Print Page | Close Window

New Microsoft Flight Sim Announced

Printed From: Just Flight Forum
Category: Announcements
Forum Name: News
Forum Description: Some things we feel you may be interested in
URL: http://forum.justflight.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14722
Printed Date: 28 Mar 2024 at 8:17pm


Topic: New Microsoft Flight Sim Announced
Posted By: Rich
Subject: New Microsoft Flight Sim Announced
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 9:49am
Hi All,

Looks like Microsoft have surprised us all with the announcement of a new flight sim in development! "Microsoft Flight"

http://www.microsoft.com/games/flight/

I don't have any more info than what you can see on that website but it does sound as though they are hinting that they might have started all over again with a new engine etc.

We will see...


-------------
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Just-Flight/15266573498" rel="nofollow">




Replies:
Posted By: Bradpl6
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 12:11pm
That has got to be one of the worst "Sneak peeks" I have ever seen Cry


Posted By: crmathie
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 12:30pm
Could do with the "preview" lasting a bit longer to see what it really looks like but the little bit they have put on look pretty good Big%20smile

-------------


http://www.crmcomputerservices.co.uk - http://www.crmcomputerservices.co.uk


Posted By: TomA320
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 1:20pm
Who thinks Aerosoft will continue with their new FS? 


Posted By: Alaaar
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 2:15pm
I wish and pray
(Sorry that I mention some products by name and sure, I missed a whole bunch of them)
That the new Microsoft Flight will have the following:
•     Models detailed in and out with fully functional systems like MD-11 from PMDG, E-190, CS or others.
•     External and internal lights like those of Shockwave.
•     Deep and real sounds of cockpit and engines.
•     Call outs that is adaptable and easy to configure like those of edit voice packs.
•     Textures as good as Mcphat products.
•     Advanced traffic system, like X traffic or My X traffic.
•     Weather program that is advanced like REX-2.
•     Very advanced sceneries at least to all major cities and capitals of the world and main historical places and major geographical features, similar to Orbix or Earth simulation.
•     Accurate land class so you don’t see a missing mountain or seeing a forest that is not there.
•     Intelligent ATC that gives you correct routes, SIDS & STARS and more interactive.
•     Flight planner.
•     Navigational charts that includes SIDS & STARS for all airports.
•     Fuel calculators and route finders and other utilities.
•     Add ones like Fspassenger, Air haulers and passengers flight map built in.
•     Data recorder system to store and analysis flight data so you get to learn from your own mistakes.
•     Online flying (multi player) capabilities that is advanced and not stopping every 5 minutes, because of lack of developments because it’s freeware.
•     Dual / Multi screen display that is easy to use with no additional hardware.
•     Online instant support for all products 24/7
•     Hardware to support all the functions and designed especially for FS
•     Hardware accessories should be designed especially for FS like Siteck products.
In addition, let us pray that we no longer suffer of the following:
•     CTD or OOM or similar
•     Low FPS to reach 4 or 3 ??
•     Fatal errors
•     Nickn’s tutorials
•     Nhancers
•     Registry cleaners
•     Anti viruses
•     Memory enhancers
•     3G key for memory recognizing??
•     The UIAutoMationcore.dll crashes.
•     Windows 7 64 / 32 or Vista 64 /32 or Windows XP and of course service packs.
•     Display drivers V+200 or 190 or….
•     Administrative rights issues in windows 7.
At the end, I meant to say that FS is more than a hobby it has become a life style to many of us, instead of paying $1,000 - $2,000 on a course of 2 years span, and getting frustrated on and on with errors, all at the list above I experienced personally, I hope there will be one day a professional system that has it all.
Regards

Alaa


-------------
Just love to fly....


Posted By: Rich
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 2:20pm
^^ If all that happens there won't be anything left for add-on developers to do Wink

-------------
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Just-Flight/15266573498" rel="nofollow">



Posted By: TomA320
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 2:34pm
What's the bet the Airsimmers 'bus will be released just as Microsoft Flight comes out and it won't be compatible !oh how I laughed


Posted By: Alaaar
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 2:35pm
I guess you are right it wont be good for the industry....I was only imagining the perfect FS..I think it wont be real.
Thanks   

-------------
Just love to fly....


Posted By: Rich
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 2:35pm
I'd bet money that nothing that currently exists will be compatible with "Flight". Just my own personal feeling

-------------
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Just-Flight/15266573498" rel="nofollow">



Posted By: Alaaar
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 2:37pm
Tom, there are 3 buses under development now Aerosoft, Air simmers and Flight lab, which one would you pick assuming similar price ?

-------------
Just love to fly....


Posted By: Slopey
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 2:58pm
From what we've seen so far, as it's mentioned it's an "inclusive" experience and tied into Live, I think it'll be consumer orientated - read, pretty visuals, lacking in complexity.

This has "fly with your mates on X-box" written all over it, not "fly in heavy metal into huge airports hand flying an ILS down to minimums in a systems based procedural simulator".

-------------
AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call.


Posted By: TomA320
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 2:58pm
Originally posted by Alaaar Alaaar wrote:

Tom, there are 3 buses under development now Aerosoft, Air simmers and Flight lab, which one would you pick assuming similar price ?
 
FSlabs, certainly not AirsimmersWink


Posted By: Carob
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 5:02pm
Originally posted by Slopey Slopey wrote:

From what we've seen so far, as it's mentioned it's an "inclusive" experience and tied into Live, I think it'll be consumer orientated - read, pretty visuals, lacking in complexity.

This has "fly with your mates on X-box" written all over it, not "fly in heavy metal into huge airports hand flying an ILS down to minimums in a systems based procedural simulator".
 
Agreed.  This has been the rumor all along.


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 6:56pm
Darn it then. FS9 for me!

But Lazer, it should have basics of stuff like Traffic X and ActiveSky or Rex or whatever it was but the chance of cheap upgrades if you so wished... it'd keep the price and the size down - I don't want to find it requires 200Gb of memory because the current computer in my house only has 119GB free...

But the ultimate Flight Sim will be built by a Flight-addict such as ourselves...

Allard doing the airports plan, Slopey programming, me, I could write the manual or something... someone else like Herky design the airports using an AFCAD or something similar, and all of you as beta testers!

But the biggest mistake Microsoft keeps on making is making absolutely everything beforehand obsolete. I don't of anyone with FS2002, and Allardjd and I seem to be the only FS9ers using these forums...


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 7:07pm
Also, any reason why it's taking 20 minutes to load the preview?


Posted By: Concorde216
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 7:14pm
NotYet, I still fly FS9Smile
 
The sea in the teaser looks great and so does the bi-plane, even it was just for two seconds. 
 
However, if any of you read the press release that was displayed on the webpage it does say
 
"Today, we’re bringing powerful, inventive gaming experiences to the Windows-based PC,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. “Over the years, our PC heritage captured the hearts and minds of millions of players. Reinventing these iconic franchises with social, shared experiences at their core marks the beginning of our return to PC gaming in bold new ways.”
 
I think we can take it from the above that it will be PC-based.  Remember that MSFS has always allowed people to play online and connect with other flight simmers.  I think what Microsoft are doing is obviously keeping the loyal simmers happy (or hoping to) with imrpoved graphics, features etc and at the same time try and attract new people to it.
 


-------------
Concorde216
"All modern aircraft have four dimensions: span, length, height and politics. TSR-2 simply got the first three right." - Sir Sydney Camm


Posted By: Herky
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 7:24pm
Agree with you Slopey.
 
Didn't I read somewhere that this will be all "on line" and "pay as you go". Like £ for so long then more £ for a bit more etc..............Not for me thanks.
 
