NEWS! - Laminar Research announces full X-Plane 12 release in December 2022?

 

 

At the FSWeekend in Lelystad, Netherlands it was announced that Laminar Research expect to release the "Full" version of the X-Plane 12 in December. That will allow the distribution DVD disks and keys for the Pro version of the new version simulator. It also allows developers in 2023 to release fully X-Plane compatible aircraft, scenery and plugins.

 

The Beta release known as "Early Access" (download only), was released on September 6th 2022, we are currently in b11.

 

Obviously I'm as you are very happy about that announcement...  but.

 

I don't know however if to take the announcement as realistic? We have been in beta for only a few months, and yes a lot of elements have been addressed, but I'm not feeling or seeing how X-Plane 12 could go fully X-Plane 12 in four weeks? It just not seem feasible from this point in time?

 

However Laminar Research did note the improved Airbus A330 with a custom MCDU instead of the default XP FMS was shown at the Flight Sim show.

 

Known bugs include...

• Incomplete or missing features in Alpha/Early Access:
  • Master-external visual networking
  • New XPLM APIs
  • Airbus A330 FMC
• In progress features:
  • Tuning lighting & fog
  • LIT textures
  • VR holodeck lighting
  • Far trees don’t look great
  • Better cloud shapes, especially cirrus
  • Performance tuning
• XPD-12879 Wake turbulence broken for 3rd party integrations.

 

But I am not at all happy with the weather conditions (Winds), lighting (internal), Sun, Night lighting and much, much more... the improvements are not coming fast enough to warrant such an announcement. After transitioning three betas in the past (X-Plane 9, X-Plane 10 and X-Plane 11) I know the routine enough by now.

 

My roadmap or guts says more mid-January 2023, even late January at the current pace.... do I hear the words "half baked".

 

Laminar Research have released a formal X-Plane 12 Official Trailer

 

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X-Plane 12 (Beta) Early Access is purchased directly from Laminar Research for US$59.95

 

X-Plane 12

Price is US$59.95

 

A detailed release summary is coming very soon, so check back on the site regularly for coming X-Plane 12 updates as we delve into the exciting new chapter of the X-Plane Simulator.

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NEWS! by Stephen Dutton

9th November 2022

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(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All rights reserved.

 

Releasing in January would mean missing the important ‘Xmas market. Another month of Beta would have been nice but Laminar also need to be commercially realistic. Lots of money, particularly with younger users around the holidays - think Steam vouchers. 

Then it will be a "Half Baked" Christmas Present

Really?  Not everyone takes their flight simulation as seriously as you or I might do. Not everyone pours over every forum. Not everyone notices every small glitch or focuses on the next micro stutter. Like all those people who bought MSFS when it came out, suffered all the issues of downloading it and getting it to work and still being enthusiastic because they saw their house. All users, all paying the same amount as we do to Laminar. There will be further updates after it is released, just as there always have been, maybe in January.

It may well be that Laminar intended the Beta to be better sorted by the holiday season but video sales in November and December are each generally around three times higher than any month in the year. It makes sense for Laminar to give up that potential revenue for another year? Plus MSFS 40th Anniversary Edition is due for release tomorrow. Many people when they select as Flight Simulator stay with it. Should Laminar give MS a free run at this years holiday market?