Re: Microsoft Flight 2011

[hyperpep111]

First of all, welcome bnbnd. The information you have given was very interesting to read. And I feel the same way. I did not know that Aerosoft would be working on a sim. This is going to be fun to watch Microsoft's reaction when they discover the flight simulation market is not theirs alone . And whether It comes out 2011 or 2013. I am not going to buy it immediately. Wait a few months until they release a flight equivalent Of acceleration and then gold and when the prices go down buy it. I hope there's a demo  .

[Strategic Retreat]

This is going to be fun to watch Microsoft's reaction when they discover the flight simulation market is not theirs alone

It is sometimes SO strange to see how easily people, even those in the hobby, tend to forget X-plane 9 and the soon to come 10. Maybe because it is not as... gamey as FS/Flight?

Whatever Aerosoft may want to do... it will have to contend against X-.plane 9/10 on the flight simulator side, and Flight on the game side. I can't see them doing exceptionally good... at least on first.

And before you assemble a mob with torches and pitchforks... it is NOT ME who thinks as Flight (or even the old FS brand) as game.. BUT M$ THEMSELVES. So there.

For last, undoubtedly FSX is a lot of fun, if your hobby is to tweak a program/sim/game INCESSANTLY without having a moment of peace and almost never being able to use it without an issue or thirty-four getting out of the bushes to continuously mob you. If you want to have fun sim-flying (and I'm saying NOTHING new) you MUST go elsewhere. No doubts Flight will have the weaknesses of its direct predecessor ironed out (at least we dare hope it will), but seen the will of M$ t0o transform it in a game is maybe even more keen lately than it was in the past... and I'm not referring to the (foreboding) drop of the "Simulator" part only, but to the seemingly sure slaving of the new Flight to THEIR own website ONLY for add-ons... thing this that if, as it seems, will happen because of the latest trend in M$ of HAVING to be control freaks, it will be cause for me to ultimately divorce M$ software for sim-flight (of course I mean it regarding new versions, as LIKE HELL I'm going to renounce FS9 any time soon) and go X-plane permanently... and/or maybe Aerosoft Sim too (depending on their approach to flight simulation). :-/

[raptor22ms]

I think that x-plane is easy to forget about because of the user interface. It is almost a feat of programming to get to the runway then to figure out the maze of controls. This is where microsofts long line of FS products has done them well. Most people want to click a button and be on the runway. And a company that does not meet that one simple demand that so much of the market craves is doomed to second place. From what I have seen x-plane has a long way to come but, on that same note MS Flight does not really have the wow factor that so many are so hyped about. A simple observation from a private pilot.......

[hyperpep111]

Yes but. There are some people who are sticking to Microsoft like glue Hoping that the next release will come out with their expectations and when it comes out they are disappointed and The cycle starts again. I personally will be moving to Flightgear if it comes out for Directx and if it doesn't I will install Linux.

[BrandonF]

[quote]

[Strategic Retreat]

I think that x-plane is easy to forget about because of the user interface. It is almost a feat of programming to get to the runway then to figure out the maze of controls.

The part quoted above (...not to speak about the rest...) tells me you never used X-plane and go by hearsay, since in X-plane one of my personal pet peeves is that at the start you ARE ALWAYS ON THE RUNWAY and there is no way (that I know) to make it behave differently. You wake on the runway AND THEN you can move elsewhere.

But about the controls, I think you are right. They are different from FS and not all the GAMERS want to spend the wealth of one hour of their life to understand how they work... only to then decide to spend twice the same amount of time gladly on learning the different commands of CFS, soon after.

True is, they at Laminar Research could have made the control similar to FS... but MOST PROBABLY, M$ would have NEVER missed the chance to SUE their communal rear ends off for even that silliness, so they had to make due (and nothing forbids you to edit the keys to your personal liking, anyway).

[hyperpep111]

I personally like fsx for it's ability to combine simplicity(Space bar and mouse to pan e.t.c) and Complexity (starting cold and dark, Going through checklist e.t.c) But if they cant listen to the buyers, They are doomed. DOOMED i tell you .

[-Andy-]

I won't buy it if:

*You can't get free addons from the community developers like you always could
*M$ has control on add-ons
*It is more a game than a simulator even with sliders maxed.

I WILL buy it if:
*You can download free addons regularly on sites like this and other community Flight sites
*It can behave like a real aircraft
*It can have realistic Google Earth style scenery so that my flights can replicate real flights
*I don't have to keep spending money to get more addons.


The enthusiasts for home flight simulation are out there. I am not sure MS Flight will meet their needs. I would not be hopeful about a small addon company like aerosoft having the resources (which is $millions) to develop a good alternative.

There is still some hope that other sims from $billion companies may rise to meet our needs. - Or the community can develop ourselves 'Flightgear' - which can be as good as FSX if it was developed.

[Strategic Retreat]

I won't buy it if:

*You can't get free addons from the community developers like you always could
*M$ has control on add-ons
*It is more a game than a simulator even with sliders maxed.

Couldn't agree more. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

I WILL buy it if:
*You can download free addons regularly on sites like this and other community Flight sites
*It can behave like a real aircraft
*It can have realistic Google Earth style scenery so that my flights can replicate real flights
*I don't have to keep spending money to get more addons.

