FSX-SE DoveTail Games Buys Licensing Deal with Microsoft

[styckx 1,871]

Oh I know, I've invested a bit into the Train Simulator series myself, and am well aware of the DTG business model. I've myself been though those "upgrades" but you must remember that it was mostly a UI overhaul, and the new content as of more recently required a repurchase of the base package, which was cheap during the Steam sales (and I've taken advantage of that). That is not saying though it was great, and the game itself wasn't really fixed. Take the NEC Philly - NYC (not the NH that was recently released). There are still issues with that route particularly. This is a separate community though and I won't lash out against them here.

 

It is a Flight style business model though. Free or cheap base package, with a pay for what you want funding process. In the end, the quality could be potentially better, but the cost is astronomical.

 

Oh I know. That's why I quit as a beta tester for them. And had a Skype session with Paul Jackson himself explaining my anger at the way their terrible beta program was ran. Then turned down a paid job offer from him to paint the Norfolk Southern Heritage unit liveries.   I had all my free $3000+ worth of DLC revoked and said so long. They are a really terrible company as far as QA and support goes but.. A fool and their wallet etc.. They make a ton of cash.

[BeechPapa 32]

Seriously  , more like the hacking, tweaking, and overlcocking requirements have kept people away.  There's many out there that would want a realistic 'working' simulation that's install and go.  That's been the problem over the years.  Our community shrunk when the IT price of admission hit to roof.  MS turning it's back on the franchise just further exacerbated the problem.  I never seen someone who wanted to stifle the hardcore component of FS (in general).  Even the FLIGHT crowd wanted more...

I could easily be under-estimating the average gamer, and wouldn't mind at all if that was the case, It would be a treat to a see millions of gamers, especially the younger ones, embracing ulta-realistic flight models and nav tools like GNS 530/670, FMCs, route planners etc. 

 

I can only speak personally, but in the beginning I wasn't bothered by the low performance because I was overcome with control configs, customizing inputs, realism settings, and just trying to make it from point A to B. So I tend to think of this stuff as a barrier to entry as well.  

[JSkorna 137]

 

 

I could easily be under-estimating the average gamer, and wouldn't mind at all if that was the case, It would be a treat to a see millions of gamers, especially the younger ones, embracing ulta-realistic flight models and nav tools like GNS 530/670, FMCs, route planners etc.

 

The average gamer wants none of that! They want rings, balloons, coins, no cockpits, and pretty explosions!!

[captainsazzman 83]

Hmm, I 'd say we are okay now to push the panic button

I did some digging into Dovetail. They are too small and unfocused to produce the hardcore platform we have become used to. Sure its nice to have FSX on steam but in the long run and when their new platform comes out we will most likely see a fying game or at best a diluted simulator (to appeal to the masses) that almost forces you to buy their DLCs and will most likely squeeze the creative freedom of 3rd party devs.

 

IMO, if you like the FSX platform and want to see the future, get PREPAR3D V2. Sure its a little but more pricey but its EULA still allows guys like us to use it (according to their website their professional version allows for "general learning, simulating flight for personal use and familiarization") and our trusted developers (PMDG, FTX, QW, etc) are making compatible versions. I bought and Im impressed the ONLY drawback is having to wait for the likes of PMDG to finally release for the platform. Apart from that, there is always Xplane of course. From what happened these past few years, Microsoft flight simulator is DEAD

[Dillon 2,197]

The average gamer wants none of that! They want rings, balloons, coins, no cockpits, and pretty explosions!!

 

 

FLIGHT should have been a huge success then...

[neil0311 366]

Why do people have to start rumor, conjecture, innuendo, and spread unfounded guesses passing as thoughtful comments?

 

Where has it been stated or even hinted that Microsoft is disabling activation for existing copies of FSX? Nothing has been mentioned officially or unofficially to support that, yet people here become hysterical and are discussing all kinds of far fetched nefarious scenarios.

 

Why not wait until the evil plots are hatched before going off on paranoid rants.

[molleh 451]

I said this in one of the earlier rumor threads: DTG (Dovetail Games) is an awful, awful developer to have been given the reigns to this potentially very powerful franchise. Like Styckx said above, they have some of the worst support and QA I have ever seen in the world of software development. There are major, glaring bugs in many of the products they are still selling on Steam that have been brought to their attention countless times over the years, yet they still do nothing about.

 

Sure, we don't know anything about the upcoming product(s) until they're out in the wild, but there is a long "paper trail" of evidence about their business ethics and standards if you care to look.

[JSkorna 137]

Why do people have to start rumor, conjecture, innuendo, and spread unfounded guesses passing as thoughtful comments?

 

Where has it been stated or even hinted that Microsoft is disabling activation for existing copies of FSX? Nothing has been mentioned officially or unofficially to support that, yet people here become hysterical and are discussing all kinds of far fetched nefarious scenarios.