I believe MS are only in it for the money. They must be a bit miffed that all the developers are now beavering away and producing wonderful add ons to FSXBig%20smile


-------------
You Tube at HERKY231 or David Herky



Posted By: Alaaar
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 7:26pm
I am just thinking loud, is it possible one day that we will have a machines that looks like a good part of cockpit (not like the odd ones we see on the web), Yaw and throttle quadrants, panels and gauges, and we  switch it on it wont say Windows 37, service pack 17 or something....just flight simulator, only dedicated to the game, no installable programs except add ons and basic spreadsheets, I know it will be costly but imagine 100,000 # on the market, price will drop enormously. 

-------------
Just love to fly....


Posted By: Slopey
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 7:54pm
@Concorde....

Read closer:

" Reinventing these iconic franchises with social, shared experiences"

This isn't about giving loyal flight simmers what they want, this about getting joe public flying with their mates. I'll eat my hat if there's no console tie in, as Xbox and Kinect are squarely at the heart of M$'s social platform.

-------------
AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call.


Posted By: Slopey
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 7:56pm
Originally posted by Alaaar Alaaar wrote:

I am just thinking loud, is it possible one day that we will have a machines that looks like a good part of cockpit (not like the odd ones we see on the web), Yaw and throttle quadrants, panels and gauges, and we  switch it on it wont say Windows 37, service pack 17 or something....just flight simulator, only dedicated to the game, no installable programs except add ons and basic spreadsheets, I know it will be costly but imagine 100,000 # on the market, price will drop enormously. 


You can do all of that now - just start FS directly with Windows. You can even hack windows to remove the loading graphics if you want - you've been able to do that since Win95. And it's not as expensive as you might thing currently - you could get something resembling a 737NG cockpit for £6-10k all in.

-------------
AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call.


Posted By: ShrewsburyFC
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 8:14pm
Wicked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Approve, the only thing that im worried about is if my many flight simulator addons will work with the new one!

-------------


Posted By: SlimNasty
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 8:22pm
If I can put in my two pennies worth...
 
I think this will be a fly with your mates style game, but may have what they conceive as a simulation side like games like Wings of Prey have, it's just not what any of us would call true simulation.
 
It will probably be a good product in itself, but I am wondering if they go for quality of graphics and only include parts of the globe instead of the whole thing to bring in more people to purchase it. Which is fine.
 
What we don't want is the XBox lobby style where the game picks a host out of the players and there is no form of anticheat protection what so ever. I hate the concept of having to join another player hosting, who will be somewhere else in the world with a rubbish ping and then wait a further minute to wait and see if all the players join, like COD 6 for instance, drives you insane !
 
On another note there is still Aerosoft's intentions and I am not sure how many of you are aware but the old Aces Studio employees started up their own company last year, they say they are doing projects but don't say what, maybe they might be working under a liceince with Microsoft on this new product and just maybe we may get some of what we would like to see, or maybe they will make their own...
 
Only time will tell, look them up Cascade Game Foundry: http://www.cascadegamefoundry.com/ - http://www.cascadegamefoundry.com/


-------------
SlimNasty


Posted By: theryanbradley
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 8:24pm
Well according to http://www.microsoft.com/games/fsinsider/ - http://www.microsoft.com/games/fsinsider/

It's going to be announced at Gamescom 2010 which runs from Tomorrow (Press only) until the 22nd. Let's hope that it's a more detailed announcement than a quick animation and a name.

Let's also hope that it is a new Flight is actually a simulator (PLEASE M$!!!) and it only uses the Live format for multiplayer modes with the social networking element that's already evident in the XBox console.

I suppose whatever arrives, it's better than "Aces is closed, simple, bye simmers (Y)" that we got previously.


-------------
Many Thanks,

Ryan

There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician, the other is an artist in love with flight.


Posted By: Rich
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 8:38pm
Lets try not to fall into the trap of making assumptions and writing it off before hearing/seeing anything.

Due to the fact their isn't really much you could do with FS in a "gaming" way I'd be enormously surprised if it isn't a proper simulation.


-------------
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Just-Flight/15266573498" rel="nofollow">



Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 9:05pm
Originally posted by Alaaar Alaaar wrote:

I am just thinking loud, is it possible one day that we will have a machines that looks like a good part of cockpit (not like the odd ones we see on the web), Yaw and throttle quadrants, panels and gauges,


Look at Sputnik's display, I'm sure he'll be kind enough to show us!

And anyway, it HAS been only just announced, as RAS says we shouldn't jump to conclusions... but we should still be allowed to speculate. But I wonder... how many of the press actually Fly using an FS of Fly in RL often... I bet most don't.


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 9:07pm
Originally posted by Alaaar Alaaar wrote:

I am just thinking loud, is it possible one day that we will have a machines that looks like a good part of cockpit (not like the odd ones we see on the web), Yaw and throttle quadrants, panels and gauges,


Look at Sputnik's display, I'm sure he'll be kind enough to show us!

And anyway, it HAS been only just announced, as RAS says we shouldn't jump to conclusions... but we should still be allowed to speculate. But I wonder... how many of the press actually Fly using an FS of Fly in RL often... I bet most don't.


Posted By: Alaaar
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 9:30pm
Thank you Slopey I ll keep the idea in mind who knows 

-------------
Just love to fly....


Posted By: GEOFFERS
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 9:50pm
I will now put of getting a new PC till I know if you need a very high spec computer to run the FS. my PC runs FS X at 10-20 fps now  FS X has far to many trees and the wrong type.  On the very short clip the aircraft did look good over the ocean,it more the land I want to see  city and towns!!!!! so you can fly true  VFR looking at railway's church's roads,when I did a lot of flying there was no GPS it was lookout of the window or call ATC for a fix if you got lost  

-------------
It's easy to make a small fortune in aviation. You start with a large fortune.



Posted By: johnsmithfsx
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 10:09pm
The graphics look AMAZING. However, as with FSX, it is WAAAAAAAY ahead of its time. People won't be able to run it with maxed graphics, decent addons, with decent frames for years after it's released. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about it, but only now am I starting to save up for what I consider to be a supercomputer to run FSX when Microsoft Flight won't even be able to run well on it.

-------------


Posted By: TomA320
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 10:13pm
I doubt the graphics will even look like that, a lot of the FSX previews never resembled anything of the actual game. 


Posted By: Slopey
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 11:09pm
Quote The graphics look AMAZING


Don't confuse a pre-rendered marketing video with the final product. There are no indications you're seeing anything more than a "we need some video of a plane flying around and clouds to promote a new product we've not finished yet" short.

Remember the FSX DX10 water effect preview "screenshots"? Yeah, right.

-------------
AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call.


Posted By: Alaaar
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 11:49pm
Originally posted by NotYet NotYet wrote:

Originally posted by Alaaar Alaaar wrote:

I am just thinking loud, is it possible one day that we will have a machines that looks like a good part of cockpit (not like the odd ones we see on the web), Yaw and throttle quadrants, panels and gauges,


Look at Sputnik's display, I'm sure he'll be kind enough to show us!

And anyway, it HAS been only just announced, as RAS says we shouldn't jump to conclusions... but we should still be allowed to speculate. But I wonder... how many of the press actually Fly using an FS of Fly in RL often... I bet most don't.

Thanks i will see that product hopefully it works


-------------
Just love to fly....


Posted By: johnsmithfsx
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 11:56pm
Yes that is true and I was wrong to post that. However, I think we can all agree that whatever the final product is will be years ahead of its time. It will be years before anyone can run it properly. By properly I mean graphics maxed out, smooth FPS, with heavy FPS-hitting addons.

-------------


Posted By: Scottie
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 2:27am
Easy choice for me.  Sticking with FSX and all the addons I love that don't come with it.


Posted By: 767nutter
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 3:07am
Originally posted by Slopey Slopey wrote:

Quote The graphics look AMAZING


Don't confuse a pre-rendered marketing video with the final product. There are no indications you're seeing anything more than a "we need some video of a plane flying around and clouds to promote a new product we've not finished yet" short.

