P3D Advice

[Dogsbody55]

With the end of FSW development and all the limitations now embedded in that sim, I have decided to can my copy of that sim, and go P3DV4. With that in mind, I have a number of questions for those P3D users here. I mostly use FSX SE at the moment, and plan to keep using it for those A2A planes not yet purchased for P3D. Once they're all repurchased, I'll dump FSX.

1) Which version (Academic or Professional) are you using and why? I used to fly IRL, until redundancy and retirement canned that, but perhaps one day I'll get another chance. Please also note I don't want to get into any criticism of LM or their products/EULA, but I would like to know why you've gone for your version and what advantages the Professional version has over the Academic version.

2) On the LM, site, it mentions a watermark signifying acceptance of the EULA for the Academic version. Does this mean you have a watermark across your screen when flying in the sim? Can someone post a screenshot of this, please?

3) I have quite a few Orbx sceneries in FSX SE. Can I also install these in P3D, simultaneous to their use in FSX? Is the Orbx forum helpful here? Is anyone using an addon terrain mesh such as FSGenesis?

4) I use 2 CH throttle quadrants in FS9 and FSX so I can control up to 4 engines individually, or with A2A planes I can use a lever for carb heat and/or radiator flaps. Has anyone done this in P3D? Does it recognise each throttle controller separately, as FSX does?


Cheers,
Mike

[Alan_A]

I'll bite - and I'll try to answer in as neutral a way as possible, to avoid violating any forum guidelines (which I think might have happened with the previous thread).

1) I use the professional version because I believe that's the most appropriate one for my background and use case. You'd have to review the licensing options on the P3D site to determine which option is the right one for you.

2) The watermark is quite small - it appears in the upper right hand corner of the screen. You can see it on YouTube videos where the Academic version is in use. It seems unobtrusive.

3) I believe it's possible to use ORBX sceneries in both P3D and FSX SE, but since I'm P3D only, I'll defer to others who use both. And yes, the forum should be helpful. I don't use third-party mesh, though I tried PILOT's FS Global Ultimate, but found it frustrating to deal with airport elevation issues with third-party sceneries. These are solvable, but I didn't want the hassle. Others use third-party mesh successfully.

4) One of the nicer features of P3D is that it allows you to save and load different controller profiles. They don't load automatically they way they do in FSUIPC - you have to import the right one for the aircraft you're flying. But that just takes a couple of seconds. I prefer using the profiles in P3D because I've found that FSUIPC doesn't get along well with some of the newer high-end aircraft. But, short answer, you should be able to set up a four-throttle quad in either P3D or FSUIPC. Of course, you can do some customizing via the A2A input configurator as well.

Hope this helps.

[bladerunner900]

Hello.

1. I went for the Pro version for v4, because I could. The only difference, beside the watermark which is a visual thing, is the licence and price of course.

2. Re. the watermark. It is always there in the Academic version, in the top right corner. Depending on conditions it's not really a problem and is easily edited out if you feel the need to. Here's a couple of shots to illustrate.



It's almost invisible in this shot.


3. Orbx sceneries can be used in both versions of FSX and all versions of P3d. At the same time if necessary. You just set it up in FTX Central 3 as normal, after first selecting which sim you want to set up. I am also using PILOT'S FS Global Next Generation Ultimate in v4.2.

4. Don't know about twin throttles as I only have one with my CH Pro Throttle USB. Throttle and stick are easy to set up though.

Steve.

[Buffy Foster]

As long as you bought your Orbx sceneries from them (not from the Steam store), then they will work fine for P3D also. Once you install P3D, then FTX Central 3 will see it and you can select it as your install target.

[Blitzer]

1. I got the professional licence. Quite simply I am not a student or in any form of education that I would be eligible to use the academic licence. From memory; when i read the professional licence requirements i found it open to interpretation to a degree in so much I do not recall it stating you had to be receiving any level of formal training. As far as I am concerned I simulate flight and teaching myself how to fly an aircraft.

2. No watermark in pro so not really sure what it does.

3. Orbx scenery can be used in both. To be honest though although I still have FSX SE installed, again to use aircraft I don’t have in P3D, I rarely fly it, I just find P3D much better.

HTH

Paul

[crippy]

I will follow suit with others in being neutral.

1) I bought the Academic version, as I was / am still in college when I purchased P3Dv4. Therefore I qualified for the academic version. However I do graduate in May, and this puts me in a tricky situation. Keep that in mind if you are currently in an education system. You may at some point grow out of the Academic EULA.

2) Check the other screen shots here is mine:



I take screen shots and set them as my wallpaper on my FS - PC. I don't notice it at all in the simulator, and barely as a desktop wallpaper.

3) Yes I believe they are cross-platform compatible. I think I purchased Orbix Global for FSX, and I was easily able to install it into P3D via their own orbix software. It is allowed and welcomed by Orbix I think.

4) Yes, the control system is pretty much the same as in FSX. However there was one specific box I had to tick, something like use direct input or raw input or something. A simple google search will help you out if you come across problems.

