fsx-ms The upcoming paradox

[flyforever 267]

We all want a new, ideal, perfect sim. We all want the best of sceneries and the best of planes. And we all acknowledge the fact that our hobby is small. Yet, compared to a few years ago, the sim offerings is growing. From only FSX and Xplane to FSX:SE, xplane, P3d, DTW FSXXXX, FS from aerofly. Not bad, considering that this is a small hobby!

What is also interesting is that the cost of good addons is going up. No more 39.00 but inching to 99.99.  We know, from price alone, that the good planes will cost us close to 100 and the "lite" ones will cost us around 30. Some exceptions, but I see the trend. The high price also is a good indicator of the market size and the cost of development.

 

Why do I call this trend a paradox? Let's think about it. For the sim user( and I put myself in it), trying a new sim is no longer the first and the last purchase. For example, If I switch from FSX to P3d, I need to worry about which planes  to fly and at what additional cost.  And If I decide to try xplane, now I have the same problem. Let's not forget that I may run out of disk space.

 

The issue is not just a question of trying a new sim. Rather, if I want to try a new sim, I have to be prepared to purchase many expensive add ons or I cannot make a good decision as to which sim to lean towards.

 

This has already pushed me into making difficult decisions: do I merry P3d, xplane and promise not to cheat? If I don't cheat by purchasing other new sims, well,  the new sims will never get off the ground. They'll go out of business before they had a chance to prove themselves.

 

I guess when there's only one power drill to choose from , we all wish for an alternative. When there are so many to choose from, the customer has to decide on one, maybe two at most.

 

Today I fear that we may go into something that may put us back to where we were 10 years ago, because new sims are too costly and the market is too fickle.  The best example is that 10 years ago, I would have purchased every single plane and sim that came out. Today, I choose my planes (and sims)carefully.

 

I don't mind spending some money, but some money becomes big money, like an addiction that has no end in sight, except that with new add ons sometimes the interest is lost the minute I get into the cockpit and realize that the fantasy was greater than the actual product. The best example is a 707 I just purchased for xplane. On special, I paid $22 and, guess what, it does not compare to cs b727 for $29.

 

 

At the moment, I've decided to stick with the original fsx and the many wonderful planes and utilities. This glove just fits me too well to dispose of -- despite a few rips.

I am supporting  xplane because of all the other sims, i feel the developer made and updates xplane for the love of the hobby. No big corporations, nothing from deciding to quit because the market is "not big enough" or from spiking up the price because our market of hobbyists is too small. I fear that with p3d and dtw, the jury's still out.

 

On the latter two, they have the deep pockets as well as interests way beyond us. They,like microsoft, can quit anytime they choose and wouldn't look back for a moment.

 

I'd like to emphasize the fact that I am delighted to see all of these sims. It's just that I can only drink one or two at any one time. And that having so few users with some many choices, I fear that we may all become losers again.Thus the paradox.

tony

 

 

ps. I wish I were a one man one dedicated plane lover. The choice would be easy.

 

 

[jcomm 5,890]

Good reading and thoughts.

 

I beileve that since I remember being a simmer, there are always good hopes, almost every year.... We keep dreaming of the Next Sim, that will finally put a stop to our frustrations, being it for spending more time tweaking, installing ( and in my cas :-) uninstalling... ) than actually playing the sim, or fighting it's limitations in aspects of what is modeled that aren't up to our expectations...

 

The amount of money spent on each new platform we decide to invest in is most of the time of an order some of us prefer not to really look at, and write down in a paper... 

 

Some have found their way around this "simmers fate" by using more than one sim, and actually feeling great about it, getting from each sim the best it has to offer. Other's, like me, either try to concentrate on very specific simulation platforms, or adhere to one and try to forget about the rest, probably avoiding the stress of finding out that this or that aspects aren't modeled so well, or not at all in their chosen platform, compared to another one.

 

When MS FLIGHT was announced I had been away from flight simulation for about two full years. Even sold or gave away all of my controllers, and was trying to dedicate to RL flying solely. MS FLIGHT was ( so I think ) so promising as a platform for the future of civil flight simulation that I decided to embrace it like I never had done before with any other sim, even if there had been some really excellent experiences and dreams, like when FU 3, Propilot 99 and Fly! / Fly!2 were released.

 

When MS FLIGHT came to an end in as far as support from MS goes, I felt so terribly disapointed that I thought to myself it was a complete mistake having decided to get back to flight simulation. What followed was kind of an Hamiltonian walk between civil, and combat flight simulators, trying har to find which one would be the best cover for the set of parameters I really find important in flight simulation. I believe one of the platforms was a great choice, and indeed that's the one I keep using, more or less regularly, and even with it's limitations is still one that gives me a special positive feel of having spent my money the best way I could ( Aerowinx PSX, and also ELITE which is a long time passion for being a remarkable IFR training tool ).

