If FLIGHT becomes a failure how will investing in DLC affect buyers?

[ErnieAlston 33]

Ernie, if the Maule is $15, wouldn't you agree that the Vans RV6 would be worth about the same (given that they are equivalent in terms of functionality, modeling and gauges (both are mostly "steam" driven).If that premise is valid, then the actual cost of the remaining Hawaiian Islands is $5.00, not $20...

If this were true, then wouldn't the title of the adventure pack would be the Vans RV6, and the Hawaiian Islands would be listed as one of packs features instead of the other way around ?Regards.Ernie.

[Rush1169 0]

Those States are just as interesting and have far more details to model, than Hawaii would. If Hawaii garners$20, wouldn't it be fair to say California would garner $100 easy ?Now looking at every State in the U.S. comparing, size, details, and popularity and local hometown interest to Hawaii, probably as many U.S. states(as regions) with garner a price above $20 as would below it.

On second thought - you are absolutely right. If MS models the entire US and all it's major airports and cities to the level I assume can be found in the Hawaii package, then yeah, $1,000 sounds about right - pretty much what it would cost to do that in FSX. . .

[n4gix 4,947]

If this were true, then wouldn't the title of the adventure pack would be the Vans RV6, and the Hawaiian Islands would be listed as one of packs features instead of the other way around ?

I'm only stating a fact to consider, Ernie. Who knows why MSGS have made some of their rather bizzare and inconsistent decisions? It's almost as though there are three or maybe even more groups there who don't coordinate well! If they've got any sort of well-developed strategy it's most certainly not at all evident in the disparity of their PR statements and what's been seen by the beta testers...There's a strange irony that "we beta bretheren" only found out about the end of beta and the release date some eighteen HOURS after the rest of the world knew!

[ErnieAlston 33]

I'm only stating a fact to consider, Ernie. Who knows why MSGS have made some of their rather bizzare and inconsistent decisions? It's almost as though there are three or maybe even more groups there who don't coordinate well! If they've got any sort of well-developed strategy it's most certainly not at all evident in the disparity of their PR statements and what's been seen by the beta testers...

I can't disagree with your point here.Regards.Ernie.

[Arwen 289]

Ernie, if the Maule is $15, wouldn't you agree that the Vans RV6 would be worth about the same (given that they are equivalent in terms of functionality, modeling and gauges (both are mostly "steam" driven).If that premise is valid, then the actual cost of the remaining Hawaiian Islands is $5.00, not $20...

The RV-6A is just as good as the Maule ... except for the fact that the Maule is a bit more of an aircraft (as in larger). Personally I prefer the RV over the Maule.But I view the Hawaiian Adventure Pack as a package deal, where the scenery alone might be worth $12.50 (1000 points) and the RV alone might also be worth $12.50. So you're saving $5 on the package (400 points).This seems a little more realistic to me. But I still have no clue what MS might be expecting to get for a large region, like the state of California.

[N738NM 0]

It all comes down to 2 questions:1. Will a SDK ever be made public?2. How open or closed is the Flight programming code?

Jim: + 1

There's a strange irony that "we beta bretheren" only found out about the end of beta and the release date some eighteen HOURS after the rest of the world knew!

Oooops. Uh, to quote my students, "Fail, Epic Fail."

[ViperPilot 81]

I'm only stating a fact to consider, Ernie. Who knows why MSGS have made some of their rather bizzare and inconsistent decisions? It's almost as though there are three or maybe even more groups there who don't coordinate well! If they've got any sort of well-developed strategy it's most certainly not at all evident in the disparity of their PR statements and what's been seen by the beta testers...There's a strange irony that "we beta bretheren" only found out about the end of beta and the release date some eighteen HOURS after the rest of the world knew!

Bill, you're probably very right in your assessment; Upper Management, Marketing and quite possibly MS Live are all watching every move the Flight team makes, consideringthe backlash of negative comments from so many outside sources (Facebook, YouTube, etc.). It's no wonder that the press and sound bites seem so... polished.Almost like someone other than the Flight team is writing all of the copy!Just my miniscule opinion...Alan

[RYR738 9]

The RV-6A is just as good as the Maule ... except for the fact that the Maule is a bit more of an aircraft (as in larger). Personally I prefer the RV over the Maule.But I view the Hawaiian Adventure Pack as a package deal, where the scenery alone might be worth $12.50 (1000 points) and the RV alone might also be worth $12.50. So you're saving $5 on the package (400 points).This seems a little more realistic to me. But I still have no clue what MS might be expecting to get for a large region, like the state of California.

