Rebate on G3

[twostroke]

The Tower Hobbie site says there is a rebate on the G3 to the current G2 owners, does anyone have any information on this? They say the info is on the realflight web site but I do not see anything on it.

[Highflyer]

We've always gotten one in the past. But, I have not seen anything on it yet.

[rglass1144]

Sure you get a rebate on G3 . Only if you have just puchased the G2 within the last month or so. It is fifty dollars. So lets do the math on this one.
200.00 for G2 + 200.00 for G3= 400.00. Way too much for a simulator program. Oh ya I forgot the rebate. 400.00-50.00=350.00. And G3 will not work with G2 users on the internet. If you have just recently purchased G2 don't get G3, it has no helecopters and is full of bugs they need to fix. Great Planes is just trying to get some quick cash by releasing the G3 version just in time for xmas.

[Slider]

I have 4 copies of RF G2 and also was bugged about the rebate, I figured maybe a $100 rebate would be about right. I can't get a rebate on any of my RF G2's but no one is holding me from selling them if I so choose to. Once I tried out RF G3, any thoughts of not being able to receive a rebate on any of my RF G2's was GONE. I just ordered my second copy of RF G3 yesterday.

RC sim market=pretty small market=small margin of profit.

Unless you put out an RC sim that though good, has hardly any added Features, but even then I guess the margin of profit might not be all that much.

Adlai :)

[Cougar]

Wanna sell one? ~S~
You have 4 Copys? with Transmiters?
Thanks
Jeff

[Slider]

Hey Jeff,

I was contemplating on selling one or two copies but I've decided to hold on to them instead. And yes I do have the transmitters for each of them.

Thanks for the offer though.

Adlai :)

[Cougar]

Does the G3 TX work with G2????
And WHY so many copy's If I may ask?
Jeff

[Slider]

Jeff,

No you can't use the RF G3 controller with the RF G2 sim and vise versa. But you can use the RF G2 controller in tandum with the RF G3's controller if using split screen mode in RF G3.

Why do I have so many copies. I'm attempting to hopefully one day have like minded "RC RACE NUTS" :p like myself over to my home to race over the internet with either RF G2, RF G3 or RR G2.
Its a sloooooooow process but hopefully one day It'll work.

Pics below are of RealFlight G2 and one of RR G2
Adlai :)

[Cougar]

Awwww I SEE! :D
Thats way cool and looks like it would be fun! :)
I think I am just going to order the G2 Looks like if I do it right
I can get it for about 129 or so if I Use my Credits Right! ;)
And they seem to be selling used ones on Ebay for about a 100 bucks
I just as soon get my own new one.. Then after the Heli's come out
I can put the G2 on a laptop or out in the Garage! :p
And ALSO I can play at the same time with the Kids or a friend I guess
SO not a real big loss! ;)
Jeff

[Slider]

Jeff,

Cool...........:)

Adlai

[crites]

The upgrade policy on G3 is disappointing! You will never establish a significant user base with this pricing policy. It’s not like G2 was dirt cheap to begin with. If I am to start over with practically paying full price for the program then I am going to look competing programs like Ikarus or MRC Reflex and probably go with on because I'm upset with Knife Edge. At least with Reflex, I’ve gotten great recommendations as a 3D trainer, i.e. your competitors do have viable products!

If the upgrade price were reasonable Knife Edge would benefit by maintaining me as a happy customer (good PR), maintain a good market share, etc. Under the circumstances I’ll have a hard time recommending your products to anyone. I know I don’t have to upgrade but I’m really looking for an improvement in 3D performance and no one likes to be left behind with an obsolete product.

:(

[crites]

No I haven't actually seen RF G3, if so do you think I'd pay any price?

Regardless, I think this is a loyalty issues. I just think current customers that have already forked out hard earned money for G2 should get a decent price break on the upgrade path. With the quality of RF G2, with a decent upgrade price I wouldn't think twice about upgrading. I would not want to be left behind and naturally would want the latest and greatest product. Knife Edge's current policy sure doesn't encourage me to do that. Unfortunately $$$ is a consideration and if I've got to "start over" I might as well revisit all my alternataives. To be perfectly honest I really can't afford it, so I probably won't do anything. :( Maybe if I'm that destitute, I shouldn't have bought G2 in the first place! :) My wife surley didn't think I could afford it! :rolleyes:

[Ryan Douglas]

crites, I'm sorry that you're frustrated with the upgrade policy. We don't have any additional information. If we learn anything new, we will be sure to share it with you.

[FlyFast]

Thanks, I will do exactly that. I would encourage all who have an investment in G2 and would like to upgrade to G3 to submit your comments to Great Planes.

Kevin

[Scott S.]

That's what I did. Emailed GP. Comments get to where they need to go & don't clog up KE & RCG boards. I tried & mostly succeeded in keeping my email polite & on point. They already know lots of folks are mad - they *must* read these boards, right? I just want 'em to reconsider the pricing policy while we're all still here & before they figure how to lay out magazine ads over in Germany. I bet *lots* of friendly emails saying we're considering taking our business elsewhere might get someone's attention...

[Scott S.]

