I personally am not a fan of exclusive digital download, although I much prefer that than selling out to a corrupt publisher. Ideally, a game is available with both a hard retail version (the traditional box in stores) and a digital download with no lifetime activation limit. To prevent widespread copying with the latter, there can be a monthly activation limit. For an example, the game Mount & Blade has no lifetime activation limit, but you can only activate the game twice every six months. If you happen to need to do so more than that, you can contact the developer and explain the situation to them. At least, that's how I recall it working. It's not 100% ideal, but it works fairly well (unlike Mass Effect's five lifetime activations, meaning that if you reinstall Windows five times, you can't play the game anymore without first successfully haggling with E.A. on an expensive telephone number).

What I most dislike is any distribution method or D.R.M. which prevents a paying customer from being able to use the game or simulator at any point in the future, or which takes liberties with the security of the computer. I must refuse to support any developer who, at any point in time, utilizes such a scheme. It is very unethical and unfair to the paying customer; in fact, it punishes the customers for supporting the company, and gives everyone incentive to pirate the game instead. If I buy a game, it's mine for good. And no one dicks with my computer's security if I can help it.

So, as mentioned in the other thread, I very much hope to be able to support Thunder Works and fly Jet Thunder, but if Thunder Works finds itself forced to use one of the immoral D.R.M. methods such as those I've mentioned, I shall inescapably find myself forced to withhold support and go without flying yet another of the precious few high-fidelity aerial combat simulators.

I occasionally play my old games through (i.e. original Call of Duty). Last week while unpacking I came across my $10.00 jewlcase of the original Half Life. It's been a while since I played it so I thought I'd play it through again.

I forgot it was my one and only Steam game. I created a Steam account a long time ago for this one game (BTW, I usually keep my games on a separate partition which doesn’t have Internet access, so I was already irritated by the process). I got as far as getting my account info emailed to an old email address but for whatever reason I couldn't continue as it disagreed with my answer to a secret question (mom's maiden name). So I created a new Steam account with my current email, typed in the game's registration code, and it told me that code was already registered to another email address.

Ef it, I threw the damn thing in the trash!

I'll never willingly support online DRM again unless I absolutely have to (i.e. future OS which requires it)! Give me a dongle or a printed manual or whatever to deter piracy, and charge me more if need be (I don't mind paying more for a good flight sim), but don't require my ability to play with some online access / activation BS, please.

I know, I know, I need to get with the times...like accepting the History Channel's new popular reality-TV format and accept that texting will soon make voice communications obsolete (of course it's much more convenient to type than to speak, right? just learn 2 type like U R illiterate its easy any 1 can do it )

I'm getting old.

[nods at MarkG's post]

This survey has been tremendously useful. thanks a lot guys. Its already helped us prioritise certain features like clickable cockpits and all that which goes with it.

Best wishes guys.

I guess my opinion on clickable cockpits doesn't matter, since I'm hugely in the minority, but I myself loathe clickable cockpits. In order to click something, I have to let go of my joystick. I cannot position my mouse in a place where I can use it with my left hand. And even if I could, I can't effectively use a mouse left-handed, in spite of several months of having to do so after hand surgury. I'm boggled at how other people do it. I'd much rather have confusing and hard-to-remember key combinations. I hope we have a choice in the simulator.

there will definitely be a choice.