SDK conundrum

**angels355** · 01-11-2012, 01:56 AM

"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** · 01-11-2012, 03:09 AM

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** · 01-11-2012, 03:45 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 01-11-2012, 04:06 AM

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*** · 01-11-2012, 06:28 AM

[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** · 01-11-2012, 08:47 AM

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*** · 01-11-2012, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by Anubis

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** · 01-11-2012, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by angels355

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** · 01-11-2012, 02:33 PM

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!