Please allow freeware creators to make use of (not encrypted) passive aircraft [2024]

[Delta2k5]

Hello all!

I’d like to see the passive (aka model matching/live traffic/ai traffic) aircraft on MSFS24 to be not encrypted after we can “install” them one day for several reasons:

1. Liveries could be created by the freeware community for basically all airlines around the world without the need of licensing from the airlines (using the fitting form of GPL licenses ofc for non commercial use)
2. Freeware artists could create new variations of the passive aircraft which are not yet covered but which still fly, e.g. the Boeing 737-200 in use with Nolinor (there are no passive Boeing 737-200 variants available as of now)
3. The models are to be considered lower in quality than the default user aircraft (and obviously lower in quality than payware) but I think they already meet a level of qualify to be worth flyable. Freeware artists could make use the exterior models and create cockpits for them, as well as sound sets and fix certain aspects of the models. It would be a great opportunity imho to show the really good modeling Asobo did here not just on traffic

Some screenshots:
R22:

R44:

Bell 505:

Phenom 100:

Beechjet 400A:

Skylane RG II

Dash 8 Family (Q400):

Embraer E-Jet family (E175):

Boeing 737 family (-400):

Airbus A350 family (-1000)

[pingponggame673]

Would be a huge miscalculation on Asobo to not get this done and quickly.

Put the power in the players hands, Asobo — and imagine; the community will take care of the rest.

[Delta2k5]

@pingponggame673

Put the power in the players hands, Asobo

Unfortunately Asobo are not the ones who decide about that - it’s Microsoft who define the rules

The developer stream however at least gives me some hope as they at least told to lift the encryption of the the user aircraft but that they’ll first have to figure out how to prevent cheating on the leaderboards.

As this does not apply to passive aircraft maybe they will lift the digital curtains there first, depending on how many votes we’ll get

[pingponggame673]

Appreciate the correction. They are, after all, under the MS umbrella.

I didn’t initially think about the cheating aspect; however, perhaps they could initiate a rule that disqualifies modified aircraft from leaderboard consideration? It’s likely not so black and white but here’s hoping they don’t bottleneck the community over high scores…

[Delta2k5]

You’re welcome!

@pingponggame673

perhaps they could initiate a rule that disqualifies modified aircraft from leaderboard consideration?

From what they told on stream for now the solution would be to unlock all aircraft which are not actively used in career mode (“competitive modes”, so all modes which include a world wide leader board). To me this would and should also cover the passive aircraft.