OCTOBER 21ST, 2021 DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Posted by: Microsoft Flight Simulator Team

Screenshot by fs_spotter_kaf from Instagram

 

We would like to take a moment to say a big ‘THANK YOU’ to the community. Firstly, to those who choose to help with our pre-release testing efforts. We received great feedback from the Sim Update 6 Flight and are looking forward to the Reno flight that starts tomorrow. If you haven’t signed up yet, click here to learn more. And of course, to everyone who participates in the forums, Discord, Reddit, and more: Thank you for being a part of the community! New information has also been shared on our upcoming Reno Air Races DLC, coming November 18th. Learn about all the planes being added below:

Of course, this week we announced our upcoming Game of the Year Edition, which includes new aircraft, airports, missions, features, and photogrammetry cities all free for existing users coming this November 18th.

More news has been shared on our recent Live Dev Q&A, which you can find in the Twitch section of today’s update. Happy flying!

– The MSFS team

 

DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP

Click here for the web-friendly version.

 

FEEDBACK SNAPSHOT

Click here for the web-friendly version. To learn more about Accessibility in Microsoft Flight Simulator, click here.

KEY
SU = Sim Update (6, 7, etc.)	WU = World Update
ASAP = As Soon as Possible	TBD =To Be Determined
Several Releases = Fixes will come over a series of updates
Ongoing Fixes = An item we will continually be working on
Planned = Scheduled to be worked on
Under Investigation = The team is currently looking into this issue
Not Planned = We will likely not work on this
Not Started = We have not begun investigation on this yet
Started = Development work as started on this item

 

COMMUNITY TRIAGE UPDATE

Click here to see our Known Issues list.

• Multiplayer Functionality/Live AI Traffic Intermittently Missing since Sim Update 6
  • Our team is currently investigating this issue. There are two possible root causes at this time and they hope to make a server-side fix as soon as possible. We will keep you updated on progress.
• Avionics Screens Going Black
  • While reports of small improvements have been shared post Sim Update 6, the team is still investigating. Sebastian Wloch from Asobo gave this update in the recent Dev Q&A:

 

SDK UPDATE

• General
  • Sim Update 6 is live! We found issues in the Project Editor that are already fixed for the next update. Below is some information about the issues:
    • “Remove Package” & “Remove Asset Group” don’t do anything. You will have to edit your Project and/or Package definition XMLs manually to remove entries.
    • If you use the “Export for Community” function, a “MarketplaceData” folder will be mistakenly created in your package which will causes the validation to fail. As an easy workaround, build you package through the “Build package” button of the Project Editor and zip it manually if required.
    • We received reports regarding the fspackagetool not providing feedback anymore upon running. The issue has been identified on our side.

All those issues are fixed on the next update.

• Dev Mode
  • We fixed an issue with the “Display Collisions” tool which didn’t display the names correctly.
  • Scenery Editor
    • We fixed a crash on the Object selector that could happen after building the package.
    • We fixed the floating taxipoints.
    • We now prevent taxipath type changes to or from parking type.
    • We fixed the search filters that no longer worked.
  • Visual Effects Editor
    • We added a StaticMesh node.
    • We made major improvements to the Bezier Curve UX/UI.
    • We fixed the duplication of VFX template references when opening effects for edition multiple times.

 

3RD PARTY UPDATE

• As of 10/17, we have now approved 219 (+0) third parties into the in-sim marketplace and – so far 119 (+0) have released 558 add-ons on PC (+10) and 203 on Xbox (+18).
• In total, 1,403 products (+11) have already been released in 3rd party stores and the in-sim marketplace. Beyond that, another 391 add-ons (-2) from 3rd party developers are in production (254 announced, 137 unannounced). In total, over 1,794 3rd party add-ons (+11) are either released or are in development.
• Airports:
  • 1123 airports (+8) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 903 airports (+9) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 448 airports (+9) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 107 airports (-1) beyond the released airports have been announced.
    • 113 airports (+0) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an airport is in production.
• Aircraft:
  • 229 aircraft (+2) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 74 aircraft (+0) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 46 aircraft (+3) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 131 aircraft (+1) beyond the released aircraft have been announced.
    • 24 aircraft (+1) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an aircraft is in production.
• Scenery:
  • 399 sceneries (+1) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 383 sceneries (+2) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 38 sceneries (+0) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 16 sceneries (-1) beyond the released scenery have been announced.
• Mission Packs:
  • 43 mission packs (+0) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 43 mission packs (+0) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 4 mission packs (+0) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 0 mission packs (+0) beyond the released missions have been announced.

 

MARKETPLACE UPDATES

There are 52 new products (24 on PC, 28 on Xbox), and 13 updated products (12 on PC, 1 on Xbox) in the Marketplace today.

