I'm surprised to see so many negative posts here. Together with Aerosoft's new planned venture I think this is fantastic news. Let's look at the reasons to be optimistic:1. From the snippets on their web site and press release, it appears that Cascade want to simulate an entire world in which you can do pretty much anything. Any world simulation that can cope with not only flight and trains but also scuba diving and hiking has got to be pretty detailed.2. A detailed world simulation is a necessary starting point, and arguably the hardest part, of a good flight simulation. Assuming it includes weather and airflow simulation (as it would have to in order to be a generally useful world simulation), adding flight dynamics on top of that seems like a much smaller problem. So even if Cascade don't do it themselves, someone else almost certainly will. You could even take the FlightGear flight modelling code and port it to the Cascade platform, assuming the APIs are sufficiently comprehensive. Add to that a few quality planes from third party developers and you have a pretty strong flight simulator.3. Since FSX was released people have been calling for the ACES team to throw away the entire simulation engine and start a new one from scratch. Well guess what they're doing now! Sure they've got their work cut out for them, but assuming they've figured out how to fund the project, the end result seems likely to be a lot better than one that inherits a lot of legacy code that was never designed with the needs of a modern simulation in mind.4. The fact that there are (potentially) two teams working on a next generation simulation platform and not just one, and one of them (Aerosoft) most definitely focusing on flight, makes it seem highly likely that we'll have a kick-&@($* flight simulator to play with in a few years. They may collaborate, e.g. with Cascade doing the world simulation part and Aerosoft doing the flight part, or they may compete, which would raise the bar for both of them. Either way we win.Anyway I'll stop idly speculating until we have more news, I just wanted to inject a little optimism into this thread. :( Colin

I agree that overall fsx is a very poorly designed and coded piece of software. I think a lot of that had to do with MS and their unrealistic timetables and demands most likely. Maybe this time without those constraints the new Aces can do it right. It will be a long time either way before a successor to FSX is born but in all actuality it really couldn't be any worse of a product and hopefully at least the scenery will be photoreal and the atc will be fixed.

I suspect that may be the underlying reason why Microsoft closed ACES in the first place. I've worked on aumber of (non-computer) projects and there always comes the point when someone asks "how much extra profit will this extra expenditure generate"? I imagine Microsoft's conclusion was not enough!We enthusiasts, who come to these forums, are a tiny part of the market that's needed to support significant expenditure on developing an update to something as detailed as FSX. Look at the thread FSvNextWishList in Hangar Chat. How many of those wishes will be of the slightest interest to the general public who are the real target market: in fact how many of them of of much interest except to the posters themselves? My favourite is "Lets have birds and allow bird dung to get on the window" - now that is really going to increase sales, isn't it? Can't you just see it splashed across the CD case as a unique selling point?It may be heresy to say so here but I will. FSX is detailed enough for its intended commercial market and further expansion isn't justified. Yes, enthisiasts want more but I believe that Microsoft realised the tarket market didn't. And that's the market that matters.My opinion is that because Cascade Games Foundary is a start-up company then it will (must?) look for a product than can be developed relatively quickly and sold in significant numbers to generate an income stream s soon as possible. It's backers will expect that. I believe that this rules out developing anything like FS11 from scratch. And it would have to be developed from scratch: using ex-ACES staff means the company can't risk a challenge from Microsoft.

We agree MGH. Premature speculation about what may or may not materialize is about all that users can engage in at this point.There is a huge gap between a formation anouncement and delivery of an RTM Product.We do hope that Cascade will be able to further the community and we wish them all well. :(

I'm not sure what world simulation would mean. I'm assuming that would mean separate products. It would be interesting to see flight, boat, long haul trucker and train combined in to one product (without diluting the flight portion, of course). I know it would probably be impossible but it would be a cool product. I could see virtual freight companies incorporating all methods of transportation.Scuba diving could be interesting - probably very relaxing. Would probably work well with a boat sim.So, I guess my point is maybe they are going to combine interests so that they can reach the most people with a single product. If so, I am sure flight would have to be a major component.

This forum thread is almost as interesting as the Cascade Foundry news release.There is nothing solidly mentioned in the news release, yet people are certain it's going to be a new flight sim project. Just goes to show how people interpret news through the prism in which they read it. The release also says the team is made up of more than just the former ACES members, yet everyone here focuses on the team being a reincarnation of ACES.I haven't seen wild assumptions like this since FSX was announced and everyone went off the edge predicting what was going to be in the next version of the sim. Enthusiasm is great, but wild speculation is reckless and only sets one up for disappointment.Let's wait to see what the demo is and then celebrate (or boo) the news.