Remember the FSX DX10 water effect preview "screenshots"? Yeah, right.
 
Agree to that Slopey, and even if it does look like that when it is released, whats the bet that even the best computer around at that time wont be able to run it smoothly? We'll just have another product that makes readers of PC Pilot write in asking why they cant get decent framerates even though they have bought the newest graphics card out, or fastest processor etc etc etc etc etc Ermm


Posted By: SamR
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 9:12am
Loving the specumulation Approve


-------------




Posted By: Rich
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 9:39am
Looking at the video its clearly not going to be compatible with any i7 hardware so anyone who has spent a load of money on one of them is going to have to throw it out and downgrade to an i5.
Doesn't look like its going to work with any existing joysticks either which will be a shame.
The 3D cockpits should be great though, as long as you have a 3D equipped monitor or you won't be able to use Flight at all

Specumutilation


-------------
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Just-Flight/15266573498" rel="nofollow">



Posted By: SlimNasty
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 9:48am
I am not sure how you can get from a rendered video that it won't run from an i7, not that it bothers me or my i5

Also I think people are underestimating the power of new technology, I mean just get a six core processor and add FOUR of the top graphics cards in either SLI or CROSSFIRE and I am sure you will be fine. I happen to think my i5 and 275 GTX will run it, okay not at full settings, but FSX isn't on full here and I think it is fine, if i didn't would I play it would be the question?

The water effect should be achievable in game as it works in Ship Simulator I have seen it and when you look at REX2 then you can make the sky look nice too, not to mention games like Wings of Prey that look smartish, but okay not a sim.

I think we will be fine and when they finally bring it out and developers get a chance to write some add-on (if the can) then somewhen in the next 10 years we can put away FSX.

-------------
SlimNasty


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 10:51am
BUt the pirce and power of computers is reducing all the time. FSX nearly failed, but the computer market caught up and made it all work... my computer is 3 years old and can only just run FS9 with no addons except the Freeware RAF bases at Justflight... now I hear that some people run FSX off their laptops... I was planning to upgrade to FSX in three years time or so when computers are cheap enough to run FSX for me... may be Flight instead...


Posted By: Magic Man
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 12:33pm
@SlimNasty, RAS was musing...


Posted By: MartinW
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 3:23pm

Lets try not to fall into the trap of making assumptions and writing it off before hearing/seeing anything.

Due to the fact their isn't really much you could do with FS in a "gaming" way I'd be enormously surprised if it isn't a proper simulation.

 

I'd agree with Ras.

 

I wouldn’t put it past them, but MS will be eliminating a huge chunk of their potential market if we simmers can't make use of it.

 

And why people get all fussy about being able to run their old add-ons on an entirely new sim baffles me. You will still have the old sim on your hard drives won't you? So you can still run your old add-ons on that. You aren't going to chuck FSX in the bin are you?

If it is an entirely new engine, which the sim has needed for years, then see it as a separate entity to your existing sim. A new product to sit along side FS9/FSX on your hard drives.

 
MS do say... welcoming everyone, including long-time fans, to experience the magic of flight.

 So who knows... maybe it is a full-blown simulator, the next incarnation of the sim. Smile

Orbx have announced they are developing for the MS Flight apparently?
 
As for Windows Live, that's just for the multiplayer aspect I presume, and no bad thing. Steam works great, and like Steam, Windows Live will mean easy patching, a better on line experience, and the ability to buy new content.
 

 


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 5:13pm
Aah but if I got FSX, I'd use that all the time... and I'd want proper traffic and weather and all... and FS9 has that atm, but it's not necessarily treansferable...

And if you've forked out £30 for something, you want it to lasat, and not pay £40 for an upgrade.

But you are right, let's all wait for the reviews. But a review by a simmer, not a journalist who never uses FS anyway.


Posted By: VulcanB2
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 6:59pm
The preview looks like a video and nothing like the end result.

I think it will be a dumbed-down FSX, with a lot more emphasis on chase-view and arrows in the sky, rather than on hard-core simulation of flight.

MS need to concentrate on highly efficient code, that allows for great expansion, and doesn't have the stupid hard-coded limits of the previous versions.

It seems just lately that too much emphasis is on the ground visuals and not enough on the flight dynamics and fludity which is critical to a great flight simulator.

Apparently CFS4 was going to sport a whole new flight model, but unfortunately development of that was cancelled, and its flight model never made it to FSX.

Rise of flight is heading in the right direction, but the eye candy just kills performance, which in turn kills the feel of the sim. I also hate the HUD in ROF and apparently being unable to click on anything, instead having to use keyboard shortcuts for everything - very 1980s.

Falcon still rules for realism and fluidity, and it doesn't look bad either (the sky is just something else ).

Best regards,
Vulcan.


Posted By: Timbo727
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 9:35am
this is interesting, looking forward to reading and hearing more via the various news feeds.
 
I hope it is a sim too, but like others have said i hope I am not on approach to JFK in my 737 and get shot down by some halfwit flying a Spitfire with heatseaking missiles.  Otherwise I will need some chaff and flares...
 
I am sure the Aerosoft one will continue to go ahead with their's too, and this is good competition for them which in turn is good for the community.


Posted By: MartinW
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 10:27am
Aah but if I got FSX, I'd use that all the time... 
 
Why? You use the other software on your system don't you? And in time, the new sim would gradually offer the features like traffic, add-ons etc that you like in FSX. If you can't afford a new sim, then you simply don't buy it.

And if you've forked out £30 for something, you want it to lasat, and not pay £40 for an upgrade.
 
It will last, FSX will still be on your system, just as many still have FS9 on their system. Many use both FS9 and FSX.
 
If the sim is to progress we must ditch back compatibility, for it's back compatibility that has held it back for years.


Posted By: SamR
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 10:40am
Originally posted by MartinW MartinW wrote:

 
If the sim is to progress we must ditch back compatibility, for it's back compatibility that has held it back for years.


Its always been the case that in tight-nit gaming communitys with games that are hugely modifiable...there has always been an argument between the people who want devs to go back to the drawing board and start anew and people who want the new to cater for the older more familiar title.

New scares people


-------------




Posted By: GEOFFERS
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 11:49am
Originally posted by Martin Martin wrote:

It will last, FSX will still be on your system, just as many still have FS9 on their system. Many use both FS9 and FSX.
 
If the sim is to progress we must ditch back compatibility, for it's back compatibility that has held it back for years.
I use both FS9 and FSX I think FS9 is for the money the best sim I do not have AH and FSX has more trees and buildings in places I know they do not exist I think I need an axe to chop the bCensoreds down,I find that FS2002 is better VFR at 1500-2000ft Ido not need GPS as an ex rally driver. I just about OS maps 129.130.140.141. I knew a pilot C130 in the RAF who knew all the UK on doing low level flying after landing he used to tell us how well each farm was doing with crops 

-------------
It's easy to make a small fortune in aviation. You start with a large fortune.



Posted By: Timbo727
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 12:24pm
the dialogue in that video should be changed to "ever since I was a boy/girl, I always wanted smoothness and fluid frame rates".
 
 


Posted By: BANichols
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 12:32pm
Having read through this entire thread there appears to be a major concern which has not yet been mentioned. Will the new sim (game) be compatible with AH (or vice-versa)? And, if it is not, will Slopey be able to make it so?
 
If it is not (and Slopey cannot) then, to hell with it, I'll stay with FSX.


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 12:45pm
Deffo. I have FS9 still, it seems to have less faults all the time... and it's brill as a commercial/cargo airliner in heavy metal AC... FSX seems to be bush-flyer's paradise...

