bilirubin 50 Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Hi All, First post from me, I am Mike from Kent. I downloaded the Infinite Flight Sim App onto my ipad in the week and I am well and truly hooked. What a great way to relax and chill for a few hours. It is very sensitive and the slightest movement can send you rocketing sky high or plummeting to the ground and having looked into this a bit more this week I can see that this is a common complaint. I am guessing if I want to take this to the next level and purchase a PC based SIM I am looking at Microsoft or X Plane? If the above is correct I am a complete novice, do not know my trim from my air speed so what would be the preferred software for a beginner like me. I better add I am in my 50's and not a young gun that can press 10 buttons at the same time like they do on the games controllers nowadays. Thanks in advance Mike Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Welcome aboard, Mike from Kent. You're partly right about Microsoft or X-Plane, though personally I'd rather eat worms than buy X-Plane. It's pretty short on airports and eye candy, though is improving and a lot of developers, including freeware developers, are coming to the table. Anyway, Microsoft FSX is probably the safest bet, but Lockheed-Martin's Prepar3D (P3D) is worth your consideration too. It's my opinion that P3D is where we're all going to end up a few years down the road. It's based on FSX but unlike FSX is being actively worked on and improved. There is another option for FSX. Dovetail Group and Steam have recently published an updated version, usually called FSX Steam Edition or FSX - SE. Its been tweaked and is supposed to be marginally better but going that way ties you to them to some extent. If they get their way, at some point any add-ons will have to come from them. I recommend you do a little more reading and first decide on what sim you will buy. After that, on to controllers. Again, welcome to MH and I hope you find this a good and satisfying experience. John Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Hi John, Many thanks for the warm welcome and the advice. It looks like I am kind of on the right track so I will read a bit more and search the net before I make my decision. Mike Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 some kind of controller is definitely required for flight simulators. Trying to fly a well modeled aircraft using keyboard is nearly impossible. Joystick is the minimum required, a joystick and pedals, or a yoke and pedals is preferred if you can can afford it. welcome to the sometimes frustrating but always rewarding world of flight simulation Mike from Kent and welcome to Mutley's Hangar Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 oh, I should add, you will be required to learn lots of button commands... However you won't have to press more than one or two at a time. Link to post Share on other sites
jaydor 345 Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Hi Mike and welcome to the Hangar.. Just remember we all started right where you are now, so don't feel intimidated, just keep asking the question when you do not understand. I don't think you can get Microsoft FSX over the counter anymore. Don't buy on eBay as they are asking £150 for a used item that only cost £30 awhile ago. So I think it has to be via FSX Steam Edition, to get you on the ladder, P3D is for later on, if you find you do become infected with FSXitus. Go to YouTube and look for the FSX videos to see what can be achieved, then head for the FSX tutorials on Ytube to start the learning process.. Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Wow! I just looked at Amazon and the prices of FSX there have shot up too in the past few months - it appears the law of supply and demand has not been repealed. It looks like P3D and FSX - SE are your best bets. P3D has an Academic Edition that's pretty reasonable and is not in any way less capable than the more expensive versions. John Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Thanks for all the replies so far guys, I can see this new hobby will require a little bit more research than normal before I rush in. Mike Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,013 Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Hi Mike, I reiterate what the Guys above have said, Welcome to Mutley's Hangar. John has got it pretty much spot on, so no point going in to what sim to get. I will however point you in the direction of the Hardware forum and particularly the Cockpit Building section. Have a look there for inspiration. Hangar Motto... There are no stupid questions*, so ask away. * Until you've been here for a few years anyway. Enjoy the forum, it's here for that reason. Brian Link to post Share on other sites
donnybalonny 46 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Just my few thoughts on 2 aspects: Learning and stability in FSX and P3D. FSX has the advantage of having a learning center with tutorial flight teaching you the basics in flying from the most simple to jet flying. These lessons are really good if you are totally new. They will explain the almost all the basics you need in order to thorougly enjoy the sim and its well worth doing those lessons because later on you´ll be better prepared and understand the language of simming. Backside of FSX is that it can be pretty quirky and troblesome: I dont know if the Steam edition has changed anything there ask someone else. P3D does not have the learning center, but the Sim itself is a lot less quirky and more stable and will not require much if any tweeking and fixing. Since I dont have FSX steam I´m not going to recommend it, But if it has the learning center and they have adressed some of the stability issues of FSX, then it might be the way to go. Anyways, welcome to the magnificent flightsim world. Be prepared, it may steal all your time and eat your money. Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Thank you Brian & Donny. I will be needing lessons and training so for that reason FSX is looking good. The SIM I have downloaded on my iPad has lessons and I am enjoying following them and picking up tips but as I said above the movement of the tablet is critical, 1mm the wrong way and you are in the ground before you can blink. Mike Link to post Share on other sites
Dean33 29 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Welcome Mike! I echo Jaydor: "So I think it has to be via FSX Steam Edition, to get you on the ladder, P3D is for later on, if you find you do become infected with FSXitus." Steam is inexpensive and works well 'out of the box'. When you get hooked like the rest of us you should invest in P3d. Cheers. Dean Link to post Share on other sites
