20NOV13 - PMDG 777-300ER & 200LR/F SP1 Update!

[Del57 3]

Looking forward to the update and especially the 300ER .Thank you very much Robert..

[KingCat 3]

I would also like to know when we can expect SP2 for the NGX? That way we can finally (if ever) use the FlyEngravity CDU and all of the features of the new CPFlight overhead.

[windshearDK 52]

Can't wait to try the FBW of the SP1!!!

 

The FBW?

[Lukas_Mathijsen 41]

The FBW?

FlyByWire

[SpeedBird219 183]

Guess i'll get back into flying this now

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Hey Andy!

 

Congratulations on the solo, today!

 

(Just in case you think nobody noticed...)

[speedbird034 14]

This makes me happy and sad.( ....) sad because like many others, I'm hoping for a P3D version of a PMDG aircraft. I won't poison this thread with lame comments or complaints. I work for a large company that makes odd decisions that leave heads scratching. Sometimes I get the chance to see the 'behind the scenes' of a decision process and it become pretty obvious why something happened. A company that spends the attention to detail that you do would be very aware that P3D would be a good platform for their products. For someone to say to say otherwise would be childish. Like a lot of technically-minded people, I often want to know 'why' something is the way it is, and the not knowing of the 'why' makes it frustrating.

 

One day, when enough time has passed, it might be great if you could post the why behind the delay (or the never) of a P3D move.

 

Thanks to you and your team for the work you do. Even if I have to buy a dedicated sim PC just to run the PMDG line, I'll keep flying. Cheaper than writing the check to Boeing and renting the hanger space...

 

Steve Kirks

FDX4345 on VATSIM in the PMDG 777

 

 

From what I understand of the situation (and what I know is what I read on the forums), the issue is about licensing.  Specifically, PMDG's license from Boeing is for entertainment only. P3D is a training platform.  In order for PMDG to build an aircraft to the degree to which they do, they must have cooperation from Boeing.  Since Boeing has it's own training division, it really doesn't make sense for them to support a competitor's product.  They are in business to make money, after all, and training is a HUGE area for them (see all the $$$ they have in simulators around the world and you'll understand better).

 

This situation is certainly not PMDG friendly, nor is it PMDG's fault.  I've read a couple of comments lately (not from Steve; I only use his post for reference) that have made me speak out on this issue.  The reality is this: IF and only if LM brings out an "entertainment" version of P3D could this problem be solved.  As I understand the licensing under which LM has developed P3D, they are restricted from doing anything "entertainment" related, since MS is retaining the entertainment license. Even if they wanted to do so (and I rather think this very unlikely), LM can't develop a version of P3D for the entertainment market without violating their licensing agreement with MS.

 

So, LM can't develop an "entertainment" P3D.

PMDG can't develop a plane for P3D because it violates their licensing agreement with Boeing.

 

Therefore, I doubt you will see in the near or mid term future any possibility that PMDG/P3D is a reality.  I wholeheartedly agree with Steve that this is a bad thing for us, since P3D is an improvement over the FSX platform and yes, FSX is a dinosaur.

 

The only way I see anything resembling this is 

a.  A new Flight Simulator platform.  Unless MS will sell a license to someone in the entertainment business who will "supe up" FSX or recode it for the 64-bit environment, this will have to be built from scratch.  If MS spent $Ms to do this, I doubt seriously that anyone else has that kind of capital lying around to get it done.

b.  X-plane.  This needs work too, since it is a far from perfect program. That said, there are many very good things about X-plane and since PMDG builds airplanes for "entertainment" purposes, and X-plane is an "entertainment" product, the licensing issues should not be such a big deal.  They have said themselves that they are looking at X-plane, we should take their statements at face value and see what plays out.

 

While I certainly understand the frustration of the FS community in this regard, there is nothing we can do about it, unless, of course, you have a bucket full of money to but out MS's rights to FSX...which would certainly solve part of the problem.  They other aspect is actually building the product from that code...a nightmare???   I rather think this would take a (B)illion buckets of money...none of us have that kind of loose change in their back pocket.  Unless their is a billionaire in the bunch who happens to be a simmer??  Unlikely.

 

It is my opinion...in fact this entire post is MY opinion and nothing more:

 

PMDG will do everything that is possible to create products for the future of flight simulation.  How that will take form is up to them and I am not going to ask them on an open forum, nor frankly, would I even ask them period.  Mr. Randazzo and Co. know what they are doing...they do it right and with a significant amount of integrity...they do what they say and they say what they mean and nothing more.  I am a proud PMDG supporter, owning every aircraft they have ever sold (both in FSX and FS2004) and will continue to purchase their products as they are released.

 

The why of it is simple:  We are the engine that makes them go.  We are the people who purchase their products.  They are a customer centric company with a passion for getting it right. They also understand the limitations under which they are required to work...and they do a pretty fantastic job given those constraints.

 

So let's put the P3D discussion to bed and focus our attention on the 777-300ER that is coming. With the upcoming line of products that PMDG has already in development and with Boeing's future airplanes that are being built around the 737 and 777 platforms, they have lots of products they can produce.  Their future is bright indeed as is ours, because every product they make....EVERY product they make, advances the line just a little bit on where our "passion" for flight will take us.

 

Something for which we should be very excited.

 

My best to all...

especialy to the team at PMDG and Captain Randazzo.

 

ps -- my apologies if I got anything factually wrong.  Again, anything I write is based on what I read in the forums..and there's a lot there...most of it conjecture and not fact.

[pride545 30]

Not another P3D discussion!!!  PLASE!!

[SpeedBird219 183]

Hey Andy!

 

Congratulations on the solo, today!

 

(Just in case you think nobody noticed...)

Thank you sir! :lol: 

 

[LukeB98 5]

Fantastic news! Great to hear that good progress is being made. Hopefully we'll be flying the -300ER shortly. Nice to hear that some of the issues are being fixed, I can't wait to spend my money on the -200LR/F AND the -300ER.

 

Until then, I will continue flying my 747-400's to the USA.

[BilboBaggins 82]

Glad to hear of both SP1 and the expansion! I'll be getting the latter upon release, to help pay for PMDG's ongoing development efforts.

 

Release it all when it's truly ready, and no sooner. And, thanks again.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Ceri Hurlow 17]

I think with everything going on, its very easy to forget what PMDG has added to our hobby. To me its like one day you have a fiat uno in your garage and the next you have a bentley and a year later you get thinking that maybe you dont like those bentley mirrors anymore, forgetting you used to have a rusty fiat in your garage. I am so very impressed after 30 - 40 hrs of flying on the new bird, i havent had one issue so far, that is pretty rare with v1.00 of any software in the IT industry, Thanks you to all in PMDG for making our hobby what it is today.I took the NG and the MD-11 for a spin this weekend and they still blow me away!!! For those with shorty memories, please take the default 737 for a trip, you will see my point of view!!!!

 

After installing Steves DX10 fixer this weekend, it has given everthing a new lease of life too

 

Can wait for the future and the 747 V2.0

 

Bless you all in PMDG

 

Ceri

[pdubost 0]

Thank you for the update. Great news for this great airplane.

 

What about the SDK. Will it be part of SP1 ?

[CaptCraig 226]

You could always just install the 777 in P3D and stop the whining.  End of discussion I hope.  This is an FSX forum.  

[jetsflier 87]

The 777 doesn't work in P3D at all, they 'blocked' it.