2012 - The volume of FS9 daily downloads still amazes.

[Dillon 2,201]

I was looking at the daily downloads today on Avsim's main page and it's astounding the volume of freeware still being released for FS9 versus FSX. FSX has hit prime time with hardware (nowhere to go but up) yet it seems developing for FS9 is still more attractive. I would imagine many like myself don't have the time nor money for a full upgrade to FSX and thus we stick with FS9 which is a great sim within itself. I wonder after all this time is it still easier to develop freeware for FS9 versus FSX. This is all really telling as Flight is around the corner. With no real incentive for all of us to move forward as Flight is all but crap it seems many will be sticking with what they have (FSX or FS9). You can forget about a Flight download section unless thinking in Redmond takes a drastic turn. FS9 is here to stay and the FSX community is growing. I'm just amazing that in January of 2012 when FS9 was predicted to be dead we still have the volume of freeware and sim usage I'm seeing today. Who would have thought with a new version of the sim on the horizon (o.k. I know that's below the belt) and FSX the current standard that underground development of FS9 is still alive and well more so than it is with FSX. This and iFly's 737 flies in the face of everything you hear outright. I would think after six years on the market and in some arenas being call a legacy sim you'd see more FSX development in all sectors of the community than what really being produced (and I'm not just saying this, I'm serious). It's almost like unless you have a development house with resources making things for FSX is out of the question. FS9 is far more accessible to the enthusiast/small time/just starting out contributer than FSX. To add to that there seems to be more of us that use FS9 than I guess we all would be lead to believe (just like this community is more relevant to Microsoft in the Flying Sim/Game arena than some would lead you to believe). Go figure... :(

[psolk 3,077]

i am not surprised at all. Just look at MSTS released in 2001 for example... You have had MSTS2, RailSimulator, Railworks, RS2012, all of which were/are far superior but there are still a very high number of MSTS downloads as well as payware developments around MSTS to this day...To that extent, FSX "can be" far superior. IMHO there is still a ways to go before it has the big iron fluidity of FS9 at major hubs with high levels of AI but there is no denying the ground textures, moving traffic, round world, surround sound, and what developers like PMDG have done with the NGX (and my knees quiver thinking about their 777) blows away FS9. (and I am an FS9 bigot!)But there will always be those that for one reason or another prefer an earlier sim. Investment made, add-ons, hw etc...So not surprised at all... I do not follow your logic of FS9 being easier to develop for OR a lack of FSX add-ons though? i also don't know what "underground" development refers to, as far as I know FS development is pretty out in the open. Also, I must have missed the memo that January 2012 was the end of life for FS9? Unless you have a development house developing for FSX is out of the question? Where are you getting this from? A lot of rambling in that post of yours Dillon...I say fly what you prefer, leverage both if possible, respect other's choice to fly what they prefer and leave it at thatAh, now to get some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the fun this thread will bring...

Edited January 29, 2012 by psolk

[Arnaud 0]

hi Dillon,It's not that developing for fs9 is easier than FSX, it's more that most freeware devs never stepped to FSX, mostly due to its loosy performance.... I think it's not exagerated to say that if PMDG for instance had not stepped to FSX only, FSX would have been the commercial failure as it deserve to be. I too think fs9 still has a long live ahead. :( ...

[Sam Nicholson 0]

Try being the one processing all of those (Around 60?) files It certainly kept me at my laptop :( Nothing better than watching The Rock whilst processing files :smile:Fs2004 IMHO is gonna live forever - I just read up that QualityWings is into Beta testing with their Avro series... and guess which Flight Simulator it's being developed for! :( I suppose that if Flight is a bigger failure as we predict, everyone'll go back to doing both Fs2004 AND FSX (within a longer development period).I'm going to team with psolk, i'm gonna fetch some popcorn and a First Aid kit. This thread might get nasty :(

[vector 7]

Well, I am staying with FS9 as it is a very good simulator. Also, I've invested a huge amount of money in it over the years including, within the last two weeks, an Intel i5 machine as well as a high end nVidia card so that I can run FS9 even better and try some addon a/c that were just a bit too much for my previous rig.As for comparing FS9 with FSX and speculating about the forthcoming Flight all I can say is "live and let live" and "each to his own". They each have/will have their good points and their bad points which have to be lived with but the main thing is to enjoy whichever package you choose to fly.David

[Jim Robinson 122]

Since all the WOAI packages are listed under FS2004 but work in FSX as well, and since the hot downloads page consists of mainly AI packages, it would seem to me that the suggestion that more development is taking place for FS9 than FSX is flawed, but of course that's just my opinion... :)Jim

[Appliance 51]

One impression I have is of the decreasing patronage of this forum (FS9), certainly in the last six months.I, too, am happy to stick with FS9 and continue to invest in it. As vector mentioned above the past few weeks have been a golden time of payware releases for our sim of choice.One disadvantage of longeity, unfortunately, is that old stalwarts and friends such as Leon Louis and 'Opa' Marshall are lost to the community.To paraphrase ... FS9 is dead, Long Live FS9. :(

[Sam Nicholson 0]

Since all the WOAI packages are listed under FS2004 but work in FSX

Sorry to be picky but the recent boom in AI uploads was for the newly released AI Malcontent model :(*hides behind pillow* :(

[Jim Robinson 122]

...the recent boom in AI uploads was for the newly released AI Malcontent model

Yeah, but again, how many of those downloads were for use in FSX though? I guess technically the model was probably developed for FS9, but what I mean is this: on any given day you generally see a lot more light blue on the hot downloads page than dark blue (FSX). At first glance it makes it look like everything is for FS9, but if you look at the files the list is usually 75% WOAI packages listed for FS9 which I'm sure are actually downloaded for use in both sims.I'm not anti-FS9, I love the ole girl, I'm just saying the file list isn't a good indicator of what's being developed for which sim is all.Jim

