rich0

I like X-Plane for the fact that it is a great simulator that doesn't crash when you have more than 2GB of scenery/textures/plugins/etc loaded. I could care less what aisle the local grocery store sticks it in. Sure, Steam tends to cater to games, but they sell other stuff too. And there is certainly no reason that flying can't be fun!

Sure, but that probably entails having add-on publishers go through them. Laminar basically becomes the publisher which probably is baggage for them, and having to work with them is baggage for everybody else. Not to say that it couldn't work, but it is different from the we-take-care-of-the-engine/api-anything-else-goes approach they have today. Does Train Simulator let users build/install their own routes/trains/etc, much as FSX and X-Plane both do? I think a big part of what killed MS Flight was the fact that it was a closed environment - if you wanted to add a region or plane you had to buy it from MS at $20 each or whatever. Sure, the gamification was an issue for many, but there is no reason that you couldn't have realistic add-ons (free or commercial), as long as the underlying engine supported navaids, ATC, etc. The idea of either flying a 747 over an ocean world between two islands (brings back memories of the 80s), or buying $5000 worth of add-ons to have VFR scenery of a great circle route is a non-starter for anybody serious. (Apologies - I realize this is drifting in topic.) Back to the point - if Train Simulator doesn't allow users to add their own routes/etc, then that is why there is a huge library of DLC in Steam. That is their whole business model, like selling Guitar Hero songs for $5 each. There is no way that would work for X-Plane, and Laminar obviously knows that. It would be better if 3rd parties had the option of selling through steam and still having it work seamlessly with X-Plane. That could be a real benefit to everybody, but I'm not sure about technical issues (presumably everything goes in its own directory and X-Plane would need a mechanism to load the right stuff at the same time - probably no more big self-contained X-Plane directory).

Does Steam actually support 3rd-party "DLC"? Typically DLC is sold through the original game's store page/etc. I guess Laminar could basically sponsor 3rd-party content, but I'm not sure that arrangement works well for everybody. Most of the AAA game world doesn't have a concept of 3rd-party paid add-ons. You typically have the original game and its add-ons sold by the vendor, and a free mod community (which the workshop is designed to augment).

Apologies then. For some reason I thought there was a v9-10 upgrade period (ie people who bought v9 late in the cycle get a discount on v10).

I read it before I replied. Post #16 makes no mention of upgrade pricing - only that all updates to v10 would be free. I was referring to any preferential pricing when upgrading to v11, assuming there is any. That is, if one customer buys X-Plane v10 on Aug 1st on DVD, and another buys it on Steam, and v11 comes out, would they both have the same pricing to upgrade to v11? I appreciate that nobody can say when that will be, or what customers will qualify for upgrade pricing (maybe only those ordering v10 after a certain date), but I just want to understand if Steam will get the same treatment. I don't think I've ever seen upgrade pricing on Steam, so I wasn't sure if their store supported this. Otherwise, I consider Steam a major convenience!

Obviously v10 has been around for a while, so long-term upgrade path needs to be considered as the free updates will probably end when v11 comes along. I realize that nobody is going to want to promise too much in writing, but will Steam purchasers get the same basic treatment as DVD purchasers when it comes to upgrade pricing/etc (assuming there is any)? I'm not sure if Steam has a way to handle upgrade vs full sales. Again, I realize that nobody can promise when v10 will end, whether there will be upgrade pricing, who qualifies for it, etc. I'm mainly just looking for intent to support Steam equivalently.