 

UPDATES RELEASED TUESDAY, 10/19: 2 ON PC, 2 ON XBOX

 

 

52 NEW PRODUCTS: 24 ON PC, 28 ON XBOX

New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅
New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on Xbox ✅
New on Xbox ✅	New on Xbox ✅	New on PC ✅
New on Xbox ✅	New on Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅
New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅
New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅
New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅
New on PC ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅
New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on Xbox ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅
New on PC and Xbox ✅	New on PC ✅	New on PC and Xbox ✅
New on PC ✅		New on Xbox ✅

 

13 UPDATED PRODUCTS: 12 ON PC, 1 ON XBOX

Updated on PC ✅	Updated on PC ✅	Updated on PC ✅
Updated on PC ✅	Updated on PC ✅	Updated on PC ✅
Updated on PC ✅	Updated on PC ✅	Updated on PC ✅
Updated on PC ✅	Updated on PC and Xbox ✅	Updated on PC ✅

 

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Have you made a cool Halloween livery? We are running a Spooktober livery conteest! There is still plenty of time to submit your entry, but voting has opened up today! The winner will receive a year subscription to Discord Nitro, and will also be featured in both the 10/28 Development Update and the Community Fly-In stream the following day on Friday, October 29th. Join our Discord and look in the #halloween-livery-contest channel for more details.

 

TWITCH UPDATE

We stream weekly on Twitch.tv/MSFSOfficial! This week, there is no Friday Fly-in. Catch Senior Community Manager Jayne and ForderLearntoFly next Tuesday, Oct. 26th at 2100Z (2 pm PT) for our next Flying Lessons in the C172 G1000! And if you missed it, here is the latest Developer Q&A:

 

COMMUNITY VIDEO

When flying NORDO, air traffic control will use red and green lights to direct your airplane. Keep this in mind as you tour Squid Game Island from the popular Netflix series in this gorgeous 4K video from YouTuber Sam van Breda.

 

FEATURED FREEWARE MOD

While Squid Game may be the most hyped show of 2021, the popularity of the tv series M*A*S*H was unrivaled back in the 1970s and 80s. With this freeware mod from forum user Photosbykev, you can visit M*A*S*H’s filming location in California and re-create the show’s iconic opening aerial sequence.

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/update-v1-1-m-a-s-h-the-film-set-photosbykev/459429

 

SCREENSHOT CHALLENGE

You can now submit your screenshot via Instagram and Twitter with #MSFSchallenge or the Weekly Forum Post! This week’s screenshot challenge: Color Series – Orange

This past week our Screenshot Challenge was Fly Me to the Moon. Here are our runner ups this week:

Screenshot by JazzSam (forums)

 

Screenshot by canuck695 (forums)

 

Screenshot by HeKa48 (forums)

 

Screenshot by SeaNNyT (forums)

 

Screenshot by AlexPinheiro95 (forums)

 

Screenshot by ArcanePython931 (forums)

 

Screenshot by Matt_Photomode (twitter)

 

Screenshot by SeaNNyT (forum)

 

Screenshot by smalinj (twitter)

 

Screenshot by DiscoDave50 (forum)

 

NEXT DEVELOPMENT UPDATE BLOG – October 28th, 2021

Sincerely,

Microsoft Flight Simulator Team

Edited October 21, 20214 yr by ChaoticBeauty

The Feedback Snapshot has been updated with several new dates. Here's a quick summary of new things and planned improvements I've found.

Sim Update 7 - 18th November 2021

• Replay functionality
• DirectX 12
• Logbook pop-up
• Vegetation draw distance slider
• Legacy event playlist
• Live weather and wind readings
• Night lighting
• Turboprop engine logic
• Flight planner reshuffling
• Excessive lightning
• Missing airports

Sim Update 8 - 22nd February 2022

• Approach flyback bug
• Real-time traffic
• Excessive lightning

Q1 2022

• Chinese localisation

Q3 2022

• Gliders and soaring
• Korean subtitles

Q4 2022

• Helicopters

2022

• Weather and terrain APIs
• Ground vehicles in active taxiways
• ATC phraseology
• Coastline glitch
• Grainy reflections
• Dark autogen airports
• Terrain morphing
• Wrong temperatures
• Unrealistic airport lighting distances
• ATC assigning incorrect runways

2022-2023

• South Korea World Update

Under Investigation

• Unlocked FSArchive files for Deluxe/Premium aircraft

Welcome back ChaoticBeauty!  Seems like this forum missed you when SU6 went live, lol.

So my understanding of the Reno air race expansion is that if you purchase the $20 version of it:

1. You get 4 additional planes, including a P-51 version that is used in the Reno air race, to fly.  And you can fly those 4 additional planes anywhere around the world, not just at the Reno air race.

