Why do you blindly believe it to not be so???? What evidence do you have ?

 

1. Flight add-ons sold through the Microsoft store can no longer be had

2. What almost happened with XBOX ONE until the backlash caught up with them

3. The desire by Microsoft to do business more like Apple which almost drove Apple into bankruptcy

4. The desire for the company to reinvent itself moving away from PC applications to tablet/IPhone

 

For years MS wanted a piece of the FS add-on market and took steps with FS95 to block add-ons from being used in the sim (I know this was years ago but planted the seed to what eventually became what we're dealing with today, Ballmer was one of Microsoft's business managers back then. I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of his early bright ideas). They turned around and implemented this model in Flight which ultimately failed. A result of the failure and lack of revenue prompted them to close down the online store but the elephant in the room was not only Flight but other items that was actually making them money. The store didn't seem to fit in their plan of discontinuing support of PC related titles.

 

 

http://support.xbox.com/en-US/games/pc-games/pc-marketplace-closing

 

 

Anything PC related is on notice basically and there's no telling when all support will be pulled. Now this is only if they stay on Ballmer's course...

 

 

...If the world stopped today say goodbye to using programs like Activesky Evolution because with every use you need to contact their servers...

 

If the world stopped today, contacting AS servers would be the least of your worries, eh?

 

DJ

If the world stopped today, contacting AS servers would be the least of your worries, eh?

 

DJ

 

Very true... This was an answer to a statement wrote just above my post your referencing.

 

All I'm saying with all of this is I'd like our hobby to continue outside of any company and we as a community need to find the platform that will accomplish this. If FSX had no authentication policy like FS9 this would be a non-issue. We just need to make sure we can use the software until something else comes along. I really wish we could be done with Microsoft but it's the best game/option in town. XPlane just can't quit seem to get there and Lockheed is playing games. I'm satisfied with what I've read in this thread from many. My original post was just food for thought...

I see no real problem at this time. FSX works fine on my system with W7. Would not dream of going to W8 anyway - thought it was common knowledge the even numbers are betas for the odd. If you think that is wrong come up with one even number version that was top notch.

I think a lot has to do with the amount of money people have invested into FSX. I am already over £1,000 on add-on scenery etc. and there's no way I would switch even if a new sim came out tomorrow, as I just have too much invested to not get my money's worth!!

I think a lot has to do with the amount of money people have invested into FSX. I am already over £1,000 on add-on scenery etc. and there's no way I would switch even if a new sim came out tomorrow, as I just have too much invested to not get my money's worth!!

 

That's been the same dilemma for FS9 users in the past.

That's been the same dilemma for FS9 users in the past.

 

Yes and many are still flying it today because of that reason!

Yes and many are still flying it today because of that reason!

 

Count me in that bunch...

I will not support PMDG any more, FSX is a dead platform, P3D picks up where MS left off. Carenado is doing just fine developing for FSX and P3D, why can't PMDG. I cant allow my self to go out and buy a copy of FSX. The simming community 6 years ago was so much more exciting, hopefully we can only climb from here

That's your decision..Just checked vatspy and as I look, there are over 20 777's in the air...All PMDG..Also there are a near 600 connections to Vatsimn at the moment, and it doesn't matter if it's FSX, 9, Xplane, or p3d...I am not going to accept the notion that 'The simming community 6 years ago'. Plus, it's PMDG's decision, if you don't like it, get over it an get on with life. I'm sure you have a lot more to worry about then complaining because a company for flightsim made a decision you don't agree with.

About VATSIM, there was an app that showed their online activity but I cant find it, anybody know of it please?

Thanks Handle for laying it out. PMDG can do what ever they please, Hey all we can do is hope for the next gen of simulation on the consumer level right, whats progress anyway. Oh well off to the airport to burn some 100LL. Sim on guys and gals!

That's your decision..Just checked vatspy and as I look, there are over 20 777's in the air...All PMDG..Also there are a near 600 connections to Vatsimn at the moment, and it doesn't matter if it's FSX, 9, Xplane, or p3d...I am not going to accept the notion that 'The simming community 6 years ago'. Plus, it's PMDG's decision, if you don't like it, get over it an get on with life. I'm sure you have a lot more to worry about then complaining because a company for flightsim made a decision you don't agree with.

VatSpy is a program you can download, there is always Vataware.com, its a lot like flightaware but for vatsim.

 

About VATSIM, there was an app that showed their online activity but I cant find it, anybody know of it please?

So does MS selling rights to LM to use the ESP  codebase for their P3D preclude anyone else from buying the rights to FSX?? 

 

If some investor were smart they would swoop in and buy it for a song and dance from and continue the Flight simulator moniker.  

 

Would it be out of the realm of possibilities for a group of programmes to start a kickstarter project to purchase the rights from MS? If they (MS) truly want out of PC gaming software development then why just let this die on the vine...I'm sure they could stand to make some money from the deal?

So does MS selling rights to LM to use the ESP  codebase for their P3D preclude anyone else from buying the rights to FSX?? 

 

If some investor were smart they would swoop in and buy it for a song and dance from and continue the Flight simulator moniker.  

 

Would it be out of the realm of possibilities for a group of programmes to start a kickstarter project to purchase the rights from MS? If they (MS) truly want out of PC gaming software development then why just let this die on the vine...I'm sure they could stand to make some money from the deal?

 

If they were smart they'd buy the code to Flight versus FSX. Lockheed is having a hell of a time working with that buggy code. Even with the few Aces members they've hired it's still slow going...

LM almost certainly put a provision in their agreement with MS - that they would have EXCLUSIVE use of FSX for the duration of the contract. (I think it highly unlikely that MS sold the rights in perpetuity.) 

Don't expect any licence agreements to others in the near future.

 

A related thought re P3D and the decision by PMDG to NOT provide an FX 2D panel for their new 777  :

A professional version of 777 running solely on the P3D platform might command a significantly higher price and be a nice additional source of revenue for PMDG.

Remember that PMDG originally started as an organization publishing training manuals!

And Robert Randazzo is a professional pilot.

If such proves to be the case, the P3D version would have to be in a 2D format, per FAA regs that require all instruments, gauges, switches etc to be in a fixed location - panning & zooming not permitted.

That might explain the omission of a 2D panel for FX T7 users.

january

 

 

Been reading this thread for some minutes, but I am actually flying PMDG 777 on a big Windows 8/64 PC, and I don't bother to worry if the config will stop working after final earth cataclysm or before... I guess I will be tired of FSX/777 before that...

 

Also, I still own very old PC games running on W95 and that are still able to run on my W8 PC... Just need to apply right parameters or to load the tweaked version (and yes, you have official Internet sites providing that). So i will not worry too much about the future...I will be delighted to use a newer flight sim, but it could still wait some more years if we have addons publishers like PMDG or others provinding quality stuff...

 

Returning to my 777, approach phase is near

 

Chris