Opening up what I hope will be the last thread in this series until the official word is delivered from Microsoft.Things went a bit south in Part 2 during the wee hours (here stateside, that is). Until Microsoft releases a public press release, I think we need to step back from this issue and go about our routines--waiting for the next gauge, aircraft, scenery or celebrating the New Year. Still, the thread is here in case someone has new insight to add. Please keep it civil all--as most of you have.-John

Roger that John. I like the idea of closing down the thread until we hear the word from MS.When we were bouncing back and forth last night, I thought of something. Why in the world does FS need wild life? Birds...maybe. Elk and deer though? Now tower will issue go-arounds because of deer on the runway. Between that and aircraft not clearing, we'll never land! :-)Mike

Not exactly a new insight but just thinking that the Payware developers must be slightly upset about the announcement, accurate or otherwise. Would you invest in new payware products so close to a possible FS release?Personally, I've been waiting for various scenery items (UT etc.)for Europe for a fair while now. The closer we get to FSX, the less likely I am to purchase them without some compatibility certainty.

When I flew out of West Palm Beach many years ago, my hosts warned me that from time to time, the airport runway gets closed due to alligators coming up to sun themselves on the runway. Elk, Deer, Alligators? As Forrest Gump says (in the TV G Rated version of the movie) "__IT Happens" :)-John

Considering that the Payware developers (those that participate here) seem very casual about this, I don't think they lend much credence to the "inside source" that led to the original story. Either that, or they have already started to prepare for the inevitable release of FS X by scaling back or ramping up some of their projects.-John

Wow...I stayed out of the frey in the first two threads, too much heat!This whole topic demonstrates a few things:* Marketing never hurts.* MSFS has a PASSIONATE following, and nix the "we're (hardcore simmers) are just 2% jazz"...everone wants to fly.* The whole exercise in hyperbole around when it will be released, and how it will perform is just silly. It will be released when its ready, and it will perform nicely IF your HW is up to it. * If it is not, then feel free to keep your FS9 installation sitting on the HD too, until such time as you cannot resist the temptation from the dark sith, MSFSX! :)Cheers,btPS...just like the rest of you, I want FSX yesterday!!!

I'm just curious as to why Simflight won't post this press release verbatim instead of paraphrasing and alluding to details that are supposedly in the press release. Just give us the press release and let us discuss it, rather than Simflight's interpretation of it.

>Considering that the Payware developers (those that>participate here) seem very casual about this, I don't think>they lend much credence to the "inside source" that led to the>original story. Either that, or they have already started to>prepare for the inevitable release of FS X by scaling back or>ramping up some of their projects.Hi John -Let me answer this for you. The rumor in the payware industry is that FSX is on its way, but no one really knows the release date nor the official announcement. It kind of surprised me that this came up so soon. The word was that possibly an announcement might be made in February or March 2006 with a late summer release date. But that was just rumor...no official word from Microsoft or leak. So yes I think the developers all know that time is running out.I think what to get out of all this is that we now know that Microsoft is going to release FSX sometime soon. And it looks as if it is really going to take advantage of the new graphic abilities of systems now adays. Which is great for that look and feel. Maybe not so much realism on the flight side of things, but the experience of flight will seem more real - we hope!!The biggest issue is waiting. LOL

This quote snippet (if it's accurate) caught my eye:"we are on target to release the next installment of Flight Simulator for holiday 2006, and we will be unveiling the first details next week....."That doesn't sound like the type of English ordinarily used in an official press release. Microsoft does employ people here who are from "the other side of the pond" and it sounds closer to what I would hear someone say from Britain or who had learned English in the EU in casual conversation. It doesn't sound like language used by an official spokesman--in a public company, that type of language is under so much scrutiny it ends up looking like a blurb from a bill before Congress sometimes.However, backing away from that, the pattern for FS2004 was very similar. The first press release came around the end of 2002/beginning of 2003--can't remember when exactly. That led to rumors of the public beta, and that led to the summer release in 2003. Prior to that we heard these same types of stories and "scoops". Someone also pointed out in a very good post that sometimes the signs of things acomin' are there before Microsoft "speaks", such as the way the survey came about. I don't think a project of this scale can have any movement without some winds of change blowing around. -John

I remember when GTA San Andreas still had not been released, there were websites dedicated to speculation,rumor,what iffs ect. Post after post and long threads just like this one. Its fun to read and participate and shows how much fans look forwards to the next release.I remember someone with zero post jumped in a thread about possible missions in San Andreas. He described in detail particular missions,weapons,locations which he claimed he had seen on a freinds computer that was a beta tester for RockStar.He was immediately flamed,discredited and made fun of and was never heard of again.Well guess what? When the game was released, all he claimed was true.So somewhere buried in all this speculation and rumor is some truth and information given by people who really know.I would hate to close the thread down because its fun to read through and participate in.

All I want to know is if theres this mysterious FS10 in late development...Who is beta testing it? I beta tested several MS products including FS2002, FS2004, CFS2, and CFS3. Unless I was left off of Santa's list this time around, I havent heard a PEEP from Microsoft about beta testing. Who on these forums is beta testing this FSX? I understand confidentiality, because I've signed the MS agreements myself before. No reports...just names. Who is testing this?Otherwise...I dont believe the hype. I find it unusual that MS could possibly be in a late stage with an FS product and consider any release prior to E3 in May. Makes no sense to me.Methinks this is an "Aurora" sighting.Eric

"Who on these forums is beta testing this FSX? I understand confidentiality, because I've signed the MS agreements myself before. No reports...just names. Who is testing this?"Come on Eric--if you signed the MS agreements, you know you can't even reveal you are testing the product until after they lift that piece of the NDA--which in the case of FS2004 happened about a week or so before release. No phishing trips please :)-John

I agree with your comments about the language used in the published extract. I'm from the "other side of the pond" but wouldn't have used the word "instalment" or described FS as a "franchise".I also feel Microsoft's PR people wouldn't describe FS a franchise, which it obviously isn't.Franchise = (1) full rights of citizenship... or (2) privilege or right granted to exercise an exclusive service...On the overall question of release dates, as a British prime minister famously said in 1910 "We had better wait and see".

Hi,Well, we had to wait until we could verify that we were allowed to post this information publicly (since it came in a form which clearly was not intended for publication -- some other sites clearly didn't offer Microsoft's representatives that courtesy), but we're now pleased to provide some news from Microsoft on this entire story -- check the AVSIM Front Page (http://www.avsim.com/)Matt

Thanks to Avsim for getting the accurate story!