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Thought I would link this article and see what everyone's opinions are about this........

http://www.pcpilot.net/view_article.asp ... h&p=1&i=10

Interesting. Thanks for the info

Interesting indeed. Speculation only, but my thoughts...

1) Dovetail is just picking up the scraps and trying to squeeze a few more dollars out of the FSX title. But this is a good news deal, as it will ensure that new users can still get a legitimate copy of FSX for some time to come.

2) Does it mean a new FS? I would think no. LM has already moved forward on "improving" FSX via their P3D product. And the reviews are certainly mixed about the actual "improvements" that would warrant a casual user going from FSX to the more expensive P3D. I know there are those who are enjoying P3D, but there are likely more who have tweaked their FSX to a satisfying level and won't abandon that.
It is not in Dovetails interest to try and re-invent FSX, or create another FSnext based on the FSX platform. If anyone wants to be fully successful with a new flight sim, it will need to be a full blown new program.

If this becomes part of Steam than that would mean no more CD'S or DVD's I already have a couple of steam games.
And with steam you will always be able to repair any files that might get corrupt.
But I am not sure how this will effect payware or other addons.

HMMMM Let us wait and see, we can only live in hope of good things to come, MAYBE?.

I wonder if this means someone will finally address this Win8.1 joystick dropping out problem that many hundreds of people are having. Without having to buy *FSUIPC or other outside software to fix it.


*The free version won't fix it.. According to general opinion

Will this mean we will be able to connect online and fly with other users similar to how the combat flight simulators do and the virtual airlines? And if flying online will I have to brush up on ATC jargon? Could end up being a crowded sky. That sounds like a good name for a movie.

This is significant in that FSX won't be going out of print like what happened to Microsoft Train Simulator. Though Steam is far from perfect, as any N3V Trainz user could tell you, I think it's good news for those of use who enjoy FSX and for the third-party developers, too.

Thanks for all the feedback. I guess we can all dream that someone with the expertise could take the FSX of today and somehow code it so that the program could take advantage
of today's technology, with out the endless need to config tweak and spending untold $$$ on placebo programming utilities that do nothing but drain your wallet.
Long Live FSX !!!

pete wrote:Interesting. Thanks for the info

Pete is right.

"Interesting".

Maybe.


Good.....

I don't know.


I'm not much for games, so I know absolutely nothing about Dovetail Games, and virtually (no pun intended) nothing about "Steam".

But somehow I see a future version of Microsoft Flight in this announcement.

The award-winning creators of the best-selling Train Simulator franchise have today announced a global licensing deal with Microsoft, granting them the rights to develop and publish all-new flight products based on Microsoft’s genre-defining flight technology.

"... licensing deal with Microsoft..."

Microsoft must have thought that they (MS) could make more money selling the FSX sim rights to another company, than selling the product themselves.

This company, Dovetail Games, is paying money to MS.

To re-market it they'll have to add the cost of that licensing to the cost of whatever it is that you'll be paying for.

Licensing Cost PLUS Markup Profit = $??.??

The award-winning creators of the best-selling Train Simulator franchise have today announced a global licensing deal with Microsoft, granting them the rights to develop and publish all-new flight products based on Microsoft’s genre-defining flight technology.

It may be that I'm totally ignorant of how things work with FSX add-ons.

Do companies like Saitek, REX, A2A/Accu-Sim, Carenado, etc PAY MS for a right to "develop and publish .... flight products"?

If not, then just what are these "RIGHTS to develop and publish all-new flight products" that Dovetail Games is paying for?

Again, this brings back (bad) memories of Microsoft Flight where you paid Microsoft for whatever limited software, planes and scenery, they chose to dole out.

Perhaps "other" companies will develop products for Dovetail Games to sell under the Dovetail Games title?



Steam - "is an internet-based digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer, and social networking platform developed by Valve Corporation. It is used to distribute games and related media from small, independent developers and larger software houses online."

So, you'll pay Steam for software and add-ons that will be kept on their site and used on your computer?

Software that will only work if you're connected to their site?


We had a STRONG storm front come through here on Tuesday (the eight). We lost power and internet service for two days.

You'll never guess what I used on my computer (Yes, I have a power generator). My flight sim.



Re-read that "article", and ask yourself just what are they promising.



BTW - for those who want a totally "new" flight sim, try X-Plane (and here for more details).

It wasn't for me, but people who like it REALLY like it. Fanatically, you might say.

A big plus is that it's still being developed.


That's not to say that FSX doesn't have life too.

Although MS isn't developing it anymore the FSX vendors have made it MUCH better than it originally was.

I had a couple of games sold by "Steam" and they were both 1st person shooter types that could be played off line or on line through a steam account for which I paid a relatively small fee. I don't really like that type of "game play" but if steam provides an online environment for FSX sim flyers, either commercial aviation or some form of combat arenas I will probably give it a try.

If you're interested in on-line flight simming check with Fozzer, he's a master of that type flying.

All you need to do it is a list of the websites. I think that most of then are, free, no charge.

OldAirmail wrote:If you're interested in on-line flight simming check with Fozzer, he's a master of that type flying.

All you need to do it is a list of the websites. I think that most of then are, free, no charge.

Quite right.... ...!

For FS 2004 and FSX on line flying, pop down to the "Multiplayer Forum"...

...all is revealed down there!... ...!

Paul.

http://www.chocolatesoftware.com/

mrplanecrazzy wrote:Thought I would link this article and see what everyone's opinions are about this........

http://www.pcpilot.net/view_article.asp ... h&p=1&i=10

I don't know if this has been mentioned on SimV as you can't do a multi word, or compound word, search for X-Plane or "X-Plane".


Anyway

More interesting news - Steam now has X-Plane 10 - - X-Plane 10 Global - 64 Bit

It doesn't look as if they're making any changes, just listing it for sale at the same price as on X-Plane.com (or a little bit cheaper on Amazon).

(Personally, although I no longer use X-Plane 10, I bought it direct from it's creator, Laminar Research as a sign of support.)

So it's unlikely that they'll make any changes to FSX.

Still, all in all, it's a good thing that they have both FSX & X-Plane.