Thanks for the interview, Tom. Well done and very informative.

Thanks for this great interview Tom, you asked a lot of questions that where in my mind.I have a mixed feeling regarding the answers. On one hand, I think I'm starting to accept Flight as a potential dedicated GA/bush flying platform. As a secondary sim, the rythm at which Flight would put out expansions and planes sound good, the choice of Alaska is a great start. I'm slightly worried by their intense schedule for planes release and the possibility of seeing too many cockpitless planes. I'm disappointed that airliners have been ruled out entirely, but then again I think I'm just getting used to the fact that FSX will remain my platform for that.All in all, I have several interests in flight sims, and I already had almost one (or several) sim dedicated to each, such as various era of combat operations (RoF, IL2, DCS etc), airliners, vintage, bush flying (FSX). Flight would feat in this collection for part of the GA and bush flying experience (it remains to be seen whether it will feel redundant or not with what FSX offers), so that's alright.But to start staying up there with the other sims, it needs trackIR support, otherwise it will probably be left to number 11 or less in my list of played sims, all the other ones have trackIR, and frankly where I need it the most is GA/bush flying and combat, so I'd go as far as to say that I need it even more in a sim like Flight than when using the NGX in FSX. I would have like to hear that trackIR was definitely going to be supported but was not necessarily at the top of the list. Instead we're still told "maybe" but "not soon" and with no commitment. That will hold me from buying any expansion for sure...

I would have like to hear that trackIR was definitely going to be supported but was not necessarily at the top of the list. Instead we're still told "maybe" but "not soon" and with no commitment. That will hold me from buying any expansion for sure...

Count me in among this group. I'm happy with what I have purchased (Hawaii expansion only) and do want TrackIR support before I commit to more.

Indeed, in fact rather than saying that I won't buy any DLC, I'd rather say that I'll probably buy one to have a bit more to do in Flight (I'll probably get Alaska then), but I wouldn't commit further. With trackIR, I could go back to Flight more regularly and I wouldn't mind buying some of the DLC on the long term.

Count me in among this group. I'm happy with what I have purchased (Hawaii expansion only) and do want TrackIR support before I commit to more

But to start staying up there with the other sims, it needs trackIR support, otherwise it will probably be left to number 11 or less in my list of played sims, all the other ones have trackIR, and frankly where I need it the most is GA/bush flying and combat, so I'd go as far as to say that I need it even more in a sim like Flight than when using the NGX in FSX.

Guys I am with you on this, and have been pushing with passion to get folks to let their desires known to the Flight team regarding getting native Track IR support into Flight. They did it with FS9, they did it with FSX, and Natural Point has already stated they have sent all the required materials to MS from their end to get this done.So please, if you have not yet, email the Flight team your desire for this:[email protected]Thanks,

Microsoft won't be wishing anything. This entire discussion matters less to Microsoft than you and others may think.

You have it all backwards, I certainly don't think that this discussion matters to MS, and I doubt anyone else here does.

I'm disappointed that airliners have been ruled out entirely, but then again I think I'm just getting used to the fact that FSX will remain my platform for that.

He said that long haul was out, I am still hopeful for some sort of short to med range regional jet / airliner. There are some achievements that would be very hard to get with small planes.

He said that long haul was out, I am still hopeful for some sort of short to med range regional jet / airliner. There are some achievements that would be very hard to get with small planes.

Josh Howard is hoping too - against your grain. For Josh, simming is lame and out-dated and gaming is the way to go. There was a guy on the FSX team, really active in the community, who thought that more gaming content was the way to go. Josh is on the same page and he wants to increase market share.Simming won't do it.

Josh Howard is hoping too - against your grain. For Josh, simming is lame and out-dated and gaming is the way to go.

Maybe so, however, there is no mandate that says a game cannot be realistic. Simming could use an overhaul, a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective, what genre couldn't? While the interview had an ominous overtone to it on Josh's part, I am not going to read too much into it; at least not right now. In my opinion they will at least try the airliner route, it may work it may not. You have to remember, they are still testing the waters. How can they possibly know what the user will like/dislike if they do not at least explore all avenues.

I have to disagree... The so called "hard core" simmer (whatever that may be) made themselves completely and overwhelmingly irrelevant when their overriding response to Flight was a whining, carping and bleating tirade of negativity with minimal constructive dialogue attempted. Ya gets what ya sow...

That is a gross oversimplification.

