Not exactly true. The techniques used may be slightly different, but it's the same or even easier to make addons for FSX at the same quality level as for FS9

 

No for FSX aircraft, you have bump mapping, specular lighting, and if you want to add a VC, you have to make it as a separate model. This adds complexity and additional workload, that is not necessary with FS9 models.

As I said "at the same quality level" means no bump mapping, specular etc. These all are optional things and there are even payware models released without them.

Exporting VC to another file doesn't add to workload. You still have to make it in FS9 if you want one, just keep it in the same file.

At least in FSX you don't have to stick to strict objects hierarchy and naming convention for model parts.

Whenever I am looking for a new aircraft or scenery, I look for freeware first as it prevents big hits to my wallet, but sometimes freeware simply is not available or does not have all the features I am seeking. That's when I turn to payware. With all the features available to FSX aircraft and the huge differences between FS9 and FSX, especially with SP2 and Acceleration, I think some freeware developers are overwhelmed and frustrated with designing in FSX.

Freeware is good to have around because it forces pay-ware developers to put effort to our do freeware developers. Act as quality control.

As far as freeware scenery is concerned, there just isn't enough demand for it any longer.

 

Just look at some of the older and very simple (no custom 3ds Max/Gmax objects) freeware offerings available when FSX was still young; then compare the number of downloads these achieved compared to later more sophisticated sceneries.

 

So, although I continue modeling in 3ds Max and creating airports with the help of ADE and SBuilderX, I just don't see it worth my while uploading any longer.

Most of freeware aircraft just do not have the features I need. Usually I uninstallthem from my system right after install.

 

 

So, although I continue modeling in 3ds Max and creating airports with the help of ADE and SBuilderX, I just don't see it worth my while uploading any longer.

 

Depending on where the airports are that you're creating, that's too bad - expanding the fsx 'world' past default scenery is always appreciated by those who want to fly there.

 

 

 

Most of freeware aircraft just do not have the features I need. Usually I uninstallthem from my system right after install.

 

I agree that it can be difficult to compare some freeware planes to certain high level payware planes; but not all payware is of that quality.  There are indeed certain freeware projects that exist that rivals perhaps all but the top of the top payware, in my opinion.  Plus, although some freeware planes may not be as fully featured as high end payware, there's instances where freeware isn't a choice, it's the only option if you want to fly that plane (i.e. Milton Shupe's Dash 7).

 

I think that freeware developers should be applauded for fulfilling an important need: allowing us to both fly the planes and fly to the places that wouldn't be economically feasible for payware developers to look at.  And as the bar gets set higher and higher, and it costs developers more and more to produce these extremely full featured planes, I'm betting we'll see even less diversification in the future.

The fact that there are more people creating content for FS9 than for FSX, particularly regarding heavies, and that even today many people's systems are capable of running FS9 smoothly, but not so much with FSX, may give the impression that the freeware market for FSX is "dead".  I couldn't disagree more.

 

Judging by the quality of freeware products like the Basler BT-67, F-35, F-14, the little British military training jet (I forget what it's called but it's amazing), and numerous other aircraft, as well as a multiplicity of textures of all types, scenery packages, utilities, and everything else, I'd argue that FSX's freeware market is as strong as it's ever been, if not more so.  Sure, the quantity doesn't match that of FS9's, but it shouldn't be expected to.  FS9 has been around for ten years now, and depending on what's being created, it's a less complicated platform to develop for.

 

It goes without saying that for both platforms, the majority of freeware products available will only just meet expectations, if not worse.  It's always been that way, and it always be that way.  At least today the quality of some freeware products available on both platforms can sometimes meet or exceed that of many equivalent payware products, and that was something that simply was not realistic just a few short years ago.  We can be thankful for that.

For FSX, I have a lot less freeware. I think there are three reasons why:

 

1. FSX doesn't have cockpit side views. Without side views, I can't use a 2d panel and VC's are too complicated for most freeware developers. This changes means (at least for me) that freeware panels combined with freeware aircraft are out of the question.

 

2. I think scenery has become more difficult to develop because of changes introduced in FSX (round Earth, for example).

Yeah VC is all I use since going to fsx and most freeware, don't have a quality enough vc. And while there are some freeware aircraft with good systems complexity the graphics arent there. A lot of the best fsx freeware stuff is classics, which is good but the VCs just aren't good enough for me anymore.

 

Lee

I don't know anything about software development or marketing and I don't know if freeware developers get indirect revenue form there freeware addons. Assuming they don't I think they should charge for it. If it is worth having it is worth paying for! I am sure I have some freeware but I am not certain about which addons were free. FS water for example i think was free but I am not sure and when I look at it I can honestly say I would have paid for it. The reason I think the whole concept of freeware is a bad idea is because it offers no measure of success or failure with respect to quality and it runs contrary to the values of the market. Essentially, by giving something that is worth paying for away as a rule, one deminishes the value and therefore the quality of other things that are paid for! Again given my above assumption is true payware developers should charge for there addons even if it is just a buck and if they get a buck they should see if they can get 2 bucks and so on unitl they determine the price the market will bear. Take my word for it free stuff doesn't do anyone any good.

Well the thing is that flightsim used to rely solely on freeware. It's sort of the culture and is the foundation for the payware we have today, a lot of today's payware developers started as freeware developers. In the earlier days you couldn't buy any addons, it was all free

 

It would be a sad day if there was no freeware around.

 

Lee

 

A lot of business started out by people doing what they liked to do for free. But cost is actually a very real and objective measure of value in a general and particular sense. Something that is free has no general value. It may have a particular value that is peculiar to a very small number of people. However if it is free and has a general value the developer is like a fool and his money. Giving away stuff that has a general value does nothing but upset the market. A market upset is detramental to quality! I rest my case!

Based on your statements I get the impression that you feel that unless you pay for it it's just not worth your time. That's pretty sad. If that mentality were prevalent from the early days of the hobby I feel there would not be much of a hobby remaining today. Many payware houses got their start on the freeware side of the game, where the people learning the craft would openly share the knowledge as it was learned, and a lot of us just wanted to make planes we liked and share the end product for those interested. Over the years many of these people moved up to working on the payware side after having released a fair amount of free work. As one of those "foolish" freeware developers that has been doing this for many years I have watched it first-hand. I could rattle off names and who they have worked for. To their credit they still tend to remain active in the Developer oriented forums.

 

If not for the freeware developers working away at creating the knowledge base over time that is commonly used to create the plane you will happily buy for the sim today I am willing to bet there would not be nearly as much out there for you now as there currently is.

 

 

Based on your statements I get the impression that you feel that unless you pay for it it's just not worth your time.

 

Thats not what I said! The point is suitble! If it annoys you, its over your head!