FSX Microsoft server - Real Weather

[FSMP 95]

It appears that the Microsoft FSX weather server has not been updating for some weeks.

 

Has there been any official words from Microsoft that this service has been discontinued, or will be restored some time soon.

 

Note: Microsoft is still SELLING FSX  -- see http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/list/categoryID.59855700

so they "should" still be supporting it's features.

 

For a typical FSX consumer, Trying to get any answers from MS tech support is near impossible on this subject.

 

Maybe AVSIM might have more success, as they represent a large sector of the current FSX Community, and may have established some contacts at Microsoft.

 

So is there any possibility that AVSIM can get an official response from Microsoft about the future of the MS FSX weather server. ?

 

--

Yes, we all know there are alternative weather solutions,  but this post is NOT about  Alternative Solutions,  it is about the Microsoft FS  Weather server, and its current and future status.

[JSkorna 137]

No there has been no word.

 

Weather is still supported.

 

No, there is nobody at Microsoft to contact.

 

No, there is no technical support remaining for FSX at Microsoft.

 

It is Jeppesen that supplies the FSX weather. No, there is nobody at Jeppesen to contact.

 

How is that multiplayer feature working out even though FSX still continues to be sold?

 

There may become a day where nothing FSX related is going to be supported.

[phoenixphire 50]

I could care less if Microsoft supports FSX or not as long as owners can activate. When I have tried MS support it was dismal. The issue I had, I solved on my own through trial and error and research on THIS forum.

[FSMP 95]

JSkorna, on 22 Jun 2013 - 12:29 PM, said:

No there has been no word.

 

Weather is still supported.

 

No, there is nobody at Microsoft to contact.

 

No, there is no technical support remaining for FSX at Microsoft.

 

It is Jeppesen that supplies the FSX weather. No, there is nobody at Jeppesen to contact.

 

How is that multiplayer feature working out even though FSX still continues to be sold?

 

There may become a day where nothing FSX related is going to be supported.

 

Thanks for that feedback, -- where do you get your information from ?

 

ie How do you know that MS Real world weather is still supported. ?

 

I believe , that although the raw data comes form Jeppesen, the actual servers that serve that weather out to FSX players, are run from Microsoft (part of the old ZONE server system).

 

Multiplayer works fine, and will continue to do so, as long as people can run FSX. Multiplayer has NOTHING to do with any 3rd party servers, or support from Microsoft.

 

Finally, I think you will find there are many THOUSANDS of people at Microsoft, and someone has to be in charge of the old Zone Servers.

It's just a question of finding the right person to talk to --- hence my appeal to Avsim, in the hope that they still had some relevant contacts at MS.

 

That being said, FSX and FSX Gold are still on sale from Microsoft, supported or not ... and I very much doubt if there is any warnings when you now buy the product from Microsoft, that support is, or is about to be dropped. (sigh)

[xplanery 250]

Multiplayer works fine, and will continue to do so, as long as people can run FSX. Multiplayer has NOTHING to do with any 3rd party servers, or support from Microsoft.

 

If you didn't notice Multiplayer through the usual Gamespy server list does not work anymore, though of course you can still connect directly to servers using IP.

[FSMP 95]

FScamp, on 22 Jun 2013 - 5:13 PM, said:

 

If you didn't notice Multiplayer through the usual Gamespy server list does not work anymore, though of course you can still connect directly to servers using IP.

Correct .. While FSX Multiplayer continues to work, the "Match Making" system ( Gamespy), that allowed one to easily find other MP session, was closed down about 6 months ago.

 

However, the FS Community is most resourceful, and it was not long till an "alternative" system was introduced..

 

see http://www.fsxbeyondgamespy.com

 

Gamespy for FSX was always frustratingly Buggy and unreliable -- in hindsight MS did everyone a favor by shutting it down !!

 

Current in beta, is a system, to re-populate the MP list of servers within FSX, with all the running servers that are registered on fsxbeyonegamespy

 

 

 

[JSkorna 137]

MS didn't shut down Gamespy. Gamespy shut down Gamespy. Just like there are alternative multiplayer servers, there are also alternative weather sources.

 

I know people that know people.

[Azone 39]

"That being said, FSX and FSX Gold are still on sale from Microsoft, supported or not ... and I very much doubt if there is any warnings when you now buy the product from Microsoft, that support is, or is about to be dropped."

 

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/pdp/productID.270981300

 

[ViperPilot 81]

To the OP...

 

For what it's worth, inquiries to both Microsoft and Jeppesen are usually on the lines of either "I didn't know we had an agreement with Microsoft", "I don't know who to talk to about that issue", or "Unfortunately, we no longer support that particular product."

 

Sure, there are thousands of employees at both Jeppesen AND Microsoft, and if someone has the time (and patience) to query every single, solitary member of both companies (including Mark Van Tine and Steve Ballmer) to find out what the scoop is

about FSX Real Weather, then more power to them!

 

It's an issue. People know that, and most of them are using an alternative that in a lot of cases is much more accurate than the Default ever was. Live with it; it's already happened twice this year, and will probably continue.

[FSMP 95]

MS didn't shut down Gamespy. Gamespy shut down Gamespy. Just like there are alternative multiplayer servers, there are also alternative weather sources.

 

I know people that know people.

No,  The Company that now owns Gamespy,  asked Microsoft if they wished to continue to use (and pay for)  Gamespy Support for FSX, and Microsoft said NO.

 

So it was Microsoft's decision to  discontinue Gamespy Support for FSX.

The Company that runs Gamespy just did what their customer (Microsoft) directed them to do.

 

I know people directly 

To the OP...

 

For what it's worth, inquiries to both Microsoft and Jeppesen are usually on the lines of either "I didn't know we had an agreement with Microsoft", "I don't know who to talk to about that issue", or "Unfortunately, we no longer support that particular product."

 

Sure, there are thousands of employees at both Jeppesen AND Microsoft, and if someone has the time (and patience) to query every single, solitary member of both companies (including Mark Van Tine and Steve Ballmer) to find out what the scoop is

about FSX Real Weather, then more power to them!

 

It's an issue. People know that, and most of them are using an alternative that in a lot of cases is much more accurate than the Default ever was. Live with it; it's already happened twice this year, and will probably continue.

What makes you think that Steve Balmer  would have a clue about this  !!  lol

 

As you say, "it has already happened twice this year"  -- server stopped updating  -- and then , started updating again.  Presumably, someone FIXED the issue those times.

[ViperPilot 81]

... Finally, I think you will find there are many THOUSANDS of people at Microsoft, and someone has to be in charge of the old Zone Servers. It's just a question of finding the right person to talk to...

Your words from an earlier post; not mine. I have come to the conclusion, like so many thousands of fellow simmers have before, that Microsoft no longer supports FSX even though MS still makes copies available for sale. Hate to say it,but there it is.

 

I don't have an issue with MS Real Weather; like I said earlier I have software that is  more accurate than the Default, and have used it since the first outage.

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

Well this sucks. Shows the level of customer loyalty this company has.

 

I don't think we won't see a FSX-type game on the Windows 8 store...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JSkorna 137]

Just use MS Flight.

[hangar 660]

...still, fsx real wx is offline...been maybe about a month now?...never seen it go away for this long. Why is it so difficult these days for people to do their jobs in a correct and responsible manner? For instance, at least give an official explanation. Don't tell me someone's not aware of it because after such a length of time that's nearly an impossibility.

[dualProp 0]

Simmers the contract has terminated between Jeppesen and Microsoft

 

http://ww1.jeppesen.com/aviation/personal/simcharts-download.jsp