Some thoughts on Flight...

[snwboardn 87]

I will go wherever PMDG goes, anyone with me?? :(

Yea that is why I keep coming back here to find out where to go from here... Can't keep reverting back to 197 drivers.

[Sumits81 9]

Robert, great post!To back that up... watch the following:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVgUuDY1UjM&feature=player_embeddedI am truly disappointed!

[tknudsen 26]

I am an beta tester for Flight, and I share the community shock on how the development has turned out regarding Flight. Though I would say it is an excellent made program if you truly are an enthusiastic arcade loving flyboy or a girl that just love anything about plains and games. Though for us flight simulator fans the game Flight is an tremendous let down in regards to FSX and what we would have loved to see in an upcoming new packaged.As an beta tester for Flight I must add that I have still after 10+ years with MSFS been surprised with something new in the latest release, there are improvements to the game, one being it is now a true game. So the question is, will you pay for those criteria in a game, knowing that it will always be a game and nothing more? It seems MS now focus on 3-4 special functions in Flight, I will not go into what they are, but as far as I can see they cost money, especially if you want new things added to the game. I think PMDG is right in their assumptions regarding the future of Flight and their own product. I truly loved and still do the PMDG series and cannot wait until the 777 are released to the public, but sadly it is and properly will be for FSX also in the many years to come..Two simulators worth looking at is of course the new improved X-plane 10 which by the way is great and in many ways equal or far better to FSX, but it has as mr. Randazzo still many things to be amended, improved or purhaps replaced in the new sim. And of course we would love to see many of the FS developers both pay and freeware now start to make something for X-plane also..The other simulator worth looking at is another simulator called Outerra, I am also here an beta tester and can proudly say that this might be the one simulator we all have been waiting for. It has in my mind the best graphic engine of them all. Do a search to find out for your selves.So to conclude, as a beta tester I found that I am still curious about Flight, but also extremely sad that the flight simulator as we know it to be, is gone for good, buried with the ACES team.

[MistyBlue 8]

It's really a shame they completely dumped a loyal community developed over 20+ years. That's never a good marketing strategy, but I'm preaching to the choir, I know. I don't see why they couldn't have had the best of both worlds. Offer the free downloadable version for the entry-level gamer market with all the paid add-ons they want to offer. Then sell a higher priced, "advanced" boxed version with SDK for the rest of us. All built on the same platform, just different features locked/unlocked. That would give them a heck of a lot of money up front (FSX had already been one of Microsoft's best selling games) and then reap the benefits of ongoing revenue from the entry-level market.

[hughesj2 0]

Fascinating, insightful post Robert, thanks for sharing your view. Sure there will be loads of nodding going on as people read this. I, like many simulator fans I suspect, had the head telling us your console analogy would be true and heart telling us that it would be the next gen platform that we would all love to see you grow an already superb product set onto (along with the other shining stars of the hobby you mention). Disappointed but not surprised....

[Guest]

Good post Robert,In terms of platforms to eventually move to, have you seen, or even better what are your thoughts on Aerofly FS.This just looks incredible..

First of all I would like to say that PMDG is a lighthouse in the storm, above all in these days. An hangar to sleep and grow our own dreams. Thanks Mr. Randazzo and PMDG guys for your efforts and your gorgeous products.What do you think about the quoted producer ?Thanks in advance Edited January 6, 2012 by Mark II

[fencer 16]

Even large companies like Microsoft can't ignore the market when the market doesn't follow their plans.Look at how FS evolved : MFS is Microsoft's product but Microsoft has to share ownership (and revenues) with two kind of developpers around the world : - companies like PMDG ("virtual" ownership and revenue)- individual freeware developpers ("virtual" ownership only).Now if companies like PMDG feel that Flight is not for them (or even a mortal threat to them) the question is : can (will) Microsoft support the two products in a two-tier strategy ie :- Flight- FSX and the FS communityIf the FS community feels it can't rely on Microsoft - or if Microsoft feels they need to stop selling FSX - then it's up to the FS community to find/develop another platform.Period ?Bruno

Edited January 6, 2012 by fencer

[thefsxflyer 1]

I go where ever PMDG goes.

[Paul_Yorks 97]

Excellent post, thanks. I think that many people - and I am certainly one of them - will be looking in the future at products where PMDG is represented.Great to have such a candid post.

[jordanal 70]

Show me the way, PMDG... I got your back! Nice sinopsis, RSR - much apprecaited.

[Houghton11 12]

My only concern is...If PMDG et al aren't going to develop anything for Flight!.......then who is?...I'm curious to see if anyone has found any positive statements from developers...

[Tabs 2,790]

Regarding Prepar3D - as far as we know (and I haven't seen anything to suggest otherwise) - P3D isn't a consumer product. The ESP license they're using allows for use in the professional/training markets. Unless they find a way to convert that license into a consumer one and produce a low cost version (relative to the professional one) I'm not sure I see how this is a viable platform for a developer like us just yet.

[Kosta 122]

Regarding Prepar3D - as far as we know (and I haven't seen anything to suggest otherwise) - P3D isn't a consumer product. The ESP license they're using allows for use in the professional/training markets. Unless they find a way to convert that license into a consumer one and produce a low cost version (relative to the professional one) I'm not sure I see how this is a viable platform for a developer like us just yet.

What prevents you, PMDG, to make an installer for P3D? I mean, that's all what it takes. NGX is already working in P3D, just have to make all the manual moves.Other companies made it already, it's just a custom installer.What you are implying is that there is a legal aspect - I would like to know which. Because if there is one, how are others managing? (FSDT, FSForce, FSUIPC, ORBX just to name some)

[hasse29 41]

After reading all posts and done some thinking I would say this might be the best thing that happened for us. I would love to have a new sim 64-bits supporting hyperthreading aso just like all of you. But lets think about this in wider perspective.All world know who Microsoft is. If they release a new game that initially are free there will be a lot of downloads. Who don't like a free meal? Lets say there will be 1 million people who downloads it. About 50% might enjoy it so much they buy at least one addon/lockup/whatever. That is 500 000 people. After some time they wanna expand further since their skills improve. They search internet and find fsx/x-plane/whatever. Maybe 20% will do it. That's 100 000 people. Many is gonna get tired/don't understand/whatever, but say 1% continue and buy addons. That means 1000 new customers within a year or so. That means more money for PMDG and other companies, a bigger market and bigger probability for new better sims in the future. Or am I too drunk thinking like this?

[thefsxflyer 1]

What prevents you, PMDG, to make an installer for P3D? I mean, that's all what it takes. NGX is already working in P3D, just have to make all the manual moves.Other companies made it already, it's just a custom installer.What you are implying is that there is a legal aspect - I would like to know which. Because if there is one, how are others managing? (FSDT, FSForce, FSUIPC, ORBX just to name some)

I think Ryan is talking more about future products instead of current ones although you do have a good point.