Key things MS Needs to do (it won't be easy)

[pracines 823]

6 hours ago, rjfry said:

One potential problem for DEVs if we assume that an SDK is available is the time to develop a product, this could take them away from the present sim product development or at least slow them down as they try and stretch there resources.   

You are correct Ray, and...

This is exactly what is (has been) happening to P3D/FSX users. A bunch of P3D/FSX developers are flocking to XP (and others) - BUT not a single XP developer (that I'm aware of) is flocking to P3D. There is no way that this does not affect the P3D/FSX eco system. All the while the XP eco system is actually boosted. It appears its possible, from their statement, that MS is aware of this in some form or another. Either way, the ESP eco system needs a ton of help (or better yet, needs to move on to new frontiers) to accomplish what we should have already had years ago.

For now, I personally will trust that the new MSFS will be so complete and awesome "out of the box", that 3PP's will have all the time they need to decide what they will do. If MSFS is not the game changer we P3D/FSX users need it to be, then them DEV's will still be stretched between ESP/XP/AF2, and the new FlyInside Flight sim anyway, by their own choice.   

[irrics 1,517]

I know I don't personally care a lick if PMDG is onboard with this new Sim or not.

If anything, I'm really hoping the third party ecosystem gets some fresh blood into it anyway.

Way too much of it is legacy, old and crusty in viewpoints, attitudes, pricing, etc.

It's overdue for some churn.

Edited July 4, 2019 by irrics

[snglecoil 1,828]

I’ve never owned or even flown a PMDG airplane. But, I certainly don’t doubt the quality and fidelity of their products. I’d hate to see them excluded...or exclude themselves from the new sim. I think it would hurt the platform for those who look to the likes of a PMDG for depth.

[G-RFRY 1,705]

Devs will vote with there wallet if they see a new sim with a potently I million users base they will sit up a take notice.

[andyjohnston.net 617]

I don't know how much of the new sim will be based on existing products, but they had volumetric clouds and much improved flight modelling in Flight.  So they can easily use/expand on those.

[Pastaiolo 1,686]

2 hours ago, snglecoil said:

I’ve never owned or even flown a PMDG airplane. But, I certainly don’t doubt the quality and fidelity of their products. I’d hate to see them excluded...or exclude themselves from the new sim. I think it would hurt the platform for those who look to the likes of a PMDG for depth.

You are basing it on the wrong idea that only PMDG is able to make high fidelity products, or even that current third party are the only ones capable.

Just like another studio different from Aces Studios was capable of making a new flight simulator, in the same way new third party developers can do the same.

[snglecoil 1,828]

4 hours ago, france89 said:

You are basing it on the wrong idea that only PMDG is able to make high fidelity products, or even that current third party are the only ones capable.

Just like another studio different from Aces Studios was capable of making a new flight simulator, in the same way new third party developers can do the same.

Nowhere did I say that only PMDG is capable of producing high fidelity products. 

Let me illustrate to hopefully clarify my point. Do you follow golf? If so, then you undoubtedly know who Tiger Woods is. If you don't follow golf, I'll bet you still know who Tiger Woods is. My home town hosts a PGA event every year. Over the past several years, there are a number of outstanding golfers in attendance...many of whom are arguably playing at a higher lever than Tiger Woods currently.  That being said, who draws the biggest crowds to the tournament? Who creates the biggest buzz? Tiger Woods by a mile.

Is PMDG the only party that can produce a good airplane? Of course not. But them being on the playing field certainly doesn't hurt, and may help draw devotees to the platform.

Edited July 4, 2019 by snglecoil

[Skywatcher 133]

11 hours ago, vortex681 said:

Why? Firstly, not everyone wants a PMDG (or similar) aircraft. I'm certainly not interested in anything PMDG produces and wouldn't see the lack of that type of aircraft as a negative. Secondly, PMDG doesn't necessarily need to be involved to produce study-level aircraft. Thirdly, and as long as third party devs are allowed to produce for the sim, I'd rather have a solid, basic sim (as far as aircraft are concerned) that allows me to add what I really want. Plus, not having highly complex aircraft by default would probably keep the cost down.

If MSFS is going to be more than a plane game it will need to have PMDG type aircraft, A2A type aircraft etc. I'm using PMDG as only an example. Jets or props, there needs to be high end aircraft available for a hardcore sim. PMDG have stated they have not been approached. It would very likely be true because if MSFS was released and a week later out came a PMDG aircraft, it would not look that great for their reputation.

As I have said and given a million different reasons now, everything points to MSFS being a plane game. From what we know, it certainly wouldn't have any major 3rd party content for a long period after release. It would make zero sense to create this situation.

The only other and ridiculously unlikely possibility, is MS would create their own high end aircraft. I guess along with creating this super sim, all the super add-ons for it, maybe they should also finish off Einstein's theory of relativity to help speed science along.

