SODE Jetways

[dkreiskott]

Unless you use P3D V6, it's best to use SODE 1.7.1. I checked right now, with P3D V5 on a default airport with SODE jetways replaced by GSX, and they work.

Please clarify which kind of jetways are not working, exactly:

- SODE jetways on default airports replaced by GSX

OR

- SODE jetways at 3rd party airport added by SODE

OR

- SODE jetways at 3rd party airport replaced by GSX jetways

OR

- SODE jetways on an FSDT airport (if yes, which one?)

I'm on Prepar3d v5.4 with more then 260 Airports and Sode 1.7.1.
This problem occurs at all third-party airports with sode jetways. I've already written about it in a previous post.
The problem only occurred since the last update!

If you want to see the problem, you should use an 3rd party airport with Sode Jetways. E. g. EDDL from Justsim
However, I can confirm that the default airports work.

[adrianb4]

SODE jetways at 3rd party airport added by SODE. I've P3Dv4.5 and v5, sode 1.6 to 1.8.

[renkouchuan]

I'd like to provide some more clues if needed. Now the problem occurs at all 3rd party airports with sode jetways. I sometimes edit sode jetways by using sode developer tool to creat xml but I don't think it matters because there are a lot of airports with oringinal sode xml got the same issue. I guess there are not a lot of people use sode jetway to replace a defualt scenery, so what we focus on is only 3rd party airports, all brands, any location.

[B737PIC]

The problem for me has occurred at 3rd party addons. I have not tried default myself. I am running P3dv4.5 and SODE 1.8.0. I have been running that version of SODE for a while with no issues.

What's interesting is that I did a flight this morning from Flightbeam KPHX to ORBX KSAN. The jetways didn't work thru GSX at KPHX. When I landed at KSAN and stopped at the gates, the jetways worked thru GSX. Then a few hours later I went to KSAN to see if the jetways still worked; they did not.

I've attached another log from my most recent flight session if it helps in any way.

BTW, I checked KORD and I have no jetways at all at that airport. I tried KIAH and the jetways worked fine there. I have not done the other FSDreamteam airports that I own yet though.

[Matty2305]

Just a note on this, I've just had an issue of my own with the jetways, check the platform manager, the registration had to be applied again plus the version had been updated to 1.8 (maybe because of the live update?). I've reverted back to 1.7.1 to hope it makes a difference.

Cheers

[flyboybma]

For me, it's:
- SODE jetways at 3rd party airport added by SODE. Confirmed same issue after downgrading to SODE 1.7.1.

T2G KMCO, LVFR KSAN, and SXAD KHOU.

All getting the "this gate has a standard jetway" message, no movement.

-flyboybma

[LukeK]

Here is my log. I encountered the problem at DD KSEA. No issues at KLAS since it's an FSDT airport.

Cheers

[dkreiskott]

We've had a defective product for two weeks now, thanks to an update that was essentially only designed for MSFS. How long do we have to wait before we receive a corrected version?

Enough log files have been provided, and your questions have been adequately answered.

We paid for a product that is constantly being corrupted by updates and doesn't do what it's supposed to. And then it takes weeks before the bug is finally fixed, as we've experienced several times in the past.

That's a really bad way of treating customers.

[virtuali]

We've had a defective product for two weeks now, thanks to an update that was essentially only designed for MSFS. How long do we have to wait before we receive a corrected version?

A fix for this will be released AFTER it has been properly tested to be working. In fact, we already fixed it, but we are still testing it.

Since you are basically complaining about not having tested the update in P3D, which is true (we test where 95% of the user base is, our testing time is finite), I hope you won't contradict yourself by demanding we'd release a fix with without testing it before.

[dkreiskott]

It's great that you're going to test it. That at least shows that we can expect a fix, hopefully soon.

But honestly, writing here that things aren't being tested for Prepar3d is pretty cheeky. That's turning all Prepar3d users into beta testers! That's simply outrageous.

Every one of us, no matter how long we've been with you, is your customer; we've paid money. You can expect decent support for money, even if the product is quite old.

What was your motto again? "High-quality add-ons for flight simulation" :-)))

As someone who has been a customer of yours for more than 11 years, I feel like I'm being treated very badly. This certainly makes me not want to buy any more products from you.

And yes, I know you don't depend on me, but be careful, you don't want to scare away too many customers!

[virtuali]

But honestly, writing here that things aren't being tested for Prepar3d is pretty cheeky. That's turning all Prepar3d users into beta testers! That's simply outrageous.

