What worries me even more is the" live" feature. I have a few games with it, and it is the most atrocious little thing I've ever seen. Fallout(3) games are easy to mod, but you need to disable "live" to be able to use many mods. GTA4, you also have to disable "live" to be able to mod it... In fact, every time they released a patch for GTA4 we had to wait weeks for someone to crack "live" and disable it so we could continue using mods. For example, I've lost my saves from Dirt 2, and guess what. I can't download a save file somewhere, so I have to start from scratch if I want to race a specific track.When they release updates, if you opt to update the game using "live", it will take you the eternity to download, and with no progress track or even how much you are downloading. I'm not even going to mention the constant bugging to login. I'll still wait and see, but nothing will stop me worrying about things like that.

Crikey, it doesn't take long for the discussion to turn negative on here does it?! When you can, have a look at the screenshots in the magazine article, as I say, streets ahead of anything I've seen in FS9/FSX. I'm almost sold just on the basis of that!

Crikey, it doesn't take long for the discussion to turn negative on here does it?! When you can, have a look at the screenshots in the magazine article, as I say, streets ahead of anything I've seen in FS9/FSX. I'm almost sold just on the basis of that!

I think in general, people on a whole are pessimistic and fearful, especially of new things and always seem to think the worse; they also latch onto slight negatives and enhance them.Whilst i'm not entirely for the whole microtransaction aspect, if its going to happen, i'm sure that most 'serious' flight simmers already won't use one default aircraft or airport or even default ATC, so having to buy 'additional' scenery or aircraft on 'Live' won't be any different really.Its only natural now for an internet capability to be included, yes some still don't have broadband but many do, and there comes a time that developers have to call time and move on. Its not much different from hardware requirements, there comes a time when your old rig just doesnt cut it, but you wont see developers catering to you.I'm hoping Flight will be everything FSX should have been, and hopefully more; but only time will tell.

I don't see any negativity?We are just calling a duck a duck when we see one, that's all.I myself have no problems what so ever with the concept, if one like the way MS is going with Flight....more power to them....again I don't see any negativity by calling a duck a duck when we (or I) see one.

I don't see any negativity?We are just calling a duck a duck when we see one, that's all.I myself have no problems what so ever with the concept, if one like the way MS is going with Flight....more power to them....again I don't see any negativity by calling a duck a duck when we (or I) see one.

I don't have any problems either, but it appears some do.

Hi, Is there anyone who can make a scan of new screens from PC Pilot ?brds

At this point, I'm happy that Microsoft is giving flight simulation attention. If it means enticing more casual gamers to fly by "dumbing down" the simulation aspect, maybe it's not such a bad thing, in the hopes of introducing more users to the wonders of flight simming.But while having the feature of an easy interface, or a simplified aircraft physics model (that applies to a specific "easy" default plane, not the game engine or flight physics used globally) can be used to garner more sales from the gamers, who will hopefully convert to simmers, by no means am I suggesting they abandon the hard core simmers by eliminating the realism based features we have come to love. There must be a way to take the complexities of FSX, and overlay a gaming type interface, without losing the advanced features the more experienced users like.

There must be a way to take the complexities of FSX, and overlay a gaming type interface, without losing the advanced features the more experienced users like.

Rail Simulator did literally that. It has an overlay where you can access all the controls through a mouse, also it gives you information on the track up ahead. Yes it's cheating to an extent but it seriously decreases the learning curve and you can always turn it off later.

Were the pics in the article featuring anything new ?

Were the pics in the article featuring anything new ?

There was a picture of the Stearman biplane (not the one below!) parked outside the control tower (control tower seen in earlier screenshots) at the disused Luke airfield in Hawaii. Have to say though the stearman in the mag runs this picture below very very close. The only way I can tell the one below isn't real is that the tail draggers back wheel is sitting nicely on the tarmac :( I think apart from the rendering which would have been created from the modelling application, It almost looks as if the model used in Flight could well be the same as below it's that good.Other affects are nice use of glass transparency on the Control tower buildings which is easier to see than the published screenshots in January, also the lighting in general off the buildings looks sublime. Very accurate and lifelike. Two other screenshots were included which were exclusive to the mag, both show the Maule over mountainous regions, one was an internal VC shot again showing subtle lighting and shade on the dash and some very nice mist affects on the ground below. The other was an external shot which again had mist but also included some reflections on the exterior model. It does seem very apparent that Microsoft are providing a much more complete rendering experiance, especially with the use of dynamic lighting covering all aspects of terrain and planes, gone it appears are the tricks of yesteryear like sprites for trees which affect the overall rendering. With this in mind I can see the weather system being completely updated to also make proper use of dynamic lighting too which could mean volumetric clouds and ground shadows... If this is the case, then REX could be a thing of the past...Cheers,Dave.

Hi, Is there anyone who can make a scan of new screens from PC Pilot ?brds

That would be a breach of copyright and it would not be acceptble to post them here.If you want to see them go and buy a copy of the magazine yourself.

We are just calling a duck a duck when we see one, that's all.

have you actually SEEN the duck or have you just seen pictures of it :( it does seem a long way away... call me quackers but from here its beginning looks like a swan...

@ Dave, thank you for the info, at the same time is it possible you'r seeing REX in action?As we all know the dev. at REX have been working on clouds shadow for awile now... http://realenvironmentxtreme.com/forum/index.php?topic=4769.0 this was posted on 8/28/2009 1 1/2 year ago and nothing else after that as far as screen shots to tease us, I think we will see the released of clouds shadow from REX at the same time Flight will be released, since MS will have a market place store for Flight's addons I guess they will have to have something in it for us to buy.As for the scenery, if the glass transparency and other stuff look amazing including dynamic lighting is it possible that they are already promoting or letting us see some of what will be available in the store for us to buy? If you ask questions about Flight to the main FSX addons dev. including REX you will not get an answer, so to me not getting an answer = NDA and NDA = on board with MS and on board with MS = selling addons.I mean if what we are seeing right now is all Flight default and Flight default is getting better and better with each vid. and screen shots released ...who will need addons beside the planes and airports....... right?

If you ask questions about Flight to the main FSX addons dev. including REX you will not get an answer, so to me not getting an answer = NDA and NDA = on board with MS and on board with MS = selling addons.

Unfortunately, that logic -which while reasonable on the surface- doesn't necessarily apply. Microsoft's NDAs are quite explicit. Anyone who has signed one can neither confirm nor deny that they have signed one.Worse, anyone who does deny that they have, or confirms that they haven't potentially jepordizes their future possibilities of being invited onboard... :(

Unfortunately, that logic -which while reasonable on the surface- doesn't necessarily apply. Microsoft's NDAs are quite explicit. Anyone who has signed one can neither confirm nor deny that they have signed one.Worse, anyone who does deny that they have, or confirms that they haven't potentially jepordizes their future possibilities of being invited onboard... :(

My point exactly, who ever as signed one, if Flight default was so good MS will keep this for themself no need for a market store as Flight default will have everything we can dream of and no need for third party addons.Since we all know that a store will be open for us to buy addons one can assume that the addons will come from a third party so the point I was trying to make is this..are we not seeing some addons in action already?Are we seeing Flight default or are we seeing Flight enhanced with third party addons in the realeased screen shots and vid.?