The thing about "Flight" multiplayer (for me, at least) is that the other planes do not appear to be flying smoothly. But, I know that completely smooth (and thus very realistic) multiplayer is possible, because another online MMO flying game, "Aces High", is VERY smooth, and it has been around since 1999. If "very smooth" can be attained once, then it can be attained twice, and Microsoft (of all people) should be more than up to the task of developing a completely smooth multiplayer. It's called "attention to detail". Keep working on it, Microsoft.

 

EDIT: "Rise of Flight" is also very, very smooth. It can be done. When the bar is raised you have to shoot for it, and that's especially true for the big players.

Solution: if MS opens development to the thousands of talented passionate individuals who make this hobby a community, then Flight can be FS11.

 

I think MS has been pretty clear that they had and still have no intentions of making FS11... Unfortunately, many people have assumed that as Flight is by Microsoft, and Microsoft had a Flight Simulator franchise, that Flight is the successor to that franchise (despite MS own assertions that it isn't intended to be). Looking at it from this point of view, Flight is a disappointment since there are many features missing from FSX, FS9. But looking at it from the perspective that it isn't FS11, then it is suitable and enjoyable for some individuals but maybe not for some 'hard-core' simmers but MS has been clear that 'hard-core' simmers are not their primary target audience.

I think MS has been pretty clear that they had and still have no intentions of making FS11... Unfortunately, many people have assumed that as Flight is by Microsoft, and Microsoft had a Flight Simulator franchise, that Flight is the successor to that franchise (despite MS own assertions that it isn't intended to be). Looking at it from this point of view, Flight is a disappointment since there are many features missing from FSX, FS9. But looking at it from the perspective that it isn't FS11, then it is suitable and enjoyable for some individuals but maybe not for some 'hard-core' simmers but MS has been clear that 'hard-core' simmers are not their primary target audience.

 

Devs, Pin this

Same thing on the MS Flight Facebook page. When Flight was released it had something like 10,500 fans or so-- and now just has over 11,000 fans. Not stellar by any means.

I suspect that of that 11,000+ "fans" it is quite likely that most of them are also "HCS." If that is true, then it also illustrates just how TINY this FS community really is... :Thinking:

If that is true, then it also illustrates just how TINY this FS community really is...

 

Hello Bill

The Community is not tiny at all, why would a company such as Saitek pump millions into developing a complete range of flightsim hardware if the market was so tiny.

The costs involved in developing, producing, supporting,marketing and distributing a range of hardware that large is phenomenal and they share that market with many other companies.

 

Saitek

CH Products

Goflight

Engravity

Flightdeck solutions

PFC and many more, are not staying viable if the total market is circa < 40,000 simmers.

We kid ourselves if we think this market is small.

I suspect that of that 11,000+ "fans" it is quite likely that most of them are also "HCS." If that is true, then it also illustrates just how TINY this FS community really is... :Thinking:

 

You can also read the data in another way:

Many HCS use forums, FB is not so "elitist", so the Flight page should have attracted the famous casual users desired by Howard.

The questions are: why are they so few, and why is the majority of posts much more critical than those viewed here? :Thinking: (it's clear that 80% of those post woud have been banned here)

 

A.

Flight half loaf of bread. Community likely couple hundered thousand there probadly 40,000 hardcore. Community size is decent MSFS was thinking of short term profits rather than long view they remind of GM and Ford arrogance that got them into problem. MSFS treating its comsumers the same way

Some basic facts from the Entertainment Software Association’s 2011 Report - http://www.theesa.co...ESA_EF_2011.pdf pages 8, 9, & 10 show:

 

1 - Total annual sales of video games was 232.5 million of which 0.4% were classified as “Flight” - that’s 930,000

 

2 - Total annual sales of computer games was 24.6 million of which 1.5% were classified as “Flight” - that’s 219,000, including FSX

 

3 – No “Flight game appears in the top 20 lists.

 

4 - Video “Flight” games out-sell computer ones by more that 4:1 and all “Flight” games represent less than 0.5% of the market.

 

Why then is there surprise that Microsoft changed direction with Flight?

 

ESA members include the big players 38 Studios, 345 Games, 505 Games, Capcom USA, Inc, Deep Silver, Disney Interactive Studios, Inc, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Inc, Her Interactive, Inc, Ignition Entertainment, Konami Digital Entertainment, LEVEL-5 Inc, Little Orbit, Mad Catz Interactive, Inc, Microsoft Corporation, Namco Bandai Games America Inc, Natsume Inc, Nexon America, Inc, Nintendo of America Inc, Nival, NVIDIA, O-Games, Inc, Perfect World Entertainment, Rubicon Organization, SEGA of America, Inc, Slang, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Sony Online Entertainment, Inc, Square Enix, Inc, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc, Tecmo Koei America Corporation, THQ, Inc, Trion Worlds, Inc, Ubisoft Entertainment, Inc, Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment Inc, XSEED Games

I think MS has been pretty clear that they had and still have no intentions of making FS11... Unfortunately, many people have assumed that as Flight is by Microsoft, and Microsoft had a Flight Simulator franchise, that Flight is the successor to that franchise (despite MS own assertions that it isn't intended to be)

 

well said Sigma - when I view Flight as a "stand alone" product, as opposed to a "follow on" product, I'm happy with it for what it is.

