Transformable Jet, Work in progress

Discussion Hub Aircraft
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I think the handling is good enough and add some kind of “realness” to it as is, it is a fun plane after all, I would think just make the thrust vectoring as the animation/ visual model which move in conjunction as how a horizontal stabilzer is should move is good enough, keep flight model, change exterior model to remove the horizontal stabilizer and add thrust vectoring and that should satisify most fans, maybe add the super pack exterior just for fun, like those flying santa projects, IMO such plane don’t need to go for the flight model too much (it’s making a good visual model as in the Sci-Fi Cartoon) so it won’t be realistic anyway, just create something like a good visual model, flies like F14 and IDK how the gearwalk mode or robot mode flight handles but anything should be fine.

Forget the mini thrusters thing as I only recall in my 20 years memory that during banking roll of the fighter in the animae the wing tip would have some thrust so say banking left it would have right wing under side and left wing top side thrust

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Wow… never knew this show was a thing…
Must be a precursor to transformers?

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Although the original cartoons of both Robotech and Transformers came out around the same time period, as a kid watching back then, I felt Robotech was way better story wise and much more of a serious series. It was about human relationships and there were real risks in battle and characters dying. It felt like a much more mature storyline than transformers ever was. As an “old man” I can still watch it today and appreciate it. Can’t say the same for transformers, even the modern movies, but that’s just my humble opinion. That’s why I hope they do it justice in the live action Robotech movie they are now working on.

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The original anime is a japan anime name The Super Dimension Fortress Macross. US author bought the license of 3 independent japanese animes and build one world under the name Robotech.

The release date of the first series is 1982.

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I always loved the original, ok so when is the release of the addon

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Latest demo video, check it out!

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I finally finished… Check out the latest demo video in the thread and you can find the link to where you can download youtube.

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Don’t be so coy, you can just link it instead of saying go watch a video!

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nice! but just wonders, since this is a new platform for purchasing to me, if there is a chance you would like to upload to some more common platform like simmarket?

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It’s a thing of beauty !!

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I will look into that, Thanks for the suggestion!

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count me in if that’s done, sometimes payment security is concerned

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For folks who are just sim gamers and who aren’t familiar with the indy game market, etc., itch.io is a respected site that’s very trusted in the gaming community. They’ve done some awesome game bundles around Ukraine relief, etc. and I’d trust them more than I would some of the FS-specific retailers. :slight_smile:

Agreed that @QIKQBN should look at putting the Transformable Jet on OrbX/SimMarket, as so many more potential customers will see it in those places. But itch.io is a safe place, if you’re worried.

Edit: OUCH! $35? Some unsolicited advice: This isn’t P3D. The larger market of MSFS has resulted in some price adjustments, and generally “fun” and simpler planes are going for $15-25, and $30-$60 is reserved for complex, survey-level aircraft. I was heading over to itch.io to buy it, but I expected the price to be about half of what it is.

Not devaluing your work – it looks fantastic and the animations are epic – but I think you’d make a ton more money at an “impulse purchase” price. Take a took at what got-friends.com is charging for “fun” planes.

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Thanks for your input on itch.io and recommendations on other selling platforms.

As far as price point, your thoughts are duly noted. I am actually taking a step back and rethinking how to distribute this so that many more people can enjoy it.

I would like to say this, in my humble opinion, I have purchased dozens of other products on msfs marketplace, and I still think my creation is worth every penny, and then some, in comparison to what I downloaded for the money from other distributors. I am very proud of what I have accomplished and created. It truly is unique and one of my favorite planes to fly now in the sim. When I think about it, I have paid 5x’s as much for simple plastic toys that just sit on my desk, and this offers me so much more joy. I understand your point though.

After going through this process, I really don’t think the average person can truly understand what actually goes in to learning how to make these projects work and do each process at a high level. I easily have close to 1000 hours into this project. I can’t imagine the cost if I actually paid another professional or a team of professionals to create this. The labor costs alone are insane.

Although this is a “fun” jet and based on a cartoon series, there is absolutely nothing simple about it. It is very complex actually. While some may find pushing 100s of buttons and going through checklists more complex, this is complex in the rig setup, visual aspect and animation controls. It rewards with lots of great looking animation and exciting visual options to fly around in.

I am considering other options on how to distribute, so I will keep everyone posted. Appreciate the kind comments and suggestions.

quick flying demo

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And I have to say I’m super-impressed with your work! I’m learning Blender and I know how much goes into creation of a model like this. And that’s not even getting into flight modeling, systems, sound, and inventing new animations for capabilities the sim designers never envisioned!

Also, I’m not saying it’s not $35 in value. I’m sure a Macross/Transformers/Gundam/etc fan is gonna love this!

More just highlighting that a lot of people who would be excited by the novelty of this plane, but who aren’t likely to spend many hours flying it as their regular ride, would be more likely to buy it if it was an “impulse” price. I’m not saying it’s not worth $35, just that I have to think you’ll sell exponentially more at $15-25 because at that price point you’re going to get a lot more people who are more casually interested.

All that said, congratulations! It’s super-cool.

