Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

venturebeat.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

111–120 of 131 posts

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#111

Post by jms703 »

tetris11 wrote: post #91
EMM_386 wrote: post #90

I have been using Microsoft Flight Simulator from the earliest versions (maybe 2.0 or something) through all the versions afterwards. I got to a juncture in my life where I was wondering what I should do. I thought "well, I love flight simulators, let's take a introductory flight". Drove to my local airport, flew it. I was already familiar with all the controls thanks to the MSFS. That flight had me convinced. Got my…

I do wonder who the game appeals to though, since it's sold on PC and Xbox. I played it as a child on my PC and the experience was quite immersive, even if the graphics were bad. I recently played the new one on the console, and it just felt... off. I didn't feel immersed, though the plane handling seemed realistic. I think my brain was primed console-wise for something similar to a GTAV flying experience, and I can…

What is a GTAV flying experience?

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#112

Post by tetris11 »

jms703 wrote: post #111
tetris11 wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do wonder who the game appeals to though, since it's sold on PC and Xbox. I played it as a child on my PC and the experience was quite immersive, even if the graphics were bad. I recently played the new one on the console, and it just felt... off. I didn't feel immersed, though the plane handling seemed realistic. I think my brain was primed console-wise for something similar to a GTAV flying experience, and I can…

What is a GTAV flying experience?

Static chassis with no flex that explodes realistically on rough landings and does a pretty good job hugging the surface without much input.

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#113

Post by cr125rider »

mark_undoio wrote: post #103

Tangential but I keep wishing for an MS Space Simulator revival - I realise there are other games that scratch that itch these days but I did enjoy how very seriously it took accurate simulation (plus occasional silly touches like the various futuristic spacecraft).

X-Plane has some pretty solid space and reentry physics last I checked. They had a shuttle landing mission which was super cool (and hard)

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#114

Post by Guillaume86 »

deanCommie wrote: post #15

One thing I've always wished Microsoft would do with every version of Flight Simulator but especially this one is have an "Arcade flying" mode. I want to see the hyper-realistic rendered world in as high resolution as possible. I want to fly around the planet. But I don't want to be limited to the detailed specifics (and speeds!) of real life planes. Why can't we have a mode to make a plane as easy to fly as it is in…

Did you try Google Earth VR? You can get the "superman" experience there (and even scale yourself up/down).

In most ways it does not look as good as MSFS (no dynamic weather, animations etc), but you get a lot more of accurately modeled cities with 3D buildings.

A version with visual candy like dynamic weather simulation would be excellent...

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#115

Post by agubelu »

Mashimo wrote: post #83
agubelu wrote: post #61

Something I would have loved to see, especially in this era of AI, is improvements to the ATC system. But it seems we're stuck with the one from FS2020, which in turn is largely the same it was 20 years ago. Not everyone can or wants to go to VATSIM for realistic ATC coverage, but the default one is just dreadful. Obvious phraseology mistakes, happily vectoring you towards terrain, asking you to descend 20k ft. in 2…

Like this? https://youtu.be/inDm0mjp_t8?t=323

Yes, I was thinking of stuff like BeyondATC or SayIntentions. As another comment pointed out, MS of all companies seems particularly well positioned to pull this out if they wanted to and it could be a very strong selling point for hardcore simmers, or even as a learning tool for more casual players.

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#116

Post by Sohcahtoa82 »

grujicd wrote: post #5
lttlrck wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2020 is astonishing in VR. I get the same melancholy I do on a real plane and can fly for hours sightseeing out the window. There is also a real sense of peril. It's quite the experience. I can't wait for 2024.

Do you get any motion sickness?

I've got close to 400 hours clocked in VR.

MS Flight Sim makes me sick, as does any driving game or any game where locomotion involves the view moving without associated real-world movement unless teleportation is used.

I can play Beat Saber, PokerStars VR, Zombie Training Simulator, Gorn, etc., for literally hours at a time and feel fine.

But in a racing game, as soon as the car starts moving, even at only 5 mph, I get nauseous. Same in MS Flight Sim. I don't have to be doing crazy maneuvers to feel sick, just taxiing makes me sick.

This is pretty much the norm for most people. If virtual world movement matches real world movement, you're fine. But as soon as there's a mismatch, that's where motion sickness begins.

One of these days, I'll try taking motion sickness medication beforehand and see if it helps.

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#117

Post by Sohcahtoa82 »

TiredOfLife wrote: post #73
troad wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

MSFS 2020 takes up hundreds of gigabytes and takes many hours to install, so this is likely to be an improvement.

MSFS 2020 also streams from cloud

Differently, though.

MSFS 2020 only streams terrain data from the cloud. It sounds like MSFS 2024 will stream the entire rendered video feed, similar to other cloud gaming services.

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#118

Post by Sohcahtoa82 »

mulmen wrote: post #66
wk_end wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

VR FS2020 is so good that it made me get a pilot's license.

I’m very curious about this. How do you manipulate flight controls with the headset on? Do you go by feel or is there a matching representation in the virtual world?

Personally, I don't have a HOTAS, I just an XBox controller and of course the VR controller.

The cockpit is interactable with the VR controllers. You can reach forward and push buttons and turn knobs. It's a bit awkward, but it's doable.

I'll typically hold the XBox controller in my left hand to control the flight stick and have a VR controller on my right hand to interact with everything else in the cockpit. It does get awkward though when I need to use the rudder or brakes, though, since in a real airplane, those are controlled by pedals. I have to try to press buttons on my XBox controller on my right hand while still holding the VR controller.

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#119

Post by mulmen »

nielu wrote: post #94
mulmen wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m very curious about this. How do you manipulate flight controls with the headset on? Do you go by feel or is there a matching representation in the virtual world?

Speaking from my experience (a lot of DCS, 10s of hours in VTOL VR, couple hours in MSFS2020, all in VR), if you have HOTAS controllers, it feels natural to use them, without seeing them. Actually, my biggest grip with VTOL VR is the fact that the developer is hellbent on using vr controllers instead of joystick and throttle, which even with the best tracking (valve index) is miles away from precision of a good hotas

Cool! My interest in flight sims is more GA than military so I don’t think HOTAS is as appropriate there but I can definitely see that military flight sims are the killer VR app.

Could something like Apple Vision Pro work in an AR capacity so I can still see my physical controls?

Re: The ambition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

#120

Post by mulmen »

Sohcahtoa82 wrote: post #118
mulmen wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m very curious about this. How do you manipulate flight controls with the headset on? Do you go by feel or is there a matching representation in the virtual world?

Personally, I don't have a HOTAS, I just an XBox controller and of course the VR controller. The cockpit is interactable with the VR controllers. You can reach forward and push buttons and turn knobs. It's a bit awkward, but it's doable. I'll typically hold the XBox controller in my left hand to control the flight stick and have a VR controller on my right hand to interact with everything else in the cockpit. It does…

Ohhh! Ok that’s cool. I can see having a yoke and pedals then using VR control for the rest. How fiddly are the VR controls? Can you reasonably set a radio frequency or control the autopilot?
Post reply on HN