Bye, bye Flight Sim World

https://steamcommunity.com/games/389280/announcements/detail/3400657079148405506

Dovetail are cancelling FSW

Leaves only X-Plane 11 and P3dv4 as the ONLY viable 64-bit sims, although I of course wish Aerofly 2 every success on expansion of its mere 300 or so airports.

May have a chance with FSW gone, or it may be that L-M take full advantage with its global coverage and combat suitability.

P3dv5 could be very interesting...

So I guess "technically" that means the FSX platform is now officially dead. It had a good run...

R.I.P.

So I guess "technically" that means the FSX platform is now officially dead. It had a good run...

 

R.I.P.

Er, P3D is still based on ESP. Which was based on FSX.

So no `technically`, FSX platform lives on as P3D.

I believe it will be quite a while before one can officially call FSX "dead". Although the engine itself is static, as long as there are enough 3pd's to keep producing content, it will be around.

Vic

So I guess "technically" that means the FSX platform is now officially dead. It had a good run...

 

R.I.P.

As of about a minute ago 264 were viewing the FSX forum and 16, make that 17 since I'm here, are viewing P3D. Even though I have p3Dv4 I don't think it's accurate to say FSX is dead! In fact I doubt P3D will ever get to where FSX still is today.

Rupert

That was a bit of a logical leap. FSW is no longer therefore FSX is dead? :confused:

To paraphrase Mark Twain, "Reports of FSX's passing are greatly exaggerated." -- Bob

As of about a minute ago 264 were viewing the FSX forum and 16, make that 17 since I'm here, are viewing P3D. Even though I have p3Dv4 I don't think it's accurate to say FSX is dead! In fact I doubt P3D will ever get to where FSX still is today.

 

Rupert

It's simply that the target audience for P3D comes from the `search first, apply your own answer`.

I know of at least four ex-visitors here who got tired of the repetitiveness and banality of this forum so no longer ask here. They ask me, or elsewhere.

Do not measure the life of the product by the life of the forum. I have it on good authority P3D has already sold more copies than the entire run of FSX.

I totally agree with Mark, Rupert. You just cannot equate forum usage on one website to the success of a product. If it hasn't already and I believe it has, P3D will far outlive and surpass FSX. Going 64 bit alone insures that.

There are still people flying FS2004 so to say FSX is dead is a tad premature but without question for the best performance, visuals AND longevity - P3D without question.

Vic

As of about a minute ago 264 were viewing the FSX forum and 16, make that 17 since I'm here, are viewing P3D. Even though I have p3Dv4 I don't think it's accurate to say FSX is dead! In fact I doubt P3D will ever get to where FSX still is today.

 

Rupert

Speaking from my own experience, maybe the relatively high viewership of the FSX forum comes from simmers still trying to get the thing to work smoothly. When my primary sim was FSX I didn't have the time to chat about stuff and usually only went to the forum to look for a fix for one or other FSX problem ...

P3DV4 runs beautifully right out of the box, and I rarely visit forums now ... why would I spend time there when I can be flying?

Speaking from my own experience, maybe the relatively high viewership of the FSX forum comes from simmers still trying to get the thing to work smoothly. When my primary sim was FSX I didn't have the time to chat about stuff and usually only went to the forum to look for a fix for one or other FSX problem ...

 

P3DV4 runs beautifully right out of the box, and I rarely visit forums now ... why would I spend time there when I can be flying?

I've always put it down to the users of these products having more common sense and knowing when to, and when not to, trouble their fellow simmers.

As P3D has climbed through the versions the need to do any bastardisation of the system files has consistently reduced and the operating system requirements have become better known - and perhaps even the Holy Grail of optimisation, got the simmer to set the sim up to suit their actual system, not the hyperSupercomputer they believe themselves to have.

As I said in another topic, I provide support for five P3D systems including my own. None of those other simmers are even members here (except in a legacy sense as ex-FSX simmers). All used to be FSX users and were regular users of these and Avsim fora, among others. Not any more.

The first, most important place to seek help is on the official forum, straight from the horses mouth at Lockheed-Martin.

That alone provides all the reasoning one needs to dissuade the notions about use of forums. Why would you bother coming here, with unverified recommendation and guesswork when you can get advice directly from the developer? Avsim suffers from delusions on that score, no need for Flightsim to repeat the sin.

