It used to be in MSFS2020 , only Deluxe and Premium Aircraft were encrypted, Standard Planes were open to inspect in DevMode, Debug Options specific for Aircraft.
In MSFS2024, even the C172 is showing as Encrypted. Is Asobo gonna make all planes Encrypted from now on? So we won’t have any access to Debug Pages, and inspect their flightmodel.cfg to see how they implement the newer FS2024 features?
As sound developers, we constantly poke around in the default sound XML files to see how different developers, even Asobo, handle audio. For FS24, the sound XMLs are encrypted, which makes inspecting changes or feature implementations impossible.
It makes it even more time-consuming to try and figure out new features when everything is locked down.
I’m a livery artist… this is a HUGE issue for painters like me. I can’t even paint a default aircraft without understanding how its textures are laid out, not to mention not having access to them…
Curiosity is how we all got into this. Some as a hobby and some as a job.
FS24 has alot more options to configure planes with different 3D attachments etc. Without being able to look at the xmls, 3D models and debug menus its really hard to understand what’s going on.
Community mods saved the beginning of FS20 where there were no addons to purchase. I can see fewer developers starting because everything is now locked.
24 sure be looking like one sad state of affairs.
I get that asobo and other devs want to protect their IP but the current state sure reduce the scope of possibilites for independent devs.
My addons rely on being able to read the flight_model.cfg. If asobo is going to remove that possibility I wish they would at least provide simvars to be able to retrieve some of that data like the reference_datum_position or contact points.
ALL planes in MSFS2024 now encrypted ?
There was NOt mention of this leading up to the release, so it must come as a shock to EVERYONE
The only ones that may be pleased with those news are those that are able to de-crypt the planes, as it makes what they do, far more in demand.
(Skirting around using the P word)
While I am holding off purchasing 2024, till the dust settles, this would defiantly be high on my CONS list for 2024 – the thought that I will no longer be able to MOD my planes, and enhance or fix their shortcoming…
It appears all scenery models and textures are encrypted on compilation… even the ones you make with the SDK.
+1
Given the complexity of the new modular aircraft, it is a huge waste of time for us to rely only on SDK documentation, instead of being able to navigate through the files of existing default aircraft to understand how it is done.
Having two SDK samples is not enough unfortunately.
We should have a way to have at least some default aircraft unencrypted.
Claiming to protect IP feels like a flimsy excuse, especially since there’s no real security boundary on PCs. Those assets can and will be dumped anyway, making it unclear what benefit they derive from adding all this extra complexity.
I don’t know how many votes it takes to get Asobo’s attention on an issue, but I did mine.
MSFS has always been known for its open source philosophy, something that moves the economy and allows enthusiasts to create and modify their own aircraft and resources.
The current state of the platform is sad
how the hell they didn’t learned anything from msfs2020 , Instead of looking for a simulator open to the creation of mods in an easy way, they close it down even further by eliminating the power of freeware or the creation of liveries,
Hi everyone,
Just to let you know: the topic is being discussed internally - I hope I’ll get back with answers for you in the coming days.
Happy to discuss further with you all.
Best regards,
Eric / Asobo
Hi,
Thank you for this feedback.
It would be nice if we were at least allowed to modify the default aircraft as well as unlocking them so we can use the debug tools with them, exactly like we can do today in MSFS 2020, where even the premium aircraft have their config files modifiable.
Outsourcing the many default planes is not a bad idea, but maybe contracts with the third parties should include a clause where they accept that an agreed set of files will not be encrypted.
Just my two cents.
I would like files in the Community folder to take priority over streaming.
We are a multiplay-aerobatic team and are in trouble because we can’t even install a smoke system in the aircraft data.
Hi @EPellissier
While you guys consider this, one particular problem which I also discussed with the Working Title team in their discord server is the lack of 3rd party developers being able to inspect panel.xml for the avionics configuration.
For example they explained to me the G3000 V2 (the 2024 version) has changed a lot vs the previous version and they have been unable to update the documentation.
With the previous simulator (2020), we were able to inspect the panel.xml and use it as a reference to learn how to install these avionics with our products.
It would be good to be able to do this for the default standard products at least, last night with VFS projection all the panels.xml for standard aircraft were locked as “encrypted”.
Another thing I noticed with the VFS Projector is that all the textures are now converted to .ktx2, previously we were also able to learn how you guys were doing things by looking at the default standards textures and figure out stuff. This is now not possible any way around this would be helpful too as many freeware livery creators would be exploring the textures in order to learn and create free liveries not only for default airplanes but also 3rd party aircraft.
It would be really beneficial for the community to be able to see these textures, specially now with modular airplanes where everything is split in parts, since, making liveries will be more difficult for them.
All the best,
Raul
I’ll have to check but since the Standard aircraft are not actually encrypted, I think the debug tools should work with them - probably the same mistake than that we made in the VFSProjector.
As for contracts with partners, I am sure you know the SDK Team is not involved in that part of the project at all. 
Best regards,
Eric / Asobo
It should already be the case (although there may be special cases for which we do not allow Community packages to override), do you see it not working on your end?
Best regards,
Eric / Asobo
Thanks so much Eric, at least toss around the idea with the team. I’d love to be able to paint the PC24, but maybe it’s a licensing issue with Pilatus? Even if an external model file could be accessible to painters it would be a huge leap forward. In the past we’ve had to rely on LOD1 for painting and that has a lot of UV errors so it creates oddly mirrored areas on the paints.
Curious about licensing in general as it relates to aircraft in 2024. With 2020, the licensing was very permissive; anything that came with the base sim could be used by 3rd parties however they please.
I would be surprised if that is still the case in 2024. I would expect not, as there are aircraft in the base sim that use commercial assets generally not licensed for distribution in a modifiable form. e.g. models from Turbosquid.