• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

why is FSX SDK only on deluxe version ?

P

philk1a

Messages
18
Country
unitedstates
I am a bit upset. I purchased FSX Standard Version because I did not need all the extra airports or aircraft.
I alway end up adding my own scenery using FSDS V3.5 and EZ-Scenery. But I need FSX SDK tools like FSX Make MDL or BGL Comp .
Now I find out that Microsoft does not have FSX SDK on their web site . I need to buy the DELUXE version of FSX.
Why is this ??? All other SDK's for prev Flight Sims were freely downloadable. I thought the "extra" cost of FSX Deluxe was due to more Aircraft and more Airports etc.
Why was FSX SDK exclude from the FSX Standard version???:mad:
 
FS2002 was the same, the only reason why it didn't happen with FS2004 was that there was no deluxe version.
The only reason why I find this a little annoying is that it doesn't make it easy for someone to go from flightsim newbie to designer -- they'll give up at the first hurdle when they find they don't have the necessary tools already.
 
What makes me a bit upset is the lack of "warning" on the standard version box.

If it said something like "buy only the deluxe version if you plan on or have intentions of creating add on scenery".
"You may be unable to use any design software you now have for previous versions of Flight Sim".

Than I would have been alerted and search the net or contacted Abacus to consult about this lack of SDK in the standard version. Anyway I could not return the standard version since I opened it and went and spent more $$$ just to get the deluxe version.
I really have a problem with Microsoft on this subject but what can I do any way. I have too much $$$ in my software and to many hours in my scenery design to just roil over.
:mad:
 
Sorry Phil, these situations suck. Before you get too far into blasting MS however, note the following product information copied from their website. They weren't hiding this information.




Deluxe Edition

The Deluxe edition of Flight Simulator X includes everything in the Standard version plus:

Additional missions
Additional aircraft (including glass cockpit variations)
More high-detailed airports and cities
A control tower for multiplayer
The Software Development Kit
 
Bob
Don't get the wrong impression. I know that if you read both boxes you do see that SDK is excluded from standard version but here is my point. If you buy FSX from on line vendors you do not see the feature SDK included.
Infact I bought from Amazon and read some reviews and the best I could come up was more Aircraft, more Airports and on line playing.
Not all of us grasp the concept of SDK or lack of it and rely on our commercial or freeware to utilize the needed tools for scenery design (on a fun level).
I really assumed (wrongly) that MS put SDK on the deluxe version to save you the trouble of navigating their site for the needed SDK tools like in FS2004.

I was not prepared to go to the MS site and find out that the "only" way you could get SDK was to go out and buy the deluxe version. Like I said the standard version (in my opinion) should have at least given a warning "that my software may not work for FSX" than at least I would have researched a bit more. It appears that many 3 party software developers (commercial & freeware) need the SDK tools to work.

I still do not understand why the tools were left out on the standard version. Was it a "cost" thing? If I understand the deluxe version it is not even installed when you install FSX you need to go back and search for the SDK install program.
I have no problem forking my $$$ to MS but I do not like the idea of doing twice for the same product. MS FSX is a great product at a fair price and I do have fun but I still would like to know why SDK was left off or why it can not be downloaded like FS9.

I personally know three people who did the exact same thing I did and ended buying BOTH versions. I guess the old saying is true "read the fine print before you buy" I was focused on my new Vista OAS as an issue not SDK:banghead:
 
Understand your frustration. I suspect the extra costs for delux is primarily about the sdk...the extra planes are extra default planes, one may assume will be replaced quickly with 3rd party ones.

Keep this in mind, as the trend has been consistent.

If there are two versions the sdk is only in the expensive one.

Best,
Bob
 
bob5568 said:
Understand your frustration. I suspect the extra costs for delux is primarily about the sdk...the extra planes are extra default planes, one may assume will be replaced quickly with 3rd party ones.

Keep this in mind, as the trend has been consistent.

If there are two versions the sdk is only in the expensive one.

Best,
Bob
Click to expand...


*My* preference would be for the "DELUXE" version to have the additional variants and airplanes, but that the modelling SDKs should be available. On the other hand, most developers would go for the "Deluxe" version because that version will have more toys - er "features" available from which to build (from an aircraft developer point of view, at least, you get additional instruments/gauges, and such).
 
Are there any third-party licence dependent applications in the SDK? I guess that could mandate either a separate release and/or a higher price due to licencing restrictions.

I note that the EULA has specific wording regarding the SDK also. It states something like that FSX can be used for professional purposes only where sold with development tools.

Is this the first FS release where MS has charged for the SDK by not releasing it for download? Either it's due to licencing or the added effort of tidying up the SDK tools for the public and documenting them to this new (better at least) standard is something they've decided to charge for.

I wonder if they'd ever consider an Enterprise Edition? Maybe that could go someway towards what the guy in the other thread was saying regards criticism of the tools. And perhaps they could lift restrictions on business use for it as a sim platform. (Which is still not allowed due to licensing agreements with their data suppliers.)

If they could pursuade Autodesk to do a GMax version based on 3DS9 for inclusion in an Enterprise Edition, I'd willingly pay 3 or 4 times what I did for FSX Deluxe.

Si
 
My thoughts on this is that MS creates a situation were some developers will build tools that work around the SDK and then consumers will use these tools more often than SDK standards tools, because many consumers bought the standard version and now can only use these type tools. AFX is one of them. A inferior non-standard program that is more widely used even though SDK standards programs are available as freeware, simply because consumers with the Standard version of FS don't have access to the SDK.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top