PMDG 737 estimated to be released in Q4, 2021

[abrams_tank 7,387]

2 minutes ago, fogboundturtle said:

They didn't say anything close to this comments. This is a bit over dramatic. The DC-6 was not watered down version. 

Well, the quote from Randazzo is this:

Quote

Some folks have been asking about whether X function or Y function will be present and we are intentionally ignoring all such requests at this time. There are a number of things that we know don't work properly at this particular moment, but there were 10x as many things that didn't work properly back on 01JUN, and for us it is a matter of working through the task list one item at a time, and then taking any shortcomings to Asobo for guidance/input/adjustment. It is a long and slow process and I don't want to have to continually update the list of things that didn't work yesterday that work today- so we will talk through any functionality differences between the P3D and MSFS versions at a later date once we know for sure which items cannot be implemented.

(So please don't spam the thread with the same question about X function or Y feature over and over again- we will answer it when we are ready and feel that our answers are well informed and final...)

The way I read it, if there are missing "functionality differences between the P3D and MSFS," that's not a good sign. Maybe Randazzo will clarify what he meant by this, but he also said he doesn't want to answer which functions are missing right now.

[Alaska738 8,369]

2 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

I was careful to use the words "estimated" in the title.  The exact quote from Randazzo is:

So as of this moment, this is PMDG's best guess for the release date.  Randazzo also mentioned some "risk factors" and knowing MSFS updates, it could mean the 737's release date is pushed back a little more.

In other words, if things go as planned, it could be released in Q4 of 2021 (hence the title for this thread has the word "estimated").  If things don't go right (ie. SU5), don't be surprised if the PMDG 737's release date is pushed back a little more.

You have to stay positive. I'm sure it will be released this year. He'll solve these problems before the release.

[Matchstick 1,876]

37 minutes ago, jbdbow1970 said:

Just like every other game software when they do a update, Asobo needs to minimize updates.

How can they when there is still so much technical debt and underlivered features that have to be addressed ?

[abrams_tank 7,387]

1 minute ago, Alaska738 said:

You have to stay positive. I'm sure it will be released this year. He'll solve these problems before the release.

I hope so too.  While I am focusing on learning the Cessna 152 and Cessna 172 (because if I go to flight school one day, these are the planes I will most likely be flying),  I still love flying airliners in MSFS.  Especially when you run replay and look out the window of an airliner in MSFS, I get the shivers because I really feel like a passenger looking out the window of an airliner!

Right now, I have a lot of fun with the FBW A320.  So I think the 737 would be something I would like to fly in MSFS too, since the size is very comparable to the A320.  I am very excited about the PMDG 737 for MSFS, it will add a very nice option to fly in MSFS!  So of course, let's hope it's released in Q4!

[Ianrivaldosmith 5,317]

The be all and end all of flight simming, PMDG 😉 

[abrams_tank 7,387]

1 minute ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

The be all and end all of flight simming, PMDG 😉 

Until Fenix showed up 😄

[chapstick 2,755]

16 minutes ago, fogboundturtle said:

They didn't say anything close to this comments. This is a bit over dramatic. The DC-6 was not watered down version. 

Yes they did, and they're laying the groundwork knowing that it will not have feature parity with NGXu. The DC-6 is not the 737NG. The comparison is irrelevant. 

[eslader 1,774]

14 minutes ago, fogboundturtle said:

They didn't say anything close to this comments. This is a bit over dramatic. The DC-6 was not watered down version. 

Ridiculous predictions of doom and gloom absent evidence on Avsim?

 

Nawww, say it ain't so!

 

The way I interpreted Randazzo's statement was "if it's impossible to do in MSFS, we won't be able to do it."  This would seem to be a logical tautology to me, but maybe some folks need it explained better. 😉

 

 

[Drumcode 1,892]

Bring it ON!!!! Happy dance here! This made me excited, now let's get the bugs fixed, bring on AIG and I am all set! 😎

[bigifooti 148]

In the Asobo Q&A this week you still see Asobo tweaking the flight model engine(ground effect, CG movement, etc) which makes me understand why PMDG is anxious on releasing something that could be broken by a non opt out update. 

[Keirtt 574]

5 minutes ago, eslader said:

The way I interpreted Randazzo's statement was "if it's impossible to do in MSFS, we won't be able to do it."  This would seem to be a logical tautology to me, but maybe some folks need it explained better. 😉

 

 

I swear I'm not wearing a tinfoil hat and making conspiracy theories when I say this hahaha. If that's how he meant for that statement to be interpreted, then that has some potential to be disappointing for many end users who have enjoyed many of the features we have currently. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Keirtt

[abrams_tank 7,387]

2 minutes ago, Chapstick said:

Yes they did, and they're laying the groundwork knowing that it will not have feature parity with NGXu.

I wonder if PMDG is relying more on the MSFS SDK to do some stuff, as opposed to Fenix who do a lot of stuff outside of MSFS.  We know that Fenix is running the ProSIm engine outside of MSFS in order to do all the features whey want with the Fenix A320.  While SU5 broke a lot of 3rd party planes, Fenix said that Sim Update 5 didn't impact the Fenix A320 as much, and I am assuming SU5 didn't impact the Fenix A320 as much because it relies more on ProSim rather than the MSFS SDK.

It will be interesting to know what exact features PMDG cannot do in MSFS (aside from the weather and terrain radar, which I believe the Fenix A320 also has issues with).  Could those same features have been implemented in the same way that Fenix implemented their features?  

[fogboundturtle 2,708]

9 minutes ago, Chapstick said:

Yes they did, and they're laying the groundwork knowing that it will not have feature parity with NGXu. The DC-6 is not the 737NG. The comparison is irrelevant. 

I will give you an example. Terrain Radar. There is no API for that right now. This is the type of thing that I think they are waiting on Asobo. They are looking into it. It's not going to break the plane without it. 

[liamp51 541]

11 minutes ago, Chapstick said:

Yes they did, and they're laying the groundwork knowing that it will not have feature parity with NGXu. The DC-6 is not the 737NG. The comparison is irrelevant. 

Uh oh better go back to X-Plane and the Zibo mod which is still being tweaked and updated to this day 🤡

[Fiorentoni 4,073]

6 minutes ago, fogboundturtle said:

I will give you an example. Terrain Radar. There is no API for that right now. This is the type of thing that I think they are waiting on Asobo. They are looking into it. It's not going to break the plane without it. 

Not only terrain but also weather radar. There will be no radar at all on the 737, whenever it will be released. That is guaranteed, because Asobo are not even working on that right now.
There will probably be other features missing (likely some fancy autopilot stuff; probably flight dynamics too; for sure any weather/wind FMC functionality), but a lot depends on whether PMDG opted to calculate some things outside of MSFS (like Fenix does). I think they haven't beent talking about that yet, so I guess they are not (yet) considering that option.

If you know PMDG for a while you can clearly read their discomfort between every line of that statement. They want to deliver up to their standards but they know it will not be possible for probably 1-2 years, so they will have to release a non-complete version earlier. I feel them, and that's the positive I take away from that (rather disappointing) statement. At least they are serious about their stuff.