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rsrandazzo

[27FEB15] Latest News/Release Planning Notes, etc

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Captains-

 

Most of this post is a cut/paste from my 21FEB15 update, but I wanted to add a few new items and updates... 

 

PMDG 737-8900NGX Base Package and PMDG 737-600/700NGX Expansion FSX/FSX-SE:

This update is proving to have a bit more gestational staying-power than any of us really likes.

 

On the 21st, we were very comfortable that we had a good, solid release build on our hands.  By the end of the weekend, we were targeting a Tuesday night release- and then...  suddenly a bunch of things started to appear.

 

We have spent most of this week chasing down some platform differences between FSX and FSX-SE, and eliminating some issues that we introduced while fixing some other items that have been on our to-do list for some time.

 

Last night we pushed a new build out to our testing team, and within a few hours it was evident that things had gone completely wrong.  I don't want to go into much detail except to say that even something as simple as getting the version numbers in the installer to match the dlls didn't happen properly- and we wound up with a mix of 3 version numbers across two installers.  Not good.

 

We spent all of today giving the thing a thorough quality check and correcting some of the problems we added last night.  I am comfortable we have a good solid build on our hands, and I will be sending it to the testing team in the morning.

 

Why not send it to them tonight?  Well...  I think all of us are running at the fatigue limits now, as we have been at this 12-18hrs a day, every day since 05JAN.  The tired is showing in the silly mistakes.

 

Thus- we are pulling the plug for the rest of tonight and we will push a new build to the testing team on Friday and then await their feedback.

 

Right now the EARLIEST you should expect this update is Saturday- but to be candid I'm not sure that will happen...  It really depends on whether or not we got it right tonight.  I am going to refrain from laying down any markers on when we anticipate pushing this build out to you- as each time I have done so we have managed to break something that sets it back.  (And this, ladies and gentlemen- is why we never publish release dates!)

 

I know we have had a few folks here in the forum talking about how easy this stuff is- but I can assure you it is not.

 

PMDG 737-8900NGX Base Package and PMDG 737-600/700NGX Expansion Prepar3D:

In some positive news, the quality level of the Prepar3D version is doing better, in our opinion, than the FSX/FSX-SE update described above.  We have found a few more platform-specific problems that we are working on- and we hope to have those resolved in the coming days.

 

I mentioned last week that the platform differences broke the HGS- but this has now been fixed....  Vin, Jason and Alex have been drilling really deeply into P3D to make sure we get the most out of the platform- and I think it shows in the version we are working with right now.

 

We have some memory management issues we are running down- as well as a few "what the heck is causing THAT" items... but those always pop up in every project...  we will have them wrapped up soon.

 

It would **almost** be funny at this point if the P3D version reaches release stability before the FSX/FSX-SE update....   (I said ALMOST... put away the knives!  LOL)

 

DC-6 Update:

There will be a DC-6 update in the near future...  I always forget to update you on this one because it isn't in my "immediate attention" sphere- but it is moving forward and we shall show you that soon enough.

 

PMDG BAe JS4100

For those awaiting FSX:SE compatibility for the JetStream 41, this integration is completed and is awaiting testing.  Right now we have a single, very large beta test taking place to cover "all things NGX" so we are refraining from adding this to the mix as it will create some confusion and not guarantee that we have a good solid test of this product under FSX-SE.

 

We diid make a couple of minor fixes to this product during the update in order to eliminate a few common complaints we get to support... but mostly this product will be identical to the FSX version currently on the market.

 

 

Other Legacy (including MD11) Products:

We have not yet evaluated any of our legacy products to determine their suitability for FSX:SE compatibility update.  We will do so once the NGX and J41 are safely out the door- and we will update you as to our progress as we go!

 

 

FSX:SE Solution In the Works for DVD Customers:

Short version Repeat:  We have a solution planned for this- and we are working out the details with Aerosoft.

 

I am going to refrain from describing how this solution will work, as we don't have the logistics finalized- but we do have a solution in planning now for DVD customers who wish to use their FSX-SE compatible PMDG products...  

 

This will get more attention and we should be able to tell you precisely how it will work once we get the NGX update finished and prove to ourselves that it is stable in the wild.

 

Your patience is appreciated.  I anticipate we are probably within 4 weeks of having a solution rolled out for DVD customers.  Until then there isn't anything we or Aerosoft can do to help you use any PMDG products in FSX-SE- but we are working on it.