I think 20 dollars for what you are actually getting is a very reasonable price.Taking into account that the base pack with 2 planes (Icon-A5 & Boeing Stearman) and the one large island is Free. It is the most stable platform I have ever used.The terrain is very impressive and the feeling of actually being airborne is nice.( I have never felt that in FS9/FSX )The level of detail in everything is first class. The sound is worth a mention here because it is the best I have heard in any flight simulation to date.Sloped runways are also worth a mention here because this is quite unique to Flight and adds a type of realism I have not seen before.Add your other islands and the RV-6 for 20 dollars and you have lots of flying to do and about 35 airports to land at.I have already clocked up over 60 hours on this and will certainly be buying it when it's released.If all of this is not worth at least a look.....then tell me what is ?Fred. Edited February 8, 2012 by RYR738

[AlphaInfinity 13]

I think 20 dollars for what you are actually getting is a very reasonable price.Taking into account that the base pack with 2 planes (Icon-A5 & Boeing Stearman) and the one large island is Free. It is the most stable platform I have ever used.The terrain is very impressive and the feeling of actually being airborne is nice.( I have never felt that in FS9/FSX )The level of detail in everything is first class. The sound is worth a mention here because it is the best I have heard in any flight simulation to date.Sloped runways are also worth a mention here because this is quite unique to Flight and adds a type of realism I have not seen before.Add your other islands and the RV-6 for 20 dollars and you have lots of flying to do and about 35 airports to land at.I have already clocked up over 60 hours on this and will certainly be buying it when it's released.If all of this is not worth at least a look.....then tell me what is ?Fred.

If i were part of the flight beta, i would imagine ms would have wanted me to sign some kind of NDA...........

[RYR738 9]

If i were part of the flight beta, i would imagine ms would have wanted me to sign some kind of NDA...........

Yawn !!!! Edited February 8, 2012 by RYR738

[ViperPilot 81]

If i were part of the flight beta, i would imagine ms would have wanted me to sign some kind of NDA...........

And I surmise, based on the increasingly detailed comments some have been making in the Forums the past few days, that somewant to 'spill the beans' so badly that they're close to having an accident!If Flight becomes a failure, how will investing in DLC affect buyers? I would think that unless they have another title from the WinLive Store,then the MS samolians would be worthless. Of course, there's always eBay or Craigslist as an outlet for selling them.

[japascoe 98]

Nonesense.The economic model of Flight is clear.The initial version is 'free', as a 'carrot' for people to become attracted to it and then 'pay' for the DLCto add to it for years afterwards.

And for that economic model to work the DLC, or at least the early DLC, will have to pay-off the development costs for the base package and not just of the DLC itself. Hence Rush's comment about part of the DLC paying for the base package.I guess we will have to wait and see what the scenery quality is before commenting on the pricing. If I look at the price of say Orbx regions, or single FSDT airports, $20 for a plane and all the Hawaiian islands doesn't sound that bad, but it's definiately not a viable means of getting the entire world. I think Flight will cater towards GA flying in a number of 'small' detailed areas but not to long haul airliner style, unless MS releases a 'fly-over' scenery pack.Anyone here play the Railworks Train Simulator 2012? I don't but from what I see on Steam they sell 1 or 2 trains plus a new route (i.e. scenery area) for €30,-. Maybe that's where MS looked for their pricing strategy. (And with the Christmas discount of the base program to €3,- there are even more parallells).

[ErnieAlston 33]

And for that economic model to work the DLC, or at least the early DLC, will have to pay-off the development costs for the base package and not just of the DLC itself. Hence Rush's comment about part of the DLC paying for the base package.

It's also paying some managers bonus, or to grease some polititian to get a favorable bill passed, or todevelop next version of Windows, or Office. What the manufacturer/Developer does with the income from the product's sales is their business.Again the point is what 'product' are 'you' the customer paying for ?It's not Flight because Flight is Free download.Regards.Ernie.

[simmerhead 885]

Anyone here play the Railworks Train Simulator 2012? I don't but from what I see on Steam they sell 1 or 2 trains plus a new route (i.e. scenery area) for €30,-. Maybe that's where MS looked for their pricing strategy. (And with the Christmas discount of the base program to €3,- there are even more parallells).

The difference being of course that trains are tied to the rails anyway. Flying is about the freedom to go anywhere you want with no restrictions. The essence of FLIGHT is freedom.

[Arwen 289]

And I surmise, based on the increasingly detailed comments some have been making in the Forums the past few days, that somewant to 'spill the beans' so badly that they're close to having an accident!

I've had to bite my tongue all week here. Plus a LOT of us beta "testers" are pretty annoyed at MS right now, as it is now obvious that they have not been straight with us, in what our purpose was in "testing" Flight.A NDA is a contract. And a contract is broken if either party fails to hold up their end of it. In my opinion, MS broke my NDA, so technically I am no longer bound by it. But I will still mostly honor it, out of respect for the Flight Team.