The more I see, the more impressed and excited I am

[JonP01 104]

Last year I had particular hopes and expectations for Flight, as most of you did. Subsequent to the January press release, the only thing that came as a real surprise to me was that the core game would be free (I had expected it might be a $19.95 download or similar).The hopes that I held were reasonably high, since I have seen how the level of immersiveness and accessibility in games has improved considerably over the last few years, let alone the graphical advances. Although I am not a beta tester, I fully anticipated that videos and screenshots would be leaked over the net, despite the NDA.Having looked at these, I have to say that I my impressions have exceeded those high expectations. The only things I have absolutely no idea about are performance and how the game will cope with different types of anti-aliasing. But I will find that out soon enough when I download the game, hopefully within 4 months or so.But as someone who has used all versions of MSFS from FS98 through to FSX (as well as CFS2 and CFS3), I would just like to point out those things that have really impressed me. I firstly need to point out that 90% of my use of the civilian versions of MSFS is VFR flight without navaids and a significant portion of that at uncontrolled airfields (even my local airfield in real life became uncontrolled on weekdays in the last few years). The other 10% has been in jets using IFR procedures as available with the stock version of the games. I see this as a contrasting diversion from VFR and keeps me proficient at these procedures within the limitations of the stock game architecture. I expect I will continue to have FSX on my machine for IFR flight in the foreesable future.I also should point out that around 8 years ago, I started to become a little too obsessed with flight sims - to the point where I felt I was spending too much time trying emulate what real commercial pilots might do and certainly spending too much time on the forums and tweaking things. When FSX came out, I relaxed this attitude alot, wrote a VFR weather generation utility and then settled into the usage pattern I described in the previous paragraph. I also have worsening heath problems that are continuing to reduce the amount of time I can spend on a PC, so my usage is now limited to around 25 minute to 30 minute maximum sessions. Of course, this still works out well for short VFR hops.Anyway, first up I am very impressed with the new HUD display on the top of the screen. I think it is a huge improvement over what was essentially it's predessesor - the infamous red text. What I like about the HUD is the visual attractiveness compared to the plain red text and how the relevant parameters are shown in a visual / spatial way rather than as mere numbers. For example, the wind indicator now shows wind direction visually and relative to the aircraft direction of travel, whereas in earlier versions it was merely a number. The compass is again visual, so users can now avail themselves of visual clues via panel instrumentation as per usual in addition to the compass at the top of the screen. And the rather benign stall indication of the past appears to now be replaced with a more meaningful and progressive indication of a pending aerodynamic stall. Whilst all these things ought to be very welcome for new users, I am going to find them extremely useful, convenient and visually attractive too.Regarding the terrain, I am impressed by the way runways now blend into the surrounding greenery. As much as things progressed in later versions of MSFS, the runways were never convincing at all for me, as they simply had that graphical "overlay" sort of appearance. It wasn't until I began buying Richard Goldstein's scenery for FS2004 that I realised how superb properly blended runways could look. And whilst third party developers have managed to get this right for some time now, it is wonderful to finally see this in a stock product.I am further impressed by the improved autogen and the blending of roads, etc. In earlier versions, these were often a little haphazard and quite often unbelieveable, but looking at some videos of flight, I can see that the autogen has a logical layout that reflects real life - in other words trees laid out logically where they were obviously planted that way, trees neatly lining roads, and (possibly but hard to tell), some trees appear to sway in the wind. Overall, the terrain now has a far more logical, believable and coherent appearance. And I don't miss the cars, since their animations were never really convincing to me in any case.The coastlines look to be significantly improved as well, both in terms of elevation and the action of waves hitting them.The sounds appear to be sigificantly improved as well. As a racing sim enthusiast, I cannot place enough emphasis on how important sound is - it is a major clue to what is happening and sound in games these days has come a very long way from what I ever heard in FSX. It would seem that what we are getting with flight will be on par with other current games.And the aircraft (at least the two it would appear to come with), seem to be up to Microsoft's excellent standards. I was very impressed with the vintage aircraft included with FS2004, so it is good to see a Stearman included in this game - rather like a Jenny on steroids.Anyway, whilst the vast majority of you appear to be disgusted with this game and Microsoft, I have the opposite view and I am really looking forward to trying it out. I think all the business and policy decisions Microsoft made in relation to this game have been the correct ones and this will be proven over time. As a business they have developed a product to appeal to the majority at the expense of a tiny minority and therefore it will be a financial success for them. Nevertheless, I don't think there has been a better time for flight simming than now, since it would seem there are games to cater to all tastes and desired levels of complexity. Rather than being dominated by the traditional "MS flight Simulator", we do now indeed have games that will cater VFR flight for everyone from the complete novice to the highly experienced (Flight and AeroFly FS), the serious simmers (FSX / XP10) and the ultra hardcore (LM). Since when were there 5 products on the market and covering such a diverse range of interest, user commitment levels and complexity? We really all ought to happy.Incidentally, I won't likely be posting again on this forum (or following it) for a while, if at all. There will no doubt be a barrage of flames and insults in this thread aimed at me and I don't have the desire to face those or have to further justify my enthusiasm for the upcoming Flight product. I had thought that hard core flight simmers were far more mature than as evidenced by what I have read on these forums over the last week, but I was clearly very wrong on that count. I had hoped this might be a forum where supporters of Flight could discuss the product, but I was wrong on that count as well.

