Flytampa, Flightbeam, FSDT and 29Palms future products to be P3D4 only

[kmanning]

Umberto,
I've been going over the Several P3D4 licenses that are available, and I'm confused as to which license I should purchase. The ones I'm considering are either the Academic License or the Developer License. The other licenses are much more expensive and I will not be considering those. With the Developer Licenses, one pays a monthly subscription, but would I have to be a flight sim or addon developer to purchase that one, and would l have to develop and provide addons for the P3D4 to use the subscription, or is that just a name they use? Otherwise, I guess the Academic License would be the one for me. Could you give me some advice?

Ken.

[Hnla]

Umberto,
I've been going over the Several P3D4 licenses that are available, and I'm confused as to which license I should purchase. The ones I'm considering are either the Academic License or the Developer License. The other licenses are much more expensive and I will not be considering those. With the Developer Licenses, one pays a monthly subscription, but would I have to be a flight sim or addon developer to purchase that one, and would l have to develop and provide addons for the P3D4 to use the subscription, or is that just a name they use? Otherwise, I guess the Academic License would be the one for me. Could you give me some advice?

Ken.

I don't understand why people are so "lost and concerned" over the P3D Licenses. This isn't North Korea, the police aren't going to come to your home and arrest you if they suspect you are "being entertained" if you buy the academic license. Just buy the academic one and forget about it, it's not that difficult, I promise you.

[kmanning]

I don't understand why people are so "lost and concerned" over the P3D Licenses. This isn't North Korea, the police aren't going to come to your home and arrest you if they suspect you are "being entertained" if you buy the academic license. Just buy the academic one and forget about it, it's not that difficult, I promise you.

I know that, but what I want to know is what's the difference between the Academic and the developers? I think Umberto can explain it. Just because you don't understand why people are lost over the EULA doesn't mean they're supposed to understand.

[virtuali]

I think the only license you might not always qualify for, is the Academic, because it requires to be enrolled in some kind of school, although LM doesn't enforce it like, for example, Autodesk does (they require school documentation to sell you the student versions of their products).

All the other licenses can be purchased by anyone, provided they are not used for entertainment purposes. That's what the EULA says.

[kmanning]

I think the only license you might not always qualify for, is the Academic, because it requires to be enrolled in some kind of school, although LM doesn't enforce it like, for example, Autodesk does (they require school documentation to sell you the student versions of their products).

All the other licenses can be purchased by anyone, provided they are not used for entertainment purposes. That's what the EULA says.

That's what I was thinking regarding the Academic, but wasn't for sure. But it does say one thing about the Academic. It says that the Academic is provided for students at a discount, and that seems to suggest that if you're not a student, you pay the full price. But it also says that it has a watermark to signify the use of the license, whatever that means, and that may suggest that you have to be a student. Thanks Umberto for explaining that. But does the Developer's license require that I be a sim developer or a scenery developer, meaning that I have to develop addons for the P3D?

[jabloomf1230]

It's an example  of what's called self identification. If you are either a student of flight simming, a pro at flight simming or you think you might want to develop  content, then pick a license type. If you are beyond the pro level, that just means that you like to shoot at other aircraft and drop bombs.

[kmanning]

It's an example  of what's called self identification. If you are either a student of flight simming, a pro at flight simming or you think you might want to develop  content, then pick a license type. If you are beyond the pro level, that just means that you like to shoot at other aircraft and drop bombs.

I really don't care for the Professional Plus that allows for shooting down other aircrafts and dropping bombs, not to mention there're other things I should put that much money into. Even the Professional one is quite expensive and I'll have to wait on that one, if I don't qualify for the others. I hope I can purchase the P3D4 soon.

[virtuali]

But does the Developer's license require that I be a sim developer or a scenery developer, meaning that I have to develop addons for the P3D?

Just read the LM website and the developer license EULA:

http://www.prepar3d.com/developer-network-program/

The website says:

Anyone can become a Prepar3D Developer! No matter if you are a seasoned developer, or just starting out, we want to encourage you to develop for Prepar3D.

And, nowhere in the license agreement it says you MUST release/publish/sell an add-on. You can get it to learn how to develop for P3D, and the license ALSO contains a license to use the sim itself, but you are not bound to release something.

[FLYFROMUTAH]

At the current time FSX is the largest market. Do you expect that to shrink so much in the next two years that is not worth offering customers scenery at the loss of your income. Yes it might be easier to develop products for the new platforms 64 bit. As a business decision, easier at loss of income might be self defeating. If you have investors, which I have no idea if you do or are totally privately owned, they might not like leaving a market that provides income to the bottom line. I think as any investor might until that market FSX is no longer viable in terms of costs vs income, that it should be sustained for the time being. Especially Flightbeam who came out with KPDX in development just as P3V4 came out. This is a disservice to those who have been waiting a long time for a good Portland airport scenery and a major disappointment. I think you should have given it at least another year before deciding to cut off FSX users. Other developers I purchase from have not made this decision at this time, and will be writing software for FSX for the time being and into the future as long as the market is large.   

