So...should we not purchase through the marketplace?

[FlyData 7]

I found out the other day that I can't modify the aircraft.cfg file of the Aerosoft CRJ because I purchased it through the marketplace and it's encrypted.  I later found out that the Dowsons' makerunways program can't read the .bgl files of add-on airports that are purchased through the marketplace because those files are ..... encrypted.  So if you run a program that uses airport/taxiway info (e.g., PF3 ATC) it won't get that info from your add-ons.  Now today I found out that the FSDREAMTEAM airports don't work correctly with SU5.  They expeditiously issued a fix, but it doesn't work on airports purchased through the marketplace because the affected files are, you guessed it, encrypted.  So I will wait until MS puts the update through on their end but there could be hundreds of airports affected, so how long will that take?

This seems like compelling reasons to never purchase through the marketplace for third party programs that are available from the developer.  Am I missing something?  Is there an advantage to the marketplace?  I thought I was supporting the MSFS effort, but not sure any longer.

 

 

[DAD 2,650]

11 minutes ago, FlyData said:

Is there an advantage to the marketplace?

As you said: support MS and make MSFS successful. Besides, it’s literally a one stop shop which I prefer over various shop systems. Plus all purchases are linked to my profile, easy to recover. 

however, I agree and also mentioned here before that MS must be much faster in posting updates. The fact alone that once a week only the shop is updated is annoying me. I understand and agree if a 3pd sells direct first to not share initial revenue through the marketplace. I am even willing to wait until it’s published some days or even weeks later on the marketplace. But patches/updates must be published on the marketplace much faster if not instantly. Waiting 1 week and even longer for crucial fixes is not acceptable and understandingly makes people leave the marketplace and buy direct

[sidfadc 1,341]

yep pretty much, everything is encrypted which means for all the reasons you mentioned its a waste of time.  I bought two airports from the Marketplace early on then realised they was encrypted, had issues with 3rd party products and decided never again.

[virtuali 4,419]

There are two separate issues at play here:

Files downloaded from the MS Marketplace are encrypted, which prevents utilities that might need to read them to work. Usually, the most common reason why .BGL must be read, is to get access to the airport data like runways, taxiways and parking spots. We have been asking for the ability to get access to this data with a documented API a while ago, because it will make everybody's life easier: developers of such utilities won't have to figure out the .BGL file format at the binary level (which might change), they won't have to scan the whole scenery library each time a new scenery is added or removed, and the problem of encrypted files would go away. Right now, is the most voted request on the official MSFS Developers forum ( that Asobo reads and replies to ) so, we can only hope that, after the frantic work due to the Xbox release deadline, all those ideas for SDK improvements we have been asked to provide, might eventually get some attention.

Even better, would be the ability for 3rd party developers to choose which files to encrypt, possibly leaving in the clear files users would want to edit. And of course, we asked for this feature too. However, it won't be the final solution to quick updates because, you cannot possibly know in advance which files might require a fix.

MS Marketplace updates can be slow. I think this is the real issue. If updates could be pushed quicker, you might not see this as a big deal. For example, Apple claim 50% of apps are approved in 24 hours and 90% in 48 hours. I don't know if will ever be possible to get down to these numbers, nobody knows how many reviewers Apple has and many suspects they use a lot of automation (which explains why the Apple Store is full of fake/spam/duplicate apps), but surely some improvements in the approval process, especially for updates of an already approved product, will be highly welcome.

Edited July 29, 2021 by virtuali

[captain420 3,099]

Exactly why I avoid purchasing from the marketplace for that sole reason.

[Bobsk8 12,569]

I will never buy anything from Market place again. Too many issues with delayed updates, and  lack of receipts. 

[goates 576]

42 minutes ago, FlyData said:

Is there an advantage to the marketplace?

Those that have both a PC and an Xbox can download their purchases on both platforms. Maybe not an advantage to everyone, but is probably the next biggest advantage after the financial benefit of supporting the sim with Marketplace purchases.

[Tom Wright 438]

39 minutes ago, goates said:

Those that have both a PC and an Xbox can download their purchases on both platforms. Maybe not an advantage to everyone, but is probably the next biggest advantage after the financial benefit of supporting the sim with Marketplace purchases.

This.

It irks me a little bit that for a lot of add ons there are two places to purchase them; you can purchase through Marketplace and have everything in one place but face getting slower updates, or you can choose to support the developer and purchase directly from their site, which is what I've been doing for the most part up until now. However, if you don't purchase from the Marketplace, you can't use that add on on Xbox unless you pay for it again. I find that really annoying.

[goates 576]

53 minutes ago, Tom Wright said:

you can purchase through Marketplace and have everything in one place but face getting slower updates

This also supports MSFS and Asobo as well, so in this case I don't mind buying through the store.

[Maxis 1,857]

Personally the update process has to be greatly accelerated before i touch the marketplace.  The encryption i can deal with.. The time for updates to get approved i cannot. Especially when the third party Developer has done proper due diligence and updated their products in a timely fashion and the update is available everywhere but the marketplace.

For that reason alone... no thanks.

[ThrottleUp 617]

Thats a huge bummer that you cant tweak those files to your liking.

I've never bought anything from the MarketPlace and I never will. I've read of too many issues like yours. Same reason I got the game from Steam. I mod and tweak a lot and it would annoy me no end if things were locked down tight!  

[Glenn Fitzpatrick 3,798]

I mainly buy marketplace where there is no other choice but otherwise try and avoid it.

For example I will probably pick up the c170 once they fix the bugs (no rush as I already have AH's lovely little C140) and being a Carenado product, the c170 is marketplace only.

The other thing I occasionally pick up from the marketplace is a random airport on special from some obscure developer that I know I will just forget to ever update (or even fly from in some cases).

Reasons to avoid the marketplace:

• they limit what developers can do, the Fiat G91 for example drops ordinance that leaves a crater in the Just Flight Store version,  but that feature has been removed for the marketplace
• there is a minimum of about a weeks delay to get patches up, if for some reason MS has issues with the patch this can extend in some cases to months
• you cannot modify any of the configuration easily and must use content manager to disable anything that is playing up
• you cannot revert to a previous version once you have updated

 

 

Edited July 30, 2021 by Glenn Fitzpatrick

[Cognita 1,054]

I thought the concept of a marketplace was excellent. I have really, really wanted to avoid the situation I had with P3D of having so many addons purchased from so many stores and needing to keep track of different passwords, so many keys. It was a real pain especially when I reinstalled. And one of those major stores went out of business causing another headache of communicating with developers and getting it all sorted out. I have for these reasons continued to buy primarily from the Marketplace -- I am still committed to the idea -- but if it does not become more efficient soon I may reconsider this. So far I have purchased about 30 addons, only 4 outside the marketplace. 

[Glenn Fitzpatrick 3,798]

Just now, Cognita said:

 So far I have purchased about 30 addons, only 4 outside the marketplace. 

The other issue for me is that none of the aircraft I currently fly a lot:

• Just Flight Turbo Arrow III
• Just Flight Warrior II
• Jabiru
• Piaggio P149
• Cessna c140

there is ONLY ONE (the jabiru) that is even available on the marketplace at all.

[Ixoye 1,813]

I will only buy from marketplace if I have to.