For just $5, the subscription model might not be such a bad deal, at least based on how I use my add-ons.

Typically, when I buy a high-quality aircraft, I fly it intensively for a month or two, then move on. Since I regularly rotate between three different simulators and own dozens of premium add-ons, it can take a long time before I return to that initial aircraft.

If I end up using it for just two months each year over six years, that’s only about half the cost of the full purchase price. Not bad at all. 

I am actually not opposed to this pay model. Let’s step back from all the negativity. 

You pay $5 dollars and can test drive the 737 for a month. That is amazing. If you like it then buy it for $120 and get the 500, 300, and 400. If you don’t like it your out only $5. I am onboard. I hope they can deliver and are successful! 
 

Cheers to all and hope see you in the virtual skies. 

9 hours ago, guenseli said:

Slowly, slowly, prices rise again to P3D level.

Why do we customers support this?

(think about a 60$ Fenix back then)

I don't say i support it, but when you see a 737 MAX8 for $70 compared to 4 (or 5?) models for $120...

But anyway you made me reconsider. A 737-400 is just a larger -500 model with some changes to the performance configuration files. Same applies to the -300. And the freighters are those same models without windows :)

FYI they are developing all possible cockpit panel options, and they can be easily switched out via the EFB, it's my understanding.

1 hour ago, ETOPS3_TTV said:

You pay $5 dollars and can test drive the 737 for a month. That is amazing. If you like it then buy it for $120 and get the 500, 300, and 400. If you don’t like it your out only $5. I am onboard. I hope they can deliver and are successful! 

That would be a fine approach, BUT, you can bet that the plane (like many other addons or software in general) won't be completed upon release day, and if you want to really experience all feature of your product, you may have to wait (and subscribe) a few more months/years (?)... then the one-month "trial" period is of little value!

This new trend of software subscription model sticks in many other areas such as the office suite of Microsoft or Quicken, where developers argue that they keep developing their products, hence they want a constant cash inflow to finance their R&D, however, they keep quiet about what they are actually developing so that you remain hooked until you finally get the feature you were hoping for.

Personally, I like to know what I buy at the time of purchase and have little interest in "future (often unknown or unnecessary) feature" that I will need to pay for to see them implemented in an undefined period of time.

Edited March 27, 20251 yr by Bernard Ducret

3 hours ago, GCBraun said:

For just $5, the subscription model might not be such a bad deal, at least based on how I use my add-ons.

Same here.
I'm much in favor of this kind of subscriptions:

1. Try before your buy
2. Only subscribe when you are going to fly it
   I bought many aircraft, I only used a few times (per year)

Well, the inibuilds A350 is, like , 80 smackers, and basically went from "the most sophisticated airliner addon ever published" to "meh, it's a couple of steps above Captain Sim" (I'm slightly exaggerating for dramatic purposes) in a week, and I don't see an angry crowd with pitchforks camping out in front of inibuild's offices.....

There is no easy answer to this question as everybody use it's simulator differently. Some of us fly a few hours every day while some others maybe fly once a week or once a month. Some of us love to fly different aircrafts while some others love to always fly the same aircraft.

I try to check the pros & cons in my case, considering I fly everyday and fly different aircrafts.

For exemple, about the PMDG 737. I bought the -700, -800 & -900. It costs me around $190. I often use the differents version and the -700 was released in May 2022 (so we are close to 3 years) if I make no mistakes. I have made a lot of flights with the 737 and don't regret my investment. If I was able to rent the complete package for $50 a year, we would be approaching $200 now so we are coming close to what I paid. I would have the -600 in the package too but we can all say that each new month of renting will increase the bill compared to my initial $190 investment.

BUT.... if my initial package still works fine on msfs and I will probably have many more flights with it, It's almost clear that if I want to update my PMDG 737 to msfs24 standard, I will have to repay an upgrade fee (PMDG stated this). Add to this, that with no competition and no need to retain renters, PMDG didn't make much effort during those last 3 years to really upgrade the 737. How would it work with a renting system? Maybe PMDG would be forced to update the 737 to msfs24 to keep the renters? Of maybe they would say, the rent is still available in msfs but we have a new 737 for msfs24 and the new rent is $60 a year. You can unsubcribe to the msfs737 and now rent the msfs24 737? Who knows?

