It's my timid question yet I'm curious... I ain't no expert in marketing thingy or such and it is not my business to dig developers policy in marketing (and so are you non developers) but we pay for their products, thus little knowledge on this won't harm them. I wonder Is creating a product that compatible for FSX or FS9 only costs less than working on dual compatibility pack (FSX/FS9)?

 

I'm aware (aren't we all?) that PMDG has stated their disappointment with Douglas 11 selling. I don't know if other developers which released "combo" products had the same "failure" but the case may slightly differ, I'm not really sure but I think iFLy is fairly satisfied with their "fsx-fs9" NG selling, and perhaps LVL-D too? Is it really discouraging for them to release a product that also compatible for fs9? I bet it costs more but they may earn more.

 

Why afraid taking risks? MD11s nowadays are not popular except for cargo operators, it could be the culprit why it doesn't sell :), but I swear the story may be a lot different with T7, and 757, and 320 :) . A bit of reminisce, most big developers grew up with us fs9ers until they are able to survive, even more. They learn from time to time, as we all simmers do. Maybe they don't notice but a lot of us still there, just like 7-8 years ago. :)

 

It is always a good thing to move on and heading to perfection, as also a good thing to accept what is hard to accept especially those who are not ready to make a major change, no one has rights to judge right or wrong since people have their own reasons not to catch up with changes.. some of us are not ready and some are just reluctant. Or not..?

 

 

Have a nice weekend everyone

 

Regards

Aerosoft often state that FS9 has too many limitations regarding the amount of polygons that can be used in an aircraft model. To make an addon for both FS9/FSX you would either have to do two models or make an FS9 model that also runs in FSX (and therefore not taking advantage of FSX's additional capabilities).

 

Also, the SimConnect API is only available in FSX, so an FS9/FSX addon cannot take advantage of that.

 

I guess it's different with sceneries, which may be the reason why most addons released for FS9 to date are sceneries.

 

But the number of people still using FS9 (and buying addons) isn't so large. When PMDG declared that they wouldn't make the NGX for FS9, someone started a petition to convince PMDG that they should continue to develop for FS9. The petition is here: http://www.petitiono...9/petition.html

Roughly 800 people signed it, so I guess PMDG's decision was right.

I wonder Is creating a product that compatible for FSX or FS9 only costs less than working on dual compatibility pack?

 

It is always cheaper to produce for one platform only. It is the (improssible to fulfil, lol) dream of each developer to have all simmers united under just one simulator.

So some (fortunately not all) developers make a calculation and seeing more customers from FSX decide to cut off the FS9 development. Especially with aircraft. I do understand it. Business is business. Clear.

 

But the number of people still using FS9 (and buying addons) isn't so large

 

It actually is large. But the problem is much deeper and more complex. For the reasons you yourself explained very well, most (though not all!) aircraft addons now are made for FSX only.

 

Since the main advantage of FSX over FS9 (please let me express my personal opinion) is the texture resolution, most VFR sceneries, like those by Orbx, are also made for FSX only.

They would not look good enough in FS9, so I am not surprised with these developers' choice.

Since the ground looks definitely better in FSX, almost all VFR/GA flyers moved to FSX leaving FS9 with mostly IFR heavy-metallers. If I were a low-and-slow type pilot, I guess I would move to FSX too.

I don't intend to make anyone angry and say FS9 is better for heavy metal, but it is just not worse, again not for everybody, but surely for many.

With small home cockpits, tones of collected addons, gorgeous tools, current airrac, live weather, great clouds, 100% traffic and still excellent airliners, flying FS9 is still and will long remain a great experience.

 

Coming back to addon sales. If you take aerodromes into consideration, here the situation is clearly different than with VFR sceneries/airfields and aircraft.

There are a lot of customers for FS9 airports, which is not only my opinion. Let me qutoe Mathijs Kok from Aerosoft (posted just yesterday!):

 

For airport scenery F2004 is very much alive!

 

As far as I know, most of the awaited airports to come this year are going to be released for FS9 too.

Which makes me very happy and I hope our FSX friends don't mind since they will get most of them too plus much more!

 

FS9ers + FSXers = world's best friendly fellowship sharing the same passion!