You’ve said a few times that Carenado could just supply the .cfg files. But isn’t it the case that even if we had the CFG files, the addon would not look for them as it’s looking for its own encrypted version? Is there proof that just having a .cfg file for a Carenado plane would work, or is that a guess?
Fortunately, an incorrect guess 
If the .cfg file was placed in a Mod structure, where the base file name was loaded AFTER the Carenado plane (it Alphabetically after), then the Mod would overwrite the encrypted version of that particular .cfg file .
I’m all for this vote topic as well. Especially with something like GSX out; GSX depends entirely on unencrypted config files for airports to read parking positions and such. Having them encrypted means that GSX would be forced to use default airport layout and parking positions, which will be incorrect most of the time for the majority of marketplace airports.
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There are Technical solutions, that will allow the reading of the airport information, but still maintain the security and protection of the 3rd party developer’s Intellectual property, the detailed 3d modeling of the airport.
Note: The airport LAYOUT data that gets encoded, is typically a DERIVED work based on freely available data, so it i mute point if it should be, or is even legal to encode !!
LAWYER - fight this one out - that’s why you charge the BIG BUCKS !!!
But PERSONALLY, I would far more favor the purchase of a DRM protected Airport, that made this data available, to other Apps, like LNM ..
Looks like this is still a thing, the A310 is locked
Forum automatically bumped this. Was happy to see last year that this was under investigation, but alas with 80 votes, it’s pretty far down the list. Given some of the quirks of recent Famous Flyers and other 3PP releases, certainly would love to see this happen.
Look at the amazing work done to enhance the 40th Anniversary DC-3…
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As folks have discovered some annoying glitches with recently reduced Local Legends that could be fixed with .cfg tweaks, and even some aircraft producers such as @lyonhaart001 have expressed interest in allowing Marketplace purchasers to tweak config files, I’m hoping this is at least being considered for an update or for the FS24 timeframe.
A plane can still be protected from piracy with unencrypted flight model files. I hope this will happen.
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Many thanks for the bump. I myself, as a flight simulator customer, when I buy planes, will sometimes modify handling and power output, which made me more happy with the product I purchased. Its like being able to open the hood of your car and making tunes to the engine, putting on different tires, putting in a different radio, changing out the sounds, etc. It enables some customization variables to the customers. I welcome it, being a developer as some of my own customers would love to be able to tweak little things in the files to their own liking. Some say it should go faster, some slower, and the list goes on.
Bill
LHC
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Maybe, with MS Partners, they could have the option to have some of the files open? A personal option of the developers of products?
Bill
LHC
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That was my thought when I proposed this. Some developers would like to lock down all the config files to simplify support, I’m sure, but others like you are open to folks tweaking configs to tune the plane, create other engine variants, etc. And looking at the awesome mods available for the unlocked 40th Anniversary planes, there’s obviously opportunity to make the products even more appealing to the core the audience.
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I would just like to be able to edit my marketplace Kodiak’s atc_type and atc_id, but with the aircraft.cfg file locked down, I can’t. I hope Asobo will unlock the marketplace aircraft as well.
I downloaded a Chinook that cost over £9 from the marketplace and found it is “mathmatically” only a Cabri with all the characteristics of one except slightly more inertia. Its not even equipped with wheels where they should be despite reasonably good visual model and the sound is just Cabri sound.
Despite these big drawbacks I can’t get money back apparently from marketplace - OK so i will modify it myself - except even after navigating the still godawful SDK I can’t because it has locked files.
If MS/Asobo cannot (or will not) offer 3PDs selling on the Marketplace, the option NOT to have their .cfg files encoded, and the 3PD wants to offer unencoded .cfg files to their customers (may get many more sales if they did), they could always publish those .cfg file on a server where their customers could download & install them. Either their one website, or on flightsim.to
The days of encoding .cfg file should be over by now,
MS realized this for the Premium/Deluxe aircraft, so it about time they offered that OPTION to those other 3PDs, selling on the MarketPlace.
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It “seems” that even Carenado Might support this for their Planes, or maybe the above is just a cunning way to pass the Buck to Asobo, making them out to be the Bad Guys, and not Carenado ..
Who Knows… The fact that I would even think such thing, is not great for Carenado perceived support reputation.
Not that Carenado would care in the least, but I will NEVER buy another Carenado plane, till they make their cfg file available, as typically, all their planes could do with some .cfg improvements -
so I reserve my right to vote on this with my wallet.
The Mu-2 has some odd flight model issues, but the config files are encrypted, so no fix easily possible.
Really hoping MS will consider this option for both third party planes and their own Famous Flyers./Local Legends. It would be easy to continue to protect the aircraft models from piracy to the level that they’re prortected now, while allowing mods to the config files.
Just look at how much better some of the Premium/Deluxe planes got once those were unlocked.
Would also be useful for allowing the community to keep popular add-ons up and running if they devs walk away from them.
Could be totally opt-in for the devs. MS ideally would make their own stuff moddable, and Marketplace sellers could have the option.
Nobody loses here, it’s just getting MS to commit the dev time to building/testing this workflow.
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If such an option was available, all developers would be forced to leave the config files unlocked. If a developer didn’t comply and locked the config files the outrage by community would be massive.
Well, if such an option did exist, developers would at least have the choice to make…
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The simplest solution is to do what Got Friends did for the F4F.
The dev should make a mod with the unencrypted files available on his site.
And don’t talk to me about piracy: a mod with a few files is useless if you haven’t bought the original plane.
As for not wanting to reveal their know-how: the most innovative devs don’t encrypt (if you buy elsewhere than on the Marketplace), see Got Friends once again.
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The question made it into today’s dev Q&A, without a resolution. From the transcript:
I’m not sure how not encrypting aircraft.cfg. flightmodel/engine/etc config files would open the planes to hacking if the actual model files were still encrypted, but obviously Jorg is way more enlightened on what’s going on under the hood than I am.
Hope it happens. At least we know they know about the desire now.
Which voids the warranty.
I’m all for letting people modify the .cfg files (the ECM, if you will) as long as they agree to never ask for support to fix problems they may have created.