Multi-Platform Pricing Policy Expectations FSX/P3D/Xplane

[E6BAV8R 88]

I'll be waiting to see what happens over time with P3D and when PMDG releases their first product.  I've got a lot of add-ons with FSX and I'll wait and see how they all support it (or not) before making a decision.  FSX runs great for me and so it will depend on what ends of developing for P3D and the pricing discussions based off the licensing issues.

 

As stated by RR, PMDG only licensed 3 products (1 new product) for P3D, so we'll also have to wait and see if that list gets expanded or not.

[(Guss) Kemp 13]

Many thanks for this,

read through and completely understood.

Enthusiastic,

 

Guss

[BleedAir 28]

great news! thank you RSR :drinks:  :good:

[jbassue 181]

Looks like no P3D, I'll stay on the FSX side of your addons for now, until I figure out this poverty thing. LOL

[Tabs 2,790]

So I just purchased the 777-200F/LR, essentially and by far the rarest T7 version which is why it's the base pack, for 90 bucks, and now I'm supposed to pay for it again if I want to use it on a platform that actually has some sort of future?

 

Looks like realistic flight simulation is not for broke college students anymore  :rolleyes:

 

With all due respect, P3D is not being marketed as a platform for "broke college students" - not by LM and certainly not by us. It is intended for professional/commercial training and familiarization applications and that's what we intend to do with it, not market it to our entertainment customer base. (ie the vast majority on this forum) If people wish to buy the commercial version then that's their prerogative but there's not going to be a some attempt by us to move our entertainment customers to P3D in contravention of LM's policies and EULA.

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

(...) our entertainment customer base. (ie the vast majority on this forum) (...) but there's not going to be a some attempt by us to move our entertainment customers to P3D in contravention of LM's policies and EULA.

 

 

I saved parts of Ryan's post in case the original post gets deleted like Kyle's one got today.   :ph34r:

[E6BAV8R 88]

I think there is a lot of truth to what Ryan said, contrary to what people will want to hear or believe, but I think it tells a lot with the way developers will look at P3D for future product development under the current EULA.  Plain and simple, P3D isn't designed for us personal consumer-hobbyiest types (and it is pretty strong evidence that, given the licensing restrictions, LM wants to maintain control over the software).  With PMDG's decision having a large influence over which simulator I choose, it looks like FSX is still the definitive for me right now.

 

Has anyone considered how creating and distributing freeware add-ons would work?  Would it even be legal to do so?  What about media - screenshots, videos, etc?  I don't know what licenses those types are distributed under nor how the program EULA could affect that sort of stuff.

[ivo09 23]

I would like the most realistic possible aircraft and simulation. I like to learn about the aircraft as it is in real life. This is entertaining to me. Which platform/license is right for me?

[E6BAV8R 88]

I would like the most realistic possible aircraft and simulation. I like to learn about the aircraft as it is in real life. This is entertaining to me. Which platform/license is right for me?

 

Unless you are enrolled in an official educational institution or aviation training program than you are supposed to buy the "Official Pro" version.  Although people are just convincing themselves that they should be buying the "Academic" version and just buy that one, as there are no real checks to go through, but technically they should be buying the "Pro".

[WotanUK 289]

I am wondering if we are starting to see a move away from the consumer environment?  

 

My reading from the above is that PMDG doesn't want (most) people on here to buy there P3D products because they are for commercial users and will probably be priced accordingly (i.e. more expensive).  So does that mean they will cease development (assuming profitability on the commercial side) for FSX, or does it mean that we'll be in a similar situation to early DCS, commercial development first and consumers get the, for want of a better word, caste offs?

FSL have announced similar policies to this as well, it's quite worrying.

 

Personally and i mean no offence, but i will not re-buy the product (at an inflated price) to use in a simulator that is substantially the same as FSX, i'll confess to being a little disappointed in the decision of PMDG to take this approach, especially as we all know FSX is a dead simulator. 

[Brian Doney 127]

Much of what you are asking is addressed pretty clearly in Robert's post.

 

I guess it's possible we could eventually see a slow down on the entertainment side, if there were limited resources to go around and high demand on the commercial side...but who knows ? That's an impossible question to answer, I'd think even for Robert, at this very early stage. 

 

Another uninformed guess: most of the differences will come down to licensing terms, not that there won't likely be some technical differences as well, but a scenario where you must buy the P3D version to unlock the FMS is unlikely, and would be a pain to administer. Not to mention the forum uproar.

 

More unfounded speculation: An even more interesting scenario is where the entertainment side gets the new goodies to break. Something we are all adept at.

 

I will say, that if PMDG have coded themselves into actually having a real opportunity to do commercial training aids then more power to them and best of luck in this new market ! Really sounds great.

 

To Robert directly: That all works just fine for me, so you can rest easy now  :lol:  More seriously, as long as I get my 744v2 for FSX before they are retired I will be satisfied, and really, congrats and good luck once again.

[Jude Bradley 659]

Unless you are enrolled in an official educational institution or aviation training program than you are supposed to buy the "Official Pro" version.  Although people are just convincing themselves that they should be buying the "Academic" version and just buy that one, as there are no real checks to go through, but technically they should be buying the "Pro".

Almost everyone here is learning how to fly in some shape or form,so there is nothing wrong with the Acedemic licence.

For me,health issues do not allow me to get a licence,so I see this as a valid licence for me to use.

[january 19]

The only solution may be to have both simulators- FSX and P3D, running simultaneously on adjacent computers/monitors, so that you can be entertained while learning!

january

[E6BAV8R 88]

Almost everyone here is learning how to fly in some shape or form,so there is nothing wrong with the Acedemic licence.

For me,health issues do not allow me to get a licence,so I see this as a valid licence for me to use.

 

There is a world of difference between learning how to fly "for fun, personal reasons" using a desktop simulator and being enrolled in an actual aviation training program (i.e. Academic Institution).  Just because you are "learning" doesn't correlate to an Academic License.  I think the intent of the 'Academic License', as stated by Lockheed Martin, is pretty clear.  From the Prepar3D website:

 

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D® simulation software transports students to the scene of the action for an immersive educational experience.

 

Offering a virtual world simulation that spans from deep underwater all the way to suborbital space, Prepar3D harnesses the power of gaming technology to engage the next generations in science, math and social studies curricula.

 

Prepar3D offers the academic community a platform to develop hands-on lessons. In Prepar3D, students can:

 

Take control and see the effects of their decisions

 

Experiment with challenges that develop critical thinking skills

 

Collaborate with students around the world to solve real-life problems and hone their teamwork skills

 

With a free software development kit that accompanies the program, instructors can create customized academic lessons incorporating features such as people, wildlife, buildings, vehicles and weather.

[Brian Doney 127]

PMDG pulled by the market ... (us simmers).......... don't we love this? .............. :rolleyes:

 

 

I really don't think that's quite accurate  :lol:

 

Unless you are running an airline training center and that is what you meant by "us simmers", but I don't think it is.