After all the development up to this point, it would be crazy for M$ to pull it but when you see the crazy antics of the Windows 8 GUI... You should be worried.

It would be crazy for Microsoft not to pull it if current estimates of costs-to-completion and revenue no longer stack up.

I agree with mgh; Microsoft would be crazy to throw good money after bad.

To me a hardcore simmer is someone that still uses FS a couple times a month years after they bought it. A casual simmer is someone that uses FS for a few weeks and then stops for good. Obviously by far most users are casual. It’s not really a concern how you use FS or how you identify yourself. If you’re still using FS at this point you're hardcore ;) That's from a general gaming POV.

You missed my point, I was not trying to talk about a new engine or reworked engine again.....my point was about peoples who are saying that MS is not communicating with anybody and that is why I wrote about the debate we had about Flight's engine and MS taking the time to clarify this point. I don't see any reason why MS would have to post something about their engine (new or not) if they don't listen at all, why will they see the need to explain themself on that specific subject.....as I said they may not be reading in this forum but others are...the simple fact that they will have a marketstore for add-ons should give you (us) a big clue about who may be involved in the talking....OR....is MS just taking a shot in the dark by opening a store hoping to attract add-ons developers in it without any feedback from them....what's plausible to you?

I'm sorry - I did totaly miss your point. I see now.I guess as a general rule games teams still don’t interact with the audience much at all.There is a sort of 1-way communication. Them reading forums and us reading occasional PR.I was a little surprised to see them respond to some of the forum topics.But I don’t imagine we’ll see question and answer type communication though.Some of the blog-type communication they had after FSX hurt them – just in my opinion.Often it’s better to say nothing than to get into a dynamic-style Q&A conversation that unfolds in public and on record.

You missed my point, I was not trying to talk about a new engine or reworked engine again.....my point was about peoples who are saying that MS is not communicating with anybody and that is why I wrote about the debate we had about Flight's engine and MS taking the time to clarify this point.

I am assuming you are referring to me. However, you also missed my point. When a product is announced, a web site is started with screenshots and clips and arrangements are made to have developer interviews and such in magazines, it generally means that the marketing department wants to inform the public about the product and build excitement for the release day. MS started this exercise, but the trickle of information has now completely stopped. It was a rather anemic attempt to start with and I can't see how the average gamer would have had any interest in what has already been released. Hence my statement that MS is not communicating with anyone. On a side note... The truly interested people are in forums like this. The rest of the people couldn't care less about Flight, as they are happily playing whatever has been released in the last few weeks and will then move onto the next game, well before MS even announces the release date for Flight. Curiously, I detect a fading interest in Flight from this very group. People are upgrading their systems and now get decent performance with FSX and their favorite add-ons. I know I am much happier with FSX running at 4.5Ghz which makes Flight a lot less important. If MS misses the boat with Flight, the next generation of hardware will run FSX well enough that only an FS11 will satisfy this hardcore group and the MSFS franchise will have come to an end with FSX - regardless of how many versions of Flight will be released.

Many here seem to be so caught up in the illusion that MS wouldn't cancel Flight because of the money they've put into it... but all fail to realize that MS cancels project after project after project all the time. When its clear the cost benifit analysis shows a net loss. And besides MS has canceled projects that were far more costly and much bigger than a single computer game. Remember back in 2010 when they killed off their Tablet Project? And did so with almost no fanfare until Gizmodo uncovered its demise and MS confirmed it. Infact the table called the "Courier" was billed as one of the most innovative concepts out of Redmond in quite some time. It had its own unique OS and everything. Not a cheap endeavor by anyone's standards... Another one that was canceled was that Project Milo 3D AI game that was supposed to be some giant leap forward, or something... its cancelation came just 3 months before its expected release date. MS Live Labs Deepfish, phone browser... this thing was supposed to bridge PC to Mobile phone browsing, was all but ready for release and was canceled with absolutely no word from MS, the way others discovered it was canceled was when Deepfish's website was taken down... And MS in 2010 canceled the long awaited Halo MMO which this articles quotes MS as saying... "that the "very expensive, long and protracted" development of the game can't have helped either." http://www.bit-tech....ecause-of-wii/1 Folks MS kills off projects all the time and some are far more complex and costly than MS Flight would ever be...

Many here seem to be so caught up in the illusion that MS wouldn't cancel Flight because of the money they've put into it... but all fail to realize that MS cancels project after project after project all the time. When its clear the cost benifit analysis shows a net loss. And besides MS has canceled projects that were far more costly and much bigger than a single computer game.................................

Jacoba is correct.It must be reaized that any decision will be made by accountants who could not care less about FS. Personally, I got the feeling months ago that Fight would be delayed or cancelled simply due to the world's economy.As it stands now, I have little hope of it's release..... at least any time in the forseable future. I hope I am wrong..

It must be reaized that any decision will be made by accountants who could not care less about FS.

The decision will be made divisional management when the development team estimates that the costs and time to completion have gone up and the marketing department estimates that the revenue has fallen making the project unviable.

I thought the decision would be made by consulting their Ouija board.

Jacoba is correct.It must be reaized that any decision will be made by accountants who could not care less about FS.

I have never seen a business run like you describe..... the accountants are the ones that business/project managers consult .... the accountants do not directly make the call.

the accountants are the ones that business/project managers consult

Initially that is correct, but then they pass the decision onto Sparky, the magic MS squirrel, who has the final say so in any matters of real importance. Or maybe he doesn't, I dunno, and let's be honest, neither does anyone else here. Al

Initially that is correct, but then they pass the decision onto Sparky, the magic MS squirrel, who has the final say so in any matters of real importance. Or maybe he doesn't, I dunno, and let's be honest, neither does anyone else here. Al

While you are right that no one here knows what MS will ultimately do... all of us seem to be educated enough to understand basic business practices and the theory that govern such. And on that regard most everyone here is right. MS will kill Flight off if it is determined the cost benefit ratio has passed outside their comfort zone. And this will be done regardless of how far along a given project is. These decisions are solely financial and based upon many variables. Some that are completely MS internal, unknown to all but a handful of MS executives. Others based upon public knowledge and economic indicators that are out there for the whole world to see. In the end if MS kills it, it will not be based upon anything but money and as MS has demonstrated in the past many times. it'll happen regardless of how far along the project is.

you are right

I am!!?? You mean Sparky, the magic MS Squirrel really exists? I KNEW IT! Al

So, is Flight dead or not....

Not while Sparky, the magic MS Squirrel ™ is still pulling for us it ain't. He won't let the children of Toy Aeroplane Town down. Al