Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
jalexb88

Is it really that bad?

Recommended Posts

This is just my honest opinion:While FSX may be the last version of Flight Simulator as we know it, maybe its not that bad a thing after all. If flight sim doesnt get updated, we wont be forced to spend money updating our computers to its standards. Addon developers will not have to constantly update their products for the next version of FS, and focus on improving the present versions of their software for FS2004/FSX. Anyone Agree?Just a thought Alex CYUL

Share this post


Link to post
Guest SkullxBones

My money says MS will not give up on a proven money maker. The gaming industry now makes more money than all of Hollywood and the the MSFS was always one of the best sellers so the money is there. But maybe the cost of in-house development just got out of hand and with many companies trimming the fat in these scary economic times, they are doing the same and will pick it up when things get better or farm it out to another developer to keep costs down.

Share this post


Link to post
My money says MS will not give up on a proven money maker. The gaming industry now makes more money than all of Hollywood and the the MSFS was always one of the best sellers so the money is there. But maybe the cost of in-house development just got out of hand and with many companies trimming the fat in these scary economic times, they are doing the same and will pick it up when things get better or farm it out to another developer to keep costs down.
Gaming may be alive and well, but the flight sim genre is dead. Have a look at Falcon 4, ProFlight, Fly!, Jane's F18, LOMAC and IL-2. All of them are either dead or dying.

Share this post


Link to post

I disagree.Eagle Dynamics have just released their first sim DCS:BS, a 95% complete simulation of the Kamov Ka-50 attack helicopter. They're now updating the core engine to support features for their next product: the A10 Warthog.I doubt MS would just axe the entire dev team like that without a VERY good reason. Money is no dobut near the top, if not at the top, but when you look at combined Vista and FSX sales, it's not good. Just check these forums for the number of people who won't "upgrade" to FSX, or can't because they can't afford the hardware required to run it.Vista sales are flagging, too (don't forget that across MS, 5,000 jobs are going in total - ACES were just 93 from what I can find out). MS have been forced to extend support for XP, in addition to continuation of sales of XP licenses over 2 years after they should have stopped.They're not having a good time, and frankly I think the writing has been on the wall for a while. Their software is dropping in quality and getting more expensive to buy/run (don't forget the reasons many updated their rigs - to run FSX!). Open Source is starting to get a grip now, too.Interesting times for sure.Best regards,Robin.

Share this post


Link to post
Guest firehawk44
My money says MS will not give up on a proven money maker. The gaming industry now makes more money than all of Hollywood and the the MSFS was always one of the best sellers so the money is there. But maybe the cost of in-house development just got out of hand and with many companies trimming the fat in these scary economic times, they are doing the same and will pick it up when things get better or farm it out to another developer to keep costs down.
I think if Microsoft was going to keep up the product, they would have kept the team together for up to 18 months and fired 1400 other employees instead. They would have then directed the Team to finish up on FS11 (which was rumored to be released around the Fall of 2010 - okay about 18 months from now), release it and then fire them, thank you very much. I have a hard time believing the economy will remain in a recession for another 18 months and 5000 employees in a company like Microsoft is really a small number. As of 2008, Microsoft had almost 90,000 employees. So why FS and the Aces Team? Why were they cut? Can just six employees finalize and package FS11 for distribution by the headquarters? The Aces Team members and contractors have spent over 2 years already on development of the new FS version. Why is Microsoft throwing all that labor out the window? For these reasons, I predict we will see an update to FSX incorporating the FS11 changes or a new product produced by the remaining members of Aces. Personally, I think FS has gone as far as technology can take us and there won't be a reason to conduct further development after FSX is updated or FS11 is released. Just too many commercial addon developers who are always improving the product even more. The basic engine should last for many, many years.Best regards,Jim

Share this post


Link to post

While I agree about Vista I think one of the biggest myths out there is the lack of fsx sales.You can google fsx sales-Ms reported that fsx has been the biggest seller of all fs titles.Phil reported this on his blog:http://blogs.msdn.com/ptaylor/archive/2008...-franchise.aspxI don't think Phil lies-and I also don't think acceleration, esp, and train simulator would have gotten the go ahead if fsx sales over 2 years ago had been dismal. I think though some wish so however exact opposite is the fact.I do think that a bunch of bean counters such as I experience in my business came in-put the spreadsheets on the 'puters and said the following:In the 1980's -fs cost about the same as it does now (not including inflation) and came out every 2 years. All add ins were made by MS adding increased profit. Looking at inflation and the loss of exclusivity we are in the red.In the mid 1990's fs came out every two years and cost about the same as it does now (not including inflation) but the engine was upgraded with the combat flight series adding additional profit on the odd year cycle maximizing profits while the fs engine was upgraded.After 2000, the combat flight sim was discontinued and now fs had a 2 year cycle. After fsx the cycle (due to increased sophistication needed from users ) was now put on a 4 year cycle. Acceleration and Train Sim were put out in the interim to profit during this 4-5 year transition to the next fsx.The bean counters said: the price of fsx if has decreased greatly during this 30 year cycle due to inflation. The time frame for releasing fsx has increased two fold. Even though interim titles can be released to take up the slack they will not maximize the profits we need. The downturn in the economy is the coffin nail. End of story.Imho...

