Rob Randazzo on PMDG 737 release date, interview Nov 22nd

[Gilandred 690]

6 minutes ago, Nyxx said:

So it was nice to use it for a bit but the bottom line was we could see or get a taste of what  it will be like. Why do you think  PMDG made that offer?

 

No, PMDG made the offer because it was thought at the time MSFS release was imminent, and no one was spending money on P3D addons anymore.  This gave PMDG some immediate cash flow, and was betting on much higher volume sales with MSFS to more than offset the credit they would offer down the road when their own product was developed for MSFS.  It was quite frankly a stroke of marketing genius.

But hey, I’m not going to argue anymore.  Best of luck to you if you can get your refund.

[mwilk 1,100]

Cool. Now people are arguing over a process that hasn't been publicized yet. 

[rickjake 243]

I also purchased the PMDG 737 NGXu  because of the credit offered for MSFS. Otherwise, I don't think I would have purchased it at the time.  However, I did enjoy it for the last two years so I am not complaining. If PMDG offers the new MSFS version for less then $100, then I hope they provide it at no charge to those of us that took advantage of the offer.  I don't expect any refund though. There was nothing in the offer to suggest that you could get any money back.  Maybe they will offer you a $100 credit or any remaining credit to any future product sales.  Until the time comes, I guess we will find out. 

For anyone that is interested, I have saved the offer PMDG made,  to remind myself when the time comes. 

Here it is from PMDG:

"Okay- so what about pricing? Like us, we suspect that many of you are eager to get your hands on a new, modern, updated 737 to fly *right now* but that you are also concerned about planning ahead for the transition to the new Microsoft Flight Simulator.

We don’t want you to choose. We think you should do both.

Upon release of the PMDG 737NGXu Base Package, we will offer, for a limited time, that purchasers of the new PMDG 737NGXu for Prepar3D will receive 100% credit on their purchase toward the purchase of PMDG 737NG3 for Microsoft Flight Simulator when that product releases sometime next year.*

Yup. You read that correctly. For a limited time after PMDG 737NGXu release, we will offer full credit on your purchase of the NGXu base package toward your purchase of NG3 in MSFS should you decide to make that transition later.

Spend $99.99 on PMDG 737 NGXu Base Package? We will take $99.99 off of your purchase of PMDG 737 NG3 for Microsoft Flight Simulator upon that product’s release. Simple, clean, unambiguous.**"

 

[Noel 4,483]

I think I got my order in late for the NGXu--bought it but may have missed the sale deadline for MSFS version ;o(

Very good news, I knew MS/A had it in them all along and it will only get better, w/ the requisite hiccoughs guaranteed to happen along the way.

 

[Cognita 1,046]

I am another one who bought the NGXu because of the credit toward the the MSFS version when it would be released.  I also would not have bought it if it was not for that offer as I was very confident I would move wholly to the new simulator and leave P3D behind. That said, I am certainly not expecting a refund if it comes in under 100 dollars; I will be happy to receive it at no charge.

However, I also think it will not come in much under 100; assuming its functionality is on about what it was in P3D I would expect it to retail 25 to 35 dollars above the cost of the CRJ and of the DC6, which would put it in the 90 dollar range.

[RobJC 2,069]

11 hours ago, pstrub said:

sales figures of the DC6 exceeded expectations by a large margin, sold more in 12 hours than ever before on all platforms

Can anyone clarify this statement? Because it sounds like the DC6 sold more copies in 12 hours than PMDG has sold on all platforms before. Is this just specific to the DC6 or overall?

[VFXSimmer 1,310]

4 hours ago, Nyxx said:

The price for the MSFS version was said to be around $130, and the $100 you paid would go towards the cost of the MSFS version. If you but a down payment on a RR and got a model you could play with to help you want for what you paid for. When the RR came if they turned round and said what you just said to them customers how well to you think that would go down?

O well we gave you a toy to play with for a few weeks but now we will keep you money because everyone now is only going to pay $60~$75, yer Ryan 

Or look at it this was, the $100 was paid as a deposit you don’t pay a deposit for someone  to them sell it cheaper to everyone else and keep your full deposit. Don’t think for one minute I and others would have paid anything for the P3D version because it was the time when people like myself was not spending a penny anymore on P3D. That was a sweeter to get as many people as possible to take up the offer.

The only flaw in that argument is that you actually got something of value for that $100 - the P3D version.  If all you ever did was use P3D then that was the price of the aircraft.

