But, apart from the eye candy, how does it fly? New flight model? All very well having everything looking pretty, but the sim is actually about flying?

Martin, looking at the gameplay video you released today, i don't see any dynamic cockpit shadows. Are those coming for release?

 

It's not a demanding feature, it helps A LOT regarding cockpit look and it was present in FSX in dx10 mode with DX10Fixer by Steve, it's present in Prepar3d and also on Microsoft Flight.

 

Also smudges / nicks / bugs / scratches in the cockpit glass? Without anything it looks like there's no glass in the cockpit at all.

 

Both of those things are in there. They just don't show up very well in the video footage. If you look closely you can make them out. 

 

- Martin 

Both of those things are in there. They just don't show up very well in the video footage. If you look closely you can make them out. 

 

- Martin 

Martin, they are not in that video. I paid attention even when the plane turned (which should be the moment in which cockpit shadows would "move" and should be easier to notice them). But even without that, for example the two bars above the instruments panel should draw some shadows but they are not.

 

Here is a video showing (hopefully better than me) what i meant for cockpit shadows:

 

Will the future DTG Flight Sim follow the DLC and update model you use for TrainSim? I can always sit down to that game, even after a very long hiatus, and be guaranteed it works. Might we look forward to something similar with DTG Flight Sim? (BTW I love the latest video).

 

Tim

 

Whilst unlikely, this is something that I actually think could work very well. Essentially you could have DLC for Flight Simulator that works the same way as for Train Simulator. You get say, a few different routes that go in the same direction (London, Southampton - Paris, Brussels, etc.), and a couple aircraft that would typically operate those routes (737, a320, E190, DHC8 etc.) but the entire package is polished to a high level and guaranteed to work. The areas surrounding the flight could be more detailed since the entire world need not be modelled. Extra sounds and effects and weather could be included too.

 

Of course many users would not want such a thing and would want to still fly wherever they want. Fortunately for them it seems DTG aren't going down such a path and will offer a product more similar to MSFS games.

Whilst unlikely, this is something that I actually think could work very well. Essentially you could have DLC for Flight Simulator that works the same way as for Train Simulator. You get say, a few different routes that go in the same direction (London, Southampton - Paris, Brussels, etc.), and a couple aircraft that would typically operate those routes (737, a320, E190, DHC8 etc.) but the entire package is polished to a high level and guaranteed to work. The areas surrounding the flight could be more detailed since the entire world need not be modelled. Extra sounds and effects and weather could be included too.

 

Of course many users would not want such a thing and would want to still fly wherever they want. Fortunately for them it seems DTG aren't going down such a path and will offer a product more similar to MSFS games.

Gawd NO! please..

What a stupid idea that planes fly on rails. How can anyone say that this is a good idea?

So, we fly in a tunnel?

Martin -

Both of those things are in there. They just don't show up very well in the video footage. If you look closely you can make them out.

 

Regarding the shadows, is it because it's overcast? Do the shadows become much more distinct in direct sunlight?

Gawd NO! please..

What a stupid idea that planes fly on rails. How can anyone say that this is a good idea?

So, we fly in a tunnel?

 

That's not what I suggesting... no where did I mention rails. Within the confines of those routes you'd be free to fly however you like. The routes would be from ground to whatever altitude is the limit in FSX. The area surrounding the routes would be quite big, as airways are in real life.

 

Think of it how most of us use flight simulator anyway. We have addons for our destination and departure airports, our addon aircraft. We fly between them. There is no need for the rest of the world to be modelled.

 

For example:

 

 

That would be the entire game world for that DLC, just as in Train Simulator maps are used. All the airports would be modelled. You get a selection of aircraft with the DLC. You can make any flight you want in that area. Any time. Any weather. There would also be scenarios were you're ranked with a score according to certain actions just like TS. But the point would be that the overall quality of every element would be higher than seen in MSFS games before, where the focus is on the entire world.

 

Of course for some routes the area included would be quite large but then there's only so much detail to add to the oceans or the large expanses of deserts/forests/tundra/etc.

