Encouraging News from Microsoft

[McCrash 3]

XBOX 360 = Cancer!

[gman! 1]

To clear up all the false statements. :( Games for Windows - LIVEIS FREEXbox LIVE is not free, you still get the cross platform compatibility stuff though (like adding friends, messaging, voice chat) with EITHER platform.and Xbox and Games for Windows LIVE are GREAT services that are well maintained, and have great support and systems to keep most of the people with a bad attitude, or things that allow them to cheat, from playing online.Proof Here: http://www.gamesforwindows.com/en-US/Live/.../AboutLive.aspxThis news sounds really good though and I hope the ACES team does not hesitate to come back to Microsoft when things are back to normal. I say this because I want Flight Sim 11, and Microsoft's ESP platform looked like it was gonna be killer.I agree with everyone though that the word "game" is used far to often when they describe Flight Simulator, and it sounds like they are going to turn it into a game like Ace Combat or something, with little realism. Maybe they want to turn Flight Sim into a game and make the enthusiasts and people seeking realism buy Microsoft ESP in the next release? I'm just hoping that whatever they release in the next ESP or flight sim or whatever is going to include FULLY detailed planes with a difficulty setting where newbies can use the GPS 500 or whatever is easy and the experienced can use FMCs to interact with the FMS. It doesn't have to be on all airliners but just at least one plane! Gonna post this in the FS11 wish list thread, just came to my mind.No disrespect fsx_missionguy, but before you make a speculation like that, at least visit the website and read information on the service!

[Guest Bottle]

So who has seen this news report on Fudzilla? "Aces is as dead as dead can be".http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=c...09&Itemid=1

[oldbear 33]

XBOX 360 = Cancer!

What a ridiculously childish and offensive comment to make..

[flying_w 58]

So who has seen this news report on Fudzilla? "Aces is as dead as dead can be".http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=c...09&Itemid=1

Until the "sources" have names attached to them, I woundn't spend any time worrying about it.

[Manny 1,293]

Are we like drowning men clutching at straws? :(

[Guest kurtj]

Until the "sources" have names attached to them, I woundn't spend any time worrying about it.

I would say the same thing to. Fudzulla or whatever is called sounds like a speculative future news deal that doesn't seem to hold water as of yet. The first link about Aces closing down etc, and a possible much of it seems a bit more viable to me, and hopefully to others.

[fsx_missionguy 0]

No disrespect fsx_missionguy, but before you make a speculation like that, at least visit the website and read information on the service!

Go to this Games For Windows page and click the Join Now button.http://www.gamesforwindows.com/en-us/live/...s/livejoin.aspxTell me what happens when you click the Join Now button.I get redirected to this XBox Live link.https://live.xbox.com/en-US/Flows/SMError.aspxHere is what I see:Let's just say I'm underwhelmed by the Live Games for Windows experience.I have no inside knowledge of what is going on at Microsoft, except for what Ray Ozzie tells me. Ray told me (and you, and everyone else who reads Wired magazine) that the future of software is services that are paid for by the month.Why sell people software once when you can make them buy it month, after month, after month after month? The strategy seems pretty clear, since it's out in the open and public knowledge and has been announced by Microsoft's Chief Software Architect.Again, I'm not bashing Microsoft's strategy. It just underwhelms me and I don't think people will pay money for it, and thus that it will fail and Flight Simulator, unfortunately, will be taken down with it.I'm not encouraged by this future.

[Guest christian]

As encouraging as the blurb on FSInsider is, let's look at the facts:a) The whole team is gone, and with it decades of experience and knowledge - that's not easy to replace:( At this point in time, 6 people will archive the code for 6 months - no new developments for at least 6 months (and the term archiving suggests a much longer time period until the code will become reactivated)c) While official press releases say that there is a vague commitment to Flight Simulator, the same official sources (when hardly pressed) admitted publicly that at this point in time absolutely no decision has been made about the future of MSFS.d) MS will not sell the source code (the Aces team did inquire about that).e) Several Aces members have expressed that this is the end of an era.All these facts worry me. I have no doubts that at this point in time MS has the best intentions of reactivating MSFS at some point in the future, but with the team gone this is going to be expensive. And as time goes by the code will age and reactivation will become progressively expensive. The question is how much is MS be willing to spend on reactivating the code despite all their best intentions. I don't know the answer to that, maybe I worry too much, but the same thoughts are shared by some Aces team members...On the other hand, there is no one keeping us from enjoying what we have right now, and that's exactly what I'll do!

[Daveo 36]

On the other hand, there is no one keeping us from enjoying what we have right now, and that's exactly what I'll do!

Exactly. Hopefully also some of the longer awaited addon AC will start to land sooner then later.

[Guest Mower]

M$ has nothing coming down but stuff and nonesense, console driven trash for the slobering masses.

[mgh 89]

M$ has nothing coming down but stuff and nonesense, console driven trash for the slobering masses.

Now that is an helpful and intelligent comment.

[teropa 4]

Now that is an helpful and intelligent comment.

Not neccessarily intelligent, but.... it might be true.Tero

[KERNEL32 500]

So who has seen this news report on Fudzilla? "Aces is as dead as dead can be".http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=c...09&Itemid=1

I was following the development of TS2 VERY closely, monitoring forum posts over at a couple different sites, the TS website (http://www.tsinsider.com/) and the very last update I recall on their website was in early November (screenshots). The forum posts all about stopped in late October/November - although there were SOME posts it got eerily quiet in November/December. I thought it was just holidays, etc. when perhaps it was actually shelved and we just were never told? The clues are starting to come together..Either way I don't have a very good feeling about the future FS franchise.Oh and even if games LIVE is FREE "NOW", it won't be FREE for LONG!

[mgh 89]

Not neccessarily intelligent, but.... it might be true.Tero

What, that console users are "slobering(sic) masses"?