MS Flight A Browser Based Casual Game?!

[maxter 0]

Outerra is selling an engine. The flight sim demo was simply to show what's possible with the engine and isn't evidence that they have a robust flight simulator in the works. In fact, having watched the demo I have my suspicions that it was mostly "canned" and wasn't actually simulating flight the way a simulator would.

Agree with the first part, however I still have FSX and am happy to wait for someone to pick up Outerra to develop a sim around it.My point is that with engines like Outerra in the mix, then who needs Microsoft.My understanding is that they did use a sim engine for the video, just can't recall which one it was.

[Jeff 0]

I think he means that Flight will be internet based. It clearly states that on the website "a new Live enabled Windows exclusive". All Microsoft live products are internet based.

[Tabs 2,790]

You might want to look at something like Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online. It features full-screen 3D graphics in a browser, so a browser-based flight sim is certainly possible, though one does wonder what compromises might be necessary to pull off such a thing.

Quake Live is another good example of this. The game engine gets spawned out of the browser, but it's still running and executing code on the PC, using the video card etc - "browser game" doesn't have to mean casual Flash games or whatever.

[dmaher 0]

Quake Live is another good example of this. The game engine gets spawned out of the browser, but it's still running and executing code on the PC, using the video card etc - "browser game" doesn't have to mean casual Flash games or whatever.

Quake is a good example.I actually had it specifically in mind when I said a browser game would be on par with FS95.Quake is about that vintage.I’d say it’s the download time that limits these games, for now.

[WhiteKnight77 0]

I wouldn't put it past MS to charge for a browser based game. They just upped the cost of XBox Live to $60 a year, they tried to get PC gamers to pay for Games For Windows Live (and failed). However, right now, I want to chalk this up as rampant speculation on the writers part and everyone else's. MS hasn't release much information about MS Flight yet and it will be a while before they do from the looks of things.

[maxter 0]

Quake Live is another good example of this. The game engine gets spawned out of the browser, but it's still running and executing code on the PC, using the video card etc - "browser game" doesn't have to mean casual Flash games or whatever.

Agreed, Office Live still uses MS Office apps on the PC, but has Internet based connectivity. Live does not have to mean browser based at all.Cheers.

[caehlan 0]

I think most people are right. I contacted Microsoft directly and they confirmed they have not released any details on functionality. The Gamespy article was definitely not fact checked, so where the information came from is uncertain. Also technically while Flight in a browser may be feasible, it just doesn't line up with other actions Microsoft is taking with regards to Flight. I can verify the article was not fact checked because it is confirmed that Age of Empires online is definitely not a browser based game by Robot Entertainment themselves (makers of the game). On the technical side, Microsoft is hiring at least two people that don't make a lot of sense for a browser game. One to take care of "real word systems" such as autopilot and physics.. this is pretty heavy features for a browser based game. The second person is to take care of an SDK. This implies that 3rd parties will be able to develop for Flight. How do you deploy 3rd party addons for a browser based game? Something similar to Facebook's model with exposed APIs? but then how do you modify the core experience directly? (maybe you can't ;)) this would be an incredibly radical design for a browser game.. can't confirm it would be the first game to do so, but I can't think of anything else that immediately comes to mind. Even the example of Quake in a browser doesn't have the concept of 3rd party developed add-ons that appear as seamless content within the game (although there is a huge community for it's desktop counterpart). I just can't realistically see Microsoft doing this. Stranger things have happened though, so who knows :)My article http://anylanding.com/story/no-real-signs-microsoft-flight-will-be-browser-based-game

[meshman 109]

If it's browser based, will I be able to use Firefox? :(

[Tierborn 188]

If it's browser based, will I be able to use Firefox?  :(

Firefox is a browser .. but MS will ensure that the best compatibility is with IE, no doubt.

[byork 2,259]

I heard MS Flight is going to be a "Flash" game :(

[DAD 2,650]

a "Flash" game

Oh no, so I won't be able to run it on my iPhone then? Hope MS will not make it compatible to its own Win7 phone only :( Phil

[WhiteKnight77 0]

I heard MS Flight is going to be a "Flash" game  :(

You would be surprised where Flash is turning up, like in Unreal based games, at least for the UI.

[n4gix 4,947]

I think most people are right. I contacted Microsoft directly and they confirmed they have not released any details on functionality. The Gamespy article was definitely not fact checked, so where the information came from is uncertain. Also technically while Flight in a browser may be feasible, it just doesn't line up with other actions Microsoft is taking with regards to Flight.

Keep in mind the "source" of this silly, unsubstantiated information: Gamespy. The same folks who were licensed to be the "online portal" for FSX...Since "MS FLIGHT" obviously won't be using Gamespy any longer, can we surmise "sour grapes" perhaps? :( The only sense in which "MS FLIGHT" might have any relationship with a "browser" is the usual one: it will be required to access the "MS LIVE" website... :(