Mmmm Why X ?

[Katahu]

I have just noticed in your post, why on earth would it be called 10 men, or 10 games? Its not the NUMERAL, its the letter.

Good point. But you gotta remember, little kids don't know the numerals and the letter X [or numeral X - however you like to call it] is just a letter X to the kids when they watch X-Men.

[Hagar]

If you have a long running line of products, as Microsoft does withit Flightsim, that are all 'numbered' in one way, you wouldnt change that. eg. the Rocky show, they wouldnt have gone, Rocky I, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky 4. Would they now?

Why not? That's exactly what they did with the Spitfire.
http://www.spitfiresociety.demon.co.uk/whatmark.htm

The marketing of FS has varied over the years to keep up with changing trends. Very few people referred to FS98 as FS6 & it only reverted to that system of numbering with FS2004. The next logical step is to combine the Roman numeral X meaning 10 with a little bit of mystery. That's how these people's minds work.

[TheBod1357]

exactly, its all marketing, it is a way to catch someone's eye as they are browsing shelves. And, like I said before, the mystery factor. We need to consider those fliers outside of our SimV world, who dont know or have shrewd ideas about what M$ will include in FSX. They may see FS 2006 on the shelves and decide that their current FS 2004 is good enough for them. It just gets redundant. However, consider the same person looking at Flight Simulator X. They are going to wonder about the X, naturally. First they will pick it up off the shelves and look to see if it is the new Microsoft Simulator, or just another new, not Microsoft simulator.

Once they deduce that it is indeed Microsoft Flight Simulator 2006 under a different label design, they will then procede to read everything on the box to find out the meaning of the X, which will lead them to see the screenshots that are always included on the labels describing the new simulator. Now that they have pictures to prove that FSX graphics far exceed those of FS9, the customer will then proceed to further wonder about the X, reading through the shortlisted "New-Features" that will also be included on the box. Excited by promises of more realistic flight, many new aircraft, higher quality graphics, "and much, much more!" The customer will then check the price tag: around $50. "Wow, thats a steal!" $50 for Microsoft's revolutionized new simulator! Flight Simulator X, "M$ must be pretty proud and excited about this simulator", so much so, that they wanted it to stand out from the previous simulators. From Flight Simulator 2004 "A Century of Flight" to the new and mysterious "Flight Simulator X".


Thats how I see it playing out.



Oh yes, the customer then proceeds to buy the simulator, return home, immediately install it, and then.......well we will just have to wait and see how the story ends!

Holiday Season 2006!The release of FSX, and the exciting conclusion to the story, Dont miss it!

[Katahu]

exactly, its all marketing, it is a way to catch someone's eye as they are browsing shelves. And, like I said before, the mystery factor. We need to consider those fliers outside of our SimV world, who dont know or have shrewd ideas about what M$ will include in FSX. They may see FS 2006 on the shelves and decide that their current FS 2004 is good enough for them. It just gets redundant. However, consider the same person looking at Flight Simulator X. They are going to wonder about the X, naturally. First they will pick it up off the shelves and look to see if it is the new Microsoft Simulator, or just another new, not Microsoft simulator.

Once they deduce that it is indeed Microsoft Flight Simulator 2006 under a different label design, they will then procede to read everything on the box to find out the meaning of the X, which will lead them to see the screenshots that are always included on the labels describing the new simulator. Now that they have pictures to prove that FSX graphics far exceed those of FS9, the customer will then proceed to further wonder about the X, reading through the shortlisted "New-Features" that will also be included on the box. Excited by promises of more realistic flight, many new aircraft, higher quality graphics, "and much, much more!" The customer will then check the price tag: around $50. "Wow, thats a steal!" $50 for Microsoft's revolutionized new simulator! Flight Simulator X, "M$ must be pretty proud and excited about this simulator", so much so, that they wanted it to stand out from the previous simulators. From Flight Simulator 2004 "A Century of Flight" to the new and mysterious "Flight Simulator X".


Thats how I see it playing out.



Oh yes, the customer then proceeds to buy the simulator, return home, immediately install it, and then.......well we will just have to wait and see how the story ends!

Holiday Season 2006!The release of FSX, and the exciting conclusion to the story, Dont miss it!

$50? Many of us predict the price to be about $60 or $70.

[TheBod1357]

apologies, but the price was not the point

[Katahu]

apologies, but the price was not the point

We know. It's that we've known that your scenario would always be the case for most customers. Besides, we'll buy FSX anyways [just because].

[BFMF]

apologies, but the price was not the point

Than what was the point?

oh wait, never mind.....

[Felix/FFDS]

I have just noticed in your post, why on earth would it be called 10 men, or 10 games? Its not the NUMERAL, its the letter.

IN the case of "FS-X"  I'll venture it's a pleasant combination of both the number "10" and the letter "X".

This will be the tenth version of the Flight Simulator product,   calling it "FSX" let's it settle into a tidy 3-character acronym; using the "X" ties it into the trendy "X" factor - as stated earlier ... XBOX, X-Men,  ...

[TheBod1357]

I dont think M$ is worried about the X making a convenient acronym...

[kipman725]

X is quite a good name for m$ makes more sense than "xp"

[born_2_fly]

X is quite a good name for m$ makes more sense than "xp"

Do you realize what we are talking about? Where does XP come into it, and why does it make more sense for microsoft?
Thanks Katahu.

Born 2 fly

[Joe_D]

MS stopped

[candle_86]

Well its like X-fire like many said the X makes you wonder.  Heck i want FSX after just a single screenshot, but i still cant play FS9 at max so who knows. And i have the old FS producst, was playing FS3 the other day for kicks

[MattNW]

exactly, its all marketing, it is a way to catch someone's eye as they are browsing shelves. And, like I said before, the mystery factor. We need to consider those fliers outside of our SimV world, who dont know or have shrewd ideas about what M$ will include in FSX. They may see FS 2006 on the shelves and decide that their current FS 2004 is good enough for them. It just gets redundant. However, consider the same person looking at Flight Simulator X. They are going to wonder about the X, naturally. First they will pick it up off the shelves and look to see if it is the new Microsoft Simulator, or just another new, not Microsoft simulator.

Once they deduce that it is indeed Microsoft Flight Simulator 2006 under a different label design, they will then procede to read everything on the box to find out the meaning of the X, which will lead them to see the screenshots that are always included on the labels describing the new simulator. Now that they have pictures to prove that FSX graphics far exceed those of FS9, the customer will then proceed to further wonder about the X, reading through the shortlisted "New-Features" that will also be included on the box. Excited by promises of more realistic flight, many new aircraft, higher quality graphics, "and much, much more!" The customer will then check the price tag: around $50. "Wow, thats a steal!" $50 for Microsoft's revolutionized new simulator! Flight Simulator X, "M$ must be pretty proud and excited about this simulator", so much so, that they wanted it to stand out from the previous simulators. From Flight Simulator 2004 "A Century of Flight" to the new and mysterious "Flight Simulator X".


Thats how I see it playing out.



Oh yes, the customer then proceeds to buy the simulator, return home, immediately install it, and then.......well we will just have to wait and see how the story ends!

Holiday Season 2006!The release of FSX, and the exciting conclusion to the story, Dont miss it!

You forgot one reason. It creates speculation on the topic of, "why did they name it -X" and people go on to post questions and answers in FS forums and that's more exposure for the upcoming product. MS has it all figured out. Anyone ever take "Business Psych 101" in school? Bill didn't become the richest person in the world by missing any angles.  ;D

[JBaymore]

Maybe it is because it is going to be cross platform and ported to X Box also?

best,

........john