Microsoft Flight Sim vs. X-Plane

[Vegas_Firanelli]

Lately we've been bombarded with requests for more intricate 3-D and special graphics, that I can only assume are coming from those of you who have come to us via Microsoft Flight Simulator, or FSX.

I'm glad you're here and I'm glad you're giving X-Plane and its add-on developers a chance, but there's something to this dynamic that I think you are missing, and something that is a part of the greater picture that you ought to know.

X-Plane developers are the "mom and pops" of the simulator industry. They are not corporations and they do not have the salaries or budgets to employ large 3-D graphic departments like Microsoft did. Instead they are often "one guy" operations that must over-see everything from plane development, to graphics including 3-D, to marketing, website design and customer service. And they're only so many hours in one day. But they press on thru this, and continue to develop because they love it, and they want you to have the best aircraft they can offer.

When you criticize, demand or expect things that have previously been done by large corporations or "several" people, you set unrealistic expectations for the "little people" and you cripple what remains of free enterprise as we still know it.

This is not to say that Microsoft did not have some exciting things to offer. Or that their products weren't glossy, shiny or great to look at. We all want something pretty. But X-Plane developers are people. Humans like you and I...(yes behind this avitar is a human being).

Humanity is what I am asking you to support. Humans make things and the singularness of our humanity is what makes something individual and unique. We're losing that everyday to the mass corporation. The non-feeling entity that only serves to perpetuate itself. Our dollars are going into the pockets of shareholders and entities rather than to another human being. If someone's stock goes up or their bank roll increases we never see the results of that. But if you buy from an X-Plane developer you put food on his table, and you help keep him going.

That makes a difference beyond what I can even begin to describe to you. And that is what makes free enterprise a great thing. I ask that you keep that going. You can do that with your patience and your encouragement. I'm not asking you to lower your expectations, but I am asking you to broaden your scope of understanding into what is possible and available to you, that is created by one "little guy" alone verses what can be made by many.

Vegas

[Herbumus]

Well said... Jason does an incredible job in creating the most highly detailed, accurate, aesthetically pleasing aircraft available for X-Plane. It makes it easy to assume the next step... that a company could just re-create what one has come to expect as "the norm" - especially when the company is as well-run and professional as C74. The entire C74 Enterprises "branding" only speaks to Jason's incredible corporate vision and ability to maximize productivity given the limited resources. We are all thankful for C74 and Jason's ongoing efforts to provide a high quality product as well as exceptional staff (that's you!) that offers an extreme level of customer service and public relations. We all appreciate and support you as we look forward to an exciting future for C74 and X-Plane.
H

[kiofka]

Besides acknowledging the validity of what my colleagues have just said, I would like to add my view as well.
Having flown "The Other Simulator" since the late eighties, and X-Plane for the last year or so,
I would suffice to say that there is no comparison between the two. Graphically speaking, and in the realism.
MS was able to do many things because it cut SIGNIFICANT corners in it's resolution and anti-alias capabilities.
X-plane has devoted it's power to visually re-create the flight experiance.
Photo realism has always been my sneeze when it comes to MS. And let's not forget, THEY'RE HISTORY!!!
X-Plane continues, and sets the bar at a higher level. It continues to evolve, exponentially, into an incredibly realistic flight experience.
If you don't see what you want today, wait for tomorrow. Because, I assure you, IT'S COMING!!
So be patient, (as my colleagues have already said).
The world is not yours... It is ours... we work with one another... not against one another...
This planet is getting burnt to a crisp with people who complain with no viable solutions to offer.
If you don't like something, step up to the plate and change it, or at least, show us how...
And if you can't or don't know how, have faith, as we are all similar in nature to our likes and dislikes,
one or more of us will come through and change it eventually.

Col Kiofka

[Vegas_Firanelli]

Thank you both.

I want people to know that I am not just reprimanding, but I am actually guilty of it myself. (Kinda like being a member of the Hair Club for Men).

There's a local sandwich shop where I live. My friend bragged about how delicious it was and how "natural" everything is on the menu. I didn't want to go, I figured it would be less than standard, and so I put off going for a long time. One day I had been to the gym and wanted some soup, so I decided to give it a try.

