Any Reaction to the Alpha Yet?

[F737MAX 5,607]

It's understandable how everyone is really excited to get all the information that they can.

Bear in mind, however:

• No-one can say anything due to the NDA;
   
• A lot of information about the sim is already common knowledge - media Global Preview Event back in September / first-look commentaries and the XO19 playable demo report here, give detailed impressions of the sim already;
   
• Tech Alpha 2 participants will find out for themselves how the sim looks, feels, performs; and,
   
• Some people might find waiting for a final product a far more exciting experience than getting their hands on the sim early.

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

No need to block a username or IP address, they can just remove the licence from your Microsoft/Xbox account, which is required for any software tied to a client's DRM. It is like Flight Simulator X and older software that required a serial number, you can have it installed on your hard drive but not play it without activating it first, or Flight Simulator 2004 which requires the fourth CD inside your drive. Though breaching the NDA would also come with a harsh punishment like banning the account I imagine.

[Deleted 250]

5 minutes ago, F737NG said:

• Some people might find waiting for a final product a far more exciting experience than getting their hands on the sim early.

Exciting? It is torture! 😂

[F737MAX 5,607]

1 minute ago, Pitbull2504 said:

Exciting? It is torture! 😂

Sorry, I should have said "might find getting their hands on a final product is a far more exciting experience than getting it early."

[Brandon01110 407]

hearing that tidbit about Atlanta airport makes me a little nervous.  I hope that ALL airports in the new sim are AT LEAST as detailed as FSX.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

36 minutes ago, ChaoticBeauty said:

... or Flight Simulator 2004 which requires the fourth CD inside your drive. 

I have a somewhat belated confession to make. I downloaded a replacement EXE that circumvented the need to have the fourth CD in the tray. 🥴

Will I still be able to buy MFS20 when it’s released or am I now on a Hall of Shame list. 😉

[Victoroos 205]

18 hours ago, Krakin said:

Just point me in the direction of the leaks

if life gives you lemons 😛

[jlund 380]

9 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I have a somewhat belated confession to make. I downloaded a replacement EXE that circumvented the need to have the fourth CD in the tray. 🥴

Will I still be able to buy MFS20 when it’s released or am I now on a Hall of Shame list. 😉

Hehe, Ray I'm in the same hall of shame as you then 🙂

 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

13 minutes ago, jlund said:

Hehe, Ray I'm in the same hall of shame as you then 🙂

😁 I suspect it would be a very long list.

[Mengy 814]

38 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I have a somewhat belated confession to make. I downloaded a replacement EXE that circumvented the need to have the fourth CD in the tray. 🥴

Will I still be able to buy MFS20 when it’s released or am I now on a Hall of Shame list. 😉

You are safe.  We all did that!  :)

[Scottoest 1,561]

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I really don't see the point of this topic. People will be under strict instructions as to what they can and cannot say. I don't see how anything not already in the public domain could be made public knowledge by any who have signed up for the Alpha testing. Hence why any screen shots have watermarks on them. Microsoft have thought of all that as you would expect them to.

As I mentioned in my OP - the point was not to ask anyone to directly break an NDA, or to post images or whatever.  The point was to see if anyone had heard anything second- or third-hand from people who are in the alpha, about what the reception and feelings have been to it.  None of that violates anything, because you hearing something from someone else doesn't transfer any agreement to you.  And I wasn't looking for specific information (though that'd be great) - just taking the broader temperature of what the general reception has been like.

And for all of the talk about how no one would possibly speak freely about such a thing, we've had several people relay things they've heard about it, and several people talking about screenshots and videos that were quickly removed, haha.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

@Scottoest,  by the time anything not already in the public domain is fed down through multiple people can you imagine how distorted it could become?

It reminds me of something that was used as an example in WW2. “Send reinforcements, we’re going to advance” became “Send three and four pence, we’re going to a dance”. 🤣

Patience is a virtue. 😉

[Paraffin 2,197]

4 minutes ago, Scottoest said:

As I mentioned in my OP - the point was not to ask anyone to directly break an NDA, or to post images or whatever.  The point was to see if anyone had heard anything second- or third-hand from people who are in the alpha, about what the reception and feelings have been to it.  None of that violates anything, because you hearing something from someone else doesn't transfer any agreement to you. 

So you want to hear what people who have broken the NDA have to say? Seems like an odd request to me. If you understand what the "Alpha" state of software means, it's not really all that helpful to hear anything about it, because that's not the sim you will eventually be flying. It's probably not even the current state of development, because in-house builds in this type of project are usually further along than what's released for the invited Alpha or Beta test groups. 
 

Quote

And I wasn't looking for specific information (though that'd be great) - just taking the broader temperature of what the general reception has been like.

Nobody who wants to remain in the program is going to tell you anything useful. There may be one or two people who want a brief Internet spotlight by breaking the NDA, but that's going to be a single snapshot of the process, not where things stand right now.

[greggerm 312]

Will all the transparency that Microsoft/Asobo has been providing up until now, I'd say we just let the alpha testers do their jobs and evaluate the platform without all of us intentionally or unintentionally pressuring them for releasing nuggets of information that might sneak around the NDA.

For those of you participating in the alphas, it's probably best to neither confirm nor deny your participation. Just go about your testing/scripts and do your best to offer constructive feedback to make the platform the best it can be when it finally does release. Be thorough when testing, document repeatable errors and bugs, and enjoy the privilege!

After all, when the product does finally release, for better or worse, YOU will be in the crosshairs for not pointing out any bugs left over...  (heheh)

[Christopher Low 5,354]

I do not want to hear anything about the new MFS unless Microsoft give permission for information to be released. Sadly, it was inevitable that opening up Alpha testing to the internet crowd was going to result in a handful of idiots with zero morals "slipping through the net". Some people just do not understand (or do not care) what the term "NDA" really means.