Suggestions for Orbx World Frontend / "Steam Store"

[OmniAtlas]

Orbx World subscription is going to be coming out with a frontend to keep Orbx world and your airports/sceneries current.

How about extending the feature list ? It would be fantastic if these features could be implemented --

1. Auto-update (patches) with the Orbx servers

2. Previews, videos and ratings, reviews can be centralized on the store front

3. Auto-launching into FSX with configurable settings - fsx.cfg, scenery.cfg, etc.

4. Store front with instant buy and install; *a frontend for other FSX software*. Imagine a link to purchase P3D 2.0.

5. Backup frontend so your scenery and airports can be backup to CD, HD, USB, etc.

6. Web browser mode when FSX is launched (akin to the steam shift-tab) allowing access to the store, news and forum.

I know steam wasn't built in a day, and I don't expect the orbx world frontend to have all these features....but I can only dream.

[John Venema]

Thanks for the suggestions, we are thinking about lots of options for the FTXGlobal front end and those are among them. However we won't get too ambitious from day one; our resources are limited.

[mjrhealth]

No not steam,, aaggghhhhhhhh

[OmniAtlas]

Whats wrong with steam? Its great -- developers can push out patches and I don't need to worry a thing about downloading because it is all automated. Saves me a heck a lot of trouble and time.

The catalog is also extensive and great with discounts all the time.

[John Venema]

I have not said we are producing a "Steam" store, just a front-end app for the Subscription Edition to control the download of new content. There will be no e-commerce of purchasing within this app, that will still be done via FSS. You just need to provide your email and serial number to the FTX Global app to unlock the content and download it.

Of course, this is just what I have inside my head for the ideal solution. Right now we are at alpha stage with many technical hurdles to overcome so let's not get too far ahead of ourselves with regard to the actual mechanics of how it's implemented.

[banjoman1960]

Orbx World subscription is going to be coming out with a frontend to keep Orbx world and your airports/sceneries current.

How about extending the feature list ? It would be fantastic if these features could be implemented --

1. Auto-update (patches) with the Orbx servers

2. Previews, videos and ratings, reviews can be centralized on the store front

3. Auto-launching into FSX with configurable settings - fsx.cfg, scenery.cfg, etc.

4. Store front with instant buy and install; *a frontend for other FSX software*. Imagine a link to purchase P3D 2.0.

5. Backup frontend so your scenery and airports can be backup to CD, HD, USB, etc.

6. Web browser mode when FSX is launched (akin to the steam shift-tab) allowing access to the store, news and forum.

I know steam wasn't built in a day, and I don't expect the orbx world frontend to have all these features....but I can only dream.

for me please no more addons wat use auto update(if that can be uncheck it´s ok)i will know wat change in my fsx and i will do that when i want,because i make a backup before every install of addons.

i will not buy a addon wat autoupdate in the background !!!

and no steam or anythink like this please...............

also nothing wat change the fsxcfg !!!

[Bruce Hamilton]

1. Auto-update (patches) with the Orbx servers

2. Previews, videos and ratings, reviews can be centralized on the store front

3. Auto-launching into FSX with configurable settings - fsx.cfg, scenery.cfg, etc.

4. Store front with instant buy and install; *a frontend for other FSX software*. Imagine a link to purchase P3D 2.0.

5. Backup frontend so your scenery and airports can be backup to CD, HD, USB, etc.

6. Web browser mode when FSX is launched (akin to the steam shift-tab) allowing access to the store, news and forum.

My personal opinion is that the front end should be transparent, only needed for new DLC. Leave all these suggestions off, please.

[John Venema]

As I have said above this front-end is to control and install the DLC only. Please don't read anything into anyone's "wish list" ok?

[OmniAtlas]

It's just a suggestion and my wish list. Sheesh can't anyone dream

And FYI, with steam you don't have to have it running all the time and you can disable auto update if you want. The features are there however for those who want it.

I'm just hoping the orbx global will eventually expand into something like steam. We are talking 3 to 5 years down the line.

