More Doom for FSX?

[Hawkeye07]

I just read this announcement on another flightsim website:


So it appears that those who are interested in new aircraft or newer models in the future are going to be forced to switch to P3Dv.4. I might go voluntarily when they get things settled and quit with the numerous updates but I don't like being "forced" into something. So I guess the solution for now is to forget about new payware from the developers who have cut off FSX and be happy with what I have until that time when I really want to switch over to another flight sim platform. This also sucks for those folks who have switched to P3D but only have versions P3D v2 or v3 since they are in 32 bit format too.

[tjitah]

Sad day, but I didn't like the Captain Sim policy of having to purchase a completely separate version of their existing aircraft for P3D v4, instead of the free or small upgrade fee that many other developers charge. So I've kind of lost interest in Captain Sim anyway, no real loss to me.

And I too, have not purchased P3D v4 yet, due to the constant updates. Plus many developers are using it as an excuse to charge crazy prices, or milk us for yet another purchase (like Captain Sim and A2A)

[Canuck1955]

Name another sim/game that is still viable after 12 years. Only one that I can think of and that is FS2004 at 15 years.

I only ever bought 2 Capt Sim products, the Mig 21 for FS2002, which got support by the company after a fashion into FS2004 and the 727 for FS2004. They were never great at support anyhoo so I won't be missing their absence.

[Flacke]

No big deal for me at all.
I will continue to enjoy FSX-SE until the day comes that I want 64bit. At that time I will most likely ADD X-Plane as long as they have the Add-on Scenery that I want. Then I will fly both FSX-SE and X-Plane depending upon what kind of flight I plan to do that day.

[cevans]

I think there are 10's 1000's fans, maybe more, all over who will continue to use FSX, FS2004 etc for many years to come.

[B0ikat]

I don't see the "doom" for FSX any more than the Pontiac brand going extinct was "doom" for driving.

[zswobbie1]

Quite a silly comment, actually. Captain Sim is not the only payware supplier out there, & are there still payware vendors for Fs2002?
In any case, FSX in it's various forms, & FS2004 will still be supported for many years.

[garymbuska]

I stopped using Captain SIM along time ago so I say good riddance
there are other sites that still support FSX and FSX steam
I will continue to use FSX FSX STEAM and FS2004 as long as it will run on WINDOWS
Sadly though I know it is only a matter of time when FSX and FS2004 will no longer run on a 64 BIT system Not sure about FSX STEAM it might last longer
To bad someone can not convert it to a 64 bit program. But I do not think Microsoft will allow that to happen but one can only hope.

[Canuck1955]

Thinking on the subject, FSX has had a great run and the boost because of Steam. However it is noticeable that third party files at the main sites are well down and MSFS based forums, traffic has slowed to a crawl. FSX is largely dead and XP has prevailed. There is little in the way pf P3D by comparison to XP. Many being put off by the ridiculous licensing agreement.

[ftldave]

However it is noticeable that third party files at the main sites are well down and MSFS based forums, traffic has slowed to a crawl. FSX is largely dead and XP has prevailed.

I think we must be living in alternate universes because I'm downloading new FSX and FSX-P3D aircraft, sceneries, and the occasional utility almost every day. I bought about $100 worth of FSXScenery airports just last month.

The demise of FSX and FSX-SE is being greatly exaggerated.

As for Captain Sim, great manuals, like their B-52 BUFF docs, but not very noteworthy aircraft models. I won't miss them as they transition from the hobbyist-recreation market to the academic-education-software-developer software market.

[Flacke]

I will continue to use FSX FSX STEAM and FS2004

To bad someone can not convert it to a 64 bit program. But I do not think Microsoft will allow that to happen but one can only hope.

That is exactly what I have been thinking. I don't know positively whether converting FSX to 64 bit is technically possible but I really wish that it is. It may just be difficult and time-consuming. If so, if someone took on the task of making FSX 64-bit it would be a huge boost for the Sim. The competition from a 64bit FSX would keep the others honest and help keep prices down.

[cevans]

I will continue to use FSX FSX STEAM and FS2004

To bad someone can not convert it to a 64 bit program. But I do not think Microsoft will allow that to happen but one can only hope

They have. It's called P3D

[Hawkeye07]

The impression I got from the above article was that the payware developers are starting to look beyond FSX for their future developments. Personally I think they are a bit premature since many of us are still solid FSX users and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. So what if FSX has been around for 12 years. In that time the freeware and payware aircraft, scenery and other addons such as FS Tramp and TacPack have come a long way and still make FSX worth having. So to claim that FSX is dead as their justification for no longer developing products for FSX I think is a pretty weak excuse. I think it has more to do with the bottom line. With P3D there is more profit potential and that's their motivation for dropping FSX.

[Daube]

The thing is: the amount FSX users is decreasing very fast, and the amount of P3Dv4 users is increasing very fast.
An addon creator must choose between 32 and 64 bit platforms. Spending time to develop for both platforms is just a waste of time.

However, this is will not prevent anybody from enjoying FSX.
After all, when addon makers all switched to FSX and abandoned FS9 (for the very same reasons), people still continued to fly FS9.

[Hawkeye07]

The thing is: the amount FSX users is decreasing very fast, and the amount of P3Dv4 users is increasing very fast.
An addon creator must choose between 32 and 64 bit platforms. Spending time to develop for both platforms is just a waste of time.

However, this is will not prevent anybody from enjoying FSX.
After all, when addon makers all switched to FSX and abandoned FS9 (for the very same reasons), people still continued to fly FS9.

But here's a question that I have no idea how to answer: IS the amount of FSX users decreasing very fast? Are P3Dv4 users increasing very fast?

Where's the data supporting this?

I've been wondering about this for some time now; the transition from one flightsim platform to another usually takes how long?