If Flight dies, any chance of a flight sim happening again at MS dies, and MS is not known for being generous with there source. A few former members of ACES did start there own game studio, but they have not released any information about anything. Knowning the people that are on this new team, if they release anything, it will be Train Sim, not Flight Sim. If MS fails to make money on Flight, and they canned the MSFS series, no invester will ever touch flight simming. Its impossible to get funding as it is. There is the open source flight sim project (Flight Tools?) but it will never be to the level of a commercial product, and XP still has not surpassed FSX.I thin if Flight fails, flight simming fails.

The name you're looking for is Flight Gear.

My apologies to n4gix. Just read the article in MCV, and sadly, I have to bow my head. I was so excited about the new flight and graphics engine and the promises, that I lost sight of reality.I spent 40 bucks already on Flight, and I do love it, but that's it. Going back to FSX and my PDMG aircrafts. Very sad day indeed.

So does the current lack of third party support change anything about the parts of Flight you love? If no, then just keep using Flights and loving those parts.There's no need to 'go back' to FSX; just do what I do and mix it up. Last weekend I flew EHAM-LOWW in the NGX in FSX. Then I loaded up Flight and learned aerobatics in the Stearman. The next day I flew LOWW-LSZH in the Airbus X, then earned myself some gold landing challenge trophies in the Icon. Keep loving Flight for what it is, keep enjoying FSX for all the things it does that Flight doesn't and see where the flow takes us.

My apologies to n4gix. Just read the article in MCV, and sadly, I have to bow my head. I was so excited about the new flight and graphics engine and the promises, that I lost sight of reality. I spent 40 bucks already on Flight, and I do love it, but that's it. Going back to FSX and my PDMG aircrafts. Very sad day indeed.

Er... don't get too heated too soon. The fact that all upcoming DLC will be released by MS using the Marketplace and that there isn't an SDK for use by 3rd party developers does NOT mean only MS-employees are creating DLC... The current MS Flight planes have been worked on by people who are known for creating 3rd party addons for FSX and other versions. The main thing is that ALL DLC will be released by MS through the marketplace and THEY decide what's being created. But that does not mean no 3rd party may be involved in the creation of the DLC.As it is now no one expects PMDG-like addons for MS Flight real soon, but well... you never know what happens. I think the upcoming Alaska people already took some people by surprise.

And if Flight succeeds, there is the possibility of the same team being allowed to evolve it into a separate FS11-type product.As for your earlier comment about 3pd staying away on principal - if Flight capture 70% plus of the addon market over the next 2 years (and i believe that could happen) - then it would be a bold business decision to stay away.

It will Not happen without a public sdk.Third parties are not stupid to work for Ms - and give up the copyrights to them - and get a slice cutted away from their earnings.

I thin if Flight fails, flight simming fails.

I disagree, just look at main FSX developers, most of them already announced future XP addons. So if flight! dies, no one would really care.

The Xbox SDK isn't publically available. It's only available to Microsoft approved developers who have signed up to its Registered Developer Program. This could be a model for the future of Flight.On a wider point, I know of two 3PDs who went public with their objections to Microsoft's proposals. That's a one-sided view, because I'm not aware that Microsoft's gone public witth its objections to the 3PD's proposals.

A very interesting discussion. It's good to know that so many people in this forum are so knowledgeable and also have a stake in the pie. That gives me hope for the future.So answer me this: would it be plausible for MS to release the hooks so that at least I could use all my expensive hardware to some extent? I mean, that wouldn't really hurt MS would it? Just a list so it could be mapped with FSUIPC. It's quite depressing sitting there staring at all the nice buttons and knobs collecting dust...

Just a list so it could be mapped with FSUIPC

HelloNot likely to happen, there is not going to be a version of Fsuipc for Flight!.Unless they put Simconnect back in we are stuck with what MS offers for hardware support.Although I do see LUA mentioned in the credits so maybe something might happen.

