Joel,

I have tried both sims (XTR and G3), I only fly planes so I cannot comment on their helis. I initially liked XTR because the graphics were so good.

The photofields were excellent in XTR. I struggled to create my own photofield for XTR but was never able to get the results I wanted. The XTR community was primarily European at the time which made it hard to get help. I felt that the XTR community was no were close to that of G2 and I new that G3 would be released soon. The other thing that I found lacking in XTR was the flight physics. The planes were just too easy to fly and just did not seem to have the correct physics. I ended up selling XTR and bought G3.

G3 initially was a disappointment for the physics had its problems and the community support was not there like it was for G2. G3 did not have photophields which I desired. Fortunately for G3, Knifeedge kept issuing updates to the sim and slowly but surely the sim became excellent IMHO. The flight physics are now (after several updates and plently of airplane tweaking by the G3 community) very close to being ideal. Knifeedge released the ability to use photofields in the sim with an airport editor which allowed me to duplicate our home flying field. Shortly, users will be able to create their own planes using an outside editor which will allow the G3 community to really take off. You will most likely see every popular plane made, available for G3.

Personally, I feel G3 will be the way to go in the long run. Knifeedge is routinely making upgrades which give the sim community more control over the sim. It will be the G3 community which will make G3 the number #1 airplane sim to have. Knifeedge really needs to be applauded for giving over so much control over the sim to the flight sim community.