As MSFS 2024 is about to be released tomorrow, I think this video sums up what many of us thought when we first saw the first trailer for MSFS 2020:

I remember when I saw the trailer for MSFS 2020, my jaw dropped. I was in disbelief like this guy.  The leap in graphics for a civilian flight simulator was just shocking to me.  This trailer really put into focus how much the top civillian flight simulators back in 2019 were lagging in technology.  And I remember that when I finally downloaded and had my first flight in MSFS 2020, I was blown away.  I finally understood then, what flight simulation could be like if it utilized the technology available in 2020.

It's been a glorious 4 years with MSFS 2020.  I hope the MSFS 2024 brings me the same joy for the next several years (until MSFS 2028 comes out 🤣). I expect some bumps and turbulence with MSFS 2024 in the first few months, just like there was with MSFS 2020.  But sometimes when you look back, you got to laugh.  Remember in the fall of 2020 when certain peripherals that were plugged in caused a CTD on the loading/menu screen of MSFS 2020?  Haha, those were good times! That perhipheral CTD bug was one of the reasons why the MSFS team decided to do a beta test before each Sim Update, first a closed beta test, and then transitioned to an open beta test.

I honestly expect the same with MSFS 2024, it will be rough in the first few months.  But I think after a few months, when the MSFS team is able to do a few patches, and 3rd party developers are able to get their add-ons working smoothly for MSFS 2024, we are going to be taken for another ride.  And one day, when MSFS 2024 approaches the end of its lifecycle (because ahem, MSFS 2028 or whatever comes out), we'll look back with fond memories of what a great flight simulator MSFS 2024 was!

 

 

Edited November 18, 20241 yr by abrams_tank

I remember thinking that it will be some kind of Microsoft Flight (2012) because I couldn't believe that we will have all of earth in such detail. I thought that this sim will have areas of the world sold as DLCs. So because of these ideas I was utterly disappointed. Boy was I wrong and we were so in for a treat

My last days of using FSX involved working with FSEarthtiles and Tileproxy, so when the first MSFS videos popped up I knew It was going to be what I had long dreamed about.  It was just a case of building a PC that could handle it before buying the program itself.

MSFS2020 was a big leap compared to MSFS2024 for someone who likes flying low and slow whilst making the sim as realistic as possible with hardware upgrades, tweaks and scenery enhancements.  I'm not sure that career mode or fighting fires is going to do much for me, but we shall see.

I'm looking forward to better weather depiction, scenery, rendering, terrain and better performance really.  I'm just hoping that most of my 2020 addons will work - but not holding my breath in this respect.

On a more disappointing front, I was hoping for better ATC and I shared cockpit.  Hopefully this will come further down the road.

 

Edited November 18, 20241 yr by cianpars

Luckily I was actually watching Microsoft's presentation live on my TV when it happened. I was in a gamer group chat on my phone and I'm pretty sure they saw me typing gibberish lol. When the logo showed at the end of the trailer, I jumped out of my chair and screamed lol. 

The "let it snow" is was my favorite.

2 hours ago, Krakin said:

Luckily I was actually watching Microsoft's presentation live on my TV when it happened. I was in a gamer group chat on my phone and I'm pretty sure they saw me typing gibberish lol. When the logo showed at the end of the trailer, I jumped out of my chair and screamed lol. 

Haha, awesome!  I honestly thought a lot of the video in the MSFS 2020 announcement trailer was CG animated video. I was skeptical and I still didn't think it was actual in game footage - because how could it be that good? However, when I saw the first gameplay video, I realized that darn, the announcement trailer was using in game footage! And as I watched the first gameplay video on Youtube, I just couldn't wait until MSFS 2020 was released.  I remember being on the official MSFS Discord channel at the exact time it was released and every second person there was changing their time zone to Kirabati just so they could purchase and play MSFS 2020 earlier 🤣

Edited November 18, 20241 yr by abrams_tank

I was watching Microsoft’s E3 presentation when it was announced. My daughter saw me freaking out that it was coming back and was highly amused. 

LOL, love his reaction because it was mine also!  I could not believe what my eyes were seeing.

Well, I don't remember what I was looking at, but I saw the Flight Simulator logo and thought what is this? As I investigated what I was looking at a little more it slowly dawned on me that it appeared to be a notice for a reveal of a new version of FS and I think my mouth dropped open in total surprise. After the shock wore off from that point on I was just delighted at what I was seeing, and the rest is history. Now ready for the next advancement, though it will be a few days as I am on a trip. Very excited!

A friend mentioned it on our Facebook group, and my initial thought was that Microsoft must have had second thoughts about cancelling MS Flight. Then I looked at the scenery - and have been blown away by it from that day to this.

I still remember watching the live stream of the event (I was actually checking to see if there was some new Starfield demo) and being completely confused about the MSFS teaser because it came totally out of the blue.

As far as I remember, there was absolutely no rumours about Microsoft bringing back the franchise back then.

I had switched from FSX to P3D and then was using X-Plane when the announcement came. Like many, I had no idea it was even coming. At the time, I was quite happy with X-Plane but knew that MSFS2020 would be a day-one purchase, just like 2024 was.

I do not remember my reaction, but I am guessing that it was a "guarded" response, as I did not switch from P3Dv4 for another three years!!

I saw it first on the ORBX forum.
It was quite a coincidence that we talked about flightsim software visually being outdated and wishing the graphics would be something like the games of that current time just a few weeks before the announcement.
My thoughts? "finally".

The trailer they dropped was jaw dropping. Its incredible to think that only a short time ago all we really had was P3D (and xplane). The hobby has exploded again with Microsoft. Really exciting times ahead with MSFS 2024, a healthy future for flightsim.