Share this post


Link to post
So why FS and the Aces Team? Why were they cut? Can just six employees finalize and package FS11 for distribution by the headquarters? The Aces Team members and contractors have spent over 2 years already on development of the new FS version. Why is Microsoft throwing all that labor out the window?
Either it is a big mistake or FS isn't profitable (enough). Plenty of people haven't got the new version this time around. Just check these forums, and look at the demand for FS9 products (e.g. PMDG MD-11).Best regards,Robin.

Share this post


Link to post
Either it is a big mistake or FS isn't profitable (enough). Plenty of people haven't got the new version this time around. Just check these forums, and look at the demand for FS9 products (e.g. PMDG MD-11).Best regards,Robin.
..and I say instead of reading the ravings in some of the forums-you might want to look at the number of posts in each forum since fsx came out and google fsx sales instead...If fsx was the disaster you wish it would have ended a few years ago.Perhaps you can investigate the number of total Pmdg sales and we can compare it to the total of fsx sales?

Share this post


Link to post

Imagine MS had cut ACES Studio right after FS98 came out. We'd never live to see FS2004 or FSX. 95% of people would have given up the hobby that still evolves around a 10-year-old sim and the rest of us would be playing with nothing better than FS98 right now. Is it really that bad? yes it is.Jason


Jason

FAA CPL SEL MEL IR CFI-I MEI AGI

Share this post


Link to post

Well, we don't know what is going on behind the curtain... Maybe they have a plan and investors stand already by. Maybe they don't and are the top contenders for the next Darwin award. Mismanagement is the last thing you need in difficult times. FS was and is an earner, no doubt about that.Btw, a few days ago i purchased the Ka-50 Black Shark combat sim. It's well made - there are companies out there able to create a nice flight simulator...

Share this post


Link to post
Imagine MS had cut ACES Studio right after FS98 came out. We'd never live to see FS2004 or FSX. 95% of people would have given up the hobby that still evolves around a 10-year-old sim and the rest of us would be playing with nothing better than FS98 right now. Is it really that bad? yes it is.Jason
Windy-I agree.Look at the forum here on Avsim-the Pro Pilot forum is still here 10 years after the sim was cut-and there is really no hardware around today that can run it. It was and still is a tight nit group-but now the sim is gone, the hardware to run it is gone and there is a desert except for fond memories.I have gone thru several other sims facing this death-the Flight unlimited series, Fly, Pro Pilot-and in the 1990's I considered them vastly superior to FS-like many fs9'ers today my fs copy then was collecting dust.But there was always the knowledge then that even thought these "young" players tried to compete and lost-that the might of Microsoft would always be there to assure a flight sim.Now this is gone.I fully expect another couple of years of great simming on fsx-but in 4-8 years I don't expect anything different than what you see with Pro Pilot, Fly, and Flight Unlimited-pretty much nothing.Yes I am upset-as I know at some point in my life I will lose my medical like all, and be relegated to flying on a desktop. I was looking forward to that.It looks like this may also be lost.I guess I could try knitting-my wife loves it-but I don't really see myself doing it..

Share this post


Link to post

I don't think Microsoft has permanently given up on FS. I think they will bring it back. Whatever happens, it will be interesting to look back on this time, say, 5-6 years from now.


Rhett

7800X3D ♣ 32 GB G.Skill TridentZ  Gigabyte 4090  Crucial P5 Plus 2TB 

Share this post


Link to post

Whatever the case may be, someone can reap the market, or a chunk of it. There are so many ideas, available codes and pieces of software here and there, technical developments streamlining complex calculations and even individual initiatives (e.g. Matthieu Laban) that the only problem really seems to coalesce all this. The new thing is that, now, there is a market to take rather than a monopoly to break...

Share this post


Link to post
Guest Alphahawk3
..and I say instead of reading the ravings in some of the forums-you might want to look at the number of posts in each forum since fsx came out and google fsx sales instead...If fsx was the disaster you wish it would have ended a few years ago.Perhaps you can investigate the number of total Pmdg sales and we can compare it to the total of fsx sales?
Geofa Just some info..right or wrong but they do quote the source..one million copies of FSX sold through Decemebr 08 since the release. Regardshttp://www.gamespot.com/news/blogs/rumor-c...true&page=1

Share this post


Link to post

Thanks for the link....Kinda hard to dispute the facts-except the bean counters with their spreadsheets seem to prevail...I know my math is rusty but 1 million times say $40 US a copy seems fairly profitable....

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  
  • Tom Allensworth,
    Founder of AVSIM Online


  • Flight Simulation's Premier Resource!

    AVSIM is a free service to the flight simulation community. AVSIM is staffed completely by volunteers and all funds donated to AVSIM go directly back to supporting the community. Your donation here helps to pay our bandwidth costs, emergency funding, and other general costs that crop up from time to time. Thank you for your support!

    Click here for more information and to see all donations year to date.
×
×
  • Create New...