Microsoft ESP

[Guest addonzealot]

Hello,I have just stumbled upon the knowledge of a new flight simulator produced by Microsoft. This software appears to be aimed at business entities that seek to train flight personnel. However, some of the screen shots were so inviting that I have taken an interest. The terrain within this software looks extremely convincing. Furthermore, it really does seem to enhance "realism" something we all strive for in this hobby. Is there anyone here who has experienced this software? If so, please leave a post or IM me. I really would like to hear a person's review before making a decision. Thanks

[n4gix 4,947]

ESP was an entry product in what was planned to be a commercial version of a "World Simulator," that is an open platform upon which government or corporate users could build their own, unique simulations.However. it too has suffered the same fate as Flight Simulator and Train Simulator. It has been cancelled.ESP and the SDK will remain available until March 31, 2009. MS will provide "support" for the period remaining in the original five year commitment.

[whitav8 98]

As a recent former Boeing contractor (and Boeing retiree), I had the pleasure of using both FSX and ESP for an out-the-window scene in front of our inhouse 747/737/787 cockpit panels where the sim is done by Boeing(several million lines of code) and the EFIS panels are done inhouse with OpenGL. These simulators were not for pilot training but were used for engineering development and sales and marketing at airshows. ESP1.0 was nothing more than FSX with SP2 and some very simple changes to the very outer shell of control. ESP 2.0 was demonstrated at the I/ITSEC conference in Orlando at the end of last year and had several really nice improvements over FSX such as being able to use a multiCPU/multiGPU PC to do more monitors of panels and 3D cockpits/scenery. There were other improvements and it is a real shame for them to never see the light of day. I have spent 35 years doing flight sim and for those of us who want major control of our own destiny as well as fluid performance such as is available with i7, I want FSX++ or ESP++ as well as other efforts. X-plane has nice performance but is weak in Heavy Metal aircraft as delivered and multimonitor on the same PC(simplicity with multiCPU/GPU) is very poor. Also, the avionics modeling (fly-by-wire computer, autopilot, autothrottle,etc.) available now is weak as well are the very few examples of FSX quality 3D cockpits and airports (I realize this will improve and the user community is really helping). For the high end enthusiast, we need the third party addon world to be vibrant and financially healthy. I certainly do not want Microsoft to supply any more than the core engine. I realize the problems that we all have had in getting good FSX performance and robustness (elimination of CTDs), but we are wandering now with the recent MS decision. Hopefully, we shall see signs of leadership that will result in a promising future!whitav8

[n4gix 4,947]

ESP 2.0 was demonstrated at the I/ITSEC conference in Orlando at the end of last year and had several really nice improvements over FSX such as being able to use a multiCPU/multiGPU PC to do more monitors of panels and 3D cockpits/scenery. There were other improvements and it is a real shame for them to never see the light of day.

Bobby Hayes, Felix Rodriguez and I were at an ESP2 presentation in Orlando. I came away very impressed with the many, many enhancements that would most like have made their way into FS11 as well. Particularly impressive to me was the fully independent suspension for ground vehicles! That was impressive! ;)

[beatle 0]

Particularly impressive to me was the fully independent suspension for ground vehicles! That was impressive! ;)

Hey, that's what I was working on :-> (well, OK, I didn't write the code for the rigid body physics, I was just integrating it into our environment :-> ).Tim

[michal 44]

This software appears to be aimed at business entities that seek to train flight personnel.

Here at NASA Ames they use it as a sort of "help" tool. They have here 2 big full motion sims for basic research and they use ESP to display information where the aircraft is relative to terrain - it is used by the people who are at the consoles monitoring the progress of the sim session. It doesn't really have any fancy use except as a display unit. The terrain looks pretty good.

[dmaher 0]

The uses of the ESP license are sort of limited only by your imagination...to be a little clich

[n4gix 4,947]

Hey, that's what I was working on :-> (well, OK, I didn't write the code for the rigid body physics, I was just integrating it into our environment :-> ).Tim

As I said, it was really impressive. It's a real pity that ESP appears to have been terminated with prejudice though, given a few more years I truly believe it would have been widely adopted and proved itself to be a formidible platform for myriad applications. :(