I used RF 2 and 3.5 and found them to tempting to just play with as opposed to using it as a true simulator. Now with RF 5 they are offering "Combat Events". Well if it's RC combat, you know the chasing streamers, that would be good and make better pilots. But they decided to make it a video game. There are plenty of air combat video games on the market with better (realistic) flight models for the full size aircraft. I think it's just rediculous and defeats the purpose of the simulator.

Gripe over...

Yeah, I saw that. I try to use my RF3.5 sim once a day for no more than 30 - 45 mins. just to stay on top. I also try to use it just like I would fly my planes at the field, from taxi out and back to making sure I land everytime and even go as far as to taxi the plane over before I take off to check the control surfaces(good habits are formed by practicing good preparation). In fact, when my nephew wants to use it, he'll fly it for a while and when I see he's starting to use it like a video game or just see how hard he can crash, I usually shut it down. That being said....did you ever go to a jet show where they were doing combat with the ParkZone T-28's? That does look like a huge video game; jet pilots flying foamies and physically trying to crash into each other and inflict the most damage. First time I saw it, I couldn't believe it. Here was a plane that I was thinking was my next step up plane when I got enough money, and they were out there literally destroying them into pieces. No streamers here. It is quite comical to watch though, when the foam pieces go flying everywhere.

I was working in the UK a few years ago, during the Summer. There was a very large RC show going on at the North Weald field north of London. It was a two day event.

A commercial model manufacturer, Ripmax, was there with a boatload of their Rapier model flying wings. Each one was on a different frequency, so they flew them in formation.

On Saturday, they did four at a time. Late on Sunday, however, they put up about 12 of the things, all flying at the same time and doing maneuvers, "in formation". I was told that they didn't care if they crashed into each other on Sunday, so they really put on a show.

Well, twelve went up, and if I recall, six landed safely. The other three pairs, well, it was a balsa bath, because when they colided, they really came apart.

CGr.

I think Realflight made a HUGE mistake with G5... a LOT of unneeded crap cluttering up this software. like all these first person flying combat modes and GAMES... simulators are not for PLAYING GAMES, it's for learning and practicing flying... huge mistake realflight, I still love my FSOne, but of course all the reaflights are awesome but g5 looks stupid to me

>>>I think Realflight made a HUGE mistake with G5... a LOT of unneeded crap cluttering up this software. like all these first person flying combat modes and GAMES... simulators are not for PLAYING GAMES, it's for learning and practicing flying... huge mistake realflight, I still love my FSOne, but of course all the reaflights are awesome but g5 looks stupid to me

So it doesn't teach or let you practice, it is only a game??? It seems to me the G5 might be trying to appeal to a broader market of those folks who do want those features.
I have Aerofly but while it is a good flight simulator, there is a good chance I will sell my Aerofly to get Realflight. There are a few features in Realflight that are not available in Aerofly such as flying with my buddies across the nternet or using the instructor to learn how to do 3d manuvers. Personally I like software that has more than I want. Someday,I might want those features.

Some misinformation here....

G5's "combat events" are merely a new feature set amoung others.

These do NOT detract from the simulator, and if anything add objects, birds, planes, etc. that can be used in models and airports further enhancing the simulation experience for a lone user.

You now see birds in the air on some airports, and you can run into them. At my airfield planes are often attacked by flying birds so this adds to the simulation experience.

The combat events do not have to be employed at all, but are there for you to try and use if you wish.

The combat event feature also required an improvement in over the internet multiplayer capabilities.

This will translate into better support for teaching scenarios where you can watch a novice and provide voice communication over the internet to the novice pilot.

is it a free upgrade from 4.5?
if not im not going to bother (unless its like $25 for a upgrade)
they come out with a new version every year...they dont seem to be that different

I checked out the Real Flight site, those are just new features to the sim. Its just a marketing thing, if you think about, why change from G4 or G4.5 if G5 is the exact same thing. They are just trying to get people interested enough to buy the new sim.