IZ0JUB 162 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Hi Mike from Kent. I would highly recommend FSX but PLEASE try to avoid the STEAM version from my latest bitter experiences!! Cheers, Mike from Italy. Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Ha, ha, Okay so now within 12 posts I am being pointed towards the Steam version then Mike form Italy tells me otherwise?? Can you expand Mike and tell me why! Mike Link to post Share on other sites
wain 879 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Welcome Mike I have steam, only as my disc version was damaged, it cost me just under £4, it works and looks for me exactly as the disc version. Apparently you have to be online to launch but as I fly with ASN I am always online to get the weather. It works with all my previous addons and some I have bought since. FSX disc version is very dear at the moment so if you can get a cheap copy go for it otherwise look at P3D but check the license to see which applies, I have Xplane, from time to time I fire it up but I just cant get on with the UI....best of all whichever you get have FUN.... Wayne Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Thanks Wayne, I am a complete novice except for the 2-3 hours I have spent on my iPad this week using Infinite Flight. A couple of people have mentioned above Steam offers training such as take off, landing and general flying which is what I need so if this is the case I will probably go for it. I have found it on Ebay for £11.99 or direct from the Steam site for £19.99, both downloads once you have purchased. Mike Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 FYI, your iPad "experience" regarding how to fly will not carry over to using a stick/yoke. The thrill of flying itself will be magnified however in a sim vs the Pad version. Don't get too much "muscle memory" associated with your pad play...it won't translate to the "real" sim. I dont have the steam version of FSX, but objections to it seem mainly to be of the "I don't like Steam/having to be online for updates/login/etc"...but the FSX experience peeps report to be pretty similar...esp as more addons are coming available for it. I am seriously anxious to hear of your early flight lessons in the real simulator...hehe...with some pictures please! (screen shots are simply "V" key in FSX) Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Hi Matt, Thanks for your input, I understand what you are saying about the tablet v joystick. I can well imagine the joystick being a totally different ball game. The tablet is a bit of fun but if I have it resting on my upper body I can nose dive into the ground just by breathing, it is that sensitive. As for the Steam/on line situation the PC I will be using to begin with is connected on line 24/7 so that should not be an issue. You want screen shots of me suffering as well??? I will see what I can do, I am sure I will not disappoint Mike 1 Link to post Share on other sites
donnybalonny 46 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 The best you can do, is to take the first couple of lessons in the sim and then use the deafult cessna and do touch and goes on every airfield you get in sight. learning to trim the aircraft (AC) is the base of it all and better done with a docile one like the C172. Then later on a bit of wind, a faster AC etc. and be ready to be heavily addicted for years to come, having square eyes, sour back and few real life friends. There´s one thing we havent talked about. Your hardware. What do you have? Processor/graphics card/ram? Link to post Share on other sites
IZ0JUB 162 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Hi again Mike, Please look at this earlier post of mine regarding FSX Steam version. http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/topic/16232-fsx-se-my-journey-by-steam/ Cheers, M PS This makes interesting reading too..... http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/topic/15326-steam-chat-spreading-dangerous-malware/ Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Thanks Anders, that all sounds like a plan. Most of my current hobbies involve the internet so bad back, square eyes and few friends comes as no surprise. I have updated my profile to show my hardware, it is the standard PC we have at home in our study but looking around on here it seems it will do for starters. Mike Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Thanks Mike, I will have a read of those links when I get a moment. Mike Link to post Share on other sites
donnybalonny 46 Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Yes, you should be able to run FSX on relatively low settings, but it wont run P3D. Dont push your sliders to high in settings, and if you start using complex aircraft and scenery addon, you´ll have the computer on its knees very soon. It should work if you respect what it is but its not an ideal sim pc. So go ahead and enjoy. Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted April 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Thanks Anders, to be honest I had not even considered that side of things. This hobby will need some thinking about if I need a new PC as well. Out of interest what is considered to be a good PC to run a flight sim on? Link to post Share on other sites
donnybalonny 46 Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 A really good PC is the fastest Intel processor overclocked as much as possible, a very fast and expensive graphics card with a lot of ram and 16g of memory. BUT you dont need that to start. I have a good strong pc, but its not like what I just described. And, as I said, you can start with what you have. Just respect what you have. What happens is that most of us and that includes me, want everything and NOW. But in your case, i actually think the best would be to start with what you have, do the flight lessons and fly around a bit to see if its something that keeps you hooked in 3 month time. Then after that, you can start thinking about if you want to invest hundreds of € $, pound in this absurd hobby. The thing is that the default scenery looks very dull, but act like you dont know better in the start and concentrate on the flying, and learn to use the differnt options like the virtual cockpit instead of the flat 2d panel, find out if you like to fly high and fast of low and slow or both. Anyways, have fun. Link to post Share on other sites
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