death knell for flightsim.com

[alaskancrab]

Sorry FSX addons have nothing to do with FLight. if you want to release something I'm sure you'll have to go through the Xbox certification process. And that will mean whatever SDK comes out in two years you will have to work against those standards not 2006.

[angels355]

Thank you both. I think our hobby will survive because we love it. I've studied aviation starting from age 5, and I have been flying my sims for maybe nine years. I never seem to get tired of it.

[luap]

Who are we to say or dictate what someone else can or cannot do?

As POTENTIAL customers, we are completely in the right. We can ask, they don't have to deliver and we don't have to buy what they produce.

[ViperPilot2]

As POTENTIAL customers, we are completely in the right. We can ask, they don't have to deliver and we don't have to buy what they produce.

In that context, you are absolutely within your right to do so.

In the context of my post and in general terms, NO ONE has the right to 'bully' someone else based on their personal opinions. Discourse and spirited conversation is one thing;
when it becomes the type of name calling and downright bullying just like on the elementary school playground then that's stepping over the line.

As adults, we should know the difference between the two. Lately that line has blurred quite a bit. When it's crossed, we should all be ashamed of ourselves for allowing it to happen.

I am as I've stated below.

[gizmosells]

Flight gateway game that fine with me. Snoop Dog said , "different strokes for different folks". Flight Simulator is flexible and younger kids it keeps the aviation sim going. Flight Sim will never shut down like OPEC stops oil production because it makes too much money. Next generation means mo mods

[fxsttcb]

Yay! Almost back on topic! I've already noted quite a bit of activity in this forum from newcomers to flightsim.com. Welcome, one and all!
It's also noteworthy that they have been visiting and contributing/asking in other forums too.
As some of us have said previously, new folks joining the ranks of the old, regardless of opinion, bodes well for FS related sites everywhere...Don

[csefton]

Not wishing to sound negative, but am afraid i fully agree with the OP too...but this site will survive for a long time yet as will the many greta and varied 3rd part devs out there.... its not all going to implode just yet!.....


But it could be the start of the end.

Lets face it any new potential customers to the flight sim world via their Xboxs or pc's will already have been carefully weaned and enticed onto Microsoft FLIGHT along with Microsoft's master plan...The LAST thing Microsoft will want is for their newly converted fans of FLIGHT to be visiting sites like Flightsim.com or Avsim...or to be taking an interest in FSX or FS9 for that matter!.....and make no mistake if all goes to their carefully crafted plan (and it may!) then i dont see a long term future for freeware sites that depend on the Microsoft flight simulator series of sims...(one reason i have taken another look at XP10)...


I really dont see any good reason to be optimistic about Flight in any way....its a stab in the back for ACES and all true flight simmers EVERYWHERE who have supported and developed/nurtured the Microsoft Flightsim franchise....i guess it didnt help much that FSX was a relative flop and that most FS9 users still dont see the bigger picture of not embracing FSX warts and all...I purchased FSX deluxe when it hit the shelves...how many fs9 users kept their money in their pockets and said things like 'am going to skip FSX and wait for FS11'....well now you have been rewarded with FLIGHT!....good look with it!..it wont be conducive to the survival of this hobby in the way we all love and know, i dont think or see how it will aid the survival of sites like this, unless Microsoft introduce concessions to their FLIGHT business plan at a later date which i just cant see happening which am sure Nels fully understands!...

If Flight fails miserably then there may be hope if Microsoft resurrect FS11 (which i doubt!)...if Flight is a success then am sure if Microsoft get their way they will not want those new customers to be migrating to FS9 OR FSX!....the whole point of Flight is to put control and money back into Microsoft's hands....the last thing they want to happen is for those new fans to desert them and start buying 3dr party addons for FS9 or FSX.......Microsoft do not care one iota about us or these sort of sites...why or how anyone can praise FLIGHT or say kudos to Microsoft is a sad irony and already giving a thumbs up to Microsoft who have turned their backs on us!....anyway...whatever happens it wont be immediate...this site and others and 3rd part devs for FSX in particular will still be around for many many years to come!...so lets all stop worrying about flight....why give it the time it doesn't deserve....its really nothing special at all!...

[Paxx]

When certain corporations follow the "online" pack 5 to 7 years behind, they may become confused and think they have invented something new. Those corporations that do understand the audience in an online context have little to fear from Johnny come lately. Certainly "things" will change and new directions will be traveled by all involved, but in the end leaders lead and followers follow.

Flightsim.com is a leader at what it does.

[benEggleston16]

I don't understand why everyone talks about 'MS's evil masterplan' as a malovolent entity which cannot at any cost be allowed to gain purchase (pardon the pun). MS is the company that GAVE us all incarnations of flight sim since 1980, good, bad and ugly. If they want to change direction, why do you care, their 'damage' (to their own profits) and service (for which they should receive a standing ovation, how many major global companies serve a niche market of perhaps 1-2 million users worldwide for 30 years?) to our community is done, or rather was done in 2009 when ACES closed. MS is a company like any other, seeking to make a profit, not a charity! It has no obligation to anyone but shareholders and execs.

if Microsoft get their way they will not want those new customers to be migrating to FS9 OR FSX!

How can they control that!
FSX is still made by MS so any purchase still lines their pockets, more than FLIGHT at least which is FREE.
I imagine you mean people say users will migrate from FLIGHT to FSX, and you say MS will not encourage that, well the can't STOP it can they, even if they don't advertise flightsim.com users can still find it by searching for 'MS Flight support' in Google, discover the file library and FSX which will be $10 by then and there we go, new user, how did MS disserivce us or them?

You might say I'm sympathising with a billion-dollar company who don't give a monkey's about anything but money, least of all USERS. I'm not sympathising with them, I'm just curious to know why you think MS is evil and MUST NOT SUCCEED! I understand why you think they will be afraid of freeware for FLIGHT, but are they really going to confiscate what we already have? And I don't think a failure for FLIGHT will induce FS11, ACES closed 3 years ago, I think if FLIGHT fails MS will pull out of the market completely or return after another few years, back with something else completely different (like fLiGhT...). Really, I don't see how the situation is worse than when ACES closed in 2009.

Finally, it's been said before but is still relevant as ever, why would the site close because of FLIGHT, the site will close when it has no users and which of you are planning to leave now? If you are thinking about very very long term, how do we even know the internet will survive? (hypothetical and an example, not a realistic comparison)

[fxsttcb]

....The LAST thing Microsoft will want is for their newly converted fans of FLIGHT to be visiting sites like Flightsim.com or Avsim...or to be taking an interest in FSX or FS9 for that matter!.....

Then they better step up to the plate and give complete info for their DLC down to the last details.
Otherwise, Flight users are gonna peruse sites like this to get all of the information MS so callously decided not to include.
Once those folks are here, they will find out that there are in depth flight simulators that very well could distract them from the outrageously priced(IMO) MS DLC...Don