PMDG has a lot going on in their catalog currently, so they provide an update on their progress. They have been working on the PMDG 737 for Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS), refactoring some of the click-controls and animation logic to conform to updated MSFS software development kit (SDK) standards. They have also been improving the AFDS roll control logic and magenta line computations, while preparing the airplane for the upcoming change in navdata sourcing to the Navigraph database format.
A new round of updates for the PMDG 737 for MSFS (PC) is expected to be released late next week, with continued improvements as discussed in the previous paragraph. These updates will be available through the PMDG Operations Center for customers who purchased from pmdg.com, and eventually roll out to Microsoft Marketplace customers, although the timeline for the latter is hard to predict.
PMDG is happy with how the PMDG 737 for MSFS is performing on Xbox, but they are waiting on the release of associated livery packages in the Marketplace before officially releasing the airplane on Xbox. They are using the DC-6 as a timeline gauge, as the livery package for that airplane is taking longer to move through the release process than the airplane itself. PMDG has an open query with the Marketplace team and is trying to ascertain the process and timeline for the livery package release. Additionally, PMDG notes that they initially intended to make the liveries available at no cost, but they must be priced at a minimum of $4.99 due to a detail in the Marketplace agreement.
PMDG has been working on the PMDG Universal Flight Tablet for the 737 and has made great strides in the past month, with the development team proving that their connectivity model works and is ready for wide-scale testing. However, C++/WASM projects have limitations in sending/receiving data between the project and the outside world, which required an entire development cycle to design/implement/adapt communication capabilities. The team has now broken through the last series of blockers and is back to working on core content. PMDG does not provide a release timeline for the tablet, but they report a positive answer during their meeting this week.
PMDG has been investing development time in the DC-6 to make it more Xbox-user-friendly, adapting the shape/function of certain clickable surfaces and creating capability for Xbox users to access the tablet functions using easily identifiable methodologies. These changes are in testing and will be pushed to users via an update cycle that they hope will be finished late next week. The update will also be available to PC users, with most of the changes being transparent to them since they are really targeted to Xbox. The Xbox update must come through Marketplace, so the release timeline is dependent on the testing cycle.
In addition to their projects update, PMDG confirmed again they will be attendee at FSexpo2023 with a part of their team on site, at Houston, Texas, for the weekend June 23-25, not too far from SIMMARKET who will be there too as a Diamond Sponsor. “It is not sure” if they will have something new to share though. PMDG supports the event as a Diamond Sponsor too.
Sources: PMDG Forum here and there.