PMDG products and Steam

[tjh87 9]

Honestly, I just don't understand the drama, given that Dovetail Games has left FSX:SE open to any third-party developer, including freeware. They even include the FSX SDK in the installation*...

 

One does not have to go through the agony of using their DLC Store (which in any case is currently an empty warehouse)...

 

*Nota bene: they did goof up and leave out some necessary parts of the SDK, but that will be corrected in due time. :Whistle:

 

If you are familiar with DTG and updates to things that are missing, then you would know that they might not correct the SDK issues. They are notorious for releasing unfinished, buggy products. 

 

The advantage of the way FSX is built, compared to their Train Simulator Series, is that you can buy all the DLC you want, and you don't have to invest in any DLC you don't for AI reasons. FSX can do substitution unlike their TS game. They argue the same for their Train Simulator series (buy only what you want), but it's not the same. FSX in one sense has an advantage. 

[Bolt 0]

I thought i would post on some things you may expect from DTG and FSX-SE in the future judging on my experience with DTG with the Railworks (Now TS2015) platform.

 

FSX-SE will probably from now on get periodic upgrades such as this information given to Railworks users before the TS2014 to TS2015 upgrade which can break third party products but hopefully they soon issue a fix to get back on track but In general third party products normally stay intact.

 

You will be able to Verify your games files now, which means if you mess up while trying to alter files within FSX-SE, you can get the product back to its original state rather than Uninstalling/Reinstalling which is handy. However if you have modified third party sound files for the original DTG products they will need to be reinstalled. (i'm thinking of the current Railworks situation here)

 

Third party developers can charge what they want for their products, Armstrong Powerhouse and Just Trains for instance do for the TS2015 platform and on the whole their products are far more lovingly developed, they also issue upgrades from time to time to keep up to date and sometimes like Just Trains, they can charge you for an updated version. I might say at this point that DTG wil offer no support for third party products as they're not their own products.

 

Just Trains once asked their customers if they wanted their products to be available by the Steam distribution method but to this date JT have kept their products in-house and once you buy a product from JT you can re-download you purchased product from their website forever. (that's also the case with Armstrong Powerhouse) I have a few products from JT and AP to date.

 

Looking to the future i can only see FSX-SE being upgraded to a more managable state than it is now and third party developers hopefully thriving with however much love and dedication they want to put into their products. PMDG, to me you can stay with the myriad of settings within the current broken FSX or work out a fix so your products will run ok on the new future FSX-SE platform, i do sincerely hope you guys can work something out for the future flight simmers that come along and indeed your current customers.

 

By the way, i'm not tyrying to knock you guys in anyway shape or form here, i will probably get back into playing FSX-SE  when i can fly my PMDG 737 NGX and 747 again which for the latter, i've not even flown yet due to the current FSX problems, it just jumped on the runway and i decided to just give up from then on. By the way i loved your Flight Simulator 2004 737 and 747 products which are just gathering dust now due to FS2004 not being installed.   :(

 

 

 

[ohsirus 241]

 

 

Looking to the future i can only see FSX-SE being upgraded to a more managable state than it is now and third party developers hopefully thriving with however much love and dedication they want to put into their products. PMDG, to me you can stay with the myriad of settings within the current broken FSX or work out a fix so your products will run ok on the new future FSX-SE platform, i do sincerely hope you guys can work something out for the future flight simmers that come along and indeed your current customers.

 

 

 

Thanks for that and the info on the TrainSim crowd. I'm checking out the Just Trains now!

[n4gix 4,947]

If you are familiar with DTG and updates to things that are missing, then you would know that they might not correct the SDK issues. They are notorious for releasing unfinished, buggy products.

Whether they do or not is largely unimportant, since anyone who really needs the missing bits can simply download the free Prepar3D v1.4 SDK from http://prepar3d.com/support/sdk/ and get on with life. B)

 

In addition, FS Developer (http://fsdeveloper.com) have links to newer and improved versions of XToMDL.exe (64bit version), and other handy utilities.

[doog79 43]

I have to challenge your assertion that PMDG balked at DT's taking a "small" slice of the profits. None of us has any idea what terms DT offered, but I believe Robert when he says that the offer was not in the best interest of PMDG or the community.

Well FSdreamteam, A2A and others have just updated their installers to work with FSX SE.  It seems to be an open platform to add on developers.  I don`t know if PMDG even have to be involved with the Steam market download content.  Seems like if they re program their dll hooks and installers the stuff will work.