MSFS is going to be a plane game. lol 

 

Edited July 4, 2019 by Skywatcher

[klamal 282]

On 7/2/2019 at 3:25 PM, Greazer said:

Somebody has to figure out a way then. Not ready to ditch all the XP add-ons for new Eye Candy. I'm sure a lot of p3d guys will agree. Really need Zibo mod in FS2020.

Seems to me that you need to learn to code and get started on your new sim that fits perfectly to your needs.

[G-RFRY 1,705]

Reading some post I'm surprised FSX did so well.  

[vortex681 806]

9 hours ago, Skywatcher said:

As I have said and given a million different reasons now, everything points to MSFS being a plane game. From what we know, it certainly wouldn't have any major 3rd party content for a long period after release. It would make zero sense to create this situation.

I'm sorry but, in spite of what you may think to the contrary, you haven't given a single convincing reason why this will be a "plane game”!  We don't know how simple or complex the aircraft in the trailer are (or even if they'll be representative of the final product). We don't know if there'll be realistic ATC. We don't know how well live weather will be depicted (but we do know it's at least likely to look good). We don't know if there'll be good AI traffic (air, ground or water). We don't know that it won't have any major 3rd party aircraft. Like the rest of us here, you're just shooting in the dark. Remember that it could be well over a year until MSFS is released so there's still plenty of time for 3rd parties to get on board.

There are plenty of studios out there that are more than capable of producing stunning 3D models. A lot of the best freeware for the existing sims has had a single flight modeller or gauge programmer so it doesn't need a huge team to do the aircraft. It's not even as if MS has to completely start from scratch - they have a massive amount of code available from previous sims. It's only the graphics we see in the trailer, we have no idea what the underlying code is like. Yes, it needs more complex aircraft for people to progress to but they don't have to be in the sim by default. Which other successful sim had study-level aircraft available with the basic install? As long as the sim is accessible by third parties it will happen.

It could be an amazing sim or it could just as easily be just an eye candy game but, with Microsoft's history, I'd personally be surprised if it wasn't a fully-fledged flight sim. I also don't think we should necessarily read too much into the fact that it will eventually be ported over to a console. Plenty of complex games have survived that transition. The PC versions haven't been deliberately made simpler to allow them to be converted, they've just left things out of the console version to allow the hardware to cope. Add to that the likelihood that the next X-Box is likely to be more powerful than many of the systems currently running existing flight sims now and I don't think we need to be too worried.

[LHookins 3,102]

1 hour ago, vortex681 said:

It could be an amazing sim or it could just as easily be just an eye candy game

This isn't an either-or situation.  It needs to be both.  A simple attractive flight game to attract new people and a serious simulation underneath the candy shell to allow users to progress beyond the video game.

Forcing a new user into a study level simulation will scare them off.  Not providing at least the option for a deeper simulation will eventually bore an experienced user.

Having MSFS as an option on XBox Game Pass will expose a lot of new people to the flight sim, people who would otherwise avoid it.  After all, it's included in the subscription, why not try it?  Having it available for XBox also enlarges the potential market.  When they first try it out of curiosity, it has to be fun.  If there isn't something beyond the fun to keep the new user's interest, they'll get bored.  

There will have to be more than just the eye candy if it is to attract the experienced flight simmer.  There will eventually need to be good study level aircraft, even if none are included in the original sim.  I'm talking PMDG and A2A quality and other study level sims.  The beginner will eventually work up to that kind of experience and it needs to be available.

MSFS needs to appeal to a wide range of interests and experience levels.  No matter what the initial product is, I'm sure it will grow into something everyone can like.  Just like FSX did.

Hook

[cannonplug 126]

For me things are quite simple: any sim that doesn't have PMDG Boeings AND FSLabs Airbuses (or their equivalent) is a non-starter for me. If PMDG and FSLabs aren't on board, certainly there are others who are able to create equivalent add-ons, but will there be anyone else who is willing to go through that kind of development cycle? I'm open to being surprised but, in the meantime, I'm really enjoying the variety in my P3D experience like never before.

[Superdelphinus 718]

I’m sure they will eventually. PMDG initially said they weren’t going to have anything to do with p3d didn’t they until a whole load of people decided they couldn’t understand a basic EULA and flocked over there, then suddenly PMDG wanted everything to do with it. Will be the same here, unless it’s an unmitigated disaster, which I would have thought is incredibly unlikely. 

[n4gix 4,947]

On ‎7‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 2:12 AM, tjstreak said:

I seriously doubt that LM's and Laminar's development teams are any less skilled or knowledgeable than the Microsoft development team.  In fact, I suspect the Microsoft development team consists largely of neophytes.

The truth of the matter is that I suspect the new simulator will be a cleaned up version of Flight Sim World.  After all, Microsoft gets to keep all of Dovetail's work.

It appears that the new Microsoft Flight Simulator is going to be a giant step backwards.

NOTE: Microsoft is not creating this new simulator, nor do they even have a "development team." ASOBO Studios" are a French games developer, and it is they who have been collaborating with Microsoft in the production of MFS. What isn't clear is whether MS contracted with ASOBO, or vice-versa. Time will tell:

http://www.asobostudio.com/