 

Why not wait until the evil plots are hatched before going off on paranoid rants.

Because the doomsday folks have to have their holiday too!! 

[tjh87 9]

Oh I know. That's why I quit as a beta tester for them. And had a Skype session with Paul Jackson himself explaining my anger at the way their terrible beta program was ran. Then turned down a paid job offer from him to paint the Norfolk Southern Heritage unit liveries.   I had all my free $3000+ worth of DLC revoked and said so long. They are a really terrible company as far as QA and support goes but.. A fool and their wallet etc.. They make a ton of cash.

 

I've never cared from him personally. It's a lot of talk and no walk. They don't care about bugs, they want their money, because they aren't entitled to fix anything once it's released. They are smart in what they do, and it's sad. That's why as soon as I saw that come up with FSX, I felt I need to say that they are not warm fuzzy developers and people. Once they have your money, that's it. Steam unfortunately is a terrible place for decent games. They make it easy for anyone to rip people off. And from the products I've bought, I can't agree anymore. QA and support is a disgrace... I know people are saying wait and see, but they show no signs of changing their ways... They got their sheep, and this is just a hope to get some more....

[molleh 451]

I've never cared from him personally. It's a lot of talk and no walk. They don't care about bugs, they want their money, because they aren't entitled to fix anything once it's released. They are smart in what they do, and it's sad. That's why as soon as I saw that come up with FSX, I felt I need to say that they are not warm fuzzy developers and people. Once they have your money, that's it. Steam unfortunately is a terrible place for decent games. They make it easy for anyone to rip people off. And from the products I've bought, I can't agree anymore. QA and support is a disgrace... I know people are saying wait and see, but they show no signs of changing their ways... They got their sheep, and this is just a hope to get some more....

 

I have been a user on Steam since it launched (a little over ten years I think.) For the most part it's been a very positive experience. It's really up to each individual developer to offer support, aside from payment issues and the like. DTG is the one to blame, not Steam.

[PilotSim 0]

Exactly. For the amount they paid for that license deal, they are going to want to squeeze revenue out of all they can.

It was the approach that Apple took to the app store. They were initially very picky about what apps and what developers to bring on board. Approving apps to publish would take months - they wanted to make sure the quality and the user experience was there.

 

Now Apple let pretty much everything on there. The app store is bloated with useless junk, but there are still gems. I'd imagine if Dovetail took this same approach it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

 

If it were me, I'd offer co-development and co-marketing funds to the well known 3P devs to bring a few of their blockbuster products over, which would incentivise other devs to follow suit. That's what we did with the [failed] Intel App Store.

 

I'm sure they will be open-minded about the current community, as long as they still make a good return.

 

Maybe it would be a good time to start doing some poll about what people would expect from Dovetail Games? If there is a good enough response to the survey they might adopt some of the ideas.

[captainsazzman 83]

If the money was large enough to matter they'd still be producing the title.  I don't think whatever kick back they get is going to keep them from saying, "Go to DT for all future support" and then DT saying "You'll have to re-purchase the Steam version for full support".  It just stinks that way... 

remember its all about SCALE. Microsoft earns BILLIONS, Dovetail possibly only MILLIONS at best. Remember in 2007 when they got fined for forcin internet explorer on new computers? They paid a ridiculously large amount of money and it was only a drop in the sea for them. Most likely Microsoft just arent bothered to do flight sim but would take the cash though. for use hardened simmers its either P3D2 or Xplane

[Boomer 1,619]

 

 

Unless the activation servers for FSX are killed

 

Should that happen, I will immediately move to XPX.

[PilotSim 0]

remember its all about SCALE. Microsoft earns BILLIONS, Dovetail possibly only MILLIONS at best. Remember in 2007 when they got fined for forcin internet explorer on new computers? They paid a ridiculously large amount of money and it was only a drop in the sea for them. Most likely Microsoft just arent bothered to do flight sim but would take the cash though. for use hardened simmers its either P3D2 or Xplane

 

I bet Microsoft will still take a share of whatever DT makes. From what I've read they haven't sold off the licensing rights, merely made a deal with DT.

 

I think it's important that we understand exactly what DT want to do with the opportunity that they have (outside of making a quick buck on Steam with FSX Gold v2).

 

I'm also sure DT have learned a lot from their Train Sim mistakes. Perhaps enough to apply what they've learned into a really awesome Flight Simulator. Or not...

[Boomer 1,619]

IMO, if you like the FSX platform and want to see the future, get PREPAR3D V2

 

Sorry, mate, IMHO that is exactly the wrong direction to go.  LM and its idiotic coy "games" about whether this will ever be a viable mass consumer use product makes it an unreliable dead end.

 

CLEARLY, XPX is the the alternative, maybe the future.  When PMDG has products for it, I may switch at that point forever.