Flight Servers to be shut down, end of the road.

[jcomm 5,938]

Ever since I uninstalled FLIGHT, the last time :-), which was already more than 1,5 yrs ago, I have been trying to find a substitute. 

 

I can't say I found one, FSX, X-Plane10 weren't certainly anyway near... I am smoking different stuff, top stuff, but it's not MS FLIGHT... or, better said, not what MS FLIGHT could have been - simply the best civil flight simulation platform ever made available for the PC!

[Wobbie 938]

Flight could have been the best? If it had support from the users, those that originally paid for it & also those that downloaded the free version?  Many thought it was too arcade like! There were addons (paid) that was of no interest to many.

 

As we all know, it was first for sale, nobody wanted it..

 

Then it went for free..

 

Simply the best civil flight simulation ... that could not be given away? Could be played with game controllers?? The realism factor? Maybe something for the gamers instead of simmers?

 

Simply the best?? lol..

 

I DID try it, more than once, but meh! Hawaii.. been there, done that!

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

Maybe i misinterpret these words, but it looks to me as if there is hope for a successor in the far future.

 

I think Microsoft are done with flight simulation, considering that they've passed their tech to Dovetail.

[jcomm 5,938]

 Could be played with game controllers?? 

 

A mouse only actually!  That's how I used it most of the time - great interface, very well designed, completely different from the feel of flying with mouse in either MSFS or X-Plane.

 

Are you aware that it's also (the mouse, and the keyboard) usable on what is probably the best hardcore flight simulator available - the Boeing 744 Aerowinx PSX?

 

BTW: What do you use for your flight simming? Not a controller? A real 6dof motion platform with hydraulic force feedback controls? Well, that can really make a difference, but - you could use it as well with MS FLIGHT, and benefit from a flight dynamics model that not being a whole different from MSFS's FDM, was a step forward in some very interesting aspects, but I am sure you know what I am talking about of course...

[Wobbie 938]

I'm using CH-Products yoke & pedals for my day-to-day simming, as well as real/actual controls interfaced with a controller card in the 2x simulators that we have built up at our VA club. An Avro Shackleton 4 engined, all trottles, etc controllable, as well as an AeroMachi MB 326 that is known in our Air Force ( South African Air Force), as an Impala. It is a twin seater, so all controlls, switches etc are mirrored. Also have remapped keyboard keys in the simulators to switches. We are using FS2004 for the sims, as we have custom scenery for South Africa. We have configured the sims to to use keyboards or mice at all.

 

On my home PC (laptop actually), apart from yoke & pedals, I'm using a 2nd keyboard with labled remapped keys to incease the realism settings. Also very little mouse activity.

 

At our VA, we also mentor "The Young Falcons", using 20odd PC's with FS2004 (scenery again). Here we use joysticks & keyboard.

 

Trying to fly/teach kids proper proceedures using a mouse?

Also, as far as 6DOF platforms go, we have thought of this, but because of finances...

What we found with real pilots (Boeing, Airbus & some Air Force as well), the realism factor is enough to cause them to lift their butts in anticipation to touchdown bumps. This happens with the sims as well as a decent PC setup.

We would never get that with a mouse/keyboard settup.

 

So, just a few reasons why Flight never flew!

[188AHC 2,138]

If you have anything to say other than bashing Flight then please share it. This topic has all the potential of getting into another Flight bashing party and that's not going to happen.

 

It's been argued many, many times the differences in Flight and the other available simulators. We don't need to go over this again. We also don't need to know why you dislike Flight or why it's not as good as the one you currently use.

 

Let's keep this discussion civil.

 

Thank you.

[Wobbie 938]

 

I think Microsoft are done with flight simulation, considering that they've passed their tech to Dovetail.

Long done, actually. Microsoft closed down ACES Studios in 2009 & their developers have long moved on.

As we all know, they licenced their professional version of FSX, called ESP to Lockheed Martin in 2009.

We now have Prepar3D V2.4.

Dovetail will be distributing FSX: Steam sometime in the future

 

Basically, in my opinion, Microsoft has/is getting out of the gaming/simming side of things, global distribution, inventory etc, & passed that all on to Dovetail to distribute on-line. Good business sense for them to get out of a small (in their eyes) market. So, nothing in the air about Flight being resurrected.

