Now I respect that Mathijs does not wish to have this conversation on the Aerosoft forums but I really want to ask this question.
I respect that XHT Labs is a X-Plane developer and I also respect that they are smart enough to realize that they need to develop this project in FSX/P3D as to develop it solely for XPL would be such a waste of great talent. Besides, the FSX/P3D versions will outsell the XPL version by far.
But according to Mathijs, (or at least from what I have surmised of his statements) it's pointless to create a backported FS9 version because it's a waste of money and effort.
Mathijs Kok: "You get us 2500 FS2004 customers and we'll jump to get FS2004 versions. But they are just not there. "
Now to my question:
Does Aerosoft have 2500 X-Plane customers? and Would the XPL version outsell the FS9 version???????
That's the question.
De-justifying FS9 (yes I just made up that word) while justifying X-Plane boggles the shit out my brain... And that's only because I refuse the believe that the X-Plane population is larger than FS9. I also do not believe the X-Plane population is growing. I just think it looks that way because more FS9ners are starting to migrate to P3D. I do and will always perceive X-Plane as sort of a cult or niche fan base.
Nonetheless, XHT Labs is showing some great talent on the scene and I am very hopeful they will be committed to future FSX/P3D developments of their projects.
You can find more shots as well as my comments here:
http://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/69566-mega-airport-prague/
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16 comments:
As an FS9 driver I have been patiently waiting for this one ever since it was announced. Although we have available a quite good freeware version the benefits of AES are a strong inducement. Besides this IS an important airport and long overdue for support like Istanbul and Ankara.
Mr. Kok no doubt has the figures to back his assertion that developing for FS9 is no longer profitable. I, for one, will never use FSX/P3D whilst it is impossible to fly into a major payware airport in a payware airliner in heavy weather with all sliders to the right as I can do now, smoothly, in FS9.
As I have stated in another comment here the future lies, IMHO, with X-Plane <10 64bit, not with the crippled FSX/P3D.
It's is inche as well to deny X-Plane's position in FS market today.
Well I will say, if P3D does not release a 64bit version than we might very well see more FSXers move to XPlane. Although the major FSX developers would need to start the trend and I doubt FlyTampa, Orbx, FlightBeam, PMDG, and FSDT are even thinking about it. If fact, the biggest backer of XPlane at the moment is Aerosoft. But we have seen Carenado and Alabeo develop for it so...
Oh I don't deny X-Plane's position. It's smaller than FS9 at present. That is the position.
The question is what will XPlane's position be in a couple years from now...
I do agree with your remarks regarding XP10 developments vs FS9 and Aerosoft's position on this. This is something that I've always thought makes no sense at all. Even taking in perspective a (very strong and very unlikely) growth in XP user installed base, in my opinion it would still not reach FS9 numbers (even at current status).
And please Aerosoft spare us the arguments with development cycles and costs for these individual platforms. I'm quite confident that XP new endeavours are not that profitable and the ability to port these to FSX/P3D should be very limited or not as easy as a port to FS9.
The issue here is Aerosoft, as several other developers, have decided to leave FS9 behind and be the DRIVERS of that change. But they are not willing to admit it. They will do the soft talk, you know we would love to release an FS9 version, but... BLA BLA BLA. I will not enter a new FS9 vs FSX battle, but I wish these companies would stand up for their choices / strategies and would not try to intoxicate the users with jiberish talk. FS9 is a strong platform, with strenghts and flaws, just like every other Flight Sim. And each user is entitled to choose whatever suits them most.
I use both Xplane & FSX. I love them both.
FSX looks better but XP is much faster.
P.S. Anyone know anything about the new flashing dot on the Flytampa map? Its in the IKEA region, so could it be Copanhagan or Malmo?
Many of you may already be aware of this but, since October 2012 PMDG have been developing an aircraft for X-Plane 10! They have said that the aircraft will be announced close to the release date. They also say that they have plans to continue x-plane development after the first aircraft is released.
Whether or not the apparent trend continues is up to Lockheed Martin I imagine.
