MS Flight Sim in 2020

[Charl]

Thanks again R88, for posting these links.
I am signed in to Insider, and have yet to see a video stream satisfactorily.
Be REALLY interesting to see what performance is required from your simbox and peripherals, to make this one fly.
I am of course talking from YEARS of wannabe experience with MSFS whose performance never failed to disappoint on the day.
But I am happy to be delighted... it looks good enough to excite even the most jaded old flightsimmer.
Robin there is no question that this is the one to develop for, perhaps the last shot ever?
Wow that sounds ominous, but really: who is going to go up against this juggernaut?

[Radar88]

Are you willing to participating in the Insider program flighting and signup for Tech Alpha and completed the Survey to enable registering for the early versions of the Game and participate in early test phases?

Yes, I have signed up, but I suspect that my current system specs will mean that I won't be accepted early. I originally meant to wait until there was a working SDK, which is pretty much how it worked with FSX -- I became a beta tester when the SDK became available, as that was my main focus. I didn't take much notice of the other aspects, which was probably a mistake -- the first thing I'll check with the new sim is the 'Whenpuapai' spelling which I forgot to report in the FSX beta, and we've been stuck with ever since:)

If I am not able to get on the alpha test initially, I may approach them as a developer, as they have shown an interest into talking with a lot of developers.

Good to hear, all that sounds great it's likely you maybe a good contender for the early Tech Alpha on checking out how the new Flight Sim would perform on a lower spec system. Which the Microsoft Flight Simulator Team want to learn about how they can support. They are not so much focused on XBox development at this stage, they are wanting to support the existing Flight Sim Community PC systems before launching across to a much wider and newer Xbox gaming generation of audience.

Would recommend checking out Froogle's lastest clip Microsoft Flight Simulator - Answers where he comments at the start about system specs and timed from 11:00 he comments about the FSX legacy model and media confusion over backwards compatibility with FSX. Listen to the Q&A Team panel member response. Also timed @ 12:46 Froogle comments on 3rd Party Support and SDK's. Listen to the Microsoft Flight Simulator Team Head, Jorg Neumann response. Where he comments that 3rd party Developers like yourself can likely make Airport scenery better than the current Procedural Generation data scenery of what they have available and they want to work with people like yourself. This is can only be all good news for 3rd party Scenery Developers like yourself to get on board with right from the get go.

[MichaelBasler]

Yes, I have signed up, but I suspect that my current system specs will mean that I won't be accepted early.

I doubt they'll select people with the "best" systems but rather a representative profile of different systems from weak to high-end. Of course, I applied, too.

I am pretty sure MS/ASOBO will contact developers at a point to show them where will be room for their contributions and provide them a preliminary SDK or something similar. If I were you, I would try to get in contact with them and tell them you would be interested in developing for MFS (given you are )

Kind regards, Michael

[Radar88]

Microsoft Flight Simulator have released their 2nd Discovery Series video, where you can watch the Asobo Studio/MSFS creative director David Dedeine talking about the complex weather system in the next evolution of Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Feature Discovery Series Episode 2: Weather

Mid-air outside icing build up on cockpit windows viewed from the inside, looks spectacular even more when seen covering the outside airframe.

Also now set up is the official Microsoft Flight Simulator YouTube channel Microsoft Flight Simulator that you can subscribe to for all the latest video updates.

[Splitpin]

Looking forward to this ..... big system upgrade beforehand I reckon.

[toprob]

.... big system upgrade beforehand I reckon.

Yeah, I've been looking at something new, to replace my 6 year old system, but a good system is a bit beyond my means at the moment. For just the basics, I'm looking at around $3500, so I might wait and see how things go a bit closer to MSFS release.
Still, it would be a good time for a proper upgrade, I'd love to have a system which wasn't the weak point in how I perceive a new sim. So my slow but steady reduction in credit card debt lately might be wiped out in one big hit next year!
The new sim is still looking to be more than I could have hoped for, my excitement is only tempered by the fact that since the big promotion via the media etc I've not sold a lot of scenery....

[Riddlez]

I don't think it will require a massive upgrade, though I suppose it depends what you have already, especially if it's really old!

I have always been a bit frustrated with FSX then the P3Ds, with the way they handle their graphics. They are REALLY inefficient with their graphics compared to other games with similar graphic qualities. P3D with dynamic lighting and all the sliders set to high will kill my system. Where a game like Red Dead Redemption 2 would display fine with much nicer graphics than P3D. Red Dead Redemption 2 would have similar dynamic lighting to P3D but run MUCH better.

I guess the foundation of P3D started at least as far back as FS2000 (or longer? Someone will be able to tell me). So I'm VERY glad that Flight Sim 2020 is made from scratch and will be (hopefully) way more efficient than P3D.

On another note, I'm really curious to see how New Zealand looks in FS2020. Also what their default airports will look like. The likes of New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Nelson etc that don't have anything thing custom in it.
SO MANY QUESTIONS!

[toprob]

SO MANY QUESTIONS!

