Flight Simulator on MacBook?

[Blighty Andy]

I'm looking to get the £816 MacBook in April, but I like using my Microsoft Flight Simulator X. The system requirments for the Mac fit (I'm using it on a similar spec Windows laptop now), but obviously it's for Windows.

Are there flight simulators available for Mac? Along with compatible joysticks to use with it?

 

[lukefinch]

Hi Mate

I have the 2.13GHz Macbook (non-unibody) and run fsx on Windows Vista under bootcamp on the machine. It runs great on it, you can have the graphics on full and you will no absolutely no lag at all with great FPS.

As for Mac flight simulators, the best is X-Plane but in my opinion, it is absolutely nowhere near as good as FSX and all the other flight simulators for Mac come nowhere close to even X-Plane.

If i were you, i would definatley use FSX under bootcamp against any other flight simulator for mac because even though they're fairly ok (to put it nicely), FSX is in a whole other league!

I hope this helps you!

P.S - If you want any more help, feel free to add me on iChat or MSN

 

[deadwulfe]

I just got X-Plane 9 about a month ago and it runs great on my early 2009 Macbook. I don't have a joy stick, but the Logitech Rumblepad works without a hitch.

 

[lukefinch]

It just isn't as good as FSX IMHO

 

[deadwulfe]

Guess it depends on what you're looking for. To say X-Plane is not "as good" as FSX is a subjective statement of personal opinion. I read that FSX has better scenery, but X-Plane is more realistic from a control/procedure standpoint.

Some people also say that FSX uses flight characteristic charts to model flight ability for planes while X-Plane uses an airfoil physics model to determine flight ability.

I jumped on X-Plane, because I wanted the experience of flying a plane with all the details. I had FSX and thought the tutorial was great, but I don't think the difference in scenery makes me feel like I'm looking out of the window of a real plane any more so than X-Plane.

Blighty Andy asked if there were any flight simulators for Mac. There is and it's also developed on a Mac, despite being cross-platform. I purchased it and am enjoying it, but I'm not going to sell it as if I'm being paid a commission. Besides, I rather enjoy supporting Mac software wherever I can so that developers will continue to make products for a Mac and I can spend less time running Windows on a Macbook.

 

[lukefinch]

Guess it depends on what you're looking for. To say X-Plane is not "as good" as FSX is a subjective statement of personal opinion. I read that FSX has better scenery, but X-Plane is more realistic from a control/procedure standpoint.

Some people also say that FSX uses flight characteristic charts to model flight ability for planes while X-Plane uses an airfoil physics model to determine flight ability.

I jumped on X-Plane, because I wanted the experience of flying a plane with all the details. I had FSX and thought the tutorial was great, but I don't think the difference in scenery makes me feel like I'm looking out of the window of a real plane any more so than X-Plane.

Blighty Andy asked if there were any flight simulators for Mac. There is and it's also developed on a Mac, despite being cross-platform. I purchased it and am enjoying it, but I'm not going to sell it as if I'm being paid a commission. Besides, I rather enjoy supporting Mac software wherever I can so that developers will continue to make products for a Mac and I can spend less time running Windows on a Macbook.

I completely agree, i am just saying that IMHO, from someone who frequently plays FSX, that i do not believe that X-Plane is as good and i wanted the OP to know that so they dont waste any unnecessary money.

By all means use X-Plane if thats what you like best but not just because its made for mac.

 

[deadwulfe]

...i wanted the OP to know that so they dont waste any unnecessary money.

Telling someone, that's interested in buying a Macbook, to buy Windows to run Windows on their Macbook to play a Windows game doesn't sound like the ideal money saving advice I would expect to hear from someone concerned about wasting money.

Anyways, X-Plane has a demo. Like I said, it's cross-platform. You can try it on your Windows machine today and decide if you'll want it for your Macbook in April.

 

[chokma]

I completely agree, i am just saying that IMHO, from someone who frequently plays FSX, that i do not believe that X-Plane is as good and i wanted the OP to know that so they dont waste any unnecessary money.

By all means use X-Plane if thats what you like best but not just because its made for mac.

Lukefinch-- would you care to elaborate? What're the main differences that make FSX better than X-Plane?

 

[james1078b]

I completely agree, i am just saying that IMHO, from someone who frequently plays FSX, that i do not believe that X-Plane is as good and i wanted the OP to know that so they dont waste any unnecessary money.

By all means use X-Plane if thats what you like best but not just because its made for mac.

Hi, I just wanted to know if you would expand on your opinion. Stating an opinion without any supporting information does not help anyone to make an informed decision.

For me I chose X-Plane. Here are my reasons:
1) Compatible with Mac, Linux, and Windows
2) Large community support and add-ons (x-plane.org)
3) Developed for pilots, by pilots
4) accurate physics models (FAA Certified versions available)
and now
5) MS has dropped the Flight Sim team, so there will no longer be major support for FSX....
6) $30 @ x-plane.org store

Areas where I believe FSX surpasses x-plane
1) Scenery
2) Graphics

I hope that helps anyone trying to make this decision....

James
Early 2009 Mac Mini, 4GB/500GBHD

 

[Blighty Andy]

Thanks for all the help, by the looks of things I will go with X-Plane because I don't have the original Vista install disk (it came pre-installed and I made back-ups for Laptop) so won't be using boot camp.

 

[mafiaman]

I currently run both FSX and X-Plane and they are both really good flight simulators. The only thing that matters between the two is FSX is a little less technical and a lot more user-friendly than X-plane. X-Plane is a little harder to get used to, but once you do it is a really fun sim. So, it really just depends on your personal preference

 

[dimme]

I have both X-plane and FSX. They are both good and have their strong points as pointed out in a earlier post. However if I had to pick only one to use it would be FSX. Why more and better free add ons. (I love the world of ai traffic addon). The planes look and handle better. It just runs smoother on my system.

