Future plans?

Hi,

I'm wondering what the future plans of this project are.. is it your intention to license this technology once it is finished or do you intend to keep it free and open?

If the latter is the case, would it be possible to make it an open source project? This would have several benefits, as code can be borrowed from or shared with flightgear, for example, and it may help you find more developers to speed up the project..
It also helps you gain a valueble infrastructure of hosted download services, version control systems and webhosting on sourceforge. It's a great way to promote your software, and you yourself can always create non-free value added mods, as you are the copyright owners. The GPL prevents others from creating non-free derived works.

If you plan to make it non-free (in terms of free and open source software), why would a former member of your team or your previous official website be asking for donations? (Either way, send a seize and desist letter to this person. He has no right to ask for donations in your name. Even if you do not plan to sue, send it, you are well within your right).

I am a software developer with an interest in flight simulation, I have limited time, but if this will be free software, then I'd love to contribute, especially as I'll run the setup myself.

Hi
Former member(GT) is just doing some childish sabotage.
He may take few dollars or more from innocent people. But if they sue him that's his problem.
Anyway, Sim will be commercial. And source code is like my girlfriend to me, I don't want it to be opened to everybody.
Thanks for your interest.

I'm sure you already have your own plans for this and much of it will depend on development constraints, but please consider making the game as mod-friendly as possible.

Realistic modern combat flights simulators are few and far between which makes this game all that much more special. I think that the most effective way to meet people's expectations is to allow the community as much freedom to mod as you can tolerate. This will not only keep the game constantly evolving and drawing in new players but it will give it the longevity it will need down the road.

Some of the basic ideas:
Rather than direct file modification, use a special mod container that can be hash checked. Signatures will reside on the server with the ability to require or allow mod and provide a URL redirect if the client is missing required mods. Mods can add so much to the game, but they need to be user-friendly especially for new players.

Make all of the data available for external MFDs and custom functions. Let the server limit the access if it is considered cheating in non-coop play. Also, work in the opposite direction, allowing mission scripts to utilize that data for better scripted events and to specify which data should be saved to allow external career stat tracking and detailed AAR reports and make user-created dynamic campaigns possible. There are a lot of enthusiast who will go through the trouble to create this kind of content, and the final product can be transparent to end-users and present them with a large, accessible database of missions and campaigns.

These are just a few ideas. Hopefully we can use this thread to discuss the different things scripters, modelers, or extension coders would find the most vital and what is actually possible.