For me, the vulnerability of the Apple

Honestly, I would rather that MS go through a platform like Steam, and incorporate Steamworks, including Steam Multiplayer, over their crappy GFWL implementation they have now. I actually semi-like Steam, and I have seen a lot of good things in my time using it. GFW Live has been nothing but a wreck in my opinion. But we all know MS won't do that. I have to wonder how this will affect the freeware community however.

Honestly, I would rather that MS go through a platform like Steam, and incorporate Steamworks, including Steam Multiplayer, over their crappy GFWL implementation they have now. I actually semi-like Steam, and I have seen a lot of good things in my time using it. GFW Live has been nothing but a wreck in my opinion. But we all know MS won't do that. I have to wonder how this will affect the freeware community however.

Still, don

Still, don

I have no use for Steam. But that's easy for me to say because I am not a big PC gamer, and do no multiplayer. I would not buy FS if it were on such a platform. Probably aren't enough simmers like me to worry about. Just my 2 cents.Bob

Gonna start some trouble here. For the record, I would love to see FSXI on XBOX 360 - chances are good though that it will be seen first on the next-gen console, and (if so) quite likely be a killer app.http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=243134&hl=Lots of people strongly opposed. Wonder if that's still the case?Either way, I'm thrilled to see SOMETHING happening. Looks like Cascade has faded a bit.[edit] I love Tileproxy. Bing maps aren't too bad...Andrew

I have no use for Steam. But that's easy for me to say because I am not a big PC gamer, and do no multiplayer. I would not buy FS if it were on such a platform. Probably aren't enough simmers like me to worry about. Just my 2 cents.Bob

Bobby, honestly, I can see your reasoning, I'm just saying that if it were to come to it, I'd rather Microsoft not try to do something and screw it up royally like they did with GFW Live. If you ever played a game that uses GFW Live and compared it to what it would be like on the Steam platform you would understand. As for not doing multiplayer, that's one of the big generation gaps in the FS world actually, most of the youth when they fly FS are doing it in multiplayer, where it seems that most of the older simmers fly single player. As for the benefits, the main thing I could see in MS's favor for GFW Live is the control they would have, but at the same time, I've seen what happened with some other games that use that platform, let's just say it isn't pretty. Also, just so you know, with Steam you can activate your CD key on it in order to play some retail games that have an agreement with them through Steam, basically adding a retail copy to a steam account. It's not required in some cases, in some cases it's the only way to play. For multiplayer though, I would much rather have Steam than GFW Live.

Gonna start some trouble here. For the record, I would love to see FSXI on XBOX 360 - chances are good though that it will be seen first on the next-gen console, and (if so) quite likely be a killer app.http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=243134&hl=Lots of people strongly opposed. Wonder if that's still the case?Either way, I'm thrilled to see SOMETHING happening. Looks like Cascade has faded a bit.[edit] I love Tileproxy. Bing maps aren't too bad...Andrew

The main problem I see with an Xbox 360 version, is that odds are they will make it in to something like Ace Combat rather than a true MSFS. Also, most times when people do console versions and PC versions, they make it so the PC version is a direct port of the console version. That results in worse performance, and worse quality overall. It's the exception and not the rule to see a proper PC release on a cross platform game.

The main problem I see with an Xbox 360 version, is that odds are they will make it in to something like Ace Combat rather than a true MSFS.

Isn't that a possibilty whatever platform it's on? After all it's all going to be about sales and I imagine something like Ace Combat may sell better the FS11.

Isn't that a possibilty whatever platform it's on? After all it's all going to be about sales and I imagine something like Ace Combat may sell better the FS11.

Honestly, I feel that is the big fear, it is mine too. But to be up front, I suspect they feel they would make more money from this new method of centralizing everything and expecting the prices to stay about the same for payware and taking a nice cut of the profits, rather than just selling a ton of 60 dollar games. In the end, when you look at the average hardcore FS simmer, who sometimes spends over 1000 dollars a year on add ons for MSFS, you gotta wonder what kind of money MS could make by taking a cut of that.

In the end, when you look at the average hardcore FS simmer, who sometimes spends over 1000 dollars a year on add ons for MSFS, you gotta wonder what kind of money MS could make by taking a cut of that.

The average hardcore FS simmer probably spends about $50 every two years on the latest release of Flight Simulator. That's $25/year for Microsoft - not much compared wth the $1000/year you suggest he spends on add-ons!

Why do people think the next FS11 will be on XBOX.....MS never indicated that even once.Here is what that ad said for the job posting:If you have the skills and the passion, want to work on a Games for Windows LIVE product, and you

If anything MS will take advantage of allowing downloadable content in the Games for Windows LIVE format to increase profitability from the franchise where they have not been able to profit from third party development in the past. That will be the most noticable change.

Let me translate that for you... "If anything MS will increase the cost of downloadable content (3rd party addons)..."

Aerosoft for example, could be smarter..Take their AES for example.. release it for free, BUT, you need to start it first, it then loads a shell, what loads FS to get it to work.Now, in the shell you have a store, community, forums, news, maybe even an own atc system like vatsim, and so on.The store is able to let you purchase an addon, whatever it is, whatever the price is, and downloads it and install this. Reboots your FS and there you are.Wrap it!And, advertise with it.. give the goody like AES as an heads up.. the rest will follow.Any ideas on this ?

That would be extremely beneficial to everyone in my mind, Why?There are a tonne of people who have MSFS, but have no idea of the addon market behind it. A few years ago I showed my flight instructor the PMDG 747, and his jaw dropped - He had been flightsimming for a while, but had absolutely no idea of the "Creations" that have been made for FS. It sent me on a mission to ask other instructors and staff at that flightschool. None of them knew, though all of them had used or owned MSFS.Show the masses what they've been missing?Everyone benefits, addons become more plentiful, and can be sold at Lower costs. Microsoft might even scrape off a percentage for doing the "Advertising" but at the end of the day, addon developers would undoubtedly receive more sales, and could likely lower their prices.

Aerosoft for example, could be smarter..Take their AES for example.. release it for free, BUT, you need to start it first, it then loads a shell, what loads FS to get it to work.Now, in the shell you have a store, community, forums, news, maybe even an own atc system like vatsim, and so on.The store is able to let you purchase an addon, whatever it is, whatever the price is, and downloads it and install this. Reboots your FS and there you are.Wrap it!And, advertise with it.. give the goody like AES as an heads up.. the rest will follow.Any ideas on this ?

The average hardcore FS simmer probably spends about $50 every two years on the latest release of Flight Simulator. That's $25/year for Microsoft - not much compared wth the $1000/year you suggest he spends on add-ons!

MGH, I misspoke, I should not have said average, but you get the point. The point is that it can go up to that, not that it is the actual number. The point I'm trying to make is that with a centralized service similar to what they are proposing they can rake in a lot of cash.Normally consoles lose money on the actual system, however make up for it by selling software. In the end, it makes sense that if the game itself is a bit less cost effective to make, it would make up for it in addon profits with a model like this.

Let me translate that for you... "If anything MS will increase the cost of downloadable content (3rd party addons)..."

That's actually what I'm afraid of. The prices are already high enough to scare away most of the youth. Driving them higher could be commercial suicide.