The most striking difference between MSFS and other sims is light

[dongdongliushui 49]

...and color.

Other sims also have very detailed cockpit and scenery, but they look bland and sterile compared with MSFS. I believe the major trick is the light, and color as its consequence. 

It really looks like ray tracing, but the developer denys it. How can they achieve this effect of light if its not ray tracing? Any other advanced light effect that cannot be realized by other sims because of the dated graphic engine?

Edited October 15, 2019 by dongdongliushui

[irrics 1,524]

Spot on.

The lighting in the engine is totally amazing and really dramatically changes depending on the weather and scene situation. 

It conveys a warmth and lack there of that is really beautiful 

[Sartanius 399]

21 minutes ago, dongdongliushui said:

How can they achieve this effect of light if its not ray tracing? 

If you go back and watch the Q&A videos from the Global Preview Event, the lead engine developer, Lionel, answers that question and describes generally how they achieve RTX-looking effects without DX12.  He does mention that they will incorporate true RTX capability when they release a future version compatible with DX12.

[Baber20 1,529]

Volumetric light scattering. Light is pretty much bouncing of off everything which results in that realistic look. Also dont forget the impact of real time shadows in bringing that realism. I also think they have come up with a very unique tech of generating a atmosphere which is completely volumetric. There is this actual feel of the atmosphere around you. My guess is that the color of scattered volumetric light depends upon on the humidity, pressure and other values? I mean the engine can even generate real time rainbows under right conditions..

Edited October 15, 2019 by Baber20

[MatthewS 761]

1 hour ago, dongdongliushui said:

How can they achieve this effect of light if its not ray tracing?

By being clever. 

It's not as accurate as ray traced light, but it's good enough to fool your brain, and much better for the FPS.

[Jazznow 46]

Thank god no raytracing. Tbh I didn't see a single game that got it right. It was always over the top with too much and too clear reflections. A floor is not a fu...ntastic mirror god word not allowed it

[Reader 2,037]

The lack of light has always been my main problem with FSX/P3D. I never had the idea the sun was really shining: even with a bright blue sky things looked cloudy and dull. One of the reasons I liked AFS2 is that is has a far better lighting engine: in this sim I sometimes do get the idea the sun is shining. MSFS surpasses AFS2 in every way though... it's incomparable. It's as if they managed to catch the real sun and put it in a computer. Totally awesome.

[Arasaka 4]

Folks, were there any new videos with a clear view of the evening and night city / traffic lights? So far it seems they were avoiding to show any late evening / night scenes them for some reason. Maybe it's an alpha stage, I don't know.

Edited October 16, 2019 by Arasaka

[smoothchat 99]

I remember seeing a very brief screen capture at very late dusk where you could see the city lights.

[Pastaiolo 1,690]

3 hours ago, Arasaka said:

Folks, were there any new videos with a clear view of the evening and night city / traffic lights? So far it seems they were avoiding to show any late evening / night scenes them for some reason. Maybe it's an alpha stage, I don't know.

Recently, no. But for example in the videos we saw lights from the streets illuminating buildings, but not the buildings themselves emitting light via windows for example. However in the interviews they said they are working on both, so probably they didn't show what they are not ready to show yet

[Greazer 1,373]

Light plus photo real scenery. Not one or the other. It's Both.

[Pastaiolo 1,690]

2 hours ago, Greazer said:

Light plus photo real scenery. Not one or the other. It's Both.

Well i am with dongdongliushui on this. In a way or the other we already had orto scenaries, that's nothing new. Photogrammetry implementation on 400 cities yeah, that is more like "new".
However for me what really sells it the most is the light and the weather. But especially the light. And of course the shadows. For example clouds projecting shadows on other clouds, now that really makes a big difference on a shot

[royalwin 22]

Well, for one thing, PBR is physically based Rendering.  It’s not just physically based materials.  If you study it you’ll find that it requires realistic lighting to empower those beautiful materials.  You just won’t get the full benefit without both.

[Greazer 1,373]

You can upgrade X plane HDR lighting, reflections, PBR materials, but it still won't look as good without photo real aerial imagery. Period.

[Noodle 626]

That doesn't make any sense. Traditional aerial imagery already has it's own lighting baked in. It can only be affected so much by PBR. What matters is the application of PBR materials to 3d objects, and illuminating them with proper light. Period.