Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Trailer

[Tom Clayton]

That's where the A-10s come into play.



Tommy

What are they going to do - blind them with the bright light under the nose? That would only be moderately effective against a rampaging horde of Mogwai!

[Daube]

Now THIS has caught my interest, weather engine upgraded enough to generate tornados?? Wow! .

I'm going to be very careful with that info.
I mean, they could generate tornadoes, and yet they are unable to implement historical weather in FS2020 ?
They should have focused their efforts into making decent APIs for third party addon makers, instead of trying to desperately generate some very temporary "wow" factor. I mean, how ridiculous is it going to be when we will get these tornadoes only at night, because we're not flying in the correct timezone ?

[guzler]

I have read some of the comments by those who paid once and want to keep using it with free updates forever, but you really can't run a business like that. I am fine with having to buy once every four years or so, if for no other reason than to keep them in business. It's either that or you pay a subscription fee.

I am fine paying every four years or so too, however, that wasn't what was marketed back when it was launched so you can't blame people for having such expectations. People were led to understand that they were buying a partially working game with a 10 year life span of development so there was an element of trust in that purchase. My assumption about their ongoing profit generation was the marketplace.

[centuryseries]

Say it again, only louder for those in the back!

People keep wondering about support for the current sim going forward. The dev's promised a 10-year path, so to renege on that wouldn't be very good for their reputation. So for now, I'll choose to remain optimistic about the remaining seven years.

So if we were to use FS2020 as an example, by 2030 there'd be FS202, FS2024, FS2026, FS2028 and just launched FS2030 all in support!

I don't think that will happen!

Microsoft are reknowned for going back on what they say. Windows 10 was supposed to be the last Windows version, and then it would just get improved upon, over and over. Couple of years later and Windows 11 comes out. Granted it's free if your computer can handle it, but it's another example of how you can't really trust what they say...

[Javis]

So if we were to use FS2020 as an example, by 2030 there'd be FS202, FS2024, FS2026, FS2028 and just launched FS2030 all in support!
I don't think that will happen!

I don't think so either. By 2030 we'd just have MSFS2020 that got a major update in 2024 and in 2028. New update in 2032. These ain't the days of FS4->FS5->FS95->FS98->FS2K->FS2K2->FS9->FSX->P3D anymore.

Also sprach Zarathustra.

[MZee1960]

Please don't forget that MSFS2024 is touted to be powered by 'significantly evolved Asobo studio engine', probably different from 2020 ?

https://www.flightsimulator.com/micr...imulator-2024/

Maybe the only way forward was to 'rebuild' the sim using a new 'engine' technology and call it 2024 ? Most addons, they say, will work without problems, with essentially the most significant change being this 'new engine' driving them and bringing new capabilities to the sim at the same time. These growing pains will undoubtedly add a lot more accuracy and eye candy, based on the teaser video.

[DennyA]

That's marketing talk. The engine's just the MSFS2020 engine improved, I'm sure.

This engine still has legacy code from FSX in it. (Hello, ATC!) No way they've started from scratch for 2024.

As for trust, it's as simple as "plans change."

[K5083]

I am fine paying every four years or so too, however, that wasn't what was marketed back when it was launched so you can't blame people for having such expectations. People were led to understand that they were buying a partially working game with a 10 year life span of development so there was an element of trust in that purchase. My assumption about their ongoing profit generation was the marketplace.

Yeah, this exactly. If you're selling a typical $70 game with the typical 4-year life cycle, that game has to be finished and stable on Day 1, with any stray bugs being urgently fixed soon after release. MSFS is still not that game. Those of us who have been complaining about major bugs since launch have been met with the fanboys saying, "It's a work in progress! Ten year life cycle! Everything will eventually be fixed." We never believed them, but now we're proven right. The list of Day 1 bugs is still long, 3 years into what turns out to be the 4-year life cycle, and it affects you now matter how you fly - whether your the VFR tailwheel pilot trying to cope with the ridiculous yaw instability, the tube driver trying to get basic nav functions to work, or anyone wishing the sim talked with your GPU properly so that you don't risk a CTD by looking around too fast. Meanwhile, patches continue to introduce new bugs and changes, forcing addon devs to constantly retool their products, usually with inadequate documentation. And it's now clear that many of those bugs won't be fixed when FS2024 is released, will be inherited by FS2024 along with a host of new bugs, and will probably be with us until FS2028.

This never happened with the old MSFS products or with P3D. Those were finished, stable products at release. Many users don't realize the true innovation of MSFS2020. It's not just the advanced graphics. It's pushing the envelope of how far you can disrespect and gaslight the niche flight simulator community beyond what players of any other game would tolerate.

