I understand your sentiment Megadyptes, but don’t get me wrong. Its perfectly normal to wince at the idea of an elite “insiders club” consisting of a individuals who can afford the privilege. I get that. Totally.
My Patreon suggestion however is specifically targeted at development of the PC-12 NG or NGX with the Honeywell Primus Apex system, and for good reason. Though comparable in features and function to the Garmin G1000/3000 systems, it’s 4 screen UI layout and interface logic is an entirely different animal.
No simulator up to now (FSX, P3D, X-Plane, etc.) has ever featured the Apex system to my knowledge, and if you watch the video I linked to above from Pilatus that covers the general functions and features of the system, it’s immediately clear that programming this beast into a bug free MSFS version from the ground up would be a monumental effort that clearly is going to require some time and great deal of effort.
SWS themselves estimated 2023 in their announcement, but let’s face it, it could easily take longer to perfect, and I wouldn’t be surprised if got shelved at some point so the developer could focus on other projects that have more immediate financial return.
But if an enthusiastic number of subscribers to a Patreon effort allowed additional programmers to join the project, it could not only be achieved within a faster timeline but could also include more accurate and in-depth functions that might be understandably left out in an initial release as “coming soons” had there been fewer individuals working to perfect various sub-systems.
Just look at the MSFS G1000 & G3000. An entity no less resourceful than Microsoft itself may have spent years to get theirs up to speed for initial release, and it still took the Working Title team to add a handful of missing functions.
Add to that the benefit of having a host of interested and passionate subscribers who would likely be more thorough Beta testers for a plethora of system functions and you have a win-win for everyone…
~ The developer ends up with an incomparably feature rich product that likely generates more sales.
~ The subscribers get to participate as much needed (and likely more thorough minded) beta testers.
~ The final product is likely more robust, feature rich, and reliable for their input and feedback.
– AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST –
~ Everyone else will more likely get to purchase the product when its “nice and ready” via “the regular channels” MUCH SOONER (in late 2022 perhaps) than MUCH LATER (like in 2024… or maybe never).
And consider this on that last note… IRIS Simulations announced in July, 2020 they were working on the Pilatus PC-24, which uses the same Apex system, but when asked by someone on their announcement’s Facebook post just last week if the project was still happening, they replied “Nothing new at the moment, we anticipate development commencing later this year." Huh? Commencing? Sounded last summer like it was already underway. I’d bet dollars to donuts the challenge of programming an acceptably working Apex system is where lies the rub.
So in general… yeah, I wholeheartedly agree with your opinion that developers should take their time and release their normal aircraft in a normal timeline, with no “shenanigans”.
Problem is, there’s nothing in the least bit “normal” about a PC-12 NG/NGX with fully functioning Primus Apex avionics system. It’s arguably the best GA aircraft ever produced. And it’s never been simulated before. And there’s probably a reason for that. Programming it to look and function like the real thing is most likely a daunting, time consuming, and headache inducing endeavor.
That SWS even broke the news that planned to give it a shot, makes me respect them all the more. In the meantime, their unparalleled Kodiak will have to fill the gaping PC-12 NGX hole in my heart.
