Interesting.

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/blog/microsoft-flight-simulator-the-future-of-game-development/

Microsoft tooting it's own Azure horn:

"For developers across the ecosystem (and not just gaming), Microsoft Flight Simulator represents nothing less than a new paradigm for creating cloud-enabled experiences that utilize multiple big data sources, massive cloud-based processing and storage in the Azure architecture, and AI-enabled high-fidelity user realism. Just as important, it offers all of this with a development model that greatly reduces the effort and cost of delivering highly detailed simulation. The call to action for game and simulation developers is clear: by enabling an offering like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, Azure raises the quality and capabilities bar sky-high but simultaneously brings the ability to create these sorts of high-quality experiences within reach of many first- and third-party developers today."

"117 million lakes."

I was wondering how many lakes were available to possibly land on, nice to see that MS has counted them all.

The futures so bright I gotta wear shades

 

This is the time where we definitely need working sun shades in the cockpit.

Or the whole thing will simply fall to bits.

 

 

"Although the initial product release requires powerful PCs, the Azure architecture will enable the Microsoft Flight Simulator experience on other devices, too—notably Xbox consoles and, ultimately, mobile devices. This device democratization means that the product does not require more power on the device to scale, rather it just needs streaming bandwidth. Put another way, Azure allows "every device to punch above its weight," notes Neumann. "What you see right now that people are impressed by on a $3,000 PC—guess what? It comes pretty much unchanged to a $500 console, and we are putting things in place to bring it to even lower spec devices, like phones."

Quick, what's the Microsoft stock exchange symbol? They are going to own the world !

The possibilities of the virtual world they’ve created are massive.  I was flying over a local rail line near where I live the other day and thinking that the AI generated scenery would make a great base for train simulation with simply some more detail added (ie trackside signs, rail infrastructure etc) to the point where if the buildings had some higher resolution textures added it might almost pass for a trainsim route with minimal modifications.

 

1 minute ago, Fielder said:

"Although the initial product release requires powerful PCs, the Azure architecture will enable the Microsoft Flight Simulator experience on other devices, too—notably Xbox consoles and, ultimately, mobile devices. This device democratization means that the product does not require more power on the device to scale, rather it just needs streaming bandwidth. Put another way, Azure allows "every device to punch above its weight," notes Neumann. "What you see right now that people are impressed by on a $3,000 PC—guess what? It comes pretty much unchanged to a $500 console, and we are putting things in place to bring it to even lower spec devices, like phones."

Quick, what's the Microsoft stock exchange symbol? They are going to own the world !

My takeaway is that MSFS is looking to get into the mobile market! X-Plane, watch out!

3 minutes ago, FlyingInACessna said:

My takeaway is that MSFS is looking to get into the mobile market! X-Plane, watch out!

they are going to leverage xCloud. not natively run on mobile

I just want to get into the game quicker and not be bogged down in multiple splash screens

I was astonished last Youtube conference when Jorg said MS has a team working to bring MSFS to the old Xbox One console. So MS is investing money just to be able to sell FS to people with old consoles.

4 minutes ago, Fielder said:

I was astonished last Youtube conference when Jorg said MS has a team working to bring MSFS to the old Xbox One console. So MS is investing money just to be able to sell FS to people with old consoles.

Well it has sold 50 million units, makes perfect sense to me.

Edited July 15, 20214 yr by MarcG

56 minutes ago, FlyingInACessna said:

My takeaway is that MSFS is looking to get into the mobile market! X-Plane, watch out!

They are not, he's talking about XCloud. It's a games streaming service, and MSFS, as a first party game, will be in their library. It will probably run on everything, including tablets, tvs etc. It's part of their approach to reach everyone. 

40 minutes ago, Fielder said:

I was astonished last Youtube conference when Jorg said MS has a team working to bring MSFS to the old Xbox One console. So MS is investing money just to be able to sell FS to people with old consoles.

Just a little heads up, it will probably be brought to the Xbox One through Xcloud. It means it will be streamed to the console. 

Here: Microsoft is bringing next-gen Xbox games to the Xbox One with xCloud - The Verge

Edited July 15, 20214 yr by ca_metal

I was thinking about something while on American Truck Sim the other night - how cool would it be if MS one day released a train sim, ship sim & truck sim...into the same virtual earth as MSFS. 

Fly in a Cub and buzz your friend trucking down below, land a helicopter on a friends yacht while they are in ship sim or follow a friend in an ultralight while they are driving a long BNSF freight train. 

All the while talking to each other. Truly it would be a Second Life.