I am mightly impressed with how much this new version has improved over FSX. I have been away for more than 7 years, and this is groundbreaking.

Perhaps most of you do not care, but I just want to share my reflection on various requests for wing flex, detailed ground lightning, trees, etc. This is from an PPL-ASEL holder perspective with long experience from flying DA40-180 and DA40-TDI.

When you fly, frankly, you do not focus on how much the wing of your plane is flexing, nor do you care if an tree is 2m or 20m high, unless it is on the approach/departure path of the runway, and you definately do not care about reflections on the engine cowling.

What you, as a pilot-in-command, care about is how to safely execute an flight from A to B while enjoying the privileges of flying.

For me the following aspects of a new sim are the most important, I have most likely forgot some as well:

• How the aircraft handles on ground and in the air, throughout its flight envelope including stalls, steep turns, slow flight, impact of flap config changes, etc.
• How well the aircraft systems reflect the real systems - e.g. startup procedure, fuel management, engine management, autopilot, failures, etc.
• How the weather environment is simulated - visual and physical depiction and its impact on flight, i.e. wind and wind aloft, gusts, rain, icing, thunderstorms, various cloud types and their effect, inversions, thermals, etc.
• How the landscape impacts the flight - eddies, mechanical turbulence, waves, etc.
• How the lightning impacts the visual picture - mid-day "washed out" effect on the colour, morning/afternoon with more saturated colours, night flying, moonlight reflecting on terrain, etc.
• Look & "feel" of the aircraft - noise, vibration, wear & tear, snags, etc.
• Airport depiction - runways, taxiways, buildings, and major relevant obstacles (e.g. the radio mast at Ganderkesee is a must!)
• How the environment is visualized, with focus on atmospheric conditions (light and looks)

Attaching couple of pictures from recent flights in DA40.

Edited June 23, 20205 yr by JU108

48 minutes ago, JU108 said:

When you fly, frankly, you do not focus on how much the wing of your plane is flexing, nor do you care if an tree is 2m or 20m high, unless it is on the approach/departure path of the runway, and you definately do not care about reflections on the engine cowling.

I wish I could have a chance to have all that actual flying experience as you.

When you're sitting on your computer trying to trick your brain to thinking you're flying, the things you mentioned become surprisingly important. Immersion is built from lots of small details that try to mimic things happening in real life.

Edited June 23, 20205 yr by Kopteeni

A good post JU108 - and one I agree with wholeheartedly.

However, we all like a bit of eye-candy as well!

 

Edited June 23, 20205 yr by Will Fly For Cheese

14 minutes ago, Kopteeni said:

When you're sitting on your computer trying to trick your brain to thinking you're flying, the things you mentioned become surprisingly important. Immersion is built from lots of small details that try to mimic things happening in real life.

Oh bull!

1 hour ago, JU108 said:

 

Well, no user ID visible in these pictures, no characteristic watermarks - to me these are clearly photoshopped, or digitally reworked.

And yes, there will be a new flight simulator in the near future:  But his true name is ASFS = Asobo Flight Simulator ; with Azur and Bing support from Microsoft.

It was one of the smartest marketing decisions from Asobo over the last years - really clever - to buy the brand "Microsoft Flight Simulator" from MS - which became their tag !

Edited June 23, 20205 yr by KBUR

12 minutes ago, KBUR said:

Well, no user ID visible in these pictures, no characteristic watermarks - to me these are clearly photoshopped, or digitally reworked.

And yes, there will be a new flight simulator in the near future:  But his true name is ASFS = Asobo Flight Simulator ; with Azur and Bing support from Microsoft.

It was one of the smartest marketing decisions from Asobo over the last years - really clever - to buy the brand "Microsoft Flight Simulator" from MS - which became their tag !

I can't tell if you're joking or not.

12 minutes ago, KBUR said:

Well, no user ID visible in these pictures, no characteristic watermarks - to me these are clearly photoshopped, or digitally reworked.

These are real photos, not taken from the simulator.

12 minutes ago, KBUR said:

And yes, there will be a new flight simulator in the near future:  But his true name is ASFS = Asobo Flight Simulator ; with Azur and Bing support from Microsoft.

