1 minute ago, GCBraun said:

My God...can we get over this Xbox-only discussion?? Yes, Microsoft has a console name Xbox, but it also has a service called Xbox Game Pass which is available for Windows. All recent games developed by Microsoft Studios have been available for the PC as well!

OMG NO.

LOL I am sorry guys I just could not help myself. So funny!! This guy has made you crazy LOL!!

2 minutes ago, GCBraun said:

My God...can we get over this Xbox-only discussion?? Yes, Microsoft has a console name Xbox, but it also has a service called Xbox Game Pass which is available for Windows. All recent games developed by Microsoft Studios have been available for the PC as well!

It's only the truly ill-informed that are still stuck on this obviously false idea.  Safe to ignore.

5 minutes ago, shivers9 said:

And so it's confirmed....it is for X-box only?

No there are a few posts explaining how the Xbox brand is being utilized going forward.  Xbox is the brand for all entertainment PC or console.  You will an Xbox app similar to Steam on your computer.  

20 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Interesting that the Six O'Clock News on the BBC reported the announcement of a new generation of games that won't require a console as they'll be streamed. More details here but the new Flight Sim product is not mentioned. Curious... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-48576960

That's a very important aspect, IMHO! MS has the media connections, resources, and experience to expose flight simming to the public again. I recall a number of flight-sim books in stores even in German language, ads in non-flightsim magazines, I think they even took out TV commercials, exposing our hobby to the public.

None of the present sims has the potential or even goal to achieve this, they all are living in a bubble sustained by those (like me) catching fire ages ago. 

Kind regards, Michael

I'm all for streamed scenery that covers the globe.

I have no interest in installing a 3rd party app like from OrbX and having to deal with any of the installation or update part of scenery.

 

I want to get out there and fly in gorgeous scenery, not manage, purchase and update it.

 

Trying to "catch a sale on a region" and go neck deep into hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars and then being worried about that investment over time if a new Sim version comes out?

bleh - no thank you.

 

Also, OrbX doesn't cover the vast majority of the globe as it is.  There are entire areas of the world that could be opened up to exploration with this new method for doing the scenery.

Edited June 10, 20196 yr by irrics

38 minutes ago, Mountain Man said:

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Microsoft is going out of its way to advertise this as an Xbox title.  Here's the official website:

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/microsoft-flight-simulator

Scroll to the bottom of that page and you'll find:

 

• Platform
• Xbox, Windows 10

2 minutes ago, pmb said:

That's a very important aspect, IMHO! MS has the media connections, resources, and experience to expose flight simming to the public again. I recall a number of flight-sim books in stores even in German language, ads in non-flightsim magazines, I think they even took out TV commercials, exposing our hobby to the public.

None of the present sims has the potential or even goal to achieve this, they all are living in a bubble sustained by those (like me) catching fire ages ago. 

Kind regards, Michael

I don't believe Cloud gaming will ever take off. Streaming RD2 from my XBOX to PC on my local network is awful in quality, I doubt Cloud gaming will ever catch on.

As for the discussion about the possibility that MS is working with 3rd party developers... it makes complete sense, considering the maturity of today's 3rd party development space, that MS would be working with some key "study-level" developers so they can announce simultaneous releases that will attract both casual and enthusiast simmers. 

Now, wouldn't that be amazing!

Edited June 10, 20196 yr by dmiannay

few more observations from the trailer: (after watching it for only 97 times today)

1. lovely heat blur from engines (new for MS, XP has it, DCS may have it too)

2. roads& car traffic seem to be based on OSM data (looked as good as GTA V city.. XP also does very good OSM roads/bridges and car traffic)

3. orthos ZL17

4. night lighting is good.. don't know if its as good as XP11 which has each car on the street throwing its head and tail light around.. dont know if those are static lights or HDR dyn lights.. a 2020 sim should have HDR dyn lights for sure..

5. PBR and environment lighting is better than anything in XP11 or P3D. That scene where the hangar door opens with the DA42 - I could swear its a real life shot and not in-sim footage..

6. A320neo looks spanking good..best default jet in any sim

7. performance - big unknown.. tall claims..will have to wait..

8. seasons - unlikely, given it's ortho based

9. their website says "from light jets to wide bodies" - so maybe something beyond A320 neo is in the works..

10. volumetric clouds (maybe they contracted it to true sky or unreal engine 4 )

All right lets put this Xbox vs. PC topic to bed.

Mountain Man rightly said that Xbox was "A" target not that it "Was" the target. So his statement is perfectly valid.

Lets not get into semantics wars. There is plenty more to discuss.

 

6 minutes ago, dmiannay said:

As for the discussion about possibly working with 3rd party developers, it makes complete sense, considering the maturity of today's 3rd party development space, that MS would be working with some key "study-level" developers so they can announce simultaneous releases that will attract both casual and enthusiast simmers. 

Now, wouldn't that be amazing!

 

Frankly, OrbX should be thrilled about this.  

 

The scale and the resources needed to really do amazing regions, for the entire world, is much better dealt with by the developer (MS in this case), thus allowing OrbX to focus on what they do best (IMO), the airport details.

 

For example, JV already was talking about "don't expect TrueEarth BC" due to the Ortho cost up there.  Only a player the size of MS has the resources to get us to the promise land of full Earth coverage with accuracy.

 

Also - love what XP has been trying to do forever, but isn't anyone else tired of waiting for X-Plane?

I'm seemingly going to be dead before they get around to ATC & Weather Engine improvements.

 

I'd like to do more than "fully & perfectly simulate an engine out glide on a PT-6 to mirror my real life Evolution Turboprop" - which is just one of many diversions that seem to captivate Austin's attention span.

Edited June 10, 20196 yr by irrics

3 minutes ago, vin747 said:

few more observations from the trailer: (after watching it for only 97 times today)

8. seasons - unlikely, given it's ortho based

Just a thought... not an expert on scenery, but...

If MS have access to a gagillion TB of satellite scenery, which they no doubt continue to update regularly, is it not conceivable that, based on the time of your flight, the streamed scenery and land-class can be customized for the appropriate season?  Lots of assumptions here, but interesting to consider.

Just now, dmiannay said:

Just a thought... not an expert on scenery, but...

If MS have access to a gagillion TB of satellite scenery, which they no doubt continue to update regularly, is it not conceivable that, based on the time of your flight, the streamed scenery and land-class can be customized for the appropriate season?  Lots of assumptions here, but interesting to consider.

 

Bingo!

Just another synergy for having MS do the scenery with their data, resources and budget

2 minutes ago, vin747 said:

few more observations from the trailer: (after watching it for only 97 times today)

Congrats! You've passed the FS95 views level and almost to the FS98 views level.

I'm still at the FS5.1 views level myself (five and 1/10 views) myself... 😩

2 minutes ago, irrics said:

 

Frankly, OrbX should be thrilled about this.  

 

The scale and the resources needed to really do amazing regions, for the entire world, is much better dealt with by the developer (MS in this case), thus allowing OrbX to focus on what they do best (IMO), the airport details.

  

For example, JV already was talking about "don't expect TrueEarth BC" due to the Ortho cost up there.  Only a player the size of MS has the resources to get us to the promise land of full Earth coverage with accuracy.

  

They have access to the photoimagery, for free, and also the access to the Azure AI that can be used to fix/improve the imagery and autogen objects.

Only limit they have right now is how much of their resources Microsoft is willing to provide to make it possible. Let's not forget the time the Azure AI would have to process simulator stuff could be used for something else (for their profit, of course).