Microsoft/Asobo proved they're pandering to console users

[styckx 1,870]

6 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

I was just messing with you

No worries brother..  You're one of my favorite posters here.  I don't always agree, but respect your point of view

[JDWalley 354]

On 7/27/2021 at 2:57 PM, Isaiah53six said:

With the latest update being "mandatory" this proves they are pandering to the xbox/console users.

Umm...wasn't every other previous update "mandatory" as well?

[Sphynnx 91]

3 minutes ago, JDWalley said:

Umm...wasn't every other previous update "mandatory" as well?

Yes, it was, and with every single update, they lowered the visuals 

[sg06 1]

I think if you believe they spent all their time testing the Xbox experience over PC, you haven't played it on Xbox. They'll work out the issues (and introduce more) just like every other update

[The Moose 1,177]

50 minutes ago, JDWalley said:

Umm...wasn't every other previous update "mandatory" as well?

Pah!  Why let a logical argument get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.  Spoilsport. 😄

[pmb 5,137]

6 hours ago, sbczyz said:

Wow. Microsoft is a business and widening the market is smart. And if this update was to "pander" to those you consider lessers - well let me say to Asobo, "Thank you. Please keep pandering." This update has doubled my frame rates, halved my rendering time and made much better use of my CPU. I've been simming for about 40 years. MSFS 2020 is amazing and will continue to grow.

Just doubling my experience after trying it tonight. The performance upgrade on my system is steep, notably under VR, allowing AA settings I never could dream about before. I was even prepared to accept a few visual concessions, but I still have to find them.  

Kind regards, Michael

[steve 86 287]

next weeks live stream we need to let them know what they have done in the chat 

[desbean 357]

On 7/27/2021 at 6:57 PM, Virtual-Chris said:

Does it seem like this to anyone else… that the sim visuals actually peaked at launch and have slowly deteriorated over the last year?

I have no way to compare what I saw last year to what I see now, that would be more perception than reality. When it first came out it was such a massive visual improvement to anything that I had before that it appeared perfect. Once you become used to that level of visuals then the picking apart arrives.

[Fiorentoni 4,143]

7 minutes ago, desbean said:

I have no way to compare what I saw last year to what I see now, that would be more perception than reality. When it first came out it was such a massive visual improvement to anything that I had before that it appeared perfect. Once you become used to that level of visuals then the picking apart arrives.

That is a very smart post.

[wthomas33065 994]

13 hours ago, Isaiah53six said:

does anyone know the graphics settings for the Xbox version?  In other words, are the sliders set to ultra, high, medium etc?  Are the settings set or customizable?  thanks

I watched a review from Digital Foundary and they found that the Series X is running natively at 1440p and upscaling to 4K.  They also said the graphics were set to Ultra with a FPS lock of 30.  They said that if you had a 120hz TV/Monitor that you could enable that on Xbox, and Flight Sim would lift the 30 FPS cap to try to sync best with the monitor.  But it's not anything you can define>

For series S, it runs natively at 1080p and their guess was graphics slider at "medium".  It also is locked at 30FPS. You could definitely tell a difference in some draw distance and textures on the photogrammetry, but considering the series S is a $300 console, that level of performance is pretty sick.

One thing they did notice, is that for "smoothness" the series S was better.  They attributed that to the time it takes for photogrammetry to load. The micro stutters that tend to occur as you approach urban centers, or when the flight is loaded smack dab into one (like discovery flights).  

Over all they were really impressed considering the fact that a Series X is $500 and the Series S is $300.  

Control mappings are customizable, and you can add a keyboard/mouse and a compatible Yoke.  I've got a Hotas One coming in on Monday.  You can tweak quite a bit, but as far as graphics go, the only allowable option is turning HDR on or off.

[RXP 2,338]

4 hours ago, pmb said:

I was even prepared to accept a few visual concessions, but I still have to find them.

I can help you find some: 😉

Visual concessions/bugs:

[BUG] Shader code 'viewdir' and shadow/light rendering are inconsistent on right eye

[BUG] Ground textures censorship and LOD - a possible solution

[BUG] FS2020 is using 2D cockpit camera in VR and is rotating the horizontal plane (ex: FBW A320)

[BUG] FS2020 CAS Shader implementation might have a bug

[BUG] Increase distance threshold to see other aircraft navigation and strobe lights at night

[BUG/FEATURE] Implement a metering system better suited for VR

[BUG/FEATURE] Provide Color Space, Tone Mapping, CAS Shader Strength and post-processing effects controls in VR

[BUG/FEATURE] FS2020 is breaking the VR golden rule: don't move the camera, the user is

[BUG/FEATURE] EFIS Screens Problems and Solutions for higher legibility

[BUG/FEATURE] TAA is transforming road traffic into ghosts (self-cancelling moving pixels)

[BUG/FEATURE] Render the Sun with a fading disk when bloom is disabled

Multiplayer: display other players actual aircraft 3D models and liveries around you

[FEATURE REQUEST] Can you please add a "Sun Glasses" mode 😎 ? (not a joke)

Other concessions/bugs:

FS2020 can't deal with pathnames beyond 260 chars, problem and solutions

[BUG/FEATURE REQUEST] Add support for mouse wheel to change the UI settings sliders

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by RXP

[wthomas33065 994]

3 hours ago, desbean said:

I have no way to compare what I saw last year to what I see now, that would be more perception than reality. When it first came out it was such a massive visual improvement to anything that I had before that it appeared perfect. Once you become used to that level of visuals then the picking apart arrives.

Yes,  our perceptions always change the more jaded we become.  When I was 10 years old, I thought the acting in Star Wars was tremendous....."But I was going to Tosche Station to pick up some power converters.....".   Wow... such depth of feeling, such intense character.....uh huh....

 

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

I think that folks that fly low and don't use addons will like this update very much.  Going above FL200, the ground gets very blurry.  Everyone removed everything from their community folder to get the sim installed and I've been skittish about adding stuff back.  Even without 3rd party stuff I'm still getting the occasional CTD...last night in the C172.  Framerates are up about 25% or so.  But I'd rather have crisp earth textures than that performance boost, tbh.

 

[Concodroid 84]

11 hours ago, Sphynnx said:

Yes, it was, and with every single update, they lowered the visuals 

Yeah, like when they added contrails, or fixed the water masks, or added dust effects...

[pmb 5,137]

2 hours ago, RXP said:

I can help you find some: 😉

Visual concessions/bugs: ....

Other concessions/bugs: ...

As a frequent visitor of the official forum, I know most of these. There may be a couple of them which are relevant for me, some more which go under "nice to have" and the rest are opinions/taste.

I want to simulate flying a plane with proper main functions in pretty scenery, that's it. If others are into mainly searching niggles they can do that. (Which doesn't exclude I don't report issues, believe me or not, I have quite a list of Zendesk reports.) 

There are a few things I actually dislike, including the horizon line or terrain popping. But even those don't hinder me to take advantage of the sim and like it, even more from a perspective of 30 years of simming.

That's me as a user. You as a developer may (and perhaps should)  have other priorities.

Kind regards, Michael