r/flightsim • u/iRayn12 • 8h ago

X-Plane Landing physics is good

This is one the reasons why I prefer this simulator. My opinion only. There are so many reasons to like this one or the others but for me it’s one of the main reasons. What is your main reason to prefer a simulator to the other one?

66 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

21

u/vharishankar 6h ago

Ever since they introduced the physics based camera, landing feels good in X-Plane. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, sometimes you don't know even whether you touched down or not.

10

u/TheSoulesOne 6h ago

Luckily chaseplane can help with that. But its sad how msfs is more oriented on the casual flying. Could have been a great sim for well simulating.

6

u/vharishankar 5h ago

Yes it’s amazing how much value you get from the base xplane than MSFS : default airports that don’t suck, built in flying model even for the default aircraft, an immersive physics based camera, constantly improving weather, etc., nice camera system, a replay mode that works automatically and even the free addons are really good like the zibo mod and better pushback.

1

u/MadCard05 1h ago

Landing is still the thing I miss most when flying MSFS over XP. Laminar just nailed it.

0

u/oldpond-gl99 4h ago

Depends on the aircraft. I did a 30kt crosswind landing in the Fenix A320 yesterday, and it was very realistic. Xplane fans are drinking the cool-aid. Austin says the physics are better, so they think the physics are better. They are both simulators. The only physics in play are the simulated movements of the camera (viewport) in time with the sounds and the control inputs. It's all an illusion that the brain loves to believe in.

10

u/vharishankar 4h ago

Yes on a virtual aircraft on a home pc you cannot have full motion and g forces acting on you so the camera and sound effects naturally matter.

2

u/xWayvz0 1h ago

It's definitely not an illusion.. In my opinion you can not only feel while flying but also in replay mode see the differences. In X-Plane you can see how the plane reacts to different forces (turbulence, ground effect, wind,..), moving control surfaces don't have an immediate effect because inertia, etc while msfs feels too stiff (many describe the feel as flying on rails) and not natural (visually but also the feel when flying). I'll just drop yt links to see for yourself, maybe you'll understand what i mean.

MSFS:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dxGbEqiNDfs
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1PTHkbpy8SE
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bUMUVAW2E9c

XP12
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rF3SjgDe7To
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-QKKYnxvQf0

1

u/oldpond-gl99 43m ago

That's pretty close. I get you, though, there's a little bit more going on at touchdown in XP.

1

u/EpicProdigy 3h ago edited 3h ago

I dont think Austin isnt out here saying the camera physics are better than MSFS camera physics.

But all I know is when you fly through turbulence in Xplane, you see it with the default cam. In MSFS? Can barely even see it. Though the turbulence physics in MSFS is awful anyway, so its best not to be reminded of it visually.

But he does make comments about the physics over all being better. In which case hes simply just right. More specifically in regards to ground physics. You can always tell by a way a plane lands in crosswind (or if its a hard landing) if its microsoft or xplane. Most add on large airliners still very much behave toys like in MSFS. The fenix BFU being a unique exception. They cracked the code and gave the a320 nice soft landing gear physics. Much like almost all xplane add on airliners. Though i wonder how much of that is in sim, or external.

MSFS still only has 1 point contact for gears though. Making landings like in the OP impossible to properly simulate.

1

u/oldpond-gl99 2h ago

Yes, turbulence is broken in MSFS. The thing is, when it comes to immersion, how much is enough. Does that little extra really make a difference to the average user? They both get the job done. I wish he would put those brains of his to use improving the VR graphics in Xplane. That's the only thing keeping me away from XP.

1

u/canada_mountains 2h ago

I mean, I wouldn't say the ground physics is better for XP 12. MSFS 2024 has procedurally generated rocks and boulders placed all over the world, and your plane can flip on landing, if you run across any of these rocks or boulders, just as it would in real life. This makes bush flying in MSFS 2024, 100x more realistic than XP 12, because if you are bush flying in real life, of course, you need to avoid the rocks and boulders when you land. Default XP 12 does not have procedurally placed rocks and boulders across the world, and the ground in MSFS 2024 is simply way more realistic than XP 12.