But we all know what, personally, we want as our perfect Flight Sim. WE all know that MSFlight will not be perfect for most of us. Thus, we speculate on how differnt it will be, and we look at the negatives - not compatible, not fluid, not a true sim, more a game. WE shoujld look at the positives - pushing the boundaries on graphics, constantly trying to get better FPS, trying to replicate as excatly as possible the real AC in real life...

Look back to FS2000 if anyone here ever had that (I didn't, my first FS was, and is 2004). Now look at Flight, or FSX. A lot better? A lot better. Progress is what this is. Might not be perfect, but it's getting closer.


Posted By: Transport Steve
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 1:33pm
Hmmm, the jury is still out on this one then, by the looks of things.

If I read this properly, it states that MS are using a brand new game engine, consequently, will that now stop us from using our add-ons we've obtained for FSX, etc.
I personally disagree to a point that we need backwards capability in the game, why, having spent money on FSX and add-ons galore, can't I play it on a future release. If they now use a new game engine, this will then irritate those who've spent time and dosh in acquiring content, and I assume we will then have to wait a year or two, or three, for creators to build assets for this particular release, and in the meantime, somebody else brings out another version. I cannot see the point of a brand new game engine, when nobody has the content to fly in it, is this still the same old M$T$ cash cow.

I'll stick to my FSX for the time being, at least I know where I stand with it, and top quality add-ons are being released regularly to keep us happy.





Posted By: Slopey
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 1:45pm
Originally posted by BANichols BANichols wrote:

Having read through this entire thread there appears to be a major concern which has not yet been mentioned. Will the new sim (game) be compatible with AH (or vice-versa)? And, if it is not, will Slopey be able to make it so?
 

If it is not (and Slopey cannot) then, to hell with it, I'll stay with FSX.


If it's possible to, you can rest assured that I'll try and support it with AH.

-------------
AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call.


Posted By: MartinW
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 2:58pm

why, having spent money on FSX and add-ons galore, can't I play it on a future release. If they now use a new game engine, this will then irritate those who've spent time and dosh in acquiring content,

 

Then run your add-ons on the platform they were intended for!!!! You don’t have to wipe the old sim from your system.

 

The point is that flight sim is dated, it's archaic software. And at each new incarnation, Microsoft bolted on fancy new bits, thus burdening it even more.

 
You can't keep doing that forever.

 

You can't simply update the existing sim, and expect it to do all the fancy things the new hardware allows, plus provide great performance, super smooth frame rate etc.

 

I believe Phil Taylor himself made this point. If you want a sim that’s fitting in terms of today’s hardware then you can't have backward compatibility. Aces have taken flight sim as far as it will go. Any further and you'll have even more to moan about than you did when FSX was released.

 
Backward compatibility requires compromises to be made, limiting what can be done with the sim. A brand new engine doesn't require compromise so you can run your old add-ons.
 
So waht do you want?
 
A few more cows and birds, a few tweaks to the VC, weather a bit better, maybe a few extra default planes, autogen a bit better.... and even more burden on frame rate.
 
Or a whole new sim, coded from the ground up that looks like it belongs in the 21st century, and makes use of todays powerful hardware?
 
And don't forget, in terms of the later, it will be a base code  that can indeed be updated for a good few years before it too will require starting from scratch.
 
 


Posted By: Concorde216
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 6:57pm
Originally posted by Slopey Slopey wrote:

@Concorde....

Read closer:

" Reinventing these iconic franchises with social, shared experiences"

This isn't about giving loyal flight simmers what they want, this about getting joe public flying with their mates. I'll eat my hat if there's no console tie in, as Xbox and Kinect are squarely at the heart of M$'s social platform.
 
How do you know that they wont cater for the loyal simmers with MS Flight? I would wait until more information becomes available before you get too carried away.  Otherwise you may have to find some Renne tablets for the acute indigestionoh how I laughed


-------------
Concorde216
"All modern aircraft have four dimensions: span, length, height and politics. TSR-2 simply got the first three right." - Sir Sydney Camm


Posted By: Slopey
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 9:34pm
Im not getting carried away, the sheer truth is that the flight sim community as a player base is actually tiny.

M$ won't make any money if this thing doesn't appeal to a wide range of players. That broad appeal dictates that it has to be easy to use.

Whether M$ add all the bells and whistles and systems, or concentrate on easy to fly, multiplayer, remains to be seen.

But if they want to make a profit, satisfying the needs of the flight sim community will be secondary to trying to reduce the barrier to entry so they can sell more copies!

I've heard rumours that it's going to be Windows only, hence no Xbox, but can't find an offical published source - anyone have one???

-------------
AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call.


Posted By: Transport Steve
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 10:07pm
Originally posted by MartinW MartinW wrote:

why, having spent money on FSX and add-ons galore, can't I play it on a future release. If they now use a new game engine, this will then irritate those who've spent time and dosh in acquiring content,

 

Then run your add-ons on the platform they were intended for!!!! You don’t have to wipe the old sim from your system.

 

The point is that flight sim is dated, it's archaic software. And at each new incarnation, Microsoft bolted on fancy new bits, thus burdening it even more.

 
You can't keep doing that forever.

 

You can't simply update the existing sim, and expect it to do all the fancy things the new hardware allows, plus provide great performance, super smooth frame rate etc.

 

I believe Phil Taylor himself made this point. If you want a sim that’s fitting in terms of today’s hardware then you can't have backward compatibility. Aces have taken flight sim as far as it will go. Any further and you'll have even more to moan about than you did when FSX was released.

 
Backward compatibility requires compromises to be made, limiting what can be done with the sim. A brand new engine doesn't require compromise so you can run your old add-ons.
 
So waht do you want?
 
A few more cows and birds, a few tweaks to the VC, weather a bit better, maybe a few extra default planes, autogen a bit better.... and even more burden on frame rate.
 
Or a whole new sim, coded from the ground up that looks like it belongs in the 21st century, and makes use of todays powerful hardware?
 
And don't forget, in terms of the later, it will be a base code  that can indeed be updated for a good few years before it too will require starting from scratch.
 
 



Forgive me, but, as a noob to flightsims, wasn't FSX supposed to be a new game engine, it is in essence Flight Sim 2010, which is the new sim for the 21st century, why did they not upgrade that then, why do we all have to wait for MS Flight, and wait for how long, 1 year, or, two, it has only been announced that the game will be released, but, didn't say when.
I appreciate that old game engines deserve to be put out to pasture, and I quite agree with you that tweaking it with just a few extra bits and bobs periodically will cause more problems with frame rates and possible lag from low-end computers.
I've only just obtained FSX, I'm certainly not going to ignore it, my leisure time is NOW, not in a few years time, if I cannot run my add-ons on this new release, then so be it, if we can, then that's great, but, with MS, they do have a habit of pulling the carpet out from under your feet.


Cheerz.  Transport Steve.

P.S.  It doesn't look like it slopey, according to the press statement the new game will be devised for online PC gamers, probably to take into account the new Windows 7 release by Microsoft. I don't think xbox consumers will be entertained on this score.















Posted By: Rich
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 9:31am
Quote I've heard rumours that it's going to be Windows only, hence no Xbox, but can't find an offical published source - anyone have one???


That's because there isn't any! Literally all the information that is available to the FS community is contained within that press release and video. Everything else people have heard, seen or written is pure speculation.

Keep calm, carry on and more information will likely be forthcoming shortly. Until then there is no point making wild speculations about hearsay 


-------------
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Just-Flight/15266573498" rel="nofollow">



Posted By: Slopey
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 11:56am
Nooooo!!! We want wild speculation and conspiracy theories!!!

Where's Pointy when you need him??

-------------
AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call.


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 12:55pm
Pointy?

But why would MS create a new FS so they render everything they've done obsolete? It's like VW or Mercedes building a hover car - no-one will buy their ordinary cars anymore... they're nearly putting themselves out of business...

