+1 to this. Trees are in dire need of an upgrade

Well, graphically the are all from the XP8/9 era ...and they do the job ...but sure, it might be time for some improvements :smile:

I always told you that you are saint for doing everything you do as donation/freeware, but an terrible businessperson

 

yeah told him too many times now see what has happened he turned into a cat.

100K? That is a lot of money. Plus, I'm quite sure the flight sim community is larger than the several thousands...

 

100K is not very much if you have to pay a team of 2 or 3 people from it and also save some of it to invest in future projects.

 

Also, 5000 copies sold are REALLY a lot and only achieved by the top developers.

I always told you that you are saint for doing everything you do as donation/freeware, but an terrible businessperson

Maybe just sane - in a way - ... :wink:

I faced the same question a few times ... but my decision was clear: staying free-/payware keeps away a lot of liability headaches

Just to put something in perspective about Tony's downloads.  Free downloads always grossly outnumber payware downloads.  

..  if ORBX manage to do this along with landmarks and tall european buildings similar to what laminar did in the US region plus global ground textures...

Don't worry, the Global Scenery is not at the end, and especially tall buildings (globally) are definitely still on the roadmap! its more of a data-to-scenery issue at the moment .... but Ben wants this to come and succeed (as we already get cool data from OSM to support this)

100K? That is a lot of money. Plus, I'm quite sure the flight sim community is larger than the several thousands...

How large do you think it is ? i mean you have to differntiate between users of the sims and people that use addons. Afaik the last statisics from x-plane said 60% fly stock.

 

Here my go to site for info

 

https://steamdb.info/app/292180/graphs/

 

that is 6000 people played x-plane the last two weeks, that is maybe the half of the total number, so lets say 12000 users. 7200 users dont bother with addons.Not counting sold copies that never get used. only active players bother spending money on addons.

 

so its 5800 active x-plane users.  5000 copies would be be almost every active user would have it, i can only think of allpilotx or tonywobs work that would have that kind of exposure.  Maybe this estimation is a few thousand people off, but certainly not 20k

 

 

Free downloads always grossly outnumber payware downloads.  

 

Of course, but the support load I can almost guarantee is just as bad. At least with freeware you can choose not to support users (but generally I do if support isn't demanded), abandon projects, etc and generally it's accepted (Not always of course). EGGP was going to be payware, I even had a store ready to sell it, but changed my mind when the seller required certain features adding that I didn't feel like adding.

Of course, but the support load I can almost guarantee is just as bad. At least with freeware you can choose not to support users (but generally I do if support isn't demanded), abandon projects, etc and generally it's accepted (Not always of course). EGGP was going to be payware, I even had a store ready to sell it, but changed my mind when the seller required certain features adding that I didn't feel like adding.

 

With a number that high for freeware downloads, personally, I would go the payware route for the next project.  But that's just me.  You'd make yourself a nice chunk of change taking the percentages into consideration.

If they only brings airports to XP I am not interested. The freeware airports that I can download TODAY are totally awesome already so why the heck would I pay money for similar addons? 

Just look at previews of their next project and just imagine those ported into the XP lights environment and deepness of view...well I would pay hard cash for similar addons.

 

And of course about trees...uhmm no need to write further.

 

Old numbers about Xplaners I think don't portray the lot of newcomers who moved and who will move to XP11.

 

And yes 100k is not that much unless you have another job to live on.

Furthermore if you happen to live in italy that means instantly 30k if you deduct VAT, income taxes and pension mandatory fund contribution (but it's true that you have the gratitude of many people that just do nothing for living).

Well, graphically the are all from the XP8/9 era ...and they do the job ...but sure, it might be time for some improvements :smile:

Good point here, when is it enough?  Many people had/have issues with FSX and P3D running stable because we went hog wild downloading all these great add-ons but got stonewalled with VAS and OOMs.  Now, XP comes along, in 64-bit and we no longer have those constraints, but now we have to worry about how developers will get down to the most minute of detail and the cycle starts all over again.

 

When is it enough for a FLIGHT simulator, should be the question.

 

 

Don't worry, the Global Scenery is not at the end, and especially tall buildings (globally) are definitely still on the roadmap! its more of a data-to-scenery issue at the moment .... but Ben wants this to come and succeed (as we already get cool data from OSM to support this)

 

The default global scenery is looking very good in XP11. Kudos to LR (and I presume the folks from xhtlabs for the European autogen). It looks very nice, I even went for a virtual drive around and it looks very authentic. 

The default global scenery is looking very good in XP11. Kudos to LR (and I presume the folks from xhtlabs for the European autogen). It looks very nice, I even went for a virtual drive around and it looks very authentic. 

 

 

Sure does but I would gladly pay for a worldwide (or region wide) addon that gives me local buildings and landmarks/POI's: right now (at least at default) the world doesn't look like the real thing due to the missing POI's. When I take of from LFPG or EGLL and fly towards the city I expect to see at least a few landmarks: as it is now I might as well be flying in Spain or Guatemala... But again, whatever Orbx brings to XP, please, do NOT pollute XP with those generic groundtextures with baked in stuff. I am totally done with that now. 

the difference is that AAA have bigger audience. no man's sky sold 800k copies at 60$ on steam alone. In the flight sim community, a few thousand copies is sold is considered a huge success. So you need to crank the prices up to make a living. 5000 copies sold at 20$ is a mere 100k for a year or more work.

 

 

Regarding scenery, I was told (from a reliable source) that some scenery packs for MSFS averaged around 500 copies a year in sales.  Others, not so much.  

 

Regarding XP, I'd say 500 sales in a year would be a HUGE success.  I just don't see the math adding up for Orbx but I've been wrong before.

 

 

But again, whatever Orbx brings to XP, please, do NOT polute XP with those generic textures with baked in stuff. I am totally done with that now. 

 

I'm fine with this as long as it isn't an area I know. But, it would have to work using XP features, and not take a step back. I personally don't want to see stretched textures along mountains, roads running off cliffs and through houses (Their England region was a big disappointment for me). I don't think ORBX would be that silly if I'm honest, and it also still seems to me to be an airport they are releasing initially, but guess we'll find out more soon.

 

Also, please port ENNK. That is one of the best airports I've seen from ORBX ;-)