Do you believe? $40.00

[chomp_rock]

Why would anyone buy any payware addon that cost more than the FS itself? ANY FS addon available provides less than 1/10th the functionality of FS and certainly has a helluva less time/work put into it than the FS does.

So, logically, you are being ripped off if you spend more money on a payware addon than you did when you bought the FS.

[jrpilot]

Why would anyone buy any payware addon that cost more than the FS itself? ANY FS addon available provides less than 1/10th the functionality of FS and certainly has a helluva less time/work put into it than the FS does.

So, logically, you are being ripped off if you spend more money on a payware addon than you did when you bought the FS.

Yes, but no....I couldn't fly any freeware plane that mathes up to a MY payware aircraft, the payware aircraft I use are just to sophisticated for many freeware designers.  It's not that freeware makers are bad designers, its just payware makers I guess have more resources and have more money to spend so in return people buy their aircraft and they in return make money...

[chomp_rock]

I think you completly missed my point  ::)

[JBaymore]

Chomp,

The logic there is missing a crucial point, I think.

The missing factor there is "# of units sold".  Microsoft sells a gazillion FS units at $50 each.  Development cost for all the various components is very, very high.... but due to the HUGE volume of units they will sell....... well worth it in the end.  That sales volume keeps the target price pretty low.

Virtual Aircraft Company, Ltd. makes a single very realistic airliner.  True...... compared to producing the entirety of fs200x, the development costs are not in the same league.... but they are still quite substantial.  Research into realistic systems and flight dynamics takes time and coding itself is S...L....O....W work.  

Unfortunately projected units to be sold are low... so the development cost per unit is high.  So in order to pay for development time plus some profit, the price has to be high to make the effort worthwhile.

Good thing freeware plane makers don't really keep track of their "work" hours  ;).

best,

......................john

[SilverFox441]

I did once...it worked out to 1517 Hrs for a plane that was "high-end freeware" quality at the time.

Pay myself at $10/Hr...that's $15,000 to recoup plus time spent on sales.

The same plane generated about 2200 downloads while free, figure 25% would pay (very generous)...550 customers.

$15000/550=$27.27

Let's just call it $24.99 (I'm easy-going).

That's just for a freeware quality plane...commercial designers do work faster, but they also do more.

Prices aren't too outrageous...you just have to be selective.

[JBaymore]

Pay myself at $10/Hr....

Silver,

Around here that is about "burger flipper" wages ...... not skilled designer / programmer.

[SilverFox441]

John, thanks for your kind words.

Building planes is why I don't complain about payware prices.  :o

So much of the stuff is given away at ridiculously low prices it is astounding...it might as well be freeware for all the money made off of it.

One of these days I'll have a plane that will croos the "quality line" and be worthy of earning it's keep...then I'll have a decision to make:

Do I keep making it better (worth more)?

Or

Do I stop early, when the plane satisfies me...and who cares what the audience thinks?

I'm very close to that state now...maybe, but still building for me. I love the subject I'm building so the extra effort is for me. If the extra effort is for others though...pay up.

What's crossing the "quality line", at least in my eyes:

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/ ... 1106971267

[Gary R.]

Everyone has a certain set of expectations that match a given price to pay.  I thought $44.99 for the CD version of 737 NG was steep. It was $39.99 but tax and shipping of course.....   Here's the reason.  It isn't a whole lot more functional than 767 PIC was in it's day.  In fact, in some ways less because you don't have to set and align the IRS before making initial FMC entries.  PIC had that modeled. sure, it has a VC but rarely use it due to frame and convenience issues.  Now, take WOP on the other hand.  Great package.  All of those super detailed realistic warbirds for $29.99.  That was a bargain to me, Id have payed more and thought it a good deal.  I tell you, if someone did a Gulfstream 450/550 with the new Primus Epic Planeview cockpit I would pay up to $50 or even more if it's 99% of real.  It's all in what you want.