[Sam Nicholson 0]

@Jim,Wasn't really adding to the topic with the comment I made there :( but I completely agree with what you're saying - FS9 is very forward compatible with FS9 and there has been countless occasions where Ive had to add uploads to the FS9 category from FSX category just so people know it'll work in both.I also have nothing against either - I own both copies but FSX runs extremely poorly on my system.... For now

[Dillon 2,201]

So not surprised at all... I do not follow your logic of FS9 being easier to develop for OR a lack of FSX add-ons though? i also don't know what "underground" development refers to, as far as I know FS development is pretty out in the open. Also, I must have missed the memo that January 2012 was the end of life for FS9? Unless you have a development house developing for FSX is out of the question? Where are you getting this from? A lot of rambling in that post of yours Dillon...I say fly what you prefer, leverage both if possible, respect other's choice to fly what they prefer and leave it at thatAh, now to get some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the fun this thread will bring...

C'mon man...First off GMAX was a free bundle with FS9 and was the mainstay development tool for that version of Flight Simulator. As I don't build aircraft I'm not sure if the full blown version of GMAX was included in the FS9 tin can but it was the standard tool. Second when FSX came out there was talk in the community of that FSX required a different tool for aircraft development, GMAX wasn't cutting it. The old way of doing things wasn't producing the performance needed from add-ons in FSX (FS9 stuff didn't cross over well). I remember Bill Leaming talking about how expensive the new tools were to do things right in FSX but that's where Microsoft was going. I don't remember all the details as I stuck with FS9 so I wasn't following add-on development for FSX closely. Now that we have FSDS maybe things are different. Just the same it became more problematic for add-on developers to produce aircraft for both FS9 and FSX meaning many since chose the latter to move forward with. We no longer for the most part see aircraft produced for both versions of Flight Simulator. I don't know all the details with the differences in aircraft development between the two sims but an FSX title is usually exclusive to FSX unless we're talking scenery. When it comes to scenery there was an issue with the round Earth which has since been resolved. Scenery is pretty straight forward between the two sims which is why many Aerosoft and FSDT sceneries are offered for the two simulators. You see far more of this in the scenery add-ons arena versus with aircraft. From what I do know there are many more features/options in FSX development than FS9 development making the very nature of developing for FSX a little more involved. Most FSX titles go that extra mile like what Caranado is producing now versus their FS9 work. So yes you do have to know a little more if your going to make a decent FSX title versus what you can accomplish in FS9. 'Underground Development' is just a term I used for no particular reason reffering to freeware developers with no allegiance to any development house and/or company. People who do quality work for the love of the hobby. People like Shez, Colin Lowe, Milton Shupe, and the many freeware scenery/aircraft developers out there to name a few. This term was not meant to be dissected and scrutinized to the fullest extent of virtual scrutinizum... This one is really crazy but I'll address it, "I must have missed the memo that January 2012 was the end of life for FS9?". Again C'mon man, FS9 was supposed to be done in many FSX simmers eyes in 2007. When that didn't happen it was 2008, when that didn't happen surely FS9 would die in 2009, people mostly gave up talking about it in 2010/11, I could go on and on. We all know that many in this community swore FS9 was not going to last. That's all I was saying that even in 2012 FS9 is still hanging on better yet thriving. You act like you never heard this before...Last but not least from what I've seen most freeware developers seem to start off with FS9 development and then move forward to FSX. The major players are doing more with FSX than the freeware guys. You can argue with things like WOAI that can work in both sims but when it comes to free aircraft with virtual cockpits and scenery most quality free stuff is still done for FS9 not FSX. You tell me why that is... :( Edited January 30, 2012 by Dillon

[psolk 3,077]

That's all I was saying that even in 2012 FS9 is still hanging on. You act like you never heard this before...Last but not least from what I've seen most freeware developers seem to start off with FS9 development and then move forward to FSX. The major players are doing more with FSX than the freeware guys. You can argue with things like WOAI that can work in both sims but when it comes to free aircraft with virtual cockpits and scenery most free stuff is done for FS9 not FSX. You tell me why that is... :(

Actually, you said it best yourself... The frustration in my post was because of this line in your post

You act like you never heard this before...

To that point I have heard this all a million times and I am an fs9 guy first and foremost.

You tell me why that is...

having to beat the same dead horse again is just ridiculous, not interested...

[Dillon 2,201]

Actually, you said it best yourself... The frustration in my post was because of this line in your postTo that point I have heard this all a million times and I am an fs9 guy first and foremost. having to beat the same dead horse again is just ridiculous, not interested...

I got it and respect you don't care to repeat something that's been discussed. My question is why bother even posting a comment if you have nothing better to say? Instead of making this one point why say what you said above that to me made absolutely no since? Edited January 30, 2012 by Dillon

[ZachLW 37]

I'm thinking about installing FS9 back on my system, as it hasn't been touched in 2 years. Mainly to play with my old Dreamfleet 727. Nah, just playing, I'm never coming back to this dinosaur.This is meant to poke fun at Dillon. Let the fun begin. (Sorry Dillon, it's been a while)

Edited January 30, 2012 by ZachLW

[Dillon 2,201]

I'm thinking about installing FS9 back on my system, as it hasn't been touched in 2 years. Mainly to play with my old Dreamfleet 727. Nah, just playing, I'm never coming back to this dinosaur.This is meant to poke fun at Dillon. Let the fun begin. (Sorry Dillon, it's been a while)

It has been awhile... :( Edited January 30, 2012 by Dillon