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Looks fun, but I agree with Editer that $35 is way too much to ask, and it will not sell well at this price. Customers don’t care how many hours went into it - we’re going to compare it to other similarly-priced products and compare features. And in MSFS, $35 gets you a high fidelity and detailed GA plane, or even PMDG’s 737-600. This looks like a casual plane (which is fine) and I would expect casual/arcade airplane prices, like $15 or so.

I might have missed it in this thread but what features are there, besides purely visual animations (which are impressive, don’t get me wrong)? Can I walk around on the ground in the robot form? Does it have some sort of fictional cold start sequence or something else to learn about it? Besides watching some animations, what does it offer for the price?

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It’s clear that volume pricing is the name of the game if you’re not PMDG. Many smaller outfits like Got Friends, FlightFX, etc have found a lot of success selling high-quality product at or below 30 USD because there’s a heck of a lot more folks playing MSFS than FSX or FS9. I echo the calls of the previous posters to consider bringing the price down - the breakeven point is a lot easier to reach for a digital product like this if you have more sales volume at a lower price.

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Almost every plane in msfs offers some basic similarities or setups. Even the simplest to more complex 737-600 has basic features like working landing gear, ailerons, rudder, flaps etc, etc… Those are features I think most expect to see on every plane.

It comes down to the enthusiast and I understand different strokes for different folks. If you like the way a 737-600 flies and handles and you like to push lots of buttons, then that’s great, but the experience and enjoyment for me in flying a plane are what make it have value to me. I have purchased expensive planes from the marketplace with super high end modelling and texturing and with 100’s of buttons to push, but after 5 minutes of a checklist, start up sequence, and taking off, what else is there to do? I get bored out of mind just cruising in a straight line, not very fast or good handling, or maxing out at a top speed of 400 knots. I use it once for 20 minutes or so and rarely fly it again, but that’s just me. I prefer planes with better handling and fun features. I actually really enjoy the Icon-A5, although one of the slower planes, it handles great, looks interesting, and the dual purpose of land and sea make it really fun. The F-18 and DC Designs F14 are awesome canyon carvers. The joy in them is the need for speed and handling. My creation offers a great combination of all of these. Need for speed, great handling for canyon carving, and multiple configurations for landing challenges and visual excitement.

I admit, the features in mine are probably for a niche fan base, not for the person that only wants to fly realistic planes and follow flight patterns for hours. If you are familiar with the series or grew up loving the show, then you will be thrilled to experience flying in the different transformations. I think of it as a great sports car. A sports car may not have all the gadgets, knobs, tech and video displays of a family mini-van, but I can tell you for sure which car keys I would grab and rather be driving. I would take the keys to the sports car every time when I have some spare time to spend driving, but that is just me and I understand not everyone is the same.

For me, I can fly around for hours in this plane and never be bored. Exploring mountain ranges, canyon carving, buzzing at 950 knots above the water, tearing up the coastline or along rivers, reaching a maximum speed of mach 7.77 (5200 knots) at an altitude of 135,000 and at any moment changing the entire look and seating position of my experience.

Just curious what these other planes you mention offer for their price that is so exciting to you and you find valuable? Truly interested, from a creators point of view, just thinking about what other enthusiasts find of value.

I appreciate the feedback and I am reconsidering how to distribute this to those who are interested. Appreciate the input.

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As you say, different strokes for different folks. Tearing around at low level and high speed has some appeal, but it’s something I only like to do occasionally. I’m also hardly ever in external view except for screenshots. When I consider a purchase, I consider what I can do with the plane, like types of flights or missions. Can I plan an IFR flight and cruise using interesting GPS systems and avionics? Can I view the beautiful countryside while flying in VFR conditions? Is there a lot to learn in terms of engine/system management? Can I simulate a military route or interception? etc.

I’m only speaking for myself but I think of content in terms of different missions I can simulate, as well as how much I can learn on any new aircraft. One mission type is definitely acrobatics, or low level military flight, or even “fun flying”. But that’s just one type of flying, and if that’s ALL I can do in a plane, it would bore me after a little bit. Which is fine, if I can buy that plane for cheap and enjoy it occasionally (I have a few like that).

I can give some leeway if the plane does other interesting things nothing else can do. The Astro One from Got Friends, for example, offers some really unique types of flying you can’t get with anything else right now, even if it has limited “missions”. Or the F-35, which I also find a little limited in what it can actually do, has some really nifty avionics to learn, plus VSTOL capabilities.

Anyway that’s how I personally see value in different addons.

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Appreciate the input. This is also why there are so many variations of planes. Everyone enjoys planes in different ways. I also love the car community and it is similar in that no two enthusiasts are exactly alike. They like doing different things with their cars, drive them in different scenarios or are in different phases of their life. Some enjoy cruising while others enjoy tearing up the canyons. I am kind of an adrenaline junky and don’t have a lot of time on my hands. So I kind of like to get in quick, have fun, explore a bit and then jump out. I am sure I will be in a phase some day where I just want to take my time and enjoy different aspects of the process. There will always be some sort of trade off or compromise when choosing what to fly.

I hope that in no way I have discounted the hard work and dedication other plane creators have put into their projects. If anything, I can now fully appreciate and understand the hard work that every creator has done.

Thanks for the input, very intereseting to hear what you look for in content. Notes taken. :+1:

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