Handing over the development of their new franchise to Asobo Studio was the best decision Microsoft could have made.

With MSFS Asobo scored a home run on the first try. They looked at flight simulation with fresh eyes and close to 20 years of experience in creating an immersive gaming environment.

I eagerly await the sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence (which I highly recommend, if you haven't played it yet).

I'll just add to all the good advice so far... as my sig says I have been using various flight sims over many years including FSX, P3D, and XP.. and currently MSFS is the only sim on my system and what I consider worthy of building up a collection of add-ons around.

One vital set of add-ons will be some good high fidelity 3rd party aircrafts that suit your flying needs (i.e. Fenix A320, PMDG 737, Just Flight Bae 146, Maddog MD80, etc in the airliners category ... Milviz C310, FSW C414, Kodiak, Sting S4 in the GA category.. the upcoming A2A Comanche will likely be a contender for best GA aircraft once it releases hopefully later this year, see https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/620956-first-a2a-comanche-preview). It's only with these aircrafts developed by experts that you'll get properly implemented flight models for each type, and see the full potential of MSFS's advanced aerodynamics core engine which also keeps improving with each release. The CFD technology using Navier Stokes equations (see the "How it works" section in https://docs.flightsimulator.com/flighting/html/Developer_Mode/Aircraft_Editor/Debug/Debug_Aircraft_CFD.htm) is already in the core sim and aircrafts like the Milviz C310 and Sting S4 take advantage of it, that I know of.

The next big update to the aerodynamics engine will be coming in November along with core support for gliders and helicopters where this CFD processing will be expanded to a 20 mile cocoon around the aircraft to more fully simulate atmostpheric airflows, thermals, up/down drafts, vortices, etc. Ground/water physics and handling is one area where the core sim needs improvements but Asobo has identified those as focus areas and improvements are already arriving in the upcoming SU10.  Apart from that, AI and ATC are also areas that could do with improvements and they're also earmarked for beefing up in future releases.

The default aircrafts are nothing to write home about currently as their flight models are not fully/properly implemented by Asobo as of now (except maybe for the C172).. but come the November release MS/Asobo will be adding the iniBuilds A310 (high fidelity wide-body) and some other medium to high fidelity birds to the default fleet. iniBuilds has already gone out of their way to state the MSFS A310's flight model is at par with XP's (see https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/621240-inibuilds-a310-new-updatescreenshot/?do=findComment&comment=4804939). When it comes to default avionics MSFS again leads the pack by far, with a very realistic implementation of the G1000 Nxi included in the core sim along with others coming in the future (all courtesy of the talented Working Title team who're now part of MS/Asobo).

So bottom line, with just the base sim + high fidelity 3rd-party aircrafts you have an unbeatable flight sim experience that delivers of course the class leading visuals and world/weather rendering+simulation, along with aircrafts that deliver high fidelity and realistic flight dynamics and systems. For me, it's still astounding how far MSFS has moved the ball in terms of flights simulation given all what I've used in the past... it really is the all-rounder sim that enables the full immersive experience.. and it continuously and frequently keeps getting better with constant updates by a development team in Asobo that are full of passion for what they do and are very approachable, interactive, and transparent with their customer base.

 

Edited July 25, 20223 yr by lwt1971

23 minutes ago, lwt1971 said:

The next big update to the aerodynamics engine will be coming in November along with core support for gliders and helicopters where this CFD processing will be expanded to a 20 mile cocoon around the aircraft to more fully simulate atmostpheric airflows, thermals, up/down drafts, vortices, etc.

This reminded me...to the OP, take a look on YouTube or Twitch for the developer Q&As - lots of detailed and fascinating info on the inner working of the engine, as well as work on upcoming features.

Not gonna lie, I thing the G1000 NXi is the most underrated thing about MSFS. When the occasional game vs sim debates pop up, I often wonder why people don't factor the NXi into it. The WT team don't get enough credit for it but maybe that will change once SU10 gets out of beta. Correct me if I'm wrong but it will be the most in-depth default avionics available for any consumer level sim, right?

29 minutes ago, Krakin said:

Not gonna lie, I thing the G1000 NXi is the most underrated thing about MSFS. When the occasional game vs sim debates pop up, I often wonder why people don't factor the NXi into it. The WT team don't get enough credit for it but maybe that will change once SU10 gets out of beta. Correct me if I'm wrong but it will be the most in-depth default avionics available for any consumer level sim, right?

If my understanding is correct, the G1000 NXi will be the most advanced default G1000 for a flight simulator, when it replaces the current G1000 in SU 10. 

1 hour ago, Krakin said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but it will be the most in-depth default avionics available for any consumer level sim, right?

By far

46 minutes ago, lwt1971 said:

By far

Xp11's stuff is also very good - and until WT updates the GNS in MSFS, the stock XP GNS is still better that what we have now.  The G1000 nxi from WT, is better than the XP g1000 though.

On 7/24/2022 at 7:01 AM, CFIJose said:

The only downsides of the sim are: updates are mandatory and you need an active & fast internet connection.

I personally don't believe this is a downside.  Asobo is just trying to keep everybody on the same page.  How could they field complaints if everyone is running a different version.  As far as the internet connection, I believe gone are the days when everything would fit on a couple of DVDs.  Most people would have to buy large drives just to run the program and load times would be even longer.

Just my guess as to why they chose this path. 

Roy

1 hour ago, ryanbatc said:

The G1000 nxi from WT, is better than the XP g1000 though.

The irony is, the XP cult keep claiming that XP has better default systems than MSFS. Well, at least for the G1000, that is not true as of SU 10.

Edited July 25, 20223 yr by abrams_tank

4 hours ago, abrams_tank said:

The irony is, the XP cult keep claiming that XP has better default systems than MSFS. Well, at least for the G1000, that is not true as of SU 10.

I agree.  XP is a cult and MSFS is a movement.

sp

Thanks to those that gave example details. Reading here and other threads, my impression is that FS2020 is still beta and largely evolving, which is fine. It is certainly on target to become 'the' sim but I'll wait for it and addons to more fully finalize. For now I'm still very content with the fully proven system and functionality immerse of FSX.

39 minutes ago, VeryBumpy said:

Reading here and other threads, my impression is that FS2020 is still beta

We are all, of course, entitled to our opinions, but might I inquire which of the many responses to your original post, some quite detailed and thoughtful, lead to the impression that MSFS is still in beta? Is there some confusion about the current extensive opt-in beta testing of SU10, perhaps?

Many thanks and good luck.

3 hours ago, VeryBumpy said:

Reading here and other threads, my impression is that FS2020 is still beta and largely evolving, which is fine.

Clearly you want to stay with FSX, which is fine also.. but where you got that impression from puzzles me.. 😉

As far as stability FSX was always an Aspen leaf fluttering in the breeze while MSFS has always been the Rock of Gilbralter.

sp

Edited July 28, 20223 yr by Sky_Pilot071

Waiting for a fully satisfactory MSFS is like waiting for the Great Pumpkin. Meanwhile we should be thanksgiving for the excellent winter squash now there on the table.