Welcome to 2012, the age of digital distribution and downloadable content.

Hate to burst your denial bubble mate but DLC has been around for a few years now and as the poll above suggest not everyone supports it.

Now go back and play on your Xbox mmkay!

This, for the purposes of CLoD, is surely the salient point. I pre-ordered RoF's channel map and 'planes because I have confidence in 777 Studios. I have confidence in the RoF business model because they communicate with their community and of course, they deliver. I even know that the channel map is in early alpha testing and is looking good. I know this because the owner of 777 Studios took time off from his honeymoon to post on the RoF forums!

Is RoF's business model the way to go? I don't know, no one does but it seems to provide a constant revenue stream to a small studio producing a very complex but very niche product. Maddox Games is also a small studio also producing a complex, niche product but must still pay it's way. Is a game that takes five to six years to produce and sells a relatively small amount of copies for 50-60 bucks a go still a viable business model? Perhaps we're about to find out.

wrong

the DCS model doesnt have anything to do with the RoF model, which is evil and destructive to all things flightsim we hold precious. it was dreamt up by teflon suit clad shysters as their vision of the american dream, so they siphon money and get rich while the rest of the universe goes to hell as a direct consequence of what they create

what you are mistakenly referring to, is that DCS has now created their battlefield simulator interface, which is a project in its own right, and has taken significant resources from them to create (in man hrs and $). as such, to the best of my current knowledge, it is fair enough to provide that as a separate product (which customers of their other sim producs can still use, but cant "control" and have the direct use of to configure and manipulate)

their paid beta program is also a success, and would have avoided the storm of -ve publicity CoD generated on release (and something people like tree-uk never had the IQ power to comprehend), it was either the broken beta we got (and yes, was sold to us as a completed game, and that was the mistake) or NOTHING. having, and tolerating still, the perpetual clique of selfish whiners hasnt created ANYTHING positive to improve the outcome, if anything it has worsened our problem.

+1

Whatever you are smoking - it's good :)

You are confusing DCS: World with DCS: Combined Arms here? DCS: Combined Arms is a DLC for DCS: World. DCS: World is free (as is RoF). Description taken from their website:

Digital Combat Simulator World (DCS World) is a free, unified interface for all DCS products; you can think of DCS World as a simulation operating system. DCS modules that can plug into DCS World can include aircraft, maps, ground units, campaigns, etc. Not only can DCS World include modules developed internally by Eagle Dynamics, but it can also include those by certified third party developers.

Which is a single product all future content (paid DLCs) will be developed for. All current existing products (A-10C, Black Shark) are being converted as a module for this new RoF inspired business model.

This is just backwards. I don't want to pay someone money to beta test their software.

Either way you end up owning the retail version.....so whats the problem?

+1 yep, look at what it did to MSFS...

there is no need to spin into circles and confuse yourself, just for the meaningless attempt to have some argument online with somebody who doesnt really care (me)

what does matter, is that DCS has a proven track record with releasing good products (as il2/oleg) does, and that as development became more complex and expensive, DCS found a way to raise money for their (relatively) small team to fund their ongoing devellopment by selling their "still in development" beta products , if money is the single issue that is needed to keep the SoW project going, its not a bad model to look at

ahh, but see ..... here is the catch, what you personally think doesnt matter (in case that confuses you, neither does it matter what i think on that topic). what DOES matter is that there is a large enough group of enthusiastic long term flight simmers to whom it does matter, and that their number is large enough to:
a) help support developments they believe in, and they have confidence enough to put their money where their mouth is (contrary to the majority of self centred whiners who dont contribute anything)
b) that there are enough people interested in a project like that to pay to get an early preview at the product by getting a hold of the beta product they are so interested in (eg early adopters). at the same time this approach provides an early stream of constructive feedback to developers to extensively test things the developer doesnt always have time for. and as a bonus, all this is done without the selfish whiners who dont see the big picture.

For DCS, they have now added another product to their list, the campaign-engine/battlefield-environment. you dont need to buy it if you dont like it, but even if you dont own it you can still fly around in it using the aircraft you have already purchased from them in the past, sounds pretty fair to me. the people who do like it, will spend more of their money so they can twiddle with the fiddly bits and build campaigns, the rest of us can just fly around in it and blow stuff up with our favored aircraft.

ps: in case you find longer threads confusing, read the OP again. i am simply suggesting a more worthwhile alternative to the OP's suggestion at copying anything from the laughable RoF sales model concoction

As i said, all bloody pointless.

Entertaining though better than the telly, carry on.