Has MSFS 2020 met your initial expections?

[snwboardn 87]

7 minutes ago, kerosene31 said:

This is one of those things where having realistic expectations and lower hype make a huge difference for me.  I expected amazing scenery and performance, combined with bugs and features not fully developed. 

I already subscribed to Game Pass anyway, so the game was "free" for me and the standard version still is, but I bought the premium version after a few days. 

I've mentioned a few times, I do software development with boring business software, and I know how this goes.  I'm not saying people should or shouldn't "accept" it, but this is not going to change.

Modern development works this way.  You develop a minimum viable product and get it out to the consumer faster, then build/fix based on their feedback.  This is how everything from games to the erp systems that massive companies use to run their business.  The days of the software being "done" and put in a shrink wrap box are long gone. 

You should also know then that after you launch your product and the majority of sales have happened management doesn't want to keep paying a full team for post implementation support unless there is some type of support contract, a monthly fee and income is still coming in. My biggest worry right now is after the holiday season M$ pulling the rug out from under Asobo saying "okay we made our money we need you to wind down." And IF that were to happen the rate at which Asobo is doing bug fixes it will leave the sim in a weird spot. 

I work in tech as well and we have grandiose ideas all the time for our projects, with detailed roadmaps that will last 4 quarters or more, but that doesn't mean we get funded for it once the initial project goal has been met. 

Edited November 1, 2020 by snwboardn

[jcjimmy 150]

Sadly, I'd have to say no. It wasn't ready for prime time on release and it isn't ready now.

The SDK is way behind and holding up third party developers. The aircraft do not operate well and the updates are erratic. Thankfully, very talented community people have made improvements.

The positive side is MSFS should improve over time. The scenery aspect is generally outstanding.

So, patience, patience, patience,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Janov 2,383]

2 hours ago, Wobbie said:

1 year by Asobo.

Wait, you are saying that Asobo only worked on this one year? And that they didn´t inherit the previous code? 😂

[desbean 357]

10 hours ago, Bert Pieke said:

I believe it is a major achievement to deliver a WW scenery streaming service that actually works, and even at scale.

That coupled with an initial implementation, even with its shortcomings, that delivers a smooth simming experience on current level hardware is quite something!

Am I impressed? Yes, I am.

As for shortcomings.. my hope is that Asobo will overhaul their Garmin avionics and make them work like the real thing... and if they do not, it looks like the user community may do it for them.. 🙂 

Why can't I be as eloquent as Bert? Change my original answer to "what Bert said" 🙂

[g-ciao 1]

I purchased MSFS a month ago having used all versions of flight simulators from 1976 in Bruce Artwick days to PDSv5. On the 29^th of October 2020 I downloaded the latest version, 1.10.7.0 of msfs only to find this is still far from what I would call a flight simulator. Having said that, the scenery is very good. The operating system leaves a lot to be desired and the flight characteristic of the aircraft are poor. The control of the aircraft makes them un-flyable.

At this present moment if anyone purchases this so called simulator expecting it to operate similar to previous simulators i.e FSX, P3D versions or X-Plane, they will be very disappointed, it is a waste of money as I have found, almost a confidents trick. One gets the idea that the developers are devoid of anyone who knows how an aeroplane really flies, but has experience of X-Box type games and this is what MS has produced.

I make the above comments as having been flying may types of aircraft as a commercial development pilot since my RAF days in 1955 until last year.

[g-ciao 1]

Having taken the last few days trying to understand why this version of MSFS 2020 does not act like a normal flight simulator and having tried altering the control sensitivities in the cfg files to reduce the twitchiness, I now realise that the problem appears to be the various aircraft aerodynamic calculations, nothing to do with the control inputs. Although it is known that as aircraft bank, the vertical lift decreases, in this simulator, a bank totally removes the lift such as to allow the aircraft to descend towards the ground unnaturally. I am now reverting back to previous flight simulators until such time Microsoft get around its problems as I have no doubt they will eventually. However as previously mentioned I wish I had not spent a £100 on this one.