They're selling an update to 5 for people from 3 up. It's at a decently lower price than to buy 5 outright. That's a pretty nice thing to offer and not something that's been seen in that market. People with G3 have an excellent way to upgrade two steps, and cheaper than they'd pay to simply trash their G3 InterLink controller and software, which is how it usually works with pc software/hardware.

They're giving the update free to anyone who buys the presently available version. Once again, that's sort of nice of them. In reality, it helps a small number of customers who for some reason would buy now instead of waiting for 5. It really does help LHSs who've got G4/4.5 stock on hand. Nice of the wholesaler (Tower) to consider those LHSs.

Yes, there are just new features in G5 over G4/4.5. That's why they're callin it G5 and offering it in different packaging. It's why they offered G4 over G3. and G3 after G2. Because of the new features is why people will want to change to G5 from G3, G4, G4.5. It's common for businesses to try to get people interested enough to buy new stuff. Honda just sent me a brochure on the 2010s. It highlighted the new features. But it's still just the same size and such as mine. I'm not sure there is a single feature other than a bit more horsepower that isn't on mine. I'd be tickled if Honda would upgrade my horsepower for $99.00 and put in the nicer looking baubles and bangles.

RealFlight is also selling G5 to anyone who will buy it outright. But in the process they've had some consideration for the LHSs, their earlier customers, and some brand new ones. It's sort of like the work they did to make all the addons (worth $160?) work on the later versions and then give them to the customers who'd bought the newer version knowing the addon planes/airfields weren't in the new version.

well im willing to pay $200 to get both a sim AND a game... and thats why they did it because there is money to be made by games... its a multibillion dollar industry.... so hush

So, they are selling an upgrade pack from G3 on up to upgrade to G5? That's great. I was wishing they would have done that when they came out with G4/G4.5, but I never saw anything. I was willing to upgrade by buying G4.5 whole, but if they do make an upgrade that would be even better. I was guessing they didn't because they probably changed the code base(my software engineering geekness coming out) and the G3/G3.5 code base was incompatible with the G4 series code base. I know they changed the controller look with G4 also, but I'm guessing the guts are still the same inside. It'd be nice to have an upgrade instead of buying outright....I hope the new version utilizes system resources more efficiently and make better use of them. G3.5 really really smokes on my quad-core machine!

Just my opinion guys... I think experienced pilots won't really like these features... but yeah I guess it's true that you can just disable or not use these little combat games and I'm sure there are some AWESOME graphics and other features as realflight always does bring to the table..

There was someone who jumped on the KE forums claiming that "features" do not make anything good, or add value.

A specious arguement if I ever heard one from that person. My car "features" disc brakes... etc.


G5 is obviously not the "exact same thing" or else they would not be able to sell it.

It contains new features, enhancements, and things that affect single user modes as I mentioned in my prior post, as well as the new multi-user stuff.

You do NOT have to purchase G5. However the code base for future updates and changes will be in G5, so it is not a bad idea to upgrade.

The relatively low price of the upgrade also makes doing so somewhat easy.... and you can apply Tower rebates and discounts as applicable to the $79.00 upgrade price making it a pretty good deal.

I don't know... they may not be thrilled about the "combat" aspects, but the camera views, ability to have syncronized or formation flying ( with two way communication ) over the internet, set timers, etc. may be quite useful even for those who have absolution NO interest in the MP capabilities.

However I suspect that the combat aspects are going to be a pretty big hit, once people get into it.

yahh man who knows... we'll see what happens, It would be fun to do some formation flying and I know they will have some AMAZING new graphics like the bird aspects and the crashes, etc...

I thought the 5.0 upgrade was $79 nad consists of the box and software for which you supply your existing usb Realflight InterLink ELITE controller. If that's the case, I'm in.

I agree, for me once they came out with the G5 it was no longer a R/C Flight Simulator. JMHO it is now more a game it seems, so I think I will stop at the G4.5 and not get it.