It was one of the smartest marketing decisions from Asobo over the last years - really clever - to buy the brand "Microsoft Flight Simulator" from MS - which became their tag !

Developed by Asobo, funded and published by Microsoft. Just like when the previous versions were developed by Aces, it was not called Aces Flight Simulator.

13 minutes ago, ChaoticBeauty said:

These are real photos, not taken from the simulator.

 

LoL,   , sorry, I couldn't withstand.

 

4 minutes ago, KBUR said:

LoL,   , sorry, I couldn't withstand.

Supply the proof!  

30 minutes ago, KBUR said:

LoL,   , sorry, I couldn't withstand.

Oh good, I was bracing for yet another trolling/misinformation attack...

1 hour ago, ChaoticBeauty said:

Developed by Asobo, funded and published by Microsoft. Just like when the previous versions were developed by Aces, it was not called Aces Flight Simulator.

Well, with all due respect, but this is not true !  Have a quick look here:

ACES Studios in Redmond

ACES was a part of the extensive Microsoft Group, responsible for developing games/simulators.  And they have been closed in 2009 by Microsoft, because of a round of dismissals within MS.

ASOBO game studio was founded in 2002 with its headquaters in Bordeaux/France, completely independent from Microsoft.

Asobo Studios in Bordeaux

 

All the best 

PS:  To me it is clear and stays clear (not joking in this case):  This new upcoming sim is an ASOBO Flight Sim.  Mainly developed by an independent studio with its headquaters in France, and supported by Microsoft. 

And yes, they paid good money for allowing to carry the name " Microsoft Flight Simulator" in its title.  In revers Microsoft is making a decent amount of money for selling its brand Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Edited June 23, 20205 yr by KBUR

10 minutes ago, KBUR said:

Well, with all due respect, but this is not true !  Have a quick look here:

ACES Studios in Redmond

ACES was a part of the extensive Microsoft Group, responsible for developing games/simulators.  And they have been closed in 2009 by Microsoft, because of a round of dismissals within MS.

ASOBO game studio was founded in 2002 with its headquaters in Bordeaux/France, completely independent from Microsoft.

Asobo Studios in Bordeaux

 

All the best 

Wow, you weren't joking...

 

Okay, how to put this?

Asobo Studios have been commissioned by Microsoft Corporation to be the Lead Design Team in creating the latest version of the Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Asobo are working for Microsoft.

Edited June 23, 20205 yr by Will Fly For Cheese

Microsoft has contracted with Asobo Studios to create the new simulator platform. Microsoft still owns the franchise, and supplies the funding!

Just now, n4gix said:

Microsoft has contracted with Asobo Studios to create the new simulator platform.

Of course they've contracted, no doubt, and there must be a contract among MS and Asobo.  But have you ever seen the details of this very contract ???  No, of course not for shure.

I can ony rely on what is obvious, and what someone can find on the internet easily at the current moment.

To me it is certain as of yet:  MS supports AS with its data (Azure, Bing, etc...), and they'll distribute the new Asobo Sim on their platform XBox Games.

Whereas ASOBO is doing all the work of development (based on the previous ESP title FSX)  and carrying the main risk if the whole project fails.

25 minutes ago, KBUR said:

Well, with all due respect, but this is not true !  Have a quick look here:

I know what Aces used to be, I was just saying that the simulator never took the name of the developer, but rather the publisher. This is the continuation/reboot of the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise and is built from the foundation of Flight Simulator X.

25 minutes ago, KBUR said:

And yes, they paid good money for allowing to carry the name " Microsoft Flight Simulator" in its title.  In revers Microsoft is making a decent amount of money for selling its brand Microsoft Flight Simulator.

They never sold the brand. They licensed ESP to Lockheed Martin and the distribution rights of Flight Simulator X with its source code to Dovetail Games and that's all, the brand has always remained Microsoft's property. In this case, Microsoft contracted Asobo to develop the new instalment of the franchise, it is not Asobo who licensed the source code and brand from Microsoft.