The credit entitles you to apply a reduction to the MSFS version - if it’s less than $100 the you get it for free.  If they were to THEN refund you the difference it would be like you got the P3D version for less money too which doesn’t make any sense.

[JDWalley 354]

10 hours ago, turbomax said:

just like the "casual" Boeing test pilot Text Johnston, except the bridge was too low for the barrel roll.

Considering that it was a floating bridge, I would assume so! 😁

[Noel 4,483]

There is another reality I can't help think of in terms of valuation for something like the PMDG NGXu which I used extensively in P3D v4.5.  The base platform, P3D v4.5 was so lacking in two very significant areas compared to MSFS even in its current state:  default planes, and of course scenery/lighting/atmospherics.  This, for me and I see a few others here, find themselves spending substantial time in default planes, some modded some hardly.  And of course, there is really so much less need for scenery enhancement in MSFS over P3D it's not even close.  I hate to say it because I know there are some great artists for building scenery enhancements that can be quite good (FT's KLAS and LV environs, RD's CYOW) and a few others.  But of the 5 airports I bought early on to be frank I enjoy so many default enhanced or unenhanced (ie, included in the base packages and WUs) airports as easily as much as I do the payware ones I installed.  I spent virtually NO time in any FSX/P3D planes whereas it's all I've done in MSFS w/ a few minor mods to improve the base models.  Don't get me wrong I know those take work but truly they get to start w/ a fairly complete package and go from there.

So all of that litany reduces the effective "addon:base package relative value" if you will.  Or to put it where the goats can get it, for $119 I got a whole lot from default MSFS, and it's still improving.  In my mind then, the cost of an NG3 or whatever PMDG calls the 737 really seems like it needs to be substantially lower for MSFS than for P3D.  And fortunately, the better than anticipated sales of the DC-10 should help PMDG to appreciate this way to frame valuation.

[DEHowie 269]

12 hours ago, Dominique_K said:

a slap in the face to all those who say that to sell aircraft on the MSFS market you have to dumb them down. You know the dismissive line about the "flying 747 inverted under bridges" casual gamers. 

Except according to Flytampa in their forum all the scenery devs are massively disappointed with scenery sales being far far below expectations.

Is it any wonder the DC-6 sold given there is no other aircraft in the entire sim worth flying?

The flying under bridges crowd unsurprisingly have no desire to part with cash for high fidelity scenery is that really a surprise?

Pmdg will sell a pile of 737's when they eventually release as desperate simmers clawing for something that flies and operates something like a real aeroplane.

So with no useful turboprop engine model, aerodynamics that are fully revised every release in a continuous state of apparent dart board throws trying to hit the bullseye, clouds that still look like a martian sunrise the game continues to be an amusement rather than anything approaching a serious platform.

How will PMDG hope to keep the 737 working with Asobo's incredibly porked update process?

No thanks for the 1 hour a day the clouds do look great it aint worth ten times that every 4 weeks sorting out the debacle that MSFS updates have become.

Uninstalled.

PS

Im thoroughly enthralled by people who think the P3D default aircraft are somehow worse than that of MSFS.

So a fleet of default aircraft that have engines that work in physics defying style with no propeller theory and autopilots that still dont work properly is somehow "better".

I guess it is better to know a little rather than a lot as the utter trash that we PAID for is simply that. The 787 remember we paid extra for it is still the biggest pile of ones and zero's ever inflicted on the simming community.

Its an embarrassment to the name Boeing and nothing what soever like the aircraft i fly for a living.

No make no mistake the "default" MSFS are the worst ever packaged in any simulator or game.

Imagine if Assetto Corsa cars turned the wrong direction with a steering wheel input as thats EXACTLY what MSFS default and paid for addon aircraft did and in many cases still do.

Far from acceptable yet the MSFS fan club lap it up and come back for more.

Sadly pouring praise on mediocrity only leads to more mediocrity.

 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by DEHowie

[Dominique_K 10,132]

1 minute ago, DEHowie said:

Is it any wonder the DC-6 sold given there is no other aircraft in the entire sim worth flying?

 

I have four other planes that I am glad to have the original PIM or Pilot handbook for, besides the 6. They are as good as the ones I ever had in MSFS predecessors. 

 

[DEHowie 269]

3 minutes ago, Dominique_K said:

I have four other planes that I am glad to have the original PIM or Pilot handbook for, besides the 6. They are as good as the ones I ever had in MSFS predecessors. 

 

So you can confirm then that the powers, pitches fuel flows all match up within reason?

You can confirm if i use a poor start technique the engines will fail to start?