[Guest]

Finally a MS developer posting in this forum, you are quite late anyway.

[Fsau 0]

I think you might change your tune after you actually try it.

[simmerhead 885]

No flames from me. Happy that you find the product desirable. A glimmer of light in a simulator world of darkness :)What is sad though is that your post very much sums up my impression of flight simulator users. They're a bunch of very different individuals doing very different things with the simulator. What Flight does is narrow down the way the game can be used, and that is why I and many others are so sad these days. Some might have gotten all or more of what they wanted with Flight, some have gotten little or nothing. Previous versions of FS, from FS98 up to and including FSX were extremely flexible platforms that had something for almost everyone.

[MarkW 1,500]

Its Steve Ballmer. Welcome slaphead.

:( :( :(

[Mike T 211]

A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with fava beans and a nice chianti. Fffffffffffffffff!

[Rimshot 1,159]

Finally a MS developer posting in this forum, you are quite late anyway.

Its Steve Ballmer. Welcome slaphead.

Look. The internet heroes are here again. Please cut it out guys. Both of you lack the eloquence and thoughtfulness of the OP to even backup your negative views. We are really starting to get it now. You hate Flight and MS. Oncemore, get over it!To Jon; great post. A breath of fresh air between all the childish behaviour here. Although I also think Flight is not what it could or should have been I admire your positive views. It's a shame to see you go.

[flyingscampi 2]

The reason that 'hard core simmers' are disappointed, is that Flight will not allow them to run the many excellent add-ons produced by companies such as PMDG and ORBX for example. It has been transformed from an open simulation platform into a console game.Flight might cater for your flight simulation needs but don't judge us based on your own requirements.

[Guest]

Both of you lack the eloquence and thoughtfulness of the OP

If I was a mothertongue my sentences would have a better structure but that's not the point.Are you sure Rim you would like to play the role of the old Japanese man living in Hawaii since 1943 and still thinking the world war is not over and shooting at tourists and residents ?- Edited January 7, 2012 by Mark II

[Fsau 0]

There are barely any simulation aspects left in it at all. You don't even have to be hardcore to be disappointed with the dumbed down experience they've managed to produced.They've just gutted FSX, and want to sell you back what was there to begin with. It's an unimaginative money grab.

[Toys_R_Us 0]

It's also dead on arrival.Bob - Las Cruces, NM (Celebrating 100 years as the 47th U.S. state with a downtown parade today.)

