FS9 Days are numbered

[ejoiner 21]

FS9 will remain what I use to enjoy my flight sim hobby until a viable and uniquely (technological) reason becomes apparent for an upgrade to something different.

[rcbarend 37]

"FS9 Days are numbered"Not for me; both as a user and as a developer.I use/develop both for FS9 and FSX; both versions have their strong points, with the obvious ones of FS9 being performance and the wealth of addons not being available/compatible for/with FSX yet.Even stronger: some "gadgets" I made for FS9, can't even be made to work in FSX !!Ergo, at least for the next 3 years, FS9 remains as important to me as FSX.Rob Barendregt

[ubersu 78]

I've been numbering FS9's days since it was released and am up to 1122 so far. I expect that number to increase to well over 2000 as time goes by... :( DJ

[CanadaOne 36]

Ironic to see this thread now. I'm about to reinstall FS9 once I clean out a bunch of junk off my HD and make some room for it. I'm having a great time with FSX, but I want a bit more action going on and I can't get it with acceptable FPS in FSX. Bush flights are superb, but sometimes I want a big fat busy airport. So back to FS9.My E6700/2GB/8800GTS 640MB runs FSX well enough to enjoy, but it absolutely hammers FS9. I can fly in and out of a custom major airport in a heavy with lots of AI action and the FPS just glides along. FS9 + UT + GE Pro + FE + Genesis mesh + Captain Sim 707 + Portland FZ02 + WOAI, at high-res with AA + AF running fluid FPS = Heaven! :(

[Ultrasweatproof 0]

You have FSdreamteam who have and are producing LSZH, LSGG, KORD, KJFK, KDFW, KFLL, and KLAS for FS9, not to mention the major airports by Aerosoft and Flytampa. Plus you have one of the most talented model designers ever for FS over at Project opensky continuing to make the 747, 777, 767, 737, and 757 and regional jets better. Add all of these wonderful things together with 100% AI with almost every AI package available with full sliders and FS9 is here to stay. Now if only that one groups (orbx?) version of YMML was for FS9 and we had FSX water texture in FS9....

[JP_Visser 3]

well,I'll still fly my FS9 and I'll still enjoy it,and if PMDG decides to release the 737NGX for FSX only,they've just lost a customer that'llspend his money on something else for FS9.I was w

[Guest acebrando7]

I've got an idea that is a real sales approach and plausible solution to this entire discussion, and all of the discussions that could branch out. So here it is: If developers were really serious about gaining as much market share as they could in these turbulent economic times -- they should consider doing what the real aircraft developers (Boeing, Airbus, Dassault, Bombardier, Embraer, Hawker/Beech, Lear, Citation, etc.) are having to do, and that is: lower their prices. Will MSFS add-on developers do this? I will let you simmers answer that for yourselves.I am going to give two real world examples of how aircraft manufacturers have had to react to the "signs of the times":1.) As of January of 2008, blue-book value on a brand-new B777-200LR was approximately $245 Million. The current blue-book value on that aircraft now is $145 Million.2.) One year ago a brand-new Dassault Falcon 7X was valued at almost $60 Million. That aircraft is now valued at roughly $45 Million.So, just how real do the serious MSFS add-on developers want to get?brando

[CanadaOne 36]

Oh, be careful talking about add-on prices. I started one or two (polite) threads on the subject and very nearly got taken out into an Internet back alley and thrashed. :( The view of many posters when I wrote about it was "Buy it or don't buy it, that's your choice, but don't talk about prices being too high". Some people really seemed to get upset about the whole thing. Not sure why.Anyway, good luck.

[BillW 210]

Probably because they paid the higher price!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MarkRey 16]

FSX is VERY GOOD in terms of VFR flights. Terrain SDK is perfect and this is the primary reason why you see so many FSX terrain and photoscenery products.However, from the standpoint of commercial airline pilot/simmer, FSX is one big joke.

