Aerosoft A330 postoponed till MSFS 2024 launch

[Fiorentoni]

6 hours ago, stalz said:

I wonder if they're hoping to cash-in on the same sort of sales boost the CRJ received by being the first (semi-)complex add-on for MSFS.  It didn't turn out well over time, but a lot people were happy just to get anything when it first launched.  Of course, that assumes they have the A330 ready to go when MSFS 2024 launches.

I'm a bit skeptical about how smooth the transition from MSFS to MSFS 2024 will be when it comes to complex add-ons.  Looking at the MSFS 2024 FAQ again, I just realized they're sort of specific that 'Marketplace' add-ons will be supported which gives them some wiggle-room when it come to breaking non-Marketplace add-ons.  They also use the phrase 'virtually all', which gives them another out if some of the more complex add-ons in the Marketplace break.  

The FAQ also states that Marketplace add-ons won't need to repurchased, but what's to stop individual developers from deciding to release 'Airplane X - 2024 Edition' instead of continuing to support their existing products.  Hopefully the existing aircraft will just work, but 'support' could mean something closer to, "It'll load and basic simulator features will work, but the flight characteristics might be off and some of the custom features developers have created won't work without more development time on their end."

Well there‘s a fundamental difference: There is already a MSFS 2020. If Asobo screws it up and most popular addons are not compatible, MSFS 2024 will likely fail immediately, since people can stay with MSFS 2020. 
Also I think you‘re overestimating what MSFS 2024 actually is: It‘s the same engine, just with a couple of updates. It‘s at maximum what P3Dv5 was to P3Dv4. So in the worst case it will need updates for addons, but aircraft developers will totally bring them on ASAP. What does worry me a bit, is that many freeware (and some abandoned payware) addons, that still work fine on 2020, but are not updated anymore, will become defunct on 2024. That would be a big loss for the community.

For the same reason the A330 will not have that CRJ effect; actually I think it will not even be released in 2024, it‘s that messed up. Anyway we‘ll see updates to existing products for 2024 before Aerosoft can release anything.

[threexgreen]

7 hours ago, stalz said:

Looking at the MSFS 2024 FAQ again, I just realized they're sort of specific that 'Marketplace' add-ons will be supported which gives them some wiggle-room when it come to breaking non-Marketplace add-ons.  They also use the phrase 'virtually all', which gives them another out if some of the more complex add-ons in the Marketplace break. 

It's not about getting out. They know how addons on the marketplace work because they vet these addons before approving them, but they don't know addons that are not on the marketplace, so they can't just tell everyone they will work, even if 90% probably will.

'Virtually' just means there will always be the odd addon that needs updating; they can't guarantee that every single addon will work. Complex outside-the-sim aircraft may need updates, but that's expected.

Edited January 23 by threexgreen

[Jeff Nielsen]

Quote

Following a thorough evaluation of the project, we have decided to shift the development and release of the A330 around the upcoming Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. This will allow us to greatly expand the focus of the project – including multiple engine options.
Additionally, both the CEO and NEO variants of the A330 will be released simultaneously.
Once we have more details to share, we will update you via this page.

I think this sentence was meant to express the timeline only and doesn't have anything to do with 'projected' MSFS 2024 features/SDK.  So, this could be for FS2020 so to speak but work in 2024 as well, or the other way around.

It is possible that maybe they saw the light (for the lack of a better expression)?  Maybe they saw that they needed a more well-rounded product than their initial scope.

Anyways, that's the glass half full theory.  The product itself is still a great big wait and see just like the other ones we're watching.  Let's hope this one will be good also or maybe FSL will surprise us with theirs.  A lot of speculation and big-big wishes for some kind of full featured friggin widebody for the sim some 3 years in now.  Unfortunately, we just don't really have any good info to rely on yet for any product.  Even PMDGs tripple donkie is a wait and see since we don't even know about the new navdata format making it in or not.

[fluffyflops]

14 hours ago, CPFL said:

The duration of the grant they have obtained from the German Goverment is until May 31, 2025. So they still have plenty of time to complete the plane.
I don't know the details of this particular project, but in Europe you usually have an audit at the end date where you are expected to justify expenses and show results.
https://www.bmwk.de/Redaktion/DE/Artikel/Wirtschaft/Games/Games-Projekte/airbusneo.html
It can take longer that what we would l am quite confident we will have the plane
 

theres always some fishyness going on in this community.  imagine being a german tax payer and finding your hard earned money has gone to aerosoft.

[Luis Hernandez]

Stroke out of my 2024 FS budget. Let's see what is LVFR/Headwind/FSL coming up with for MSFS 2020. So far, I'm no longer interested in FS2024.

Edited January 23 by Luis Hernandez

[Farlis]

2 hours ago, fluffyflops said:

imagine being a german tax payer and finding your hard earned money has gone to aerosoft.

I can live with 500.000€ out of 896 Billion going into the development of an entertainment product. 😉

[Tuskin38]

Headwind are working on a A332 and A333 with Project Mega Pack. But thee hasn’t been an update on that for a while 

[fluffyflops]

Just now, Farlis said:

I can live with 500.000€ out of 896 Billion going into the development of an entertainment product. 😉

if they given the money to pmdg, fsl or inibuilds etc etc,sure  but aerosoft.  deary me.

