VKB TECS: MODULARITY FULL AHEAD

[TrueWeevie]

For users, however, who currently lack a solution in that area, I think it’s perfectly reasonable for them to be asking for even a wide timeframe. For those folks, knowing it’ll be for sure more than two months out (as an example) would be a massive decision-making help.

Ever been in a car with a 6 year old who constantly asks "Are we there yet?"?

People are not rationally asking these questions so they can make a rational decision, if they were, they could take a look at this thread and see they're not going to get an answer.

They're pestering.

Ron61's answer is the answer of a man who is tired of children pestering him.

Frankly, he's been more diplomatic than I would have been. Which is why VKB still have customers!

[loitho]

For users, however, who currently lack a solution in that area, I think it’s perfectly reasonable for them to be asking for even a wide timeframe. For those folks, knowing it’ll be for sure more than two months out (as an example) would be a massive decision-making help.

There is more to lose by releasing a date for VKB than anything.

If they were to release a date and not be able to ship their product at said time, they would receive a much bigger backlash from people compared to the few complaining about not having any visibility

[miniDev]

All impatient questions - what do you think will be the answer to such questions about future products, if they are asked, for example, Thrustmasters or Logitech?

Damn ... I really thought VKB was different than Logitech, Thrustmaster.
Sorry, my bad

Oooh...did the nasty engineering man who makes excellent products hurt your feelings?

Poor baby

Frankly if you think excellent engineers who IMHO, are the best at what they do, working under particularly trying conditions getting a bit cranky due to impatient children constantly asking "are we there yet?" makes them like Logitech and TM, I hope you won't wait for TECS. I wouldn't want anyone thinking that you and I have anything in common.

hmm ... pretty harsh but, I'll ignore the personal attack ... so moving on !

To be fair Logitech and Thrustmaster, being bigger, have community managers and therefore are better with communication with their respective communities. It's probably the only point where they are better than VKB... You may not care for that aspect, but please bear in mind that you are not alone. Proof is this thread, 17 pages long, a big chunk of it being people asking for updates (In what I thought was a polite manner, but I may be biased).

So am I really evil for asking for more communication ?
And by the way ... W.T.H. ?? ... I didn't ask for ANY details ! I did tell that even something like «sorry, we're still working on it, we can't predict a release date yet» would be ok by me.

And that's exactly what the reddit post was about.
I'm thankful for that post, whoever made it.
I'm even surprised to learn that they are working even harder than what I would have thought reasonable !
(@vkb guys : please take your time and don't take our thirst for information / updates as pestering)

[Masque]

For users, however, who currently lack a solution in that area, I think it’s perfectly reasonable for them to be asking for even a wide timeframe. For those folks, knowing it’ll be for sure more than two months out (as an example) would be a massive decision-making help.

There is more to lose by releasing a date for VKB than anything.

If they were to release a date and not be able to ship their product at said time, they would receive a much bigger backlash from people compared to the few complaining about not having any visibility

Right. Hence “wide timeframe”. Wide timeframes give you time to shift them without such backlash.

(Source: Every project ever.)

If I’m a customer looking to buy one of these and I know it’ll be 2+ months, then two weeks later it’s said to still be 2+ months, that’s a much smaller deal than being told it’s entering production and then crickets for four months, as happened here.

This isn’t a plea for faster releases, a rushed product, or proprietary details. It’s just wanting communication of expectations. Silence is fine, but they broke that silence, and mending it isn’t really a thing.

[Zyll]

Good luck guys, I can't see myself holding out another 3 months -> 6 months -> 4 years. I'm putting my money towards a competitor's HOTAS ecosystem. If VKB would like some honest, unbiased feedback, quite frankly I don't have the same level of confidence that I had at the beginning of the year that TECS is on the horizon.

[HollyWood]

VKB: I bought the Gladiator NXT and LOVE it.
After putting it together, and appreciating the engineering, I bought the rudder pedals.

These are both things of sturdy construction and ergonomic satisfaction, kudos guys, I can't overstate how these experiences leave me waiting patiently for the throttle, a VKB 'three-peat' for this simpit.

Stay out here living your best lives homies, I keep checking, and the only thing I feel is anticipation for another fine example of exceptional engineering.

"You can be my wingman any time."

[TrueWeevie]

Good luck guys, I can't see myself holding out another 3 months -> 6 months -> 4 years. I'm putting my money towards a competitor's HOTAS ecosystem. If VKB would like some honest, unbiased feedback, quite frankly I don't have the same level of confidence that I had at the beginning of the year that TECS is on the horizon.

I think a fair few people are losing patience and eyeing up the CM3 or the Super Taurus or perhaps the Orion HOTAS.

That's a rational choice and I get it if they perceive the TECS as "jam tomorrow".

Mind you, if TECS does deliver on VKB's promises (and, lets face it, in terms of the actual product, VKB have yet to produce anything underwhelming, everything they've released, product wise, has been a success) then there are going to be some people with not a little buyers remorse and kit envy out there!

