Prepar3D

[gecko65]

Sorry if this is old news: Not sure exactly what it is - amped up FSX combat trainer?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agqri1nYFOU

More info here:

http://www.prepar3d.com/

http://www.prepar3d.com/products/prepar3d-client/#productinfo

[Peter SWE]

Wasn't it lockheed that bought the ESP code from microsoft?

[CodyValkyrie]

Yes, as well as Flight1. There may be others however, but those are the two right now that come to mind. Lockheed was instrumental in ESP if I remember correctly, or at least, they were one of the first if not THE first client of it.

[ZEUS67]

Prepard3D is for corporate use only. MS retained the rights for a consumer version. Lockheed Martin had just expanded the capabilities of FSX/ESP. We cansafely assume that they had included a full combat flight capability, including built-in weapons management, a true radar, vectorial trust, etc.

It is very likely that they had expanded and enhanced the multiuser environment.

If the video is to be believed, and I don't see why not, they had even included an underwater environment.

I wonder if the contract with MS allows MS to use this as the basis for Flight?

[full]

Added Global Dynamic Water Surface Texture-based dynamic water
Train on or under the water surface
Transparancy – see through the water surface
Water fog


http://www.prepar3d.com/products/prepar3d-client/

[b52bob]

If this is a ad for their software, a very poor job of flight simming.....my FS2000 looks better than what they showed in the video.

[ZEUS67]

If this is a ad for their software, a very poor job of flight simming.....my FS2000 looks better than what they showed in the video.

Corporate users are usually not very keen on eye candy but on functionality. They want a simulator that "simulates real world scenarios." Ultra high realistic graphics are nice but not essential, specially if said graphics will eat a lot of computer cycles that could be better used on the engine physics.

I've worked on a driver simulators used to test driving students to earn their driver's license. The simulators are fairly complex, the physics engine can deal with hundreds of parameters that can be changed by the user, but the graphics are just 2d sprites. The tech who trained me, explained that they wanted the computer to work mainly on the engine and not waste time on the graphics.

[Meshman]

Yes, as well as Flight1.

Just to clarify, Flight1 bought a license for ESP to use in commercial applications. Lockheed bought the source code, so they can revise and enhance it as they see fit. Except for entertainment type stuff, as that's still Microsoft's baby.

[clmooring]

I believe the baseball stadium is harbour park in Norfolk VA.

[AndyE1976]

There is an interview with Lockheed Martin in this months PC Pilot specifically about Prepar3d and they say in a couple of places that they intentionally retained full compatibility with FSX so that FSX addons could be used.

The way it reads is very confusing as to whether this is a product that can be purchased by non-corporate users. It reads like it is a super enhanced version of FSX aimed at professional training, but it doesn't state that they will restrict who can buy it.

I think that they've priced it to avoid it being a pure entertainment title, although when you consider how much many of us have spent on mods over the years and how much hardware upgrades cost to get FSX running better, Prepar3d isn't actually all that expensive.

[AndyE1976]

BTW there are 4 Lockheed aircraft available at www.prepar3d.com (http://www.prepar3d.com) for download, I believe they came from third parties, but are apparently being endorsed by Lockheed.

[Roger]

Downloaded the Connie and it's a ported Fs9 model with the MSFS file structure so would be useable. I think the other 2 are FsX models so should work without issue...but I've probably got them already.

[mmann]

I think that they've priced it to avoid it being a pure entertainment title, although when you consider how much many of us have spent on mods over the years and how much hardware upgrades cost to get FSX running better, Prepar3d isn't actually all that expensive.

Lockheed is specifically excluded from the Entertainment market. Client licenses will be $499. The price for the Prepar3d Developer Network (PDN) subscription will be $9.95/month for the Registered Developer level, and $99.95/month for the Solution Developers level.

I think it is safe to say it is a developers Flight Simulator.

