A Minority Report

[Ben Cap 89]

:( All we are saying...is give Flight a chance! :(

Don't worry Stephen, you're not alone! :(

[SpiritFlyer 987]

Don't worry Stephen, you're not alone! :(

Yeah, I reckon there are a whole lot of us other than ones like us that come in here and make fools of ourselves, sort of the silent majority. The grumblers will always have something or someone to grumble about. :( Edited January 18, 2012 by SpiritFlyer

[Ben Cap 89]

Yeah, I reckon there are a whole lot of us than ones like us that come in here and make fools of ourselves, sort of the silent majority. The grumblers will always have something or someone to grumble about. :(

+1

[trevorbee 0]

If they are going to cater to both groups, you're going to see more of a mix of game/simulator content with most scenery areas. There's likely going to be additional missions, challenges, and Aerocache Hunts, included with every scenery area. I'm guessing as much as 20% will be gaming content.

I wonder if the gaming content may end up including 'Tycoon' type stuff e.g. Airline Management, Flight Operations, Air Traffic Control etc etc - (assuming airliners get included down the track). Lots of opportunities for expansion packs I would think.

[SpiritFlyer 987]

I wonder if the gaming content may end up including 'Tycoon' type stuff e.g. Airline Management, Flight Operations, Air Traffic Control etc etc - (assuming airliners get included down the track). Lots of opportunities for expansion packs I would think.

There may very well be some elements of that coming up, who knows? I don't. But there will more than likely be airline operations and ability to evaluate flying performance. That is my best guess for what it is worth.Kind regards,

[Xpendable 0]

There are a number of reasons to believe that FLIGHT has serious simulation capabilities built into it that are simply turned off or wound down. I suspect if someone has the Beta and they go snooping around looking at all the usual suspects in their system they might be pleasantly surprised by what they may find. As some people have mentioned, those who have comprehensively tested the FLIGHT engine in the existing Beta's advanced challenges, there is some serious flight simulation engineering and rendering at work. The more it is evaluated, the more impressive it becomes. If anyone really thinks that FLIGHT is just a slap-dash, stuck together, haphazard, gutted FSX carryover, they could not be more mistaken.I suggest that Microsoft is expertly managing FLIGHT user group expectations, always a shrewd marketing move planned by those worth their weight in gold. There is every reason to conjecture that each step forward from this point (and I believe MS is not plodding but jogging) will exceed the expectations that have been intentionally dampened down by this Beta. What better way to clear the deck of those whose vested interests are to try to turn their customers away from this platform, but to flush them out early, and once the opposition have put both feet in their mouths, demonstrate publicly and compellingly how wrong they are. Just watch! Hey, the water is not even turned on for Pete's sake. But can it be turned on? Of course it can, for we have seen it so even in the very first pre-beta video! There are other solid indications that the controls for both AI airliners and GA traffic is present but turned off. Can they be turned on? More than likely, otherwise they would not even be there. There are a whole lot of new features and settings that we have not seen before nor understand, that have yet to demonstrate what function they direct. Please realize that what we see now in the FLIGHT Beta, is not all there is developed already, by a long shot, considering that the Beta download and installation is only a fraction of the 10g that the initial download of Flight will need. Will FLIGHT be just like FSX but better? No, I don't think so. It is something significantly different, and possibly better in important ways. Perhaps it will become whatever the user wants it to be. Maybe it will mirror the reflection of those who fly it, enticing them to purchase from a wide selection of the kind of content they want, right from kid's coin collection arcades to full scale long distance airline aircraft with IFR and FMC systems. Why not? MS has said that FLIGHT development from here on in will be entirely customer choice driven. Why not believe them? If anyone with the Beta would begin investigating and seriously evaluating what they see and experience, there are solid clues that point to the sophisticated nature underlying this software. Come one folks, let's look beneath the surface here and step out of the box we have sealed ourselves in. Something else: Many seem to think that the Microsoft Corporation is weak, stupid and incompetent. I submit that whatever they are, they are none of that. It is a lot more likely that those who underestimate Microsoft's ability and well planned intentions with this franchise are being woefully shortsighted and not putting their heads up and looking around. Think about this: Notwithstanding X-plane, MS invented, developed, and own the basis of all versions of MSFS as we now know it. Anyone who is building on top of the Microsoft Flight Simulation Franchise, regardless of the version, is simply doing just that, standing on top of the shoulders of a giant corporation who have allowed add-on developers to freely climb over them, and then. believe it or not, stand up there and shout insults in their ears. How stupid is that? Since when does the makeup become the woman, or the expressive phrase displace the language itself? They don't. MS is not a benevolent weak willed old woman who won't take the remedial action the circumstances now warrant. Just watch!None of us knows where FLIGHT is heading, but MS does, and I bet their research tells them that the market will love it. Of course, they could be wrong. Admittedly, everything I wrote here could be nothing more than fool's folly, that will make myself and others of like mind the object of justified FS community-wide ridicule. If so, then so be it, but I see a clear outline of something huge which is barely concealed beneath the surface of FLIGHT. Meanwhile I have spent a lot of money, paid my dues to this society (or whatever we are) and invested a large slice of my life in this hobby and am enjoying FSX to the fullest. But, we all know that the flight simulation hobby as it now is will wind down and be replaced by what those that follow us will consider to be far better. Are we there yet? Not quite, but perhaps very close. Don't know, but I'd rather fly forward than stall backwards.Kind regards,

I have some swamp land for sale if you're interested. ;)

[trevorbee 0]

There are a number of reasons to believe that FLIGHT has serious simulation capabilities built into it that are simply turned off or wound down.

