2 hours ago, lwt1971 said:

They actually addressed this question in the SDK Q&A that just happened, watch here: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1660848226?t=00h58m00s .. Looks like improvements coming to resolution of terraforming in SU12, which they hope will solve this and related issues.

Brilliant! 

On 11/22/2022 at 8:14 AM, MattNischan said:

I've heard this in other areas of the community and I honestly don't understand it, so maybe folks can enlighten me (and I'm truly all ears), and this is me speaking just as a curious, befuddled community member.

Well I think there are a minority of loud people who get the majority of attention.

On 11/22/2022 at 8:14 AM, MattNischan said:

For years one of the biggest items on the wishlist was fixing the sim-included Garmin systems and making the Premium planes worth the purchase.

By "for years" I assume you mean going back to FS2004 or FSX days, because MSFS hasn't been around but 2 years, but YES I share your sentiment that it's so nice having good avionics and so aggravating having less-than-stellar units in the sim.  Speaking of FS2004/FSX days of 10-15 years ago, I used to fiddle around with Ernie Alston's ISG gauges, and I see a lot of that heritage in WT's approach to the simulation of each device.

On 11/22/2022 at 8:14 AM, MattNischan said:

Now that that's actually happening, in a big way unseen in any simulator to date (the G3000 will be even more advanced than the NXi, the CJ4 avionics will be even more feature complete than the mod, etc), I see relatively little fanfare and instead quite a few complaints focused on far less core things, like AI aircraft. I think AI aircraft are cool, but shouldn't the primary focus be on what you, the pilot, is actually piloting? If that experience is still not up to expectations, why wouldn't people want those things?

Oh, people want those things.  I'm a big avionics guy.  I wish someone would make an CIVA INS system.  But despite this...even I consider AI very close to being a core sim item.  If an AI does a runway incursion as you're taking off, or buzzes your airspace just as you're landing, there goes your flight plan entry and all the prep work you've done using the wonderful avionics.

Besides, if indeed the avionics guys are not involved with the sim guys, then one should not affect the other as to fixing AI, i.e. "fixing AI" vs. "advanced avionics" should never be a thing/should never come into contact with one another.   Except maybe in a TCAS page.

On 11/22/2022 at 8:14 AM, MattNischan said:

It's just odd to me to see backlash to "hey, we're going above and beyond to give you one of the biggest and most consistent asks since the beginning of the sim". So, maybe folks can help me out on this one.

I'm not sure how increasing the realism of avionics doesn't increase the realism of the simulator. But also, Asobo is still focused on the core sim. That's why we're here, to be the aircraft and avionics dudes. One thing doesn't take resources away from the other thing.

Also, I would argue, that not just any studio can make them, or we would have seen payware versions of the G3000/5000, GNS430/530, and the PL21, since folks have had over two years to do it. But I'm heavily biased. 😉

No backlash.  Just a vocal minority.  Keep the sunny side up, you guys are doing exactly what I and many others have always wanted going back 15-20 years.   On that latter paragraph above, no one has done it in 2 years because quite frankly we've seen a lot of "cheap and cheerful" (to borrow @Chock 's phrase) add-ons to cater to a new simulator.  That area of simulation is good for our community as a whole as well, but it's not necessarily content some of us want.  WT on the other hand is testimony to the enthusiasts affecting the development path in a very, very positive way, and it's definitely content guys like me want.   I just want to enjoy my avionics WITHOUT some random A320neo running into me, laughing, and taxiing into the woods.

@MattNischan another voice chiming in to say that you shouldn’t feel like there’s a negative reaction - like someone else said, some people will have a negative reaction to anything, just how they’re wired. Of course valid and thoughtful criticism is never a bad thing, but some people just want to be negative about everything. 
 

I’m not singling out anyone with that statement, rather trying to say that there are people like me that are absolutely stoked at the future of this sim and I can’t wait for all the new goodies. Flight sim was a moribund niche before MSFS revitalized it; yes I was using XP and P3D but both of those felt like very niche platforms, and it just felt like a hobby for a few nerdy simmers. 
 

