Microsoft has never offered any form of 'certification' for free. Since Microsoft has been more 'restrictive' in what can/can't exist in Windows... and FSX... I'm expecting it to become even more restrictive. FSX almost came out with no C++ module support at all and there was even internal discussion regarding removal of C gauges as well. There's nothing 'free' on XBox Live as you have to pay to access it to begin with. So, even if one were to provide 'free' content on XBox Live... someone would have to pay a subscription to Microsoft to gain access to it. Games for Windows Live is the 'replacement/merge' of XBox Live and Games for Windows. Maybe that might give you enough information to gleen where this is all going?

Ed it's a reasonable deduction about Flight and the XBox Live model.Still I don't see it unfolding that way myself...Xbox being a console platform that must to be tightly controlled.While we have PC software platforms like Unreal and Prepar3d that are actually lowering the bar to entry.I'm not trying to change your mind ;)I'm just saying it's not a given that third party development on Flight will be as tightly controlled as a console.The reasons behind it are very different and not simply about license fees.For Flight it would defeat the purpose of the SDK. C++ support is unrelated...the only reason it is still there is to support and protect third party devs.Otherwise it would all be (WPF style) XML...with its limitations.

C++ support is unrelated...the only reason it is still there is to support and protect devs like yourself.Otherwise it would all be (WPF style) XML...with its limitations.

There were plans to eliminate both XML and C support in FSvNext, and to replace both with Lua... ...who knows, the new "Flight" dev team might be doing the same... :)

Thanks Fr. Bill, I didn't know that about Lua.I like XML but IMO I'd like to see something more powerful, yet more accessible than C++.We need things like strings, lists, loops, and file options.My thought was Python, but i'm not familiar enough with pro and cons of the choices...it's just friendly and powerful.Lua script was used extensively on games I've worked on - it's highly regarded in gaming and fast (AFAIK) .I'd think an association to FSvNext would make Lua extremely likely to be in Flight.

Danny, once ACES mentioned Lua, Pete D. was all over it like stink on a skunk. Lua is free, accessible, and enough "C like" to be comfortable to use.

and just as unprotectable as XML!!!

Can Lua be complied to protect it?It's intended for a C or C++ compiler.But I don't understand if that's how it would likely be used in an application like FS.It would be nice to have the option.

A grave disturbance in the Flight Simulator add-on development world I see...