... or better to say, maybe, some developers want to gain money easily.

 

I will not name any product, but if you look good enough you will see them.

In the last few months I started to pay attention a lot to prices of products released on simmarket. I literally bursted from laughing when I saw prices of some products. Today I saw a mission selling for nearly 11 euros! *******, it is only one mission. Pricing that 11 euros is hilarious. Some soundpacks (actually their sets are the best on the market) sells slightly over 13 euros. It is too bloody much for a soundpack, even when it is top notch quality. Also few months back I saw a grass texture sells for 10 or 11 euros! It is a replacement for one - bloody - texture! Amazing. I'm quite sure there are a lot of products with extreme pricing out there, and I want to ask developers of these products - what in the world you were thinking? Reaching the audience with high prices for a single mission or texture?

I know that bunch of simmers will pull the trigger for 13 euro soundpack for example, it is a pricey hobby they will say. But don't you think that FSX market is completely out of control regarding prices? I still honestly think that developers are taking the pricing way to seriously. They think "yeah it is a hobby, and our products are used in training simulators"... blah blah. Don't give me that excuse, parts for cars used in driving schools don't costs twice as much, don't they?!

 

To put this writting to an end for now, I want to say also that PMDG pricing is spot on, when you consider the detail, quality, generally the whole package is amazing, quite ready for training even. And when one texture or mission costs 20-25% of the PMDG plane price, you must seriously think what is wrong with the market these days.

 

Cheers and spend your money wisely.

... or better to say, maybe, some developers want to gain money easily.

 

I will not name any product, but if you look good enough you will see them.

In the last few months I started to pay attention a lot to prices of products released on simmarket. I literally bursted from laughing when I saw prices of some products. Today I saw a mission selling for nearly 11 euros! *******, it is only one mission. Pricing that 11 euros is hilarious. Some soundpacks (actually their sets are the best on the market) sells slightly over 13 euros. It is too bloody much for a soundpack, even when it is top notch quality. Also few months back I saw a grass texture sells for 10 or 11 euros! It is a replacement for one - bloody - texture! Amazing. I'm quite sure there are a lot of products with extreme pricing out there, and I want to ask developers of these products - what in the world you were thinking? Reaching the audience with high prices for a single mission or texture?

I know that bunch of simmers will pull the trigger for 13 euro soundpack for example, it is a pricey hobby they will say. But don't you think that FSX market is completely out of control regarding prices? I still honestly think that developers are taking the pricing way to seriously. They think "yeah it is a hobby, and our products are used in training simulators"... blah blah. Don't give me that excuse, parts for cars used in driving schools don't costs twice as much, don't they?!

 

To put this writting to an end for now, I want to say also that PMDG pricing is spot on, when you consider the detail, quality, generally the whole package is amazing, quite ready for training even. And when one texture or mission costs 20-25% of the PMDG plane price, you must seriously think what is wrong with the market these days.

 

Cheers and spend your money wisely.

I don't see the problem. Supply and demand still applies. If prices are too high for the market, demand will decline. That will force developers to reduce prices or face declining sales. If prices remain high, that's an indication that (despite your or my opinion regarding the suitability of prices) people are willing to pay it--and that what we think is "high" is right for the market.

I agree, that is a simple logic. But then the simmers spoiled the market, and developers. If people are willing to pay 11 euros for a single mission or texture, and even 13 euros for a soundpack, then they indirectly made this hobby a pricey one. If no one would buy a soundpack for that price, the price would drop like a rock for the next product, and the current one will face a discount.

You guys must admit, you feel like a Carrie Bradshaw most of the time. Why to buy a pair of quality shoes for 50 bucks when you have those for 300? I always been good in comparing, face it. :lol:

You do realize that some of these prices you see are driven by the demands for high commission structures by the stores that sell them, don't you? There are authors that are getting paid 55 cents or less on every dollar sold. I am sure we would see more reasonable prices if the commissions were to be moderated somewhat.

 

Also, please do not use profanity in topic titles. I am editing yours. Please do not do that again.

hello 

i think that nowadays texture,scenery and soundtrack addons are increasing in prices because everybody wants their sim look to "realistic" so pretty much people would pay in order to get the best textures and scenery and actually forgetting that they are using a FLIGHT simulator . not a terrain simulator or even an airport simulator . i cant get how people would pay for textures and scenery and not pay an extra 20 or 30 dollars for a PLANE in a FLIGHT simulator

just my 2 cents

thanks 

You do realize that some of these prices you see are driven by the demands for high commission structures by the stores that sell them, don't you? There are authors that are getting paid 55 cents or less on every dollar sold. I am sure we would see more reasonable prices if the commissions were to be moderated somewhat.

 

Also, please do not use profanity in topic titles. I am editing yours. Please do not do that again.

 

My apologies Tom. I thought that word is not a profanity, seriously.

 

As far as I know, simmarket is not that hard on commision, 20-30% percent is not THAT high. It will raise the price a bit, but not  for 100%.

 

 

As far as I know, simmarket is not that hard on commision, 20-30% percent is not THAT high. It will raise the price a bit, but not for 100%.

 

I don't what they charge, but I wonder what a commission of 5 to 10% would do for prices.

Just look at My traffic 5.x. $55 - $45 without VAT.,..