I don't quite follow on the CH products, If it has 4 levers as a single unit then yes that is the CH products. If it only has 3 levers, it is likely Saitek/Logitech or something else.
I do however have all CH products and they work just like in FSX, just don't forget to set sensitivity in the sim to 100%.

Hope it helps!

[Dogsbody55]

Thanks very much for the help. It's appreciated. Thanks also to those who've posted screenshots.

I'll probably go with the Professional version, simply because I feel more comfortable with the EULA for that version in my circumstances. I think, though, I'll wait for the Aussie $ to climb a bit more before making the jump. I'm a pensioner, so money is always a finite commodity. The Academic watermark is not much of an issue, but I wanted to make up my mind particularly for that moment when A2A release the Bonanza - which version to buy?? It's good to know that Orbx scenery is so easily integrated too. I've always bought my Orbx sceneries from the Orbx site, and converted them over when FTX Central became the download/install tool. I'll probably cruise through the Orbx and P3D forums first for a bit of background information.

Regarding my 2 CH throttles, I originally got these as I am a long time user of the Calclassics planes. It's great to be able to have 4 throttles, 4 prop pitch and 4 mixture levers. This works well also with the A2A Connie. But I've also found it useful in FSX with those addon planes that have an input configurator such as the one offered with A2A products. If I don't need all the levers for the engine controls, I can use spare levers for carb heat, cooling flaps, landing flaps as with the T6, and turbo lever as with the P-47. It should be even better when A2A release their first twin. On top of that, I have a lot of switches that I can assign to various functions such as the inertia starter and hydraulic functions on the P-40, individual magnetos and auto pilot functions. So you can see that I'm keen to ensure that I can continue to use this in P3D. FSW allowed this in exactly the same way as FSX.

That just leaves the terrain mesh issue. Has anyone used FSGenesis global terrain for FSX in P3D V4??


Cheers,
Mike

[tbaac]

Anyone know if there is an upgrade path from the Academic version of A2A's products to the Professional version?
It occurs to me that if you were a student and bought the Academic version of P3D v4 and then bought Academic versions of some A2A aircraft, what happens if you then decide to buy the Professional version of P3D v5 later as you're not a student any more?

[MarcE]

Anyone know if there is an upgrade path from the Academic version of A2A's products to the Professional version?
It occurs to me that if you were a student and bought the Academic version of P3D v4 and then bought Academic versions of some A2A aircraft, what happens if you then decide to buy the Professional version of P3D v5 later as you're not a student any more?

Nothing happens. A2A want you to have fun with their products as they do them with passion on first side, profit second. They comply to the licence requirements with their offers of academic, professional and so on. They won‘t persuade you if you have - by accident - used another license. Technically it works crossover.

[tbaac]

Thanks MarcE. Sorry, I'd misunderstood that. I'd thought that the Academic version of an A2A product wouldn't work with a P3D Pro version.

[dvm]

I would like to give my two cents on the subject of P3D pro vs academic. I may be mistaken but I think Lockheed Martin wants to keep the aura of flight training only. But I don't see the harm if the software is used for entertainment and I don't believe they really care as it is revenue in any case. Determining if someone is actually a student would be cumbersome at best and what would be the definition of a student. Another thought is flt simulation has it's limitations as far as real world flying goes so why spend so much time and money making the sim look good. I think most folks are using it for entertainment most of the time even if they are in flight training. Just common sense as far as I am concerned. All the legal beagles and moralists out there can probably come up with rebuttals to my assumptions. But the really smart folks usually overthink most things. If it looks like a duck it is usually a duck. But what do I know ?

[ClipperLuna]

From what I gather reading all the different responses on other forums to the question of which version you get, it seems to be a kind-of taboo that may be better left not discussed. A rock you just don't look under, if you will.

But yea, I get what you're saying, dvm.

[Alan_A]

...what happens if you then decide to buy the Professional version of P3D v5 later as you're not a student any more?

As far as I'm aware, the only product where there's a functional difference between P3D Academic and Professional versions is TacPack by VRS - the downloadable works with P3D Academic but not Professional. According to the terms and conditions on the VRS product page, it's necessary to contact VRS sales for a P3D Professional-compatible version. The terms and conditions also recommend a review of the FSX or P3D Academic EULA before purchase.

There may be other products with such functional differences, but I haven't heard of them.

For any other product, you'd have to look at the developers' terms and conditions.

If TacPack (or any other product with functional or licensing differences) is important to the OP, P3D version compatibility might be a factor to consider.

[Paughco]

Do you get paid to fly your A2A airplane? Hmm. Not a professional. OK, have you read your A2A manual so that you can fly your A2A aircraft properly? Have you watched FlightChops, FLY8MA.com or others so that you can better emulate real world flying and situations? Hmm. You might be a student.

Hey, I ain't sayin' - I'm just sayin'. Meanwhile, I'll keep my TAC-14 ready to go for when they come for me in those black P3D helos.

Seeya
ATB

[Dogsbody55]

I've been researching the issue of terrain mesh for P3Dv4 and it seems to me that almost anything will work. On the Orbx forum, one of their developers said that FSX compatible mesh is fine in P3D as well.

Anyone tried this?? What are people using??


Cheers,
Mike