Guys I am with you on this, and have been pushing with passion to get folks to let their desires known to the Flight team regarding getting native Track IR support into Flight. They did it with FS9, they did it with FSX, and Natural Point has already stated they have sent all the required materials to MS from their end to get this done.So please, if you have not yet, email the Flight team your desire for this:[email protected]Thanks,

I would surmise that Microsoft considers trackIR to be in the same vein as 3rd party development. If that proves to be the case it could be a very longtime before native trackIR support would be available, especially in light of the issues surrounding 3PD and Mr. Howard's comment indicating a 2 to 3 yeartime frame before 3PD would be seen for Flight.I don't want to rain on the picnic here, but the ambiguous tone that seems to carry forth in Mr. Howard's interviews seems to say "Thanks for the comments andsuggestions; we appreciate them, and we'll be sure to re-visit them again when we come back this way in the near future. In the meantime, just stay tuned and we'llbe bringing some new and exciting things to you just as soon as we're able."

I would surmise that Microsoft considers trackIR to be in the same vein as 3rd party development. If that proves to be the case it could be a very longtime before native trackIR support would be available, especially in light of the issues surrounding 3PD and Mr. Howard's comment indicating a 2 to 3 yeartime frame before 3PD would be seen for Flight.

Well I am trying to be a glass half full guy here :smile:You may be right, but I personally do not believe they would look at adding native Track IR support into Flight quite in the same vein as allowing 3PD's to create, market, and sell content to go into the Flight program. Yes for the immediate future, MS wants to be the ones to create the additional content, market and sell it through their DLC model. Of course, I have little doubt though, they are still in talks with some 3PD's on a contractual basis to provide them content to add as well. It just will come through MS business model...I view adding Track IR support as a feature to help sell the Flight product - would take " probably" very little resources from their end, to implement this in and push it out to the customers. They have nothing to lose by doing so - other than the resources they might expend into doing this - and more to gain. They have already expressed their desire to Natural Point to possibly doing this.And I truly do believe, the more they hear directly from us - regarding getting this added - the better chances it has. In fact while it was non-commital, Track IR support was mentioned by Josh even before Tom asked the direct question. So word is getting to them, and let's keep letting our voices be heard on this. In this regard, we Track IR users have absolutely nothing to lose, and Track IR support for this sim to gain.

Talking about emailing [email protected] , I did that indeed (a couple of weeks ago), but never got any acknowledgment of receipt. Did you guys ever get any feedback? Note that I was courteous and supportive. I've done what I could, I won't spam them with trackIR requests, I'll just do what I'll do with sims that are promising but problematic at launch: I'll shelve it for now and come back in 3 or 6 months (and hope it's not going to be the same story as IL2 Cliffs of Dover...).Regarding airliners, I sure hope they'll offer us the opportunity to do some regional passengers transport. But given how many things could be added, I'd rather have them give up on medium/long haul and commercial jets (say 737 size and above) since the road is simply too long to catch up with FSX and 3rd party, and give us some nice turbo prop operation (a Twin Otter in Alaska sounds perfect to me). That's what I meant.

It's interesting that Joshua confirmed that they have no desire to work with third party developers today, although he leaves a vague opening for maybe sometime in the future like they have a magic switch to turn third party developers on and off. In other words, if Microsoft Flight doesn't meet long term sales goals, than they expect third party developers to rise up and improve Microsoft profits. Since high-end add-ons take months to years to be ready for market, I'm not sure how fast this magic switch will work.By contrast, X-Plane today is actively recruiting and training the third party developers including the big name FSX developers. They just completed a seminar in Mallorca where X-Plane developers and third party developers traded ideas and development tips for development with X-Plane 10.

Great observations and I agree. While XPlane has never floated my boat, all of those who were capable of making MSFS the great sim that it culminated in with FSX could really turn XPlane around. Since Microsoft will never left Lockheed Martin really run with Prepar3D, I'm predicting that Austin Meyer will win by default. Since he is actually supporting development, as you point out, I predict a radical shift in that XPlane direction after 2012. Since XPlane is really good about supporting operating systems outside of Windows, I plan on dropping MS entirely after this year. I'll just go to Mac and run XPlane. XPlane isn't up to snuff yet, but at least it has a path forward for the simmer. Flight is a dead end.

To put it simply, YES!!!!!!!!!!! Lets just take a look at some FACTS.http://en.wikipedia....Venture_Oshkosh"Attendance is estimated between 800,000 to 1,000,000"http://www.museumoff...e-record-broken"2011, The Museum of Flight set a new yearly attendance record by exceeding 464,000 visitors. Thank you to all visitors for making 2011 a great year!"http://www.nasm.si.e...t/facts_uhc.cfm" Attendance FY 2009 1,186,493 I go to museums, airshows, and events all the time. Not only do I see kids that want to fly, but the parents also. Flight is for them, and I welcome them. Open your ears a little when your at these events, and you will always hear things "Man, I wish I could fly, but its so complicated and expensive".There is a market out there. Just because its not what YOU want does not mean its not wanted. So you tell ME, that you dont see "millions" of people interested in flying.

Most people who go to those shows do not want to see puddle jumpers. They are into sound and speed.