Pete

I totally do not get your theories. Because they added more events, it's now a game? Why? That is simply ridiculous. Did they take away the awesome physics models and replace them with say, FMS's physics system? Of course they didn't. So why the heck did it lose it's simluator name? It is still downright the best sim on the market. I am getting G5 because, yes, I know it's hard to believe, but sometimes, flying can soemtimes become boring on the sim. With these new 'games', they will add hours of entertainment while sharpening my skills.

Yea, I will get G5, you can stick with your 'sim.' I will take this new 'game' over it anytime.

Raylon firstly.. you can't really say it's the best sim on the market... FS Ones physics are closer to real life, as many many very experienced pilots have said, BUT RealFlight is AWESOME and I wanted to buy it also even though I have FS One just because of the variety of aircraft, I can find myself on Realflight for an hour at my LHS haha...

Also Hangar 9 for reasons I have NO IDEA pretty much dropped Fs One well they still produce it but do NOTHING with it... I'm hoping this is because they're going to one day release a new one which I think would be and awesome simulator.

But yah I kind of retracted my GAME statement just because I guess you can always choose to use the simulator as just that.. a simulator

Sorry it is not even close.

This particular "very experience pilot" purchased FSOne because I have MANY of the planes modeled in the sim.

The first thing I found is that FSOne's physics are REALLY far from the mark.

Strangely however the most accurate plane is the Alpha. Though it is a bit off, and you cannot correct the deficiencies in the physics editor in FSOne....

-

A "good" physics model should be predictive of real world quirks, idiosyncracies and behaviour.

FSOne ( and many other sims ) fails to exhibit those important "second order" effects that help the sim emulate the aircraft's quirks.

E.G. if the C.G. on the Funtana is set to make the real plane neutral, inverted or upright, then the plane tends to "bloom" on landing because the airfoil lift curve generates a spike in lift as the plane slows down, just before stall.

With the plane set up this way, this can catch the pilot unawares, as the plane will rise just before touchdown and drop flat onto the ground if you don't compensate immediately.

FSone CANNOT emulate this effect.

A properly adjusted model in G4, properly models this idiosyncracy producing exactly the same behaviour!

There are numerous things like this that are missing in FSOne's modeling and that of other sims... things which most reviewers are unaware of or don't even know to look for, but are HIGHLY important for the overall fidelity of the final craft.

Reviewers often don't know to look for these things nor are aware of their importance.

I rate AFDP's modeling well above FSOne, but still not as good as G4/G5.

G4 is NOT as realistic in physics! maybe if you REALLY tweak a plane you can get it to be right but god 3d flying on Realflight is so easy it's ridiculous

the last RF i had was the G2 and sold it sfter about a year. but if im reading the AD right on Towers website and from what im reading here on the threads, you can now go online and have fly-ins and combat games with people all over the world. if this is true, why would anyone complain that this is now a game and are upset over it. my god people this is gonna be great for the folks who are snowbound and cant fly in the winter much, or those that are permently homebound. if you complaing that its now a game give it to someone who like to play ~! im 45 and i still love to play ~!

Sigman haha yeah I hear you.. I don't like arguing with anyone on RCU... just not my personality so sorry to anyone I upset about Realflight! ha just an FS One fan here although I'm pissed Hangar 9 just quit on the Sim which still could be up there with G5 right now with a ton of aircraft and features... but yah Realflight is deffianatly a blast and of course it's VERY realistic to real life and is a great training aid also.. all these top notch sims are...

I have RF 4.5 and it gets relatively little usage as I find it of monotonous to use for long periods of time. At first I wasn't going to give version 5.0 a second look, but from what I read here it seems the folks at RealFlight have addressed this issue with the new features in the most recent release. While many have enjoyed the software as it was previously offered, I am certain there are many others like I who would find these new features appealing.

If broadening their customer base, and offering reasons to upgrade were RealFlight's ultimate goal, they have definitely hit the mark with this new release. I'll be getting my upgrade soon.

No that is not so, as I already went over, I can offer empirical PROOF that this is not the case.

You are making a subjective observation.