[blunt_waco]

Well right now I'm in the market for a collective to fly the upcoming DCS Apache

[TrueWeevie]

Okay, you could go Virpil but might I offer an alternative suggestion (I think this is probably okay as right now VKB don't offer a collective but if it's not then Mods should feel free to delete this post)

The K-51 Collective:
https://www.reddit.com/r/hotas/comments ... urce=share

It's great and reasonably inexpensive at 200 euros plus shipping.

Obviously it's not an Apache collective but that thing is mental (two grips for God's sake! ) and I can't see anybody producing one any time soon.

[norlin]

All impatient questions - what do you think will be the answer to such questions about future products, if they are asked, for example, Thrustmasters or Logitech?

adequate companies, when announcing a device, are ALWAYS telling customers when to expect it. That's just a common sense for a business. And definitely they are not trying to insult their potential customers.

[fallout9]

I can assure you he didn't had any intention to insult anyone. He was just tryin to make a comparison to similar companies when it comes to launching their products.

adequate companies, when announcing a device, are ALWAYS telling customers when to expect it

This is simply not true. As a game developer, I'm sure you've heard about Bethesda - did they announced the release date for Starfield?
I know the TECS was supposed to be out already at this time, but there are reasons for it to be still in development, other than laziness and carelessness. I'm after a 3090 for 8 months now and they're still so hard to find and I know it's not because Nvidia doesn't want to sell their products, but because for some good reasons they can't expand their production lines to feed the market.

So let's please have some patience and respect each other.

[TrueWeevie]

All impatient questions - what do you think will be the answer to such questions about future products, if they are asked, for example, Thrustmasters or Logitech?

adequate companies, when announcing a device, are ALWAYS telling customers when to expect it. That's just a common sense for a business. And definitely they are not trying to insult their potential customers.

...and adults didn't used to throw their toys out of the pram and proceed to be insulting when a product they don't actually need right now (and you don't, you might need motor insurance for your car so you can drive it, you might need a wrench to carry on your trade as a plumber, you might need some ibuprofen to kill the pain of that shoulder niggle you have developed because you slept in an odd position, you really don't need a flight sim peripheral, you can wait or go buy something that is available, like a rational grown up) is delayed...

...but apparently times have changed and everybody is an entitled brat these days...

[Airtroops83]

No one is asking for the device to be released ahead of schedule. People aren't even upset with the delays by and large, eveyone seems to be very understanding.. People just want to know what the schedule is, and at that don't even want an exact date, I think people would be satisfied with VKB saying "hey we're shooting for month X, but don't know if it's possible yet. "

Ya know I remember when people would at least read what other people posted.
...but apparently times have changed and everybody are just willfully ignorant, pompous, arrogant buffoons who have the point fly so far over their heads that the astronauts of the ISS are bracing for impact.


As for VKB, the point is, you should aspire to be better than those around you, especially Bethesda of all companies. If you CAN be transparent enough to tell us "if all goes according to plan we will probably launch in month X." And you make it a point not to, that feels like a slap in the face because we know you can. Just look at this thread for example.. no one I can see is complaining that it's not out, everyone seems to understand that shit happens. If it does all you have to do is tell us.
You know this information.
You have an internal road map and a moving "goal date"
What do you actually gain from not telling us?
What sort of Einstein level genius would one have to be to reverse engineer your product on general DATES alone?

[OiseanTech]

I can assure you he didn't had any intention to insult anyone. He was just tryin to make a comparison to similar companies when it comes to launching their products.

adequate companies, when announcing a device, are ALWAYS telling customers when to expect it

This is simply not true. As a game developer, I'm sure you've heard about Bethesda - did they announced the release date for Starfield?
I know the TECS was supposed to be out already at this time, but there are reasons for it to be still in development, other than laziness and carelessness. I'm after a 3090 for 8 months now and they're still so hard to find and I know it's not because Nvidia doesn't want to sell their products, but because for some good reasons they can't expand their production lines to feed the market.

So let's please have some patience and respect each other.

At the risk of asking a question that is inappropriate is the example situation part of the problem? AKA The chip/Silicon shortage? Since it seems to be affecting almost every industry on the planet I would think that could be ok to acknowledge and for those of us that understand that part of things would go a long way to mentally saying 'ok. It's at least partly the Silicon so let's just hang on a while'

[rrohde]

Now the problem with announcing any kind of release date usually leads to this:

Any PLANNED estimate given by VKB HQ - which is also relayed on various forums and VKB partner sites, will be taken out of context by those who perceive them as a PROMISE to release on a guaranteed date. As we all know, a plan is not a promise, and an estimate is not a guarantee. If these estimates slip (whatever the reasons may be) and delays are instead announced, some people find tremendous joy in spreading damaging drivel about VKB online.

So what is VKB HQ to do?

PS: I myself - like everybody else here - am looking very much forward to the TECS throttle when the time comes.