If turning P3D users into beta testers is "outrageous", what would have you said if we, like almost every other developer out there, STOPPED supporting FSX/P3D in the first place ? Criminal ? What's more than that ?

What is really happening here, it's because instead of choosing the EASY route of everybody else, and simply said "this is your last full installer, and as of today, that's the final update", we are spending our limited time trying to do our best to support the old simulator. Porting the Python 3 engine on 32 bit ( FSX!! ) took extra effort, and that's just because we didn't want to kill exactly you: long time customers of old simulators!

So, your comment is particularly unfair, considering the reason of these annoyance are coming PRECISELY because we want to support the old simulator for as long as possible. The one and only exception is FSX under Windows 7, at this point, we really can't continue supporting it because it's really outside our control (Microsoft updates to the Windows SDK), but other than that, we are trying to keep the product supported in every simulator, for as long as possible, even if actual sales of the FSX/P3D version are basically zero.

And obviously, the fix is out now, in version 3.5.8.

[dkreiskott]

Umberto, do you think I'm being unfair? Then I'll try to approach it from the perspective of a software developer, not your customer.

Well, at least the fan base for Prepar3d v4 / v5 is still large. Besides MSFS. What hasn't actually happened is an increase in P3D users.

But there have already been discussions in other forums about the missing features like Water and Lavratory in the Prepar3d version. Your statement on this was that they won't be available anymore, even though they've been announced for years.

I have several suggestions:
1. With so many users, you could outsource testing to a closed user group, regardless of the simulator. That way, it doesn't take up your developers' time.

2. If you develop new textures, that's one thing; they're also included in new purchases. So it's not a problem why these aren't simply included in Prepar3d, as they are today.

3. Although many flight simulator enthusiasts believe that everything should be free, I disagree. Instead of constantly providing updates, I would continue to develop the software if I were you. Free within one version, and if there are truly new features, I would create a new version. And that would be for both Prepar3d and MSFS.

Then it would be worthwhile for you to continue developing this software. I'm sure there are plenty of users who would be willing to pay an update fee for new extensions, even in Prepar3d.
In other software areas, this is absolutely common practice. Users have to get used to it. I, for one, would have no problem paying for a good update with new features to you.
Thanks anyway for the bug fix, even though I haven't been able to test it yet.

Regards Dieter

[virtuali]

Well, at least the fan base for Prepar3d v4 / v5 is still large.

No, it's not.

According to the latest Navigraph survey, the P3D user base has dropped significantly, to be less than 5%. But using Navigraph as a sample means greatly overestimating the overall P3D users base, because Navigraph is offering a sample of the most advanced users, if we had access to the complete user base, P3D real numbers would have been much less, more similar to what our sales figures say ( almost 0% ).

What hasn't actually happened is an increase in P3D users.

What really happened, was a dramatic decline in users, with new sales going basically ZERO. We sell more GSX copies for MSFS in a day, that we sell in A YEAR for FSX/P3D. I'm fairly sure if you asked to any other developer (they ALL fled from P3D, let alone FSX), they all tell you exactly the same. With the difference, they don't support *anything* more, no updates, nothing.

Your statement on this was that they won't be available anymore, even though they've been announced for years.

They are available, in two new simulators where 95% of the users are now.

1. With so many users, you could outsource testing to a closed user group, regardless of the simulator. That way, it doesn't take up your developers' time.

With so few users, we can't do that.

Then it would be worthwhile for you to continue developing this software. I'm sure there are plenty of users who would be willing to pay an update fee for new extensions, even in Prepar3d.

There are so few users left, that nothing we'll ever do in FSX/P3D will have any chance to be repaid. We are already losing money on FSX/P3D, we are keeping it alive only for ONE reason: so when you'll will switch to MSFS, you'll remember you got 11 years of FREE UPDATES in FSX/P3D.

But that's not really the point: where are the other new paid products updates offered by other developers ? I don't see many update, neither free or paid. The only free updates I see, are our own.

[cleo259]

#virtuali,
Thank you for your response, and yes it is true Prepar3d is off the radar for a while and as I have heard they are busy completely renewing the game. So yes it is logical that the 3rd parties are just as little involved with this game. However I ask you to look into this problem. Even if you are doing it for the people who still use this game?

[yvesbarrington]

Thank you @Virtuali, despite the discussion and frustrations we do appreciate your efforts and look forward to a fix for this problem soon.