All I see is a publicity stunt design by a boardroom committee and they've accidently forgotten about True Simmers, like us, who like what we've got, which is why we've got it.

And AH gets tweaked every now and then... as does FSX and FS9. But Slopey hasn't made all his hard work redundant by bringing out AH2, completely ruining AH.

(Now that's a point, Ah2 could be Flight-only, and normal AH FSX.FS9 like it is now.)


Posted By: MartinW
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 3:27pm
Originally posted by Transport Steve Transport Steve wrote:




Forgive me, but, as a noob to flightsims, wasn't FSX supposed to be a new game engine,

Cheerz.  Transport Steve.



 
No Steve, it's not a new game engine at all. It's based on legacy code. They didn't start from scratch at all. At it's core is the same old sim.


Posted By: Transport Steve
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 5:32pm
Thank you Martin, I've since been advised that it was the old engine with a few bells and whistles added on.

I was wondering about this new version though, and far be it for me to sound cynical here, but, it is not unlike Microsoft to release a new operating system to coincide with this release, a Windows 8 or 9 utilising DirectX 12 or 13, maybe.  As Windows XP support is being abandoned in the not too distant future, it could make commercial marketing sense to implement some fresh ideas, we can only wait and see......

Cheerz.  Transport Steve.

 


Posted By: BullittAir
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 8:21pm
I know nothing more than this thread and the taster video but my two cents would be I agree with others that whilst the loyal FS fraternity is relatively small the market for a fun to fly game which doesn't have the option of shooting anyone is non existent. So surely (hopefully) this is a true simulator akin to FSX but with a new engine.

Regarding the wishlist stated near the start of the thread I don't wish that it will offer all these bells and whistles (these are best left for add-ons) but just that it's stable, reliable and offers an attainable level of performance with a reasonable complexity of visuals. Several years on from the release of FSX I have what would generally be considered a high-end machine but I still see OOM, fatal errors and find myself throttling back the graphics sliders. Infuriating.  


Posted By: Alaaar
Date Posted: 22 Aug 2010 at 9:35am
I have been thinking for couple of days about MS Flight, I guess MS people realized that the FS is a growing money making industry, with perhaps millions of users, they want to benefit more from the whole situation in other words control the industry where they can give their terms and conditions to any developer / user to set the market price, so guys add ons for new MSF will be in 100s of Dollars and not Tens.
The other reason is perhaps to correct their previous mistakes (as they usually do), I know that MS always suffered from weak vision in regards to future development to software on a decade time span, for example DOS versions, various operating systems, also we experience that at word and excel as well, they produce many version + service packs and expecting that all their customers will be happy spending money buying the new product which is not new it’s usually a correction for mistakes, and because FS started as a small game, every newer version based on the previous one, was having problems when expanding to a higher level, now I guess it has reached the limit, they have to come up with other system / platform that will prove in 5-10 years time it's reliable, and might as well help us with the problems we are experiencing till today.
Note: as I am not computer programmer or developer, I do appreciate MS work they change our life, I only hope they get it done with correctly now when they have the chance to do it right.


-------------
Just love to fly....


Posted By: flawlesspaul
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2010 at 4:28am
Come on guys.. We are talking about Microsoft... They won't let us down.
If the new sim includes the ability to walk through the cabins, I'm sold.
Also animated passengers, pilots in the cockpits, inside terminal action.
How about being able to walk from plane to plane and walk in to the cockpits.
Let's not be scared of the future.
I spend alot of time simming and I deserve all of this and more.
I hope that when I die I come back as a 747 Captain.
I want to know how it would feel to bring one of the big birds up and down and feel the enormouse sex rush of the power that it takes..
Whew.... I need a smoke now.Tongue


-------------
fpp


Posted By: johnsmithfsx
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2010 at 4:38am
I for one am not worried. It is already guaranteed that I'll preorder it for delivery ASAP after it's released. If it was money wasted, I'll return to FSX (which I'm quite happy with). I my mind, FSX + REX + Good Scenery + Good Aircraft addons = perfect pc sim. If Microsoft adds new features, great!!! However, for certain, Microsoft needs to fix their multiplayer (they made a big mistake when using Gamespy's technology). The common thing that many don't understand is that the multiplayer problems aren't Gamespy's fault. Microsoft did not use the technology correctly with the game/made an error. What that is, I can't remember really.

-------------


Posted By: flawlesspaul
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2010 at 4:39am
I hope the new Microsoft Flight works on my 2 core Vista ..
Times are hard and I can't afford the new machines..
Plus People were to hard on Vista.
I have been enjoying my computer for three years with very minimum issues.


-------------
fpp


Posted By: dodgy-alan
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2010 at 2:02pm
All this talk of new and improved this that and the other seems to have forgotten one vital thing. for many of us it is just a hobby. nothing more, Yes you could spend a fotune on it and get the latest thing. Failing that why not approach one of the airlines and buy one of their old simulators ! Its just getting out of hand. Right now I,m running FS9. I have a hangar with over 500 aircraft, A huge scenery file and have lots of fun with it. Its a release from everyday chores and takes up less space than the 2,000+ model kits I have stuffed in my back room in a huge pile of boxes. I rarely spend more than a couple of hours a day on the FS as the wife usually starts complaining that she wants to use the computer !oh how I laughed  So therefore I cannot see the point of paying out thousands of pounds/dollars/rand/yen etc for what is basically a game! Ok some of you guys may spend your entire free time running FS and getting deadly serious, but hey, theres more to life than this. Unless you want to go industrial why keep changing things. I think If I was to spend any more money on this thing I'd be looking at a divorce. Thats one reason why a lot of my addons are freeeware. I used to spend a fair bit on learning to fly real aircraft. But then i was young, free, single and had a decent bank balance, Then I hit real life and the dream crashed ! Dont get me wrong, I,m all for people having fun and if you want to spend a fortune thats up to you. I come from the old school of "if it aint broke, dont fix it !" so long as my computer contues to run and the system still works then I wont be changing anything. At the end of the day its horses for courses and thats what matters. My mates think I,m a bit geeky and sad even now with this set up, god knows what theyd think if I turned my living room into a complete flight deck !!oh how I laughed Anyway, thats enough from this old carmudgeon, have fun, fly safely.

-------------
The light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train coming the other way !


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2010 at 3:28pm
Originally posted by dodgy-alan dodgy-alan wrote:

All this talk of new and improved this that and the other seems to have forgotten one vital thing. for many of us it is just a hobby. nothing more, Yes you could spend a fotune on it and get the latest thing. Failing that why not approach one of the airlines and buy one of their old simulators ! Its just getting out of hand. Right now I,m running FS9. I have a hangar with over 500 aircraft, A huge scenery file and have lots of fun with it. Its a release from everyday chores and takes up less space than the 2,000+ model kits I have stuffed in my back room in a huge pile of boxes. I rarely spend more than a couple of hours a day on the FS as the wife usually starts complaining that she wants to use the computer !oh%20how%20I%20laughed  So therefore I cannot see the point of paying out thousands of pounds/dollars/rand/yen etc for what is basically a game! Ok some of you guys may spend your entire free time running FS and getting deadly serious, but hey, theres more to life than this. Unless you want to go industrial why keep changing things. I think If I was to spend any more money on this thing I'd be looking at a divorce. Thats one reason why a lot of my addons are freeeware. I used to spend a fair bit on learning to fly real aircraft. But then i was young, free, single and had a decent bank balance, Then I hit real life and the dream crashed ! Dont get me wrong, I,m all for people having fun and if you want to spend a fortune thats up to you. I come from the old school of "if it aint broke, dont fix it !" so long as my computer contues to run and the system still works then I wont be changing anything. At the end of the day its horses for courses and thats what matters. My mates think I,m a bit geeky and sad even now with this set up, god knows what theyd think if I turned my living room into a complete flight deck !!oh%20how%20I%20laughed Anyway, thats enough from this old carmudgeon, have fun, fly safely.


