SDK conundrum

[angels355]

"Conundrum", a great word, used humorously in the movie "Galaxy Quest". "A confusing and difficult problem or question."

I was looking at the screenshots from Flight, and the videos. Everything was just breathtaking, beautiful! This IS our FSNext, it was just completely repackaged and not nearly as ambitious as we had hoped. All right, it's refined and updated old technology, FS98 on super steroids. Hopefully they didn't ruin the flight dynamics.

Here is the problem, the conundrum, it's a beautiful simulator, we're ready to jump on it right now, HOWEVER, MS won't provide the SDK to us, for freeware or payware developers. It's not a small problem. I want to buy PMDG's from PMDG, Radarcontact, Activesky, whoever Orbx is, the Aerosoft A380, Rex and his sister Roxanne, from the original companies. And I want Projectopensky freeware, I want the flying hotdog, the Klingon cruiser, the Borg cubes, Santa's sleigh and Learjet.

In the old days negotiation often involved pushing the opposing troops off a cliff as depicted in the movie "The 300" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDiUG52ZyHQ , or grown men screaming for freedom from tyranny while wearing makeup and skirts as in Braveheart...ew-who-who-who...please let's try to avoid that! We the new brave flight simulator geeks resort to the more refined method of whining and crying! Like real men!

Microsoft give us our SDK! Don't make us put on skirts and makeup! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbnGDeq40hI

[rjord]

I was only going to buy Flight when the 3rd party software I am using such as Orbx and Rex were able to be installed into Flight.

This is obviously not going to ever happen with Flight so I will stick with FSX which I have invested thousands of dollars in 3rd party stuff.

I was keenly waiting for the release of Flight.... but not any more. I am sure Flight will have it's followers........ but personally I will instead improve FSX with more Orbx scenery.

[angels355]

I was only going to buy Flight when the 3rd party software I am using such as Orbx and Rex were able to be installed into Flight.

This is obviously not going to ever happen with Flight so I will stick with FSX which I have invested thousands of dollars in 3rd party stuff.

I was keenly waiting for the release of Flight.... but not any more. I am sure Flight will have it's followers........ but personally I will instead improve FSX with more Orbx scenery.

Wow that's amazing. Your FSX must look like a next generation sim. I just installed FSX Gold, was surprised to have to activate it twice, FSX and the Xpack. So far I have only invested in one PMDG 747 for this system. This computer is a lower budget system, plain vanilla Intel mobo, and lower model Intel Q9450 quad, Asus 550 Ti 1 gb video card. I'm starting FSX for the 2nd time. I'm trying Win 8 beta, as I need to purchase windows, it's nice, modern, have no complaints. I just have FSX set at the default settings, 1024 resolution I think, I have the frames locked at 35 fps and getting that no problem over LA. Of course I haven't turned any sliders up. I may wait to install the PMDG when I buy Win 8 or Win 7, probably Win 8. FSX is excellent I love it.

[jomni]

Actually even if Flight was released as an FSX killer, I promised myself not to get flight because I spent so much money on FSX already and I'm pretty happy with my flying experience. With the current situation, resisting not to get into Flight is even easier. (Disclaimer: I'm actually looking into XP10 now just for fun but don't expect it to beat my FSX setup).

[Paul Golding]

[QUOTE=rjord;1645590]I was only going to buy Flight when the 3rd party software I am using such as Orbx and Rex were able to be installed into Flight.
[QUOTE]

.......er, FLIGHT is free.

[Anubis]

Only a subset of Flight (scenery, aircraft, airport) is free.

If you look at FSX (in terms of scenery, aircraft, airport) in comparison, you could say that this "free" subset is most likely 1% of Flight... Everything else is DLC.

Paolo

[Paul Golding]

Only a subset of Flight (scenery, aircraft, airport) is free.

No, the whole of FLIGHT is free, it's just concentrated on a small area with a few aircraft.

[greggerm]

HOWEVER, MS won't provide the SDK to us, for freeware or payware developers. It's not a small problem.

For accuracy's sake, Microsoft appears as though it will not provide the SDK or Marketplace access for freeware developers, but it will provide the SDK to payware developers who agree to sell their products through the Microsoft controlled Games Marketplace. Payware developers are not frozen out entirely, but they will be subject to marketplace controls which have heretofore never been seen in the flight simulation community.

I'm sure some developers might see an opportunity to quickly and easily market their products to an eager group of MS Flight users. Will it ever develop into something which flight simulation enthusiasts would be interested in? That remains to be seen. After the recent news about Flight, I'll be watching, but I have exceptionally low expectations as to what Flight will bring to the table for enthusiasts and hobbyists.

