Area 51

[srb810]

I have recently let my Area 51 membership expire due to not enough information being given out. I agree with most people that paying for "exclusive information" is pointless when information isn't really given out. Even the occasional "Hey, we are still working, but not really to tell at the moment" would be fantastic. There were times when I wouldn't get on the forums for a few months and come back and not see a single new thing in the Area 51 forums and worry that maybe the sim would not be created.

But enough about that, I have a few questions regarding my previous Area 51 membership and the future. I am wondering if I will still get the "$25.00 discount off the initial Fighter Ops® release" without being a current Area 51 member? I have the same question about the stopworks discounts as well.

I also think someone should maybe update the Area 51 tab because the benefits on the page are kinda misleading. In the few years that I was an area 51 member I never heard of any "Live Guest Chats with the Fighter Ops® team members, bona fide Fighter Pilots, special guests, etc" unless you count the times when team members post on the forums, but that doesn't seem "live." The access to the prize patrol forum must have disappeared because I haven't seen any prizes given away in quite a long time. So telling potential area 51 members that these things are available to them kinda mis-leads them.

Having said all of that I hope development continues as you will probably have the most advanced flight sim out there. I will definitely be one of the first to buy this sim, but until it gets closer to release my area 51 money could be spent else where.

Good luck

[xhaos]

Presently I remember them giving away A51 memberships (though this might not count as A51 prise), but I also remember some coffee cups. As with many things in life, this also is what it is. I think everybody was expecting more tangible giveaways like beta testing of what ever, but sadly such prises aren't feasible. On the TS channel there was always someone to bother, but two times I tried to bother it seemed like there was nobody on the other side. I can also say that I too hope for the discount on the initial release but I also very much doubt it.

Anyways, I really hope they will keep on going and blow our minds when they will have their product complete. I have faith that it will take a huge chunk from our free time.

[Buckshot]

Hi srb,
Not sure how long ago you let your membership expire, but if you've been around the Area 51 forums over the past few weeks you will have seen a number of exclusive updates. In regards to the discount, this has been answered previously and yes, any Area 51 member who has paid a membership once or more will get the $25 discount off the first public release.

In regards to competitions, the frequency of these depends largely on funds available and the priority of those funds, it's as simple as that, the reason for Area 51 is to allow people to support the project but also allow us to give them something back in recognition, in prizes we have given many thousands of dollars worth, but we must be smart about this, and yes, we have had to cut back on that lately.

For the Teamspeak sessions, it's a matter of interest levels, we have had a number of high profile people come to do sessions and only 1 or 2 Area51 members bother to show up, again it simply doesn't make sense to continue, we also give you the opportunity to come into the teamspeak channels and talk to us, can I ask how many times you tried to do that? Again if it's not used, then developers don't bother hanging around, a lot of this comes back to the members themselves and what they want from their membership.

[xhaos]

I really hope all the best for XSI, and I really feel that when all work is finished you will have a mind blowing product. I can also say that I wish my financial status allowed me to continue contributing.

[srb810]

Buckshot,

I had thought I had remembered hearing a long time ago about being able to get the discount, but figured I would ask anyway.

As for the teamspeak sessions I have never actually been or participated in one as I had no idea how to. I had really not even remembered about this or some of the other member 51 benefits until my membership ran out and I went to Area 51 tab on the main website. I remember back when I first joined going to look at the teamspeak stuff but if I remember correctly it was in-active when I viewed it and i did not really understand how to join. I could be wrong about it being in-active though.

I will have to admit, besides the somewhat lack of new information over the last 5 months or so I have been happy with the progress. I think what got me thinking was when someone posted some negative things about the progress. I know this is nothing new as it seems to happen about once or twice a month, but when 2 weeks had passed and there was no response from anyone associated with the program I got worried. I know the team gets tired of responding to negativity, but I think it assures some of us (well maybe just me) that progress is still being made.

My membership just expired maybe 3 weeks ago. Actually the same day the new information for area 51 came out was the day it expired. So, no I was unable to look at it as my membership had expired. It was kinda like salt in the wound because I would come here a few times a week looking for updates and then the day my membership expires is the day there is an update. :nono:

I don't want you to take my post as another negative, but these were some thoughts I had. I haven't really posted much over the last few years as I mainly just read through the threads looking for information, but I figured now was better than ever. Again I wish you luck and I hope that development continues as this will be a great product.

[Eihort]

As a one time member, I think the issue is a fundamental misunderstanding of what the incentives are actually for.

Take PBS or NPR as an example. Donate $100 and you get a nice branded tote bag. A lot of people angry at the program are focusing on the fact that the tote isn't worth the $100. Of course it isn't. You're donating the $100 to PBS/NPR so they can keep broadcasting and developing programming you enjoy so you don't have commercials.

It's the same thing here. You're donating to the development, which really, after the cost of prizes as stated before, just buys them some pizza a few nights of the week. The access to insider information and other things TBD is the gift.

I do feel that they should finally release some more information to the general public. However, this is the primary reason I let my membership lapse in the first place. Back then the information would bake a while with members, then be released to the public. My only incentive was getting it 30-60 days sooner. Considering it was the only short-term incentive, well, there it is. Why bother? For XSI to release that information now would only damage the existing membership base due to the same reasoning. They don't want to do that, and hell, *I* don't want them to do that. The more I think about it I'll probably end up renewing my membership after writting this post to see all the new stuff they posted.

Then again... do I really want to tease myself to death with images of something I won't be able to buy for quite a while yet....

[coder1024]

I think A51 is well worth it. Just downloaded and enjoyed the latest video. Definitely worth the price. Its not a ton of info, but then again its not a very big price when you think about it. And the price of A51 is taken off your purchase price of the sim when it comes out so its a win-win :)