So it looks like they're still improving the engine at this point. I'm guessing this will help them implement some of our requests.

Im an brooms and washer dishes engineer its ok? I can do lot of things just to play with FS2020 soon as possible. 😎

Somehow I just don't see this as a money-making venture. They're throwing way too many resources into this it seems to me to ever realistically recoup the investment from just the flight simulation community.

There got to be other reasons driving this.

Unless they have some really funky studies that show there's some absolutely huge untapped Market out there above and beyond the hardcore community.

32 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

Somehow I just don't see this as a money-making venture. They're throwing way too many resources into this it seems to me to ever realistically recoup the investment from just the flight simulation community.

There got to be other reasons driving this.

Unless they have some really funky studies that show there's some absolutely huge untapped Market out there above and beyond the hardcore community.

You're saying this based on.....

A game is a game. What makes FS2020 so special in terms of developmental costs and expectations? Flight sims are niche but they aren't THAT niche.

Edited October 30, 20196 yr by Krakin

2 minutes ago, Krakin said:

You're saying this based on

Occam's razor.

And no, Flight sims are not niche. Warsims sell quite well, but every attempt at a civilian sim has failed financially or at most barely crept along. The market is self evidently a niche when the resources likely necessary for this venture would almost certainly get a much better return on investment if devoted to something more marketable, like a GTA type game or a shooter.

I can only think of this as a showcase for azure.

36 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

Somehow I just don't see this as a money-making venture. They're throwing way too many resources into this it seems to me to ever realistically recoup the investment from just the flight simulation community.

There got to be other reasons driving this.

Unless they have some really funky studies that show there's some absolutely huge untapped Market out there above and beyond the hardcore community.

Didn't they already say during the early interviews, this is as much a venture to improve and present Bing / Azure, push it to be a much larger platform? That's what I understood. Now they can show it off in a 3D application and improve it with azure AI, so it's basically an investment into Bing, which just benefits us basically, thus the cost of it all isn't solely hinging on the worth of the flight simulator to the market.

Edited October 30, 20196 yr by Sethos

The MS/Asobo project has steadily become a mystery wrapped in a conundrum...

57 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

There got to be other reasons driving this.

Unless they have some really funky studies that show there's some absolutely huge untapped Market out there above and beyond the hardcore community.

I have to agree. There is something going on here that we don't know about. I am not saying that it is something bad...who knows. It just don't make sense at this point. We have seen MS dump 2 versions of flight sims counting "Flight" and now they are throwing money at this project like they are going to mars. My guess is something like they will use this new world that they are creating for more than just our sims. We low end life forms have to think outside of the box. It is not out of the question that MS may be working hand in hand with the likes of P3D to provide a virtural world that could be the basis of flight sims, boat sims, railroad sims, Wild fire fighting and disaster control sims and the list is endless. I would bet my 1080TI on this but it may be several years before we know for sure. If you get past the pretty pictures and marketing dribble and think money then it makes more sense.

A new ESP version with all those engine upgrades could be a hit in the commercial market.

This expansion seems quite late. Hope there won't be huge delays.

they also searching an producer (flight Simulator) with Experience as Producer on a VR project is a must-have 😁 'hint hint'

3 minutes ago, FlyerNYC said:

This expansion seems quite late. Hope there won't be huge delays.

Probably a reaction to the more recent community feedback. I won't be surprised if they attempt to have ATC, AI, seasons and VR ready at launch now.

2 hours ago, HiFlyer said:

Somehow I just don't see this as a money-making venture. They're throwing way too many resources into this it seems to me to ever realistically recoup the investment from just the flight simulation community.

There got to be other reasons driving this.

Unless they have some really funky studies that show there's some absolutely huge untapped Market out there above and beyond the hardcore community.

I get the same feeling, yet the opportunities beyond flight sim aren’t too hard to imagine. Just like we thought google was mad at first giving us amazing free maps and then sending cars out to 360 photograph every road, now Microsoft wants to beat them to the next level. Surely there are lots of commercial opportunities for a fully modelled *living* 3D planet with authentic weather, water, vegetation and traffic?

When boeing design a new jet engine they build a digital twin. Is this not the earth’s digital twin?

 

Edited October 30, 20196 yr by Spit40

24 minutes ago, Spit40 said:

When boeing design a new jet engine they build a digital twin. Is this not the earth’s digital twin?

I'm not sure a bing-like photogrammetry world is granular enough for all of that (as far as driving sims, etc) as both Bing and Google tend to fall apart as you get closer and closer to ground level.....

It would be quite a project, I think, to change that.

Good on them if they prove willing to try, though.

22 minutes ago, Spit40 said:

When boeing design a new jet engine they build a digital twin. Is this not the earth’s digital twin?

🤔 Have Boeing ever designed a jet engine?