What a let down.. Really, Hawaii Only?

[krylite 0]

Reminds me of the original Flight Simulator 2 for the 8-bit machines. I had the original FS2 for Atari computers by SubLogic. the default was Chicago area from Merill C. Meigs to Champlaign (where Bruce Artwick made fs1) They gave you only New York (metro), California(SF& LA) and Seattle areas. You had to switch from the 5.25" floppy "play" disk and wait and load the scenery from the "scenery disk". The other areas of the U.S. had to be bought separately. (yes, nowadays, the size and graphics are nothing compared to a smartphone game, a speck of size even if ported to the iphone)So wondering if Flight(FS 11) is going to be like that. To get more of the U.S. or other parts of the world, you'll need to log in "Microsoft Live!" and buy and choose DLC. And you'll always be need to be connected to "Live!" to play too like some of the games on Steam.

Edited January 23, 2012 by krylite

[Scottj85 0]

I posted this in response to another thread, but I think it's just as applicable here.Although I've been a flight sim enthusiast since MSFS 4.0 and a real-world pilot for 5 years, I'm also a gamer and will examine MS Flight from that angle.It seems like these days dumb shooters aren't the guaranteed money-makers they used to be for developers. Amazing graphics alone won't carry a game anymore. Gamers are demanding smarter games. That's why innovative indie titles do so well, and why studios are more willing to take risks on things like a new XCOM game, reviving previously dead genres.MS Flight is most likely an attempt at getting into this new market with something that is, to the average gamer at least, new and interesting, accessible while still presenting a challenge. It doesn't matter to them that they're constrained to Hawaii and only one plane unless they buy DLC, they just want new challenges and so long as MS Flight delivers on that front, it will succeed.If not, it's not as if FSX or X-Plane are going away any time soon. Either way, I don't think hardcore flight simmers have anything to worry about.

[BobP 56]

What is the target demographic? Unless you can blow up Hawaii or MS spawns zombies and outfits the default planes with twin 50 caliber machine guns the huge gamer market will pass. My gut tells me the model (app store for add-ons) they have chosen will not fit well in the passive flight simulation market. All this hits me as blind folded dart toss. Bob

[Fsau 0]

Or plan B ;)

[Dogstar23 0]

Does anyone really believe that MS would actually assign 50 developers to MFS and work for a couple of years on it so that they could release a free download casual flight Hawaii game that might have a new bi-plane DLC that you can get for a couple of bucks at some point? That would be insane. MS has made mistakes before, but they are not insane.

[Dillon 2,198]

Reminds me of the original Flight Simulator 2 for the 8-bit machines. I had the original FS2 for Atari computers by SubLogic. the default was Chicago area from Merill C. Meigs to Champlaign (where Bruce Artwick made fs1) They gave you only New York (metro), California(SF& LA) and Seattle areas. You had to switch from the 5.25" floppy "play" disk and wait and load the scenery from the "scenery disk". The other areas of the U.S. had to be bought separately.

I remember this. What's funny is some people are raving about this forgetting everything in the middle won't be there. :( I mean if they offer different areas for Flight it will be just that, fly around New York or LA until you hit the scenery wall. Your not flying from LA to New York or nowhere in between... For some reason people in this forum either are fine with this (for some insane reason) or equate 'other downloadable scenery areas' to being able to fly between them which Microsoft never mentioned. It took years for Aces to break that limitation. I remember the whole world wasn't offered until FS5.1 was released on CD. That was a crowning achievement for Aces in which they were very proud. Now for some it's acceptable to rewind achievement and go back to 1993 standards. :fool:I know some of you guys remember these limited scenery areas offered for $30 a piece in places like Egghead Software:Microsoft ParisMicrosoft New YorkMicrosoft CaribbeanI forget the other ones... Edited January 26, 2012 by Dillon

[John the Pilot 0]

I'm waiting for the Sesame Street characters to provide the tutorial and flight instruction.

I think it's going to be a talking paper clip.

[Gibbage 199]

If i hear one more (ex)Microsoft employee utter the word 'experience', i'm gonna kill a kitten!

experienceexperienceexperienceexperienceSorry. I had too, but I kinda feel bad for the kitten.

[pstrub 998]

What's funny is some people are raving about this forgetting everything in the middle won't be there. :( I mean if they offer different areas for Flight it will be just that, fly around New York or LA until you hit the scenery wall. Your not flying from LA to New York or nowhere in between...

And what is that based on, other than pure assumption? MS has said they would focus on designing with a great level of detail individual areas. No mention of what is happening "in between" -- neither confirming nor dismissing it.As far as I could gather from this forum, there are several indications that jets will soon be on sale the store. It would be plain stupid to let them fly from one scenery island to another. MS has a history of taking questionable decision, but something like this I will believe only when I see it.

