Dear Mr Shupe
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Thread: Dear Mr Shupe

  1. #1

    Dear Mr Shupe

    Do you think building airplanes have become very difficult? Why do you think there is more payware for FSX then FS9? Do you think FSX is or will not be as popular as FS9?

    Thank You and Cheers

    Casey

  2. #2
    Well, on thew payware side, FSX has popularity vote. Right now, it seems as FSX is little more popular than FS9.
    "If three-holers are gas guzzlers, why are there four-holers now???"
    "But what do i know? I'm just the 800 pound guerrilla in the room."

    Fire! Fire! Your pants better not be on fire....

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by casey jones View Post
    Dear Mr. Shupe,

    Casey
    Quote Originally Posted by Cag40Navy View Post
    Well, on thew payware side, FSX has popularity vote. Right now, it seems as FSX is little more popular than FS9.
    I can not resist.

    [LINESTRIKE]Mr. Shupe[/LINESTRIKE], you were doing well until you gave up your cover!

  4. #4
    I can see it now, an "Ann Landers" style column.....,"Ask Milton"
    I can think of few who's opinion would be better respected. Ummm....yep....that's social/peer pressure, flightsim style.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by casey jones View Post
    Do you think building airplanes have become very difficult? Why do you think there is more payware for FSX then FS9? Do you think FSX is or will not be as popular as FS9?

    Thank You and Cheers

    Casey
    LOL Guys

    Casey,

    A complete aircraft has always been time consuming to build well, and for good reasons. As payware and a few freeware designers raise the bar, expectations then follow for better end products. Fortunately, tools continue to improve as do processes to develop the various aircraft component systems. More expertise is needed in each of the component systems areas to deliver a higher quality product to meet consumer expectations, especially for payware.

    Development of high quality aircraft includes a collection of sub-projects, all of which tend to become more complicated and interactive. Improvements in FS allow for better integration of these systems and the better payware developers exploit these capabilitites. Modeling of the exterior models go for more details. Mapping for textures require better techniques, and involve several different textures for each part, and the parts number greater than ever before. Good texture artists are in demand and consumers want even more detail, more realism in textures.

    As panel and gauges go 3D, the modeler now must model individual gauge housings, render, and prepare for the gauge construction. Gauges in the most simplistic form require a minimum of 3 parts, plus a background on which to display. Each gauge also requires special lighting treatment and programming. More complex gauges are projects in themselves, like glass displays. Many challenges there.

    Gauges are also required to interact with other functions in the aircraft. Examples are effects, failures, lighting, engine status based animations, special animations, interactive functions, etc.

    Sounds have not changed a lot but some do require gauge interaction for cockpit or other functions. Well balanced and believeable sounds representing a full functioning aircraft are hard to come by.

    Consumers require as much realism as is technically possible today and there are precious few flight model designers around. But, this aspect of the project, if let slide, destroys all the work that everyone invested. Obviously, this is a must have as well.

    Beta testing is or should be a full fledged, well structured, and documented process. Long hours of going through checklists to test all the functions of every capability of the aircraft and its components in all situations must be done. One oversight after testing thousand of parts and components is the first one found after going Gold. Most project today have thousands of files (counting all the gauge parts hidden in the cab files). Many parts are linked technically to other parts for function or display. There are many things that need to work right just for basic functioning and display. The complexities in today's aircraft can be staggering.

    So, yes, more complicated projects require more man-hours to deliver and there are many more requirements for a team to meet. That is partly why there are so few freeware designers for FSX these days. Payware teams have the resources to build and deliver, and they require the talent to do everything well. For those users who demand high quality everything and by the book performance, operating systems, only payware can deliver that in the more complicated systems based aircraft projects.

    FSX's groundswell of popularity lagged mainly because of computer requirements to run it, add-ons that were not compatible from FS2004, and the large investments many had made to improve on FS2004.

    The future of both, who knows. Flight may hold back many FS9 users from transitions to FSX but mainly I think the computer ability to run it is the largest deterent. After that, FS9 users do not want to give some of the aircraft that can only be found for FS9. I have both, I run both. I develop for FS9 because it is simpler for me.

    I hope this answers your questions somewhat.
    Milton Shupe
    FS9/FSX Modeler Hack

    My Uploads at SOH - Here
    Video Tutorials - Gmax for Beginners

  6. #6
    Thank you Mr Shupe for taking the time to show me just how difficult it is to produce a airplane. I certainly appreaciate your hard work and dedication. No wonder there are not many designers entering into the world airplane design. I tried useing the abacus airplane design program but I just was not able to create a airplane. I think I will try again.


    Cheers

    Casey

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