Regards, Mike Mann

[warchild]

Well, I posted a question on their forums last night regarding advancements over fsx that may have occured in regards to flight modeling. Frankly, if certain issues such as vectored thrust have not been addressed, i dont believe it is a viable platform as it will do nothing more at the base levl than FSX already does. Plus, they are looking at supporting 3ds max 2010 and 2011 but arent considering the cost of those programs to the current developer community and i simply cant believe they have a realistic understanding of the arena they are entering. Either that, or we do not have a clear understanding of their proposed market.

[n4gix]

Either that, or we do not have a clear understanding of their proposed market.

That indeed is the crux of the matter; lack of understanding...

This product is targeted specifically to both government and civil aviation training markets...

...folks who typically have huge budgets to support their mandated missions.

Aside from the above, the only others for whom there may some interest would be those who'd like to become involved as developers of addon products, or perhaps do contract work for one or more of the larger clients of Prepar3D.

[Lewis-A2A]

That indeed is the crux of the matter; lack of understanding...

This product is targeted specifically to both government and civil aviation training markets...

...folks who typically have huge budgets to support their mandated missions.

Aside from the above, the only others for whom there may some interest would be those who'd like to become involved as developers of addon products, or perhaps do contract work for one or more of the larger clients of Prepar3D.

What he said. Its not for you folks to play but for the big boys, who cant use FSX as license doesnt allow it plus its not all that good when compared to other products with advanced physics. Just like the US marines and other military organisations of various countries use VBS2 whilst us entertainment users use ARMAII

[AndyE1976]

The list of features make it sound like FSX enhanced to run in a multi-computer configuration with only minor changes to the interface, graphics and flight model. They certainly didn't seem to be trumpeting any great improvements in those areas that I could determine.

I don't know whether they would refuse to sell it to an individual or have just priced it and marketed it to a professional audience. For a serious simmer $499 isn't all that expensive and if it's more simulation than entertainment I don't see that as a negative either (this is a flight sim afterall).

I was curious about the 'professional' nature of the product though when they have a T33 in development and a download section that consists of Constellations and Electra's - I don't see a great demand for 'professional' training in those types.

However after browsing their site this morning I was still left wondering what this adds to FSX that makes it worth $499, even for a professional training centre. The value for us I think is in the development of new aircraft that will work in both Prepar3d and FSX.

[warchild]

And that is really the sad thing of it. No one can blame us for wanting to take flight simming into realistic realms. I dont think any of us like having the game aspect of it shoved down our throat via the refusal of a certain corporation to not do anything to improve they're software any more.. I feel very confident that i i were to ask everyone here that was in any way involved in real life aviation to raise their hand, i would be in the minority of those who couldnt raise their hands. That said, i also know that when i'm doing simulations of things i've been trained in that i can get really frustrated with the lack of correctness and authenticity of the simulation. I can only assume others feel the same. I believe that a simulation is a simulation, and that even though it may be entertaining, that it should have nothing connecting it ( tieing it too ) the entertainment industry. For myself i think that should i want a game, i can buy Ace combat or Halo. At least with Halo when you shoot the bad guy it explodes into multi colored confetti..

[warchild]

I was curious about the 'professional' nature of the product though when they have a T33 in development and a download section that consists of Constellations and Electra's - I don't see a great demand for 'professional' training in those types.

However after browsing their site this morning I was still left wondering what this adds to FSX that makes it worth $499, even for a professional training centre. The value for us I think is in the development of new aircraft that will work in both Prepar3d and FSX.

Welll, i may be wrong, but i have the impression that the "professional" simulation arena is still ruled by Link Belt and FMC. No one is going to hold a candle to them. My other impression is that in their open support to fsx that what we see may be a shift in paradigm away from fsx the game, and towards the next level of evolution where MS flight the game is one thing and Prepar3d trails off to the more serious sim fan.
One thing Lockheed knows better than most, is that tomorrows pilots for a great part, will never see the inside of an airplane They will be flying from ground based stations and acting more as monitors to the systems on the craft. What better training is there then than a humble little pc based flight simulator.