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AFX By Flight1. Will this change you course Russell?

K

KaelO

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G'day Russell,

I just saw that Flight1 have released an airport editor that markets itself as the same as AFCAD was for 2004. Details are here

http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=afxv1

While I'm not stupid enough to purchase a product for $35 when I can have FSX Planner for free, I'm wondering how many people out there will be keen to start modifying airports (as 99% don't know about FSX Planner) and purchase it.

Does this effect your time frame for a final release at all?

Just curious..

Kael
 
I am also tempted to buy it, specially because FSX Planner doesn't open the bgl's directly, but i will wait for an answer from Russel.
 
This is certainly interesting. My first question is how many people are willing to spend 25 or 35 dollars on a product that does the same thing as two other products (FSX Planner and ADE) which are free?

Looking at their previews it looks like they just copied afcad (or bought it) and updated it a bit. The reason FSX Planner was conceived is because there was not a program out there to edit FSX airports. Also, the way in which FSX Planner and this flight 1 app work are very different. I prefer the way FSX Planner works, obviously. There are less differences, it seems, between ADE and the flight 1 app. So again, why would you buy the flight 1 app, when you can get ADE for free?

However, only time will tell what the public want. Perhaps if people say they are willing to buy an airport editor, then that will be the way of the future, and free apps will cease to exist. This does not mean FSX Planner would cease to exist. It may have to become a payware product to compete, though.

There is always competition between products. It comes down to which one does more, which one is the better value for money, and which one does the user personally like.

In any case this announcement does not change the current course of FSX Planner. It's nearly finished, and I think is easier to use and does more than the flight 1 application.

-Russell
 
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I've looked a bit more at what they say their app does, and it leaves out a whole host of things that FSX Planner does, such as scenery objects, triggers, background images, etc. So, again, my question is would you want to pay for something that apparently doesn't do as much as an existing free app?

I'd be interested to know the general consensus about that.

-Russell
 
Alvega said:
I am also tempted to buy it, specially because FSX Planner doesn't open the bgl's directly, but i will wait for an answer from Russel.
Click to expand...

FSX Planner will open bgl files. We just haven't got there yet. That functionality is near the end of our list, which is thankfully getting quite short now. Our thinking is that what's the use of opening a bgl file directly if you can't manipulate everything it in? So we want to provide all the editing functionality first, especially as there are tools that allow you to convert a bgl file to an xml file very easily.

-Russell
 
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I'll be sticking with FSX Planner. I am happy with what I can do with it and like Russell said, I sure don't feel the need to pay that much for a product when FSX Planner provides the same functions (and in some cases more) for free.

Russell, you are doing an awesome job and I look forward to more updates to FSX Planner.
 
rf360m said:
I've looked a bit more at what they say their app does, and it leaves out a whole host of things that FSX Planner does, such as scenery objects, triggers, background images, etc. So, again, my question is would you want to pay for something that apparently doesn't do as much as an existing free app?

I'd be interested to know the general consensus about that.

-Russell
Click to expand...

Beacuse as Kael says, most people don't know about FSX Planner. I haven't visited these forums for a while and didn't even know how close it was to completion or that there was a beta version available.

One thing that will draw people is the ability to convert existing FS 9 AFCAD's for use with FSX. I have tons of custom AFCAD's that can probably be converted and modified to work very well in FS X. I was tempted to buy it, but let me try FSX Planner first.
 
Converting FS2004 AFCAD files has never been a problem - we've had Burkhard Renk's solution since last October/ November.

This is much cleaner.

But converting AFCAD files presents three huge issues.

1. Buildings are not in the same places - so parking spots result in the aircraft in the building or far from where desired issue.

2. Jetways will become unsuable unless all the jetway associations with the parking spots change. The jetway and the parking spot have to have the same name.

3. Parking spots all have to have their size changed - because FS2004 parking spots are too large for FSX aircraft due to the way the parking has changed.

Not to mention that on many airports - airport polygons are not the same, ILS and runways are not in the same places, etc.

I looked at converting my 4,500 or so AFCAD files - but quickly realized the amount of work necessary will make it better to start from a fresh read of the APXnnnn0.bgl file if I want a good working airport.
 
drv4truk said:
Beacuse as Kael says, most people don't know about FSX Planner. I haven't visited these forums for a while and didn't even know how close it was to completion or that there was a beta version available.
Click to expand...

