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Microsoft Flight Simulator

fsi.microsoftstudios.com

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Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#71

Post by namenumber »

rdtsc wrote: post #38

How does this compare with Prepar3D from Lockheed. I thought Lockheed had bought MS FlightSim and even hired a good number of their developers and that was the end of MS FligthSim https://www.prepar3d.com/

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 they knew they had something that was more than a sideways improvement. I would find it weird if they just try to be as good as the rest of the pack, at least.

As for your second question, you're right and wrong. Lockheed got the rights to further develop the old MSFS engine, and to rebrand it as P3D, but only for academic/professional simulation purposes. So they are not allowed to sell it as a game, only as a learning and simulation tool. Here are some of the reqs from the Academic License (60USD) EULA, whereamong you'll find this : (3) in connection with Academic Education, (4) by students, instructors and staff associated with Licensee's Academic Education, .., (6) for purposes other than personal/consumer entertainment. Point (6) also appears in the EULA of the Professional (200USD) license.

Though this has, AFAIK this has been done more for corporate legal reasons than for any desire to go after individual users. I've never heard of any revoked licenses on the above-mentioned grounds.

So Microsoft has always signaled that they consider MSFS a product still in their gaming portfolio. Though people learned to cope with the absence.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#73

Post by wrsh07 »

m23khan wrote: post #57

wishing Microsoft the best but it really is a niche market - for one, there are so many aircraft controls that you really do need some specialized controllers (yoke) to make it enjoyable experience. Other factors include rather mundane experience of flying aircraft (from general gamer point of view) as well as the resource hungry requirements (OK, not so much these days but it was quiet expensive game to run back in…

This is true, but GamePass makes this somewhat interesting.

It's sort of like Netflix buying a high production value show that serves a limited audience.

People with GamePass will get to try it, and people in the niche might get GamePass just because of it (and then have access to a number of other sim-style games, including Forza 4)

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#74

Post by namenumber »

joezydeco wrote: post #32
mffnbs wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing the "AI" was used in the geometry mapping from the sat data they used for their region maps.

My dream feature would be weather based on live meterological inputs.

You can have that right now for both X-Plane and Prepar3d with a very well made addon called Active Sky by Hifi Simulation Technologies.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#75

Post by billfruit »

ljoshua wrote: post #66
atonse wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really miss SimCopter. The missions were so interesting.

SimCopter was one of the most underappreciated Sims ever! Especially fun was loading up the cities you built in SimCity and flying around them in SimCopter. Oh man, good times.

Don't know how good it is, but there is Heliborne available on steam, reviews seem decent.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#76

Post by vanderZwan »

> Accessibility is important to us. Whatever your abilities are, if you want to fly, we are going to do whatever we can to make that happen. Yoke and pedals, mouse and keyboard, controller, etc. No pilot should be left behind.

Although not needing it myself, as an interaction designer I was really impressed by the accessibility support for the Xbox One[0]. Glad to see Microsoft keep up their commitment to this!

[0] https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/accessibility

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#77

Post by jillesvangurp »

aphextron wrote: post #62
rdtsc wrote: post #38

How does this compare with Prepar3D from Lockheed. I thought Lockheed had bought MS FlightSim and even hired a good number of their developers and that was the end of MS FligthSim https://www.prepar3d.com/

Prepar3d is literally just a licensed version of FSX with UI tweaks. It's not even at the level of X-Plane these days.

It's a bit more than that. They did a lot of work to port the platform to 64 bit and modernize the rendering engine, content, etc. I'm an x-plane person myself as well but p3d is pretty impressive in its own right and probably still has better commercial content. X-plane is catching up rapidly though in that respect and e.g. the recent orbx scenery looks amazing. Also stuff like simheaven and ortho4xp are amazing free add ons for x-plane.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#78

Post by billfruit »

Theodores wrote: post #7

Why did Microsoft let the Flight Simulator franchise go to the back burner for so long? I know these vast corporations have to focus but it is still a mystery to me why they let it go. Does anyone have any idea what the thinking was? What has fundamentally changed for them to want to get back to it?

Something I also wonder, but in respect of Ensemble Studios and the Age of Empires.

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#79

Post by feyman_r »

Theodores wrote: post #7

Why did Microsoft let the Flight Simulator franchise go to the back burner for so long? I know these vast corporations have to focus but it is still a mystery to me why they let it go. Does anyone have any idea what the thinking was? What has fundamentally changed for them to want to get back to it?

While this doesn't answer your question, it indicates people on the team realize folks outside would ask - what happened? From the page:

"..Thank you for being patient enough to weather the turbulence caused by some of our previous missteps. Thank you for being willing to look to the possibilities of the future while asking us to be accountable for the past. .."

Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator

#80

Post by cwyers »

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.

Why? The Forza games look that good, and Microsoft can just ask the Forza people for the code, they own Turn 10 and Playground Games. It's certainly possible to do that, although I shudder to ask what sort of a rig was required to do that.
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