I could go on but when your core aero and engine model used by the sim is simply broken and altered every month in what looks like desperation to somehow hit the target it becomes quite laughable. And after every change every MSFS only user cries "oh isnt it great" until the next huge aero update and then its "great" never realizing it was broken the entire time and still is.

Its definitely "better" but better does not make it "good".

Lets make this relative. Its taken Austin in xplane 25 years to get the xplane aero/tail dragger/piston/jet engine models to be where it is today and it still needs work.

Asobo come in and in 16 months every MSFS guru thinks its gods gift to flight simulation..no.

If its a turboprop then they are out as they entire MSFS turboprop model is a work of fiction plucked out of fresh air by some coder who has never even spent one minute in a real one. The jet engine model appears not much better.

The behaviours of things like the PT6 is so broken i could write a 100 page thesis on how bad it is.

The ground handling was written about months ago yet MSFS user after user defended how great it was then only a month ago it was totally changed. I guess it shows how much those guys know and its typical of the sequence.

As for the DC-6 it doesnt even load the fuel correctly and PMDG altered the fuel burn sequence to make it "easier" for xbox gamer types to operate. Still it was a large step in the right direction but with the flight model now changed 3 times since its release exactly how accurate is it now?

What alterations to reality will they need to make to the 737 to simplify it to the point 15 year olds will be able to operate a transport category aircraft? Hopefully none.

MSFS users NEED to be more critical to get this thing fixed pouring praise will get nothing fixed.

Even the fix process its utterly laughable.

Lets see we have what say one real pilot for say every thousand users? make in 1 in 100.

Then fixes are done off a popularity contest voted for so the people who know whats wrong can never get obvious problems to them fixed as the other 99 users only care about challenges etc.

Asobo have a very thorough track record of ignoring professional advice something both LM and Austin do not do.

With many new users filling the xplane forum making up for any who left and many of those have come back, P3D users returning to fly as well and P3D's main backing very secure in professional flight training devices neither are going anywhere anytime soon.

Hopefully Asobo see the light and help the community and developers as everyone wants to see MSFS improve.

 

 

 

 

 

[VFXSimmer 1,310]

23 minutes ago, DEHowie said:

So you can confirm then that the powers, pitches fuel flows all match up within reason?

You can confirm if i use a poor start technique the engines will fail to start?

1) According to DC-6 pilots, yup.

2) absolutely 

 

23 minutes ago, DEHowie said:

The behaviours of things like the PT6 is so broken i could write a 100 page thesis on how bad it is.

Go for it…  I’m sure it will be good info for all.  In fact, if there are any useful tidbits I’m sure there will be a mod that incorporates them on flightsim.to within a day or so.  The freeware community for MSFS is truly unmatched.  It’s a great time to be a simmer!

[Dominique_K 10,132]

1 hour ago, DEHowie said:

So you can confirm then that the powers, pitches fuel flows all match up within reason?

You can confirm if i use a poor start technique the engines will fail to start?

 

 

 

I wish this forum participants would be  more balanced between those who see everything in pink and those who see in everything in black. It is not the worn out  image of seeing the glass half empty or half full, just to say that this is a complex product that has a lot of things going for it and against it. Like its predecessors and competitors.

Yes, aircraft are not perfect and, truly, I don’t see much improvement coming in their wretched Updates. But some 3PD  birds are not bad at all. I am very selective in what I buy, nothing against the « good for 15 bucks aircraft » just not my type. The bottom line is , I feel good flying my 6, Porter, Gina etc. And I do not feel that they are far from what they could be. Lets take an example, the G-91. The lady is a b.tch to takeoff, approach and land. If energy management in flight transitions is your thing, it is mine, she is the one. I flew quite a bit the Lotus L-39 in FSX and P3D which is the golden standard for many and the Gina is on par.  About the startup, my Milviz Porter or the 6 dont like it much when I do things the wrong way... Not at all.

A further comment on my initial post and my reaction. The massification of the market drives some developers and commentators to call you an elitist (curiously being an elitist is something bad for them, these are the times) when you ask for high end quality products because, you know, the kids and couch potatoes want  the « anything goes » type of fun. The excellent sale performances of the PMDG bird show that they are wrong and I am glad they are.
 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by Dominique_K

[pstrub 996]

3 hours ago, RobJC said:

Can anyone clarify this statement? Because it sounds like the DC6 sold more copies in 12 hours than PMDG has sold on all platforms before. Is this just specific to the DC6 or overall?

Only the DC6. You can listen in yourself for the exact wording Rob used at around 9:00.