It's too bad. It really is.

[silverplate]

Considering Microsoft's history, it wouldn't really surprise me if they stop validating FSX installs to force people to use and buy Flight. And, to get back at all of us for slamming Flight in the forums. If that happened, we should all go to Washington and occupy the campus of Microsoft until they have us all arrested and thrown in jail. Then, we can play jail sim all day long!

[loki]

Considering Microsoft's history, it wouldn't really surprise me if they stop validating FSX installs

What history do they have of stopping activations for any of their products?

[benEggleston16]

What history do they have of stopping activations for any of their products?
I think he means money-making history (forcing you to upgrade to FLIGHT)

[benEggleston16]

Wow that's amazing. Your FSX must look like a next generation sim. I just installed FSX Gold, was surprised to have to activate it twice, FSX and the Xpack. So far I have only invested in one PMDG 747 for this system. This computer is a lower budget system, plain vanilla Intel mobo, and lower model Intel Q9450 quad, Asus 550 Ti 1 gb video card. I'm starting FSX for the 2nd time. I'm trying Win 8 beta, as I need to purchase windows, it's nice, modern, have no complaints. I just have FSX set at the default settings, 1024 resolution I think, I have the frames locked at 35 fps and getting that no problem over LA. Of course I haven't turned any sliders up. I may wait to install the PMDG when I buy Win 8 or Win 7, probably Win 8. FSX is excellent I love it.
Put frame lock on 'Unlimited' expect performance 20-30% better: illogical but true. I usd to have the frame target at the default 20: got about 14. Now with unlimited, over 30. Crazy, but true. The only sliders that make a peformance difference once you're flying are Autogen and scenery complexity. Things like mash are handled in the load up.

[Anubis]

No, the whole of FLIGHT is free, it's just concentrated on a small area with a few aircraft.

The FREE part of Flight, offered as a teaser, is "concentrated on a small area with a few aircraft". The REST of Flight (scenery, airport, aircraft) will be DLC.

Microsoft hasn't worked for years to give away this sim for "free".

It may even work for a certain audience, as explained here: www.pcworld.com/article/247326/why_freemium_is_right_for_microsoft_flight.html

Paolo

[jomni]

What history do they have of stopping activations for any of their products?

Just look at Windows. They will only support the two previous versions along with the new version.
Win XP will soon be dead if it isn't already because Vista and 7 is around.

[fxsttcb]

Just look at Windows. They will only support the two previous versions along with the new version.I was always under the impression that MS' policy is 10 years of support from RTM. Has that changed?
IIRC, Back around '02 there was still support for Win95/98/ME/2K and the recently released XP. That's 5 versions. When Vista was released W98 was still supported...Don

[jomni]

Ah you're right, it is time based. But still pretty flexible.
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy

If FSX follows this policy, then support is a minimum of 5 years or 2 years after the successor is relesed which ever is longer.
But item 20 says support does not affect license usage. Therefore we can still legally install the game after the support lifecycle. We just won't get any help when we call MS.

[angels355]

Just look at Windows. They will only support the two previous versions along with the new version.
Win XP will soon be dead if it isn't already because Vista and 7 is around.

The activation manager I spoke to regarding FSX a number of years ago was extremely forthright and anxious to serve us in a friendly and expeditious way now and in the future.

After some years when MS gives up on forcing us to active their product, the activation process is dropped for that product. Someone told me that their Office product did that, it was no longer required to activate it. Some years down the road it appears that will happen to XP, that is what they told me. I expect the same for FSX. Don't worry, nothing to worry about.

When they drop support, it's just no more updates which FSX doesn't get any way, and won't answer technical questions about it.

[loki]

Just look at Windows. They will only support the two previous versions along with the new version.

By support they mean they will fix bugs and security holes until the EOL date. After that you are free to keep using the product, but at your own risk.


Win XP will soon be dead if it isn't already because Vista and 7 is around.

They're supporting XP until 2014, which is longer than they typically do.

[Paxx]

...The only sliders that make a peformance difference once you're flying are Autogen and scenery complexity. ...
Cloud Coverage and AI sliders also effect FSX frame rate performance drastically depending on the circumstances (heavy cloud cover, urban high-traffic airports/roads) and your system hardware.


Considering Microsoft's history, it wouldn't really surprise me if they stop validating FSX installs to force people to use and buy Flight. ... <ramblin'man snip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x28jaeyX2s)>

What would surprise you?