Today it was announced by AVSIM, the end of support for FSX.
Microsoft announced the end of the famous "life cycle."
I ask a question directly:
There are plans to CSIM products, optimized for P3D?

João Alfredo

When you think about it most of the support for FSX have been given by the simming community and not from Microsoft, so it really does not matter  ;)

It is no surprise that they have ended support for FSX. But for me, I feel they stopped supporting FSX when they removed the ACES team back on 22 January 2009. :(

What? There was support?  :D

Hi everyone,  like most people, I was not surprised the MS ended it's support for FSX.  Also like most people,  we actually solved most of our  tech issues with help from inside the FS community including many people from this forum like Markoz ;).  My concern now is what happens if MS decides to shut down the activation server. How do we activate FSX if we were to say.... install it on a new system? And what would will Capt Sim do if the customer base begins to dwindle just because we can't activate or reactivate our copies of FSX?  Any thoughts on this?

skydiver1 wrote on Sep 20^th, 2012 at 6:18am:

My concern now is what happens if MS decides to shut down the activation server. How do we activate FSX if we were to say.... install it on a new system?

The work-around for activating FSX is illegal. So I'll leave it at that. :o

Are we going to loose SimConnect:

•Add the processing for a new complex gauge, or other instrument, to ESP.
•Replace ESP processing of one or more events with new logic.
•Record or monitor a flight.
•Extend the mission system of ESP.
•Create and set the flight plans for AI (non-user) aircraft.
•Set different weather systems.
•Enable new hardware to work with ESP.
•Control an additional camera that the user can optionally select to view.
:-/

Markoz wrote on Sep 20^th, 2012 at 2:17am:

It is no surprise that they have ended support for FSX. But for me, I feel they stopped supporting FSX when they removed the ACES team back on 22 January 2009. :(

I agree, when I heard the news I thought it was the disconnection of the activation server.
But my main curiosity is the future, I believe that at the moment the future is LM P3D.
I and many others are excited by CSIM products for P3D, what are the plans?

João Alfredo

I am using LM P3D last 20 days. First five days, were involve installations and migration from FSX. Now I am fully using P3D and very satisfied , with performance, clear and focused scenery and definitely P3D is the upgraded version of FSX.  :)

I'm using both. Mostly FSX. P3D does not support all my products, so I have to use FSX when I want to fly one. But I believe that P3D is the future of FS.

Hey Markoz,  Can you answer a few questions about Prepar3d?   1. How long did it take to download?  Which version  (EULA) are you using? 2. If I use the Academic  and go with monthly subscription- does the sim just stop working if I don't keep my subscription current or just be unable to update? As always, thanks in advance.

The activation of a product you have purchased never was and, hopefully, never will be illegal.  ;) There is nothing from stopping you using other methods. Bought a FSX license? Activate it!

Activating a product you haven't purchased is illegal.



Quote:

End of support refers to the date when Microsoft no longer provides automatic fixes, updates, or online technical assistance.

Read the details here. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/lifecycle

You can still activate Win98, WinXP 'SP0', Vista SP1 and so on. The activation isn't bound to the end of support step and a vendor of software has to make sure that you can use your purchased software.

Right on the MS FSX case, the quote is as follows.

Quote:

Jennifer Paige, Community Manager for Microsoft Studios said; "Customer Support for FSX has expired here at Microsoft. What does this mean? We will no longer be answering support emails or hosting various updates and download files for the FSX product. Why has it ended? It simply ran its course, all products will hit a support expiration at some point, FSX has hit that date."

As for P3D. It offers the same bugs as FSX, it offers a new interface (which even has a downside over the old one), some stuff doesn't run P3D but does so in FSX. Some other things are not allowed to run in P3D (but are in FSX) and so on.

Sorry, but 'the future' is not selling a six year old engine at a new price.

Wanna see some new engines? Head for X-Plane10, even Flight (showing revised flight models and things), AeroflyFS or even the free FlightGear. Yes, this needs new planes and scenery but this often comes with a technological step forwards, right?

I applaud to folks trying and testing P3D, but, even with the legal problems left aside, the future is not what I would call it. More a tweak&fiddle field, allowing to spend some time on.

Unfortunately, they've altered the legal setup, hence the problems with some stuff not even being allowed to run.  :-/

Strange fact, that doesn't seem to cause any trouble for folks while thinking about activating a purchased FSX license does.  :-? Another strange fact is that, if you use CS planes in P3D, you are not even entitled to ask for support which also doesn't seem to upset anyone, but the end of MS' FSX support then does.