I don't own FSX, but this is my distinct impression. I mostly see two kinds of heavy iron FSX simmer: - those that use freeware or light payware airliners plus AI, or - those that use high end airliners with little or no AI, plus other compromisesI have not seen what I currently demand - VC only ops in high end airliners at bustling airports with lots of ai, moving vehicles, AES etc in any weather. Fs9 gives me all of this. So for me as a heavy iron user, fs9 is it. I DON'T need even smoother wheels and surfaces, nicer terrain I never see, and as for bloom, please :( - light only looks like that in moisture saturated atmosphere - normally light sources are sharp.If some devs want to move, so be it - can't blame them if the GA driven FSX market so dictates. FSX is a great sim, don't get me wrong - it's many steps forward for the platform. I WAS going to probably move on after FSX, but now, I'll just stick with fs9 till we see what happens.

[kerosene31 349]

I only fly GA and I still only use FS9. For me, performance is still the key. Even though GA aircraft aren't the same performance hit as the really complex heavies, the traffic and other issues still comes into play just as much for us "low and slow" guys.

[Guest acebrando7]

Oh, be careful talking about add-on prices. I started one or two (polite) threads on the subject and very nearly got taken out into an Internet back alley and thrashed. :( The view of many posters when I wrote about it was "Buy it or don't buy it, that's your choice, but don't talk about prices being too high". Some people really seemed to get upset about the whole thing. Not sure why.Anyway, good luck.

Thank you for the warning.I have found that many of today's developers act like they own and rule the kingdom. There is one developer that is so arrogant when you begin to question his "precision", you are attacked. Some of these guys act so superior that it is simply mind-boggling.The reason, in my humble opinion, that some people do get upset over this issue is because flight-simming is all they do. They live and breath it, therefore certain developers develop a superiority complex as large as the A380 monstrosity.I remember 10 years ago when I could walk into a gaming store and buy the coolest add-ons for FS98 at no more than $10 or $15. Then a few years later all of these developers began to come on the scene with prices that seemed high, and they have had an upward trend ever since. $90 for an add-on, give me a break. I sincerely hope that I am wrong, but I am almost confident that if tomorrow was the "Black Friday" of 1929, developers would not lower prices.brando

[Kosta 122]

I remember 10 years ago when I could walk into a gaming store and buy the coolest add-ons for FS98 at no more than $10 or $15.

You must take three things into consideration:1) Piracy2) Financial development (inflation, even small one)3) ComplexityWhat $10 10 years ago were, are not really what they today are.Piracy is I believe one of the main factors why addons are so expensive. 10 years ago there was much less piracy, thus more people actually bought software.Addons got much more complex, requiring much more working hours spent, thus giving us much more realism, thus being more expensive.My personal opinion, I will give out $90 for the addon if it really pushes the envelope further in matter of realism and system complexity. I believe the companies you mentioned, are the ones who actually supply that. And some future ones... just wait a bit more, you are in for something very great. Can't say more, sorry ;)

[Guest Dakota]

You must take three things into consideration:1) Piracy2) Financial development (inflation, even small one)3) ComplexityWhat $10 10 years ago were, are not really what they today are.Piracy is I believe one of the main factors why addons are so expensive. 10 years ago there was much less piracy, thus more people actually bought software.Addons got much more complex, requiring much more working hours spent, thus giving us much more realism, thus being more expensive.My personal opinion, I will give out $90 for the addon if it really pushes the envelope further in matter of realism and system complexity. I believe the companies you mentioned, are the ones who actually supply that. And some future ones... just wait a bit more, you are in for something very great. Can't say more, sorry ;)

I figure something is only obsolete if you cannot use it anymore. I may be limited in what I can buy for it in the future, but I have plenty of add-ons and ways to still enjoy FS2004 for many years to come. It ain't dead yet.

[january 19]

I figure something is only obsolete if you cannot use it anymore. I may be limited in what I can buy for it in the future, but I have plenty of add-ons and ways to still enjoy FS2004 for many years to come. It ain't dead yet.

---------------Right on!Now let's see- my 'puter is nearly 6 years old, my Westie dog is 6+, my car is 9, been married to the same lady for nearly 53 and I can see 78 in the rear view mirror. All good for a few more, I hope, with daily doses of FS9 to keep Alzheimer's away!Alex ReidHere I am, flying off into the sunset!!!!! (Bent horizon because screenies forget that outer monitors are angled toward pilot!)