Yes indeed, FS9 can be all you need. I'm still at school, so I have the same probl;ems- not much time, no free quantity of money, and an older computer...

Vista is alright for me, but XP seems the way to go for FS9 - everything works there. CAll me a technophobe if you like, but it's best that everyone does what suits them. Those who need to stay at the front of technology must do so with Flight - you can reveiw it for us who still run FS9 and FSX.


Posted By: GEOFFERS
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2010 at 5:47pm
I knew there was one flight simmer who is not crazy[dodgy alan] I think FS9 is a great sim [no the best sim] I run it most of the time, I did get FS X cheap so I can see the CensoredCensoredMicrosoft did to it, FS9 may be long in the tooth but I have it on VISTA and it works just fine. AH is not for my cup of tea,hands on flying real and sim.I went to FARNBROUGHHeart every show from 1966 to 2002. the best years 1952 to 1996-8 if I can get FLIGHT cheap I will run it if it runs on VISTA.Question a lot of my programs will not run on VISTA. so I now have a S/H computer XP, it Runs FS2002 better than than FS X. now retied I could spend money getting FS X to run right it ain't worth it. my computers have to do more than be a FS game,

-------------
It's easy to make a small fortune in aviation. You start with a large fortune.



Posted By: johnsmithfsx
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2010 at 9:50pm
What free time? haha. In any case, I do a variety of flying and have purchased a lot of payware addons. Too many times has this happened. I purchase a good and realistic addon and I can't get it to run smoothly even with all graphics turned down. Mostly, I just want a realistic sim and a slideshow is not realistic. Also, I rather enjoyed making videos, but have given that up until I can get FSX to look nice. Mostly, FSX has given me the opportunity to do many projects and to learn a lot about aviation. To be frank, I've got FSX to thank for my aviation knowledge that I had before even beginning to work towards my PPL. Yes, it is essentially only a game, however, in my case and in the case of many others, it doubles as a tool. All in all, the uses I, and many others put it to make it entirely constructive.

-------------


Posted By: flawlesspaul
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2010 at 12:30am
I totally agree with (johnnysmithfsx)..
Before I started (simming) I had no clue about the beauty of aviation.
Now after entering the world of flight and slightly understanding how it works I am addicted.
It is my drug of choice.. I have never been so liberated in my mind until learning how to properly land an aircraft.. (there is a right way of doing it)..
The first time I put a cessna on the center line I almost had an orgas#####..Well you know what I mean.
FSX is a great tool to get you ready for real lessons and even after you take real lessons it is still a great tool for practicing (ILS) (IFR) and such.
If Microsoft can enhance this experience I will be very supportive.. I just hope it is'nt too expensive.Smile


-------------
fpp


Posted By: dodgy-alan
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2010 at 10:06am
Looking at the previous notes experiences about FS being your introduction to flying shows the big gulf between your life and mine. I grew up in the town of Hounslow which is at the eastern end of Heathrow Airport. We later moved to Cranford which literally falls within Heathrows boundaries. My dad worked as a Baggage handler for BEA originally and then for Dunlop Aviation services, his job was delivering Tyres and other parts to various airports and airlines around the UK and as such my brother and I often went with him, We had access to almost all of the airports in the UK and grew up with close contact of many aeroplanes. My first flight was unusual inasmuch that dad was delivering to British Eagle Airways and was having his lunch in their canteen. We were invited to go up in one of their Britannias on a short  test flight, As you can imagine we jumped at the chance and were thrilled to bits as the Whispering Giant lifted off from Heathrow for a half hour flight !
Being so close to the airport most of our families worked there and at weekends all of us kids would spend hours on the now demolished Roof gardens above the Queens building and terminal 2. It was always packed and was a great family day out. watching all the big propliners and the Early jets coming and going. Life in the late 60s and 1970s was great and we got to see all the new stuff as it came out. We went to all the airshows, lItwas inspirational The first 747 in 1969 was a revelation and stopped the traffic whenever one appeared overhead ! Since that Britannia I flew on many occasions from various places and when I finally had enough money i started to learn to fly myself. Gliders, Microlights and fixed wing. However redundacy in the early 80s put paid to that and it was sometime before i was able to get hands on with aircraft again, I was back to spotting at various airports for a while.I then worked as a volunteer for Tony Bianchi at the Blue Max movie aircraft museum at booker airfield where I was part of the restoration team, We used to get the odd joy ride in various birds as a reward for our work
It was great fun and I was sad to leave when I moved to the coast 10 years ago.
So you can see my interest in aviaton was based around real life rather than computer simulations so I do have a completely different outlook on the situation. You can also see why I have a thing about old airliners !! Hope i havent bored you all but It was something I thought i,d share with you.


-------------
The light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train coming the other way !


Posted By: crmathie
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2010 at 11:36am
Total agree with you Alan i worked at Luton airport for almost 10 years in the 70's and 80's
putting all the booze and food on monarch and brittaina's fleet of aircraft. And loved every minute of it day or night. So flying in Fsx means more to me then just a game as i tell the wife it is real.
I all so spent a lot of my spare time watching planes land and take off.
 
Col.


-------------


http://www.crmcomputerservices.co.uk - http://www.crmcomputerservices.co.uk


Posted By: Transport Steve
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2010 at 12:01pm
Well, I used to work for British Midland (not as a pilot, though), and having this game brings back some happy personal memories for me, this simulator isn't JUST a hobby, it reminds me of the good times. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that this game rekindles the fondness us ex-airline staff once had and will never be forgotten every time we climb into our cockpits.....

Cheerio. Transport Steve.


  


Posted By: dodgy-alan
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2010 at 1:47pm
The FS for me is a bit of escapism, I get to virtually fly all those old planes from the past and visit places that i could never have done in real life. Its fun , its interesting, but i cant allow it to take over my life. Also I think i was spoilt some years ago when I had 2 hours on a real BA 737-200 simulator courtesy of British Airways. I was a coach driver on airport contract work and had to deliver some BA students to Cranebank for an exam or something. It was a three hour wait so the guys there allowed me to have a go on the sim. It was simply brilliant. the fact that you get a full working VC and the whole thing moves like the real thing knocks all these desk top jobs into a cocked hat !Wink  If any of you ever get the chance to have a go , do so ! you will love it. 

-------------
The light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train coming the other way !


Posted By: flawlesspaul
Date Posted: 26 Aug 2010 at 12:37am
I worked at (KSFO) in the late 1980's and early 1990's myself.. I was there in 1991 the morning that PAN AM was grounded and the 727 at the gate was fully loaded and ready to be pushed back when the orders came in that it was over. They made all the passengers dismount and return to the terminal.
Pan Am was sharing gates with Delta at the time..
It was one of the most sad days in airliner history. I almost criedCry myself because I knew how much Pan American Airways contributed to the industry... The first to dare put a behemoth 747 in service and set the standard in luxary air travel..
Such as real china dinnerware, real siverware, and glassware.. The peanuts were free and so were the refreshments. Back then Coach Class is what they call First class nowadays.
Well it was'nt long before to much of a good thing would bring the greatest airline back to earth.. Not to mention the lack of even shares of the most lucrative routes back then.
Today, the airliners treat you as if they are doing you a favor by letting you use the toilet for free.
Charging you to take luggage on your vacation..  $5.00 for a small cup of coffee in the terminal. An employee that had no regard for the safety of the ground crew when they engage the (EMERGENCY) escape ramp at the gate because he or (she) was fed up with their job.
Passengers that bring the lack of home training onboard and pilots who down a whole fifth of Crown Royal the night before an international flight.Sleepy They figure they'll catch up on their sleep during the long flight.
Everytime I lookat a 747-400 today I think of the good ol days when flying was fun and not a day of you better be lucky we allow you to sit down and treat you nice thing.


