P3d 'Academic' license $50

[pilottj]

Looks like Lockheed is now selling a cheaper one time 'Academic' license for Prepare3d. At least it is becomming affordable now as an alternative evolution of FSX.

http://www.prepar3d.com/prepar3d-store/

Personally I will wait until V2 is out. From what I have read it doesn't support DX10 yet but that is in the works.

Cheers
TJ

[stovall]

Thanks for the post pilottj, Lionheart gave me a heads up early this morning about the new version being released. It is now V1.3 with many updates and fixes from V1.2. Prepar3d is a quantum leap up from FSX at least in functionality and smoothness of flight. They still maintain it is for training people to fly and is not for the commercial market. That may be but all of the FSX aircraft I have imported work perfectly and all my scenery transfers look the same as in FSX.

The best part is the retail license is down from $499.00 to $199.00. They are even giving a refund for those who purchased at the original price. There are several other purchase levels offered. I myself test everything I enjoy from FSX in Prepar3d and so far all works perfectly. Flying off Iwo Jima with my Warbirdsim P-51D is really fun. A2A AccuFeel works perfectly as well.

Anyway as time goes on there will be much more to look forward to.

[TuFun]

Awaiting V.2 with DX11 support.

"We are moving to DirectX11 and working on updating the core app to take advantage of modern hardware, but beyond that, I can't comment on any specific features."

Beau
<small>Prepar3D Software Engineer March 9, 2012

</small>

[Bone]

FSX may well be dead after all, and reincarnated via better versions of P3D. I would bet Lockheed also has the home simmer in mind with the Academic version.

[Daveroo]

if the planes "work the same" and the "scenery looks the same"...then why the differance?..i mean why is prepar3d "better"?...i dont understand why we would pay 50 bucks for a FSX replacement..when it doesnt seem to do anything but "replace it"?....

[Snaker]

How do existing fsx addons work with P3d (planes and scenery) ?

[Bone]

if the planes "work the same" and the "scenery looks the same"...then why the differance?..i mean why is prepar3d "better"?...i dont understand why we would pay 50 bucks for a FSX replacement..when it doesnt seem to do anything but "replace it"?....

There are a number of things in the code that need to be improved, FSX has some instability problems (surely you've noticed...right?). Being able to use more than 4 GB's of memory, and multicore threading are biggies, too. There's quite a bit that can be improved in the sim engine.

[Sundog]

if the planes "work the same" and the "scenery looks the same"...then why the differance?..i mean why is prepar3d "better"?...i dont understand why we would pay 50 bucks for a FSX replacement..when it doesnt seem to do anything but "replace it"?....

P3D is more stable, has added visual/shading effects, that you would normally have to pay for aftermarket software to get in FSX. It's also my understanding that it runs better (Higher FPS on an equivalent machine) than FSX. They also modeled water. i.e., the land continues to the sea floor and you can now operate subs if you want to as well. in fact, one comes with P3D. I think this is geared more for LM to use it as a professional simulator, but it is available to the casual user as well. There have also been other upgrades as well.

Also, they are going to continue to develop it. So, I get to use all of the stuff I have in FSX, for the most part, and get a newer better sim without having to re-buy everything I bought for FSX when I take the plunge. With the exception, so far, that for Orbx, you have to buy a conversion license for around $7 for scenery you already own, which I think is fine.

For people who make add-ons it also comes with the ability to generate .air files, you don't have to copy and mod anymore, etc.

[CG_1976]

At my own risk I know the Iris C27 works in Prepar3d. Piglets creations also work and yes I have even got my Ifly 737 in.

[Ark]

All of Carenado's add-ons I have tried work great as well.

[roger-wilco-66]

[...]
It's also my understanding that it runs better (Higher FPS on an equivalent machine) than FSX.
[...]

Just for fun, I unlocked the FPS in P3D and got between 100 and 130 fps on my system - mid range Q6600 @ 3 GHz 4 gig ram and Nvidia 460. No stuttering or microstutters. And very stable.
Aircraft is A2A P40, by the way.

Cheers,
Mark

Attachment 61872

[Roger]

So do I spend $2000 on a new pc or $200 on Prepar3D?

[VCN-1]

Can anyone tell if the academic version is full featured or does it lack some features?

VCN-1

[Lionheart]

So do I spend $2000 on a new pc or $200 on Prepar3D?

I think thats a no brainer Roger. :D


I just signed up onto the PrePar3D team today, Developer, downloading now. I was really happy to hear the studders are gone. Hopefully I should have it all downloaded by tomorrow.

[Felixthreeone]

Seems P3D is the way to go....wondering if I should jump in now, or wait 'til v2.0 hits....