 

Please don't flood Aerosoft with requests, as the front-line support people at Aerosoft cannot help you yet either- as the plans are still being laid at higher levels....

 

Short version Repeat:  We are working on something for you...  It is going to take time.  Thanks for being patient.

 

Xplane Development Update:

We have begun to discuss (at last!) unveiling our first preview for our first Xplane development project.  (That sounds frighteningly like we have started to plan to plan for a planning meeting....  I don't mean it to sound that way.  LOL)

 

I thought we were close to a preview on this about 8 months ago and I was mistaken- but we are close enough to completion now that I think we have something worth showing....

 

This project has been our "sandbox" exercise in order to get a development team up and running on Xplane- and many of you will recall that the Jetstream 41 was our sandbox exercise for what became the NGX and 777 product lines- so I think you will be pretty excited about this if you are an Xplane user!

 

 

PMDG 747-400v2.0 for FSX/FSX-SE:

We have a few updates on this for you- but we are sitting on them until we get some of these other loose ends cleared out.  Unfortunately we had to pilfer talent from the 400 development team in order to handle all of the FSX-SE updates- and this has put us behind our intended schedule...  but once we have the SE updates out of the way we will be back full force to this project.... 

 

There are some very interesting things taking place behind the scenes for 747 fans- and we'll give you more information on those shortly!

 

 


Robert S. Randazzo coolcap.gif

PLEASE NOTE THAT PMDG HAS DEPARTED AVSIM

You can find us at:  http://forum.pmdg.com

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Thanks for the extensive update, Robert! 

Take some rest now... 


Best regards,
--Anders Bermann--
____________________
Scandinavian VA

Pilot-ID: SAS2471

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Thank you Robert. Are the people with the aerosofts download version in the same category as the DVD-Customers?  :unsure:


Philipp Schwaegerl
 

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Philipp-

 

Yes- in all the excitement we completely forgot to mention you!  In your case, we will be giving Aerosoft updated installers and you will be able to pull a copy from them.

 

They have asked for them, but we are holding off until we know we have things stabilized- as we are chasing a couple of items that we want to get wrapped up in the fix cycle...


Robert S. Randazzo coolcap.gif

PLEASE NOTE THAT PMDG HAS DEPARTED AVSIM

You can find us at:  http://forum.pmdg.com

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Philipp-

 

Yes- in all the excitement we completely forgot to mention you!  In your case, we will be giving Aerosoft updated installers and you will be able to pull a copy from them.

 

They have asked for them, but we are holding off until we know we have things stabilized- as we are chasing a couple of items that we want to get wrapped up in the fix cycle...

 

Robert, you make me really happy.  :lol: Thank you very much for clarifying this. 


Philipp Schwaegerl
 

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So why not take the weekend off and come back to it refreshed on Monday?  

 

Waiting a couple of days isn't going to hurt anyone...is it?


Lawrence Hamilton

 

PMDG_737ngx_proud_own3_378x68.png

 

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Of all the excuses out there, you would think that a more imaginative one would come out from this team.

My martian glow in the dark pet iguana with the pink nose ate the homework, er I meant to say the code.

No, wait, wait, I meant to say the p.c.

 

Is it really that difficult to come up with the proper 0's and 1's to make things work smoothly?

I mean come on for crying out loud folks, how many tens of trillions upon trillions of options and variables are there in the code?

Not to mention having it interact with three other different codes/sims and windows to boot.

 

On a more serious note, you guys need some rest, so go get it, and thanks for the update. :good:

 

P.S. If you are reading this and have an itchy "complain" typing finger ready you have my sincere apologies, as I think I beat you to it.


Waleed N

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So why not take the weekend off and come back to it refreshed on Monday?  

Waiting a couple of days isn't going to hurt anyone...

 

I think it would hurt A LOT all those who work hard during the week and have only the weekend to fly...


James Goggi

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So why not take the weekend off and come back to it refreshed on Monday?  

 

Waiting a couple of days isn't going to hurt anyone...is it?

 

Larry-

 

Have you MET our customers?  :ph34r:

 

:lol:


Robert S. Randazzo coolcap.gif

PLEASE NOTE THAT PMDG HAS DEPARTED AVSIM

You can find us at:  http://forum.pmdg.com

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Larry-

 

Have you MET our customers?  :ph34r:

 

:lol:

 

Robert,

 

Strange feeling I am about to feel their wrath...  :Nail Biting:  :Nail Biting:


Lawrence Hamilton

 

PMDG_737ngx_proud_own3_378x68.png

 

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