What does all this mean to us? Nothing much! Those that have Flight? Dunno! Those that have FSX? Stick with that or upgrade to P3D.

 

Dovetail/Steam just opens up the market for newbies to play a 5-6 year old game!

If you have anything to say other than bashing Flight then please share it. This topic has all the potential of getting into another Flight bashing party and that's not going to happen.

 

It's been argued many, many times the differences in Flight and the other available simulators. We don't need to go over this again. We also don't need to know why you dislike Flight or why it's not as good as the one you currently use.

 

Let's keep this discussion civil.

 

Thank

I do apologise if this is seen as a Flight Bashing Party.

 

I also apologise if I have offended by coming across that I disliked Flight or that it is not as good as the one we currently use.

 

We have chosen an alternate simulation based on available scenery, aircraft and various other factors at our VA, our sims & our personal simulators. (as per my previous post),

Flight was just not suitable for us. It was never 'not good' as our current simulators, just not suitable at all!

[SamYeager 244]

The hypothetical "offline patch" that you speak of exists and is called the Flight Toolkit (not by Microsoft, but by a developer who worked on TS2 and Flight at ACES and MGS). It replaces GFWL and supports loading addons (existing DLC and third party), Aerocaches, and is soon to support converting the FSX world scenery.

What happens if one's existing computer does not already have Flight installed? How is it possible to reinstall Flight and also DLC that was purchased? Isn't GFWL required for that?

[jcomm 5,938]

I believe you can still install MS FLIGHT, just as you can install FSX Golden, through GFWL. Problem is flying online / multiplayer, having access to new aerocaches, etc...

 

But I believe the toolkit does provide alternatives ( ? ) 

[Christopher Low 5,353]

I have never used MS Flight, but I am still sad for you guys. I know that you all enjoyed it a lot, and it's a shame that some other members of the forum can't see that. I assume that we all want the flight simulation community to grow as a whole, and one way of achieveing that is by having as many flight simulator options as possible. I wish you all the best of luck with the community mod updates B)

[scotchegg 4,186]

Think I might be repeating myself but what the heck; always thought Flight was the Syd Barrett of sims. The one with the greatest potential but just couldn't quite hold it all together. Shine on you crazy diamond.

[Dillon 2,197]

It's official, the Flight servers are shutting down and the whole thing has come to an end.  Hate for Flight aside, This is what bothers me with online approval in using/reinstalling software.  This same thing could happen to FSX and Prepare3D in terms of activation.  When these companies decide to move on users are stuck and the game is over outside of what your currently have installed.  Reinstalling is no longer an option.  The going wisdom is, "this will never happen".  Bring back the days of activation once and then you can use it for life (we can thank Pirates for where we are today).  What you have at home is what you have to enjoy for as long as you like independent of a company checking everytime you want to reinstall it.  That's why I still have a tricked out FS9 up and running lucking much like FSX.  Microsoft shut FS9 down years ago but it has no effect on my reinstalling it today should I have a hard drive crash.  Companies with this kind of control is troubling when it comes to our hobby.  It's up to us to keep something running that can never be taken away.  Flight was DOA but this situation screams an issue we all should think about and understand the implication of other software we use should a company decide to shut their servers down.  The decent thing for MS or any company to do that plans on moving on is release the game for free for those that bought it and future people who could still enjoy it.  If there's no plans of a future release do what Ready For Pushback's did with their 742 and offer if for free but that's too much to ask from most entities... 

[jcomm 5,938]

Very true Dillon... makes me think each time I start Rise of Flight or IL2 BOS.... 

[HiFlyer 9,359]

Very true Dillon... makes me think each time I start Rise of Flight or IL2 BOS.... 

 

There was some controversy for just that very reason on the Aerosoft forums about ROF when it was first released, regarding the requirement for you to be online. Gaming history is littered with titles that later became useless when servers were shut down, and I think it was Mathijs who finally stepped in and mentioned that Aerosoft itself would likely keep the servers up if that ever happened that finally closed the debate and eased fears. People might have not have trusted some new, unknown company, but they trusted Aerosoft.

 

On the other hand, nobody in their right mind trusts Microsoft.

[stonelance 136]

What... You can still reinstall Flight. They didn't take that down.  In fact I just tried it yesterday.