Today I downloaded update 1.11.20 and it is still unfyable graphics good but no for a pilot.

[kerosene31 349]

39 minutes ago, snwboardn said:

You should also know then that after you launch your product and the majority of sales have happened management doesn't want to keep paying a full team for post implementation support unless there is some type of support contract, a monthly fee and income is still coming in. My biggest worry right now is after the holiday season M$ pulling the rug out from under Asobo saying "okay we made our money we need you to wind down." And IF that were to happen the rate at which Asobo is doing bug fixes it will leave the sim in a weird spot. 

I work in tech as well and we have grandiose ideas all the time for our projects, with detailed roadmaps that will last 4 quarters or more, but that doesn't mean we get funded for it once the initial project goal has been met. 

That's always a risk, but MS has deep pockets and it looks like this game has been a big success for them.  I see a ton of people talking about game among gamer forums, not just simmer forums.  Also I assume they get a nice percentage of the add-on money that goes through their store. 

Plus I don't think we need massive effort.  Get the SDK done, get the big bug fixes out, get the avionics working at a base level.  3rd party aircraft will do the heavy lifting down the road.  MS is never going to make the study level aircraft that people want, they just need to get the SDK ready. 

[NightOfDreams 370]

I redownloaded P3D a few days ago due to frustration with MSFS. But now that I've played MSFS, P3D's graphics just look sooo obsolete in comparison. I returned to MSFS last night and had a nearly flawless flight in the A320. No CTD, no autopilot issues, no bugs. It was really enjoyable. Just the ATC was lacking but hopefully that'll improve. 

If only MSFS's graphics and everything else about P3D could be merged, we'd have a perfect sim.

Edited November 1, 2020 by NightOfDreams

[Manny 1,293]

From so Many NO's Addon vendors now need to go back to focusing on developing add ons for P3D and X-Plane. 🙂

[hillsboy 33]

Absolutely yes for me!  To have WW scenery is a fantastic feature, and even though we're working through growing pains, I feel ASOBO is responding very proactively.  Give it time.

I can set up my own IFR flights with very good cloud formation and without ATC for now.  I fly mostly with the TBM 930 and Cessna 172 and 182. Looking forward to getting back into the jets soon.

Keep up the good work ASOBO!

John

[767lover 285]

It had exceeded my expectations, but they have visually degraded the sim since release, in particular the water and now with the almost offensively bad night lighting (some call it the illuminated circuit board look). 

Still highly impressed overall, but not pleased with these visual changes.

 

 

[Biology 1,347]

Yes, it really did. I wasn't expecting a simulator with extremely detailed default aircraft at first place, just look at X-Plane's or Prepar3D's default aircraft, they are really not much different. I was just hoping for a beautiful-looking base which I can run PMDG, FSLabs, Leonardo SH, TFDi, QualityWings, A2A and other aircraft.

[Cats Eyes Cunningham 9]

Yes, it's absolutely astonishing. I fly VFR as I love exploring the planet, so this has been a dream come true. 

I am more than happy for now with the Cessna 172, Grand Caravan and xCub + this amazing photogrammetry scenery and weather.

 

[neil0311 366]

Yes, and I don’t need to invest hundreds of dollars in photo-scenery or textures and landclass and a bunch of other 3rd party utilities just to get a basic level of realism.

As a real world GA pilot, I can fly in the sim and get remarkable fidelity to the real world. When I compare to FS9 and FSX out of the box, it’s night and day. They gave you a generic world that you could enhance for a lot of money.

Once 3rd parties like A2A put out some more realistic and functional aircraft, this may be the closest thing yet to a virtual flying experience that mimics real life.

[neil0311 366]

2 hours ago, Manny said:

From so Many NO's Addon vendors now need to go back to focusing on developing add ons for P3D and X-Plane. 🙂

I respect your opinion but wonder why you feel that way. Those platforms, especially P3D are older and less realistic.

Why wouldn’t folks want add on vendors to fill in some of the blanks on this sim which is way more advanced than those others?