P3D v3 Difference P3D / FSX Development

[Ohana]

Hallo together.

Simple question. I often hear of developing native for P3D. What are the main differences developing for P3D and FSX.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Ronald]

FSX was the first of the 2 mentioned flightsims.
Later "FSX" became "ESP" and Microsoft stopped developing ESP and the ESP-SDK:
- Microsoft ESP (FSX) SDK : https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526948.aspx
Microsoft later came out with "Microsoft Flight", but has stopped developing this product:
- https://www.microsoft.com/games/flight/

Lockheed Martin bought an ESP-SDK license from Microsoft to develop their own "P3D" (for high-end, industrial, serious flightsimulation and flight-training)
- Lockheed Martin P3D SDK: http://www.prepar3d.com/support/sdk/
- http://www.prepar3d.com/latest-news/ - P3D homepage, coming out with 64 bits simulator since her latest version

DoveTail Games bought an ESP license from Microsoft to develop their own products (for the low-end, "gaming" flight-simulation world):
- FSX_SteamEdition: http://store.steampowered.com/app/314160/Microsoft_Flight_Simulator_X_Steam_Edition/ - 32 bits version
- FlightSchool........: https://steamcommunity.com/app/441920 ---------------------------------------------- 64 bits version
- FlightSimWorld.....: http://store.steampowered.com/app/389280/Flight_Sim_World/ -------------------------- 64 bits version

If you's like to know more (in detail),visit the FsDeveloper Wiki pages over here:
- http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

 

[dave hoeffgen]

Hallo together.

Simple question. I often hear of developing native for P3D. What are the main differences developing for P3D and FSX.

Thanks a lot.

the main difference from the developer's side are the .mdl file format which has z-bias introduced in P3D and AFAIK the simConnect API.

Depending on whether you are doing airplanes or scenery I may be able to provide some further details on what that practically means.

 

[WarpD]

Dovetail Games did not buy an ESP license. ESP is for non-entertainment purposes... and as such Dovetail Games would be just as restricted as Lockheed-Martin had they purchased ESP. Dovetail Games purchased the rights to use the code of FSnext (really), which never came to be from Microsoft. If the wiki says FSW is derived of ESP... it's wrong.

 

[=rk=]

FSX was the first of the 2 mentioned flightsims.
Later "FSX" became "ESP" and Microsoft stopped developing ESP and the ESP-SDK:
- Microsoft ESP (FSX) SDK : https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526948.aspx

This statement appears to be quoted and claims that FSX became ESP and Microsoft stopped developing ESP. However the quoting link has no information about sources of development and no mention of FSX.


On 9 July 2014, Dovetail Games announced that it has signed a licensing agreement with Microsoft to release Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Gold Edition on Steam in late 2014, titled Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition. It includes content that was provided with the original FSX: Gold Edition which includes FSX: Deluxe Edition, the Acceleration expansion pack and both official Service Packs and repackages them in one bundle and a single installation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dovetail_Games

What is Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition?
Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition (“FSX: Steam Edition”) is the re-release of Microsoft Flight Simulator X Gold Edition (“FSX”) on the Steam digital platform.
https://fsxinsider.com/faqs/

Built on the core technology behind Flight Simulator X, Microsoft ESP is a visual simulation platform that brings immersive games-based technology to training and learning, decision support, and research and development modeling for government and commercial organizations.
Of specific interest to the Flight Simulator developer community is the opportunity to expand on the powerful Microsoft ESP serious games simulation platform which is licensed to be sold by third parties and used in commercial, non-entertainment settings.
The best news of all for Flight Simulator add-on developers is that many of the same APIs are common between Flight Simulator and Microsoft ESP. Add-ons developed for Flight Simulator can be transitioned for use with Microsoft ESP with few issues.
https://www.microsoft.com/Products/Games/FSInsider/developers/Pages/

Dovetail purchased the rights to repackage FSX Gold with Acceleration and sell it on Steam. There is no mention of "FSnext." ESP is licensed to be used in commercial, non-entertainment settings. Software that works for FSX, usually also works for ESP. Both ESP and FSW were derived of FSX. The OP question was differences between development for the sims, not, "what is the history of the franchise."

To answer to OP question: The main difference is that P3D is a constantly evolving and changing platform. Something that works in FSX: Acceleration also works in FSX Gold. Something that works in P3D V4 may not work in P3D V1. So to develop for P3D, a person has to continually learn new technique, this is not the case developing for FSX.

 

[WebSimConnect]

P3D offers richer SDK to achieve things not possible in FSX (at least without hooking too much). It is called PDK (Prepar Development Kit), however if you're not going to use extra features, then development is pretty the same.

 

[Ohana]

Thanks for your answers. Now I'm a bit wiser

 

[lionheart]

There are some new texture/material options and improvements for V3 and V4, both different. Sometimes you have to tweak a material to show up right in P3D. If developing in P3D SDK's, you can convert those for FSX also. Just so you know. A lot of us work now in the P3D SDK's for both FSX and P3D work.