-------------
fpp


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 26 Aug 2010 at 12:04pm
One airline saved I think nearly $500,000 just by giving you one less olive in the pasta dish... no-one noticed... but with fuel prices how they are today... simulators are far greener that the real thing


Posted By: Soaranden
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2010 at 8:53pm
My guess is there are at least hundreds (if not thousands) of individuals outside of Microsoft who know more about Flight than what is being discussed in public forums. The reason for the silence is the existence of non-disclosure agreements between those inficiduals and Microsoft. I will confirm, here, that I know two of those individuals. One of them has stated publicly that for reasons that should be "obvious," more cannot be revealed. I read "obvious" as meaning a non-disclosure agreement exists, and I have good reason to believe that I am correct.

Even individuals who possess more knowledge about Flight than is found in the general public have stated that they know very little. (This is obvious from reading the speculations that a couple of those "knowledgeable" individuals are making themselves). What follows are some of my own speculations.

Although FS9 and FSX will continue to be used and enjoyed for many years, running Flight will require moving past Windows XP and DirectX 9. As speculated by Transport Steve above, there is even the possibility that the release of the new cloud-based Microsoft Flight will coincide with the release of Microsoft's next operating system. If it does coincide, or if it nearly coincides, I wouldn't be surprised if there are features in the new sim that will only work with the latest version of DirectX and that the "latest" version of DirectX will be the version that comes with the next Windows operating system. More likely, though, anyone who runs Windows7 and who has the latest version of DirectX that Windows7 can run (along with a compatible graphics card), will be safe. Two things are certain: There will be no "Preview DirectX 10" mode, and there will be no ability to fall back to DirectX 9. To put it in the vernacular: "DirectX 9 is so over."

Dan



Posted By: flawlesspaul
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2010 at 10:53pm

So what I think I'm hearing is the new MS Flight Sim will not work on my Dual Core vista

with the invidia graphics and 3 g ram..
That would be very selfish of Micro Soft to render an operating system useless so soon.
I figure as long as I can run 99 percent of the software available out there then the new flight sim should also work on Vista.
If it does not work on Vista I will never buy another microsoft product in my life.. And I will make sure my feelings are well known when ever and where ever I'm heard.
Can you say MAC? oh how I laughed


-------------
fpp


Posted By: Soaranden
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 12:10am
Originally posted by flawlesspaul flawlesspaul wrote:

So what I think I'm hearing is the new MS Flight Sim will not work on my Dual Core vista



One of the fundamental goals of Microsoft Games is to enable broad appeal. Another fundamental goal is innovation. Doing both is a balancing act. At some point, a decision has to be made to leave some of the old behind so that the new can be implemented. It's impossible to gain--much less maintain--broad appeal if what you are doing is going to be surpassed by others who more-fully embrace innovation. Microsoft lost a lot of Windows 3.1 users when they came out with Windows 95. They also gained a few users. oh how I laughed The innovations in Windows 95 had broad appeal. Broad appeal makes money. The money comes from us. We can decide whether to buy or not, and, if we want to, we can continue to use FSX and/or FS9 even if we buy Flight.

Until more is announced, Vista users may want to wait and see how compatible Vista will be with Flight. If there are incompatibilities (or complete incompatibility) the next thing Vista users would need to do is check to see if a Flight release date and a release date for Windows 7's successor have both been announced and have release dates that are near to each other. If so, Vista users could skip Windows 7 and move directly to Windows 7's successor.

I don't think the Windows operating system version will be a problem with Flight. It's all about having a compatible version of DirectX, really. Certainly, XP is out of the picture, but XP started moving out of the picture with the release of DirectX 10. That's been quite a while ago.

Dan


Posted By: Biggles1975
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 1:25pm
I would not be suprised if this has abit of FSX about it just with a new engine. On the one side you'll have missions for gamers & on the other side a simulator for the rest of us. I stopped playing flight sim a few months ago and that was FS9 due to lack of time and the fact compeared to my other sims it was starting to look old. I'm not going to get FSX as that is already afew years old and I just don't have the money to get all the addons i'll like so i'm going to wait and see what comes next this or aerosoft. But given how much it costs to create a flight sim and now that microsoft may be bringing a new one out I can see the aerosoft one being stuck on hold for abit to see where microsoft are going with this. And if it becomes clear this is going to get released and not dropped I think aerosoft will stick to what they are doing and just carry on making add-ons. But we'll just have to wait and see.


Posted By: Soaranden
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 5:53pm
There is a rumor circulating about the possibility of a beta release of MS Flight coming before Christmas. It's just a rumor, though, and I haven't heard if they're talking about an in-house beta or a public beta. I'm guessing in-house...with a public beta coming considerably later.

It will be interesting to see how many of the good ideas brought up on the Aerosoft forum (about a possible new Aerosoft sim) are incorporated into the new Microsoft sim. I have a feeling that in attempting to create a sim with wider appeal, Microsoft will provide a sim with things for each of us to like and, unavoidably, with things for each of us to dislike. It's just not possible to please everyone. If the new Microsoft sim is too much game/toy, the door for Aerosoft to create a new and true simulator would be wide open. I expect Microsoft knows that, though.

I guess all of us are a little concerned  that the new Microsoft sim will not be as good as we want it to be nor as good as we think it should be. I can tell you that freeware developers are concerned about the availability and cost of tools needed to develop for the new sim. What the required development tools will be and what the costs will be (if any) are still unknowns. Development of some of the new development tools is undoubtedly still ongoing.

Dan



Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2010 at 10:45am
Well I'm going back to XP eventually - FS9 (and all add-ons I want) work beautifully on XP, not Vista, not Window7, not whatever MS come up with next. I may get Flight when it's as cheap as FSX will be in a year's time, if it of course lives up to hype and reputation... if AHers say it's good, it may be on the old Wish List.


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2010 at 10:47am
But with progress, shouldn't you strive to make it all work together? Surely if you make something like Windows 7 you'd make sure it worked with what your customers wanted and had already, like FS9, FS2002, FS2000, all the way back... it shouldn't be too hard, surely?


Posted By: Person543
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2010 at 7:20pm
There has been a lot of discussion about why it is not called flight simulator. Many people may become worried that it may not be the flight simulator we know and love or the 'fs11' we have been waiting for, but a game. I know that a large majority of flight simmers take their flying really seriously. I am only 13, but I take it just as seriously as many pros. I really hope it doesn't turn into a game. But I watched a video and the guy said it is not called 'flight simulator' because Microsoft have lost the right to call it that because the first Flight simulator was made back in the late eighties for the old apples but Microsoft purchased the rights to continue the franchise and they made the ten we know now. But now the original owner has bought back the rights or Microsoft just lost the rights so they can't call it 'flight simulator' anymore. We will just have to wait until next year. In the meantime, Happy Flying!


Posted By: BANichols
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 12:30pm
I thought I would add my two-penneth regarding FS reminiscences.
 
Back in 1980 I bought a Sinclair Spectrum with 16kb of memory and loaded programs with a lead connected to a cassette player. One of the first games I used with it was a flight simulator. It was basically a row of runway lights and a horizon as the Speccy could not handle graphics very well. I 'flew' using the keyboard until I could afford a joystick and don't remember ever successfully landing it.
 
In 1985 I upgraded to a Commodore Amiga which had a floppy disk drive and 350kb of memory! I bought a flight simulator for that and became hooked. The simulator was not made by Microsoft and I cannot now remember who made it, but the graphics were amazing. It had spot and cockpit views and the default airport was near San Francisco. I used to fly under the Golden  Gate Bridge in the Learjet.
 
