^{Everytime I see a post of}

^{"Whats the status?"}

^{"They owe us!"} 

^{"Why can't you just tell us whats going on"} 

 

^{I think about what this society has become.  We now are a society that feels that we are entitled to everything regards of the circumstances behind it.} 

 

  ^{I am sure that PMDG has a reason that the SP seems to be taking a long time.  I don't feel that they owe me an explanation.  Guys just be patient, you know it will be coming soon.  RSR said it would go to the testers soon and im sure it will or has gone already.}

 

 

I think about what this society has become.  We now are a society that feels that we are entitled to everything regards of the circumstances behind it. 

 

All I can think about is you coming out of your forum cave to make a post... 

 

 

The analogy that I used fits just fine

 

It really doesn't.

If Honda sold you a car with a wheel missing....yeah that's broken.

 

PMDG sold you a plane that flies just fine. What the SP will bring is "next year's model" in terms of improved features.

No different from buying the 2015 Honda Civic over the 2014 edition.

 

I see plenty of people complaining how the plane is "broken", or "unflyable", or "incomplete."

The only thing all three of those words describes are your expectations.

Tony

Oliver it's been over 6 months. This leads me to believe the 777 was not even close to ready when it first appeared. However, I am sure that we will have an update that states how the beta version is imminent and then nothing for two months until the hype goes away.

 

Tony  

**for those of you who PM'd me asking what I am doing in my profile picture - weight and balance - MD80 style!!!  

 

This also applies to the NGX that we have been waiting on a service pack for for about 2+ years.  Customer service goes a long way these days.  Perhaps they are too concerned with their "commercial offerings" and have lost sight of what has brought them to this point - us-- the customers; the hobbiests. I for one am a real world commercial pilot and flight simulator is one of my favorite hobbies.  

 

SIDE NOTE - when I was first staring out flying and operating a 441 and King Air 200, we would go in to these airports in northern and southwestern British Columbia and I used to use my sim (and still do sometimes) to familiarize myself with the approaches - NDB, RNAV, Backcourses and ILS's.  I found it really helpful during inclement weather to have had looked at the approaches a few times before and become familiar with the missed approach procedures.  This became VERY true on a November night flying in to Terrance BC.  For those of you who are not familiar with this airport, take a look at it.  Fly the approach to a missed approach in minimums and you will see what I am taking about.  Another example of this is Castlegar BC.  CRAZY airport (not even sure how it was certified but in nasty weather, I was glad i had looked at this approach on my sim a few times.  Now, its all ILS to ILS or RNAV on long paved runways with flight attendants:)  Mostly now,I use it to become familiar with changes to SIDS and STARS that I go to regularly and to still check on the missed approach procedures.  Again, during high workloads in busy terminal environments, while transitioning out of a low energy regime (landing to missed approach), it helps.  it all helps your situational awareness.  I digress...  Cue self proclaimed PR wing of PMDG (users that comment on every post) armed with their bats ready to lynch me...lol

 

That being said - they did deliver a flyable aircraft to us that is far beyond anything that any other developer has put to market so for that, I am grateful.  With different hardware configurations out there, each user will have a different experience with the 777 and i do believe that PMDG has done their very best to mitigate the majority of these issues.

 

My airline typically doesn't release ANY information to us about new initiatives until they are at a firm release date.  it keeps the inmates at bay and helps to protect the integrity of the company.  Of course though, there is always that trickle of information that leaks out from time to time.

I think I will liken this to situations that I face everyday in my profession.   A client comes to me to assist in winding up the estate of a deceased.   I explain to the client that (I don't know if it work differently in other countries, but in mine this is how it goes) it will take in excess of six months and I explain the broken system to the client and how much frustration will creep in eventually (I mean, I have done this many times, so I inform the client of the pitfalls).

 

Would you believe, that after explaining the whole thing to the client, not three weeks later, he/she is on my back, harassing me and basically telling me that I have not done anything yet, whilst not three weeks ago I explained everything to him/her.

