Synaptic Simulations (A22X dev) is now an iniBuilds Partner

[Tuskin38 6,532]

https://inib.uk/synaptic-simulations-announcement

Quote

Statement from Synaptic Simulations on the Synaptic A22X Project 

To our dedicated community,

We'd first like to take a moment to thank all of you for your continued support throughout our development of the Synaptic A22X. The enthusiasm you have consistently shown in our server, both incidentally and in reaction to development updates, and on our social media platforms, gives us the motivation to continue developing this project. We are still eagerly working on bringing you a quality product, and we'd like to provide an update on some high-level changes being made to the project.

We have collectively decided to move away from the free and open-source software model and instead publish the Synaptic A22X for Microsoft Flight Simulator as a paid add-on. This decision comes out of a realization of the project's potential as well as the ever-growing development demands during often busy and stressful times for our team.

We aren't embarking on this new chapter alone, and we are thrilled to announce that we are continuing development jointly with the support of iniBuilds! Through this collaboration, we will elevate the Synaptic A22X to new heights with regards to quality in order to bring you the A220 experience without compromise, all in a more expedited timeframe as compared to self-publishing under a freeware model.

In addition to releasing for the desktop edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator, we are excited to announce that the Synaptic A22X will finally be coming to the Xbox edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator as well! The desktop edition of the Synaptic A22X will be made available exclusively through the iniBuilds Store, and the Xbox edition through the Microsoft Marketplace. The initial release will be the A22X-300, and the A22X-100 variant and ACJ will arrive later as a free upgrade to customers of the base package once they are available.

We understand any unfavorable feelings you may have toward this decision, as it was a tough one for us to make knowing the support you have all given us with the promise of a free and open-source add-on. We hope that you will remain committed to this project, as our commitment to deliver the best A220 experience remains steady.

A "frequently asked questions" article will be published in the very near future, but we encourage the community to inquire about details regarding this change.

Thank you for being a part of our journey,
Synaptic Admin Team  

Their A220 will now be a payware product. Instead of free and open source.

Edited January 30 by Tuskin38

[JYW 2,984]

I mean no-one would question that a decent addon should be worth some money.

But when you come out and state for a long time, that what you're doing is freeware, and then change your mind, it's not a great look.

I'm a lucky westerner, so I will be able to afford it.   But to our flightsim brothers and sisters in poorer countries, top quality freeware is a real treat and can be enjoyed by all.

[abrams_tank 7,426]

I had a feeling that somebody would do a payware A220 for MSFS.  And knowing iniBuilds and how iniBuilds is quickly covering the Airbus line of airliners for MSFS, I was wondering if/when iniBuilds would attempt a payware A220 for MSFS.  Well, it looks like iniBuilds was always interested in doing an A220 for MSFS, so this announcement confirms iniBuilds interest in making an A220 for MSFS, in conjunction with Synaptic Simulations of course. 

Now that an A220 is being made for MSFS, and with Aerosoft making the A330, the only major Airbus airliner left is a decent fidelity A340 (I wouldn't count LatinVFR's A340 as decent fidelity at this point in time).  I suspect somebody will attempt a decent fidelity, to high fidelity, A340 in MSFS in due time (Maybe FSLabs? But FSLabs is super slow, so who knows if somebody else will beat them to it).

Edited January 30 by abrams_tank

[micstatic 4,322]

I consider this very good news.  I assume payware with inibuilds support means we get the plane quicker

[Fiorentoni 4,253]

6 minutes ago, JYW said:

But when you come out and state for a long time, that what you're doing is freeware, and then change your mind, it's not a great look.

I read that statement as in „If we wouldn‘t make it a (paid) full-time job, we‘d have to abandon it“. I think abandonment is what no one wants in the end, so I‘m okay with that. It‘s reasonable and plausible, being a all-new aircraft architecture in all of flight sim, and a very modern aircraft. This is hard to do via freeware, if not impossible.

[simbol 5,821]

I started as a freeware developer.. ended up in payware.. nothing wrong with that... freeware work is the same as payware, lots of support, development, etc. at some point you need to evaluate it and decide to have a break or get some remuneration for it, simple as that.

R.

[Tuskin38 6,532]

FBW was going to use their OANS code for the A320/A380, guess that might be out of the question now?

[Brocky120 64]

3 minutes ago, Tuskin38 said:

FBW was going to use their OANS code for the A320/A380, guess that might be out of the question now?

I believe the OANS was developed by Synaptic and by FBW with the GPL, so I am pretty sure this will still arrive with FBW A380.

[Tuskin38 6,532]

1 minute ago, Brocky120 said:

I believe the OANS was developed by Synaptic and by FBW with the GPL, so I am pretty sure this will still arrive with FBW A380.

Fair enough.

[abrams_tank 7,426]

15 minutes ago, Fiorentoni said:

I read that statement as in „If we wouldn‘t make it a (paid) full-time job, we‘d have to abandon it“. I think abandonment is what no one wants in the end, so I‘m okay with that. It‘s reasonable and plausible, being a all-new aircraft architecture in all of flight sim, and a very modern aircraft. This is hard to do via freeware, if not impossible.

Yup. Unless Synaptics Simulations has a freeware team as big as the FBW team, I think it will take them forever to come out with the A220 if they remain as volunteers working on it during their free time.  Even the FBW team, as large as they are for a volunteer team, still hasn't released the A380 yet after 3 years. It shows you the amount of work that goes into making a modern airliner of a certain fidelity, and if the people doing it are volunteers on their own free time, it just takes an awful long time to do it.

Edited January 30 by abrams_tank

[environmental_ice 238]

I was hoping inibuilds would make their own A220 with how fast they are pumping out projects. At least the synaptic A220 has a chance to be released before 2025 now. I wasn't holding my breath they would release it this decade so I think this is great news. And now that it's payware we are going to have to see a model next preview. Enough of the renderings. No more freeware excuses this time 

[Tuskin38 6,532]

19 minutes ago, Brocky120 said:

I believe the OANS was developed by Synaptic and by FBW with the GPL, so I am pretty sure this will still arrive with FBW A380.

one of the FBW said on their Discord that Synaptic has re-written their OANS code.

[Piotr007 167]

Only good can come of this. I am glad!

[JBDB-MD80 1,473]

Good simmers should actually pay for developers (quality) work and not like some gimmicks sold on the MP today. Donations will not pay the bills anymore.

[bobcat999 8,484]

As Synaptic Simulations seemed to have a good working relationship with FBW (there is still a placeholder for it on the FBW installer), I don't know why they don't all go in together.
IniBuilds are decent developers in my view, and have really come on a bundle in MSFS this year, and we all know the quality of FBW. 
Obviously, a quicker way of getting the A220 and A380 to market would be to form an agreement with all of these guys, including FBW.

There was also the issue with some 'borrowed code' from FBW (allegedly) for the free IniBuilds A320NG in the sim, so maybe discussions on this has lead to something, including an amicable solution.

You know, if they release quality addons at a reasonable price, I am not too bothered that it won't be freeware anymore. 
Certainly with all of the talk of the integrated code between the projects, I wouldn't feel bad if FBW also joined up and went payware.  I think everyone would benefit in the long run.
Hopefully FBW can give some comment on the situation.

 

Edited January 30 by bobcat999