15 minutes ago, 188AHC said:

As I mentioned before, I started with the original Bruce Artwick version and have owned and flown all Versions of Microsoft since the very beginning. 

Flight simulator was also a valuable computer testing tool in the early 80's. We used it to determine if new PC's would run complex software well.

 

That's right, Sublogic FS was what we tested a machine with.  Kind of did that later too, with Microsoft FS4 and then 5.  After that, it gets kind of murky.  Prime95 appeared.  Seems like there was a demo of the game "Unreal" that really pushed a PC too.

Does your handle have to do with Kiowa helicopters, or the Lockheed L188 Electra?  I've always liked small militarized helicopters.

That's an OH-58 early 70's vintage.

I have some post Vietnam time in both the 58 and the OH-6. 

I have helped rebuild two de-milled 58's into flyable service with LEO. I've also helped prepare for display a UH-1C that was with the 188AHC at Dao Tieng in the 60's. That's where my brother in law was lost in a Huey crash. He was the Crew Chief. He is the reason for my screen name.

In addition  I helped prepare an AH1-F for display and another 58. All 3 are on display at the Veterans Memorial Park in Tampa.

I also built our displays in the Sun-N-Fun museum at KLAL.

I am Life Member of the VHPAF where I have acted as the chapter Crew Chief for the last 25 years.

Sorry to give my resume but it all ties together.

Sorry for the off topic post. I'll finish my resume in another forum.

I personally would like to see some very well modeled helicopters in the new MSFS.

It looks like we might have all the other aircraft I have time in, SEL, MEL, business jets. This is all except airliners. I've just been a passenger many times.

 

If Microsoft want to experience the Ultimate Success they will develop a special container for X Plane aircraft. And that container will interface with the flight sim core flight engine. Now that would be a killer feature to be able to use XP aircraft in FS2020.

2 minutes ago, Greazer said:

If Microsoft want to experience the Ultimate Success they will develop a special container for X Plane aircraft. And that container will interface with the flight sim core flight engine. Now that would be a killer feature to be able to use XP aircraft in FS2020.

No payware aircraft from X-Plane could ever be used that way without violating the developer's copyright and EULA. 

More to the point, they wouldn't behave the same way. There's a reason Thranda/Carenado has to create a brand new flight model, engine model, and systems modeling from scratch when they sell conversions of their FSX/P3D aircraft in X-Plane. Only the 3D model, textures, and sound can be re-used. The underlying flight model isn't remotely similar (lookup table vs. blade element theory), and the engine models are completely different. 

I got into XP11 when FSW went south, and I have never felt I was using a complete sim. Even as ORBX has made it slightly more palatable, it's become manifestly clear that XP's scenery engine constitutes a built-in dead end--XP folks take it for granted that even partially filling parts of the world with even passable scenery requires incredible amounts of extra storage space (not to mention the mystical nature of that ini file that continually tries to eat even ORBX add-ons alive).

Truth is, the difference between what MS and Laminar think a flight sim should be is worlds apart; there's nothing to be gained by wishing any part of XP showing up in MSFS2020. Gracious, the very fact that most of these teasers focus on scenery means MS knows exactly where simmers are fully aware XP is lacking. And for MS, after decades in this business, getting the aircraft "right" is kinda been there, done that. 

What are you talking about? Scenery if anything is the best part of XP. It's the rest (weather, AI, etc) that is lacking.

7 hours ago, Greazer said:

If Microsoft want to experience the Ultimate Success they will develop a special container for X Plane aircraft. And that container will interface with the flight sim core flight engine. Now that would be a killer feature to be able to use XP aircraft in FS2020.

Well, not really XP whose FDM and various systems modelling details I don't really find particularly extraordinary, well, with the exception of helicopters when compared to what is available presently for P3D / FSX, but would really like to see the day ELITE announces their FS2020 bridge for v9 XTS. It works with P3D, but the scenery in FS2020, the weather, ..., would beat it hands down.

And FS2020 should have proper Moon phases and daylight!!!!! They just have to port it from their legacy versions...