[fly_like_an_eagle 10]

couldn't agree with the OP JonP01 more and wishing you all the best with your health!I don't need a simulator that does most what the others do already again. and FLIGHT does have very impessive new graphics technology. Sure we all had wished that FSX would have gotten a long overdue make over, but FLIGHT is so different from all the others that it is refreshing for a change. it will be interesting to see though if and how many customers will adopt that closed system. I expect they will add ATC, AI, add-on scenery and aircraft pretty soon, and I look forward to that. If I want yet another FMC-APU-cold-and dark and what have you simulator, thats all been done and available already. FLIGHT is pure fun, no fiddling and tweaking required, just add water and the ICON. Mind you, I have met 747-airline captains who love nothing more than flying a simple sea plane or glider in their spare time.FLIGHT takes a different approach, it is not a competitor nor replacement for all those other fs products out there.why is it ok that suddenly the holy-oh-so-unselfish-altruistic gang of Jean d'arcs of flight simulation like OrbX, PMDG, LM, aerosoft etc, of this world can make a profit and nobody cares, when on the other side the original developer Microsoft is reduced to "greedy, want it all for themselves capitalist".the debate/flame wars we see all over the forums since FLIGHT was released remind me of the Linux/Windows battles. I'd rather be flying in an open cockpit over Hawaii than combatting in these debates.

[Rimshot 1,159]

There are barely any simulation aspects left in it at all. You don't even have to be hardcore to be disappointed with the dumbed down experience they've managed to produced.They've just gutted FSX, and want to sell you back what was there to begin with. It's an unimaginative money grab.

The reason that 'hard core simmers' are disappointed, is that Flight will not allow them to run the many excellent add-ons produced by companies such as PMDG and ORBX for example. It has been transformed from an open simulation platform into a console game.Flight might cater for your flight simulation needs but don't judge us based on your own requirements.

Thanks for pointing out the obvious. I already know this and I'm very disappointed about it.

Are you sure Rim you would like to play the role of the old Japanese man living in Hawaii since 1943 and still thinking the world war is not over and shooting at tourists and residents ?-

Look, I've said a few times already I also don't like the outcome of all this. I am also not happy with Flight. I guess I deal with it differently. The point I'm trying to make here is you should also try to respect those folks that like what they see, or at least try to. There's absolutely no need to hijack almost every thread with your hurt feelings.

[m_av 0]

I also have worsening heath problems that are continuing to reduce the amount of time I can spend on a PC, so my usage is now limited to around 25 minute to 30 minute maximum sessions.

Hope whatever ails you, at the very least, doesn't stop you from enjoying whatever flight sim you enjoy.With the initial disappointment with the details as they have come out subsiding somewhat, perhaps it is time to look at it perhaps with more objectivity and calmness. What M$ may have done right is perhaps offering the limited area for free, for people to see what they may like or dislike and have a good feel for how it may perform on their particular hardware setup - FOR FREE. Nobody has to spend a penny except perhaps the cost of the free download. How can you go wrong with that ?Of course, there is no guarantee that the rest of the world or the items and accessories bundled with full(?) version will meet or exceed the standards, quality or detail as in the limited version.BUT HOW CAN YOU BEAT FREE ?What M$ needs to do RIGHT AWAY, is to release the free version as quickly as they possibly can to avoid further speculation and potential distortion of what their product is or is not.Who knows, if the "sales" do not live up to their expectations, they may open up to the freeware/payware/TPD !The guy with the money is always in charge. Hold on to the wallets for as long as you like if you want to force M$ to change their stance. Edited January 7, 2012 by m_av

[Guest]

Nice post, JonPO1. I am also looking forward to the release of Flight and what may follow, even though I don't expect it to be a replacement for everything that FSX offers. But that's okay. We used to have one flying game, now we are getting plenty! It's a great year for flying enthusiasts, with FSX, P3D, Flight, Xplane 10 and Aerosoft FS...! I can't remember seeing FIVE flying games/sims (combat sims excluded) on the market before! I don't understand why people moan now there will be something for everybody!