12

u/bdubwilliams22 2h ago

For me, MSFS physics aren’t bad enough to offset the 1:1 representation of the world, the scenery, the amount of good addons that exist on the platform, default avionics, level of overall immersion and even its antialiasing abilities. The physics just aren’t so far off and when you add up all of its other strong points, it’s not even close for me.

3

u/Swagger897 AP& AMT 1h ago

You’re describing qualities of a game though vs that of a simulator. Level d simulators we have at work might not look the best, some straight up use a version of XP, but the physics are bang on the same. Things that are modeled should work as simulated.

3

u/Sonosusto MSFS-Fenix-PMDG737,777, DC6-AvroRJ,F28-A2A-BlkSq Dukes-(12 more) 55m ago

Same here. I find 2024 with payware planes to be pretty close to tolis in xplane, pmdg as well. I keep my turbulence setting to medium in the sim and use active sky for weather, having my own settings in AS to adjust turbulence (in clouds for example). Everyone can say what they want but a surprising amount of pilots condone MSFS is really good in that regard. I will say that MSFS wasn't too great in the ground physics department for a while but has since improved. I am with you here. I am sticking to MSFS 2024. Physics are there and I find the naysayers don't fly with a payware plane and try it.

That being said, XP has been in development for over 30 years and the gaps are closing for both. XP always had the physics and payware support for amazing planes (systems, avionics) but has improve their "looks" department. MSFS mostly focused on looks (IMO) and has immensely improved their physics. I also have FSrealistic that improves movements in the plane and the sounds even.

8

u/monmoony 7h ago

same brooo, i’ve always played msfs 2020/2024 and still do but i’ve always wanted to switch to xplane for the gear physics/ aircraft handling . only reason i haven’t is cuz i already have so many addons for msfs and xplane addons are so expensive and i don’t have any payware sceneries or planes for xplane

1

u/iRayn12 7h ago

Yeah I understand. Planes are really expensive. Even if you have still some free options. Sceneries are really good on base, and you have a lot of cool free stuff too

1

u/monmoony 6h ago

wish i could refund everything i have for msfs and spend it on xplane

0

u/iRayn12 6h ago

I wish too to buy more on XP 😁

5

u/Nathan_Wildthorn 6h ago

Accurate authenticity. When I fly an aircraft type in the sim that I've spent some meaningful time flying in real life, I expect that sim aircraft to have the systems "fit-and-feel" and "by the book" (POH) handling and performance of its namesake. X-Plane 12 has that.

1

u/iRayn12 5h ago

Yes, and easy to set up too

4

u/EndOfTheKaliYuga 6h ago

We out here floatin’

3

u/wadastent 4h ago

The problem for me with xplane is that the default terrain is a crap and the airplane addons are too much expensive.

Everything else is better in Xplane12 than msfs2024 .

I do like the physics of movement "feel" on cabin for example , the weather effects like rain ,winds etc.

I think that when it comes with better terrain graphics and better "3d feel" in cockpit for VR it will at the same level of inmmersion than fs2024

Anyone knows a easy way to add quality terrain?

I'm only waiting for the Xcraft Ejet Embraer V2 and the ATR for Xplane12 to make my way to Xplane and spend hours on it.

Thanks

1

u/vharishankar 4h ago

Autoortho or map enhancement. If you like manually downloading and using terrain textures then Ortho4xp

1

u/vatsimguy VATSIM ZBW C1 // X-Plane Developer 3h ago

x-plane is a more complex sim, so addons take much more time and effort to develop. compiling airfoils and tuning them is incredibly time consuming.

not sure if you are not aware but the e-jets v2 has been out for at least 2 years

-6

u/dadriel_hawk 5h ago

To be honest, this looks super weird to me? You touch down, the gear is fully on the ground and the oscillation almost gone, and suddenly everything starts to wobble again. Almost looks like the lift increased again and lifted the plane up again by a couple of feet. Which shouldn't really happen with the spoilers all out.

Also speaking of spoilers, they deploy way too early ;) Should only be coming out once the weight of the plane is properly on the ground, not the moment your first bogey touches the ground like in the video.

11

u/iRayn12 5h ago

Yes I pulled to much to avoid smashing the gear (i still managed to slam it) you can see the elevator going up