WHY ARE FLIGHT SIMS SO EXPENSIVE?
08-22-2008, 06:30 PM
#51
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RE: WHY ARE FLIGHT SIMS SO EXPENSIVE?
I, as well as many others here, do not view sims as games. The point of my post was to show the possibilities of mass marketing the sim to cut the cost to us, and as a marketing tool for the hobby. By comparing the cost of a sim to the cost of a game, I do not mean to insult those who develop simulators, but to show how close the current price of FSOne is to prices of current console/computer games. I know the development tools are VERY expensive, I've checked into purchasing one for my own use to make planes for RealFlight (3DSMax 9), but chose not to due to the price. I have a lot of respect for those that develop our simulators. I am in the IT industry, and have lightly researched programming languages. After doing so, I can't even begin to imaging the time and skill it takes to develop something such as a flight simulator. I apologize if my previous post offended anyone.
As for Microsoft Flight Simulator, it is the closest thing that the average consumer will ever be able to purchase without spending hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars on a professional simulator. I have had the opportunity to fly a full motion UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter simulator used by the US Army's pilots. The experience is like nothing else I've ever experienced. Though the graphics on the full motion simulators are not as good as those on MFS, the physics is unmatched by any consumer flight sim. Heck, you're flying from a real cockpit vs. a computer screen and a joystick/rudder pedals. I could go on about this more, but there's no point in doing so, as there are a lot of variables to the cost of a PC based flight sim.
Long story made short, consumers are picky when it comes to price. Many are not willing to pay a premium price for a premium product. Horizon has already dropped the price on FSOne for whatever reason. They are in a prime position to attempt a mass marketing of FSOne. My post above was to show how this could be done, written from a consumer's standpoint.
All this talk of simulators makes me want to fly mine. Have a good evening all.
As for Microsoft Flight Simulator, it is the closest thing that the average consumer will ever be able to purchase without spending hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars on a professional simulator. I have had the opportunity to fly a full motion UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter simulator used by the US Army's pilots. The experience is like nothing else I've ever experienced. Though the graphics on the full motion simulators are not as good as those on MFS, the physics is unmatched by any consumer flight sim. Heck, you're flying from a real cockpit vs. a computer screen and a joystick/rudder pedals. I could go on about this more, but there's no point in doing so, as there are a lot of variables to the cost of a PC based flight sim.
Long story made short, consumers are picky when it comes to price. Many are not willing to pay a premium price for a premium product. Horizon has already dropped the price on FSOne for whatever reason. They are in a prime position to attempt a mass marketing of FSOne. My post above was to show how this could be done, written from a consumer's standpoint.
All this talk of simulators makes me want to fly mine. Have a good evening all.
09-12-2008, 01:52 AM
#53
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RE: WHY ARE FLIGHT SIMS SO EXPENSIVE?
Oh better just start flying foamies that you can build cheap when you start flying if you don't buy a good flight sim. Low cost foamies are good
to start with anyway.
to start with anyway.