Nevermind. Came home & found FlyRC in the mailbox. Dudes in Germany finally learned how to lay out a magazine ad. Keen-looking pullout catalog-thing is rubber cemented in there and AFP-D is featured quite prominently. Their English is almost passably native, they didn't swap commas for decimals, and most importantly, the whole thing looks really good and just screams "buy me". The vultures are circling, and their flight physics look pretty darn realistic from here. Just in time for Christmas, too!

I must admit, the $25 TH coupon I got in the email today plus the "rebate" had me almost tempted, but it looks as though I've been successfully wooed by the girl with the helicopter on her head. Next stop, eBay!

[c3ny]

That's what I did. Emailed GP. Comments get to where they need to go & don't clog up KE & RCG boards. I tried & mostly succeeded in keeping my email polite & on point. They already know lots of folks are mad - they *must* read these boards, right? I just want 'em to reconsider the pricing policy while we're all still here & before they figure how to lay out magazine ads over in Germany. I bet *lots* of friendly emails saying we're considering taking our business elsewhere might get someone's attention...
I spoke with GP and they said that there is no phone number for Marketing (that they will give out), so I should email them. But they didn't have an email address. What address did you send your comments to? Like you said, perhaps a stream of emails would convince them. Not likely, but worth a shot.... Thanks!

[YBLee]

The RC Simulator market is a vvvvery small one unlike the gorilla's like Microsoft and relatively speaking the whole RC hobby is pretty small. So, if we want perple to invest time and effort in our hobby, we need to be willing to pay the price. This is a "hobby" for us on this side of the fence and a livelyhood for those that design this stuff. I expect to take a little heat for this position but I work and expect to get paid for my investment each day as those that write software.

Keep up the good work Knife Edge guys!

Opinions welcome,

YBLee

[FlyFast]

Hmmm...I think you missed the point. I do not think anyone is saying that the developers of this software do not deserve money for their time and effort. I am a software developer and I understand what goes into a product that is designed for the masses. I believe the complaint is more related to the fact that this is not a mandatory upgrade, it's probably a "nice to have" for most G2 owners. I use G2 and I enjoy the product. The software industry is built on creating that "killer" app that carries the momentum with a loyal customer base to future releases of the product. I think that G3 is probably an excellent product but I for one will not upgrade at this time for $200. A "better" upgrade path might encourage me to upgrade sooner. Keep in mind that RC planes is an expensive hobby and my money gets pulled in a lot of different directions!

That’s my opinion…..

[bruceatk]

Their upgrade policy will ensure that it stays small. I bought Real Flight G2 and Real Race G2 in July, so I am only eligible for a $25.00 rebate. This is completely ridiculous. My upgrade will cost me $175.00 for a $200.00 product. I think $50.00 to $75.00 for the upgrade would be more reasonable.

They have definitely lost me as a customer for life. I'll be selling both on e-bay.

Real Flight G2 buy now $100.00
Real Race G2 buy now $50.00

Bruce

[Scott S.]

c3ny: I emailed rfsupport@greatplanes.com . I got this addy from GP's RF "contact" page.

YBlee: I am willing to pay the price. I'm a Mac user. I bought a PC for one reason only. And I've just scored a fairly high-end graphics card. So I'm ready to bump up to RFG3. Or to AFP-D. Woulda just bought my brand like I always do, but I've been forced by circumstance to check out all my options before I make my next move. Bad call puttin' me in this spot when there are *other* hot products on the market. *Any* reasonable rebate/upgrade woulda kept me on board for RFG7, 8, 9...

I'm all for Knife Edge, too. They seem like great folks. My beef is with GP, but not with them charging what the market will bear for, admittedly, niche software. That's just business. I'm worried that they'll fatally wound RF by miscalculating & going for short-term bucks and not getting (and keeping) a crucial big chunk of market*share* of this itty-bitty niche market. Apple blew their shot at that when they had a chance to own home computing. Right now, in a three-horse race, (IMHO - hope that goes w/o saying), GP *must* keep their customers happy, coming back for more, not straying elsewhere, recruiting new customers, and bragging about how cool their sim is. But they've alienated we the core audience, the forum-posting tell-all-their-friends blabbermouth early-adopters. I think the odds of a RFG6 are pretty slim right about now. Since this is such a tiny market, there's not enough to split three ways. One of these companies has to be the Sega. This sucks, because I *want* RF to live. I like the planes & I feel good when I read Jim B's posts over at RCG answering all the questions and classily ignoring all the insults. KE is good people.

Et cetera. I'm even starting to bore myeslf here. But, the reality is I woulda been willing to buy RFG3 sight-unseen - how many of us plans to drive to their LHS to check out a sim? And how many of these LHSs have more than one available for demo? Is there even one store anywhere with all three? - it would have been so easy. But now I'm gonna wait for reviews, or take a chance on the German guys, or drive over hill and dale to check out what's available. Actually, I'll probably just wait for the R/C show that's coming to town in Feb. 2005. Once I buy I'm gonna tell everyone within earshot what I like and don't like. But I wouldn't have even gone out lookin' if they'd just kept me happy at home. Like another poster said, er, posted: the sale was theirs to lose.

The "ding dong the witch is dead" tone of my last post was just me blowing off steam about GP, not KE. The vulture flight physics quip was in poor taste - just me tryin' to be funny.

Okay...

Rant mode = off.