Edited August 24, 20196 yr by jcomm

10 hours ago, 188AHC said:

As I mentioned before, I started with the original Bruce Artwick version and have owned and flown all Versions of Microsoft since the very beginning. 

Flight simulator was also a valuable computer testing tool in the early 80's. We used it to determine if new PC's would run complex software well.

 

Fun fact. Never knew that FS was used to test computers 🙂

I didn't climb aboard until FS98. I found the early version to be absolutely terrible. So much more fun to play LHX, Chuck Yeager's, Fighter Bomber, F-19, Interceptor, Red Baron, Wings, ATP etc. 

1 hour ago, Murmur said:

What are you talking about? Scenery if anything is the best part of XP. It's the rest (weather, AI, etc) that is lacking.

Scenery is, with weather or AI, one of the lacks of XP. Same textures, buildings and trees all over the world, lack of seasons... The best parts are aircraft and flight model, but scenery... it’s not one of its strengths.

 

2 hours ago, Murmur said:

What are you talking about? Scenery if anything is the best part of XP. It's the rest (weather, AI, etc) that is lacking.

Well I would say X-Plane scenery is good a night when the lights make things believable enough for your 'mind' to fill in the gaps! However lets be honest X-Plane scenery out the box isn't great even with good OSM data in north America and Europe, 7 wonders of the world forget that - there is literally nothing to see apart from a few generic US cities. Even the recent city updates are severely lacking compared to FSX when it released.

X-Plane with it's considerably smaller team just haven't got the resources to build that many custom models and assets, they only recently added european autogen, Don't let the lighting model fool you, X-Plane 11 has a long way to catch up to the scenery levels in FSX - at least the Scenery Gateway is providing some nice 3D airports.

I absolutely love X-Plane, please don't get me wrong, but scenery is not it's forte - the reason I can enjoy X-Plane (I like flying GA and small jets) is because of Orbx and a few others and the way the planes feel all wrapped up in a graphically modern engine, but it is short in many areas which I'm ok with. 

18 hours ago, bonchie said:

We are going to have to accept that there will be imperfections. If the worst thing is the wave size on rivers, we will be doing well. 

Anyway, one thing I'm now convinced of is that there is some kind of streaming of orthos going on. Every single screenshot and video we've seen, even in very remote areas with no photogrammetry, is showing orthos underneath. Noway can they localize that sheer amount of data worldwide. 

The question is how they are populating autogen on top of the orthos, including the grass we've seen? That can make or break the appearance (as I've learned in XP11). 

There's either a lot of smoke and mirrors going on or they've got some really, really exciting tech coming that could change everything. 

Interesting one @bonchie. I think there is evidence in the giza media screenshot (buildings off to the right) where they may have examples of autogen buildings on top of orthoimagery but I'm not totally sure if this has been hand placed. I think the 3D grass may well be land class textures but again if they have different systems at play here how do they make things look seemless and consistent. 

All things to look out for in October when we get the deepdive into World (scenery?).

On 8/24/2019 at 2:19 AM, Greazer said:

If Microsoft want to experience the Ultimate Success they will develop a special container for X Plane aircraft. And that container will interface with the flight sim core flight engine. Now that would be a killer feature to be able to use XP aircraft in FS2020.

Why on earth?? The ESP engine already supports far superior aircraft (in my opinion). Most of the big name and respected developers have stuck with the ESP engine. The main thing which sets X-plane apart is the interesting flight model. The new sim will of course have it's own unique flight model.

On 8/23/2019 at 9:34 AM, Pitbull2504 said:

I am very impressed so far.

I still need a great ATC and a lot of life in the world (cars, a lot of aircrafts, many lights, ....), then i am very happy.

Would love to see some more previews of the night lighting and road traffic at night.

Edited August 25, 20196 yr by DylanM

7 hours ago, DylanM said:

Would love to see some more previews of the night lighting and road traffic at night.

X-Plane obviously does this quite well, I hope people are not expecting Microsoft to build on X-Planes approach. Lets be realistic here and see what Microsoft come up with, so long as it doesn't break the immersion of flight in built up areas I think most people will be more than happy.