[RALF9636]

4 hours ago, fluffyflops said:

theres always some fishyness going on in this community.  imagine being a german tax payer and finding your hard earned money has gone to aerosoft.

I wish this would be the worst what is done with my taxes...

[Skywolf]

I gave up on this company long time ago

[fluffyflops]

2 minutes ago, Skywolf said:

I gave up on this company long time ago

I know a couple of people on the beta team, they had quite a few issues with it.

[carlanthony24]

From FSElite Update 23-Jan-2024 @ 17:30z: We have been contacted by a PR rep at Aerosoft who has confirmed that the A330 is indeed still coming to Microsoft Flight Simulator [2020]. The initial posts made by the team on social media and their website were not made clear and will be updated accordingly.

[JYW]

If Aerosoft never release anything ever again, it'll be too soon for me.

 

[stalz]

18 hours ago, Fiorentoni said:

Well there‘s a fundamental difference: There is already a MSFS 2020. If Asobo screws it up and most popular addons are not compatible, MSFS 2024 will likely fail immediately, since people can stay with MSFS 2020. 
Also I think you‘re overestimating what MSFS 2024 actually is: It‘s the same engine, just with a couple of updates. It‘s at maximum what P3Dv5 was to P3Dv4. So in the worst case it will need updates for addons, but aircraft developers will totally bring them on ASAP. What does worry me a bit, is that many freeware (and some abandoned payware) addons, that still work fine on 2020, but are not updated anymore, will become defunct on 2024. That would be a big loss for the community.

For the same reason the A330 will not have that CRJ effect; actually I think it will not even be released in 2024, it‘s that messed up. Anyway we‘ll see updates to existing products for 2024 before Aerosoft can release anything.

Obviously it would be great for everyone involved if MSFS add-ons continue to work perfectly in MSFS 2024, but the stated goal for 2024 is more aggressive than just a few updates.  Looking at the FAQ again, updates to flight dynamics, aircraft systems, failures, wear and tear and avionics are all mentioned.  All of those things could change underlying parts of the sim that would affect existing add-ons.

While the FAQ does say they'll continue to support MSFS after the launch of MSFS 2024, they've never directly stated how long or in what manner.  Plus, plans change and not always in what others would consider a logical manner - especially when very large companies are involved.

The transition from P3Dv4->v5 wasn't exactly transparent.  It took developers a while to update their products and many never received any official update other than perhaps a new installer.  XP 11->12 is another example of a less than perfect transition.  

Even with MSFS it seems like a few developers completely missed the boat and some of the larger players have been slow to roll-out their back catalog from previous sims.  No one should be surprised if after MSFS 2024's launch at least a few developers decide to focus their limited resources on new products rather than updates to old ones that have already exhausted their sales potential.

Anyways, I'm just stating the worst case scenario.  Hopefully existing add-ons work perfectly in MSFS 2024, but the reality will probably be somewhere in between the worst and best possible outcomes.

17 hours ago, threexgreen said:

It's not about getting out. They know how addons on the marketplace work because they vet these addons before approving them, but they don't know addons that are not on the marketplace, so they can't just tell everyone they will work, even if 90% probably will.

'Virtually' just means there will always be the odd addon that needs updating; they can't guarantee that every single addon will work. Complex outside-the-sim aircraft may need updates, but that's expected.

I agree, although my point was basically that while I'm sure everyone including Asobo and Microsoft would love all existing add-ons to work perfectly in MSFS 2024 we'll almost certainly see some bit of disruption in market immediately after MSFS 2024's launch.  I know you were just estimating, but 90% is probably optimistic even for the Marketplace.  The simpler stuff might be okay, but I have a feeling a lot of the third-party stuff will need at least some level of work after the new version launches.  

Also, considering how long it takes products to get through the current vetting process let's hope there's a plan in place to fast-track existing add-ons before and after MSFS 2024 launches.  You'd expect there to be, but when two companies (more if you consider third party developers developing first-party aircraft for Asobo and Microsoft) work together on a complex product all sorts of things can go wrong or get deprioritized.

Edited January 24 by stalz
Grammar

[lwt1971]

1 hour ago, stalz said:

Obviously it would be great for everyone involved if MSFS add-ons continue to work perfectly in MSFS 2024, but the stated goal for 2024 is more aggressive than just a few updates.  Looking at the FAQ again, updates to flight dynamics, aircraft systems, failures, wear and tear and avionics are all mentioned.  All of those things could change underlying parts of the sim that would affect existing add-ons.

Definitely agree that MSFS 2024 will be more than just a "couple of updates", that much is very obvious given all the areas they've stated (at FSExpo and various interviews) as being reworked, improved, and added in the new sim. That said, when they say that they are aiming for minimal or no changes to existing aircraft add-ons in order for them to work in v2024, I take that as what most new software with an existing userbase and add-on ecosystems aims for, in that all the changes are "additive" without major breaking changes.. i.e. existing add-ons will work with minimal or no changes, but in order to take advantage of the new features/goodies in the new sim the add-ons will need non-trivial development work (and that is completely fine and expected AFAIAC). Of course the proof will be in the pudding so let's see.
 

Edited January 24 by lwt1971