 

Initially everyone is so excited about the sp/next aircraft.   Then, despite knowing how the development cycle works, knowing the frustration about bugs that creep in, knowing PMDG's policy regarding releases (and I have to say that with the 777 it was amazing, because despite all the bashing they get for their efforts in creating a flyable product, they let the beta testers share videos and pictures with us), people still get upset when they don't hear anything.

 

Now don't get me wrong - I am as excited as everyone else about the release of the SP, but the aircraft has been solid for me.   I do find the controls a little challenging on landing - oh wait, I did before I actually did a few landings and figured it out and now I manage just fine.

 

I agree with a few sentiments above - fly it and enjoy it.   Yes, it needs a bit of refining here and there, but nothing serious.   I would be very upset if had blown 90 bucks on an aircraft in which the VNAV and LNAV functions are terrible, the FMC has half the features and I have nothing more than a set of flying textures really.   But this is not the case.   We have a fantastic piece of software here and once the SP arrives, it will be even better.   

 

As for the expectations to hold ups - I think PMDG's record for customer care and service speaks for itself since their establishment.   Since we know their track record, I am not concerned if they go quiet for a while, it usually signifies something good to follow "soon"  :ph34r:

 

And yes I know, I will get flamed for this post, but there you have it.

 

Kind regards :Peace:

I feel similarly regarding SP2 for the NGX. How many years has it been since release? That was the flagship product for this new generation of PMDG addons, and it still has a things needing fixing. It feels as though they just move forward with new projects and call the old ones "good enough." I just hope that doesn't happen with the T7 as well.

 

I know I'll catch flack, but just expressing how I feel about it. It's a bit frustrating, but I mean no disrespect to PMDG and appreciate everything they do to for our hobby. Honestly were lucky to have a developer like them, just wish things could move at a slightly faster pace

 

 

The product works fine but needs some refinement.

 

I mostly agree, but when the product has a serious problem that makes hand-flying difficult (fighting trim and being unable to manage speed with manual thrust because it has its own ideas of what it wants to do) then it should be treated as a "must-fix-now" problem that has a dedicated service pack for it.

 

I started several threads just asking if the FBW got addressed in SP1, to either meet a wall of silence or a locked thread. I can handle having CTD on the ground when changing step climb size, and other things that are wrong, but when the product is fundamentally broken, then it is unacceptable.

 

Customer service makes or breaks companies. Unfortunately, those that it breaks are too slow realizing it.

 

Best regards,

Robin.

The hyperbole in this thread almost makes it like watching daytime TV...

 

"...and now back to As the World Turns..."

 

And I thank you all for that, because I'm stuck at work without a TV.  With this, I don't need one!

 

 

All I can think about is you coming out of your forum cave to make a post...

I wish I could post more, but work and Avsim Forum time just are not compatable with each other. :mellow:

I wish I could post more, but work and Avsim Forum time just are not compatable with each other. :mellow:

 

Gotta love firewalls and crazy security policies.

I understand everyone's point here, and I am not someone who defends PMDG or any other software developer. But I cannot recall any other instance (disclaimer: there may have been) where developers are contacted repeatedly for when will an update be issued and received reliable feedback. I have purchased many add-ons over the past 12 years that had flaws to them. Some I have been able to enjoy, others were deleted. But I very rarely saw updates for them. 

 

The middle of the road question on this topic would be the following: If PMDG declared bankruptcy TODAY and therefore no SP update would ever come along. Would you delete their 737/777 or keep flying it?

 

 

Would you delete their 737/777 or keep flying it?

 

I bet a bunch would delete it in anger, get bored with everything else, and then get really upset that they can't redownload it from somewhere because they never got in the habit of keeping backups somewhere...

 

 

never got in the habit of keeping backups somewhere...

As has happened in another post elsewhere.

Gotta love firewalls and crazy security policies.

 

Out of context, but why downvote this comment when it has nothing to do with the original subject material.

This voting system just gives ammo for certain people to peck away at others who "disagree" with them at an earlier time.

 

Sorry, this sort of childish stuff just bugs me.