We'll try to advertise it more. :) Word of mouth is great, but having reviews and ads always heps!

-Russell
 
Agree, I will also stick to FSX Planner. The mere fact that AFX does not support displaying a background image, gives FSX Planner a big advantage.

During the life of AFCAD, the need to display a background image was one of the big requests from scenery designers.

Russell, keep up the great work, your product is GREAT!

Johan
 
rf360m said:
I've looked a bit more at what they say their app does, and it leaves out a whole host of things that FSX Planner does, such as scenery objects, triggers, background images, etc. So, again, my question is would you want to pay for something that apparently doesn't do as much as an existing free app?

I'd be interested to know the general consensus about that.

-Russell
Click to expand...

Good to hear some replies guys.

While I think that FSX Planner is a fantastic program and I've been a big fan from the earliest releases, I think that fact of the matter is that there is such a huge market for an airport editor, that ADX will sell very well. ADE isn't even in the running.

Here are the issues as I see it;

1. Nobody knows about FSX Planner. ADX will sell quickly as people rush to fill the void felt by AFCAD. As another user said, the ability to simply convert FS9 - FSX afcads will appeal to a very large scope of people. As Russell says, this has been possile for some time, but not everybody knows this. +1 for ADX

2. I personally like the idea of being able to 'overlay' my airport from the editor to FSX in real time to see how it lays out against the generic airport buildings. +1 for ADX

3. FSX Planer does allow the placement of scenery ojects within the airport .BGL as well as background images. +2 for FSX

4. FSX Planner (at the moment) is free! +10 for FSX

The biggest issue is timing. People want a program that allows them to edit their airports and until a couple of days ago, they didn't know one exisited. So they will snap it up. The market for this tool is probably the biggest one in Flight Simulation, far more so than addon scenery or addon aircraft. ADX is here, its now getting press coverage and because its with a reputable ground like Flight1, it will sell well.

In my opinion, FSX Planner could easily put ADX to shame. But that would mean releasing it within the next week or two and making it FREE. ADX wouldn't stand a chance then.

Of course one of the programs with the release of ADX is that now, we as developers have less control over airport development. I was hoping for example, that FSX Planner could be shipped with standards for aircraft parking.

Just my opinions, Good luck Russell. You've got a great program here that you've put a lot of effort into
 
Thanks for all the positive replies. I just checked the avsim home page and FSX Planner is mentioned there. So hopefully that will spread the word a bit. :)

-Russell
 
rf360m said:
Thanks for all the positive replies. I just checked the avsim home page and FSX Planner is mentioned there. So hopefully that will spread the word a bit. :)

-Russell
Click to expand...

Thats just what you needed to do Russell.

Heres the avsim forum threat regarding ADX. It looks positive at the moment.

http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=121&topic_id=410567&mode=full

Do you want to start a thread on AVSIM for FSX Planner it Russell? I'm happy to kick it off.

Kael
 
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Kael,

It's a good idea to promote FSX Planner on Avsim and I went there to give my support. However, when I saw the following: "Sure beats paying $30USD for an airport editor.", I decided to refrain from that thread. I personally feel it is a extremely unprofessional statement that could harm FSX Planner.

The rest of the message is good publicity for FSX Planner, but please consider editing the offended line out.

In my opinion, FSX Planner is stil the better program.

Johan
 
Johan said:
Kael,

It's a good idea to promote FSX Planner on Avsim and I went there to give my support. However, when I saw the following: "Sure beats paying $30USD for an airport editor.", I decided to refrain from that thread. I personally feel it is a extremely unprofessional statement that could harm FSX Planner.

The rest of the message is good publicity for FSX Planner, but please consider editing the offended line out.

In my opinion, FSX Planner is stil the better program.

Johan
Click to expand...

I would edit it, but the editing period has expired. Still, I'm just a user and fan of the program, not a representative of the company that produces it so I don't think it reflects badly on the product at all. It highlights the major difference between the two progams...one is free the other is $35.
 
Kael,

No problem at all, I have also sent you a PM.

Good to see that there are people out there promoting the freeware programs. Normally the freeware developer is so tied up that he does not have time for advertising and PR.

Johan
 
Johan said:
Good to see that there are people out there promoting the freeware programs. Normally the freeware developer is so tied up that he does not have time for advertising and PR.

Johan
Click to expand...

That's true! Thanks to everyone for their time in spreading the word!

-Russell
 
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