Something which bothers me in the discussion about the integration of 3rd party content and a possible monopoly of Microsoft shop is to know whether I will be still able to add my doodles to the sim. 

Flight simulation is a multi-faceted hobby. Everybody fly but many of us also love to make their own sceneries (revamping a default airport or entirely from scratch) and to share them or just to keep them for themselves. It is a creative and wonderful pastime.

Today, adding one's masterpiece 😉 to the scenery library is pretty straitghforward. To have to go through the hoops of a certication process would kill this side hobby.

 

Microsoft is obviously developing a SDK. I am hoping that I do not have to buy or download free scenery to make the new sim look better. Im really dreaming it will be fantastic out of the box! I think there will still be a big gap for airports both freeware and payware. 

Yes nothing better than have some addon trash your sim and have to do a re-install that's flight sim, or complain about flashing and shimmering and elevation issues.

26 minutes ago, rocketlaunch said:

 

I read about the SDK and sincerely hope that the FS20 team works with the FSDeveloper folks to  offer us straight away their wonderful tools. My point was the integration of personal content into the sim without passing through the MS channel. 

On your other point. "Fantastic" doesn't belong to my vocabulary anymore 😃 (with age, enthusiasm gets a littlel blunted), "better" would be enough I guess and I am sure it will be better.

Now,  the last airfield I made for P3D (including the village) was Long Island in PNG, off Madang. The last airfiedl I repositioned and  enhanced for my own pleasure was 1A7Jackson Cy in Tennessee .  I don't think that Fs20 will do much for this kind of airfields. 

Contrary to some, I love payware but freeware has been for a long time the soul of this hobby and there are reasons for that or rather a need.

Edited August 24, 20196 yr by domkle

Microsoft's language over the past few weeks has drawn a distinction between third party content and user generated content. I'm neither a lawyer nor a business major, but I have to imagine there's a reason for the distinction. I assume it's because UGC will be subject to less regulation.

I could be wrong.

4 hours ago, domkle said:

 

"....Flight simulation is a multi-faceted hobby. ..."

 

 

Precisely right.

1 hour ago, Noodle said:

Microsoft's language over the past few weeks has drawn a distinction between third party content and user generated content. I'm neither a lawyer nor a business major, but I have to imagine there's a reason for the distinction. I assume it's because UGC will be subject to less regulation.

I could be wrong.

As I think it will be available through Steam, I think Freeware content will follow the steam workshop rules (upload wherever you want and people can sign up for your uploads).

I'm not sure if Microsoft Store has something like the Steam Workshop.

And as I said before, I think it's important (IMO) that Microsoft has some control over payware content. People paying for things should have the best support possible for what they pay. 

Edited August 24, 20196 yr by ca_metal

16 minutes ago, ca_metal said:

As I think it will be available through Steam, I think Freeware content will follow the steam workshop rules (upload wherever you want and people can sign up for your uploads).

I'm not sure if Microsoft Store has something like the Steam Workshop.

And as I said before, I think it's important (IMO) that Microsoft has some control over payware content. People paying for things should have the best support possible for what they pay. 

Thanks but let's not go back to the payware content issue as there already is a thread about that. Let's stick to freeware and personal contents.

I'm really hoping the marketplace will be built around a NuGet/NPM like architecture like used in the professional development world. Those are actually just repositories with solutions to which everybody can upload their solution and keep them updated. You just open the manager for your project, find the desired package and click install to add it. A package can have some information like what it does, the update history, etc. You can also download older versions or try out beta's. 

The same thing can go for MSFS, you open the add on manager, find the right add on and click install to add it to your sim. Now in addition to NuGet Microsoft will just have to add some functionality like the type of the add on (aircraft/scenery/world/etc), whether it's payware or freeware and maybe whether the add on is verified to be safe. Then allow to add screenshots and video's and add a rating system...

The marketplace can then just be a storefront built on top of the add on manager, highlighting the popular add ons and categorize them in various sections.  

Developers can also embed a link to the repository on their own website, which will take you right to the add on manager to install it (or bookmark it for later). 

19 minutes ago, Raymond.Groenendijk said:

I' 

I'll  play the devil's advocate if you don't mind. 

First, I want to be able to install stuff without going through any outside installer. Just for me or a couple of friends.

