First, I think the aircraft actually looks better than the developers screenshots... I'm not saying that it's going to win any design awards, just that the developer did not do the product any favours with their own screen captures. However, certain areas have significant room for improvement, namely the wings and engines.
The virtual cockpit looks reasonable, not up to the same standard as certain other developers in the advanced aircraft genre but acceptable. Personally, I'm not sure why so many seem upset about the representation of older CRT screens, plenty of older Airbus 330's flying around.
Performance wise FPS are quite good for an advanced aircraft such as this. Please ignore the systems configurations in the screen captures. I did not have time to go through the actual checklist sequences. Accordingly, I am not going to comment regarding the simulated systems accuracy.
In principal, this type of paid beta release bothers me. However, to the developers credit, they are very clear about this point to potential customers. Further to the developers credit, they have been consistently updating their Airbus narrowbody prologue so I am confident we will see updates for this product as well. The release version is .060 and in my opinion, even from a completely superficial non systems point of view, this is obvious - saying that, I think there is plenty of potential here.
Now some screenshots:
For more information see the developers product page - click here
27 comments:
Thanks. I'll save my money for FSLabs A320.
To me it looks like the Wilco Bus. I'll pass too.
This looks like it was made for FS2002 (old PSS model?).
Pass.
I'll admit it. The texture and modeling work looks like sh*t. I have no idea with the system simulation, but cannot anyone make an Airbus which has a nice model and good simulation? I will either save my money for FSLabs, or I will go PMDG all the way.
Very poor graphics indeed...
Thank you for the heads up although this product will be marked "pass" for me, until at least v1.2. Somewhere in 2015 and beyond...
Well , paying for a Airbus A330 that as the same "Rev Area" on the Throttle than the A320 Family only shows that this Producer don't know what he's doing at all !!!
Not all stuff in Airbus is the same ;)
It sure needs more eye candy but don't know about the system.
Looks more like garbage now that we get more closeups...
This is an A320 panel(cockpit) in A330 model! :-)
Can the engine fire handle be pulled or iluminated?
Tobias
Actually I think you are right. Your shots are far better than the dev shots. I am interested. Is the night lighting of the panel just one switch or does it have a separate instrument backround lighting? Does the autoflight system of this version already work properly?
Like with Wilco products, everything kind of looks like it is made of rubber.. One should not see the transition of the metalplates on the exterior model, looks like fat grey lines...
I think it is OK. Even now as I compare shots of a real A330 cockpit to the ones here to me the real shots even look very plastic. It is a very clinical cockpit...real or simulated. I may give it a go.
Regards Dave.
Its very easy to judge from screen shots and to liken something you havent got to another organsation that is more evil than the devil itself...according to the flight sim community....get real people the review is very honest and positive......the flight sim commuinty is made up of immature f#kwits...who would rather knock than suggest positive criticism...
Captainsim 2.0. I'll pass, the fs community (more like gaming community) needs to stand up and say no more paid betas/ alphas. This is ridiculous and only hurts consumers.
It is very hard to not be picky when you are flying the NGX on regular basis... It's like moving from a Ferrari to a Toyota
Calling people f#kwits just shines with maturity......
Well the VC looks bad, and they probably know about it too which is why they only produced 1 pre-release VC screenshot, and that's from an odd angle far away from the pilots' eyepoints.
IMO the Aerosoft Airbus X VC 3D modelling and texturing will always be the best because it has the correct **PROPORTIONS**, as in they actually measured the cockpit dimensions in the real aircraft. FSLabs (at a glance) is very close but the texturing looks flat. For BBS however, to be honest it looks even worse than the very old FS9 Overland/CLS stuff. I mean to be honest they should just cheat a bit and rebuild the VC 3D model using measurements and color palettes from their competitors' (Overland/Aerosoft) products.
Also the areas around the windscreen (center and side pillars, top column) need much better texturing because you'll see them all the time, and untextured (incl. no bump maps) surfaces really stand out in a bad way.
Sorry, but whilst I fully respect flight simulator developers, I can not help but feel those offering paid betas are knocking up products which really do not offer much realism (do you really want 13 year old kids who have watched a few YouTube videos and think they know how an A330 should fly offering feedback on a product that's supposed to offer full realism?).
Where as companies such as PMDG keep their Alpha and Beta testing to a mixed bunch of individuals from real airline pilots (captains on the a/c type, engineers and so forth), and get real feedback from people who use the equipment in real life on an almost daily basis, and also with people who have an extensive history in the aviation business.
If their are 3 products that have shown us how far you can detail an airliner in FSX, these are;
PMDG Jetstream 41.
PMDG 737NGX.
Qualitywings Avro RJ70/85/100.
Qualitywings have shown us how much detail you can use in FSX (4096pix textures), bump mapping, spectacular lighting effects, finger prints and dust on tue displays when the sunlight hits at an angle, amazing virtual cockpit lighting effects on their RJ series (I actually think this is simply the best current airliner available for fsx).
Whilst I'm wanting to offer respect, and not enter into a snagging match, blackbox look like they've simply ported over their older fs2002/2004 models into fsx, used the same virtual cockpit as their A320 series. Sorry BBS, but I'll be spending my 49.99 euros on Majestics Dash 8 Q400 that will be released in the next few days.
We're in 2013...and developers are starting to show us what they can really do with FSX...
f#kwits is a is a colourful and appropriate way of describing some members of the Flight community who continue to defame honest developers without making constructive criticism. They are and remain f#kwits as long they act in this manner. And yes immature. They seem to have a hidden agenda when they pick on developers and accuse them of all sort of crimes. If you don't like something don't buy it, don't defame honest developers. A lot of the responses here have been constructive and good to read. However some are just vile and hence my response. BTW I have nothing to do with BBS
I bought their A320, used it once, and binned it. The VC was just unacceptable to me. The A330 looks no better. No thanks.
Thanks You for this review. I am new reader of this blog I am very happy! You guys are very fast of uploading information about something new. Keep the good job going!
Give it a rest. You seriously think BlackBox are being honest? They're just after peoples cash by selling sub-par products. They've rushed out the A330 after Aerosoft announced the possibility of doing something - and probably because they know their A320 will be dead in the water once the FSLabs A320 comes out.
They're just trying to make a quick buck. We saw exactly the same thing last month with CS and the L1011 that was released as soon as JF announced theirs.
You want to believe all the BS they're selling - fine, it's your money. Don't shoot down those who can clearly see the real agenda behind BBS and the like.
I bought it, tested it, liked it. Yes it's not finished and it will never be in the same league as other developers, should they ever release an A330. But it's flyable, it's fun and it suits my needs! It's a damn side better than other currently available A330s.
I agree all the way
I am trying to find a good new airbus model fslabs has been tacking forever.
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