Here is a thought about the next MSFS

[codered]

I was looking at some screenshots and got to thinking.  Since some of us spend tremendous amounts of time and money on payware addons, what if Microsoft teamed up with all the great designers out there.  For example if you get the chance go to www.aerosoft.com and look at the Switzerland Pro package.  This is outstanding detail.  Since it takes so long to put together a whole game, you could think of the scenery and some planes being freelanced to those who have already done it.  Granted this would drive the cost of Flightsim into the thousands, but I figure I have already spent that much on addons, it would just save me the time.  Hmmm, if only all of my scenery looked as good as the Aerosoft Switzerland Package.  It is tempting to spend $140 on one country.

[Billerator]

Yeah that would be nice.

The current scenery can really be far from the actual scenery.

I never really thought that it was amazing in the first place. I dont expect it to be great either, but it really annoyd me yeasterday when I flew to Samedan LSZS in Switzerland.

On the approach there is no ILS but there are the guidance lights (vasi or papi, cant remember what they're called) but the thing is, they will land you in the forest on the side of the mountain.
Its not that the glideslope is wrong, just that the mountain is in the wrong place.

I dont mind when the scenery isnt accurate to a metre in plain country, but when you have a scenario like that its just annoying.

I always thought that MS made their scenery using accurate maps.


Just wondering if annyone knows just how accurate the scenery is.

 

[nicecloud]

FS is about flying an airplane.
Sceneries are nice but they are only lower in my priorities.
I am crazy about airplanes first. I miss the smell of it and the beautiful noice they make.
We still have a long way to go with airplanes. I find microsoft did a good job with those vintage planes in FS9. What a sound they make, it's music...
I am happy with the pictures outside my cockpit in FS9. I couldn't hope for more. I'm amazed.
It scares me some people are so much into sceneries. I tell them to just go to that airport or country and visit it. But you can't sit all day in all those different planes, an old DC6 a cub, a 747, that is the miracle of FS for me. If It was for a scenery simulator, I wouldn't even have had a computer yet...
Flying is about technique, weather, clouds, safety, atc.
However thanks to those sceneries designers of course.
We lose our time by putting passengers in the finger, hostesses crossing the tarmac. I do not care for all this.
Guess what, I turn off my visibility, it looks more real for the moment that way, and the frame rate is better.
Nice cloud

[Delta_]

That would be excellent if MS employed some of these design team on a temporary basis and payed them a good amount to make highly accurate scenery etc.  MS would keep lots of customers and gain a lot more aswell if they did this.  The loss of money to employ these people would be far out weighed by the profit MS owuld make from selling more FS.

[codered]

Don't get me wrong, I love being able to fly different types of aircraft.  From the Cub to the 747, there is nothing better.   I love being able to recreate flights I have taken in real life or wish to take.  FS is a great way to escape for a few hours and travel to far away places either in style or rugged.  For me, personally, it just feels so much better to fly into an airport that looks like a postcard.  Or when you are cruising along through the mountains or high over the cities, then you look out the window and see the beautiful earth go by like nature intended.  It is not just the payware that is cool, the freeware designers are putting out terrific addon sceneries also.

I don't have a grande machine, but it is modest enough to have my settings on high and get pretty good frame rates.  So I can afford to load up all the high quality addons.  I know why MS has created the sim the way they did.  It is so that the simmer with the low end machine can fly without much computing power.

Anyway, it was just a thought about FS and if we mereged the best addon designers out there.  I assume it that were to happen, Bill would have a monopoly on FS addons and he would find himself back in court, and that would suck....

Happy flying...

[VPA_KTPA]

Since the release of CFS3 where people can join in multiplayer and ride in diffrent gunner postions in one plane is posible.so it would seem to me virtual passengers is posible.it may be a good idea it may not.just something that crossed my mind.but i have had quiet a few ask if they could go for a ride in the plane i was flying from there computer.just a thought instead of flying around empty airplanes.

[Billerator]

Wow I've never thought of that.

Have a buddy in the jump seat or sitting anywhere in the cabin.

I suppose the next step up is to actually have a co-pilot, imagine the possibilities. Then again Im not sure weather connection speeds would permit this, especially 56k ones.

[dave3cu]

If the next MSFS included everything that everyone wanted, or expected from 'as real as it should be';

It would be unaffordable to most of us , and this community would have no need for existance and aerosoft.com would have to find another market.

The community that MSFS, through its open platform, creates is one of its biggest selling points.

[FaxCap]

I agree that MS should work a little closer with it's users.
There are most likely 15-20 freeware aircraft out there
who's authors would gladly contribute to MS for
distribution.  Look at Shute's Aero Commander
series....they are better than 75% of the payware
aircraft out there.  If I had designed an aircraft as nice
as the Aero Commander series and MS came along and
said "Great Work, would you like us to add your aircraft
to MS2006?" I would jump at it....especially if they said I
would never have to pay for a copy of MSFS again.  :)


FaxCap

[A/SGT.Mav316]

THOSE MANHATTAN scenery look insane! That is what I am talking about! But it is payware that will be worth purchasing. But Microsoft should have put much detail into it.

But let's all face it, if Microsoft put this much detail in the simulator imagine the price tag on the game and how large a file it would be! That is why I can see why Microsoft concentrates on the air, clouds, airports, and lighting effects on planes. It keeps its price down and they deliberately leave the game open for improvement to your liking by allowing you to put addon on scenery and aircraft to make the simulation more enjoyable for your own use and what your machine can handle

Mav

[Delta_]

The cost would be recovered from selling lots of them.  They won't need to put the price up.  All the magazines would give it ace ratings we would give it unbelievable ratings and recommend it to everyone.  MS would make all their money back and when they release the next version after that they have so many loyal customers they would sell loads of them.

[nicecloud]

Codered,

Don't worry, the dream will come true. This is just a start. I can't wait to drop parachutes out of my DC3.
You were right to mention Aerosoft. I didn't miss any of their GA series because they were flyable.
Others went too far and put your system almost to a slide show. That's what I meant. This was not fair. I lost my money with them. Never bought a scenery anymore except for GA series.
That's why I reacted to your post. It has to be flyable and stay within limits, also price limit. I have full of obsolete sceneries here. Throw away...?
Nicecloud

[VPA_KTPA]

nicecloud its not a dc3 but i know where theres a plane you can drop parachutes.if you want let me know and ill post the link.

[IcedFoxtrotter]

We've already had a discusion about what could be done different in the next FS, namely gameplay and graphics.

The argument starts on Pg. 2.
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=gen;action=display;num=1077715481;start=