News: Microsoft is again working on a new Flight Simulator release

[thudpilot]

Well, well, it looks like Microsoft has finally rehired some of their former Flight Simulator development team and they are working on a new release. To quote them, this "marks the beginning of our return to PC gaming in bold new ways.”


Check the news on their website here:

http://www.microsoft.com/games/flight/

Cliff

[edmoore235]

Hmmm,
It seems that it is going to be LIVE like XBOX LIVE - allow the user to purchase online connection to the software? Will wait and see if it is going to be anything like FS 9 or FSX..... smile.... take care.

Ed

[dandog]

I just sent an email to these good people inquiring about customization, and ability for freeware developers to continue as in FS9 and FSX. I'll share the response providing they respond.

[Sidney Schwartz]

Should we start taking bets now on how badly they screw it up? :icon34:

[wombat666]

Hmmm,
It seems that it is going to be LIVE like XBOX LIVE - allow the user to purchase online connection to the software? Will wait and see if it is going to be anything like FS 9 or FSX..... smile.... take care.

Ed

'Live' is not necessarily a 'pay as you go' system Ed.
Consider DiRT2 for PC for example, I think you only need to be connected to 'Live' for online 'play', not something that I care for.
I'm more interested in how hardware hungry it will be.
:icon_eek:

[Lionheart]

For those really interested, several weeks ago, we already put in place a 'Flight' room here in the SOH, for those that are tracking the sim. Paul (PC-12) has already sent us a heads up on the sim and its website. You might want to paruse it now and then for updates and news.



Bill

[Felixthreeone]

I, for one, am looking forward to it. I was planning a move to FSX with the acquisition of a new rig sometime early next year, but now why bother? I wouldn't put too much stock in the addons available for FSX or FS9 being compatible with it, and I see this as a chance to start fresh. New computer, new sim. Windows live or whatever.

....kinda makes me feel pretty good about staying with my current setup as long as I have! Had I switched to FSX when I originally wanted to, I would have probably dumped $1000 into addons alone. Now, that will go into a 'fund'....and HOPEFULLY this new sim-game-not-sure-what-really will be good. I will keep my fingers crossed.

[Wing_Z]

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/CHARL_photos/SIlliness/HeSaid-1.gif

I'll have had 8 years of ever-increasing pleasure (instead of 5 of frustration and self-justification - but this is not a bashing thread)
And the benefit of total focus on one sim installation.
That's good value for all the dollars poured into this pursuit of happiness!

Even so, it will have to be very good to prise my dead fingers from the controls of the Aeroworx B200, that after all these years has matured into perfection in my FS9 simulator ;)

[Lionheart]

I am looking forward to it as well.

If it runs smoothly and has some awesome eye candy, I will be busy flying in it for several months. Probably wont see me for a while...


:d

[skyhawka4m]

I think the only problem I see for this new sim is that MS will want to have a hand in all add-on's now and I honestly think most dev's will stay away from it.

[James]

what I would like to see in the new game is better sounds....when you open the canopy, shouldn't the engine noise change?? That and cloud shadows would really boost its rating, IMHO.

[bobhegf]

It would also be nice to have another combat flight sim like CFS2`s open structure and mission builder, but I don`t think that will happen anytime soon if ever.

[dandog]

Hello All,

My questions asked to Microsoft were " Is the new sim as customizable as FS9, and will there be a place for those who make "Freeware"?

Response was as follows:
Thank you for sending your email to the Microsoft Flight comments!

We appreciate your comments. This is a no-response email site used to gather feedback from YOU - our most valued customer. We hope you are as excited about Microsoft Flight as we are.

Thank you for helping us to create the very best experience for virtual flight!

The Microsoft Flight team

[Lionheart]

As Paul PC-12 has stated, they cannot release any details presently. Its totally under a full scale vail of secrecy. I do not blame them. It will keep gossip and scary nightmares from flaring up.

Being a developer, I am curious myself, but man, I dont even know if I want to know. Yes, it will be great to see another new sim. But what if it needs an entirely new form of tools, design program, has more work then FSX to make the planes, or............ has no addon ability what-so-ever, like Silent Hunter (you cannot add ships, U-Boats, etc to it), or like that Russian game/sim Rise of Flight, where you must purchase from the factory/sim developer themselves. Mind you, it works great! But freeware is locked out. Freeware got FS to where it was in FS2004.

Nope, I dont want to know. I would prefer to let the sim craftsmen put together a nice, awesome, perfect sim and let it be a surprise. It will be all the more fun to unwrap it on launch day.

:d

[dandog]

I don't know. I think we should inundate them with emails on what we would like to see in the next Sim. The two most important aspects for me are customization with all of the freeware and awesome payware that exists. I was thinking of trying Rise of Flight, but think I'll stick with OFF due to your remarks (had not really research it yet). Like I said before, it would be nice if FS9 is to Windows XP as the new sim is to Windows 7. I still see FSX as kind of like Vista.

[Lionheart]

I was thinking of trying Rise of Flight, but think I'll stick with OFF due to your remarks (had not really research it yet).


Its an amazing sim! The country sides are breath taking, the active scenery (trains, ground artillery, AI cars and trucks), the air fields, the fighting, the detail levels of the planes, the tons of things that fly off and rip up and the sound effects are just awesome.

But... in all the time I have owned it, since it was launched, I havent been able to shoot down one single plane. I havent played it in ages. I needed a way to vent! Thats by shooting down planes, not being shot down every single time!!!! arrgh... (no 'easy' sliders in this, lol).

There were times when I would dog fight a very weak opponent for perhaps 20 min's or more, pouring ammo into this guy (unlimited ammo ticked on). I shot and shot these guys (the weak ones). None went down! The others, 3 bullets in my bird and I was fried! The tail flies off, the wing flies off, my vision goes to red and I die in the cockpit, etc, etc, etc....

Its also very intense in 'full sliders'. You must have a very powerful computer as the details will drop 'strong' computers fast.

[pilottj]

lol I was completely happy with FS9 and its aircraft until RealAir came out with their Spit for FSX, then I started to make the transition. It has taken just about all that time to finally build my machine to the way I want to. I seem to go to the 'new' sim about halfway into it's life before the release of the following sim. It took a good while for developers to really catch up with with FSX and really start cranking out the wonderful addons, so I imagine the same will go with this new sim. It will take time for the bugs to be worked out, and as Bill says to relearn the building tools so enjoy FS9/X for a while longer, let the new sim work itself out. There are still FSX releases I am eagerly awaiting and look foward to fly them even if the new flight is released by then.

Cheers
TJ