I just need the media in my hands just in case something happens like what happened to MS Flight. With physical media being sold the future is not dependent on LM an example would be people can still buy FSX from Amazon although Microsoft is long gone from the project. I'm not a big fan of the cloud or crazy long downloads. LM please package this thing properly and offer us the boxed option.

Not going to happen, Lockheed Martin have made it clear that Prepar3D will never be sold as retail copies at stores.

 

This is just the way of the world. 

 

Steam, online downloads, etc. are the future of PC software (and the present for many).

 

Cloud based applications aren't going away. 

Now you have downloaded it burn it to dvd, thats all a boxed copy of anything gives you these days + a small pamphlet if you are lucky.

Now you have downloaded it burn it to dvd, thats all a boxed copy of anything gives you these days + a small pamphlet if you are lucky.

 

Yeah. Even boxed titles no longer have simple CD keys. It's all online activation whether you download or buy it boxed. 

Not going to happen, Lockheed Martin have made it clear that Prepar3D will never be sold as retail copies at stores.

 

Never said anything about being sold in store just the option when ordering.

Never said anything about being sold in store just the option when ordering.

Oh, I thought you meant that Prepar3D should be sold at Amazon like FSX.

Indeed. I love these boxless times. My backup on my external HD feels just as good in my hands as a disc (that can get scratched or whatever).

Now you have downloaded it burn it to dvd, thats all a boxed copy of anything gives you these days + a small pamphlet if you are lucky.

 

What about what happened to Flight when MS pulled the plug? What if LM closes it's doors to this development, that shuts off any new users from getting the main software we use in this community (yes this will overtake FSX, hopefully in a year). Talk about leaving the fate of our community in corporate hands. With FSX it's still on sale for new users. We would all but have to pirate the software to new simmers in the future as an only way to get them into the software we use as our main sim. The cloud exchange can be so short sighted. I thought we'd learned our lesson with FLIGHT. Just because most didn't like the sim paying for Alaska and other content and not being able to re-install it if I update my system is money wasted. Yes we have the down load to P3D but we always want our doors open to new users and that would be impossible if LM closed it's doors to this effort (which is not an unreasonable scenario).

I understand your fears but having something on a dvd doesn't help anymore. You would STILL have to activate the software online... And this goes for all programs and games nowadays. Even huge companies like Adobe have gone completely digital! There ALWAYS is a change doors will be closed and there is nothng you can do about it. Apart from making backups, also of your installed and working software.

 

 

What about what happened to Flight when MS pulled the plug? What if LM closes it's doors to this development, that shuts off any new users from getting the main software we use in this community

 

If Lockheed Martin were to decide to close Prepar3D how would existing users having boxed copies help new users?

I understand your fears but having something on a dvd doesn't help anymore. You would STILL have to activate the software online... And this goes for all programs and games nowadays. Even huge companies like Adobe have gone completely digital! There ALWAYS is a change doors will be closed and there is nothng you can do about it. Apart from making backups, also of your installed and working software.

 

So if LM ever shuts this software division down future users coming into this hobby are back on FSX because that's what's available on Amazon and other online store sites? That sucks big time...

 

Companies make weird decisions all the time depending on management change. I can't help remember seeing what happened with Flight. No one today could get the Alaska scenery if they wanted to not even the people that bought it. Even with a boxed version as you've basically pointed out there's the activation issue. I guess the better question with an effort like P3D v2 is how can we keep the hobby going when the company behind it pulls out. P3D is a worse case than FSX because their distributing the software via download. I guess it's best to table this discussion for now.

What about what happened to Flight when MS pulled the plug? What if LM closes it's doors to this development, that shuts off any new users from getting the main software we use in this community (yes this will overtake FSX, hopefully in a year). Yes we have the down load to P3D but we always want our doors open to new users and that would be impossible if LM closed it's doors to this effort (which is not an unreasonable scenario).

 

Sorry, Dillon: you have my sympathies, but this is a training aid. It's intended as a tool for students, Colleges, corporate entities engaged in teaching the art of flying. It is not a replacement for FSX. If LM wants to prevent the use of it as a recreation software they can do it in an instant, and there won't be a thing you can do about it. That's the risk you took when you signed up as a "student". 

If Lockheed Martin were to decide to close Prepar3D how would existing users having boxed copies help new users?

Your right, I didn't ask the question right. A Boxed copy is something in my hands like all my other software. I'm used to something this major being in boxed form, that's just me. But the larger issue I stumbled into the thought of software access and activation for new users should LM close it's doors by chance. It's a worse case scenario but we've been there before as a community. What kept FSX alive was it was still being sold on the shelves even thought MS was out the game. That doesn't happen with cloud distribution. Just food for thought I guess. Maybe Tom, Aerosoft, and PMDG can ponder this one with LM should a day like that come. It's something we have to consider seeing the soured relationship/ride we've had with Microsoft over the last four years.

Sorry, Dillon: you have my sympathies, but this is a training aid. It's intended as a tool for students, Colleges, corporate entities engaged in teaching the art of flying. It is not a replacement for FSX. If LM wants to prevent the use of it as a recreation software they can do it in an instant, and there won't be a thing you can do about it. That's the risk you took when you signed up as a "student".

No sympathies needed just thinking and tossing this around. I'm a real world pilot and I'll use this software in that context as I always have. Most of us have never used FS in the context of gaming.

 

 

Most of us have never used FS in the context of gaming.

 

Haven't we?