 

Have you seen the models of those planes!? I'm sorry if anyone thinks otherwise but those AI models are hideous for that price

 

I don't care if your trying to conserve FPS. You Know it's bad when you cant tell an airplane from 1000 feet away because its modeled like a freeware scenery static plane.

 

 

http://secure.simmarket.com/mytraffic-x-professional-5.4-b.phtml

 

Compare those models to UT2 . Lower price, too

 

http://secure.simmarket.com/flight-1-europe-ultimate-traffic-2-2013.phtml

 

I was naive enough to buy this back in version 5.2 a couple years ago...

 

My reaction:

@Cpt_morgan

 

You exaggerated a bit how bad MyTraffic AI models are. They are low poly, but you can tell an airplane from 1000 feet for sure, at least I can. Low poly structure is only noticable when you are looking at the AI plane up to, say 300 feet. And I will rather look at low poly models on 30fps, then on high poly on 20fps, but that's jusst me. I don't pay attention to AI planes that much, I only care to have alive airports and lot of contrails on the sky with good fps and lot of liveries and schedules.

Also they are not pricing the quality of models, what about schedules, liveries, GA and militery planes? The number of schedules and liveries is staggering, and I bet development of MyTraffic and of every similiar product is utterly time consuming, 150-200 hours of work at least? But I agree, the price is steep for sure. For that price you can buy a serious simulated plane.

I don't what they charge, but I wonder what a commission of 5 to 10% would do for prices.

 

Then the developers would think "Yes! Now I can keep the price and earn more!". But that is a scenario if the commision would drop today.

@Cpt_morgan

 

You exaggerated a bit how bad MyTraffic AI models are. They are low poly, but you can tell an airplane from 1000 feet for sure, at least I can. Low poly structure is only noticable when you are looking at the AI plane up to, say 300 feet. And I will rather look at low poly models on 30fps, then on high poly on 20fps, but that's jusst me. I don't pay attention to AI planes that much, I only care to have alive airports and lot of contrails on the sky with good fps and lot of liveries and schedules.

Also they are not pricing the quality of models, what about schedules, liveries, GA and militery planes? The number of schedules and liveries is staggering, and I bet development of MyTraffic and of every similiar product is utterly time consuming, 150-200 hours of work at least? But I agree, the price is steep for sure. For that price you can buy a serious simulated plane.

 

Then the developers would think "Yes! Now I can keep the price and earn more!". But that is a scenario if the commision would drop today.

 

 

Ok, but that does't excuse the price for it.

Do your homework and buy quality, not too hard.  If you think something is overpriced just pass.

Ok, but that does't excuse the price for it.

 

The key sentence in this thread.

As one who's done entertainment development and training development... your belief that the pricing should be the same is based on a complete and total lack of understanding of the two markets.  First and foremost, they are indeed two complete and independent markets.  One does not impact the other and the cost of one is not commensurate with the other.

 

Microsoft's ESP was Microsoft's FSX without an opening screen and a different EULA that governs it's usability in a commercial environment.  It sold for $500 (if I recall correctly) whereas FSX sold for ~$70.  The difference in pricing is based on the completely and totally different level of support that can be legitimately expected as well as the fact that while the end user of FSX is not going to make a single penny from using FSX the commercial user has a large financial potential from the use of ESP.

 

The requirements for a commercial training product are significantly higher than for an entertainment level product.

 

Last, but not least... consider this before you complain about pricing of addons:

 

You purchase Microsoft Windows (whatever version, whatever price) and it comes with zero free support.  Absolutely any actual support you really need will cost you, a lot.  Sure they have some 'forum-type' interaction with people who may or may not work for Microsoft.   If you have a serious problem that needs support from a live person... that's going to cost you and it probably starts with a very low-level support person that's going to take lots of time accomplishing very little for you.

 

That addon you paid $50 for, it comes with free support from the developer direct.

MT is well worth the cost, there are many years of development behind the program, Alsothe support service offered by Burkhard is second to none.

I too have seen addons for sale that made me chuckle after reading the product description and then the price tag.

 

But then thinking about it: There may well be addons that only have handful of potential customers, irresespective of the price. If a developer wants to see any half decent return on the time he invested into making the addon, the price has to be higher compared to other addons that sell in high volumes.

 

Consider a scenario where a developer makes a livery for a small regional carrier in , say Cambodia. The livery may be McPhat quality, but who's gonna buy it? Not many! So it has to sell for a higher price compared what you pay at McPhat. If the potential customers don't shy away from the high price tag then all is well. If they do and nobody buys that livery then the developer may either try to sell it a lower price next time and not care about the low return for his work, or the morale would be not to make any future addons for such a limited market.

 

The good thing about download distribution is that the sellers don't have to keep stock. So they can list addons that might sell in small volumes only as opposed to retail stores which only list products of which they think will sell.

 

The only risk of the whole download distribution model is that some stores will basically put anything a developers wants to be sold in their store, no matter how tacky the product is and no matter how little value for money customers will get with it. Some stores have certain standards and won't offer those addons, others will just list them. Experienced simmers will be able to separate the good from the bad by reading the product description carefully. But it can be quite time consuming to browse through the flood of addons that are newly offered each day.

 

That's why I no longer browse through these sim stores anymore. If something is worth buying, it'll sooner or later be mentioned here in the forums.