I'm not talking from a business POV but from a customers POV. I use to hate steam as well but now I am use to it and love how patches can be initiated automatically when a fix is ready. And the community feel in one central location. Steam is so popular now that Valve is launching their 'steam box' this year.

My opinion, my wishes. Have a good day.

[johnfromoz]

Forget Steam. Nothing but problems with it. It assumes everyone's online with good connectivity for a start. Not everyone lives in the US or Europe, and parts of Australia are very third-world for internet, which means automatic downloads from all and sundry are a liability.

I have Steam products I can't use because it refuses to load the game without first updating, but thanks to internet issues here the big updates never finish downloading, and there's no workaround last few times I checked. Now I check the fine print (and it's always very fine print). If a bit of software relies on Steam, I don't buy it.

[OmniAtlas]

Forget Steam. Nothing but problems with it. It assumes everyone's online with good connectivity for a start. Not everyone lives in the US or Europe, and parts of Australia are very third-world for internet, which means automatic downloads from all and sundry are a liability.

I have Steam products I can't use because it refuses to load the game without first updating, but thanks to internet issues here the big updates never finish downloading, and there's no workaround last few times I checked. Now I check the fine print (and it's always very fine print). If a bit of software relies on Steam, I don't buy it.

I live in a regional area in Australia (not in Brisbane at the moment) and I get a 100 gb of data -- speed is not too shabby either. Other regional areas are plugging into the government's new fibre network. Again, if its a liability, there should be an option to disable auto downloading of your patches. FYI -- downloading from Steam can be quota free (e.g. if you're using Telstra you can choose the Telstra download servers)

So how much time have you spent patching those airports and sceneries in your signature file? We're looking down the line in 3-5 years when Orbx has over 50+ airports and sceneries to manage. Can you keep track of all the patching or can you even be bothered?

I remembered when the REX essential plus upgrade patch came out -- what a hassle. You had to logonto a forum, go through their complicated flow chart to find the nessary patch file.You may enjoy browsing the orbx support section, but many of us don't have the time or care. If orbx keeps on updating their libs files and other essential files its an upmost important to make sure there is compatibility and what an easier way to to do so then with auto-download, auto-patch? Orbx will grow and their userbase will grow. Look at the support page -- theres practically a patch for ever single airport and scenery released. Why hassle the user?

Again my 2 cents -- I believe a 'steam' type store will be the way to go. I just hope Orbx plays their cards right because they are in a position to innovate. Think how outragerous everyone thought steam was when Half-Life 2 first launched. I believe now they have over 20 million users and they derrive their profits mainly from their store, and not from valve software.

[johnfromoz]

Omni, despite the promised rollout of the new fibre optic internet to my area by last October, it's nowhere to be seen, and where I am is a "black spot". That means Telstra own the switchboard and won't let other providers have slots in it. A court challenge ruled they had to, but their story is "there's just no space". Unless of course you have a phone service with them, then there's suddenly space. I stopped dealing with them years ago. My silent phone number (security reasons due to my work) was published on a disc sold to telemarketers, and I firmly believe in walking away when I don't like the service. Even if I gave in and supported the wannabe monopoly, in a couple of years the copper lines will be gone anyway, so I'll wait.

As for Steam, yes, you can (for the first program I got from them, yes, Half Life 2) turn off updates AFTER you have done one update, or so I was told by their support gurus, but their updates never finish on my connection.

My story is unique to particular circumstances. My point is that around the world are a lot of particular circumstances and it's fallacious to assume that, because we are used to good internet (my US friends can't believe what our internet is like!) the world has similar services.

I have no problems with manually updating. I prefer to know how much of my limited monthly quota is going, and with automatic updates you never know until its gone. Certainly you can check, but I can check for manual updates too. If Orbx, with its usual good client service, announces patches, it's good enough for me.

Manual puts it in my control. My wireless connection isn't open 24/7 and therefore I don't want to switch on and find a few hundred Mb suddenly jostling down the ether.