Completely agree as well... even if the last two points REALLY are a wish list (if you think that M$ is going out of their way to make your life simpler EVEN IF YOU PAY THEM FOR IT, you REALLY do not know M$) and, was I in your shoes, I would not really expect them to become reality. [smiley=thumbup.gif]

The enthusiasts for home flight simulation are out there. I am not sure MS Flight will meet their needs. I would not be hopeful about a small addon company like aerosoft having the resources (which is $millions) to develop a good alternative.

Sadly enough I agree on your thoughts here too. On both points. This doesn't mean we HAVE to stop hoping... only that investing our everything on that hope is going to burn us to ashes. :-/

There is still some hope that other sims from $billion companies may rise to meet our needs. - Or the community can develop ourselves 'Flightgear' - which can be as good as FSX if it was developed.

Beside M$ and the conflicting news on their still to come Flight, Aerosoft only has given foggy promises of them making something that still has not even a name, X-plane is snubbed by the greater majority because is not gamey enough, and Flightgear is kept in contempt BECAUSE ONE DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT INSANE AMOUNTS OF MONEY.

...and I challenge ANYONE to disprove the above-written statements.

[hyperpep111]

Huh

I won't buy it if:

*You can't get free addons from the community developers like you always could
*M$ has control on add-ons
*It is more a game than a simulator even with sliders maxed.

True,true

I WILL buy it if:
*You can download free addons regularly on sites like this and other community Flight sites
*It can behave like a real aircraft
*It can have realistic Google Earth style scenery so that my flights can replicate real flights
*I don't have to keep spending money to get more addons.

Again I agree. Sad but i agree .

Completely agree as well... even if the last two points REALLY are a wish list (if you think that M$ is going out of their way to make your life simpler EVEN IF YOU PAY THEM FOR IT, you REALLY do not know M$) and, was I in your shoes, I would not really expect them to become reality.

As usual Strategic you speak allot of sense. :-X.And i completely agree with you.

Flightgear is kept in contempt BECAUSE ONE DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT INSANE AMOUNTS OF MONEY.

And that it is open source, And that it works on pretty much every platform and that it is more frame rate friendly? And that it has a few more advanced systems than fsx?

But you cant say flight gear is contempt.
It is not worthless it is actually pretty good.

[Strategic Retreat]

But you cant say flight gear is Contempt.
It is not worthless it is actually pretty good.

What I meant to say, but my command over English language evidently slipped, is that Flightgear is KEPT IN CONTEMPT, as in: is scorned and disdained... because IT'S FREE.

If if it was paid for, more people would surely appreciate it more. Sad but as true as human stupidity.

[Jake Bourdon]

I won't buy it if:

*You can't get free addons from the community developers like you always could
*M$ has control on add-ons
*It is more a game than a simulator even with sliders maxed.

I WILL buy it if:
*You can download free addons regularly on sites like this and other community Flight sites
*It can behave like a real aircraft
*It can have realistic Google Earth style scenery so that my flights can replicate real flights
*I don't have to keep spending money to get more addons.


The enthusiasts for home flight simulation are out there. I am not sure MS Flight will meet their needs. I would not be hopeful about a small addon company like aerosoft having the resources (which is $millions) to develop a good alternative.

There is still some hope that other sims from $billion companies may rise to meet our needs. - Or the community can develop ourselves 'Flightgear' - which can be as good as FSX if it was developed.

I simply won't be buying it, as I will be starting real world flying lessons at the beginning of next summer

-Jake

[-Andy-]

Being a licensed pilot myself does not mean I don't use FS.

Also why I hope for realism in ground features and the ability to simulate real situations such as power failure, short field landings, realistic ATC (to some extent), etc.

My main concern is that M$FS grew through community input more than anything else by a million %.

If that will still happen, great. If not, well I'll let the children play with the new MS Flight while I stick to alternatives.

[BrandonF]

*It can have realistic Google Earth style scenery so that my flights can replicate real flights

I'm not quite sure what aspect of google earth you are referring to, but...

No flight simulator that replicates an entire world will be covered with photoscenery and autogen by default. It simply won't happen and the installation size would be incredibly large. Accurately/detailed

[Strategic Retreat]

Being a licensed pilot myself does not mean I don't use FS.

Being about to take an ultralight license myself (Italy IS NOT elsewhere, and being the the lasts and the worsts worldwide as we are about GA... better the ultralights), I agree.

Also why I hope for realism in ground features and the ability to simulate real situations such as power failure, short field landings, realistic ATC (to some extent), etc.

There's a proverb that says: "Hope dies for last..."

My main concern is that M$FS grew through community input more than anything else by a million %.

...and a corollary to that proverb states: "...but when it dies, it dies howling."

The corollary was, ostensibly, made by someone who knew Italian governments and their reliability, but it applies to M$ very well, too.

If that will still happen, great. If not, well I'll let the children play with the new MS Flight while I stick to alternatives.

Personally, if that happens, I will NOT buy. They already duped me money for a thing like FSX, and its disks have only recently risen from beer mats to a game for my kids... and said kids won't need a fresher game for a while still.