 

Also, regarding Flight School, it seems odd that they would include improved scenery beyond FSX default for the whole world when there will be no addons beyond 3 planes and the two included airport/training areas. Why waste resources on the entry level game when it doesn't need it? I doubt many of the people who buy it will spend much time at all flying outside of those training missions.

 

 

Also, regarding Flight School, it seems odd that they would include improved scenery beyond FSX default for the whole world when there will be no addons beyond 3 planes and the two included airport/training areas. Why waste resources on the entry level game when it doesn't need it? I doubt many of the people who buy it will spend much time at all flying outside of those training missions.

 

Probably because FLIGHT got torn a new one for not including the whole world, and DTG paid attention, even though it serves little purpose. Plus its a technical down payment towards DTG sim?

Probably because FLIGHT got torn a new one for not including the whole world, and DTG paid attention, even though it serves little purpose. Plus its a technical down payment towards DTG sim?

 

I think this is different though because Microsoft never specifically marketed Flight as an entry level product for people new to flight simulators. They tried to make the game appeal to everyone and didn't offer a real replacement for FSX. DTG however have been very clear that Flight School and DTGFS will be two very different products.

 

Perhaps DTGFS has been developed on from Flight School as you say, but Martin suggested that Flight School would be a lot more similar to FSX:SE than to DTGFS which suggests they're being developed separately - hence my thought that it was odd to spend any more effort than strictly necessary on the simpler product.

I think this is different though because Microsoft never specifically marketed Flight as an entry level product for people new to flight simulators. They tried to make the game appeal to everyone and didn't offer a real replacement for FSX. DTG however have been very clear that Flight School and DTGFS will be two very different products.

 

Perhaps DTGFS has been developed on from Flight School as you say, but Martin suggested that Flight School would be a lot more similar to FSX:SE than to DTGFS which suggests they're being developed separately - hence my thought that it was odd to spend any more effort than strictly necessary on the simpler product.

 

This is the point where somebody asks Martin to step in, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that DTG sim ends up as an evolution of whats seen in Flight School. I'm thinking of Flight school as a trial run of their techniques and technology.

I agree with Michael. Rendering the entire world in DTG Flight School seems rather pointless to me.

Well, I surpose it is all rendered because it is all there already? & the newbies can fly wherever they want, just like us?

 

I doubt many of the people who buy it will spend much time at all flying outside of those training missions.

 

Because they can? & maybe they want to see what their own cities, countries look like?

 

Sim guys are really funny.

Bash the developers when they do not get what they demand, & bash them when they give too much!

It's enough to make my non existant piles throb!

Well, I surpose it is all rendered because it is all there already? & the newbies can fly wherever they want, just like us?

 

But they've specifically improved the scenery in Flight School over what was already there in FSX. If they're using it as a base for the DTGFS then that's fine, but if not there is little point.

 

How long are people going spend flying wherever they want in a game with just 3 aircraft and explicitly no addons? By the time they're into flight simming to that level they'll have already bought DTGFS because they want more planes, new airports, weather, etc. too.

 

 

Sim guys are really funny.

 

Bash the developers when they do not get what they demand, & bash them when they give too much!

 

Nobody is bashing the developers. I certainly wasn't. Asking a valid question about where developers are spending their resources on a game series that I care about is perfectly reasonable to me.

 

It all comes down to how closely the two games are related and being developed together, or not.

Martin -

Regarding the shadows, is it because it's overcast? Do the shadows become much more distinct in direct sunlight?

 

The shadows are in there, likewise there are also things like scratches on the glass. The time of day and the lighting in the video didn't show these off particularly well. Balancing these out so that they look realistic, but also visible is one of the areas we are currently working on. 

 

- Martin 

 

 

By the time they're into flight simming to that level they'll have already bought DTGFS.

 

That the general idea, get them into flight simming via flight school and then hopefully they will gravitate towards the full Sim where DTG will be ready and waiting with lots of DLC to sell them.

 

It's a very good plan and something that the hobby needs to bring in a new generation.