Virtavia E-2C Released

[fsafranek]

So none of you read either the Virtavia Website or the earlier posts in this thread?

It is a timed exclusive on Steam. It will be available through the usual channels for FSX Boxed (and assumingly P3D) on July 5.

Also that release will be the one which has the liveries in it.

And to answer the question about porting over from FSX:SE to P3D the answer is sadly no. Steam DRM encrypts the model files and prevents them from being used outside of FSX:SE.

Safe Skies

Novawing24

What are you smoking because I want some. Let's go down the list.

1) Sale price ends on July 4th. No change after that -- it was made exclusively for DTG and will remain that way.

2) Don't know what liveries you are talking about. We did two with no markings. None to follow unless folks who buy it want to make some.

3) See my post above about using it in boxed FSX and P3D. I tested it during development and it works in both.

4) There is no Steam DRM. You simply copy the aircraft folder and a couple effects files over. Done.

[fsafranek]

Virtavia has ported their entire range of old add-ons to Steam and that's probably the route they're going in the future.

Entire range? Not hardly. Anyway, it is just another market. All products are still sold as they always have been and will continue to be.

To you second point, not at all. This is so far a one-off opportunity to make something exclusively for DTG.
Many developers have been contracted to make exclusive content for Dovetail Games and not stopped making products for boxed FSX or P3D.

We've already started on the next product and it is not for DTG. You will no doubt be able to buy it from them but also everywhere else.

[fsafranek]

I wonder if Virtavia bought up their work and finished it.

No. We didn't.

[fsafranek]

Hmm.. exclusive for now maybe otherwise this point wouldn't have been added.. Accurately modelled and working catapult launch system (FSX Acceleration req'd).

Will it go FSX/ACC or is this a bit of poor editing by Virtavia?
ATB
DaveB

That's the fault of DTG's marketing copywriters who think they know how to drum up business but have no sense of what people are really interested in. Virtavia didn't write any of the tripe.
The "exclusive" bit is the fact that it will always by a DTG exclusive product.

Believe me when I say that both Mal998 and myself were both very conflicted during development knowing how this one was going to go down in the end -- exclusively through DTG and all that that means.

FSX-SE is on sale at the moment for $10 I think. Maybe even less during the sale starting next week. I know everyone likes having physical CDs that they can hold in their hands but let Steam store it for you -- they have continued to fix things in the sim we all play that Microsoft abandoned nearly a decade ago. And granted this one aircraft isn't the only reason to get the Steam version but there are and will be others from other developers available only via Steam going forward.

Please read all of my comments above. Sorry I got here late to answer some questions.

[StormILM]

It will not be available to purchase outside of FSX-SE. It was made exclusively for DTG.

Well, that settles that. I'm going on record as noting that this was a very bad move which has shut us FSX-A/P3D users out of the market to buy the model (one which many of us have been waiting a long time for). Okay, I'm moving on beyond this matter & thread now and will await a quality E-2 from another vendor (if that ever comes to pass). I wish you guys luck with this and other models in the future.

[Novawing24]

What are you smoking because I want some. Let's go down the list.

1) Sale price ends on July 4th. No change after that -- it was made exclusively for DTG and will remain that way.

2) Don't know what liveries you are talking about. We did two with no markings. None to follow unless folks who buy it want to make some.

3) See my post above about using it in boxed FSX and P3D. I tested it during development and it works in both.

4) There is no Steam DRM. You simply copy the aircraft folder and a couple effects files over. Done.

Thanks for the official response, allow me to elaborate my initial post.

1) That was an interpretation that can be placed on the notice on your website as the notice was vague and other vendors have in the past released as a timed exclusive for FSX:SE.

2) Other vendors such as Carenado and Aerosoft have made options for other colourschemes available either as a non-FSXSE edition release or as a free update upon request

3 & 4) Great to know you have tested it in P3D / Boxed. However other aircraft / scenery sold via FSX:SE are encrypted with DRM which makes them unusable in other platforms (Uhu, A2A Shockwave lights, Piper Cub, Aerosoft F-16, Manhattan, Kilaminjaro just to name a few) so again a logical assumption. If I am proved incorrect (and I truly hope I am) then no problems, however that would mark it as a rare exception in the FSX:SE library of addons.

