Seems the folks at Digital-Aviation decided to move on with their lifes and need more time for other things then FS! Â They are passing the support for their products to the respective publishers but want to continue work on the current projects, CRJ and Fokker VC, even if not under their own brand… as we know this projects are already very long coming so it remains to be seen what the future brings. Now you can interpret whatever you want in this expression… for example something like: we may never see it.
So much for those childish arguments made by so many FS software pirates that one can earn a life with it. But here are DA’s Hans Hartmann’s own words (oh, and Happy Birthday Hans! let’s see if he spots this 🙂 ): “ Well, all things come to an end. And now it is the time for DA. There’s a lot of reasons behind this decision and I will give you a few of them at the end of this post.
So what’s going to happen? We will continue to work on our current projects (CRJ and the Fokker VC). However, we will do that without using our own brand, website and forums. Support will be moved to the Aerosoft forums (DA20, Cheyenne and CRJ) and the Flight1 forums (Fokker). Our website and forums are going to be set to read-only for good on April 15th. No forum registrations will be accepted after this point.
So, why are we doing this? First, all three of us have significantly less time available to do flight simulation stuff in our spare time. Florian became an airline pilot and has to spend much time in hotels away from his PC (developing on a notebook is no real alternative), Alexander transferred to a different department and has a much higher workload than before. I started my own company and that requires most of my time and energy. We had the choice between reducing our flight simulation work to nothing more than development itself or to stop it completely. We chose the first way because we didn’t want to waste all the time and money that went into the current unfinished projects.
We’d like to thank everybody who spent these past six years with us (the Katana was the first DA project, released on April 2nd, 2004). Never say never, so we might be back at some point if things change in our lives or one of the new flight simulator currently in development, make doing aircraft interesting and fun again
Goodbye!
Hans Hartmann
Alexander M. Metzger
Florian Praxmarer
0 Responses
Excellent way to avoid a `contractual obligation` lawsuit. “We haven’t gone away, we’ve just gone underground..!”
Wonder what the legal position would be for owners who could show, for example, that they ONLY purchased the Fokker on the `future promise` of that vapourware VC? Could they now get their money back from the respective publishers? Guess not, given that the statement doesn’t say it will never appear, although we are left to ponder – and those publishers have no possibility of redress from the developers…
Cheerio DA, and thanks for all the half-cooked fish.
My 2 pence worth is as follows:
I’ve had immense enjoyment from the Do27 for FS9 (and the support provided) and consider that to be my money’s worth. These guys have terrific talent when it comes to developing (and innovating) for FS and IMHO we should all thank them for their work. Everyone will have their view on something that could have been improved or changed, but that takes nothing away from the service to flight simulation provided by this team. Let’s raise a glass to the Digital Aviation boys and hope that the inevitable “you left xxx undone” comments won’t put anyone off having a go in the all too uncertain future.
Honestly – these constant comments that occasionally appear regarding “contractual obligations” and other legal statements, threats etc. – anyone who would remotely consider legal action over a 40 buck bit of software would have to be a complete loser. In the FS world, you roll the dice and take your chances. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Get over it.
Contract applies legally from the moment you enter into the agreement and render payment. YOU have no say in the matter. In law the VALUE of the contract is moot. One cannot bypass the law just because it’s flight sim or some other trifle, or else why charge for it in the first place?
Either this hobby is a business, with commercial rules that apply to all regardless, or else everything should be freeware and NO-ONE should get charged. I paid for the Fokker, which ALWAYS promised a VC, but none was delivered. At this point I would consider the contract 50% serviced, which is not adequate in the time frame and should talk to the publisher that took my money about a partial refund. But THAT would be a waste of time.
For far too long this industry has serviced its customer base with disdain, incompetence and broken promises. In any other industry with the exception of politics, this would be reason enough for a criminal investigation, much less civil action.
Simon, what you say is correct no doubt, and I am not going to dispute it – such behaviour is also morally wrong, I agree.
However, the fact of the matter is, would anyone, or HAS anyone, ever sought legal recourse over what they consider wasn’t provided in the case of an item of FS software?
Who would be prepared to invest 100’s, 1000’s of dollars to get satisfaction over a dispute for a 40 buck software add on?? Especially if it involved international action from one country to another?
SO many people whinge and complain about the cost of add-ons – so legal recourse becoming reality is a joke – much like the hollow sound of idol threats of legal recourse by disgruntled simmers!
“However, the fact of the matter is, would anyone, or HAS anyone, ever sought legal recourse over what they consider wasn’t provided in the case of an item of FS software?”
I am close to. AirNav’s FSLive Traffic is the worst rip-off I have ever encountered.
It’s a shame that the VC will never be delivered, and I do feel for those who have lost out.
I think there is a lesson to be learnt here, and that is don’t buy a product until it is 100% ready. I can think of a number of times a developer has promised but never delivered, or did deliver but years later:
Leonardo MD80 VC
Captain Sim 757 F block
PSS 777 FSX
If developers start to continue this method of releasing a product not 100% complete, they better start realising that we the consumer have already suffered in the past, and will wait till it is complete. I for one will now wait until a product is fully ready.
JP
I almost bought the Fokker, but I only really wanted it with VC. But I’m keeping stricly to the rule of never buying anything if it relies on promises of future features. I really feel glad I didn’t fall for this one, I would be very grumpy otherwise. But above all, if we don’t want developpers to developp these bad habits, we must vote with our money.
“I am close to. AirNav’s FSLive Traffic is the worst rip-off I have ever encountered.”
Good luck Darem, let us know how much you are prepared to spend on legal proceedings over your software.
“Good luck Darem, let us know how much you are prepared to spend on legal proceedings over your software.”
Oh, I am not spending on legal proceedings, but on business ethics.I could imagine worse things to spend money on.
that’s the result of piracy’s kids in the last period…only few aircraft payware and many company closed or tired to give his work for free..piracy on free sites as blogpost or on forums from malaysia or similar contries damage for ever this hobby…
If only it were that simple.