[Hnla]

At the current time FSX is the largest market. Do you expect that to shrink so much in the next two years that is not worth offering customers scenery at the loss of your income. Yes it might be easier to develop products for the new platforms 64 bit. As a business decision, easier at loss of income might be self defeating. If you have investors, which I have no idea if you do or are totally privately owned, they might not like leaving a market that provides income to the bottom line. I think as any investor might until that market FSX is no longer viable in terms of costs vs income, that it should be sustained for the time being. Especially Flightbeam who came out with KPDX in development just as P3V4 came out. This is a disservice to those who have been waiting a long time for a good Portland airport scenery and a major disappointment. I think you should have given it at least another year before deciding to cut off FSX users. Other developers I purchase from have not made this decision at this time, and will be writing software for FSX for the time being and into the future as long as the market is large.   

[juniormafia27]

At the current time FSX is the largest market. Do you expect that to shrink so much in the next two years that is not worth offering customers scenery at the loss of your income. Yes it might be easier to develop products for the new platforms 64 bit. As a business decision, easier at loss of income might be self defeating. If you have investors, which I have no idea if you do or are totally privately owned, they might not like leaving a market that provides income to the bottom line. I think as any investor might until that market FSX is no longer viable in terms of costs vs income, that it should be sustained for the time being. Especially Flightbeam who came out with KPDX in development just as P3V4 came out. This is a disservice to those who have been waiting a long time for a good Portland airport scenery and a major disappointment. I think you should have given it at least another year before deciding to cut off FSX users. Other developers I purchase from have not made this decision at this time, and will be writing software for FSX for the time being and into the future as long as the market is large.   

I has been a while since I have been on here.  Based on your statement it seems that you have not been in the field of flight simulation hobby too long.  We've all know that this day was coming.  In terms of the market shift was going to occur....as it has with FS9.  Although FSX was great leap forward for a lot of us.  It also had it's limitations in which made it frustrating to continue for word.  With the introduction of P3D v.4.  The sim has finally made it to a point in which works for everyone wanting positive performance and maximum realism.  FSX is has "BEEN" slowly going down in the history books....especially with X-Plane 11 on the market, as well.  So for you to tell a developer how to run his buisness is insulting.  Unless you know how the engineer sceneries on your own, to benefit the rest of the flight sim community.  I think you should have a seat.  This announcement has nothing to do with what others are doing.  He is stating what they are doing.  And news flash the others are not far behind....FsDreamteam, Flightbeam, and Fly Tampa by themselves are huge pillars in the FSX/P3D world.  So if you don't like their decision.  You can simply not buy and stay with the trend you want to roll with.  But at the end of the day like it or not they are going forward with this.  I personally think they are doing the right decision.  I have been a long time customer of all three of these developers., at that.  The new market is now P3d and X-Plane 11

[FLYFROMUTAH]

You assume quite wrong, I have been doing this for about 17 years. Next time don't assume you make yourself look like a jerk.

[Dave_YVR]

 So essentially you are saying that Flytampa, Flightbeam, FSDT and 29Palms don't actually know what their market is..  I find that highly unlikely.

[virtuali]

At the current time FSX is the largest market.

What evidence you have to support this data ? I hope you don't confuse "number of users" with "number of users that purchase add-ons".

I believe Aerosoft did a poll BEFORE P3D V4 was even announced, and they had somewhat like a 50% split between P3D and FSX, and this doesn't even take into account how much these users buy. I guess the same poll made today, with P3D V4 on the market, will be quite different.

I think you should have given it at least another year before deciding to cut off FSX users

Which is exactly what we are doing.

KSDF, which will be released shortly, will still be for FSX. It's the next sceneries we'll do after that will be for P3D V4 only, which right now are confirmed to be KPIT, LSFB and the new KORD. None of them will likely arrive before at least one year so, we are giving you exactly what you are asking: about a year in advance to prepare yourself.

[FLYFROMUTAH]

I'm fine with the year in advance for new products, as I do believe that P3V4 is the future. FSX is not yet the past but still in the present. Updates for KORD as an FSX product would have been nice, but since you describe it as new and maybe bought as new, that will be our loss. But what really disturbs me is that Flightbeam came out with KPDX at least a month before V4 was released, and will not be an FSX product. Is it really going to take a year for them to do an airport of that size? This should really be reexamined.
My data did come from another developer who intends on making products for FSX into the future as they describe the FSX market as quite large. I do not know of course who buys add-ons and who does not. That would be a sales figure of all developers combined.