Now, you may feel you've gotten your money's worth out of MSFS despite all the issues. To be honest, I do too. And, you can eat the crap MS feeds us if you want - just don't insult me by telling me it's chocolate.

August

[DennyA]

If you're selling a typical $70 game with the typical 4-year life cycle, that game has to be finished and stable on Day 1, with any stray bugs being urgently fixed soon after release.

"Say you haven't played a Bethesda game without saying you haven't played a Bethesda game."

:-)

Games have been shipping as broken messes that take a long time to fix since the days of Sierra's Outpost in the 90's.

Star Trek Resurgence crashes on launch on my Asus ROG Ally Windows gaming rig. Fallout 76 was a broken mess for a year. No Man's Sky is great now, but was a disaster for much of its first year.

Modern gaming is, unfortunately, chock full of games that were messes for months until patched up.

Also, your P3D stability comment doesn't ring true. I invite you to visit the LM website and read the changelogs as a reminder.

[K5083]

Having played hundreds of hours of Bethesda's games, I will concede they release broken games. Except, look at all the - uh, fallout - Bethesda has taken for those glitches. At times it has been a scandal, whole titles have flopped. The fact that they release broken games is well known in the industry, but it isn't something they do on purpose.

P3D on its worst day has never been as unstable as MSFS on its best day. Even when, LM has been embarrassed by the game's instability, they were still far outperforming MSFS.

Nobody can gaslight me into thinking that broken games are the norm today. I've bought and played enough games over the past 40 years, and indeed the last 4 years, to know a substandard product.

August

[jmig]

I purchased my first computer around 1980. Since that time, I have never seen a major piece of software without problems. Heck, look at Boeing and the "Max". Or many of you may remember what happened to the first flight of F-22s on their way to Japan. As soon as they crossed the International Date Line all their avionics shut down. They had to make a 180 back to Hawaii. Software glitches have been with us since the beginning and will always be part of new programs such as MSFS 2020.

I have had wonderful service with MSFS 2020. Any bugs I have experienced have been minor. Now, do I think 2024 will be a brand new platform. Not on your life. I think that 2024 is 2020 with new clothes. It may provide a few new features like ATC or more eye candy. It will certainly have a lot of gimmicks to attract teenagers but leave the hard core simmer shaking his/her head. But it will be 2020 dressed in the latest fashion.

A lot of you are angry. Microsoft has lied to us and changed the bargain. Every MSFS purchaser has a right to be angry. From what I have read many MSFS purchasers have let MS know they are unhappy with Microsoft’s lying. I am not.

I want Microsoft to make enough money to continue MSFS. If they yank the plug, we will all be screwed. The days of buying software once are over. I pay MS every year for 365. I pay Adobe every month for Photoshop. I pay Bit Defender every year for a false sense of security. I even pay YouTube TV every month for access to television programs I rarely watch. I don’t mind paying Microsoft every four years or so to continue to get MSFS 20xx.

I do wish they would be honest and upfront with us, however.

[MZee1960]

MS has not yet revealed any clear update path/incentives for owners of MSFS2020 wishing to go to MFSF2024 upon release, even though one sim builds off the other.

This leaves everyone entering this sim right now for the first time with some decisions to make :
1) Buy MSFS2020 now, buy any desired MSFS2020 addons now, then buy MSFS2024 next year, and transfer all these addons into MSFS2024 and hope all is good, ... or
2) Wait for now, then buy MSFS2024 and all the addons they fancy once it comes out next year.

Why do I suddenly feel like the dog with the treat on his nose, waiting for the 'go ahead' to eat it ?

[FlameOut]

@ jmig,

[QUOTE]...As soon as they crossed the International Date Line all their avionics shut down. They had to make a 180 back to Hawaii...[/QUOTE]

I sure do remember that! My twin brother told me about that, as he worked at Lockheed, Marrietta Ga. He did not work on the F-22 during that time frame, he was on the P-3 Orion wing upgrade. (See my rant about the F-22 and its first kill):

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...2-first-kill-!

I've had a few days to stew about it and to turn down the flames / heat. You'll get a better porridge if you let it simmer for a while. I think I'll keep marching with the band and the parade.

With the "speculative promise" that virtually all Marketplace items will work moving forward into the next generation of the MSFS, I just hope that the 3rd. party developers that I chose to do business with, will be able to follow suit with free updates. These would be scenery developers mostly. Oh, and I better be able to "Copy & Paste" the majority of my Community Folder.

