Is the Dream Really Dead?Well, is it? Why would MS be advertising for this position if it were?My informed opinion is that MS has simply decided to "clean the slate" and rebuild a team centered on MS's long-term goals...Note the bolded text below to put at rest any supposition that it will be an "XBox360" title... :( http://members.microsoft.com/careers/searc...;SortOrder=DescJob Title: Art Management Job Category: Game Design Product: Games Date Posted: 01/30/2009 "Join the team responsible for building the most fun and rewarding flying experiences available on Games for Windows Live. Does working on a small, innovative team that delivers the most immersive flight experiences available today on the PC intrigue you? Our technology makes available entire continents - potentially the entire planet - for a detailed and dynamic 3D experience. We are looking for a Project Art Lead who can define, refine, and extend the visual elements while balancing the need for fun and approachability for a broad set of users."

Is the Dream Really Dead?Well, is it? Why would MS be advertising for this position if it were?My informed opinion is that MS has simply decided to "clean the slate" and rebuild a team centered on MS's long-term goals...Note the bolded text below to put at rest any supposition that it will be an "XBox360" title... :( http://members.microsoft.com/careers/searc...;SortOrder=DescJob Title: Art Management Job Category: Game Design Product: Games Date Posted: 01/30/2009 "Join the team responsible for building the most fun and rewarding flying experiences available on Games for Windows Live. Does working on a small, innovative team that delivers the most immersive flight experiences available today on the PC intrigue you? Our technology makes available entire continents - potentially the entire planet - for a detailed and dynamic 3D experience. We are looking for a Project Art Lead who can define, refine, and extend the visual elements while balancing the need for fun and approachability for a broad set of users."

Yeah,, FlightSim might live on in Xbox, but they can keep that..I'm too busy playing the drums on the WII.RJ

Yeah,, FlightSim might live on in Xbox, but they can keep that..I'm too busy playing the drums on the WII.RJ

What part of "most immersive flight experiences available today on the PC" was unclear?It's critical to read what's written... :(

Is the Dream Really Dead?Well, is it? Why would MS be advertising for this position if it were?My informed opinion is that MS has simply decided to "clean the slate" and rebuild a team centered on MS's long-term goals...Note the bolded text below to put at rest any supposition that it will be an "XBox360" title... :( http://members.microsoft.com/careers/searc...;SortOrder=DescJob Title: Art Management Job Category: Game Design Product: Games Date Posted: 01/30/2009 "Join the team responsible for building the most fun and rewarding flying experiences available on Games for Windows Live. Does working on a small, innovative team that delivers the most immersive flight experiences available today on the PC intrigue you? Our technology makes available entire continents - potentially the entire planet - for a detailed and dynamic 3D experience. We are looking for a Project Art Lead who can define, refine, and extend the visual elements while balancing the need for fun and approachability for a broad set of users."

Yes, the flight simulator that we have known and loved/hated is dead. What emerges is an online game in the 'Live' environment. Oh, boy - I can hardly wait... not.DJ

Thanks for the link Fr. Bill!This certainly gets my interest as I have been speculating for some time now that the days of vector driven flight sims days are numbered and with the resolution and capabilities of services like Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo that a time of flying over real generated scenery is not long in the future. The thread below from Todd with the scenes from Denver only confirm this.http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=240837I wonder if a similar conclusion was reached from the higher ups. As long as the functionality of cockpits, approaches etc. are not compromised this could be a very significant ray of hope!Fsx will last several years until then with no problem.

Is the Dream Really Dead?Well, is it? Why would MS be advertising for this position if it were?My informed opinion is that MS has simply decided to "clean the slate" and rebuild a team centered on MS's long-term goals...Note the bolded text below to put at rest any supposition that it will be an "XBox360" title... :( http://members.microsoft.com/careers/searc...;SortOrder=DescJob Title: Art Management Job Category: Game Design Product: Games Date Posted: 01/30/2009 "Join the team responsible for building the most fun and rewarding flying experiences available on Games for Windows Live. Does working on a small, innovative team that delivers the most immersive flight experiences available today on the PC intrigue you? Our technology makes available entire continents - potentially the entire planet - for a detailed and dynamic 3D experience. We are looking for a Project Art Lead who can define, refine, and extend the visual elements while balancing the need for fun and approachability for a broad set of users."

The first thing that has made sense since the big layoff ( "Restructuring" ).If restructurting was the ultimate aim, then the actions over the past two weeks would make good sense. But at what price as far as credibility and public relations ? :(

Since when has Microsoft been concerned with either credibility or relations?ACES interaction with our community was not typical of Microsoft.

Job Title: Art Management Job Category: Game Design Product: Games Date Posted: 01/30/2009 "Join the team responsible for building the most fun and rewarding flying experiences available on Games for Windows Live. Does working on a small, innovative team that delivers the most immersive flight experiences available today on the PC intrigue you? Our technology makes available entire continents - potentially the entire planet - for a detailed and dynamic 3D experience. We are looking for a Project Art Lead who can define, refine, and extend the visual elements while balancing the need for fun and approachability for a broad set of users."

I hate to say it Bill, but it reads to me like the "new direction" is to add more African animals to the existing platform for a more arcade like game that will appeal more to the masses than to flight enthusiats. I'd be a lot more optimistic if they were looking for someone with Phil Taylor's credentials or someone to lead the core redesign rather than the art department. I sure hope I'm proven wrong.But please, keep posting your "informed opinions" :( They're probably as close to the real story as we are going to get on this.Ted

Paul (PC12) from ACES has blogged he is back working for Microsoft.

I am VERY happy to say that I am now back to doing something productive at Microsoft. My job is basically the same as it was before, but working on a different product (not yet announced and thus doesn't publically exist). I am also happy to say that I have several interviews to conduct in the coming week or so and more folks should be joining me in the world of employment soon.

Blog is herehttp://paul-flightsimguy.spaces.live.com/B...!1246.entry

Paul (PC12) from ACES has blogged he is back working for Microsoft. Blog is herehttp://paul-flightsimguy.spaces.live.com/B...!1246.entry

Hallelujah, praise the Lord!!!!! :( I really want to see an FS11, especially with all those features that were stated in The Register article.