I draw a lot of parallels to Amateur Radio (ham radio). I happen to be a young-ish ham radio operator and it has the exact same feeling of being a very niche hobby for a few people. Loud and passionate arguments about stuff , but very little thought about actually growing the hobby by bringing new users. Flight sim does NOT feel like that anymore and MSFS has a large role to play in that. 
 

so keep on keeping on and know that there are loads of people excited for the new updates. 

On 11/22/2022 at 8:52 AM, MattNischan said:

Mostly just curious as to why the schedule announcement got a negative reaction in a few places.

I have a theory on this.  The release of the Fenix and PMDG737 six months ago changed everyone’s priorities.  For 90% of simmers the 737 and A320 are the bread and butter of their sim.  They will fly other things but at the end of the day those two planes are what dominate simmers interests.  Before their release all the flaws of major airport operations weren’t that big of an issue.  Now everyone is caught up in wanting AI because it enhances the experience so much when flying one of those two aircraft.  ATC is also a big part of that.  The on the ground performance, taxi and approach at a big airport or even medium sized one are still miserable.  Trying to land a little corporate jet or even taxi it doesn’t seem that bad, but when you start doing that with bigger iron people notice.  So in short the focus seems to have shifted to what enhances A320 and 737 operations and all the fun is at the big airports.

It’s a theory but that’s my guess.

 

7 minutes ago, TravelRunner404 said:

For 90% of simmers the 737 and A320 are the bread and butter of their sim.

I think this is an Avsim-ism, really. Most people are actually not flying big iron.

The biggest planes Ive ever flown in MSFS was the HJET and Cessna 414.

sp

On 11/18/2022 at 1:10 PM, lwt1971 said:

I recall some clowns in other sim forum(s) who seemed to think they were full of clairvoyance in declaring that MSFS will not be enhanced beyond the 40th anniversary and that the funding had dried up, since the roadmaps in the dev updates before today weren't showing anything for 2023 🤣

Ahhhh the name-calling. Fully expected from you (all)! In the words of Captain Hook, "Good form!" Or ...."consistent form!" Or something like that.

Indeed I was wrong about Asobo in '23 but it was easy to come to that conclusion. Attempted clairvoyance? More like research.

A couple years ago they did indeed rack up lists of feature requests and were applying dates as to when those features would be released. After '22 there was a complete dirth of projections. Those calendars are no longer available. Why not lay out a steady march of calendar projections going forward, unless something is amiss?

Sagard NewGen acquired a somewhat-minority stake in Asobo. Why seek significantly-controlling investors if business is soooo amazing already?

 

That said, I do have a question. Has Asobo ever released any detail about their revenue splits? I couldn't find it in a google search. They claim to have 2 million unique users! Do we know how many of those customers are non-direct-paying downloads from xbox game pass?

I've also wondered why they don't show up at legitimate flight sim conferences in addition to their xbox appearances. Ever. Even Lockheed Martin has come to those from time to time. It would appear that Asobo's biggest revenue focus is xbox, correct?

 

On 11/23/2022 at 10:00 PM, lwt1971 said:

They actually addressed this question in the SDK Q&A that just happened, watch here: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1660848226?t=00h58m00s .. Looks like improvements coming to resolution of terraforming in SU12, which they hope will solve this and related issues.

Thanks for posting this. If I understand it correctly, this improves the terraforming tool for scenery developers (which is great). But how does it minimalise morphing/shifting of mountainous and coastal terrain in general? Isn‘t that more about LOD transition than resolution? 

On 11/24/2022 at 12:57 AM, Mace said:

 But despite this...even I consider AI very close to being a core sim item.  If an AI does a runway incursion as you're taking off, or buzzes your airspace just as you're landing, there goes your flight plan entry and all the prep work you've done using the wonderful avionics.
 

You can ignore that moment just like you can ignore the door bell, phone, barking dog or fire brigade that's knocking on your door.

 

5 hours ago, hansb57 said:

You can ignore that moment just like you can ignore the door bell, phone, barking dog or fire brigade that's knocking on your door.

 

I can also ignore a less-than-functional G1000.