Developer Upgrade Pricing — and SSW not “reading the room”
- Thread starter DennyA
- Start date
DennyA
SOH-CM-2023
I’m not saying anyone is ENTITLED to an upgrade. Nobody is. I’m saying it’s good and smart business to offer a discounted upgrade. Your company will make more money overall, and you will retain customer loyalty. My original post talks about what the norm is in the industry, not what’s “required.”
I’ve worked in digital retail since the category was invented. Customer acquisition (publicity, engagement, retention) is a huge challenge (and expense for larger companies, though most MSFS devs are too small to spend in that category), and you don’t want to do anything that will lose you parts of your customer base. Also, savings are a huge driver of revenue — PlayStation and other online retailers make a shocking percentage of their yearly income off sale purchases. (That’s why Xbox/SimMarket/etc. always have some kind of sale running.) It’s in a company’s best interest to make customers feel appreciated, and to find the right balance between discounts and paying the bills.
It’s not about obligation. It’s about smart business. If offering a discounted upgrade to customers you’ve already made money off will generate 20 sales, and better retention, versus charging full price and making one sale and losing 10 of those 20 customers for future purchases, it’s a no-brainer which direction to take if you have any understanding of business or human nature.
The MSFS entitlement problem is real — too many customers expect companies to continue adding new features and enhancements forever for their $25 investment. But offering customers discounts for upgrades doesn’t fall into that category. Do you want your customers to feel like they’re an appreciated for how they’ve helped support and grow the company, or like they’re purely there as a revenue source? With the former, your company will make more and grow more.
DennyA
SOH-CM-2023
Not actually true, though. There are some bugs right now that are on MS’s side that affect FS2020 planes that are fully SDK compliant. Pilots not appearing, brightness issues with MFDs and lighting, and windscreen transparency are just a few examples of things that are broken for FS2020 aircraft due to the sim handling these things in a different way from FS2020.
These are the things that MS is likely to prioritize fixing so they can launch Marketplace. Once they do, planes that don’t do things in a non-standard way should work just fine, and not require any kind of update, and any kind of paid upgrade would just be one that adds specific FS2024 support.
But with regard to Erasim’s statement, aircraft which were created with all-default functions WILL work perfectly with MSFS 2024 once MS fixes the compatibility layer. But on November 24, 2024, *no* MSFS 2020 plane works perfectly in 2024.
Let me ask you a question (well, a number of questions actually
). You're stating, based on your own professional experience, how you would handle this situation as a business owner. I respect that. But why should another business owner make that same consideration as you? And if (s)he doesn't, why should you care if his/her business goes bust as a result? In other words: what do you stand to lose or gain from his/her decision? Because, subconsciously, that is the true issue that's at play here.
DennyA
SOH-CM-2023
Because despite this world turning into an utter ****-show over the past decade and the depressing reality of late-stage capitalism, the tiny fragment of the young optimist inside me that has yet to be crushed by reality likes to see things go in the direction that works best for everyone. And I truly believe one path results in happy customers and a passionate company able to continue supporting themselves delivering the kinds of products that make people happy, and the other path is one that fails customers and the company alike. And I’m really sick of seeing bad things happen because of shortsighted uninformed decisions, which I explained that SSW is making using math and social science evidence above.
TL;DR: I like what SSW makes. I’d like them to make more. I don’t want them to make dumba$$ decisions that will negative affect their success so that they won’t make more stuff for me to buy. So yeah, that’s what I stand to lose, and it’s self-interest that also benefits others around me and the company I’m critiquing. “Do unto others.”
TL;DR: I like what SSW makes. I’d like them to make more. I don’t want them to make dumba$$ decisions that will negative affect their success so that they won’t make more stuff for me to buy. So yeah, that’s what I stand to lose, and it’s self-interest that also benefits others around me and the company I’m critiquing.
“Do unto others.”Don't know if any of you had a look through the SDK samples and has tried to evaluate what is required to make a fully native, fully featured FS 2024 aircraft. Despite what MS has claimed beforehand, I can assure you it's far from being as simple as editing some config files and rewriting a few pieces of code here and there. Let me put it this way: Don't get bored while waiting for the steady flow of fully featured, former FS2020 aircraft coming in.
hschuit
SOH-CM-2024
Just tried the SSW F-104G and it is not completely compatible with 2024.
- When you begin the flight on a parking, you cannot activate the kneeboard so manual startup is impossible
- Clicking the canopy lever causes a CTD
The only way to fly this 104 is to spawn on the runway and avoid clicking the canopy lever. Other than that it feels like the flight behaviour is better than in 2020, a.o. smoother take off rotation.
It is my favorite aircraft so I will buy it again when they release a MSFS 2024 version.
- When you begin the flight on a parking, you cannot activate the kneeboard so manual startup is impossible
- Clicking the canopy lever causes a CTD
The only way to fly this 104 is to spawn on the runway and avoid clicking the canopy lever. Other than that it feels like the flight behaviour is better than in 2020, a.o. smoother take off rotation.
It is my favorite aircraft so I will buy it again when they release a MSFS 2024 version.
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A note on the excellent PMDG DC6, it seems to work quite well in 2024 in my experience. Lacking some of the advanced features of the jets with their complex NAV and Flight systems. PMDG is looking at some possible minor upgrades to address some small issues. As they are very busy at the moment, it's not on any priority list, at least to my understanding.