41 minutes ago, IG_ said:

Why do you think the simulator looks like an impossible goal? Is it because of the graphics?

This level of detail in computer video game graphics has long been achieved and running this level of fidelity can be done with reasonably priced consumer parts, you don't need a super computer.

You have my view, I always use No Limits Coaster sim 2, Wings of Prey, or the Trainsim series as it has updated itself every year as examples.  Just load the "Valley" benchmark if you can find it, and you will see the amazing animations.  Computers can replay theater movies, at HD, at 60fps, which is a simulation, but with no physics intelligence behind it.  It is the physics engine that has to be refined in sims to keep them fluid, modern Nvidia cards can run rings around computers of old, like the Amiga, the old Apples, or the old Atari ST which I used to have. 

In those days, the cpu really had to take on the load of drawing graphics.  Now the chore of graphics, and the physics engine, are split as they should be--multitasking.  The cpu is still essentially where the physics takes place, although PHYSX is part of the gpu and underutilized in many simulations.  Why?  Because many devs do not want to learn two languages or how to efficiently use machine code.  Many devs want an English language interface such as C# for their programming, but it seems C# is not a good language for GPU programming. 

But in Microsoft's recently released Visual Studio, they include tie ins for 3D programming.   I have it, but I have not tried any 3D programming with it yet, since I being older prefer not to program so much anymore, but I still do so every few months just to play, and keep my programming logic intact since I've been asked to rejoin the workforce as a programming manager in China.

I am considering the offer, but I probably will not take it because I am still recovering from the mental trauma of being run over, which is why I am awake past midnight in Arizona responding to this thread with my wisdom, such as it is.  I try to use my wisdom to get those who know more than I do to share theirs, I learned that after college and after retail university, post college coursework. 

I finally got a degree from a certified university in systems Space Planning, having had to work hard after college to obtain it, and I was well into my 40's when I received it.  But when I had to go out on forced disability I realized, it is not the paper we receive in life, it is the company we receive here and elsewhere that is most important, just for the sake of discourse and discussion.

JC

1 minute ago, Woozie said:

i dont think this is just a marketing stunt

Marketing doesn't have to be a "stunt" and neither is there anything inherently "just=simple" about it.

It is about who provides the budget for your project and why. P3D started as an internal project too. Doesn't mean that the final product is w.n.a. by definition.

Best regards

People who criticize Microsoft seem still to be stuck in the 90s and not really followed the company under its new leadership. In recent years, Microsoft has adopted a very pro-consumer and pro-gamer strategy on its Xbox business and elsewhere. 

The fact that the new FS will be available on Xbox is not a problem. Yes, new content for the console will only be available via Microsoft, but that does not mean that the PC version cannot be extended with 3rd. party add-one. This is often the case with games such as GTA, Skyrim, etc. 

Considering that MS has its own VR initiative (WMR), I am also hopeful that we will see Virtual-Reality support. 

Great news! 

Think there maybe sudden bunch of developer meetings this week on how this may change their roadmap after releasing info at FS Expo. Was this so out of the blue, and developers had no idea this was on the table?  

 

Kinda dont like the subscription part of the whole deal. I think it's great that 10 a month unlocks a lot of games but I dont play anything else but flight simulator. If P3d was subscription based I'd owe over $200 lol. This not only sounds like its gonna limit 3rd party products but forces you into paying for more than what it might be worth. Another concern I have is why the heck is it gonna be on xbox too. I'm getting the impression that it's going to be over simplified in order to sell to a wide market. I understand that in time I could be wrong but so far I'm not holding my breath. I mean honestly, flight simmers are a small smaller community compared to the budget this game had, why would Microsoft come to save the day for us now. I hope it wont be a disappointment but I might be a little hard pressed to try it.