Yep, that's for sure.
I suspect that 'default' NZ airports will fall into the 'ok' category, and I'm really looking forward to seeing them within the new sim environment. For example, I'd love to see the Taieri Plains in the new sim, as this is the sort of landscape which none of the existing sims can really cope with, even with photoscenery. There's a certain look to Otago, when the weather closes in, and I do think that the new sim will cope with this better. I love the way that they've put so much work into the 'landscape' above the ground, all the existing sims tend to just have an empty space, with some nice clouds if you are lucky.

I suspect that there will be the need for a lot of NZ airports, which suits me fine. I started out with photoscenery/airport combos, but I'd love to just be able to drop airports into an existing 'real' landscape. With all the MS-based sims so far -- and it's similar with X-plane -- the sim tends to fight against any improvements in the immediate airport surrounds, and getting a nice blend is always tricky. At the moment I'm spending some time in the North Island, looking after my mum, but I do hope to have a look at a couple of small airports while I'm here, as it would be nice to be ready to go when the new sim is released.

I suspect that a lot of developers will simply switch, as our old favourite sims will suffer from steady attrition. The idea of one great sim is quite compelling....

[jpreou]

So I'm VERY glad that Flight Sim 2020 is made from scratch and will be (hopefully) way more efficient than P3D.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed during some of these videos, the MS guy saying 'we had to start from scratch' (para-phrased) on a couple of things. By extension, that indicates they might be re-using something too, which could be code, processes or just concepts and/or ideas. Who really knows? It did make me wonder though. I wish I could recall the specific interview and time spot that this comment was made, but it was days ago and I'm not about to go searching!

[NZ255]

Could be a million different things. Even helper/ calculation functions could be reused.
This team looks like they’re doing an incredible job so I’m not too worried

[toprob]

My understanding is that they 'started again' with the graphics engine, while many other systems have been retained to some extent. Some of it may be part of a 'compatible' mode, though, we already know we are getting a new flight model system.

[jpreou]

Yes, don't misunderstand me; I'm excited for what the future holds for this sim.
But my concern also sits (you listening Rob!! ) ... with having a really good rendition of NZ, preferably with seasons since I expect things down here in the south get blanketed pretty white during a strong winter, and that obliterates many ground features used for VFR ... so that is what I will be looking for ... and VR, of course, because if and when I return to sim, it will probably be VR
(anyone want some Saitek hardware, by the way?
Meanwhile, I'm going paragliding, just took delivery of my gear, and getting into it. Still in training for my license, but having fun.

[jpreou]

...to add, re: your comments Rob about flight model ... and I know it isn't in yet, but I *really* want a good heli flight model ... not that I would know (I would rely on others for that)

[chopper_nut]

...to add, re: your comments Rob about flight model ... and I know it isn't in yet, but I *really* want a good heli flight model ... not that I would know (I would rely on others for that)

The wheels are turning on that... not in the initial release but at some stage in the future.

[cowpatz]

If it hasn't already been officially posted somewhere I'd like to see MS release The minimum and optimum system specs for this sim.
It might save a lot of folk from upgrading unnecessarily.

[toprob]

If it hasn't already been officially posted somewhere I'd like to see MS release The minimum and optimum system specs for this sim.
It might save a lot of folk from upgrading unnecessarily.

Figuring this out will be part of the alpha testing, I suspect. I'd suggest that anyone who is worried about the minimum specs should sign up for the alpha/beta. This supplies MS with your specs, so the more people who sign up means a better picture of what users want them to support.
And of course if you never hear back from them, or your computer just laughs when you sign up, then you may need to upgrade...
However, like all the sims I've ever used, having a system which meets minimum requirements doesn't mean you'll have a great experience. Even though I have no clue what will give acceptable performance, I already know that my system struggles a bit with Prepar3d, and a lot with X-plane. Of course I enjoy a bit of eye candy, and the new sim will come with buckets of candy.

[Charl]

Every 5 years or so, I dig out My FS Computing Experience graphic, and have a chuckle.



When Effeh Sex was unleashed upon an unsuspecting world, they had a "test" that showed my Core2 Duo was more than adequate to "run" the new sim.
Well we soon found out...

Having said all that: AFS2 showed that with decent code, you could achieve amazing fluidity and astonishing graphics in a flightsim, using a real-world personal computer.
One assumes MS has arrived in the 21st Century with this one, fifteen years down the road.

[jpreou]

Given that scenery / imagery will stream (based off Bing I think I saw) ... do we think that might mean that as the underlying imagery changes, so too will the scenery? What do you think. Or do we think it might be a 'snapshot' as it is now. I wonder whether their is a subscription thing possible here so as new imagery is generated, subscribers get updated scenery automagically next time it streams down after RTM. Just pondering...

[jpreou]

One assumes MS has arrived in the 21st Century with this one, fifteen years down the road.

Yeeeaaaaah .... I wouldn't hold your breath on that one @Charl ... but then, we never know and as you said with Effeh Sex ... we will find out

[cowpatz]

I guess it is all about the rendering and they should have a pretty good idea by now as to how this performs.
I sure feel sorry for Flt sim developers as the hand brake must have been applied to 3rd party sales whilst waiting for more information on the new sim.
It's sure put me off buying...especially complex aircraft add ons.