig. Then forget it, you will not get any enjoyable flying experience from a 8600GTm, it just doesn't cut it. However, if you play it on a much higher end computer, then it's worthwhile to do some tweaking to the settings configuration.

Add-on -
MSFS has much much more active and extensive add-on communities than X-Plane has, so there are tons websites dedicated to MSFS add-ons that offer both Commercial and Freeware add-ons, they range from aircraft add-ons to texture replacement, anything that you wish to change about MSFS, you can find an add-on for it.

http://www.avsim.com/ (Free Registration Required)
http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads.html
http://www.simviation.com/downloads.html
http://www.flightsim.com/newfiles/all/all0.htm

the list just goes on...

 

X-Plane runs so much better than FSX but be aware that the installation takes 75GB if you want the global scenery...

 

Like everyone said, X-Plane will run better, but I'm not a fan of X-Plane at all. There is something about X-Plane that is extremely unrealistic, both in the graphics and the bouncy / bubbly flight model that everyone raves about. Can't put my finger on what it is, but its there, and I don't like it.

Htwingnut claims X-Plane is more hardcore, but I think FSX with addons is for the true hardcore. Phenomenal simulator, but if you are running on that macbook, might as well just go with X-Plane. Technically, X-Plane has a better flight model, using many points of the aircraft to physically simulate the air movement and pressure zones as the aircraft travels through the sky, whereas FSX uses a database of preset tables and functions to determine how it reacts in the air.

 

Damn, I dont even have the HDD space to get this game.I have 2 drives, but only 70GB each.

 

You are contradicting yourself . In the flight model area you cannot beat x-plane. Now about the scenery.... Beside the amazing water, the birds that can actually make you crash( stupid animals...), the better autogen engine and mesh definition FSX is prettier than X-Plane. But then x-Plane as the Aircraft Maker, ingame video recording with automatic export as a .mov file, weather engine that actually works, turbulence that interact with the airplane like they would IRL. No counting, the water bomber, shuttle reentry, B52 drop and Mars scenarios. What FS has going for it is the visually pleasing airplanes, AI traffic, huge repository of add-ons( though the simulation of flight systems is pretty much equal to the one in x-plane.

So as far as I'm concerned, I have both and I love both, but I prefer Xplane just because of the Aircraft maker. Who doesn't want to create a plane and fly it?

@OP: Both of the sims have demos so just download them and see which one you like best.

 

Lol yeah, but that's only if you want to fly on the entire world, I think that if you limit yourself to the US you only need 4GB... But be aware that if you install hi detail scenery mesh pack in FS you reach that kind of disk space footprint too... FSXask for 16GB by default...

 

Nah, I'd agree with him 100%.... I think we actually had this same debate a while back on here...

There's just something that feels wierd with the X-plane flight models... I also feel, as EMIKE said, they are just way too bouncy and unstable feeling... can't seem to make it feel even remotely right. "Technically" they are superior supposedly, but in reality it just doesn't work in my opinion. I have not purchase an aftermarket airplane, those may fly better, but as for the stock aircraft, they don't feel right.

Also, the stock aircraft that come with X-plane are significantly less impressive than what comes with FSX... if you thought those are limited, you'll be very disappointed with the aircraft that come with X-plane... a bunch of them don't even have textures... just show up as single color airframes.

I LOVE sims, and LOVE airplanes in general, and have both, but if I had to have just one sim, it would be FSX, followed by FS9, followed then by X-plane.

Also, as for the plane maker in X-plane, there are TONS of FANTASTIC free add-on aircraft for FSX or FS9, and aircraft can also be user created.... And yes, there are plenty for X-plane, but have much more experience with FS series.

 

X-plane actually calculates forces in real-time based on the blade element theory. So if you believe in the accuracy of blade element theory then it should be better than FSX (and previous versions). Because MSFS all just use table look up for values, essentially a giant database it cross-references based on the aircraft and the conditions it is in. X-plane has the aircraft builder too, which can be fun.

I would just look at it as two great options in the civilian flight simulator world and own both eventually if you can.

Bottom line is that if you enjoy good scenery and casual flights FSX is good for you, and easier to setup and get going IMHO. X-Plane has an improved flight model. This is not only my opinion but since they offer a Pro version for simulators that pilots can use for actual ground hours, I'd say it's pretty accurate. Plus, again, X-plane lets you tinker with your aircraft and other other aspects like airports too I believe.