[vololiberista 205]

Like the rest of you I would love for Microsoft Flight to cost $39 and give me a better experience than I get now with FSX plus a couple thousand dollars spent on add-ons - planes, terrain mesh, all flavors of textures, weather enhancers, lighting improvements, voice actuated air traffic control, a flight crew, screaming passengers... hey, why not? Microsoft has lots of money, lots more than I do...Rowland

The problem is that MS wants that couple of thousand dollars for itself!vololiberista

[vololiberista 205]

I'm waiting for the Sesame Street characters to provide the tutorial and flight instruction. Oh?????? Fly a bi-plane through the cookie forrest !! This is going to be a casual diversion rather than an immersive experience for die hard FSX simmers. FSX has many years left in it with companies such as REX, Fsdreamteam, ORBX continually coming out with bigger and better things and improvements.

This is probably the most precise "review" of "Flight" to-date!vololiberista

[Christopher Low 5,392]

I remember the whole world wasn't offered until FS5.1 was released on CD. That was a crowning achievement for Aces in which they were very proud. Now for some it's acceptable to rewind achievement and go back to 1993 standards.

Based on the quality of FS5.1 at the time, I think that Microsoft should have stuck to smaller scenery regions.

[nateanderson 1]

Why shouldn't the free base download be Hawaii only? That is plenty of cities, airports, beaches, ocean and mountains for someone to figure out if they want to expand their horizons. The free trial for FSX was 2 airports, 2 missions and 3 airplanes. Suppose MS provides a "Simmers Pack" for $49.99 which includes the rest of the world with say, 5000 airports and 5 more airplanes, we'd all get it, just like we all have either Acceleration or SP2. Or maybe they will sell each continent for $9.99. Then they could also market a "Gamers Pack" with a bunch of unrealistic but fun missions with the appropriate "aircraft" to fly them. There is simply no way Flight will not model the rest of the world through DLC. The important thing is that MS must work something out with the 3PDs immediately upon Flight's release.Ben

[evercllear 0]

Why shouldn't the free base download be Hawaii only? That is plenty of cities, airports, beaches, ocean and mountains for someone to figure out if they want to expand their horizons. The free trial for FSX was 2 airports, 2 missions and 3 airplanes. Suppose MS provides a "Simmers Pack" for $49.99 which includes the rest of the world with say, 5000 airports and 5 more airplanes, we'd all get it, just like we all have either Acceleration or SP2. Or maybe they will sell each continent for $9.99. Then they could also market a "Gamers Pack" with a bunch of unrealistic but fun missions with the appropriate "aircraft" to fly them. There is simply no way Flight will not model the rest of the world through DLC. The important thing is that MS must work something out with the 3PDs immediately upon Flight's release.Ben

I hope your right. I guess the first thing that made me uneasy was that they dropped the franchise name for all these years and just went with "Flight". Flight what?... Is it still a flight simulator or is this more for entry level simmers. Secondly, the lack of information with all these teasers and sneak peaks. I see this is a marketing gimmick but all of us loyal simmers just want to hear what IS and what IS NOT being included without getting a 3 minute teaser every 3 months.For example.. Is this going to include commercial aircraft? So far all we have seen are some single engine props. I feel like they just don't have their ducks in a row and are releasing stuff as they go. I think the whole FSX community would like to know what the BIG plan is if ANY!

[Attila 2]

Why shouldn't the free base download be Hawaii only? That is plenty of cities, airports, beaches, ocean and mountains for someone to figure out if they want to expand their horizons. The free trial for FSX was 2 airports, 2 missions and 3 airplanes. Suppose MS provides a "Simmers Pack" for $49.99 which includes the rest of the world with say, 5000 airports and 5 more airplanes, we'd all get it, just like we all have either Acceleration or SP2. Or maybe they will sell each continent for $9.99. Then they could also market a "Gamers Pack" with a bunch of unrealistic but fun missions with the appropriate "aircraft" to fly them. There is simply no way Flight will not model the rest of the world through DLC. The important thing is that MS must work something out with the 3PDs immediately upon Flight's release.Ben

Just to be clear, according to MS itself, the free download will be just one island, the Big Island of Hawaii and one plane, the A5. If you go through the trouble to create a LIVE account, you will get the Stearman and the content that goes with it.You will not get the rest of the islands unless you pay. There is one major city, Hilo, relatively small compared to Honolulu, whose images we have been shown in released info.Worse, even if you were to be able to get scenery content and some more planes, many questions remain as to what functionality really exists in Flight. From what we have seen, you jump into your plane and fly. No mention of route planning, real-time weather or other aircraft unless you fly on-line.MS should have released an FSX expansion pack for $50 that includes the updated Flight global terrain and cloud textures and code improvements with an upgrade to the currently high-detail airports and toss in one or two new ones. Throw a bone to 3PDs by providing an SDK that would allow them to make higher quality add-ons. Charge for it if they want.Rinse and repeat every 18-24 months. Make a console game like Flight with an upgrade path to FSX+expansion packs.Far cheaper, less risky and everyone would be happy.