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Microsoft Flight Simulator

fsi.microsoftstudios.com

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Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#141

Post by Macha »

TimTheTinker wrote: post #115
eternalny1 wrote: post #42

I've been using Flight Simulator since the 80s and it was one of the driving factors that caused me to later become a commercial pilot. I used to be into the simulation side quite intensely, and I own FSX, P3D, X-Plane and hardware peripherals. However, the underlying engines on these platforms are suffering due to age. If Microsoft re-enters this market correctly (modern engine, focus on SIMULATION, 3rd-party suppor…

> However, the underlying engines on these platforms are suffering due to age. Is X-Plane suffering? As far as I know, it's the only consumer flight sim that does rigorous physics calculations -- https://www.x-plane.com/desktop/how-x-plane-works/ Or did you mean rigorous simulation of plane systems, ATC, ILS/vectoring, etc.?

Theres basically nothing that can run X-Plane well at higher settings, especially in bigger aircraft. Your best bet is a overclocked high end Intel consumer CPU.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#142

Post by pvg »

mrguyorama wrote: post #117
pvg wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a niche product that requires a specialized and no-longer-common controller. Market growth was in other places and Microsoft chased that. Now the market is gigantic with plenty of room for rebooting beloved-albeit-neglected franchises.

Flight simulator X has a premade controller profile for xbox controllers as well as functional controls for using a mouse as a yoke.

Sure, Quake comes with a premade keyboard-only profile as well.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#143

Post by Macha »

rdtsc wrote: post #90
namenumber wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hard to say with just a 1m30s preview video to go off, but if those visuals are the "basic" MSFS global graphics then they are quite impressive even compared to copy of P3D that has been modded out with global scenery from third party content providers. If i were to guess, its probably a technological leap instead of an increment, as they'd be disinterested in competing with the X-Plane and P3D install bases unless t…

Interesting. Thank you for replying. > So they are not allowed to sell it as a game, only as a learning and simulation tool. That makes sense finally. I had noticed that when was using it and always thought they just didn't want to bother with the gaming part because there was not enough of profit for them to restructure having to support that market.

Pretty sure it's not a coincidence that the academic edition is sold at video game pricing.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#144

Post by TimTheTinker »

Macha wrote: post #141
TimTheTinker wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> However, the underlying engines on these platforms are suffering due to age. Is X-Plane suffering? As far as I know, it's the only consumer flight sim that does rigorous physics calculations -- https://www.x-plane.com/desktop/how-x-plane-works/ Or did you mean rigorous simulation of plane systems, ATC, ILS/vectoring, etc.?

Theres basically nothing that can run X-Plane well at higher settings, especially in bigger aircraft. Your best bet is a overclocked high end Intel consumer CPU.

I think that says more about Austin Meyer's insane hacker mentality than X-Plane's deficiencies. Of course he'd allow setting maximum detail/frame levels that are far above what modern desktop machines can deliver -- maybe someone with a 64-core Xeon and paired top-end NVIDIA cards wants to max out such a system :)

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#145

Post by iso-8859-1 »

pixelbath wrote: post #97
Thaxll wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's impressive because it's most likely fake.

The Flight Simulator team at Microsoft takes their work pretty seriously. I very much doubt this is prerendered; they know the cost of BSing their (very hardcore) fanbase.

When you say "Flight Simulator team", are you talking about the team that ported the subLOGIC simulator to the IBM PC?

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#146

Post by Macha »

TimTheTinker wrote: post #144
Macha wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Theres basically nothing that can run X-Plane well at higher settings, especially in bigger aircraft. Your best bet is a overclocked high end Intel consumer CPU.

I think that says more about Austin Meyer's insane hacker mentality than X-Plane's deficiencies. Of course he'd allow setting maximum detail/frame levels that are far above what modern desktop machines can deliver -- maybe someone with a 64-core Xeon and paired top-end NVIDIA cards wants to max out such a system :)

More than 4 cores doesn't help with the current engine - that 64 core Xeon is going to be clocked lower than a 9700k and perform worse. You could run 16 instances but none are going to run faster.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#147

Post by munificent »

Thaxll wrote: post #72
foo101 wrote: post #4

The trailer link on this page is very impressive. Here is the direct link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReDDgFfWlS4

It's impressive because it's most likely fake.

Ex-game dev here, though not a graphics programmer.

I didn't see anything in the video that looks particularly difficult to achieve in a modern engine. The volumetric fog and clouds are really nice and might be difficult but I'd be surprised if they weren't doable.

Everything else just looks like good models, textures, and lighting to me. I don't even see any particularly difficult techniques.

And there are things that definitely scream "real-time" to me. In particular, the shot of the jet taxi-ing looks like it might have some poorly tuned screen space global illumination around the jet. Notice that fake looking soft shadows around the engines that move with the plane.

Obviously, the whole world isn't going to be modeled and textured with the level of fidelity you see here. The trailer is only going to show the "hero" locations that get a lot of care and attention — Seattle's space needle, the pyramids of Egypt, etc. But I see no reason why the in-game experience wouldn't look like this in those areas.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#149

Post by cstrahan »

vturner wrote: post #94
musha68k wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Long periods of sitting are actually very hard on your system and one of the reasons why so many quit doing what they love. Also tight deadlines and other maybe less obvious constant stressors might exacerbate pernicious effects. For that reason even junior and intermediate developers should think twice about fair/sustainable remuneration. Ageisim diclaimer: That doesn't mean that there aren't lots of people with exc…

What other areas do people with technical backgrounds move into that don't require so much sitting? With degrees in physics and applied math, I'm not sure where I can go and not be at a desk (or take a huge hit in $$). Just 3 years out from school, and I can definitely notice the difference in my physical health and mental agility. I have taken up gardening to get me outside and eat decently well. I can still feel th…

You could keep doing the work you're doing, but without the sitting: get a stand up desk (if money is an issue, you can get a cheap hand-cranked desk from Ikea) and get an under desk treadmill (harder to avoid spending at least $1k, sadly). I get in about 5 hours of walking per day this way, at 4 mph (I'm 6'2", so that's right around my typical walking speed). I feel infinitely better this way, and it's also an incredible way to burn off calories with minimal intensity.
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