Once a player like ORBX decides not to move into X-Plane it will for sure make X-P less attractive to a lot of people... and of course to some developers as well.

 

But don't forget that OrbX always said they won't support X-Plane. This has not stopped others like PMDG, Drezewiecki, Aerosoft or Carenado to support X-Plane, some of them for years. Why should they change that now, just because of a 3 week long change in OrbX mind?

 

 

After seeing the drama unfold on their Facebook group from Austin, I can't say I'm surprised this happened.

Too bad I closed my Facebook account. Sounds like I missed a good cat fight!

With regards to John's official statement, I sensed no professionalism from John concerning the decision to terminate further development in XP.  I did however, sense a lot of personal disdain between him and Austin.  I could never shake the feeling that ORBX wanted to stay "top dog" in the scenery arena, monopolizing the market.  With all of the negative feedback, shaky decisions and backtracking done by ORBX last year, it is hard for me to maintain respect for this company.  John's statement about supporting the "premier" simulation software P3D was a serious dig towards LR, in my opinion.

 

All I have to say, from a frustrated consumer's standpoint, working with ORBX's add-ons in FSX and P3D has always been a struggle, with more tweaking and coding than flying.  With XP, I have done only a small fraction of tweaking and have not only achieved the simple goal of stability and visually appealing performance, but I have been flying a whole lot more.  I finally found a "home" with XP and I am one very happy customer.

 

There is no love lost with ORBX, despite all of the money I spent with them, only to now realize that a good percentage of the profits went to John's merry band of tinkerers In R&D.

If we look at the improvement made by ORBX FTX Global, Vector, etc. to P3D, it's evident that P3D became a more attractive platform for everyone, including both the users and the developers - of all type of addons, not only scenery- .

 

Absolutely! I would have likely left FSX (and never started P3D) years ago had ORBX not breathed life and beauty into it. In my case it kept me in the hobby as I enjoyed the near reality they brought to the table. If X-Plane 11 builds comparatively as great a new world, I'll take part too!

 

Let's give credit to where credit is due.

 

Whatever one thinks of the personalities involved, the size and value of this community may have been significantly reduced but for those brave souls that brought great scenery and great aircraft to what had looked like the near dead end world Aces left behind.

 

Generosity is the key to prosperity, so looking forward with confidence, and looking back with respect,

But don't forget that OrbX always said they won't support X-Plane. This has not stopped others like PMDG, Drezewiecki, Aerosoft or Carenado to support X-Plane, some of them for years. Why should they change that now, just because of a 3 week long change in OrbX mind?

 

Ok, folks, I know it's something not good and upsetting for that vast community of XP fans. I'm just giving my personal opinion about all this, based on what I know from the news (and life!).

Look at this post, taken from a well-known flightsim website (AirDailyX), the guy has a similar opinion: http://www.airdailyx.net/fsnewsbreaker/2017/1/3/orbx-project-x-will-not-happen

Cheers, Ed

Ok, folks, I know it's something not good and upsetting for that vast community of XP fans. I'm just giving my personal opinion about all this, based on what I know from the news (and life!).

Yeah, but what is different now than it has been since John's statement in 2013?

What are the other big players? I don't think scenery is such an attractive market here, considering what's already available with free and payware airports, and where the scenery model is headed in the future.

 

We already have great GA planes and helicopters and a few more complex fast movers from independent designers and the likes of Carenado/Alabeo. If PMDG starts releasing modern tubeliners for X-Plane after their DC-6 test bed, then I don't see that we need much else to keep moving forward.

 

I don't quite see Carenado and PMDG leaping onto the Aerofly platform just because Orbx is doing scenery there. 

Excellent observation, thank you.

Ok, folks, I know it's something not good and upsetting for that vast community of XP fans. I'm just giving my personal opinion about all this, based on what I know from the news (and life!).

Look at this post, taken from a well-known flightsim website (AirDailyX), the guy has a similar opinion: http://www.airdailyx.net/fsnewsbreaker/2017/1/3/orbx-project-x-will-not-happen

Cheers, Ed

I see it as a quick money grab on ORBX's part.  Think about it:  They cut loose from FSS last year, established their own market, started their own servers, which took a lot of capital.  It's obvious their board of directors want results and fast so John's looking for a quick and easy solution to boost profits.  With the download debacle last fall, I know that it hurt the bottom line and that's what John has to look at.  Sure, it's business, and I only wished that John would have just acknowledged that instead of trying so hard to reassure the customer base that ORBX still cared about it's customers and would still treat them as king...oh wait, they revamped their about page which mentions nothing about that now.

Ok, folks, I know it's something not good and upsetting for that vast community of XP fans.

 

The "ORBX Officially Coming to X-Plane!" thread on the .org is not even two pages long with most of the second page dealing with them not actually coming. Something gives me the impression that the XP community aren't too bothered either way.

Dumping X Plane (which he said has no future) for Aerofly (apparently has more of a future than X Plane).  

I'm stunned at the business decision being made here.

 

 

Xplane does lack a few features at the moment, to suggest otherwise is just plain wrong and you know it.

 

Oh ok, then you enlighten me please, what features that are missing in XP and do exist in FSX are you talking about?

Oh ok, then you enlighten me please, what features that are missing in XP and do exist in FSX are you talking about?

Please don't. We have more than enough threads where this very question has been discussed to death.

 

 

Please don't. We have more than enough threads where this very question has been discussed to death.

 

Mario, I guess you are not reading between the lines. and I do wish to be enlighten.

 

 

Oh ok, then you enlighten me please, what features that are missing in XP and do exist in FSX are you talking about?

 

Seasons for a start, but then you knew that already.

Please don't. We have more than enough threads where this very question has been discussed to death.

 

I second that. Please don't.

To me John knew exactly what he was doing. It was not misunderstanding! He meant to post his road map with specific hint/tease, and it worked!  As many here suggested  -most likely "ego battle" made him to change his decision. 

Frankly I think it's his loss not ours. But hey but what do I know I just switched to XP11 from P3D just recently, and have only little over 25 years simming experience starting from Sublogic ATP