What we wish: Online

[SeanTK]

Figured I'd try to organize our thoughts here since the announcement thread is growing ever-larger. (If the mods aren't ok with this, just destroy this thread.)

Simply an "wishlist/debate center" regarding possible features in the new sim related to online usage.
Does the community here want everything to be online? (No offline capability)

What about third party content being centrally distributed (free or pay) through Windows LIVE?

Continued partnership with Gamespy? (I already know the community's opinion on this..

[Keep It Simple]

I am dead set against any requirement of having to get all third pary material through live.

[Fr. Bill]

Thankfully, Gamespy is history...

[Fozzer]

The option for BOTH, Solo, and Multiplayer....

....on-line Multiplayer Flights from the drop-down menu, following the same, simple pattern as used successfully in FS 2004..(FS Host, or Players own IP Address)....

...and off-line (Solo) Flights, the same as before.

The overall operation of FS 2004 was/is remarkably simple and successful.

Paul...G-BPLF...FS 2004...FS Nav... 8-)...!

[littlebenny]

i go with the online + the offline also i would make like make like 4 servers for all players so not every 1 makes his own server and let every big comunity have his own server

[Travis]

I think it would be interesting if (and this is a big "if") MS could figure out a way for the AI to act as close to real pilots as possible, including things like collision avoidance and irate calls to ATC.  The reason I say this is that if we, as players, were not able to distinguish between other online fliers and AI, we would be less likely to turn off AI during online flight.  As well as treating every aircraft as a potentially smart human being with real instinct and logical piloting skills.  There have been too many times (and once is one too many!) that I have been on approach in my little Cessna or other single, only to have a regional jet or 737 go UNDER me and land on my runway.  Now what kind of real human pilot would risk that insanity, I should ask?  None, I sincerely hope!  So it would behoove MS to really button down the activity of the AI to match that of the online pilots they will inevitably be flying next to.

[f-35simpilot]

I like the way gamespy set it up where there is a server list... But gamespy was bad for connecting!!!

[Steve M]

I would hope online flight will be a one click affair. No setting up ports and limiting frame rates. Selective, as to who's allowed to fly along with you. And realistic ATC if you choose it. Full screen, with a chatbox..

[RaptorF22]

I would really love realistic carrier deck ops(have someone be a LSO, etc.)

[skoker]

Realistic airlines and traffic.  Default Gulfstream 550.  Default 737-700.  Uneven runways.  User can control pushback and jet bridge movement.  Default active camera.  Wing condensation.  People so we don't need to commit to an aircraft and can just explore.  Realistic colouring so no whites more cremes like in real life.  Heat blur.

[SeanTK]

Knowing that Gulfstream downright refuses to allow reproductions of their aircraft, I would be surprised if MS wanted to go through the legal hassle and fees of trying to put one in the sim, when there are other options out there. Regarding the legal aspect and fees, that goes for "realistic airlines" as well.

Regarding the online aspect, it would be neat if they used a system similar to how VATSIM is now, where there is a large database of low poly models representing many aircraft, and your sim will draw the closest match, rather than using a default model that may be nothing like what the other user is flying.

[Boikat]

I think it would be nice if M$ simply modeled a detailed world environment, and you could fly any pre-existing FS9 and FSX aircraft in it, along with any default M$Flight aircraft.  The presentation that others see would be no more restrictive than the current on-line multiplayer restrictions.

But, even at that, I'm sure the "brain boys" could figure out a way to present whatever you are flying to other fliers without them needing to have your aircraft on their computer, or needing it loaded on the M$Flight server.

So yes, I want to buzz the Whitehouse in the "Spindrift" and leave the (previously mentioned) AI F-16's eating smoke when I go full throttle on all three engines and climb out to 200,000 in about a minute. 

[Travis]

Having previous versions of the aircraft from FS available for Flight will severely limit the designers for the new sim, since they would have to make everything backwards compatible.

[Boikat]

Having previous versions of the aircraft from FS available for Flight will severely limit the designers for the new sim, since they would have to make everything backwards compatible.  This is a step in the WRONG DIRECTION.  MS needs to start over, since it's high time we got rid of some of the crap that has accumulated in the converters over the past few rendition

How would allowing backwards compatibility limit designers?  It's not I'm talking about making MSFlight aircraft usable in FS9 or FSX, so I don't see the problem.

[SeanTK]

I agree with Travis on the backwards compatibility stuff. I think it would do a world of good in the long run if this new program served as a fresh start. Start from scratch with a release that is graphically beautiful, but does not tax systems extremely (maybe on par with FSX). It's going to be better to streamline the program rather than retain code that likely dates back to at least FS '95.