These commentaries are getting more tiresome than the actual drama is lol. Like 2 minutes of nothing new about the business dispute between ED and Razbam and 15+ minutes of self-promotion and speculation and subjective feelings probably all of which are out of touch with reality.
This is razbams best module to date. Razbam has shown they can push the envelope with thier radar simulation that made ED's F16 and F18 look amateurish. shame it may never get finished due to the dispute.
Did I hear you right? You want me to pay an upgrade fee for each of my numerous modules? I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of money on my modules as it is with the understanding they would continue to be supported for that price. I will move completely to Falcon BMS until Falcon 5 arrives especially with the new terrain engine coming.
Absolutely. The prices are already ridiculously cheap! 80$ plus 10 a year ( for maintenance) is nothing. Devide that by the number of hours played.... it's Absolutely nothing.
I am a programmer and I approve of this message at 17:00. I have seen too many good community servers/lua work go to waste since DCS World's 2011 due to random DCS update release. EDIT: On top of that I am currently also experiencing fragmentation of my flying friends because people own random combination maps, so our squadron server is always on caucaus. Maps should NOT have been modules.And I have to say I am loosing squadron mates left and right that jump to WT / IL-2 / VTOL VR because as a products are better if they just want 30-60min quick flight after day of work and NOT waste time troubleshooting mission scripting, control scheme or our server maintenance on DCS.
I wonder how much your cash flow info works in regards to ED/DCS when you consider they gave an interest-free loan of several million pounds/dollar to their CEO very recently
You can keep playing the old version of the plane in an older version of the game. You can go back pretty far in the change log and just keep playing that old version forever. How anyone thinks it's feasible for anyone to offer free upgrades FOREVER ... come on! It IS however on ED for pushing this business model to begin with. It was flawed from day one.
It wouldny make sense to charge people like you, and me, the full $20 upgrade for a module we’ve paid full price for. But a micropayment system for people who bought previously, say $2 per model or maybe $20 for all modules and ED can distribute payment accordingly to the third parties. I own every module except the Jeff. If they asked me to pay 100-200 bucks for a six monthly upgrade (including all my 3rd party modules) I’d be outraged and ED would know that. I’d find another hobby. Small companies like ED can’t afford to shaft customers like that. I am more concerned about the rumour that ED has ‘loaned’ their CEO a couple of million. If that is true, but they have cash flow problems causing the ruckus with Razbam, my faith in ED is seriously shaken. But I withhold judgement until I know more.
I'm not opposed one bit to a monthly fee for DCS, and even a smaller fee for use of the modules or worlds. Give these businesses a DRIP income stream, but predicate it on maintaining updates, relevance, and fixing bugs. IF a module tends to lose 'steam' (metaphor, not platform), or drops below a certain usage, it can and should be mothballed. Anyway, it is what it is. I think they need to sell to someone bigger. I also wonder if tournaments and Vegas E-Sport type stuff might be another income driver or marketing opp.
Maybe DCS has had its day! Rubbish maps and this RAZBAM business is the final nail. Glad I've matured into other simulators utilising Navigraph and the VATSIM network. I'll always love DCS but Graphics and business model are an existential threat to its place in the market. I mean can't fly globally with photorealistic graphics - c'mon ED?
You need a Falcon 4 exe. Just Falcon 4 not allied gold or anything like that. Just Falcon 4. You can get it from various online retailers that specialize in games. Steam, GOG etc. Only costs a few bucks. Then you need the files from the bms website. They have instructions on what to do on their website. The current version is the one you want
Finally some say it. Charge for DCS core game and have a support 4 years until DCS 2028 (or suscription and have support while you pay it) with maps and baisc aircraft, and charge for modules you want. Sorry, but it is the true
Trading commodities futures would allow you to make money on crops you haven't planted. Also, if you can incorporate and sell shares in your crop, you could get cash flowing
We hedge. But that's after the crop is in the bins generally. Typically pick up about $.50 a bushel on rice selling in June/July vs. harvest. Soybeans aren't quite as predictable.
