No 3rd party content in Flight

[captainXP 2]

...no Megaairports, no PMDG, no Level-D, just MS..."The game will feature it’s own marketplace, with content regulated by Microsoft. There will be no scenery development kit and hence no user created content. The Live marketplace allows for constant content flow and users that opt-in to share data, allow the team to react to user behaviors to improve the game and add more of what users want. It also allows for quicker response to user requests, fixes and general improvements. On top of that, integration with the Microsoft Flight^® website offers a more direct link between team and users."Read the full article here:http://flyawaysimula...rosoft-studios/Cheers Volker

[m_av 0]

There will be no scenery development kit and hence no user created content.

DEAL BREAKER.

[Clipper Ocean Spray 189]

DEAL BREAKER.

Can you imagine a new user attracted to the free version of Flight, enjoying it, becoming more interested in aviation and flying to places in a more realistic manner? Now being actually interested in the flight sim hobby, they start looking around the internet for information on the best MS scenery addons to buy. Sooner or later, they will discover that FSDreamTeam (or the like) has released their 32nd photo-realistic airport for FSX/Prepar3D or that Orbx has released their 12th unparalleled regional scenery. They will be leave Flight pronto. Flight will not be able to keep customers willing to pay for DLC.

[Xpendable 0]

Yikes. This will be the biggest Microsoft FAIL since Microsoft Bob.

[Guest]

Now we can only hope Flight will sink and it won't be able to sell more than half a dozen of copies.We can play a role on that, just do the same thing together.

[dighost 25]

I agree... this will be a failure.

[Mountain Man 142]

It's going to sell if only because Microsoft is sure to aggressively market it to casual users who don't know any better.

[payt 2]

I guess that also rules out proper AI, no planes or boats and i haven't seen any cars on the roads either.All you have (initially) is Hawaii, with maybe some more terrain coming later. And i doubt their hawaii looks better than current Megascenery Hawaii for FSX. At least the latter features actual photographic terrain, which it seems Flight doesn't.Then again, in multiplayer you will have up to 20 other players populating the airports and the sky.. lol.. kindof like flies around roadapples

[IFR7700 228]

Damned disappointing ... looks like P3D or X-Plane

[Wildblue 245]

Can you imagine a new user attracted to the free version of Flight, enjoying it, becoming more interested in aviation and flying to places in a more realistic manner? Now being actually interested in the flight sim hobby, they start looking around the internet for information on the best MS scenery addons to buy. Sooner or later, they will discover that FSDreamTeam (or the like) has released their 32nd photo-realistic airport for FSX/Prepar3D or that Orbx has released their 12th unparalleled regional scenery. They will be leave Flight pronto. Flight will not be able to keep customers willing to pay for DLC.

I don't know about that. I can imagine MS has anticipated that. People develop themselves and cannot play the same game forever, Although i am not so happy about the news about Flight, we don't know anything for sure yet about the complexity of the scenery and aircraft. Maybe they do offer a really profound flight simulator for those who want to pay extra for it.

[xplanery 250]

I don't know about that. I can imagine MS has anticipated that. People develop themselves and cannot play the same game forever, Although i am not so happy about the news about Flight, we don't know anything for sure yet about the complexity of the scenery and aircraft. Maybe they do offer a really profound flight simulator for those who want to pay extra for it.

I seriously doubt that Microsoft would be able to create any seriously realistic addons like PMDG quality themselves, or would even think about doing them for this kind of game that is at least partially arcade.Anyways it seems that my thoughts about Flight were right. Not supporting 3rd should make Flight no go for 99% of real enthusiasts as serious flight simulator. And also that article pretty much says that Flight is not intended to be whole world game but with small places like tropical islands modeled from all around. Edited January 4, 2012 by pvjinflight

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Now that this subject is out in the public domain, I can talk about it.In Redmond at our meeting with MS last month, that question was asked. The answer was that MS would work with "partners" to provide content, if their own in-house developers couldn't. Last week I spoke with a very well known 3rd party supplier to FSX about this subject. He stated that his group had discussed a relationship that would allow them to provide content to FLIGHT, however, the percentage of the sale given back to the developer was a deal breaker.When you think of 3rd party developers and product available to users of FLIGHT, think of the ITunes store as a model.Let me also add that of the organizations invited to Redmond, there was only one developer present and they will remain nameless.

[MikeT707 1,181]

Now that this subject is out in the public domain, I can talk about it.

Thanks for the information Tom. I am just curious, as you are a major contributor and supporter of the flight simulation genre, what are your thoughts on the direction of this new title?

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Thanks for the information Tom. I am just curious, as you are a major contributor and supporter of the flight simulation genre, what are your thoughts on the direction of this new title?

I forgot to add that as for the freeware hobbiest that has grown our hobby, well, with FLIGHT, the end of freeware is upon us, as far as I can tell.Mike, as for your question, I am working on a write up / editorial which will appear on my Blog sometime next week.

[airlinejets 709]

what are your thoughts on the direction of this new title?

I think Tom answered your question very eloquently.