Microsoft ESP

[Bone]

Can anyone shed some light on the differences between FSX and ESP? I know ESP was marketed towards military/commercial users, but what makes the usability of ESP superior to FSX. I've clicked around on the web, but most of the info is generic, like the following:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/nov07/11-14ESPDebutPR.mspx

[CodyValkyrie]

For the most part, ESP IS FSX. The difference is the licensing and who can license it. The rest of the differences are the interface and better ability to the coding for developers.

[Bone]

When you say interface, I'm assuming you mean it's easier for a mission builder to construct bigger and better missions or scenarios. So, licensing differences aside, wouldn't the ESP platform be a good place from which the talented people from around here could evolve FSX? I have no idea what the cost of ESP is, one could assume it's higher.

[JimC1702]

My understanding is that ESP was scrapped at the same time as the ACES team.

Jim

[Bone]

My understanding is that ESP was scrapped at the same time as the ACES team.

Jim

From what I've read, with the scrapping of the ACES team so went FS11 and ESP2. But, that still leaves ESP1 out there like FSX...available.

[spotlope]

When you say interface, I'm assuming you mean it's easier for a mission builder to construct bigger and better missions or scenarios. So, licensing differences aside, wouldn't the ESP platform be a good place from which the talented people from around here could evolve FSX? I have no idea what the cost of ESP is, one could assume it's higher.

The price for an ESP license wasn't just higher than FSX, it was a LOT higher - definitely out of reach for entertainment users. I think we'd be best served to forget ESP ever existed. After all, MS already seems to have.

[Slund]

I looked into the cost of ESP and it was about $1,300.00 Canadian for a single license.

[Lionheart]

I looked into the cost of ESP and it was about $1,300.00 Canadian for a single license.



:faint:

[srgalahad]

I looked into the cost of ESP and it was about $1,300.00 Canadian for a single license.

-- or the same price as about 45 payware add-ons. We know there are some who have more than that :faint:

Rob

[n4gix]

From what I've read, with the scrapping of the ACES team so went FS11 and ESP2. But, that still leaves ESP1 out there like FSX...available.

ESP1 will cease being sold effective March 31, 2009. It will continue being "supported" for five years afterwards.

The current price is $899 for ESP1 single seat license, and $99 for the SDK.


I think "support" would be rather nebulous, since the team no longer exists... :monkies:

[spotlope]

I think "support" would be rather nebulous, since the team no longer exists... :monkies:

No doubt a guy in Bangalore who'll advise you to reinstall Windows and try again.

[Nick C]

No doubt a guy in Bangalore who'll advise you to reinstall Windows and try again.

He said the same to me when I tried to get support for my camera and mobile phone. I guess there are cutbacks in that department too ;)

[Lionheart]

I dont wish to be a complainer or critic, but I thought that ESP was moderately overpriced. I think $200.00 was a fair price.

Companies/corporations/gaming studios support their products with just sales at $50.00 a unit. WinXP had support and the OS was only $100.00 to $200.00 a unit/installation.

My apologies for being negative on that aspect.

I was doing business with one firm. They did actual multi axis flight sim pods and they thought the cost of ESP was outrageous and they deal with tons of clients, so in one resect, money was no object, but on the other hand, they thought it was far too high a price for something that was basically the same thing others purchase at $50.00 a copy.


I think it was a good endeavor and direction, but over priced.


Again, I am sorry to say this about ESP.



Bill

[Lionheart]

More on ESP......

MSFS 'could' still sell ESP as a secondary platform. If they sold it for $200.00 a copy as a 'EULA' edition for such groups as flight schools and colleges, I think they (MS) would sell quite a large number.

I would change the startup screens though, not keep them the same. As a matter of fact, if Aces still had their team in their, they could have requested agreements from firms like Cirrus and made all trainers for the sim, (add 3 famous trainers, jobbing them out, installing them into the ESP platform).

This way, flight schools still get their ground school software, at an affordable price, and MS / Aces would have made good money from flight schools through out the world.

Then, keep a seperate department that would be strictly contracted only, as like MS does for businesses that need business tailored software and OS systems.


In my opinion, there is still life for it, but on a much more affordable and reasonable 'playing field' or market. Selling 10 to 100 copies at $800.00+ is nothing compared to selling 2,000 copies at $200.00 each.

Plus, if you had many more planes to fly in it, many people in the 'common' market would have been jumping in to buy it. No one could at $800.00+ a copy, (young kids, students, parents with families, etc). I think $200.00 would have been more feasable.

This is my humble opinion, with a viewpoint based here in the common real world.


Bill

EDIT: and I would change the name... Something cool... Something about flying. ESP makes me think of colleges doing tests on peoples ability to read minds. Flight Simulator Expansion Pack, or Flight Simulator Universe, or Flight Simulator Ultimate would I think be more marketable. Again, my own humble opinion...

[CodyValkyrie]

That's the thing Bill. With contracts coming from places like Lockheed and Boeing, they can afford to sell ESP at those prices. A lot of local FBOs will afford that price for their own training purposes as well. It may be expensive, but you have to pay to play. Much of this naturally is moot now. The point is however, it was aimed at a much larger professional base such as military, large aeronautic corporations etc. Just the same as 3DS Max can cost hundreds.

[n4gix]

Plus, if you had many more planes to fly in it, many people in the 'common' market would have been jumping in to buy it. No one could at $800.00+ a copy, (young kids, students, parents with families, etc). I think $200.00 would have been more feasable.

Bill, you're completely missing the point. ESP was never intended to be sold to anyone other than government agencies, commercial companies, and professional developers. In fact, until last December one couldn't buy less than a five seat license!

It was only in response to requests from solo developers that it was made available as a single seat license which could be purchased directly from MS, rather than having to purchase via a Reseller.

Of course it is still available to anyone who has any level of MSDN Subscription to download for free...

...but the lowest level of MSDN Subscription is -not too surprisingly- ~$900... :whistle:

Furthermore, the license included fulltime support. Developers could communicate via email, forum and telephone directly with the ACES employees assigned to the EPS Team...

In addition, ESP without any additional application programming would be pretty much useless to anyone. It's like having a DVD player without any DVDs. Worse really, since with no GUI at all to speak of, it'd be like staring at a DOS prompt... :caked: