Is this really a support forum?

[psolk 80]

So I hate to do this but I have been biting my tongue for quite awhile on this one.

Where is the support for AES?? The only thing I see here is users trying to help other users. I think we all know and respect the fact that Oliver has a lot of other things going on in his life and AES always comes after real life but what I don't think Oliver understands is that most of us have spent more on AES than ANY other add-on for FS. I am sure there are a lot of people here with hundreds of dollars invested in AES. Then we come here to ask for support and it is literally crickets chirping it is so quiet from the lack of response. Heck, I asked about an LLBG issue on April 3rd and NEVER got a response. You can go up and down the forum and see that either questions go unanswered or other users try to step up to help out.

So either this is no longer an official support forum and it is just users helping users or Aerosoft should be looking get someone other than Oliver in here for support and answers.

Unfortunately the lack of response in the AES forums is akin to some of the worst developers in FS. Heck, I think even CaptainSim will answer a question before you can get a question answered for AES.

With the greatest respect, something needs to be done to address this. Asking us to pay the amount we do and then not providing adequate support is unfair for those that have spent the $$$.

This is just my opinion but I feel it is something that needs to be said and addressed.

Sincerely,

Paul Solk

[Ray Proudfoot 231]

Hi Paul,

I sympathise. I too have spent a fair amount on AES over the years. I also had a recent problem and it took a while before Oliver responded but eventually he did and his advice sorted things out.

The main problem as I see it is it's a one-man show and if Oliver is busy in his life then he can't be in two places at once.

John Dekker of Radar Contact did entrust me with an emergency registration service which I do occasionally use. But I'm not sure if AES can be supported by anyone else.

Pity really as it's one of the most successful addons of all time but success brings its own problems. I hope yours is sorted soon.

[Hewey 8]

Hello Paul,well done for speaking up! I have sat here and thought the same for months but have stayed silent. I understand that Oliver is busy,however I feel the time has come that he may need to let his baby go and allow it to be looked after by a trustworthy person.I don't know how much it has made,but I would have though it could sustain a part time wage,and could be worked on/supported under the guidence of Oliver.If regular updates,and further airports were added I believe it could make a fortune.Whilst I have already spent a lot of money,I would spend more if further airports were available(It would be interesting to know how many people wait to see if a scenery is to be supported by AES before purchasing that scenery?).Criticism doesn't seem to go down to well on this forum,and I have never said anything in fear of Oliver saying "Well,if your not happy I'l just pack in". AES is flightsim in my eyes,and long may it be available.Regards Mark

[psolk 80]

Hi Ray, Hi Hewey,

Thank you for the support. Ray, this is not just about my issue but the list of issues that have gone unsolved/unanswered in this forum. I certainly do not want this to be about me nor do I want to be insensitive or lack understanding for OIiver's situation. Hewey, I too was nervous of the response and the possible backlash of this post however I feel we have all been waiting patiently and walking on eggshells in regards to what was happening and if no one speaks up nothing will ever be done. There is always the possibility of Oliver throwing in the towel but the purpose of my post was not to demonize anyone but to ask for a problem to be addressed.

Oliver, we all really appreciate all you do and we all LOVE AES, we just want it to be officially supported to the same high standards as the product itself.

[flywap 48]

I don't want to cause any upset to Oliver, especially as I think AES is a brillant addon that is very much needed to make airports useable.

When AES was new and versions were being released every month, but the gaps between versions have been getting longer. Also in the past when I have asked for support, Oliver has assisted quickly and resolved any problems.

For Oliver's sake I hope the rival version to aes (which I don't like that much, and I haven't bought) isn't damaging Oliver's income.

Oliver everyone on this forum wants AES to be a continuing success in the future and we are all behind you. If you need some help, please ask.

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

I'll try to reach Oliver.

[edetroit 529]

So I hate to do this but I have been biting my tongue for quite awhile on this one.

Where is the support for AES?? The only thing I see here is users trying to help other users. I think we all know and respect the fact that Oliver has a lot of other things going on in his life and AES always comes after real life but what I don't think Oliver understands is that most of us have spent more on AES than ANY other add-on for FS. I am sure there are a lot of people here with hundreds of dollars invested in AES. Then we come here to ask for support and it is literally crickets chirping it is so quiet from the lack of response. Heck, I asked about an LLBG issue on April 3rd and NEVER got a response. You can go up and down the forum and see that either questions go unanswered or other users try to step up to help out.

So either this is no longer an official support forum and it is just users helping users or Aerosoft should be looking get someone other than Oliver in here for support and answers.

Unfortunately the lack of response in the AES forums is akin to some of the worst developers in FS. Heck, I think even CaptainSim will answer a question before you can get a question answered for AES.

With the greatest respect, something needs to be done to address this. Asking us to pay the amount we do and then not providing adequate support is unfair for those that have spent the $$$.

This is just my opinion but I feel it is something that needs to be said and addressed.

Sincerely,

Paul Solk

Thankyou very much for bringing this up Paul.

I had bitten my tonque for so long and hard on this that I could no longer speak.

[Ray Proudfoot 231]

Hi Ray, Hi Hewey,

Thank you for the support. Ray, this is not just about my issue but the list of issues that have gone unsolved/unanswered in this forum. I certainly do not want this to be about me nor do I want to be insensitive or lack understanding for OIiver's situation.

Hi Paul,

No, I fully understand it's not about your unanswered query. And from the other posts it's clear that support has fallen below the usual high standards.

I'm sure Oliver will understand and hopefully things will change for the better.

[Qseries 153]

Hey Guys,

i was already in my bed when I checked the Aerosoft Forums whether there are any news and found this thread, and I got up again and went to a computer for answering because I felt that I really had to support Paul.

I also really like AES and for me it's also one of the most important addons for realistic flight simulation. But at the moment I'm a bit concerned about it's future - not because of me - I think I will always buy new credits if there are airports available, and I look whether an airport is supported or will get supported everytime before I buy a new airport - but I'm a bit concerned about what impression potentially new costumers will get if they see a support forum where are only requests but nearly no official answers.

We all have other things to do than flight simulation, and I think we all understand that it's not Oliver's main job, but only an additional income.
Because of that, we are all really thankful that Oliver uses his time to develop AES for us. So I think it can be concluded that no one here in this thread wants to attack Oliver or complain - I think most of us are just concerned about AES, and want to show up where are the problems, with the intention to help that AES will sell many additional years.

So it's really needed that AES get's a better support, and eventually also an additional person (e.g. from Aerosoft) who will help Oliver with development. If more airports get supported faster, AES credits will also sell better i think. And if the updates are to slow, there is the danger, that those costumers who are less loyal will change to the competitors product (which has a lot of disadvantages in my opinion). But it has to be said that in comparison to the competitors product, AES is a lot more expensive. For that price - as Paul said many of us loyal costumers have spent more than 100€ in AES Credits - we should get a better support, and also regularly updates. If an update lasts longer, it would be really great for the loyal costumers if Oliver would announce which airports will be in the next update. For example I'm interested in FSDT's Vancouver, but I haven't bought it yet because I don't know whether it'll get AES support or not.

I understand that Oliver doesn't want another person to get involved in the project because of some reasons, but I think that AES really needs to get developed faster to stay competitive to other products which may get updates as well. For example, what about someone of Aerosoft's modeling team who can develop some new vehicles, while Oliver develops the techniques to implement them or does the support for new airports. Or someone who does the support for new airports, while Oliver works on the development of the AES system. (There are also many threads with wishes of users, which also doens't get any answer)

Finally I want to say thank you to Paul for having the courage to start this thread, and I want to say again that we all really like AES, and just want to help.
- and of course: Thank you Oliver for developing AES.

[gmaya10 32]

Hello

I guess that this tread is a result not for a bad criticism but a recognize of a succeed product, for our, the Loyal costumers, AES has become a point to spend Money not only for Oliver’s product, but another extraordinary developers (in my case for FS2004) that I don’t buy not for the quality of the airport or for even the price, simply, I don’t know If It’s going to have AES Support or not.

Maybe It is a not valid way to spend money in FS airports Add-ons, but, Oliver's product has make a way to move money for my credit card.

Sometimes I’ve seen many impolite ways to correct some newer users about the “correct” way to use this forum, even the way they make a request, while right or wrong are their request. And this behavior has seen even from moderator’s forum.

As I said in my last post, patience is my shield but ask and request is my sword.

Sincerely

Mario Gustavo Maya Solano

[OPabst 2091]

hi Paul,

I am sorry, when you have the feeling, you get no support here. Support is normally done by Aerosoft, they get payed for it. Developeres are contacted only, when Aerosoft can't help. That's how the most developer handle it. Aerosoft has the policy (as the CEO see it) to use this forum in the main part as "users help users" and the support by aerosoft is done via email or ticketsystem.

I have seen the need of help here in the forum direct by the developer as more important and different to the policy of aerosoft over more then 6 years now, so I try to spent much as possible time to give the users a fast feedback here.

But, FS development is not my primary business, and so i have also other parts to do, in the last month this parts needed a lot of attentions, so i had to reduce my time for AES to the minimum. And I must arrange the rest of time to the important parts, and that is developing, not answer question, which are mostly could be answered faster by other users. And we have a lot of good and helpful users here.

Qestions about new airports I never have answered and will never answer them before i don't have done that one, the request thread is monitored therefor.

Minor problem like missplaced dockingsystems will be seen too, I will check it first when i am at my PC and if needed it will be corrected for the next version. But this week I am in holidays far away from my PC, so this needs to wait, as all the rest.

AES will be in process for FS2004 and FSX as in the last years, as fast as possible with new airports and features.

[edetroit 529]

Great to hear from you Oliver......and that the future of AES looks bright.

Just a little reminder....the ability to choose which pushback truck aaaannnd which towbar. (length)

[Ray Proudfoot 231]

Just a thought about the creation of AES files for future airports... Might it be worth thinking about providing a licence to the developers of airports so they can create the AES files themselves?

AES files would then be available on release of their airport. Clearly Oliver would not want to be financially disadvantaged by such a move but it could result in increased sales for both the airport and AES as many people hold back from buying an airport until AES is available.

I appreciate it's not a simple thing to work out financially but done properly could be attractive to everyone.

[psolk 80]

Thank you for taking the time to respond Oliver! It is greatly appreciated! I was not aware of the support arrangement at all. I incorrectly assumed all support came from you as well. Just so you know, you also have people here who would be more than happy to volunteer for you. I actually think the AES followers are probably one of the most loyal FS groups out there. Most of us couldn't imagine FS without your hard work and AES and if we need to give a little back to help out I know I for one am more than willing.

All the best Oliver, thank you again for the response.

-Paul

And thank you for all the support from everyone else as well, I knew posting this was a bit of a risk but glad it was kept civil and respectful. (A rarity in FS forums!)

[738 756]

Very nice repectful words in your post there Paul (And yes, a rarity in other places)

[psolk 80]

Very nice repectful words in your post there Paul (And yes, a rarity in other places)

Thanks Chris,

It is amazing to me how many people forget that it is not just what you are saying but how you are saying it that matters! I have found a little politeness and a (virtual) smile goes a long way!

[Airbusfan EDDM 6]

• AES bleibt für mich weiter Nr. 1
• Ein Dank nicht nur an Oliver!
• Auch an die Erlaubnis!!!!! Repaint aller Fahrzeuge! So sehen die AES Fahrzeuge auf Flughäfen noch toller aus!!
• Ein Dank also auch an die vielen unbekannten Helfer für AES!!!!
• Ich habe noch 60 Punkte die auf Einlösung warten.

[Machado 5]

• AES bleibt für mich weiter Nr. 1
• Ein Dank nicht nur an Oliver!
• Auch an die Erlaubnis!!!!! Repaint aller Fahrzeuge! So sehen die AES Fahrzeuge auf Flughäfen noch toller aus!!
• Ein Dank also auch an die vielen unbekannten Helfer für AES!!!!
• Ich habe noch 60 Punkte die auf Einlösung warten.

for no german speakers, as me

AES remains on for me # 1

A thank you not only to Oliver!

Also on permission!! Repaint all vehicles! To see the AES vehicles on airports still great!

A thank you also to the many unknown words helper for AES!​​!

I have 60 points are waiting for redemption.