Heard somewhere that it was Boeing causing the problem...maybe its both. Would just be great if they could somehow sort it...whatever it is.
Anyway...Phew!...Praha Ruzyne's back. What a great relief!
It never was gone...
You are not accounting for two things:
1) The developers are doing this for their own benefit, of their own initiative. The scenery was concieved as an X-Plane scenery, FSX was more of an afterthought.
If there is no XPL version, there is no FSX version, even if FSX version will be out sooner.
2) FS9 user base is shrinking. X-Plane user base is not shrinking, it is growing. Worldwide and locally.
It is also growing because a growing number of addons is produced for it. Sceneries and non-sceneries. IXEG 737 will be released in not-distant future, which will bring to XPL something FSX never had - a top-level 737 classic. PMDG is also developing for XPL. People will come.
As for P3D, consider this: You can buy a box of X-Plane in a shop. You can not buy a box of P3D in a shop. P3Ds only selling point is compatibility with FSX, and most of its users are people who moved from FSX or FS9. Both will diminish with time.
Per XHT, this scenery will not feature AES compatibility.
This does not automatically mean it will lack AES-like features, but it is very likely, that if it is ever released for FS9, it will lack both.
Oh, without AES, it's no different than the freeware version out there in the effect that both will be completely useless. I will without a doubt pass on this project if this is the case.
Maybe Dom or Mark will review it.
I really don't get this box bullshit. Are toy going to fly the box or the plane in the sim? In the digital age, let's save the trees and just download the stuff for goodness sake. P3D took what... an hour to download? That is gas I didn't have to waste driving to the store and sitting in traffic anyway.
I think XPL is a very slow growth but sure, it's growing. More developers are developing for it. Great for those XPL fans. Personally, I have personally tried it and it looks like shit compared to FS9. Sure it has better features, but it totally looks like crap and the performance was very bad. Nothing like what I get with P3D.
But if LM doesn't continue to improve P3D and if they don't release a x64 bit version, then yes, X-Plane is all that will be left.
So perhaps that will be the impetus of it's growth. And in that case, I will happily stick with FS9 and the current version of P3D.
Besides, the FSX native versions of airports look worse ported to XPL than FS9. But if P3D does get that major update everyone is hoping for, it just might be a striking blow to XPL's growth.
I would suppose a person with solid enough euesight for reading a post in a forum will see the difference in modelling - from 11 (!!!) years old models that are used by the current free sceneries. Notwithstanding other bugs that are in the current free scenery (though they might be repaired before release of this one), and especially other features of this scenery.
You neglect the fact, that only a person who already knows about simulators will be buying one online. Especially true for P3D.
For years, the influx of new simmers consisted mainly from people who saw a box of FS98/2000/2002/2004/X somewhere in a store - maybe an aviation hobbyshop, maybe a PC game store - and thought "Hey, sweet, I am gonna try this". I was one, and I will bet that at least one of you three, if not two of you, were as well.
The issue stands, you cannot do this with P3D.
Regarding the looks of X-Plane, I am perfectly happy with it. Seems to me, you have long since forgotten how default FSX looked, let alone default FS9, and compare out of the box XPL to pimped up FS, which is plain wrong.
And lastly, what if that "major update" of P3D I keep hearing about since a couple of years, breaks compatibility?
Yes I agree. For new simmers, X-Plane might be a good place to start for people walking around in a store looking for an extension cord for their iPad and com across this box with an airplane on it and say, cool I think I want to try to drive that plane. Then they can take it home and drive the 747 with their mouse...
People like that are looking for a game not a simulator. People looking for a real simulation experience are smart enough to figure out how to find one. At least my opinion...
And as for how most of us came across all those other platforms, that was the only way to get it. The thought of a 5GB download was crazy! On what, dial-up or DSL? LOL!
And as I said before, XPL has some very nice visual features over FS9. Yes! I'm just saying they don't look better.
And what if P3D, breaks comparability with what? They are already working with several FSX developers. I see it as a work in progress.
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