Some basic facts from the Entertainment Software Association’s 2011 Report - http://www.theesa.co...ESA_EF_2011.pdf pages 8, 9, & 10 show:

1 - Total annual sales of video games was 232.5 million of which 0.4% were classified as “Flight” - that’s 930,000

2 - Total annual sales of computer games was 24.6 million of which 1.5% were classified as “Flight” - that’s 219,000, including FSX

3 – No “Flight game appears in the top 20 lists.

4 - Video “Flight” games out-sell computer ones by more that 4:1 and all “Flight” games represent less than 0.5% of the market.

 

Why then is there surprise that Microsoft changed direction with Flight?

 

Good, some numerical data.

 

So, let's try some comments.

 

1) The report is of 2011. FSX, which was by far the leader on the PC flight sim sector, was already 5 years old in 2011, an eternity for video games. So there is no suprise that it doesn't appear in the top 20 list. It would be interesting to know its position in 2006 and 2007.

 

2) I already made a comparison with other fields. If, for example, you publish the best book in the world about quantum mechanics, you can't pretend to sell as Harry Potter. This doesn't absolutely means that you can't have profit from it, you probably maintain a reputation as seriuos publisher and have a good continuous relationship with your customers.

 

3) The funny thing is that, following the first data and millions of ferocious comments on the web, also from casual users, Flight doesn't absolutely seem to have expanded the previous base, and if this trend will continue for some months, clearly the entire "new philosophy" will fail.

Exactly same thing that happened to EA with the Simcity series. And now, after some more "casual deviations", next year we will finally have the dreamed Simcity 5.

 

A.

Some basic facts from the Entertainment Software Association’s 2011 Report - http://www.theesa.co...ESA_EF_2011.pdf pages 8, 9, & 10 show:

 

1 - Total annual sales of video games was 232.5 million of which 0.4% were classified as “Flight” - that’s 930,000

 

2 - Total annual sales of computer games was 24.6 million of which 1.5% were classified as “Flight” - that’s 219,000, including FSX

 

3 – No “Flight game appears in the top 20 lists.

 

4 - Video “Flight” games out-sell computer ones by more that 4:1 and all “Flight” games represent less than 0.5% of the market.

 

Why then is there surprise that Microsoft changed direction with Flight?

 

ESA members include the big players 38 Studios, 345 Games, 505 Games, Capcom USA, Inc, Deep Silver, Disney Interactive Studios, Inc, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Inc, Her Interactive, Inc, Ignition Entertainment, Konami Digital Entertainment, LEVEL-5 Inc, Little Orbit, Mad Catz Interactive, Inc, Microsoft Corporation, Namco Bandai Games America Inc, Natsume Inc, Nexon America, Inc, Nintendo of America Inc, Nival, NVIDIA, O-Games, Inc, Perfect World Entertainment, Rubicon Organization, SEGA of America, Inc, Slang, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Sony Online Entertainment, Inc, Square Enix, Inc, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc, Tecmo Koei America Corporation, THQ, Inc, Trion Worlds, Inc, Ubisoft Entertainment, Inc, Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment Inc, XSEED Games

 

Its not a surprise. As far as I can tell there just seems to be:

 

1) A widespread sense of mass denial and mental disconnect from those types of numbers in the flight community irregardless of external reality.

 

2) An overriding refusal to accept the real world consequences of those numbers.

I think MS has been pretty clear that they had and still have no intentions of making FS11... Unfortunately, many people have assumed that as Flight is by Microsoft, and Microsoft had a Flight Simulator franchise, that Flight is the successor to that franchise (despite MS own assertions that it isn't intended to be). Looking at it from this point of view, Flight is a disappointment since there are many features missing from FSX, FS9. But looking at it from the perspective that it isn't FS11, then it is suitable and enjoyable for some individuals but maybe not for some 'hard-core' simmers but MS has been clear that 'hard-core' simmers are not their primary target audience.

 

 

Devs, Pin this

 

Devs, please Pin also this : we like to speak about games who's theme is based on flying simulation ( simulation because is made on a pc and not in the reality ) , being this a forum about flight games.

In 2007 FSX was the 9th best selling game but even then sold only 280,000 copies. The same year the best selling pc game - the World of Warcraft - sold 2.235 million. That's 8 times as many. The best selling console game that year - Halo 3 - sold 4.82 million, that's 17 times as many. it gets worse. Call of Duty: Modern Warefare 3 sold 7.17 million copies in six weeks alone in the USA.

 

i don't acceopt your analogy about publishers. In your terms, Microsoft is a" main-steam"publisher", and not an "academic publisher". It's not structured to be one and there's no reason why it should. I have a friend who's an academic. His latest book is priced at £250 (US$400). The publisher didn't pay for his time to writi eit and he doesn't expect much (if anything) in the way of royalties. Similarly, major car manufacturers aren't structured to produce specialist sports cars, and so don't..

 

At the end of the day Microsoft is investing its own money in development and will put it where it will get the best return..

A bit more data, to put things in context.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/confirmed-microsoft-flight-sim-studio-closing-6203585

 

It's the article by Gamespot announcing the end of the ACES studio in 2009.

Some interesting extracts:

"2006's Flight Simulator X for the PC has sold more than 1 million units through December in the US, according to the NPD Group, making it far from an unsuccessful outing."

 

"Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division posted an operating profit of $178 million on sales of $1.81 billion."

 

The article quite clearly explains that MS decided to restructure its divisions also following the great financial crysis of 2008, without particularly considering the results of the single products, and still less the important history represented by FS.

 

A.

Flight is big disappointment for me,confused where this game is heading, currently it seems like MS wanna recreate Pearl Harbor battle but on planes without guns and bombs and with flying over 21st century scenery...