It wasn't fancy. The decor was not professionally done, and each table had a different "oil cloth" table covering on it. The walls had strange paintings and the counter and cash register looked like something out of 1970 - and not on purpose. A woman probably in her 50's, greeted me very nicely, and asked if I was ready to order. I was rude to her, as I tried to decipher what was on the "handwritten" menu board above her.

I asked about the soups, in which case she opened 3 or 4 pots for me to inspect. I finally decided on a tomato vegetable chowder. I turned down the "large" bowl, opting for the medium in case it was "gross". Yeah, I said it out loud.

She lifted a lid from the bread bin, offering me a slice of white bread for only 25 cents more. "It comes with 2 slices," she said.

I snapped something to her about my waistline and took only one piece. Then I went over and sat down at table in the corner, out of the way of the other people.

One bite of the soup told me I had been a real jerk. Then I tasted the bread, and reprimanded myself for not taking the second slice. It had been a very long time since I had tasted homemade bread. It was one of the most delicious meals I've had, and one of the least expensive. I slurped my fresh squeezed lemonade and told myself that there was a lesson to be learned here.

The place is called Penny's and it is now a regular lunch spot after my workouts. I am obnoxiously nice to the staff in hopes they will forgive me, and I always drop a few dollars into the community "tip" jar.

I've been so spoiled by commercialism, that I think everything should look like "Starbucks". If someone serves me a meal that isn't cookie cutter perfect looking, I think there's something wrong with it.

And even though this isn't the most flattering of stories...I want people to know that I understand both sides now. And I am very vocal about supporting your local "mom and pop" places, whether it's X-Plane development or a sandwich shop in your neighborhood. Afterall, without them, the world would be a lot less "delicious".

xoxo,

Vegas

[HansRoaming]

Just thought I would join in as a new customer of c74. Sure FSX can look nice but one thing I always found with the MS Flight sim series that everything felt well dead in the air, where was the turbulence and so on. Having recently got into DCS Blackshark I could not go back to this dead feel and have recently got into x-plane. I always want to fly using a 3D cockpit and a TrackIR and a search for high quality aircraft brought me here and I bought one of the helicopters. Very soon after I bought three more aircraft as was very impressed with the look and feel of them and would recommend any of the c74 products to people searching for high quality x-plane aircraft. Also my aircraft were available and set up for download outside of what I would call normal 9-5 hours and was very impressed with the speed of service.

The only thing that could be improved for me is that not being a pilot am unsure of where to look for how some of the instrumentation works, even if the packages came with a screen shot of the dash and a bunch of links to find out how the symbology works then that would be good enough in my opinion.

The sandwich shop story made me smile as over the years I've usually found that the small businesses run by people with a passion for what they do generally always outshine the products offered by large corporations. So please keep making aircraft products, you'll have my business.

[Vegas_Firanelli]

Welcome Aboard, Mr. Roaming...

Your questions about the instruments and gauges might be helped by the links on this page, located here in the Terminal :

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=73

I also found this nice website with an entire section of photos and easy to understand descriptions.

http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/avia ... r%2006.pdf

" Engine power output is indicated on the manifold
pressure gauge". who knew...even I learned something today.

I like your insight about passion and business. Thank you for taking the time to point that out. Though I think you'll be flying like a pro in no time at all..if there's anything else I can do to help, just ask.

Sincerely,

Vegas

[GlowWorm]

Aloha,

To me, it is that small team yet creating cool stuff spirit with high level of attention to details that I admire. Everytime I am amazed that with such little resources I can enjoy so many nice plane designs. So keep going, I'd say!

[HansRoaming]

Thanks for the links Vegas, much appreciated.

[alexcolka]

Hello all,
First let me say, Jason those aircraft are really fine pieces of work, Vegas, you have a great supporting nature. You both make a great team!
It would be interesting to know how much people are asking for the 3D stuff and other eye candy. Me personally use both X-Plane 9 and FSX and always find the both sims INCOMPARABLE both have their own pros and cons... I don't know why so much people need to be comparing all the time; why don't they just compare their brains or wifes or kids or jobs or life, etc., I don't mean to be rude but maybe happiness is more about being confident of what we are or think.
Once again I enjoy very much flying with Jason's creations and reading Vega's posts and of course posts from everyone else!
Thank you all! Keep up the absolute unique work!
Alex

[Vegas_Firanelli]

ROTFL...thank you Alex, point well taken.