Novawing24

*edit: just received an email from the team re-confirming it is an FSX:SE exclusive permanently.*

[Cees Donker]

Nowadays I have two FSX installs: the boxed version and the Steam version. I fly the Steam version almost all of the time. It looks better, has better frs and has better autogen. No wonder: DTG has upgraded the sim a bit. I bought it for five dollars in a sale. Never regretted that!

I couldn't resist buying this latest offering from DTG/Virtavia as I flew CLP almost exclusively the past year. After all: the Virtavia Savage was and is still present in my hangar and is still flown regularly. And now the Hawkeye: I'm very pleased with this girl so far. Great on the framerates and it has a good looking 'office'.

I havn't tested the systems yet.



Cees

Now where's that paintkit?

[DaveB]

Thanks for dotting the I's and crossing the T's Frank

ATB
DaveB

[harrybasset]

Well, that settles that. I'm going on record as noting that this was a very bad move which has shut us FSX-A/P3D users out of the market to buy the model (one which many of us have been waiting a long time for). Okay, I'm moving on beyond this matter & thread now and will await a quality E-2 from another vendor (if that ever comes to pass). I wish you guys luck with this and other models in the future.

I agree, it seems like a not very good idea to exclude customers or deny them a choice.

[airattackimages]

A pretty stupid business decision to automatically disqualify 50% of your potential audience...

[b52bob]

Look guys, let's face reality. FSX on steam is the way to go. For a lousy ten bucks you can have a version of FSX that runs smoothly, is better looking, doesn't crash and is always there if you need to reinstall. No more going through that MS bull trying to get it re-registered. I have both boxed and steam edition on my rig and I haven't opened the boxed in months.

i do wish there was a way to buy it for P3D.

[iflyfsx214]

So none of you read either the Virtavia Website or the earlier posts in this thread?

It is a timed exclusive on Steam. It will be available through the usual channels for FSX Boxed (and assumingly P3D) on July 5.

Also that release will be the one which has the liveries in it.

And to answer the question about porting over from FSX:SE to P3D the answer is sadly no. Steam DRM encrypts the model files and prevents them from being used outside of FSX:SE.

Safe Skies

Novawing24

Novawing24 can we expect a review video on it anytime soon?

[fsafranek]

Look guys, let's face reality. FSX on steam is the way to go. For a lousy ten bucks you can have a version of FSX that runs smoothly, is better looking, doesn't crash and is always there if you need to reinstall. No more going through that MS bull trying to get it re-registered. I have both boxed and steam edition on my rig and I haven't opened the boxed in months.

i do wish there was a way to buy it for P3D.

No even $10 at the moment. $7.49. That's a meal at a fast food place for a refreshed version of FSX.

Anyway, good traps.

[Daveroo]

if i didn't already own it,id.....................................buy FSX-SE......seems pretty simple in my lil noggin...buy it while its now at $7 something,then in future id have it and wouldn't comment about how unfair it all is ,but thats just me.....

[Wingmate]

Are the textures set up to allow some of the more fancy looking E-2 paints? i.e. top of the Radome non mirrored fuselage?

I will definitely be picking this up when I have the money.

[ejoiner]

Nope, you're not the only one. I'm not even interested in going to steam.

I have an extensive FSX install on my HD and am now almost all converted to P3D. Steam isnt even on the radar.

Too bad. this is a nice bird and I like Virtavia stuff. Not too complex, but fun to fly.

[fsafranek]

Are the textures set up to allow some of the more fancy looking E-2 paints? i.e. top of the Radome non mirrored fuselage?

I will definitely be picking this up when I have the money.

You never know about textures being able to handle the more complex schemes until you try it.
DTG didn't even want "NAVY" or stars-n-bars.