CoolP wrote on Sep 20^th, 2012 at 7:10pm:

Wanna see some new engines? Head for X-Plane10, even Flight (showing revised flight models and things), AeroflyFS or even the free FlightGear. Yes, this needs new planes and scenery but this often comes with a technological step forwards, right?

I do not like X-Plane at all. I have tried the demos since about version 7 and I just do not like it. I would rather pay for P3D and hope that, over time, they will make big improvements over FSX with it. They have the code, so they have the chance to improve it and that's enough for me.

I am planning to buy AeroflyFS at some stage, just to be able to compare it to FSX/P3D, but it has a long way to go to replace FSX. That's only  because it is something like MS Flight with the Hawaiian scenery only. But after viewing all the videos they have on their web site, it sure does look very good and very tempting.

FlightGear is new to me though. I think. :-/

Don't worry, Mark. I wasn't questioning the like or dislike on the other sims. I can understand them.

It's just that people seem to believe in miracles with the old FSX/P3D engine, some things it can't deliver. Slight improvements, yes. Huge gains or major steps over that old basis? No, maybe with P3D 2.0, but this may also involve the break of the current backward compatibility.

Fun fact, they currently revive the DX10 stuff in FSX, thanks to some user mods, ruling out some former problems with that faster path. http://forum.avsim.net/topic/384221-a-how-to-go-dx10-doc/

So, for the guys liking the tweak&fiddle things, maybe it's worth a look.  :)


Well, my main point was the in, in my eyes, unreasonable fear of a loss of activation with FSX. MS clearly states what 'end of support' means. Folks can still activate their very old MS soft even without using other methods.

I must admit that I did use the No-CD crack on FS9. I did not want to ruin the DVD by having to have it in the DVD drive all the time so I could start/play FS. Then they gave us the Activation method with FSX. It's all crazy, but I do understand why.

I still think it is possible for LM to make a lot of improvements to the FSX engine for P3D, but that's just how I look at it.

At least the FSX activation leaves you alone after activating. Some later games check you when changing your underwear (feels like).  :o Change too often and see the activation limit coming up. That's 2012 at some devs.  :-/

GTA IV was good (sort of) in that way. You put the disc in the drive, start the game, remove the disc and continue playing without any problems (still meant using the disc way too often in my opinion :(). I had it installed on my computer as well as my 2 sons computers so we could play multyplayer. As each one started the game, they used the disc, then I put it away for safe keeping. Not so sure that ws legal either, but it worked. My sons and I has some crazy multiplayer games with it. ;D

I am interested to know:


asanal wrote on Sep 20^th, 2012 at 5:00pm:

Are we going to loose SimConnect: •Add the processing for a new complex gauge, or other instrument, to ESP. •Replace ESP processing of one or more events with new logic. •Record or monitor a flight. •Extend the mission system of ESP. •Create and set the flight plans for AI (non-user) aircraft. •Set different weather systems. •Enable new hardware to work with ESP. •Control an additional camera that the user can optionally select to view. :-/

I just did a clean install of FSX, everything is still working so....

Ahmet, where does your concern issuing SimConnect come from? The interface is there, it installs, it works. What has changed?  :-?


wrote on Sep 21^st, 2012 at 10:28pm:

I just did a clean install of FSX, everything is still working so....

You lucky guy, my PC blew up as MS announced.. just kidding.  :D

MS FSX has that "Self Destruct PC feature"

I knew it!  :o  >:(

"Ahmet, where does your concern issuing SimConnect come from? The interface is there, it installs, it works. What has changed?  :-?
CoolP,
SimConnect is source of server for FSX, provided by MS. Why would MS  maintain  Simconnect for FSX? They will turn in off.
If I am right, with out Simconnect, Add-ons will not function. :-*
Ahmet

SimConnect is installed with FSX. So it is not a part of MS service. It will always be there for us to use. ;)

OK..It is good I thought sky was  falling :D

Well, in a way, it is.. It's just amazing how old that technical basis really is, isn't it?  :o

I would like to think they would not bar licensees from future activations. Maybe a small file folks could download to go around the activation process. If not, I would have no scruples doing what I needed to do. Time to get out that old EULA and a highlighter lol