Maybe a little more news on Dovetail Games's plans for FSX . . . .

[CordoganAir 55]

Yeesh, this certainly feels like more of a money grab than an actual passing of the torch looks like LM will remain the lone torchbearer

[nathanpinard 0]

Err....TS2013 to TS2014 was free I believe. At least it was for me.

[HiFlyer 9,360]

Err....TS2013 to TS2014 was free I believe. At least it was for me.

 

It was.

[WotanUK 289]

All the Engine upgrades have been free since Dovetail took over; they appear to make money off the DLC.  My only issue is that the Engine hasn't seen any substantial changes, i would struggle to tell them apart.

 

Lets also not forget that Train Simulator, by it's nature is basically a graphics demo, trains only move in two dimensions.  

 

My guess is that if Dovetail releases a new version of FS they'll release areas separately; we'll see a lot of shovelware Abacus like models and year on year engine 'improvements' that you struggle to tell apart.

[n4gix 4,947]

There will be NO "improvements" to the core code. They don't have a license to alter the source code, AFIAK.

[goates 576]

There will be NO "improvements" to the core code. They don't have a license to alter the source code, AFIAK.

 

They can't alter FSX for the Steam edition, but they have the rights to use Microsoft's flight simulator technology, with no details as to what technology specifically, for a new sim they will bringing out next year. Seeing as how Flight resembles their current train simulator business model, and is the more recent engine, that would be my guess as to what the new sim will be based on.

[n4gix 4,947]

Well of course, but then we are talking about the re-release of FSX/A on Steam, not some pie-in-the-sky venture that hasn't even hit the drawing board yet.

[CordoganAir 55]

 

 

Well of course, but then we are talking about the re-release of FSX/A on Steam, not some pie-in-the-sky venture that hasn't even hit the drawing board yet

 

In that case I'll check back with this thread in 5-7 years

[Wobbie 938]

That's how I see it, a re-release of FSX. It saves Microsoft from carrying inventory, world wide shipping & correspondance. Simple business decision to get rid of a 6-7 year old game!

[nathanpinard 0]

There will be NO "improvements" to the core code. They don't have a license to alter the source code, AFIAK.

 

 

They are allowed to fix the multiplayer and make FSX Steam compatible, so steam will accept it. My guess is that's all.

[dtrjones 356]

 

Lets also not forget that Train Simulator, by it's nature is basically a graphics demo, trains only move in two dimensions.  

 

Hi mate, fellow UK simmer here, from what I've seen it's a bit unfair about the 2D quip. I know what your getting at, but obviously it's rendered in 3D and there is some lovely variety in some of the trackside visuals but the engine is clearly dated. However I'll admit I don't own the game.

 

As for the engine, aren't they using Unreal 4 for the next release of Train Simulator?

 

Not really sure how they are going to play it for there first proper Flight Simulator release, I've heard 2015 mentioned (FS2016?), which is barely a years development - pretty much enough time to update the shell I.e. maybe look at CPU utilisation, DirectX 12, Unreal 4 but The 'game' will essentially be the same - How else can they play it if they are not updating the existing code?...

 

You certainly couldn't develop a completely new Flight Simulator in 12 months, so all I can see happening is updating the original, maybe stripping it back and slowly building - which ever way you look at it, it could be a good few releases before we have another modern FSX which is still a long long long way away...

 

Cheers,

Dave.

 

[n4gix 4,947]

You certainly couldn't develop a completely new Flight Simulator in 12 months, so all I can see happening is updating the original, maybe stripping it back and slowly building - which ever way you look at it, it could be a good few releases before we have another modern FSX which is still a long long long way away...

Dave, that date is when the "Steam" release of FSX Gold to be made available. There is no expected date given for whatever new DTG might release based on the MS flight simulator technology.

[Rimshot 1,142]

Dave, that date is when the "Steam" release of FSX Gold to be made available. There is no expected date given for whatever new DTG might release based on the MS flight simulator technology.

 

Actually in the press statement it says the target date for an FSX release to Steam will be late 2014. As Dave mentions 2015 is the year mentioned in the press release for a first DTG release based on Microsoft's fight technology.

[WotanUK 289]

 

 

Hi mate, fellow UK simmer here, from what I've seen it's a bit unfair about the 2D quip. I know what your getting at, but obviously it's rendered in 3D and there is some lovely variety in some of the trackside visuals but the engine is clearly dated. However I'll admit I don't own the game.

 

Yes, i made a poor choice of words.  Basically i was trying to say that trains only move within the confines of the track environment, once we wonder away from that the graphics are actually very poor.

 

I don't think that the simulation engine is actually bad, i just think that Dovetail don't seem to offer many improvements from one year to the next.  I don't hold out much hope that the simulator they eventually release will be worth the time.

[ZKOKQ 984]

Yes, i made a poor choice of words.  Basically i was trying to say that trains only move within the confines of the track environment, once we wonder away from that the graphics are actually very poor.

 

I don't think that the simulation engine is actually bad, i just think that Dovetail don't seem to offer many improvements from one year to the next.  I don't hold out much hope that the simulator they eventually release will be worth the time.

+1