I find this post really interesting and encouraging. Several people (who I assume have the Beta) have now posted that there seems to be additonal simulation capabilities in FLIGHT which are currently turned off. If this is indeed the case it further encourages optimism that FLIGHT will end up being the simulator of the future.However, the MS marketing strategy for FLIGHT remains something of an enigma to me. It does appear that the strategy may be to deliberately generate controversy in order to keep the pot boiling until the new product is released. That is just my suspicion. But if it is true then I personally do not appreciate being manipulated in this way.

[Fsau 0]

However, the MS marketing strategy for FLIGHT remains something of an enigma to me. It does appear that the strategy may be to deliberately generate controversy in order to keep the pot boiling until the new product is released. That is just my suspicion. But if it is true then I personally do not appreciate being manipulated in this way.

If they were to be completely open in their marketing it might read something like - we've taken FSX and artificially gimped it in order to charge you to have the "features" turned back on - jk of course.

[dmaher 0]

I suggest that Microsoft is expertly managing FLIGHT user group expectations, always a shrewd marketing move planned by those worth their weight in gold. There is every reason to conjecture that each step forward from this point (and I believe MS is not plodding but jogging) will exceed the expectations that have been intentionally dampened down by this Beta. What better way to clear the deck of those whose vested interests are to try to turn their customers away from this platform, but to flush them out early, and once the opposition have put both feet in their mouths, demonstrate publicly and compellingly how wrong they are. Just watch!

:( It's a little too devious for me to really buy into ;) But when I look at the screen shots and videos, I see no evidence of a major shift in design strategy. In fact I see the same “airplanes on your PC” game that is FSX (and previous). I see more or less what I hoped would be there. So I’ll admit I have also thought there might be a bit of a "slow-play" going on here. Managing expectations is so hard and any info leads to anger. We can be a strident group. Lol, personally I’ve always felt MS should never talk about FS during development…to me it’s always seemed counterproductive. I will certainly use Flight. And if users do get a voice I will certainly continue to use it :) Thanks for posting that SpiritFlyer.

[SpiritFlyer 987]

[/color] [/font] :( ...I see the same “airplanes on your PC” game that is FSX (and previous). I see more or less what I hoped would be there...Managing expectations is so hard and any info leads to anger. We can be a strident group. Lol, personally I’ve always felt MS should never talk about FS during development…to me it’s always seemed counterproductive. I will certainly use Flight. And if users do get a voice I will certainly continue to use it :) Thanks for posting that SpiritFlyer.

We can be a strident group.Now that is one of the most obviously accurate and appropriate statements I have read on this forum!Kind regards,

[Beeline90 12]

[/color] [/font] :( It's a little too devious for me to really buy into ;) But when I look at the screen shots and videos, I see no evidence of a major shift in design strategy. In fact I see the same “airplanes on your PC” game that is FSX (and previous). I see more or less what I hoped would be there. So I’ll admit I have also thought there might be a bit of a "slow-play" going on here. Managing expectations is so hard and any info leads to anger. We can be a strident group. Lol, personally I’ve always felt MS should never talk about FS during development…to me it’s always seemed counterproductive. I will certainly use Flight. And if users do get a voice I will certainly continue to use it :) Thanks for posting that SpiritFlyer.

Baring in mind Flight is based on a legacy engine - FSX ?- then your comments would seem to ring true. Anyway, as somebodyelse said, "lets give it a chance" after all, the first bits free.

[newthog 0]

However, the MS marketing strategy for FLIGHT remains something of an enigma to me. It does appear that the strategy may be to deliberately generate controversy in order to keep the pot boiling until the new product is released. That is just my suspicion. But if it is true then I personally do not appreciate being manipulated in this way

trevor, I too feel that the marketing strategy is to keep info "close to the chest"...however I don't feel they wanted to generate controversy, rather that they HOPED to generate positive speculation...looking through the window into the candy store, and thinking how good it will taste. I can't say that I feel manipulated, just curious. So I guess if I'm not the target market, I'm still responding the way Microsoft wants me to!

[spilok 1,139]

Stephen,I have read this ENTIRE lengthy post and all of its threads. All I can say in my very simple way is this:"I used to hate broccoli and brussel sprouts EVERY TIME they were served at a meal served by my family and everywhere else they were on the menu......and THEN I TASTED THEM. And now I absolutely LOVE them." Keep up the good work.That's all, folks.Stan

Edited January 27, 2012 by spilok

[n4gix 4,955]

Stan, I too now like brussel sprouts and broccoli. Heck, I even developed a taste for rutabega for heaven's sake......but, I still would almost rather go hungry than eat liver! :(

[Scottj85 0]

I don't think it will hurt to keep an open mind. After all, the first taste is free.