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I've been using this product for the past two weeks, and have used both a mouse-yoke and a Saitek Pro Flight Yoke (PZ44). In short, X-Plane is a great simulator, built in a much more modern way code-wise than FSX (Microsoft Flight Simulator X); the flight model also performs better overall. It's not as "fun" as FSX and it's a bit less polished (development seems to be on-going), but it's a pleasure to fly in.
+ Excellent flight model (given good plane modelling)
+ Excellent terrain and road data
+ Professional software; same company makes a version approved for FAA simulator training (on approved hardware simulators)
+ Runs better than FSX
+ On-going development
Included aircraft modelled poorly; some are, frankly, atrocious
"bells-and-whistles" secenery poor to non-existant
Not game-like a la FSX; no real tutorials or "missions"
Clunky, technical interface
Some features are currently incomplete
DETAILED REVIEW
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If you install all the scenery at once, the install process will take ages. The total size of the whole shebang on-disk is around 55 gigabytes. I think, for me, that translated into an installation time over two hours. I assume most of that data are the extremely detailed wire-meshes of terrain and accurate road network data since 99% of the 3D scenery (buildings, trees, etc.) is autogen. Unlike FSX, the world, itself, can be pretty barren and you certainly won't see any landmarks (even such things as the Golden Gate Bridge are absent).
A few people's reviews seem to be commenting that the software runs slowly. This is true if you crank all the graphical settings up. However, the software's designed to be somewhat future-proofed, so we're not supposed to do that. If I set the graphics similarly in both X-Plane and FSX, I actually get slight better performance in X-Plane. X-Plane seems to be more graphics card-intensive than FSX, which is more CPU intensive, so that's a factor I kept in mind while jigging the settings.
Unlike in FSX, I needed to configure my Saitek Pro flight yoke and quadrant, manually assigning the levers and buttons to actions. Thankfully, that wasn't too hard (press a button, choose its function). Three minor issues: 1) I had to reverse the input for two of the levers (100% on the quadrant was registering as 0% in the software); 2) I still can't get my POV 8-way hatswitch to pan smoothly. The software registers it's directions as one of four button clicks, basically panning 25° with each click; 3) The red "cycle view" button on the yoke can't seem be made to work the same way as in FSX. None of these are major issues. Either they're caused by my own stupidity or diffences in the way FSX and X-Plane handle controller input.
The interface, itself, is a lot less user-friendly than FSX, but it's nowhere near unmanageable. You roll the mouse towards the top of the screen to expose a menu with dropdown lists, most of which lead to panels full of settings, and toggles, and guff like that. The whole thing has a very industrial feel to it, so I might not recommend it to people who aren't too comfortable with computers. If you're comfortable in the Windows classic Control Panel, you probably won't have too many problems with the interface.
The star of the X-Plane simulator is its simulation system. FSX uses look-up tables to run its simulation. This means that it will look-up how the plane has been calculated to act in the specific circumstance it's currently in. The look-up table system works well as long as the look-up tables are accurate and they've data on the current situation.
In contrast, X-Plane looks at how the forces of flight would affect the current shape of the plane. This gives very realistic results, as long as the aircraft is modelled correctly. Unfortunately, the included aircraft range from good to kind-of-atrocious. It seems like the X-Plane team recycled aircraft from earlier editions from what I have read. Certainly feels like it. A lot of them have low-resolution textures and simple modelling, which actually makes them fly oddly. Honestly, I spend most of my time in add-on third-party planes (mostly ones by Carenado, which are extremely true-to-life). Give it the correct data and X-Plane works wonderfully. Everything's just a bit more fluid and lifelike than FSX.
X-Plane is chiefly a simulator. It has no missions or any real tutorial. There are "senerios", such as fighting fires, landing on carriers, and landing space shuttles, but these aren't really fleshed-out missions like those in FSX. The ATC and AI flight isn't really finished yet, it seems. The software feels like a work-in-progress in terms of any sort of extra features on the whole. Updates have come every few months so far.
On the whole, am I happy with my purchase at 70-some-odd-dollars?
Yes, with reservations: 1) I had used the demo for two weeks before buying, so I understood what I was getting; 2) I had bought FSX at release, when it was roughly the same price as X-Plane 10; 3) I'm expecting it to improve with age as updates roll out 4) This is the first edition of X-Plane I've purchased and used.
If any of those things don't apply to you, either try out the demo or wait a few years. The price of the previous X-Plane version dropped significantly as it aged (and, probably improved). I don't see why X-Plane 10 would be any differnt.
Personally, after owning X-Plane 10 for about two weeks, I now prefer it over FSX. I still spend about 10% of my time in FSX, exclusively when I'm itching for missions or complex ATC. When I want to just have fun flying or want to try applying something I've read, I use X-Plane.
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As many have stated before, calling X-Plane 10 a game would be a mistake. What it really is varies from person to person, but to make anything out of it requires you to put some time into it. Expect to spend an hour or so setting everything up, getting the graphics settings just right, configuring your joystick and other equipment to work just right... But once you do...I am in the process of getting my private pilot/single engine rating. I hit a spot in my training just after I solo'ed where my landings were completely horrible. I got tired of hearing everyone say 'ohh, well, any landing you walk away from is a good one.' I hit a plateau that many students apparently hit. For over a month I was drilling patterns over my local airport with my instructor in the right seat, and I just couldn't seem to get it.
I decided to use X-Plane to get better. I got it as a gift last Christmas and I had been flying it on and off since then. I modified my yoke to make it smoother in pitch. And then I started doing patterns at my "local" airport. Eventually I just saved the game when I was on short final because the level off and flare was what I was having trouble with. And after a couple of hours, I finally got the hang of it. Over 100 virtual landings and I finally was able to always put the plane down safely in a crosswind. It wasn't exactly the same as the real thing, but it was really close. And my next lesson, I did it with in a real Skyhawk too.
So for me, X-Plane isn't a game; it is a training aid. It's close enough to the real thing that I got something useful out of it. And one that has paid for itself many times over.
So, for the plus'es, very realistic to the point of getting real skill out of it (as long as you put the time into it). Good graphics and performance can had with a strong computer and some time dialing the settings in. A strong community with plenty of free add-on's. It runs on Linux in addition to PC and Mac!
There are some con's though. The GUI is a bit clunky (there really needs to be a UI outside of the sim so you can configure everything before it loads. That way you are not sitting there loading the game twice when you want to change something). Installing was weird; there was a note in the folder of disks saying 'do not use the installer on disk 1, download the installer from our website'. I did and everything worked, but it was still odd. It is hard on your computer; you need a good rig to turn on a lot of the eye-candy (and even then, you probably can't max it out). And to get the most out of it a good joystick or yoke, rudder peddles, and a TrackIR are highly recommended. Cities and towns at high altitudes don't look right to me. And finally, not all of the included aircraft are created equal; some are kind of rough graphics wise compared to others.
The cons to me are minor though. All in all, if you want a serious flight simulator and you have the hardware to use it, get this. If you are looking for a more casual sim, give Microsoft Flight a chance. A combat sim, Rise of Flight. But look no farther if you want to learn to fly.
PS: If you are thinking about upgrading from X-Plane 9, I would recommend that you do so. X-Plane 10's performance, especially at higher resolutions, is a lot better in 10 than in 9.
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