The graphics performance of the Amiga was impressive (something to do with their 'Blitter' chip) and it took many further upgrades through 386* systems and Windows OS, to say nothing of graphics cards, to get near it.
 
During this time Microsoft bought the rights for FS and I have loyally upgraded as each MS FS was released. This has been at the cost of quite drastic upgrades to my system (CPUs, motherboards, memory, etc) to keep pace.
 
The bottom line is, at 60 years old and with mobility problems, FS is a means of escape into an infinity of length and breadth that I cannot achieve otherwise. I shall await further announcements from their lordships at Redmond and make my decision (probably based on the price) as and when.
 


Posted By: SamR
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 1:28pm
Good post Brian, you certainly have a long and impressive history with Flight Simulation!

-------------




Posted By: johnep
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 6:03pm
Agreed about the escape into another world. I find FSX just that, a virtual world for me to explore and I am 76. I have very much enjoyed routes of cruises using the Grumman and landing on water. Today the Hurricane is my objective, but neither Bermuda or Charleston yielded and dramatic weather. Will try again later tonight as storm expected to make landfall around 11.30pm. Loved a real weather thunderstorm over St Lucia. By maxing environment sound, able to hear the thunder.
johnep 


Posted By: Person543
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 8:03pm
Hi guys you make a great point, I feel very much the same about it as you, except I am only 13. Most people may think that I am just a dumb kid who knows nothing about aviation. But I have spent my life growing up in aviation, I have learnt a lot from fsx in the past 6 months, from real atc patterns and autopilot functions, to how to run real startup operations on a c-130. Despite me not having mobility issues I still find fsx a great escape from the world because of my peers. I can just escape into a fantastic community of people who respect my thoughts. Most people I talk to think fsx is sad. But these people spend their time constantly on their shoot-'em-ups. I really respect your thoughts and I hope you respect mine. Thanks guys, I now know I am not alone


Posted By: GEOFFERS
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 9:03pm
Originally posted by BY Nicholas BY Nicholas wrote:

I thought I would add my two-penneth regarding FS reminiscences.
 During this time Microsoft bought the rights for FS and I have loyally upgraded as each MS FS was released. This has been at the cost of quite drastic upgrades to my system (CPUs, motherboards, memory, etc) to keep pace.
 
The bottom line is, at 60 years old and with mobility problems, FS is a means of escape into an infinity of length and breadth that I cannot achieve otherwise. I shall await further announcements from their lordships at Redmond and make my decision (probably based on the price) as and when.
 
I am 61 years young also with mobility problems, FS is a best means of escape for me too. I still have all F/Sims from 95  up to FS X.Thumbs%20Down a good game I made up today, was to fly using both FS 2002 Big%20smile and Heart FS9 Thumbs%20Up at the same time,the same aircraft from same  airport EGBG landing on RUTLAND reservoir,I do have a system of, 2 PCs on one monitor, 1 joystick 1 keyboard Approve  just press a simple Exclamation switch ..it was good fun Clown

-------------
It's easy to make a small fortune in aviation. You start with a large fortune.



Posted By: Person543
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 9:42pm
Haha GEOFFERS sounds like fun. I really find it great that you guys enjoy flightsim and as I said in my previous post it IS one of the best ways to get away from it all.

Happy Flying!


Posted By: johnsmithfsx
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2010 at 4:55am
Has Microsoft usually kept a pattern? Is there any way we can estimate/take an educated guess as to when we will get more information about it? The lack of information available is suspenseful.

-------------


Posted By: concorde380
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2010 at 5:15pm
Does anyone know when its going to be released

-------------
When you need to get your cargo from one place to another...Remember Pedro's Cargo


Posted By: Person543
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2010 at 5:21pm
Some time next year probably, Microsoft said not to expect it this year


Posted By: NotYet
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2010 at 7:26pm
Originally posted by Person543 Person543 wrote:

I am only 13, but I take it just as seriously as many pros.


I agree. I am nearly 15, and am passionate about this.... it's taken a while, and I don't even mention it at school - they either think it's sad like you say (they prefer killing aliens with made-up weapons in a randomly generated land on a platform that is far more expensive and useless in respect to the Desktop) or they wouldn't understand it!

I started on FS9 (still have, and use, it) about three years ago. Took me 2 months to land on the runway succesfully, and only have recently learnt how to do full ILS. Dodgy ILS took a while to sort out, but ADE worked . Now I know most AC, and their performance... liveries, useless facts (never useless), and so on... weather, traffic patterns.. etc. etc. etc. etc. More info with this Simulator (I fear to call it a game yet) than school... and AH has given me such a wide range of knowledge about airports, and so on, that I could talk for hours!


I look forward to all progress, but as in an earlier post I am moving backwards unless Flight is our dream, or at least workable for a way around any teething issues. As with all games, I will wait at least a year to check that it works well, and customers enjoy it, and of course if you AHers enjoy it, I know I will.

-------------
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

Imho Idrk so nvm.



Posted By: ShrewsburyFC
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 8:57pm
Regarding your comment about not mentioning at school, Im just the same... I rarely ever talk about it unless im talking to people who are actually into aviation and flight sim...
 
Ive let a few of my friends on flight sim when there round and the first thing I think all of them did when they went on it was crashed it straight into the ground to see what it would do , they then ask questions like, can you blow the plane up, can you shoot down the other planes, its like no!!!!!!!!!! its a flight simulator not a COD game!
 
I reckon Microsoft flight will be a "game for every one" not just for simmers like ourselfs (just my personal opinion) but who knows... could turn out to be amazing or terrible its to early to decide...


-------------


Posted By: flawlesspaul
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2010 at 12:05am
Yes it is sad that "Non-Simmers" don't understand the freedom of flight the way we do, but that's why we are so special and we can say we are different than the "Average" bloke out there not understanding all the things that it takes to get an aircraft airborne, to keep it in the air and to bring it back to earth without hurting anyone or anything.
All these things came to light for me just by "Simming".. And just that minimum amount of understanding is just a very small piece that one should know before Piloting a real aircraft.
There is no joke about the whole proccess of aviation.. It should always be taken serious, even in simulation.. Otherwise it is a waiste of time and reduced to a mere gamelike status.
Before I started "Simming" I was so affraid of flying in any size aeroplane because of the strange noises and movements of differnt parts and such.
Now after a few years of learning about flying I understand alot of what is going on and why. (It makes for a more enjoyable ride for me when I'm a passenger now)Smile.
I like to think that if I had to help bring in an aircraft because of some sort of emergency that I could be talked down by ATC and succeed and save lives.
One thing I do understand is: Taking off is optional and landing is an absolute.Wink
I hope MICROSOFT preserves the educational qualities of flight sim with the pending new product coming out.. The benefits are infinite to say the least.
 
 


-------------
fpp


Posted By: johnsmithfsx
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2010 at 1:03am
Luckily Flight Simulator is not the average console video game. This means that the range of consumers targeted is much more extended. With flight simulator it is possible to try to bring a gamer into the franchise while at the same time try to get simmers to purchase the product as well. There are different modes and options that people can turn on to suit their preferences. That is the only thing that Microsoft needs to do to get both simmers and gamers. Also, many enjoy the missions as well. So long as they keep adjustable options, allow for realism, allow for addons, and for Sim's sake fix the multiplayer problem they have had with Flight Simulator X, they should have a fairly decent sim that everyone can enjoy.

-------------


Posted By: BANichols
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2010 at 3:38pm
When someone calls me a nurd and tells me I ought to get out more, I say, "But I have just carried (insert cargos) to (insert airports). A round trip of (insert distance). Where have you been?"


Posted By: ShrewsburyFC
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2010 at 8:18pm
Good answer BANichols Thumbs%20Up

-------------



Print Page | Close Window