NZSI SP2 and NZMF imminent

[GlennAV8R]

NZSI service pack 2 and NZMF within next 24 hours now by the looks! http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/52450-nzmf-release/

[Ian Warren]

Server pack 2 fine ... Think i'm happy with Mikes four on the floor special covers MF , Cook , Te Anau and Chathams at the mo , special price http://www.fs-creations.org/Freeware-Scenerys.php $ONZ

[stewartkingswood]

Hi All,

Happy Christmas to all and the NZSI update is now available a whopping 1.01gig. Pleased my provider has given us free downloads for the holidays.

Regards
Stewart

[dbcunnz]

NZSI SP2 downloaded and installed there has been a few airfield fixups and it is good to be able to fly into the Fox Glacier but as far as ORBX NZMF goes at NZD$41.70 I will stick to Mike's free NZMF

Looking down on the Fox airfield

[Ian Warren]

Best i get the SP2 shortly , be interesting for find what other fix's there are

[creator2003]

Merry xmas ,well downloading NZMF now priced pretty high ,i always like flying around other scenery's and this will cover more for me than what i did there ,the sp2 nzsi is better to located those smaller strips as they all marked out now had a quick blat around it last night nothing stuck out at me as a north island guy what would i know anyway ..

[cowpatz]

QUOTE (dbcunnz @ Dec 25 2012,3:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NZSI SP2 downloaded and installed there has been a few airfield fixups and it is good to be able to fly into the Fox Glacier but as far as ORBX NZMF goes at NZD$41.70 I will stick to Mike's free NZMF

Yes $41.70 is getting up there for scenery. I would pay that for an aircraft, which would get a lot of use. I can appreciate the work that goes into producing scenery but at the end of the day how often would Milford really be used?
10 or so airfields at that price would land me in hot water with the household administrator.

[creator2003]

Yeah i am wishing i had not forked out so much $$ more the $10 mark ,the detail is nice etc but at the end of the day its small and nothing to them but bush/grass and etc signs ..

[deeknow]

WTH? $32oz for NZMF ... $40oz for NZSI? how does that work exactly. No matter how many people flow effects are included, they're dreaming arent they?

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (deeknow @ Dec 25 2012,7:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

they're dreaming arent they?

sure its the same with many of the PNW scenery s ... small regions .. add blo - flow at 40 bucks , cheaper with Mikes 4 square package zero dollar deal

[toprob]

QUOTE (deeknow @ Dec 25 2012,7:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WTH? $32oz for NZMF ... $40oz for NZSI? how does that work exactly. No matter how many people flow effects are included, they're dreaming arent they?

This is really apples and oranges from a cost perspective -- Orbx have said that they don't make much money from regions, just from payware additions such as NZMF, so this price makes sense. Plus the sale of these addons is split between the developer and Orbx, so it wouldn't be cost-effective to either party if it was cheaper. Since they share the sale price, it stands to reason that at least one party is not receiving more that NZ$21, as they can't both get more than half each, whatever the split. Considering that Orbx need this to make a profit, and the developer has the choice of any FTX region, it couldn't be done for less.

I do think that a lot is riding on sales of NZMF -- it would need to sell really well to justify further NZ development. This post by John Venema sums it up. (I'll copy/paste here as only Orbx forum members can read this Orbx post. Hopefully it can remain here for interest's sake.)

QUOTE

We spent a LOT of time, effort and money developing what I believe to be our best Australian airports in 2011, but the honest truth? They just did not sell well at all, about half that of airports in the USA/Canada. So whilst Jarrad is working on an amazing AU airport and Tim is finishing off YBTH Bathurst, we have actually "parked" several AU airports because the effort/reward is not there for us (both for the developer wanting his income, and Orbx wanting revenue as a publisher).

Sometimes a business needs to evaluate the best strategies in continuing to remain viable, but for now AU airports are not the products that return a profit any more.

Yes, we'll continue to make them, but not at the volume of other regions where customers will purchase them much more enthusiastically.[/quote]

I take from this that US airports are selling well, so anything less profitable won't be a priority. Whether NZ falls into this category remains to be seen. Orbx have said that FTX NZ sold really well, but that doesn't mean that there's a huge market for ongoing development, especially up against the sheer population of the US, and even the UK now.

This will go either way -- either most NZers will 'enthusiastically' purchase every Orbx addon at this price, just to show their support, or Orbx will scale back NZ releases because of poor returns. The only good thing from my perspective is that people might start seeing local NZ scenery as better value:)

Last edited by toprob on Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[deeknow]

QUOTE (toprob @ Dec 25 2012,9:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is really apples and oranges from a cost perspective

That may be the publishers perspective Robin but buyers wont necessarily see it that way.
Thanks for the background info, and good luck to Orbx, but I just cant see that many units being sold (at this price point that is, there's no doubt the scenery does look very nice)

[Ian Warren]

Well known Orbx cannot handle the large airports .. they have admited to that .. love the flo this and that , but realistic .. at cost .. who ever uses Milford .. its a no brainer .

[zkcav]

I haven't got NI as yet and haven't even installed SI even though I got this time last year since the elevations where not accurate -this might have been addressed in this SP?? not sure.

What I would really want is a good quality Auckland and Christchurch airports - which aren't overly large - far smaller then Brizzie - hint hint. I'd be happy to pay $40 each for for a airport if the quality is right. If Orbx released either of those I'd be a convert. I've got all their Auzzie stuff and the NA regions but stopped buying them at 30 - 40 dollars a pop for a GA strip that looks nice but about 50% of my hanger can't land at.

Robins Wellington is a little dated but I'm happy with that and Mikes Hamilton which ticks off most of the international airports, which only leaves Palmerston North not covered which I understand Laurie is working on.

[SgtPepper]

Good looking scenery alright but i've got to agree, far too expensive. If it was half the price i'm sure they would sell a lot more and possibly make even more money??

[cowpatz]

Yes I think they have torpedoed their own ship with that sales strategy. It is a shame as they will equate lack of sales with non interest in the region. Hopefully the real message gets thru.

[Splitpin]

Set aside economics , i was amazed by the amount of interest in NZ there is on the Orbx forum.

[lowglow]

Ive given up on anything Orbix I am registered and can log into there site but cannot veiw anything as all I get is "you do not have permision to view this" total waste of time

[rayclyde]

"Who's interested in Milford Sound?" Anyone that 'flys' instead of 'drives' I guess.

For me Milford Sound is an absolute must. It is probably not realised that about this time 60 years ago the original airstrip at Milford Sound was constructed. Following a 1949 fire that destroyed much of the Milford Sound hotel regular tourist activity ceased. However air traffic into Milford was not unknown; Jim Monk with his Invercargill based Grumman Widgeon amphibian occasionally flew in and out operating off the water. Construction of the replacement hotel commenced in the spring of 1952 and Southern Scenic Air Services from Queenstown saw the possibility of business and in November/December of that year constructed a shingle airstrip on the site of the present 29/11 runway. In keeping with the times it was constructed by one man driving a Caterpillar D4 bulldozer. I myself had been working in the Sound since February 1952 and was even then a keen aviation buff.

The following "snaps" were taken by me on the day of the first landing on the new strip. The aircraft was an Auster and was flown by Fred (Popeye) Lucas - an amazing man and pilot who pioneered much of the commercial air activity in and around fiordland.

Short finals into 11
Backtracking to the "terminal"
Some others taken during that first few months. Upper Hollyford with Lake Mckerrow in the far distance.
Milford Sound from above the confluence of the Cleddau and the Donne rivers
SCAS hanger at Queenstown

[Ian Warren]

Now thats what we like to see BRILLIANT PHOTOs