I think it is almost guaranteed that they will do the absolute minimum to get FSX working on Steam (I doubt they will even fix bugs, other than ones that make it not work on modern OSes and Steam), and then just make money off it.

I must admit to being a bit underwhelmed, not to mentioned confused by the mixed signals regarding the future of FSX as a "Steam" application...

 

...especially considering the rather clear statement that MS retains control of the source code. How can DTG possibly "fix a few bugs" and "try" to shoehorn multiplayer into Steam's MP paradigm if they don't have access to the source code? That is the big puzzle in my estimation. :unsure:

The recipe for success with the Flight engine is the ability to make quick, cheap, but high quality DLC.  The other problem they will run into is licensing aircraft... a quarter million per plane per year will kill things quickly.  Maybe they work around it with 3rd parties, or just take the risk.

 

I always wondered about that. Microsoft could not cough up the bucks to license the planes it needs but a tiny little company like Aerofly can? https://www.aeroflyfs.com/aircraft.html

 

Strange.

...especially considering the rather clear statement that MS retains control of the source code. How can DTG possibly "fix a few bugs" and "try" to shoehorn multiplayer into Steam's MP paradigm if they don't have access to the source code? That is the big puzzle in my estimation.

 

There is no way that I know of to release it on Steam without the source code, but maybe there is a way.  I'm guessing they have it but don't have rights to do anything other than redistribute it "as is", or probably more accurately, "as is, other than changes needed to make it work on Steam".

 

 

 

a tiny little company like Aerofly can

 

My guess is they are tiny enough they aren't worried about being sued and don't actually have licenses.  Also, some companies are better than others at licensing their stuff.

DTG will have no problem licensing planes.. If it's one thing they're actually really good at is getting licenses. They have licenses to use the name and logos of nearly every major railroad past and present. 

 

 

Anyone know how long it would take to download a sim like FSX?

 

I have FSX Gold  bought on GFWL. It was like 10GB download, not a big deal.

When this speculation was announced over a month ago, I was really hoping it was going to be Boeing, a la the Lockheed-Martin way of doing things. Didn't quite work out that way.

 

The only good thing I've read out of all of this so far is that FS9 will remain as is, untouched, and that's fine with me.

 

If there is a silver lining to all of this, it is that I have began to look into Prepar3d  a lot more, and I think I will go that route. Just as an insurance policy, because I think FSX is done at the end of this year. 

 

I truly think DTG will decide to make our current copies of FSX null and void by January 2015, unless you pay them a fee. It might be a one time "subscription" or "enrollment" fee, or an annual fee.

All one has to do is see how DTG treats their customers -they ignore them (a trait they inherited and a trick they learned by hiring all those ex-EA execs/devs), but gladly take the customer's $$$ for way-overpriced DLC.

And unless you pay them this fee, your current copy of FSX will be nothing more than a drink coaster. It will not be able to run, period.

DTG can do this, and there's nothing this or any community can do about it. You can yap about it when it happens, and they will laugh in your face. Guaranteed.

 

Now, how can they do this? Easily:

One thing that has not been brought up here, or in any of the other forums: DTG knows exactly what's on your pc the second you log into Steam, whether you allow them access to that info or not. Any dev/company doing business on Steam knows all of this info.

Heck, if you like, they will even print it up and show it to you. It is a very accurate and detailed report, right down to every FS9/FSX p2p add on or non-FSX/FS9-related add on installed on your system -and that's exactly how DTG can/will deactivate your current FSX.

Because of all the misinformation floating around out there the past couple of days, many people think that their FSX is OK as it is. With DTG running the show now, it is not. 

 

These guys don't play around when it comes to making money, and they don't care who they pss off while doing it. Hiring the EA people is all you need to know that they are dead serious about cashing in. The EA guys know how to shut down a game platform, even if you own the disk or not. Those EA guys, they've done it before (and never paid one single dime in refunds back, as promised).

Why do you think DTG hired them for in the first place? It certainly wasn't for their game development skills or their customer satisfaction reputation...

 

And all the speculation about how they will make the money is all hogwash too imo.

They will polish up the current version to what  they feel will appeal to the younger demo, just like MS did with Flight. If the "new" version doesn't bring in the projected numbers, they will drop it like a hot potato in no time, and we will be back to square one, but with the broken FSX left over as a dead carcass by that time.

DTG doesn't care if it loses money during all of this, the cash cow known as TS2014 will be covering those loses anyways, because for every 3 of us educated TS2014 consumers, there are 7 who don't know squat and have their parent's credit card for unlimited ammo and unlimited spending -and that's the market DTG caters to, not to us 3 'percent' educated ones.

