How big (or small) is the flight simming community worldwide?

[FSMP 95]

With reference to the Universe, and the Big Bang Theory :-

 

According to Sheldon Cooper,

the number of retail Flight Simulation copies sold, F( r ),

and the number of Pilots using the retail version P( r ),

is more accurately given by the equations:

 

[RickB1293 9]

Statistics: That branch of scientific inquiry where one draws a mathematically precise line from an unwarranted assumption to a forgone conclusion.

[HighTowers 1,434]

 

Of course the added benefit is that as it would take many years to distribute flight sim that far, by the time it arrived, their PC's would be fast enough to run it

 

 

:lol::lol:

By then we might just get an avg of 60 fps.

 

 

 

[Gazzareth 808]

Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Total as of 08th Dec 2012 (units): 0.11m

Ref: http://www.vgchartz.com/game/14689/microsoft-flight-simulator-x/

 

----------------------------

 

Rough assumption: Retail Price $60 with 50% retailer markup = $30 / copy.

 

$30 * 0.11M = $3.3 Million

 

Wow. No wonder they closed it down !!

($3.3 Million, 100 people over 4 years = $8.3K / year per person)

 

====================

 

By Comparison: Microsoft Flight Simulator 31st October 1996

5.12 Million Units

 

Ref: http://www.vgchartz....ight-simulator/

 

That is just a guess by them though, more accurate than anyones here ?? Probably not.

 

Personally, I would suspect it is way more than that - not enough to set the world alight (or we would be seeing new versions).

 

G

[RickB1293 9]

According to Sheldon Cooper, the number of "Retail" Flight Simulation copies sold, F( r ) is more accurately given by the equation:

 

 

Jeez Geoff - Are you sure?

[simmerhead 885]

I would consider it more likely that Microsoft will release FS11 than Lockheed Martin ever entering the consumer/entertainment market with Prepar3D.

 

Microsoft, who know the numbers better than anyone, obviously found the market unattractive when they axed ACES who were in the midst of developing of FS11 and ESP 2.0.

[HighTowers 1,434]

I would consider it more likely that Microsoft will release FS11 than Lockheed Martin ever entering the consumer/entertainment market with Prepar3D.

 

Microsoft, who know the numbers better than anyone, obviously found the market unattractive when they axed ACES who were in the midst of developing of FS11 and ESP 2.0.

 

It was my understanding and i read somewhere that some of the ACES team programmers are now working for Prepar3d. They know the code better than anyone else and now have an aviation powerhouse thats pretty commited to that platform.

They already entered the consumer market by making it available for $50. Educational from kids onwards is consumer. Thats definitly not corporate.

If they didnt want that, they would of kept it out of reach for most people and there would probably be a much smaller p3d forum on here. There would also be barely any addon devs supporting p3d.

The word "entertainment" has to be dropped from license agreements. Even real world pilots are entertained from the goings on of everyday flying. Something wacky always goes on be it the flight deck, the cabin, a bird hitting an engine, at the airport terminal,or talking with ATC. You dont go into a real life simulator to be entertained as well as a learning experience?

[simmerhead 885]

It was my understanding and i read somewhere that some of the ACES team programmers are now working for Prepar3d. They know the code better than anyone else and now have an aviation powerhouse thats pretty commited to that platform.

They already entered the consumer market by making it available for $50. Educational from kids onwards is consumer. Thats definitly not corporate.

If they didnt want that, they would of kept it out of reach for most people and there would probably be a much smaller p3d forum on here. There would also be barely any addon devs supporting p3d.

The word "entertainment" has to be dropped from license agreements. Even real world pilots are entertained from the goings on of everyday flying. Something wacky always goes on be it the flight deck, the cabin, a bird hitting an engine, at the airport terminal,or talking with ATC. You dont go into a real life simulator to be entertained as well as a learning experience?

 

There are several ex ACES guys working on P3D, but remember, ACES also worked on ESP - a professional simulator platform. The academic license is nothing more than a very nice gesture from LM to all those passionate armchair aviators out there. Talking to several developers I hear that the P3D team often excuse themselves for being a small team with limited time and resources. One can read into that whatever one wants, but looking at the update history of P3D from 1.0 to 1.4 there is a clear path leading towards professional usage. Entering the computer entertainment business requires building a team capable of handeling all the different issues involved from marketing, distribution, legal issues, support, usability etc. I don't see that happening. It's just too much of an investment and hassle, not to mention the branding pitfalls like being associated with a game/entertainment product rather than a professional training tool.

[HighTowers 1,434]

There are several ex ACES guys working on P3D, but remember, ACES also worked on ESP - a professional simulator platform. The academic license is nothing more than a very nice gesture from LM to all those passionate armchair aviators out there. Talking to several developers I hear that the P3D team often excuse themselves for being a small team with limited time and resources. One can read into that whatever one wants, but looking at the update history of P3D from 1.0 to 1.4 there is a clear path leading towards professional usage. Entering the computer entertainment business requires building a team capable of handeling all the different issues involved from marketing, distribution, legal issues, support, usability etc. I don't see that happening. It's just too much of an investment and hassle, not to mention the branding pitfalls like being associated with a game/entertainment product rather than a professional training tool.

 

Makes perfect sense. Agree with it all. except for one thing. It still doesnt make sense that LM would encourage let alone support all these devs for addons. And why would the addon devs spend their time and resources supporting p3d if its going to be a downfall later. That doesnt make any investment sense either whether that be a simple fix or not. ITs just not something they would get into but they are. So some secret is being hidden from all of us.

[HiFlyer 9,360]

If this turns into a P3D licensing thread........

[ViperPilot 81]

Makes perfect sense. Agree with it all. except for one thing. It still doesn't make sense that LM would encourage let alone support all these devs for add ons. And why would the add on devs spend their time and resources supporting p3d if its going to be a downfall later. That doesn't make any investment sense either whether that be a simple fix or not. It's just not something they would get into but they are. So some secret is being hidden from all of us.

 

Because Lockheed Martin's developing P3D for the Professional and Military Aerospace market! All of the 3rd Party developers out there developing for P3D are looking at this like a bonafide Contract from a Commercial Aerospace Contractor, that's why! If they're keeping some secret from us, maybe it's because it's none of our f****ing business!

[Bartbear 10]

The original question was how many simmers world wide not in the universe.

 

However, based on;

1. Latest Kelper results indicates at least 1.3 planets per star on average.

2. 100 billion stars per Galaxy (10^11)

3. 100 billion galaxies in this universe.

4. 1 in a billion chance that planet is in the Goldilocks zone with water

5. 1 in a billion chance life intelligent has evolved on said planet

6. 235.000 average interested in simming on each planet.

 

Then the total potential simmers in this universe would be

 

(10^11 * 10^11 )

------------------- * 1.3 * 235,000

(10^9 * 10^9)

 

 

Which is about 3 Billion people which means Microsoft should start again asap.

 

Of course the added benefit is that as it would take many years to distribute flight sim that far, by the time it arrived, their PC's would be fast enough to run it

 

+1

 

:p0307: :LMAO:

[FSMP 95]

Jeez Geoff - Are you sure?

 

Yes Penny --- have a chocolate ....

[simmerhead 885]

If this turns into a P3D licensing thread........

 

Ha ha ha! Lets hope not

[Talek 20]

So P3D = ESP ? I mean, it is a professional platform ... just like ESP was before at Microsoft.

FS was made of ESP.

So somebody can make FS11 starting from P3D if LM accepts ? just like ACES made all Flight simulators starting from Microsoft's ESP ?