Could be a lot of work for PMDG given the complexity of the aircraft.  But if others are doing it I`m sure given time they well be along for the ride also.

 

Just thinking out loud though so don`t read to much into my comment. 

 

Doogie

[Bolt 0]

 I don`t know if PMDG even have to be involved with the Steam market download content.

 

They don't, a third party developer just adds to the FSX-SE platform, Steam has no involvement at all in that process.

[BimmerCop 332]

He can speak on behalf of PMDG but he can't speak of the "community" - whatever that may be.

Amen 1+

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

I'm confused now. Isn't this what every developer/publisher attempts to achieve?

 

Heck, that was also MS's goal and look how successful the FS franchise became. I don't see anything wrong with Dovetail trying to recoup their investment in FSX.

 

Efrain-

 

What you may have missed from previous posts by me:  PMDG and other developers are concerned with profitability, yes- but we are also concerned to see an growing and thriving simulation community from the roots (freeware) to the tips of the tree.

 

If you consider that Microsoft's ambition with FLIGHT was to effectively subvert the entire development community so that we came under their economic control- you have what I fear is the future with Dovetail.

 

I have asked rather directly along these lines and been given exceptionally vague answers... hence the concern.

 

In one regard it may simply be that they can't see beyond the event horizon currently in play- but... 

 

Either way- I think some folks are "skimming" here and getting confused on the issues.  (Simon- you would be one...)

 

PMDG will support FSX SE- but we need to update our installers to manage it effectively. 

 

Lets not be confused on that issue please...

[BimmerCop 332]

Efrain-

 

What you may have missed from previous posts by me:  PMDG and other developers are concerned with profitability, yes- but we are also concerned to see an growing and thriving simulation community from the roots (freeware) to the tips of the tree.

 

If you consider that Microsoft's ambition with FLIGHT was to effectively subvert the entire development community so that we came under their economic control- you have what I fear is the future with Dovetail.

 

I have asked rather directly along these lines and been given exceptionally vague answers... hence the concern.

 

In one regard it may simply be that they can't see beyond the event horizon currently in play- but... 

 

Either way- I think some folks are "skimming" here and getting confused on the issues.  (Simon- you would be one...)

 

PMDG will support FSX SE- but we need to update our installers to manage it effectively. 

 

Lets not be confused on that issue please...

Rob,

 

Thanks for that clarification. It all makes sense now and I see your point. It is a valid one and I side with it as well. I hope things work out. Only time will tell. Have a good weekend, brother!

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Rob,

 

Thanks for that clarification. It all makes sense now and I see your point. It is a valid one and I side with it as well. I hope things work out. Only time will tell. Have a good weekend, brother!

 

Efrain-

 

Yeah- I think I helped create confusion when I made a comment about "the future" while answering in a thread about FSX SE.

 

Note to self:  stay on topic.

 

Who the h&ll moderates this place, anyway?!?!?!?

 

:ph34r:

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

Who the h&ll moderates this place, anyway?!?!?!?

 

Dunno...  :ph34r:

[77west 139]

Dunno...  :ph34r:

ouch. Lol. 

[Bolt 0]

Either way- I think some folks are "skimming" here and getting confused on the issues.  (Simon- you would be one...)

 

PMDG will support FSX SE- but we need to update our installers to manage it effectively. 

 

 

 

 

I thought i would leave the second sentence from your quoted post intact here Robert as i feel like a child on Christmas day to hear that news. I can't wait to fly my FSX PMDG 747 version for the first time without damaging my delicate under carriage and causing a crash without even setting off on the old FSX platform. Ok i know it's probably an elevation issue regarding the runway in question but it still put me off.

 

I don't understand what you mean when you say skimming and getting confused on the issues, i would love to explain what experience i have regarding Railworks, third party developers, DTG and Steam if that's what you mean.

 

By the way can i just say i feel truly honored that you've called me by my first name here after reading your posts many times over the years, i quite like the forum signature rules here as it does feel more homely and friendly after all.

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Simon-

 

See?  It does make it all more homey.  B)

 

There will be a time/place for debate of Dovetail's policies- but in fairness to Dovetail- that should probably happen if/when they actually clarify their position and state their long term ambitions.

 

If they keep FSX and their next generation of sim platforms open to 3rd party developers without forcing us into their Steam channel- we'll all get along just fine...

 

That being said- I am going to kill this thread off- because I want to avoid that discussion taking placeright now- EVEN THOUGH I am the one who shot it off in that direction in the first place...