Secondly, when I want to share with more people, I upload to the Avsim library or to the OrbX specialized forum. If i want to install anything there, I download a file, set up a folder and fill it with the Texture and Scenery subfolders and check it in the SL. It is not what I wanted ? Off to the bin.How difficult is that ? Don't need a Ph.D from the MIT  😄 !  

But, you will tell me what about the proverbial average user ? They want everything pre-chewed to help their digestion. Well, nobody forces them to get any freeware.

Freeware, the "free" doesn't not only mean that that you dont have to pay 😉  if you see what I mean.

Edited August 24, 20196 yr by domkle

10 minutes ago, domkle said:

I'll  play the devil's advocate if you don't mind. 

First, I want to be able to install stuff without going through any outside installer. Just for me or a couple of friends.

Secondly, when I want to share with more people, I upload to the Avsim library. If i want to install anything there, I download a file, set up a folder and fill it with the Texture and Scenery subfolders and check it in the SL. It is not what I wanted ? Off to the bin.How difficult is that ? Don't need a Ph.D from the MIT  😄 !  

But, you will tell me what about the proverbial average user ? They want everything pre-chewed to help their digestion. Well, nobody forces them to get any freeware.

Freeware, the "free" doesn't not only mean that that you dont have to pay 😉  if you see what I mean.

Sure no problem. The thing with the NuGet architecture is that it's basically just that, a repository with a set of files and a file that describes where to put them and what files to modify (maybe your solution tweaks a config file or two). They are just all in one specific place, so the sim can access them in an easy to use fashion and automatically install them. Adding things to the repository doesn't mean people will have to pay for them. It will make it easier for people who are not technically experienced enough to enjoy all that freeware. 

This architecture will still allow you to upload the same files to the Avsim library if you want, along with some instructions on how to install them. Or you could zip them and send them to your friends. But it will add the ability to get your solution to a broader audience and it will make it easier for you to earn some money on your work if that's what you're after. It will still allow you on the other hand to keep them free.  

21 minutes ago, domkle said:

I'll  play the devil's advocate if you don't mind. 

First, I want to be able to install stuff without going through any outside installer. Just for me or a couple of friends.

Secondly, when I want to share with more people, I upload to the Avsim library or to the OrbX specialized forum. If i want to install anything there, I download a file, set up a folder and fill it with the Texture and Scenery subfolders and check it in the SL. It is not what I wanted ? Off to the bin.How difficult is that ? Don't need a Ph.D from the MIT  😄 !  

But, you will tell me what about the proverbial average user ? They want everything pre-chewed to help their digestion. Well, nobody forces them to get any freeware.

Freeware, the "free" doesn't not only mean that that you dont have to pay 😉  if you see what I mean.

Well, you just don't upload your work to the "official workshop", it doesn't mean they can't have an official one with auto updaters and auto organizers for the people that doesn't want to install things from outside the official enviroment.

What Raymond is citing is the best pratice nowadays to share freeware. For the games, it's very alike what Steam Workshop does.

11 minutes ago, ca_metal said:

Well, you just don't upload your work to the "official workshop", it doesn't mean they can't have an official one with auto updaters and auto organizers for the people that doesn't want to install things from outside the official enviroment.

What Raymond is citing is the best pratice nowadays to share freeware. For the games, it's very alike what Steam Workshop does.

Don't make me wrong I've nothing against an official workshop, I just don't want it to be a monopoly.

Edited August 24, 20196 yr by domkle

I'm about 97% certain MS will be fixing FSX by improving performance, finishing DX10, hopefully adding cockpit shadows and cloud shadows.  

It will still be there for any of us hobbyist to mess with.  Im already sure the new FS will eliminate my hobby (sky and clouds).  maybe Ill find something new to do?  I've always needed a creative outlet and flight sim (FSX,P3D,XP) have all enabled me to do something.  Sometimes Ive driven myself insane but when I arrive at what I call beauty, its a magnificent feeling.  But sharing it seems next to impossible for some reason.

I took out my pen and tried to write down the sunset

  but it took exception and started to bleed.

11 minutes ago, sightseer said:

 

  Im already sure the new FS will eliminate my hobby (sky and clouds).   

I certainly hope not, my friend ! And I want full access to a scenery library (taken for granted in the new sim by most but not by me) , objects, textures and whatnots as before.