 

[jlc1978]

I'm looking to get the £816 MacBook in April, but I like using my Microsoft Flight Simulator X. The system requirments for the Mac fit (I'm using it on a similar spec Windows laptop now), but obviously it's for Windows.

Are there flight simulators available for Mac? Along with compatible joysticks to use with it?

Do a Google search - there's a FOSS FS out there whose name escapes me. Even if you don't like it you can't beat the price; and I've played it and like it.

 

[dimme]

Do a Google search - there's a FOSS FS out there whose name escapes me. Even if you don't like it you can't beat the price; and I've played it and like it.

I think you are referring to flightgear
http://www.flightgear.org/

 

[maccompaq]

I am a pilot, and I much prefer X-Plane 9, because it gives such realistic performance. When I am not flying often, I can keep my skills current with X-Plane. I am so impressed at the detail in the flight controls in X-Plane. The airplanes respond just like in real life.

FSX is more or less a game by comparison. I do have both programs, so I am not speaking from hearsay. This is not to say that FSX is a bad program, because it is pretty good. It just does not give a realistic experience.

 

[maccompaq]

I'm looking to get the £816 MacBook in April, but I like using my Microsoft Flight Simulator X. The system requirments for the Mac fit (I'm using it on a similar spec Windows laptop now), but obviously it's for Windows.

Are there flight simulators available for Mac? Along with compatible joysticks to use with it?

I bought the USB joy stick ($75) that was recommended on the X-Plane website. The joy stick works great on my Mac and also my Windows computer.

X-Plane likes a lot of dedicated video RAM. It will not do as well with integrated graphics.

 

[chavalo]

Hi Mate

I have the 2.13GHz Macbook (non-unibody) and run fsx on Windows Vista under bootcamp on the machine. It runs great on it, you can have the graphics on full and you will no absolutely no lag at all with great FPS.

As for Mac flight simulators, the best is X-Plane but in my opinion, it is absolutely nowhere near as good as FSX and all the other flight simulators for Mac come nowhere close to even X-Plane.

If i were you, i would definatley use FSX under bootcamp against any other flight simulator for mac because even though they're fairly ok (to put it nicely), FSX is in a whole other league!

I hope this helps you!

P.S - If you want any more help, feel free to add me on iChat or MSN

Hi!! Are you running FSX with SP2? I just upgraded to SP2 running Windows XP and as soon as I run my FSX, an error message that reads "FSX does not work with your video card. Please make sure that your drivers are updated and installed. FSX will close now." and immediately the program closes. It worked fine with SP1. Does anyone have this problem? Do you know how to fix it? Thanks!!

 

[dimme]

Hi!! Are you running FSX with SP2? I just upgraded to SP2 running Windows XP and as soon as I run my FSX, an error message that reads "FSX does not work with your video card. Please make sure that your drivers are updated and installed. FSX will close now." and immediately the program closes. It worked fine with SP1. Does anyone have this problem? Do you know how to fix it? Thanks!!

I ran FSX SP2 under XP and had no issues on a MacBook Pro 2.4. However going ot Win7 was a huge improvement in performance and stability.

 

[BenXiaoHai]

Hey quick question for mac sim-ers! What joystick do you use? I plan on getting X-Plane with Logitech extreme 3d. Anybody has any comments or reviews with the product?

 

[maccompaq]

Hey quick question for mac sim-ers! What joystick do you use? I plan on getting X-Plane with Logitech extreme 3d. Anybody has any comments or reviews with the product?

I'm using Saitek Pro Yoke and Throttle Quadrant on my Core i7 desktop for X-Plane 9 with Snow Leopard and MS FSX with 64 bit Windows 7. I'm using CH Flightstick Pro on my Core2Duo 2.8 GHz desktop for X-Plane 9 with Leopard. Both the joystick and the yoke work well for me.

FSX did not like my joystick, but it likes my Yoke. X-Plane likes both units. I have the yoke and quadrant programmed for utmost efficiency in X-Plane.
I am having a problem getting the yoke and quadrant programmed in FSX.

 

[dimme]

Hey quick question for mac sim-ers! What joystick do you use? I plan on getting X-Plane with Logitech extreme 3d. Anybody has any comments or reviews with the product?

I have the Logitech Force 3d pro and it works great with FSX, I don't care for it with x-plane. I don't know if it is the sim or stick?

 

[maccompaq]

I have the Logitech Force 3d pro and it works great with FSX, I don't care for it with x-plane. I don't know if it is the sim or stick?

What is the secret to programming a joystick with FSX? If I do get some programming to stick, it only works for one or two flights. Then it no longer functions.

I am running FSX with the 64 bit Windows 7, and FSX crashes almost every time I use it. Not every flight, but if I use it for an hour, it almost always crashes. I run it on my Core i7 Hackintosh with 6 Gigs of Ram and a fast 1 Gig video card. What has been your experience?

 

[dimme]

What is the secret to programming a joystick with FSX? If I do get some programming to stick, it only works for one or two flights. Then it no longer functions.

I am running FSX with the 64 bit Windows 7, and FSX crashes almost every time I use it. Not every flight, but if I use it for an hour, it almost always crashes. I run it on my Core i7 Hackintosh with 6 Gigs of Ram and a fast 1 Gig video card. What has been your experience?

I don/t know of any secret to getting the programming to stick, never had a problem. On my system FSX is much stabler that X-plane. Perhaps you can try trashing your fsx.config file, and start with some fresh settings.