Thee makers of FSX should be embarassed for not adding all of this in the first place.

[Lowflyer 97]

Flying - $100+ per hour

just $100? You lucky b...

 

Oh wait, you forgot to include drink there. ;)

[NikkiA 7]

Yes, one addon aircraft may cost as much as two other entire games, but the amount of development that went into those addon aircraft is probably twice what went into the other full games so fair is fair.

 

While I agree with your overall argument, this part is not even remotely accurate, a modern commercial game will on average have about a hundred man years (average is about 2-3 years of development time, with a team of about 50-60) of time sunk into it and a budget around the $50 million mark, a high end add-on aircraft will be lucky to have one tenth of that time put into it.

 

Of course, the market space for addon aircraft is much smaller, and thus there isn't really the same financing available from the publishers, so it's actually natural that the add-on would cost more than a commercial game, despite taking less overall time. If there were millions of potential sales for each addon aircraft then the market would be very different.

[mikea76 184]

If you have any addons or hardware it can be expensive.

Each Airport is $40.

GSX $40

planes are outrageously over $80 but are worth it.

Sound addons, camera addons, atc addons, area addons... etc..

plus yokes and throttles and that kind of stuff can be hundreds or even thousands of dollars for some.

 

so yeah its quite a pricey hobby lol.

but i mean if you are just playing default fsx its not expensive.

If you have thousands of dollars to spend (which I dont) then its not expensive to you i suppose.

Im not a millionaire here lol.

 

It adds up.

 

I used to drag race as a hobby. Just traveling to and from the track was 200-300 in fuel. On the worst days when the car broke one afternoon could cost more than the entire amount I have spent on FS.

[CryogenicPilot 1]

Cost is relative:

 

It's an expensive hobby if you do it right e.g. invest in complex aircraft & scenery addons, quality peripherals like yoke, pedals, throttles, mcp, etc. This also includes investing in high-end PC hardware like the majority of flight simmers and hardcore PC gamers have to run the sim at acceptable levels, too.

 

If you just use default FSX with a cheap joystick, or even mouse & keyboard on an average spec PC... No, this is not a very expensive "game" since that is all it is at that point.

[duckbilled 310]

Even if FSX was released fully loaded, we would still be finding ways to modify it. At what point could anyone consider it done? I have flown a full motion 717 simulator and I assure you, the outside world in FSX is far more detailed than it was in that simulator. And BTW, I flew that sim in 2003 at a Boeing training facility.

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

Or you could try motor sports as a hobby like racing cars or motorcycles, thats way more expensive than simming.

 

I used to drag race as a hobby. Just traveling to and from the track was 200-300 in fuel. On the worst days when the car broke one afternoon could cost more than the entire amount I have spent on FS.

 

I would have to agree with those statements. I used to race superbikes as a hobby and between the travel costs (hotel, gas, food), tires and crew for the race, I would easily spend $2500 each weekend, so buying a rig for FSX and a load of addons over the course of a few years is a relatively cheap hobby.

 

Plus other more regular hobbies mentioned like golfing, skiing and things of that nature can easily cost you $100 per outing. Not to mention renting a C152 these days can cost you $90 to $110 an hour.

 

I suppose its all relative though, especially if your a teen or young twenty something who is in college or just graduated and is just starting out on your own. In that case the cost of a descent FSX rig and a few addons can feel like your breaking the bank when your just struggling to get by and build some savings.

[zfehr 1]

Even factoring in the cost of the PFC hardware, FAA approved version of xPlane v9 (and v8), and numerous add ons this is one of the least expensive hobbies over the long haul. I can't name another hobby in which I have enjoyed so many years and over 6,000 hours logged (after MSFS started logging). The cost per hour is a fraction of what I pay when I play golf, when I autocross or race, boating, sand buggies, motorcycles, skiing. Once purchased for the sim you basically have no limits on how many times or how long you use them so if you enjoy them and use them a lot their cost is pennies or less for the enjoyment received. Cost is relative for everyone but this is the cheapest hobby I'm involved in.

[trimwheel 5]

I have a few other "hobbies" that cost more that FSimming!!

 

Flying - $100+ per hour

 

Golf - $50-$200 a pop depending how much I drink....

 

Boating - $20-$200+ depending on how far I go and how much I drink...

 

Camping - $50+ depending on where I go and how much I drink...

 

OK OK...it seems like my hobby is drinking :LMAO:

 

Seriously, though, Flight Simming is cheap as a hobby!

 

YOU and I could hang out anytime >>>>LOL

 

cheers !

[BartEnder 2]

FSX as a game is not expensive (PC, one monitor and a mouse).

FSX as a simulator can be expensive - I have counted few days ago funds spent for FSX since last 24 months, and I have to work for this in my main job for 7 months. Fortunately, my wife is aware of ~30% of bucks spent. Hardware is the most expensive part of the hobby (PC, its peripherals and decent controllers). But we have fuel for free, no landing fee, and our planes are much cheaper than their real counterparts. P-51D in ideal shape for less than 100 USD? No way!

Few thousand dollars spent on outdoor hobby leaves You only with memories, in FSX You can sell the hardware (or software if EULA permits) still preserving the memories and some of the funds spent.

 

Answering the question 'expensive or not' I would call it the most expensive PC gaming branch.

[greengriffon 51]

If you find your hobby is too expensive, perhaps it's time to find a new hobby. Or, try exercising some willpower to make it more affordable for you.

 

Nobody puts a gun to your head to constantly buy that latest addon.

[Tabs 2,790]

I have well in excess of $30,000 invested in musical equipment and recording gear - simming is not expensive by comparison to a lot of other hobbies.

[duckbilled 310]

FSX is my only hobby and it is the only hobby I have had as an adult. I don't think it is terribly expensive considering that you don't have to buy every add on our there. To golf, you must pay greens fees and you must buy clubs. For FSX, you do need a computer but most need a computer anyway (of course, you need a better one for FSX...)

 

I'd estimate that FS has cost me about $13,000 over the past 12 years - 65% hardware and 35% software.

[GHD 21]

I would love if they came out with a game that included all of the must have addons in the full project.

 

They did and it is free :Nail Biting:

 

FLIGHT :LMAO:

[AlphaInfinity 13]

This is a pretty cheap hobby in comparison to my other love:

 

[aljones 15]

Nobody puts a gun to your head to constantly buy that latest addon.

 

But I like it ! :Thinking:

 

The addon, not the gun :LMAO: