the advertisements contain the word "handful of select 3rd parties... &...our external development partners"They can be interpreted to mean that Microsoft is contracting development of add-ons to a limited number of developers. Where would that leave the rest?

Where would that leave the rest?

With FSX, FS2004 or Xplane.Why do you think Aerosoft is not on board? Aerosoft do not want to change the way they are doing business for Flight, all other stores where you are getting your downloadable add-ons will stay open as long as they can sell add-ons for FSX, FS2004 and Xplane.You won't be able to download your add-ons for Flight like before, as I said from the beginning, shop in the store, buy what you like and it will be accessible to you automatically, you won't have access to add-ons like before, there is no way in hell MS will open a store to have what's selling in it to be pirated, now that raise the point of the SDK been accessible to freeware developers, if the only way to get add-ons for Flight is in the store from approved developers how do you think you'll get free add-ons for Flight....:( . Do you think you will?Design, performance and online experience......stay tuned for the online experience...:(

With FSX, FS2004 or Xplane.Why do you think Aerosoft is not on board? Aerosoft do not want to change the way they are doing business for Flight, all other stores where you are getting your downloadable add-ons will stay open as long as they can sell add-ons for FSX, FS2004 and Xplane.You won't be able to download your add-ons for Flight like before, as I said from the beginning, shop in the store, buy what you like and it will be accessible to you automatically, you won't have access to add-ons like before, there is no way in hell MS will open a store to have what's selling in it to be pirated, now that raise the point of the SDK been accessible to freeware developers, if the only way to get add-ons for Flight is in the store from approved developers how do you think you'll get free add-ons for Flight....:( . Do you think you will?Design, performance and online experience......stay tuned for the online experience...:(

FSX is Flight’s biggest competitor…and Flight’s Live store will be in competition with FSX’s unrestricted market….for the good will and attention of FS users. On the surface maybe that doesn’t appear to matter….for MSG designers I’d say it does very much. Once the honeymoon phase is over users will be taking a very critical look at the two platforms. The backlash from users is always over the top - sadly. But you can count on it, even if it isn’t deserved. A restricted market might be made to work….but there are huge roadblocks here that we aren’t even talking about. And neither has MS…BTW. A PMDG style add-on, could easily take several months longer, cost more, and final be declined due to liabilities. That would hurt MS, 3PDs, and users. If that were to happen, Flight would have a very short shelf life…like most other games. Everyone wants a live market, but there still needs to be an alternative for those that can’t be admitted.In this day and age, you build a store people want to use with things they want…and people will use it.

FSX is Flight’s biggest competitor…and Flight’s Live store will be in competition with FSX’s unrestricted market….for the good will and attention of FS users. On the surface maybe that doesn’t appear to matter….for MSG designers I’d say it does very much. Once the honeymoon phase is over users will be taking a very critical look at the two platforms. The backlash from users is always over the top - sadly. But you can count on it, even if it isn’t deserved. A restricted market might be made to work….but there are huge roadblocks here that we aren’t even talking about. And neither has MS…BTW. A PMDG style add-on, could easily take several months longer, cost more, and final be declined due to liabilities. That would hurt MS, 3PDs, and users. If that were to happen, Flight would have a very short shelf life…like most other games. Everyone wants a live market, but there still needs to be an alternative for those that can’t be admitted.In this day and age, you build a store people want to use with things they want…and people will use it.

The feedback will be overwhelmingly positive... the majority of FSX/Flight users are unaware of the depth of the 3rd market. This new Flight on-line store will be a well received addition for the masses.

The feedback will be overwhelmingly positive... the majority of FSX/Flight users are unaware of the depth of the 3rd market. This new Flight on-line store will be a well received addition for the masses.

Perhaps :)If the Market is well planned - definitely!It's funny I've always said the "majority of FSX/Flight users" are already aware of add-ons.The problem is they don't care :biggrin:A live market will make add-ons more top of mind though...and on a trusted site.So I do think we'll see marked increase, but not as much as has been implied in the forums.

Once Flight is released is it not likely the Microsoft will stop producing FSX in the same way it stopped producing all the previous versions? I imagine the FS9 sales are now of "surplus stock" and when they're sold there will be no more.

Once Flight is released is it not likely the Microsoft will stop producing FSX in the same way it stopped producing all the previous versions? I imagine the FS9 sales are now of "surplus stock" and when they're sold there will be no more.

Don't know about that; I bought FS2002 for the first time in late 2007 early 2008, and saw it in the bargin software section in stores for awhile after that. Was all of that "surplus stock"? You would think they would simply destroy such surplus stock rather than have it compete with sales of FS2004 and FSX.-James

Once Flight is released is it not likely the Microsoft will stop producing FSX in the same way it stopped producing all the previous versions? I imagine the FS9 sales are now of "surplus stock" and when they're sold there will be no more.

IMO, FS9 posed a threat to FSX if people didn’t migrate forward.It was a small number in the scheme of things…FSX did get fully adopted in the end.But I think we saw enough reaction to anticipate the possibilities.So it’s much the same with Flight.It’s very unlikely, but if Flight had terms that advanced users couldn’t accept they wouldn’t migrate.If advanced users are using FSX instead of Flight it stays the go-to sim...and Flight suffers.New users want to follow advanced users.It’s not a disaster but, I’m pretty sure FS designers will make every effort to play the cards in their favor.So in every way practical using Flight will be an improvement on FSX.And it should include add-ons MS may not want to sell themselves.That’s all pretty hypothetical…I haven’t read a thing about what a Live store would actually be like :(

MS just folded Games for Windows into Xbox.com, so I guess we'll find the Flight marketplace in there.http://kotaku.com/5820234/microsoft-this-isnt-helping-win-pc-gamers-over

I'm guessing it will be intergrated into Flight itself, no need to go to Xbox.com... The Games for Windows Marketplace is a joke as a stand alone product, the game selection is so incredibly poor it's hard to believe it's run by such a large company and what few games are actually there are twice the price I would pay on Steam. I'm not surprised they are merging the two.

MS just folded Games for Windows into Xbox.com, so I guess we'll find the Flight marketplace in there.http://kotaku.com/5820234/microsoft-this-isnt-helping-win-pc-gamers-over

Thats a bad move. Jeesh. PC gaming is becoming a niche in and by itself.

sorry..double posts.

I'm guessing it will be intergrated into Flight itself, no need to go to Xbox.com... The Games for Windows Marketplace is a joke as a stand alone product, the game selection is so incredibly poor it's hard to believe it's run by such a large company and what few games are actually there are twice the price I would pay on Steam. I'm not surprised they are merging the two.

I doubt MS will integrate a credit card payment facility within Flight, I think we will have to deal with MS points.

I'd imagine a points system as well or it could be a lot like steam that intergrates a web browser into the UI. PC gaming isn't niche, it's just consoles are more profitable but then so are dumbed down flashy FPS, the trend to program for profit produces games I don't care to play anyway, so what platform they are on becomes irrelivent. There are still some great games being made within the piles of generic copies, luckily they are either PC or ports.

I think we will have to deal with MS points.

What you meant to say is "I think MS thinks we will have to deal with MS points". And if they think that they would be wrong. If Flight makes it compulsory for me to connect to any MS service I will simply not buy it. I suspect most here would echo my views in this regard.