Another good exemple are the Aerosoft CRJ or Flightsim Studio ERJ. A lot of people complain about those aircrafts and the lack of updates. Sure that with a renting system, a lot of users would have dropped the rents by now. So maybe with a renting system, those devs would have made a better job of upgrading those aircrafts better and quicker.

Edited March 27, 20251 yr by sdirand

2 hours ago, Bernard Ducret said:

That would be a fine approach, BUT, you can bet that the plane (like many other addons or software in general) won't be completed upon release day, and if you want to really experience all feature of your product, you may have to wait (and subscribe) a few more months/years (?)... then the one-month "trial" period is of little value!

Wouldn't you experience the same issue with an addon at full price? you drop $70 and it's not complete so you're just left there with a dud and $70 in the hole till whenever and if ever it gets better?

Atleast here I can subscribe one time, see if its any good, if not, stop subscribing.

For those without Discord here is the faq. 

 

**Who are we?**

 

*"Commercial Simulation Systems"* is a community of professionals dedicated to creating innovative products for flight simulators. Our team consists of individuals with extensive experience in working with various aircraft and a weather engine. Some members have had hands-on involvement in producing real flight simulators (FNPT Level II/FFS), and we are excited to bring that unique expertise to the flight simulator space. With a team of active pilots, programmers, and designers, we're poised to deliver a completely new level of realism in your flying experience!

 

**For which flight simulator will we be creating products?**

 

We will start with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. But all our products will eventually migrate to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 with **no additional charge** for our users!

 

**What product are we planning to release first?**

 

The first product will be the CSS 737-500 (passenger version) for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

 

**When will the release date be?**

 

The release is scheduled for the near future. We have been working on our product for a long time and intentionally held off on making any announcements to avoid keeping you in suspense. Stay tuned for updates and follow our journey! <#1304034370444722189> !

 

**What awaits our users?**

 

- Model with all systems integrated, including weather* and terrain radars, onboard systems, and various useful features like functioning windshield wipers and more.

- Excellent flight dynamic model, tested by real pilots.

- Authentic sounds with surround sound support.

- Almost all possible equipment modifications ever installed on the 737-500*.

- Custom EFB, allowing flexible configuration of panels, fuel and load data, and a slider, allowing you to "age" or "rejuvenate" your aircraft.

- The failure of a system depends on the age and condition of your aircraft. In fact, almost everything can fail, including minor issues like burnt-out bulbs in the "Korry" buttons.

- Integration with the Simbrief, GSX, and Navigraph services.

- Basic livery pack with real flying planes and historical liveries.

- Some secret features that we will keep secret until their release.

- And most importantly, a **unique sales model** that has never been used in a simulator before.

 

 *Some features will not be available at release, but they will be added according to a strict schedule in the <#1304061490218668054> .*

I'm in favor of this idea and understand Asobo/MS have discussed being able to "rent" products from the marketplace, which is essentially what this is.

Gives the opportunity to try before you buy, and like other simmers, I tend to go through "phases" with aircraft, where I'll fly one for a month or so and then moving onto something else.

 

Based on my usage patterns (I fly one day this bird, the next day another one), a subsciption won't work for me. For $120, I'll pass. I mean, those are basically P3D prices!

I hope they reconsider them, the same way BATC did so (remember when they said it was going to cost $60, and then $30?).

Edited March 27, 20251 yr by Luis Hernandez

4 hours ago, Lucky38i said:

Wouldn't you experience the same issue with an addon at full price? you drop $70 and it's not complete so you're just left there with a dud and $70 in the hole till whenever and if ever it gets better?

This is a fair point, however I never ever hurry to buy a software on its release day and wait to read reviews and user reports from various sources, if the above are not satisfactory, I simply stay away, so I have yet to "invest" in an addon that did not meet my expectations - however limited or demanding they might be.

7 hours ago, sloppysmusic said:

including weather* and terrain radars

I've resigned myself to the colloquial misuse of the term "terrain radar" for a display driven by a terrain database (without actual radar sensing), but it's disappointing to see this mistake from a developer who seems to value realism.

Picking nits, I know, but this jumped out at me.

35 minutes ago, martinboehme said:

I've resigned myself to the colloquial misuse of the term "terrain radar" for a display driven by a terrain database (without actual radar sensing), but it's disappointing to see this mistake from a developer who seems to value realism.

Picking nits, I know, but this jumped out at me.

It's called EGPWS but who cares when everyone refer to it as "terrain radar"