I don't think most developers have announced xp support. Aerosoft are trying it out, carenado have done some work. Orbx decided no, pmdg are making one plane, sometime, as a test. The amount of payware after ten versions of the software is pretty small. As mentioned, existing 3rd party devs are working on contract for ms (which makes sense to me, btw i'm just going on what others with more knowledge have posted, i don't have inside info on this sort ofmthing).If flight is highly successful (millions of installs), then it'd be the obvious place for smaller developers to publish, either by contracting for ms now or making independapent products marketed through ms in the future.I agree with the comment about 3pd and sdk for xbox - it exists but is not fully avalable. Amount of freeware by hobbiest developers on the xbox? That would be exactly zero. I'm interested in the comment that aerofly is actively seeking 3pd. That's what i would be doing if i was the new, small company on the block with an uncertain future. Fill the gap which MS has left and which xp hasn't quite stepped up to yet. They look like they have a good engine (and already have track ir support). For both of these reasons i ordered it today.

What a totally BS comment! What do you know about this? If you have some inside information, please say so. You have 10 stars and 9242 posts in 242 topics and I suppose that makes you an insider into MS Flight's development plans.And you being a Moderator, I'll probably find myself shut down after this post.

what a hostile post.

So answer me this: would it be plausible for MS to release the hooks so that at least I could use all my expensive hardware to some extent?

Howard (Microsoft) said: - "There are lots of other more specialized hardware options.We think we've done a good job to support a bunch of them.We'll add support over time if it's necessary, whether that's your pedals or more sophisticated flight sticks or throttles...USB devices.Even if the system doesn't know your device right off the bat, you can use our control mapping scheme to connect your device to the game and keep it going."http://www.gamespot....s-alike-6350136

I disagree, just look at main FSX developers, most of them already announced future XP addons. So if flight! dies, no one would really care.

If there was only one product on the market, the consumer looses. Advancement driven by competition would stop. As it is, Xp is still 6 years behind in that its just now catching up to Fsx. Plus Xp is not very welcoming to new users. Its ui scares away all but the most hard core users. Without new users to replace what is naturally lost by attrition, it will be a long slow death.

If there was only one product on the market, the consumer looses. Advancement driven by competition would stop. As it is, Xp is still 6 years behind in that its just now catching up to Fsx. Plus Xp is not very welcoming to new users. Its ui scares away all but the most hard core users. Without new users to replace what is naturally lost by attrition, it will be a long slow death.

with the new version - i can see quite few new users in xplane forums.there are lots of simmers who actually use it exclusively - and some will never move to any ms products.also do not forget : xp10 has got a ready available sdk !

Yes, there will be new users. People stubborn enough to wade through its overly complex UI desperate for a sim. But the question is, will the new users offset natural attrition of people leaving sims (via death, boredom, or finances)? Thats the trick.As for the SDK. Im a 3rd party developer and would LOVE to support XP. There currently is a massive problem. The lack of any programmers who KNOW how to program in XP. The very few that are out there are taken already. Im an artist and unless someone can program my art into XP, I cant support it. I have been looking for almost half a year with no luck.

Yes, there will be new users. People stubborn enough to wade through its overly complex UI desperate for a sim. But the question is, will the new users offset natural attrition of people leaving sims (via death, boredom, or finances)? Thats the trick.As for the SDK. Im a 3rd party developer and would LOVE to support XP. There currently is a massive problem. The lack of any programmers who KNOW how to program in XP. The very few that are out there are taken already. Im an artist and unless someone can program my art into XP, I cant support it. I have been looking for almost half a year with no luck.

Just imagine what is going to happen when PMDG, for example, make their first XP exclusive aircraft.

... XP10 has a way to go before its a possible contender, but then again, they may have a year to shape up. Then you have the wild-card. Aerofly FS that came out of nowhere and stunned everyone. At its current state, its a LOT more limited then Flight in every way but ground coverage, but that wont last long with Alaska in Spring. AFS on the other hand are ACTIVLY seeking 3rd party dev's. If AFS plays there cards well, we can have a 3 team race.Its going to be an interesting race. The winner will be the simmer. That much I can promise.

Let me add one more - Outerra - so far looks very cool and perspective Whole world is included, so very it is good platform for seriouse avia simulator. I plan to bought it soon (beta stage now) and try to convert our FSX aircraft into.