Whats up with all this negativity and hate towards ACES and Cascade Game Foundry? Gosh. Keep going like this and expect to never have another flight simulation game again.... Personally, I would like Microsoft to continue Flight Simulator, because they know whats behind it and they have been developing it for decades. Cascade Foundry should probably stick to train simulators and other things, but if Cascade thinks they can make a flight sim for enthusiasts and people that like to fly, I say Give it a shot! (Hopefully it won't take too long).

Cool, this surprises me! It surprises me because I used to work at ACES (for only a couple months) and have not heard about this yet! I believe Rick Selby was the lead for Train Simulator II which I might add looked very cool. It will be very interesting to see what they do. I personally think it won't be flight based. More like different word simulation experiences (which might include flying), but I guess we just have to wait and see. I also believe a couple of the old ACES members are still at Microsoft working on something else as well. We have yet to find out what that is too!

I hope Microsoft is planning something too! :( I heard some news that ACES was back together and making a secret project as well too, but it was months ago. (Check my sig)

The code that's established Flight Simulator up to this point including the name itself is the property of Microsoft. A whole new build of FS would have to be in order and unless I missed something this reforming doesn't sound like it's for the sole purposes of continuing the Flight Simulator franchise. This team may opt to go in a totally new direction especially seeing their efforts need to bring them the best bang for their buck. Is FS really that kind of money maker? According to Mathijs Kok of Aerosoft fame it never was. Flight Simulator was a nitch project for Microsoft that managers over the years were fond of so they kept it around. A whole new team trying to build a reputation and stay afloat in the gaming market might opt first for money maker titles the vein of the Half Life genera (or other areas like role playing) before going for something that is more nostalgia versus stone cold cash. If you look at FSX this team was moving the sim ever closer to the gaming public (which failed I might add) so to say they'll build a new sim much less build a sim we want is a long shot. We'd be better served supporting Aerosoft's efforts... With all things we'll have to wait and see but I'm not holding my breath on a startup team who's main goal is to make a huge impact on the gaming market and in turn get picked up by a larger development house.

Folks should also consider partnerships. If I were in Aerosoft I might/would make a friendly phone call, have a meeting, and see what might be possible. There is strength in numbers.

Any of you old schoolers remember that term "Fly By Nighters"... no pun intended but I bet this is the first and only news we ever get from this company. I believe Microsoft's NDA are two years, not that bad but I doubt there is a court in the state of Washington that's not going to side with Microsoft.

Too add to the wild speculation please allow me a wilder scenario question. :( What if Cascade were to be a subcontractor to MS in order to build on what already has been accomplished in the FS arena?Just saying.. :(

I like that speculation ;)It

I would be very surprised if they would produce a flight simulator as the first product. Why? They had to compete with both FSX, FS9 and possible with Aerosoft FS 2012. It would much be more smart to produce a totally new kind of simulator, such as the mentioned scuba diver sim. Followed up by a sub marine sim. Why? Profit of course.

Do you know what the number one visited museum in the entire planet is? Not Louvre, Not submarine museum nor scuba diving museum! It is National Air and Space Museum. Perhaps they are looking for a world simulator and that is a different story. Then they can have train, plane and submarine simulator as add ons.

Too add to the wild speculation please allow me a wilder scenario question. :( What if Cascade were to be a subcontractor to MS in order to build on what already has been accomplished in the FS arena?Just saying.. :(

I like that idea Ron- makes the circle complete for a young computer nerd who pursued IBM with the proposition that as a sub contractor, he could create an operating system for Big Blue and their new concept of- here it comes folks- a PERSONAL COMPUTER!!This time however, I doubt that Cascade would be be able to con MS into keeping the rights to a new FS- as young Bill Gates did with Windows !!!!!Alex Reid

I like that idea Ron- makes the circle complete for a young computer nerd who pursued IBM with the proposition that as a sub contractor, he could create an operating system for Big Blue and their new concept of- here it comes folks- a PERSONAL COMPUTER!!This time however, I doubt that Cascade would be be able to con MS into keeping the rights to a new FS- as young Bill Gates did with Windows !!!!!Alex Reid

Alex, I didn't say keep the rights...oh the intrigue of it all. :(

Perhaps it won't be too long and we'll find out what they are up to. I note that the company was founded in April of this year.ProjectsThe Light at the End of the TunnelThe team at Cascade Game Foundry is hard at work on the design and demo for our first project. We think you