Everyone here will soon be a part of that three "percent" demo too. Enjoy it, knowing your "input" will be worthless.

 

Goat simulators. Fishing simulators...that's some nice company there to be associated with...it couldn't have been somebody a bit more reputable like Boeing? What the...

 

Now how much do you really think they will pay attention to a community like the FS community?

Let's face the facts now: we are not their target demographic.

We never were, and now (meaning around 12/2014 or 1/2015) it will become painfully obvious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

People need to look at history and quit accusing people of assuming. This company has a history anyone can go look at.

People need to look at history and quit accusing people of assuming. This company has a history anyone can look at.

 

Exactly. And then there is folks like me who come off like we have an axe to grind with DTG.. And that's only because we do.. We've first hand experience dealing their business tactics and greatly shifting degrees of QA in their products. 

 

Again I'll post this: http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/12/06/train-simulator-2014-developer-hiding-negative-steam-user-reviews-flagged-as-off-topic/

 

That's less than a year ago. This company is not your friend or in anything for your best interests.. 

Wow......  :unsure:

 

Considering how irredeemably awful they apparently are, I wonder who's buying all the DLC..........

I begin to think that P3D might be the way to go.

 

Too bad some addons I enjoy like the VRS TP Rhino will likely be left behind and my preferred PMDG jets will be too expensive.

 

On the other hand, should FSX activation become a problem, others will provide solutions.

These guys don't play around when it comes to making money, and they don't care who they pss off while doing it.

 

 

Uneducated consumers/Uneducated voters, everybody loves 'em...  

Wow......

 

Considering how irredeemably awful they apparently are, I wonder who's buying all that DLC.............

 

This is easy.. The same people who complain about them.  There isn't a train simulator out there that looks as good as TS 2014.. MSTS has much better physics but is grossly outdated in graphics. Then there is Trainz which has superior AI, but the graphics are outdated.. Then you have Run8 which is superior also.. But again the graphics are dated and very little addons.

 

DTG's biggest complainers are their #1 buyers because "pretty graphics" and they have no other choice that looks as good so they continue to funnel money into it hoping one day it will actually be the "simulator" they always dreamed of.

 

Long story short: No real competition so the people who hate them, still finance them because where else are they gonna go?

 

When I quit the beta scene and had my complimentary DLC revoked I actually had people offering to buy me all the DLC so I wouldn't leave the scene.. I declined it all as I didn't want them to profit off my departure.. 

Anyone know how long it would take to download a sim like FSX?

Well X-Plane is coming to Steam in like 5 days and I heard it's going to be a 70GB download, so...

This kinda reminds me of Rob Stark looking at his tactical map... throwing his pieces to the ground he yells out loud.. "Tywin Lannister doesn't have to do anything... he just has to wait!"

 

 

X-plane is Tywin Lannister. MSFS and it's step children are doomed. In 5 years, we'll all be on X-plane.  Why?

 

 

1.) Most like FSX in style, with add on model still the same as we are all used to.

2.) Current 3DP actively converting or newly developing for X-plane right now.

3.) Whole world, 64 bit.

4.) The least amount of drama of anything out there.

 

X-plane doesn't have to do anything... it just has to wait.

 

EDIT;  I could care less about 'new blood'. I want them to worry about my money in my pocket right now... Not what money might be out there.

I have FSX Gold  bought on GFWL. It was like 10GB download, not a big deal.

 

Right, there are plenty of other concerns about how FSX will work on Steam, but download size won't be an issue. X-Plane is about to move to Steam and that's an 80 gig package, if they distribute it with complete world scenery. They might break it up into separate region downloads, but the overall gaming market is moving to some really big downloads on Steam. I've seen recent FPS and RPG games on Steam that were 60 gigs to download. 80 gigs isn't a big stretch, and big budget games will probably hit the 100 gig size before long.

 

Since both FSX and X-Plane will now be on Steam, it will be interesting to see how that shakes out. Especially if it's either one without any add-ons at all (which I suspect it will be, at least at first, for both platforms). X-Plane like any flight sim needs some tweaking to find the optimum performance, but the stability and frame rates on modern hardware are pretty good right out of the box. On the other hand, X-Plane is still expensive as a worldwide package. The North America-only version is roughly the same price now as FSX Gold, but the full World edition is still $87, and I doubt Austin will lower the price just because it's on Steam. That may help drive FSX Gold sales.

 

BTW, no arguments here about which platforms are better -- I like seeing competition, and I'm just wondering how this will look to the average Steam customer who might want to dip their toe into flight sims. Between these two products, this will be the first time that any in-depth flight sim has ever appeared on Steam, aside from the combat titles and what MS tried to do with Flight.