This Week's Meaningless Topic (#216)(Oct 23)

[Rodger Pettichord]

Hi all. After watching Dreamsofwings1's Lukla video over on Community Videos, I checked out the Cli4D Designs product on the Orbx site. I was amazed to find that it cost less than $20. Gonna get me one! That got me thinking about flight sim prices. How much am I willing to pay for planes, scenery, and other add-ons? And that leads to this week's topic.

 

THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC:  Add-ons can be very pricey. What are your spending limits for buying additional:

                1. planes

                2. scenery

                3. weather and other specific enhancements.

[larryisenor]

1. I tend to try not to buy a lot of planes as it takes time to get used to flying a new plane. Have spent up to about $80 for a study level passenger jet in the past.

2. I'd probably go $70 to $80 for a regional scenery for an area I am interested in. Would also pay up to about $50 for a major airport I fly into a lot but try not to collect too many that I would not use regularly.

3. Same about $50-$60 for weather or traffic add-ons as these are useful all the time in the sim. Also subscribe to Navigraph so that is a regular yearly payment.

Larry

[Ken Q]

I don't have any specific limits.  I have only a few add on planes, and after trying them for I while I'm back to my favorite Mooney.

I have spent a lot more on scenery, mostly from Orbx.  I've generally taken advantage of sales to build my scenery library.  I've bought a couple of non Orbx sceneries when I wanted to fly it most specifically Phoenix and Salt Lake City.

I have ActiveSky, that was a one time purchase.  I subscribe to PilotEdge, $40/month, and Navigraph, about €80/year.

My greatest expenditure, of course, is the hardware.  Building my type of cockpit is not cheap, and the computers to run it are a major investment.  But except for the computers, I've done it gradually over time, A hundred this month, maybe a couple hundred another.  I just spent $100 on a new magnetic compass which should come tomorrow.  I don't anticipate buying anything else until something breaks down or someone comes up with a new piece of gear.

Fortunately with my house paid off, and working part time I can afford it if I pace myself. My wife also supports me in my hobby realizing the pleasure I get from it and the health benefits of it all.

Ken

 

[gumbypickett]

I think around $50 is a fair price.

I don't buy as much anymore because

there doesn't seem to be as much on offer

for what I need.

The freeware I would pay around $30.

cheers

Gumby

 

[Ken Q]

I should add, as Gumby mentions, that I hardly buy any scenery now, for just the reason he mentions.  I am devoted to P3D v 5 ( maybe 6_soon).  I have just about all the scenery that has been released that I can use.

 

Ken

[Rob Abernathy]

AI traffic programs and some weather engines are the only ones I've bought in a long time.  Working with Orbx I'm a bit spoiled.  

[Rodger Pettichord]

19 minutes ago, Rob Abernathy said:

AI traffic programs and some weather engines are the only ones I've bought in a long time.  Working with Orbx I'm a bit spoiled.  

Envy, envy, envy! 🥺

[wain71]

I don't really have limits as such but lately I have put a bit of a squeeze on most stuff...I am now of the mindset of seeing if I really will use it, I have so many planes that I have not really got a good use out of and so many airports that I have never flown to or from, so more thought goes into the purchase....I do subscribe to Navigraph and Volanta.... I also think that the price model for most MSFS addons does make me look at the cost of stuff in Xplane and think 'no that's to high'.....also I think looking at the years of testing with JF I have also been spoilt with the amount of planes I have had from them.......but like Ken said the biggest expense will be hardware and for that you have to be sure you will get value for money out of it so you have to be sure....I do sometimes wish I could just like one plane and thrash that to death and use nothing else, then I see something shiny in the hangar...

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

if a payware aircraft model captures my imagination, I will buy it.
To me, if I gain enjoyment out of "flying" it, then it was good value for money.

 

My introduction to Orbx was by recommendation and resulted in the purchase
of all the current regions and Global products at the time,
which transformed FSX, the only simulator that Orbx worked with then.

 

I have used Active Sky, in all of its forms and still do in MSFS.

 

 

[Rodger Pettichord]

1 hour ago, Nick Cooper said:

Hello,

if a payware aircraft model captures my imagination, I will buy it.
To me, if I gain enjoyment out of "flying" it, then it was good value for money.

 

My introduction to Orbx was by recommendation and resulted in the purchase
of all the current regions and Global products at the time,
which transformed FSX, the only simulator that Orbx worked with then.