This one has no mirroring. It is very traditional so should pose no issues. Based on the panel
line layers of the paint kit there is no weird bending going on. Very straight forward.

[Bjoern]

Entire range? Not hardly.

I've seen about a dozen models while skimming through the Steam store, so I assumed that you guys went all out.


Anyway, let's see how this all turns out.
FSXSE was a godsend for me. No more dealing with the stupid activation at MS' telephone hotlines. And since I use Steam for other sims and games anyway, I'm already used to having to start applications from the client.

[Corvette99]

So is anyone working on some repaints yet ?

[fsafranek]

OK, so my apologies to all. Apparently DTG did put in some sort of encryption so that it will only work on their Steam version of FSX.
I really thought that since the beta copy worked in all that the final release would as well. I'll go back to the paint booth now.

[StormILM]

Okay, so I jumped through the hoops and got FSX Steam and the E-2 to the tune of a total of $27 and some change. As I already suspected, my well tuned FSXA setup runs as good or better than the Steam version even after I got everything set up. From various accounts (from different users), that is precisely why I had no desire to fix what was already running perfectly on my system. To be clear, I do no desire moving everything I have in FSXA to FSX Steam just to get use of one model. It was only $7.49 so it's not a big deal but with the E-2 on the other hand, I found an obvious bug with it immediately, the aileron animations are backwards. How in the world did this get missed in alpha and beta testing? The lack of markings and more detail/tuning on the textures seriously degrades the model. The sound set is way off the mark which at the current level of capability that exists in the FSX/P3D community, that is a glaring omission that should have been worked on with greater detail. Last but not least, one of the above posters noted that DTG/Steam DRM won't allow the model to be cross-transferred/copied over to FSX-A or P3D. He was correct on that as I tried the model in FSXA and the model will not display. So in general, I just wasted $19.99 (plus $7.49) on a model I will never get use of. If I could get a refund, I would but I'm not going to worry with it.

Virtavia, owning models you guys have turned out over the years including current ones, this model IMO is clearly a step backwards, it is more or less incomplete. I understand that the markings issue(and perhaps other issues) was not your call but I fall back to the original business decision in how this model was marketed. This BTW is not a personal attack on you guys, I am being critical (objectively) for good reason so hopefully decisions can and will be made that will help to better suit the user base and perhaps get you guys to examine the final processes of turning out models (bug fixing, enhancement of various details, etc).

All of this is also making me have second thoughts about investing into DTG's future sim which makes me more inclined to now lean towards P3Dv3 or wait for the 64but version of it. Besides, I am becoming more deeply involved in DCS now in terms of high performance military type models.

[flaviossa]

Hi! In fact you can get a refund for all itens you buy in Steam. Here is a step by step if you want to go that path: (Easy and painless)
http://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/

I only bought one model thru Steam some time ago, the Aerosoft f16. And i regret doing that because i got only the model without any markings. No more addons thru Steam from me.

[manfredc3]

Not too impressed with the textures shown in the screenshots.

Supposed to be HD, but not really believing that based on the pics provided on the Virtavia website.

[StormILM]

Hi! In fact you can get a refund for all itens you buy in Steam. Here is a step by step if you want to go that path: (Easy and painless)
http://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/

I only bought one model thru Steam some time ago, the Aerosoft f16. And i regret doing that because i got only the model without any markings. No more addons thru Steam from me.

Thanks for the help flaviossa, I submitted a refund request and had already deleted all the content from my system. Prior to this I have only requested one refund for an FSX product in all the years I have used Microsoft Flight Simulator and in that case, the model simply would not work.

I digress, perhaps I have come off as a bit too disappointed on how things turned out on this model and if I ruffled any feathers, it was not my intent and I leave it with my apology.

[Cees Donker]

I have an issue that makes the model almost unflyable. I experienced this before, but certainly not this exrtreme. Changing views I get this in the VC for 53 seconds! I like to to fly, I'm not in for Russian roulette! Furthermore: my saitek system is not working with this one. That means I have to mouse control all switches, but I can live with that.



Cees

Edit: I asked for a refund.........