Good News, Bad News, and.. Once-in-a-Product's-Lifetime News

[Travis]

Captains,

It's been quite a while since I've addressed everyone, and in that time I've done a lot of coding, a lot of changes, some more coding, some more changes, etc.

You may reply to this topic, unlike all other topics in the News Board.

Some Good News
FSCaptain 1.8.4 Beta 1 will release in two weeks:  on the weekend of May 10th - 12th.  Details follow in the "Bad News" section.


Some Bad Disappointing News
Beta 1 will not include an MSFS build.

When I returned to coding in March, I began adding fixes and abilities for an MSFS version.  I soon saw that I was heading into a hornet's nest of problems that would take several weeks (months?) to sort out.

So a few weeks ago, after consulting with Dutch and Peter (both of whom are now ensconced in the "We Love VR Club"), I decided to save my MSFS work and roll back the current branch of code to where it was in mid-January.

I look to have 1.8.4 to go Gold in late August, possibly September.  I still have a feature or two to include....

MSFS work will resume after 1.8.4 goes Gold.  Details follow in the "Once-in-a-Product's-Lifetime News" section.


Some Once-in-a-Product's-Lifetime News
As of yesterday, FSCaptain is no longer for sale.  PCAviator has removed its entry, and SimMarket will offer FSCaptain for a few months at a cost of ZERO until 1.8.4 is released.

When FSCaptain 1.8.4 Gold is released, it will be a "Free For All" release.  That's funny in one meaning; it used to be that a Release was called "Gold" because that was the final Release... which would make all of the money.

Things will continue as normal around here.

Best regards,

[Travis]

Replies have been enabled for anyone who has comments, questions, catcalls, etc.

Best,

[Moostafa]

I'm looking forward to the MSFS fix.

Thank Travis

[ggerolamo]

Hello Travis,

as a long time user I'm really looking forward to the new version :-)
What I didn't quite understand though:
Why exactly is FSCaptain no longer sold ?

regards
ggerolamo

[noel]

Hey Travis, I'm still here hoping an MSFS version arrives some day!

[Travis]

Captains,

Thank you kindly for your notes.  I want to use FSCaptain in MSFS as much as you all do!
-------

ggerolamo,

The short answer is, "I'm getting too old."

Trying to make that answer longer forces me into two areas....

1.  At the start of this calendar year, I became eligible to receive my Federal Government Old Age Pension (OAP), known as "Social Security".  For non US-Captains, there is a cap on the amount of money that I can earn outside of my pension.  So I need to limit my earnings when I can.

2.  FSCaptain - as it currently is - is not very compatible with MSFS.  (Imagine a very long list of reasons here.  VR support being a key reason.)  I believe that I can produce a brand new version in a moderately-longer time that it would take for me to add something onto the current code.  Picture 12 months or so....

Since #1 is a "fixed known," and that #2 is a "valid guess," I decided that it would not be honorable to take any more monies from potential Captains.

SimMarket has allowed me to offer FSCaptain licenses for 0 EUR in order that potential Captains could try things out.  I feel it is very kind of SimMarket to allow me to do such!

And in the end, I really hope to have a FS9 / FSX / P3D gauge which would engage with the FSCaptain that we produce for MSFS.  I cannot promise that I will, but I will do my utmost to make this happen.

Best regards,

[ggerolamo]

Hello Travis,



thanks for the detailed answer :-)

As a longtime p3d user I am of course looking forward to the new version ! I can't imagine a flight without this wonderful programme anymore...



(I can of course understand the disappointment of many MSFS users at not being able to use this ingenious tool)



I would like to thank you again Travis for this brilliant piece of software and for your great support !!!
I am looking forward to many more flights with FSCaptain :-)

best regards
ggerolamo

[Travis]

Hello GG,

(May I call you "GG"? )

I must thank you most warmly for your most kind words!!!

Everyone else should remember that FSCaptain is not my creation - Dutch Owen started FSCaptain circa 2009.  He gave me the code around 2017... perhaps because I was such a pain in his ear concerning lots of things. 

But you do bring up another point - Support.  I do try to offer the best support that I can, but I know that I am not as quick as I used to be.  So that's yet another reason I feel that FSCaptain needs to become non-commercial.

(I really admire your avatar!  I've no idea if you created this, or if this is an image from elsewhere... but I appreciate it!)

(I've just now updated my avatar to reflect the... greying of my hair. )

Always with Best regards,

[Travis]

I have one more test flight to make (P3D) and if all goes well, the 184 Beta builds will be released within 26 hours.

Best regards,

[Travis]

Wouldn't you know it... last night, after unloading from another 117-point flight, I noticed that FO Lucy started her "Apologies...." speech.

But... the PAX had all deplaned, and there was nothing needing an apology!! 

I mentioned this to Dutch and Peter today, and Peter casually said that he's had this experience before.

Which was a relief, as for the prior 15 hours I was worrying that I had broken something recently. 

But it's been broken all along (hurray?), so no need to fret on this now.

Work is done on 184 Beta, and in a week or two, this will be the top item on my bug list to fix.

If I don't get the builds posted today (California time), I'll post them tomorrow morning (still California time).

Best,