 

I have used Active Sky, in all of its forms and still do in MSFS.

 

 

Nick, I miss the days when Orbx was releasing global. regional, and local stuff on a regular basis. It was so incredible to see the transformation of the default into brand new joy. Like you, I bought it all and considered it money well spent.  From what I've seen in MSFS 2020 and presume will still be true in MSFS 2024, there are still whole regions that could stand considerable improvement. My dream is that Orbx will step in and fill that global gap for us as it did once before. On the other hand, I do understand that there are probably not many of us who poke around in the remote areas. Ah, well.

[craigeaglefire]

It has been a general pleasure to support Orbx and many other developers over the years for P3D, XPlane, DCS & of course MSFS…

 

The bulk of the purchases have been for scenery - too much probably with some rarely used, AUD$10-100 usually,

 

& a wide range of aircraft - GA, Airliners & my favourite, helicopters - usually AUD$30-$150,

 

Plus plenty of enhancements like Navigraph, Active Sky, FS-FlightControl which can range from $120 per year or around $30-$50 each…

 

At the moment, purchases are on hold,

 

Waiting for MSFS 2024 which will plan to use my Xbox Ultimate subscription for PC & Xbox,

 

It will be fascinating to see how my MSFS2020 products will transfer to the 2024 version,

 

I’m very reluctant to pay high upgrade fees for my library of add ons to properly work with MSFS2024…

[boetie]

I go through phases of tightening the purse strings and then going on a spending binge. When spending a large amount on anything I end up questioning my decisions as I never have the time to invest my commitment in it. I haven't spent more than A$50 for ages. Having said that I just spent A$6.5k on my new system last week! However I do intend on having time to enjoy it very soon

[Rodger Pettichord]

For planes, I go inexpensive because I don't do pro-level. For scenery, it's either freeware or Orbx/partners. For other stuff, I don't do it (the default is good enough for me). In general, I'm a cheapskate, so in total I've only spent thousands instead of millions 😀

[adambar]

No limit on GA aircraft, have no interest in commercial jets or large airports mostly regional and bush strips.

[pilot100]

I don't really have $ limits as such, I am really not buying many planes any more, partly because of 2024 and possible compatibility areas and also because you can't really learn and enjoy too many - just like real life. Many of the freeware offerings are as good or even better than some payware, also some paywrae is really expensive unless you are really going to use them in depth. So it's like buying a deluxe car but only going to local shops in it.

 

I'm only rarely buying scenery  and generally if it is an area I know or has something special that is of interest. Again the default is so good that you really have to have a good reason to buy.

 

Other enhancements , just a what interested or adds to the FS, only occasional buying now and less with 2024 - who knows what will add value there?

 

[wain71]

I think it will definitely be interesting to see 2024 when it comes out proper and see just how good vanilla state is...we might be surprised, I'm just a little concerned about how much download speed we need but time will tell.....

[stiletto2]

I am all about realistic scenery so almost all of my spending is for scenery packages.  I really only fly the classic C172.  I determine the areas I fly in by picking a limited area (I like 90 minute or less flights with the C172) with a good density of small to medium size airfields as well as a few international airports and 1st determine if there is reasonable prolific scenery development active for that area.  If so, I acquire all of the payware and good freeware sceneries I can for that area. For example, in England (my favorite place to fly), I focus on all of England south of line that stretches from Blackpool to Leeds to Hull.  I have over 80 airports active in my Community folder for that part of England made up of about 60% Orbx distributed sceneries (BBD, Orbx, Pilot Plus etc.), 30% freeware  and 10% other miscellaneous payware. I have been known to enhance a freeware package by developing a sister scenery package that adds things like people, static airplanes etc. to help make the airfield come alive.

 

My scenery costs are controlled by the few number of small geographical areas I focus on. Some of the other areas that I fly in are the Pacific Northwest including Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria, the southwest area of the South Island of New Zealand, the east coast of Australia (Brisbane to Melbourne) and the three largest urban areas in California.

 

Rod 

 

 

[John Burgess]

I have to admit that, before becoming a tester for Orbx, I definitely spent more than I should have done on addons (particularly from Orbx!).

Now I spend too much time testing so I rarely get anything else unless it's something which has a particular significance to me.

Probably a good compromise 

 

All the best,

John