2. For $20, you also get to use the Reno air race.  So you can fly the 4 planes you get in the Reno air race.

Is this correct?  If this is correct, the $20 in itself might be worth it just to get a P-51 to fly around the world.  The Reno air race is just extra icing on the cake.

Edited October 21, 20214 yr by abrams_tank

Great to see you back @ChaoticBeauty!🙂 You were badly missed.

Kind regards, Michael

The vegetation slider is still a mystery to me. Didn't one of the guys (Seb) tell us during the last Q&A there's no need for it (maybe I didn't get this right because of language barrier, though).

And given we have an extended terrain slider now (which works well and might be further extended), what will the vegetation slider exactly do?

Kind regards, Michael

I won't lie the shift from "Not Planned" to "Under Investigation'' for unlocking the FSArchive files for Premium/Deluxe Aircraft has genuinely shocked me.

Not that long ago they were so adamant they would never do and and yet here were are 🙂

Edited October 21, 20214 yr by Matchstick

Really glad they're bringing back the old events in SU7.

45 minutes ago, ChaoticBeauty said:

Sim Update 7 - 18th November 2021

 

Excessive lightning

Oh please let this be true.

Edited October 21, 20214 yr by DaveS

25 minutes ago, pmb said:

The vegetation slider is still a mystery to me. Didn't one of the guys (Seb) tell us during the last Q&A there's no need for it (maybe I didn't get this right because of language barrier, though).

The tree draw distance is dictated both by the Trees and Terrain Level of Detail settings right now, though it is not clear to me whether the latter places a cap on the max distance or multiplies the base one. Although the request originally stemmed from the situation with the hard cap that didn't allow the seasons add-on to extend it all the way to the horizon as it used to, right now it would allow us to set a precise draw distance separately from the other settings.

4 hours ago, pmb said:

The vegetation slider is still a mystery to me. Didn't one of the guys (Seb) tell us during the last Q&A there's no need for it (maybe I didn't get this right because of language barrier, though).

And given we have an extended terrain slider now (which works well and might be further extended), what will the vegetation slider exactly do?

Kind regards, Michael

You heard correctly.  It sounds like they might be trying to make it a bit better somehow.  I think some things are running together now with what they've already done.  Along those lines, they are also trying out ways to reduce shimmering by creating a separate LOD and/or (mesh cube? can't remember the term) (not a slider) for the smaller objects on buildings which will also help performance.  Things like AC units on buildings don't need to be drawn in so far out.  I'd have to go back and watch it again to parse it out exactly.  It sounds like they're on top of it.

As @ChaoticBeauty said the LOD slider right now moves those things out further already.

Now...to the LOD slider.  I have tried moving it out to 400.  It does NOT make the roads go out any further.  It cost about 15-20 FPS on my system.  I assume the ratio is the same across most PCs.  At altitude I see NO reason to move it to 400.  There is no real benefit visually.  That's my opinion though.  Amir from FENIX confirmed this also.  At first I thought I was going crazy.  Leaving it at 200 is the way to go and save the overhead.  The night lighting has been greatly improved regardless of that setting.

My recommendation is leave it at 200 and let ASOBO continue to make their optimizations down stream.  I think they've done a great job with SU6 and things will just get even better going forward.  It looks like they're starting to get their second wind with the sim updates now like they have with the world updates.  I honestly can't believe the speed at which they are moving in making improvements.  Side note:  Reno actually looks really good...lol.  I wasn't sure if it would interest me or not, but either way, I think it's great for the platform as a whole.

6 hours ago, DaveS said:

Oh please let this be true.

SU7 & SU8, hopefully it's fixed as part of the weather system update in SU7 with potential further improvement the update after.

Edited October 22, 20214 yr by MarcG

9 hours ago, ChaoticBeauty said:

Q4 2022

• Helicopters

So just like Reno is a DLC in Q4 2021, I am guessing Helicopters will be the DLC for 2022.

2 hours ago, espent said:

So just like Reno is a DLC in Q4 2021, I am guessing Helicopters will be the DLC for 2022.

I don't really have a problem if helicopter's are DLC after all I'd imagine we'll also get some very helicopter's and missions as well as the added functionality.

11 hours ago, Matchstick said:

I won't lie the shift from "Not Planned" to "Under Investigation'' for unlocking the FSArchive files for Premium/Deluxe Aircraft has genuinely shocked me.

Not that long ago they were so adamant they would never do and and yet here were are 🙂

I think the problem was all about opening up the whole FSArchive file, which would lead to severe complications with intellectual property rights of the plane manufacturers. 

In the September Q&A Jörg finally saw that the request was mostly about modding the config files, not about the 3D models etc, and he was like: Ahhh THIS should be easy, we don't mind. But still they have to discuss it with the manufacturers to be on the safe side legally, I think he mentioned something along these lines in the Q&A a couple of days ago.