I do wish that they would write the MSFS 2024 program so that it would "Overwrite on Top Of" the core files of MSFS 2020.... if that is possible so those of us that move along with the next version could save hard drive space.

I have 149 pay ware scenery airports.
I have 9 free ware scenery airports (some were so good that I put a few dollars into the kitty!
I have 4 "City Scenes" y'all know where those came from.
I have 22 pay ware aircraft, most are 3rd. party developers and the rest are those "Famous Flyers or Local Legends" and those from the Top Gun & Reno Racers packages.

When I click on "My P.C.'s "C drive" that has Windows 11 and All of MSFS 2020 on it, it says that I have about 99 GB free. This is a 2TB NVMe drive.
I have DCS on my other 2 TB NVMe drive with 1.3 TB free.

I'm looking at getting a 4 TB drive in the future.... let's see .... the price will go up no dout about it!

Here are a few with the other day's prices at Newegg: (these have edits on them using Microsoft Paint for my reference and may not apply to anyone's personal P.C.)




- Don

[heywooood]

well - I already went against my own advice - I bought the Flying Iron BF109 yesterday.
I plan on moving forward with MSFS2024 upon release and wasn't going to buy any more addons for 2020 just incase there are problems
migrating existing 3rd party planes to the new sim - but then I thought - them folks at Flying Iron are solid, they make quality addons, provide great support
and based on nothing but a feeling I figure they'll be on the right side when it comes time to update their products (if need be) for MSFS2024 even if it isn't exactly free to me.
AS has already been reported - the BF109 G6 is a beauty but I think everyone could have expected that to be the case

[DennyA]

There's no more danger in buying add-ons with FS2024 coming down the road than there was in buying add-ons with SU8 or SU13 or whatever coming down the road. Occasionally things are gonna break when new features are added to any sim, but the vast majority of things carry forward just fine. Heck, Vitus disappeared a couple of years ago and the Boeing 247 is still solid fun like 8 sim updates later.

The upgrade path promise that MS is making for '24 is the strongest, clearest promise of compatibility in Flight Simulator history. It's better than any previous FS version, it's better than any major X-Plane upgrade...

With very few exceptions, virtually all add-ons that work in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) today will function in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

Microsoft has never made a promise like that with their old sims. Austin hasn't made that promise with X-Plane upgrades. Everyone's complaining when in fact the situation is better than it ever has been before.

All the panic and anger and frustration (oh no, they want more money after I've enjoyed the sim for 4 years instead of $69 lasting a full decade as I saw people interpret a comment made at launch!) is just mob mentality.

We should be excited. All kinds of cool new things to do, engine improvements, and continued support, all for about $15 a year if they keep charging every four years.

jmig nailed it a few posts up. No reason to panic, Microsoft making money means we get continued support, the panic is a waste of effort.

Flameout, given the comments they've already made about add-ons carrying over, it's evident that FS24 will replace FS20 and you won't need 2020 around anymore. I'm sure the basic "fly from airport to airport" functionality we have now will still be there.

[jmig]

Please M$, will I be able to open the doors?

[Stearman]

This idea of flying with missions or "goals" reminds me of what Aerosoft had planned a while ago with their would-be series "World of Aircraft".
It was supposed to issue a variety of simulations like fire-fighting, rescue, etc. but apparently they stopped after the first issue, which was dedicated to gliders: https://www.aerosoft.com/en/shop/oth...ider-simulator

Since I'm not interested in such "goals", I hope I'll be able to freely fly in the MSFS 2020 world for a long time after the release of MSFS 2024, so my main concern is: how long will MS keep their MSFS 2020 servers active for its users?

[jmig]

Since I'm not interested in such "goals", I hope I'll be able to freely fly in the MSFS 2020 world for a long time after the release of MSFS 2024, so my main concern is: how long will MS keep their MSFS 2020 servers active for its users?

I would not be surprised (here is where you professional data guys jump in and correct me ) if it will be the same servers. If you have 2024, you get a download from MS that has additional features. However, the same Bing terrain could be livestreamed and used by 2020 or 2024. MSFS2020 would not be able to use some of the download and would just ignore it. Am I making sense?

This way you would not need to worry about server access, unless MS dumped 2024 too.

[Priller]

I would not be surprised (here is where you professional data guys jump in and correct me ) if it will be the same servers. If you have 2024, you get a download from MS that has additional features. However, the same Bing terrain could be livestreamed and used by 2020 or 2024. MSFS2020 would not be able to use some of the download and would just ignore it. Am I making sense?

This way you would not need to worry about server access, unless MS dumped 2024 too.

