As each day goes by, and as I keep seeing various videos and comments regarding MSFS 2020, I question whether there can really be any competition for this sim. I know, I know, of course there will be co-existing sims like P3d, Xplane, and even FSX (can't believe this one).  I still enjoy, at this time, using P3d, but when I really examine what's coming in several days, I seriously think there will be NO OTHER FLIGHT SIM that could even compete.  Here's why I think that:

• MSFS 2020 is "cloud based".  That alone means that you really don't need excessive space on your hard drive tor the sim.  So much is already included.
• MSFS 2020 is going to be continuously updated....kind of like ORBX CENTRAL.  An update can be quick, even on a daily basis, as the developers keep working behind the scenes.  The sim is a living, breathing program that keeps improving, not stagnating or waiting for a crucial update.
• MSFS 2020 is relatively INEXPENSIVE.  Look at what you get for $119.00.  This is about $80 less than another sim that doesn't have photoreal airports and an extensive VARIETY of airplanes.  Unlike other sims, there is no emphasis on Military fighters, submarines, or planes that have little interest for the simming population (IMHO).
• MSFS 2020 doesn't have to be totally "re-installed" every time there is a significant update.  "Should I or shouldn't I reinstall the whole sim for this update?", is always discussed in other sims when major updates and even "hotfixes" are available.
• MSFS 2020's scenery is "as real as it gets".  That's something we used to hear about the past sims.  This will be the first sim that really provides that reality all over the world.
• MSFS 2020 will give me something that I could only dream of...."I'LL BE ABLE TO FLY OVER MY OWN HOUSE."  This will be something everybody does the 1st day of using this sim.  This, is perhaps the most incredible capability of this simulation.  It ALSO means that, for the first time really,  you can fly over all the places in the world that you've visited, vacationed, and loved.  You can fly over your children's houses, wave to your Grandchildren (in my case), and literally become emotionally involved in flying an airplane to extremely meaningful destinations.  THIS is really big!

Well, that's just my $.02 worth.  Whenever I see videos of this sim on YouTube or on this forum, I am convinced we will soon have a sim that creates emotional involvement along with all the fun and extensive learning about our world and aviation. Thanks.

Stan

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by spilok

I think once we get 3rd party aircraft there won't be much competition.

P3D will be mostly a niche product within a year. 

6 minutes ago, Ricardo41 said:

P3D will be mostly a niche product within a year. 

I know this strays close to a verboten topic, but isn’t that how it is meant to be?

I think Microsoft themselves are their only competition. As long as they don’t screw it up they’ve just obliterated the entire market.

Basically as long as they don’t make a mess of the SDK and content delivery (doubtful, given several companies commitment - Aerosoft/Orbx/PMDG) then within 6 months I think it’ll have just taken over. 

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by 2reds2whites

17 minutes ago, Ricardo41 said:

P3D will be mostly a niche product within a year. 

That will depend on whether Asobo or 3rd parties can straighten out the flight model.. otherwise users will keep going back to P3D for the sensation of flight in their a2a or RealAir planes..

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by Bert Pieke

38 minutes ago, spilok said:

literally become emotionally involved in flying an airplane to extremely meaningful destinations. 

This is already affecting me as I want to pay a virtual visit to my brother and take pictures and then send them to him to see what he thinks.  I'm the only one in my family who enjoys flight sims to any great degree.

I often revisit places I've lived or been by wandering Google satellite views and now I can do it in the new sim.  It will be interesting.

Its too bad they won't have the King and Queens seat from Rocks State Park MD modelled. or the water tower we used to climb.  LookOut Mountain near Chattanooga TN will be there.

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by sightseer

If you are still doing reinstalls of P3D, you are doing something wrong. I installed P3Dv3 and P3Dv4 exactly one time and applied only updates over the years.

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by officercrockey
typo

Well, P3D is first and foremost a training solution flight sim and always has been, whereas MSFS, like iterations before it, is an entertainment flight sim. Some of this depends on the user's intent of course, but if anyone seriously thinks Lockheed Martin are panicking about competition then they need to step away from the crack pipe and in any case, they might even license the technology behind the new MSFS and take that as a stepping off point for an entirely new take on P3D's mission simulator focus. In the meantime, I doubt the default A320 in MSFS has FSL panicking about their A320 for P3D just yet.

Beyond this, with TPD ATC, ground handling, flight planning, weather and a catalogue of airliners of a very complex nature, plus military aeroplanes with TACPAC and similar, P3D still offers many things which the new MS sim cannot presently do and even down the line, may take several years to materialise. 

IPACS, Dovetail and Laminar might have some concerns, but not all of Dovetail's eggs are in one basket. I doubt Eagle Dynamics will be worried about how DCS is going to fare. And with no choppers in MSFS, Lines Studios have got a clear field on civilian choppers in a modern sim notwithstanding the military choppers in DCS.

Then you've got Deadstick, which on the face of it shares some of the intent of MSFS, but it has its own take on matters, with maintenance, upgrades and such of your aeroplane being an element of the fun as well, so not a direct competitor in every respect. 

Meanwhile, developers of these other sims will not be standing still and sobbing into their tea. So it's not like MSFS is going to have it all its own way, and nor would we want it to either. Competition drives innovation.

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by Chock

1 minute ago, officercrockey said:

If you are still doing reinstalls of P3D, you are doing something wrong. I installed P3Dv3 and P3Dv4 exactly one time and applied only updates over the years.

Sure, however if you build a new pc, you will be doing a reinstall.  And if you have a lot of addons, it’s a nightmare.

Got It. No one is having fun in P3D...thanks for the clarification.

I share the sentiments of the OP. I also think it is great that important 3rd party developers are praising Asobo for their ability to listen and invite 3rd party to focus development efforts. I never heard them say anything like that for other sims (at least not p3d, which is my main sim). For me, that sounds promising. 

30 minutes ago, Bert Pieke said:

That will depend on whether Asobo or 3rd parties can straighten out the flight model.. otherwise users will keep going back to P3D for the sensation of flight in their a2a or RealAir planes..

Well apart from Robert, I think the 1000 point system has far more potential Than FSX P3D base of 1. But pretty much like everything else about MSFS 2020 all people want to do is throw criticism  with out even flying the sim themselves or even waiting for the release version. I mean there are 2 shadows in St Mark square, the sim is a disgrace!

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by Nyxx

I think a better way of looking at it; is this new sim will most likely become our new home.  The new sim is apples to oranges when you try and compare it to current sims.  You can't really even talk about them in the same conversation unless you just want to talk about the good ole days. 

Add-ons are what's most important to us anyways, as long as MS gives the 3PDs enough parameters via the SDK.  It sounds like they have (or are in the process of).  

I would keep in mind that the flight model of a default aircraft doesn't mean that translates over in to a 3rd party aircraft either.  It just means that's what they put in to that particular aircraft.  Yes, it would be nice if we had study level default aircraft or close to it, but they have to draw the line somewhere.  So long as they don't lock any functionality for 3PDs, I would think we're OK.

It's been great to have LM and XP as a stop gap between FS versions.  Hats off to them, but it's time to move forward, IMO.  We can only squeeze so much blood out of this turnip.  I think we've gotten all we can get out of the old platforms.

I can't even imagine what this new sim is going to be like in the next year given what we've seen this far.

 

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by Jeff Nielsen

58 minutes ago, Ricardo41 said:

P3D will be mostly a niche product within a year. 

They never wanted to be an entertainment software anyway...