As a software developer I'm 100% agree that DCS needs a subscription model. But as an old DCS user I really disagree. I just checked my DCS: 40 modules, 9 maps, 25 missons. I can't imagine I pay $10-20 per year (or per DCS major version upgrade) for each item. Some module I have, I don't really need and fly for maybe 30 minutes overall, yes, but I already paid the full price for it. And if I want to play more 30 minutes next year, I should pay another $10-20? It's not worth it. And when DCS will upgrade from v2 to v3, modules will cost $10-20 for upgrade. But if I skip upgrade for v3 of rarely used module, and try to upgrade from v2 to v4 next time, it will cost the full price for that module? All this subscription topic looks like the fraud for an old DCS user.
what tf has being a software dev to do with stupid subscriptions? in 30 years i had no need to force subscriptions on people instead of coding a product for a one-time price. and i had to fix bugs of course too, and NOT for an extra price. how ridiculous all that sounds. it's about time that people FINISH PRODUCT again first, all this preorder and kickstart cancer got out of hand
w00t lightwave! career was always maya but i'm in blender now! also totally agree with making DCS a paid product. always always distrusted the fact that it was put out in a f2p model. that always feels scammy.
@@KirkFickert definitely. i have downloads and books when the only component you could adjust was the vertex! no edges or faces... like wtf is that?! and the mousing and interface no longer makes me want to slit my wrists and that's when i made the changeover lol.
The simplest solution: Tip Jar Subscription. If a player likes the content developed, there’s a Patreon-like option to support the developers for it. Maybe a couple low-to-no-cost benefits for supporting, but ultimately developers would have some form of steady income stream while being motivated to do good on behalf of the community. This wouldn’t piss anyone off, because it’d be optional. I’m certain many people would be willing to subscribe to support developers if they just had a “tip jar” available.
The raw truth is that games such as this really require a subscription model to supplement the purchases. No company can't support software in perpetuity. I'd pay $10 a month in addition to the other fees ... it's a drop in the bucket for how much time I spend on it.
Fuck subscriptions and fuck you. It's not up to the customer to keep corrupt and/or miss managed companies afloat. The talent is out there, there's ZERO reason to support DCS specifically
Isn't that's what literally happened with A-10C and Black Shark? You paid extra money to have stuff updated. With the downside of nothing else being updated for these though and they lack campaigns and missions.
Can't wait for the flood of new Microprose titles to be released from their pipeline. Won't be as realistic as DCS, but will be a welcome (and nostalgic) distraction.
If I'm understanding correctly, razbam Sim will no longer update the mirage 2000, av8b harrier, mig 19 mig 21 and the F15 ex. It's sad because as the game progresses theese modules will no longer work as new bugs will appear, and those planes will slowly die. In my opinion I would just ignore razbam entirely and focus more on other developers like heatblur
@@aaronfidanza7221 Mig 21 is not razbama but the rest... yeah i have all of them except f15. Sucks but it is what it is. F4 will keep me occupied in the next few years lol
@@aaronfidanza7221 i think it’s probable that the modules will still updated, and that the responsibility of maintaining the modules will just be transferred from razbam to somebody else
I'd say something like iRacings model to monetize instead... You pay a subscription to use the product, and then purchase the individual planes maps... But then you're always on the relevant version of the sim, and you keep the content you buy. But then again, iRacing always owns and sells Al the content...
The better idea is to keep it the same as is but add a $10 per year subscription to help finance updates and improvements. The idea of paying per module for upkeep is insanity and would kill DCS. Plus having people on different versions would kill the multiplayer environment.
You forget most DCS players are playing single mode, the multiplayer community, though being the most vocal, are a minority. Razbam was always a concern for me as a developer for DCS, I suppose my concern has been justified.
The writing has been on the wall since the hornet, not to mention the bs around co-development of the viper to share systems, or however they sold that notion at the time. You're right that the sales model doesn't work, but I'm not sure even the idea of upgraded platforms would work. Some would, like minor variants, but some models are so different to their predecessors that they'd be too expensive to produce to recoup with upgrade prices. You're probably right that the idea of purchasing the core game every year or two would keep them more in business, at the cost of a lower the pool of purchasers overall. Since BMS got VR, I haven't really looked back. Going back to Falcon reminded me that DCS is just a sandbox, and Liberation was OK, but nothing on the F4 DC. Learning new systems every 6 months kinda wears you out when there's nothing ongoing to apply the knowledge to. And then the AI would let you down all the time, even in something like Liberation. I bought the Phantom, but I have yet to even touch it. BMS is keeping me happy. Anyway that's my ramble on the topic. I'm still bitter about the state of the SC - what a joke.
