Richard or anyone from Tri ?

[Guest]

I can remember us questioning the future of Fly!2 several months ago, but what it all really boils down to is what direction TRI are going in terms of the Fly! series.I for one would just like a straight answer from TRI, I think I already know the answer, but there is always a little hope.I would be grateful for a little information Richard, just some simple answers as to whether TRI are finished with any more future Fly! products, or are you still looking for a new publisher.If you are indeed finished with the Fly! series, can we as a group (as discussed before) - look at other alternatives for future enhancements.It has been playing on my mind for so long now, I really want an alternative to MSFS - but I would just like a straight answer, then at least I can go cry in the corner, or kiss my cat with joy.Kind RegardsAndy

[Guest]

bump

[Roger Mazengarb 0]

G'day Andy, Mate in all fairness both Evan and Rich have been extremely honest and straight forward with this forum. >I for one would just like a straight answer from TRI, I >think I already know the answer, but there is always a >little hope. NO FUNDING = NO PROGRAMING ( TRI is after all a commercial concern ) UNOFFICIAL patches being done voluntarily by Rich and beta team ( god bless them all ) > I really want an alternative to MSFS - but I would just like a >straight answer, then at least I can go cry in the corner, >or kiss my cat with joyWarts and all Fly! II is an alternative for msfs for me.I can see that this is leading to your "water issue" and I empathise with you there as Sydney suffers the same fate as Auckland. On this issue have you seriouly given thought of moving Auckland airport to firm ground? This isn't as idiotic as it at first may sound. Many of the runways in the original Fly!II release are some way off their real position.Firstly no one would know the difference anyway! I mean when I fly into a foreign airport I have absolutely no idea whether the runway is displaced 1000m or so from its real location. So long as the ILS lines you up with the runway who cares?This would mean moving all the nav data but I'm sure that you'd get plenty of help from the forum.Then we could all fly over your beautiful scenery :-)So go and give your cat a great big slobbery kiss for me as well.:-) Kinky! even for a New Zealander :-lol :-lol :-lol :-lolCheers mate,Roger @

[Guest]

Roger,Grant really sums up my feelings in the PMDG forum, I think we need an answer.The last official word I remember from TRI was they were looking for another publisher, we have heard nothing more on the subject.Sure, with the upcoming patch it will address a few issues with Fly!2 as it is now, but what about six months from now.As time goes on, graphics cards cpu`s etc bring new features, any new gamesim will make the most of these features. Look at where we are now compared to the original MSFS, we have hardware acceleration, T&L etc,etc, compare this to the original pixelated graphics of FS95.So, in one or two years from now there will be even more graphical features which will make today`s graphics look like pacman on a Spectrum 48k. Microsoft will of course continue to make new versions of MSFS which will take advantage of these new features, how will this compare to Fly!2 with two year old features ?.If development of Fly! does`nt continue then gradually people will move on to another sim that makes the most of new technology, I know there is still a small user base for the Flight Unlimited series but how long will that last.I think its important that we know where the Fly! franchise is heading, then perhaps we can seriously look at what can be done.Kind RegardsAndy

[michal 44]

My idea if I were a new publisher of FLY would be to negotiate a licensing contract with Microsoft to obtain rights to their FS2002 scenery. This way all the work of thousands of FS developers would be immediately available to FLY users. Obviously such product would have to be priced respectively higher (say around $130) to not only pay for the senery but also to assure MS that FLY is not competing directly against it. And TRI freed from scenery work which must have been enormous drain on its resources could finally concentrate on what they do best - aircraft & weather. Chances of this happening are fairly slim but it is worth a try. They have few other options and I am afraid none really good one.Michael J.

[Guest Colins2]

Roger/Andy,I may soon have a solution to the coastline problems.It will require work on the creators part, but nothing too onerous.I can already extract and convert the coastline data to shapefiles and dxf files, so it's really a matter noe of the coding to re-make the coastline files after editing.The main problem I have found after examining Nice, Boston etc. is that the actual DCW coastline is wrong. When I compare Nice, say, with any modern mapping program like Autoroute (Europe) the coastlines are significantly different.It will require some means of modifying the coastline polygons to match the real data.I'm still working on that.Colin

[Guest]

Colin,This sounds really interesting, my fingers are crossed that you come up with a solution.Many thanks for looking into this, I really appreciate your hard work.Kind RegardsAndy

[Guest ben_]

ColinIt sounds like a real advancement for Fly!2 - just the sort of thing we like to hear around here :-)Ben

[Jet Tech 31]

MichaelI have to say that I agree with you. It would bring the best parts of both sims together to make one phenominal sim now all we have to do is get Bill to call Richard :-)Paul:-cool

[Guest]

Given MS's corporate culture of squashing all competition, real or perceived, I doubt such a venture would ever happen. I was so thrilled when FLY first came out as a real alternative to MSFS. The flight sim world needs competition, if for no other reason to keep MS honest. Without $$$ however, FLY will, like old generals, slowly fade away.

[Guest hoohah]

>>If development of Fly! does`nt continue then gradually >people will move on to another sim that makes the most of >new technology, I know there is still a small user base for >the Flight Unlimited series but how long will that last. >Flight Unlimited is still ahead of modern sims in some ways :)That being said, I once inquired to the FU3 forum about the general interest of making Flight Unlimited into a kind of Open Source project. There was interest of course; but the main problem would be the current owners of the code/resources (I still have yet to inquire to EA about the possibility).Maybe this community could make an effort to get TRI to let go of Fly! and allow an users group to make an open source project from it (under an appropriately restrictive license, of course).I'm a Software Developer by trade, and I know how tight a grip companies keep on their software assets (no matter how unprofitable).But it still may be worth a shot...Just my US$ 0.02,Edwin King

[Roger Mazengarb 0]

G'day Michael,Microsft sharing code with another software company? That would be a first. A most unlikely scenario when you look at Microsofts track record.The only thing that can save Fly! is the injection of money by a future publisher and given the current state of paranoia in America following the events of Sept 11 that is very unlikely for at least a few years. It's even argueable that we may not see another release of MSFS for a few years.Cheers,Roger @YSSY

[michal 44]

>>Microsft sharing code with another software company? You are probably right. However maybe if they felt that it would in no way threaten their user base (and even gain them a few extra $$) they would be willing to go for it. But I admit it is a long-shot since both TRI and MS would basically have to adopt a view that would put consumer in the center and set aside all corporate egos, etc.The Sept. 11 is probably less of factor now than simply generally very poor climate for any outside venture capital. Therefore I doubt FS2004 will in anyway be affected (unless market changes on a dime) and the incoming CFS3 confirms they go ahead with the traditional simulator release schedule.Michael J.