 

But everytime there's a new light at the end of the tunnel, I start dreaming again, and there are now at least three lights shining ( p3d still under active development, X-Plane 10 or the upcoming 11 and Aerofly FS 2 ). I am keeping an eye on any news comming from each of these sims and look forward to see their developers showing signs of really trying to bring out innovation. Of the three I have to say that Aerofly FS 2 is the one which appeals more to me...

[flyforever 267]

Good thoughts.  And herein lies the conundrum. If we all sit on the sidelines, the developers will run out of cash or lose interest. Unlike any other game, a flight sim cannot come out perfect, so developers need sales and feedback to continue. It used to be an update or two; now, it's disturbing to see the many, many updates need to be made. And of course, some of the features of a sim cannot be compared to an add on that addresses that feature, so the sim is considered less than perfect. The weather is a good example. What I find appealing with DTW new future sim is that they've teamed up with ORBX and have taken care of the scenery. This makes them and us better off. If DTW plays is right and teams up with the best of the support developers, then it's possible that we'll have the perfect sim:

REX, Orbx, one of the weather options all combined into one platform. Then it's only a matter of aircrafts.

tony

[ray hughes 165]

Paradox indeed.

I have FSX Acceleration, resisted Dovetails efforts, and resisted P3D - but will look hard at it if they migrate to 64bit. I just don't like the approach they take with regards to paying all over again each time there is a change. You can argue that one till the cows come home but that is just my opinion. X Plane -  though I rarely use it as the control interface infuriates me (why can't I code the keys to be the same as FSX) and Aerofly 2.which is still an Alpha so I will resist buying any DLC until they get a little further in.

 

That is the extent of my investment in flight simulators and frankly FSX gives me enough pain to not wish to advance further with things like AS16 when I have ASN which works fine. I have UT2 and My traffic 6. I uninstalled My traffic 6 and UT2 because of on going issues - I also have Orbx and have spent a fortune over the years with them.

For FSX I have stopped purchasing aircraft and scenery for now - I realized I wasn't taking advantage of all the scenery I have bought and neither the aircraft. I might get limited usage out of a new aircraft before moving onto the next one..this was making a hole in my bank balance that is unecssary. In effect I am no longer swooned by the latest add on or DLC any longer - so consider me burnt out as of the moment - sorry Developers - you have had my wallet, pants and mortgage - now it is someone elses turn

[Wobbie 938]

We keep on looking for our holy grail. Guys (& gals), we tend to spend more time fiddling than flying.

I have jumps through all the hoops to get my simming experience 'ideal'. I have often compared what I have to what others have posted, & decided that keepinin up with the Jones's is counter productive. Yes, I've been there, done that with FSX, P3D etc

 

I took a serious look at what I want from my hobby & decided that to concentrate on the fun & immersion aspect.

So, what I did was to have a separate install of FS2004, my 3rd, & just have some great stuff there that I cannot get for the newer sims.

I have the scenery, planes & everything from  the Ford Tri-Motor Project, & a selection of superb planes from Milton & others. Yes, it is a combination of fact & fiction, but, for me, supporting those amazing freeware developers, some of whom I correspond with, has become, for me, more fun that going by the 'numbers'.  So, I have sloping runways & ramps... something that FSX & P3D does not have!! Yay!

 

So, the paradox is that, for me, much as Ray has said, it's stepping back & having fun with the old stuff, as opposed to being enthralled by the new! 

 

Roll on the freeware guys.. you have been our backbone for many years!.. :smile:

[Christopher Low 5,332]

Aerofly FS2 has the chance to become that "second flightsim" on many people's hard drives. Why do I think that? Well, if the plans of the developers become a reality, it will be almost a complete flight simulator "out of the box". High quality scenery, decent aircraft, AI planes, ATC, autogen......the whole lot in one bundle. This would make it very easy for anyone to consider as a second option. All of the others (P3D/FSX:SE/DTG FS/X Plane) require significant investment in addons to bring them up to the kind of standards that most of us are looking for, but Aerofly FS2 could be the exception. Of course, the downside to this package is the limited extent of the high resolution scenery regions (to date), but that would not bother me if they manage to get that south western USA region "filled out" with high res photoscenery, airports and 3D models/autogen. Add a decent ATC system, realistic AI planes, and good flight dynamics to that, and they would have a very nice package indeed.