2 minutes ago, rphillips54 said:

Kinda dont like the subscription part of the whole deal. I think it's great that 10 a month unlocks a lot of games but I dont play anything else but flight simulator. If P3d was subscription based I'd owe over $200 lol. This not only sounds like its gonna limit 3rd party products but forces you into paying for more than what it might be worth. Another concern I have is why the heck is it gonna be on xbox too. I'm getting the impression that it's going to be over simplified in order to sell to a wide market. I understand that in time I could be wrong but so far I'm not holding my breath. I mean honestly, flight simmers are a small smaller community compared to the budget this game had, why would Microsoft come to save the day for us now. I hope it wont be a disappointment but I might be a little hard pressed to try it.

Game Pass has nothing to do with this being subscription based.

12 minutes ago, HighTowers said:

Think there maybe sudden bunch of developer meetings this week on how this may change their roadmap after releasing info at FS Expo. Was this so out of the blue, and developers had no idea this was on the table?  

 

We're just little fish in the flight sim ocean, but we're not changing our road map.

FSX and P3D will still be dominant for at least the next couple years I think.

It's probably going to take a year before this new sim is released.

And then probably another big chunk of time for the dust to settle.  

It would be very nice if this new sim was backwards compatible with the previous SDKs, but I highly suspect it won't be.

 

1 minute ago, Sethos1988 said:

Game Pass has nothing to do with this being subscription based.

This has been already explained like 10 times in this thread and still nobody is willing to understand it...

🙄

Matthew...
 ....But it also creates potential future aviators which is more important then anything. It is great ambassadorship for their company.

pracines...
Perhaps MS announced at E3 because they still don't feel very welcome in this community....Maybe they feel the need to earn attention/respect back....perhaps a humble strategy; one which I would welcome.

I agree.

I reckon MS lost much respect since Bill left the company. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he has a hand in this decision to return to flight simulation...after all he was a fan of Flight Simulator.

Hasn't he got a considerable 'disposable' income - wouldn't he want his old firm to regain what they've lost ?

Philanthropy at work....I wonder

Regards

Bill

4 minutes ago, Sethos1988 said:

Game Pass has nothing to do with this being subscription based.

My understanding is that game pass is 4.99 a month for PC, but only because it's the "beta price" it will eventually be $10 as the console is right now.

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass?&OCID=AID644966_SEM_R2uQWyWf#join

I hope it's entirely cloud based and streams the video to your pc. With broadband speeds continuing to rise it's the future. It would mean everyone getting all the visuals rather than having to upgrade to a hefty new PC. It does assume people have the broadband connection to support it though!

Just now, sanh said:

I hope it's entirely cloud based and streams the video to your pc. With broadband speeds continuing to rise it's the future. It would mean everyone getting all the visuals rather than having to upgrade to a hefty new PC. It does assume people have the broadband connection to support it though!

Kinda like shawdow? That would be awesome!

Just now, rphillips54 said:

My understanding is that game pass is 4.99 a month for PC, but only because it's the "beta price" it will eventually be $10 as the console is right now.

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass?&OCID=AID644966_SEM_R2uQWyWf#join

Game Pass is a service that allows access to a full library of games at a monthly fee. Something a lot of platforms, including Microsoft has pushed heavily for years now. It's not a service to provide exclusive games that you need to subscribe for. Everything can still be bought outright. The idea is to let people play and try hundreds of games at a small price, instead of buying one game at 60 dollars.

1 minute ago, rphillips54 said:

My understanding is that game pass is 4.99 a month for PC, but only because it's the "beta price" it will eventually be $10 as the console is right now.

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass?&OCID=AID644966_SEM_R2uQWyWf#join

Yes, but you can still choose what to do: pay a subscription or pay the single game full price.

There are already a lot of these "Game Pass" solution, for example EA Origin but I still buy the game I want.

2 minutes ago, sanh said:

I hope it's entirely cloud based and streams the video to your pc. With broadband speeds continuing to rise it's the future. It would mean everyone getting all the visuals rather than having to upgrade to a hefty new PC. It does assume people have the broadband connection to support it though!

God no.