Having to pay 10$ to 20$ a year, per module to ensure that they are updated and healthy is nothing and should be considered. I cannot believe someone would have an issue with this considering how much pleasure ( and time) we spend flying these modules. This is by far...!!. my cheapest hobby. That said, I dont believe this is the end of ED. Nop...
@@sebastienhebert6794 A couple thousand bucks a year isn't enough to develop a simulation model, but it will tax the consumer more. If you want this idea to make any sense, it'd be more like 30,000 USD/year per user.
The problem with migrating to BMS is there are bo modules. Better hope you like 16 and *partially* complete f-15, because thats basically all you have. No rotorwing options at all
@@Spectre-907 At least the F-16 and F-15 are relatively accurate and don't cost you any extra, unlike DCS's garbage. The main draw is everything *around* the modules, which is almost completely lacking from DCS circa 2024.
@@ArchOfficial Sure, but you could have literal perfection in "everything around the modules", that's still completely without value to me as a heli guy, or as a carrier-ops guy, or a redfor-anything guy. I don't care about the surroundings of the core if the core isnt there.
@@Spectre-907 It's a matter of perspective, because to me the helos, carriers and OPFOR aircraft are almost completely worthless without the parts outside of the module, which I consider the actual core.
ED needs to make DCS a monthly/6month/yearly Subscription, same with mods. That would lower the initial cost for players and guarantee cash flow for devs.
Or start developing ground modules and RPG gameplay for the game. Look at arma and warthunder, they are ranking in million$ with no end in sight. DCS has huge potential.
And the next person who presumes to know better than ED how ED should run her business... You have no insight whatsoever into their business. As soon as you have sat down with ED and ED has presented their financial situation to you in detail, including their future plans, it might be possible to take your suggestions about the business model halfway seriously. The way you are doing it now (mainly conjecture and speculation) only has a negative effect and has no relevance or even justification.
Never heard of marketing research and competition analysis have you? Figuring out what competitors are doing, what their estimated costs, revenues, etc. is a part of business. Even figuring this out for private companies is part of that work.
"Cash is king" is wrong. Cash flow and cash conversion cycles are the real metrics small companies should focus on. Good for you to highlight it. Why shouldn't customers pay for updates?
Why is this guy rambling on and on about his family history??? And his personal finances? Pretty hard to find his views credible. Want to see all the pictures in my wallet? Sheesh. Folks bought these modules with the understanding they would be upated as technology improved. Razbam wants to move the goal posts after the game has started.
My gosh talk about Rambling and Rambling on and on….. I honestly don’t want to hear all this stuff about your projects etc…l This whole video could be cut down to Five minutes without all this rambling. Sorry man I just don’t have the time…
talking utter BS, I don't like it, but DCS is dead, not 1 penny more of my money for this mismanaged screw up of a game, it could have been great. I shall miss my Harrier and Mig19.
Your numbers about the development of the modules are waaaay off. It's way way too optimistic, look at the developers and 3rd party developers. Not a single one is from the US or pays high US salaries. It's all eastern europe or farther east. Razbam is malaysia or some other far east Asian country? For the art part it takes between 4-8 months to make one of these plane models exterior only, interior takes around that as well. They are very detailed and accurate. If you buy one that you think looks good from asset stores, it will not be good and very noticeably a worse model than any of the other DCS level modules. So you can't contract artists either not to mention you need a very specialized artist good aircraft artists have disappeared in recent years. If you actually want to make a game with planes that actually makes money just make an arcade flight sim like Ace Combat, you'll make way more money. As a business it's completely idiotic to make any of these super accurate planes, it's so much work and tears, they are so hard to make, and you can't really make that much back for all of that time investment. On the other hand you can just make a silly plane game. Which would be way easier and you'll get a way larger return on investment. Like for 30 million dollars you could shit out a great arcade flight sim and get that money back quite easily. For 30 million dollars in high fidelity flight sims things aren't so sure all of a sudden.