This was another failing for FSW - actively creating a `chinese wall` between customer and developer that ultimately contributed to the failure of that product. `Deaf and Blind, if not dumb they sure din't play a mean pinball`

Notice how L-M do not make that mistake...

And as for farcical notion from certain quarters about Dovetail taking on L-M for some alleged abuse of licence? Get real Froogle, L-M could eat DTG in a single munch if it comes down to a fight between lawyers and trying to force L-M to reveal or restrict their customer base could be very dangerous: They sell weapons to nations, you really think Dovetail have the slightest chance of changing their contract policies?

Ideas above their station, these columnists. They're not qualified journalists, they're youtube venters with a mouthpiece. Regard anything they have to say at your peril.

FSW licence may get re-allocated for non-performance by DTG.

L-M and P3D will not be impacted in the slightest by FSW failure. I'd be willing to bet it hasn't even come up in internal emails it's utterly inconsequential.

L-M and P3D will not be impacted in the slightest by FSW failure. I'd be willing to bet it hasn't even come up in internal emails it's utterly inconsequential.

THAT says it, in a nutshell. FSW would be the tiniest blip on LM's radar.

Vic

THAT says it, in a nutshell. FSW would be the tiniest blip on LM's radar.

 

Vic

You hope.

This closure could have a lasting impact on flight simulation in general, because a team of developers have just been made redundant out of the blue. Why would those developers ever want to work on another flight simulation or add-on again, and what are they likely to tell their fellow developers?

"It's a dwindling market, the customer base is skeptical because the remaining development and publishing companies are territorial and hostile. Better and safer to stick with mainstream companies and their games when you have a home and family to support."

You hope.

 

This closure could have a lasting impact on flight simulation in general, because a team of developers have just been made redundant out of the blue. Why would those developers ever want to work on another flight simulation or add-on again, and what are they likely to tell their fellow developers?

"It's a dwindling market, the customer base is skeptical because the remaining development and publishing companies are territorial and hostile. Better and safer to stick with mainstream companies and their games when you have a home and family to support."

There's no such thing as a `flight sim developer team`. Not for the consumer market. A developer works for `0`'s and `1`;s - code and remuneration.

If you were talking professional teams for licensed aviation simulation you would be even more wrong - it's absolutely booming. And part of the reason Lockheed-Martin occupies the market space it does...

Given the tiny scale of flight sim development for the retail market you're talking utter rot and ladling on the `doom and gloom` for absolutely no good reason.

All developers go where the money is, assuming their skills and talent can take them there. The developers are not responsible for the abject failure of the DTG business model. Management are...

This closure could have a lasting impact on flight simulation in general, because a team of developers have just been made redundant out of the blue. Why would those developers ever want to work on another flight simulation or add-on again, and what are they likely to tell their fellow developers?

There are plenty of developers that through their careers get axed because of product cancellations - especially in games and entertainment. They move on and get another job. And since they are good developers (hopefully) they understand that the success and failure of individual products are independent of the market's health as a whole.

Cheers!

Luke

There are plenty of developers that through their careers get axed because of product cancellations - especially in games and entertainment. They move on and get another job. And since they are good developers (hopefully) they understand that the success and failure of individual products are independent of the market's health as a whole.

 

Cheers!

 

Luke

The key word being 'hopefully', that you are right about about success or failure being independent of the market's health, rather than an indicator of it. Of course developers move on, but can these developers be expected to come back to flight simulation after this? It's not the first time they've been axed from a flight sim, or even the second for some.

Anyone remember Aces? Same thing was spouted when they were closed down by Microsoft. Umm, let's see - HOW many years ago was that now? And we are still alive and kicking.

And no, the sky is not falling either. As is said quite often, "Much ado about nothing."

Vic

Speaking from my own experience, maybe the relatively high viewership of the FSX forum comes from simmers still trying to get the thing to work smoothly. When my primary sim was FSX I didn't have the time to chat about stuff and usually only went to the forum to look for a fix for one or other FSX problem ...

 

P3DV4 runs beautifully right out of the box, and I rarely visit forums now ... why would I spend time there when I can be flying?

+1 on this point

Tired of seeing the same guy useing the same excuse for why FSX is better. P3DV4 runs so nice out of the box all you have to do is fly. No tweaking, no 3rd party addon needed to make it look good and just works. Loved my FSX but it's time was done and I will never point a new person to FSX of any kind because I don't want them to be forced to repair the thing. Give them a simulator that just plain works. P3DV4.