"The opportunity is to build a VSTi version of BIAB! This would also require a large effort but they could leave out a ton a legacy features and functionality that would not be needed in a VSTi. If I could add BIAB RealTracks to individual tracks in my DAW...man oh man that would be heaven! In the pop up VSTi window there would be the ability to select a RealTrack instrument and enter chords in bars and generate/regenerate on command. Maybe the BIAB track(s) could even display chords in my DAW to serve as the "guide" track for the whole song! "
What you are describing as a VST is how RB works with Biab. PGMusic can save a ton of R&D and money just by you learning RealBand and switching over to using it. Alternately, one can already click DAW Plug-in MODE in BIAB and drag ever how many files or regenerations of tracks that you want to into any DAW? What is the payoff to PGMusic to undertake such a huge effort that is at best, promoting a competitor's DAW over RealBand?
Well, first, they don't gain a single new customer by me "learning RealBand and switching over to using it"! Not one new customer there! I already use and love BIAB!
And second, let me blunt, RealBand is not a great DAW! I doubt it could even survive as a stand-alone DAW product without RealTracks. So again, very few new customers available to PG that are interested in giving up their modern 64-bit DAW for RealBand!
Third, the DAW plug-in mode you describe sounds interesting but there are so many inconsistencies and warts in BIAB that I would never bother when I can just as easily render my tracks to then use in my DAW. And again, no new customers for this feature!
So that leaves us with a new VSTi version of RealTracks. This would directly compete with huge sellers like Native and everyone else selling VSTi products. It would work in every DAW. Convincing someone to buy a new VSTi is certainly not a big task while convincing them to drop their DAW for an old one that supports RealTracks...well that is never gonna happen!
So there you have it. An almost unlimited supply of new customers who would buy a RealTracks VSTi for their DAW vs. just continuing to sell the DOS/Win3/Win95 patched up product to us old-timers (until we stop buying it of course!)