By and large you're right. The servers are located in the cloud (Azure) and indeed, access to the data could/will be limited according to which version of MSFS you're running. Logically speaking, and knowing M$, they will limit access for MSFS2020 as to promote MSFS2024.

Priller

[ak416]

The FAQ has been updated:

Will Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 have improved loading times?

One of the biggest priorities for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is to improve the simulator’s data management. One of the major changes to the simulator’s architecture being made is using Cloud streaming to help ensure that the client becomes thin. When users load into the sim, only the textures, meshes, and map data that they need will be downloaded to avoid unnecessary bandwidth and disk space usage.

This will keep the minimum specifications of the sim as low as it is now and will also reduce update and load times.

Will there be airliners in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

Yes! We have not yet announced the full list of aircraft available in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, but it will include several new airliners. We are certain that players will be very excited when they see the full list of available aircraft later this year.

How many people are working on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

We have over 500 team members across several teams who are working to make Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 the biggest and most advanced consumer flight simulator ever released.

Will the missions and activities in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 be like video game missions?

The missions and activities that are being included in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are authentic re-creations of those performed in real-live aviation fields. We are working with a variety of organizations — such as firefighting, search and rescue, and coast guard organizations — across the planet to make these activities as accurate as possible.

Will there be improvements to the core simulator technology in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

The development team is improving almost every aspect of the simulator. Some examples include:

Improved multithreading to improve performance
Faster download, load, and installation speeds
Improved aerodynamics and physics simulation
Improved aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel, and hydraulics
New failure and wear & tear system
Deeper and wider avionics systems
Cockpit tablet available by default

Will there be changes to the scenery and terrain in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

We are improving the global digital twin in three different ways:

Static World:

Improved ground details
3D tessellated ground materials
Enhanced 3D trees with greatly increased diversity
Improved cliffs

Living World:

Animal herds and migrations
Worldwide live ship traffic
Accurate live air traffic (models, liveries)
Improved vehicle traffic

Dynamic World:

Full seasons
Aurora Borealis / Aurora Australis
Tornados
Storms


https://www.flightsimulator.com/micr...ator-2024-faq/

[johannesl]

MS has not yet revealed any clear update path/incentives for owners of MSFS2020 wishing to go to MFSF2024 upon release, even though one sim builds off the other.

This leaves everyone entering this sim right now for the first time with some decisions to make :
1) Buy MSFS2020 now, buy any desired MSFS2020 addons now, then buy MSFS2024 next year, and transfer all these addons into MSFS2024 and hope all is good, ... or
2) Wait for now, then buy MSFS2024 and all the addons they fancy once it comes out next year.

Why do I suddenly feel like the dog with the treat on his nose, waiting for the 'go ahead' to eat it ?

Not being a person of great means I just acquired the means to purchase a new computer, which I did for the purpose of getting MSFS2020, which I had yet to do. A week later MS announces MSFS2024. Now I am kind of stuck between 1 and 2 above.

[ak416]

Not being a person of great means I just acquired the means to purchase a new computer, which I did for the purpose of getting MSFS2020, which I had yet to do. A week later MS announces MSFS2024. Now I am kind of stuck between 1 and 2 above.

Consider giving Xbox Gamepass on PC a go, its 10 bucks a month, you can cancel at anytime and subscribe again later and all your settings and controls are backed up to the cloud and will carry over to the full version if you ever decide to purchase it outright.

[Whitehawk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPhScg_FINE

Here you go, straight from the good gents involved - I think this is going to blow all other civil sims out of the water.

[MZee1960]

On the one hand I would love to jump into MSFS2020 tomorrow and get my feet wet as soon as possible. On the other hand, I fear this may add some unnecessary 'issues' when upgrading to 2024. From my past experience, an upgrade path is not always the cleanest (had issues upgrading W7 to W10 on my laptop), and I fear the best way of minimizing issues with MSFS2024 is to simply install it clean on a clean, dedicated drive, without any remnants of 2020 left behind. Knowing the extra time and expense involved in installing 2020 at this point, then wiping the drive clean and installing 2024 and all compatible 2020 addons (I may have picked up in the next several months) back into it, makes me almost want to sit on the sidelines and wait until next year when 2024 finally comes out. Essentially, it seems, 2024 will be a new sim and MS will not offer 2020 users any incentives to upgrade to it. I just wonder if my patience will hold out long enough, lol !

[Whitehawk]

From the (totally unofficial) comments by Jorg and Seb, it'll be next year some time (to paraphrase, excited to tell us more over the next year about features)