So I know this is going to sound funny but I believe MS/Asobo mentioned in one of the Q&A's that there would be silent updates or fixes pushed to 2024 and I also believe I've read here of things getting fixed in 24 without any intervention.  In other words I believe I am speculating about speculation LOL.

At the same time 2020 has quietly gone through what clearly look to be improvements to me including

Cloud Layers-  For ages I would depart in Overcast and then bust through the "tops" at 3000 ft and magically it was clear.  Now I've got actual cloud layers and was in the soup for 15,000 ft all the way down to minimums the other day.  I've also had far more high level clouds and the cloud coloring seems improved.

LOD detail-  Night or day I have clear textures all the way to the horizon and best I can figure I can track roads up to 40-50 miles away.  It's a vast improvement.

Texture improvements- Especially noticeable around my home airport of Newark but noticed them on my flights all over the East Coast.  Coupled with LOD detail improvements I just overflew Paris at night and saw all of the ring roads, all of the surrounding roads, all of the lights and throughout Europe I am seeing light groupings of what I guess are wind farms from MILES away with no popping and no sharp/blurry images.  It was just clear.  

Night sky-  Transition textures at sunrise and sunset seem better but the night sky used to be a huge pet peeve for me in MSFS.  It was sort of a blurry mess lol.  Now it is crystal and I mean crystal clear and sharp with vastly varied coloring based on moon phase.  Sometimes it's blue, other times it is deep black.  

Shadows-  Much sharper and no more flickering

Overall lighting improvements.

Performance also seems better and the whole checking for updates delay is gone as well.  

Now in total transparency I have also updated to DLSS4 but reverted FG to 3.51 as that was the sharpest combination with almost no ghosting, everything I described above and stellar performance.  I have also updated to the latest CUDA drivers per the DLSS4 thread.  Other than that nothing else has changed on my side.  It is just when you do the same flights routinely you notice when things look "different."  Is it possible they are pushing silent updates to both sims?  

I have a lot of pics but I know you aren't supposed to post screen shots here so if anyone wants to see what I am seeing feel free.  These are my last few flights.  It's like 180 pictures but scroll wheel works great LOL.  I just didn't want to post all of that without "something" to show what I am seeing.  

In any case it looks the best I have personally ever seen it and I am incredibly happy.  

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOz335tolEFAIJX57Oaz85t8fA_M1CjFoK4ru7i5UR4yHR27o2ibKoq7HxX6ce6Ow?key=OHJSQ3hiX0xCRVJuRzMzSVRLdEhCVldQd2Vpa3N3

 

Now to keep this light hearted and try to prevent the usual sim wars from turning this thread upside down I surveyed both my rescue pups to see if they were as excited as I was.

Their enthusiasm was palpable.  You could feel the energy in the room.  😉   Come on, you can't argue in a thread with dog pics LOL 
Technically these aren't screen shots 🙂 

 

Edited January 29, 20251 yr by psolk

The background update that I would like to see is improved Bing aerial imagery that gets rid of those lime green textures (and horrible joint line) east of EHLE Lelystad in the Netherlands, and a fix for the southern England dust bowl

25 minutes ago, psolk said:

Now to keep this light hearted and try to prevent the usual sim wars from turning this thread upside down I surveyed both my rescue pups to see if they were as excited as I was.

Their enthusiasm was palpable.  You could feel the energy in the room.  😉   Come on, you can't argue in a thread with dog pics LOL 
Technically these aren't screen shots 🙂 

 

Let sleeping dogs lie😉

 

They're a couple of sweeties right there btw

18 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

The background update that I would like to see is improved Bing aerial imagery that gets rid of those lime green textures

Isn't that down to the incorrect lighting model in 2020?

17 minutes ago, Rusty Spanner said:

Let sleeping dogs lie😉

 

They're a couple of sweeties right there btw

Thank you @Rusty Spanner not sure who rescued who but they are incredibly sweet girls 😉 

They were clearly overwhelmed when I shared my enthusiasm during my current flight LOL.   

 

1 hour ago, Christopher Low said:

The background update that I would like to see is improved Bing aerial imagery that gets rid of those lime green textures (and horrible joint line) east of EHLE Lelystad in the Netherlands, and a fix for the southern England dust bowl

Have you ever tried the Map Enhancement Mod?. It has an updated Bing imagery among other map choices.

9 hours ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

Isn't that down to the incorrect lighting model in 2020?

No, it has nothing to do with lighting. As for the Map Enhancement mod, it never seemed to work for me.

Edited January 30, 20251 yr by Christopher Low

I've found that they seem to be slowly breaking MSFS2020 since 2024 came out, not improving it

50 minutes ago, canada_duck said:

I've found that they seem to be slowly breaking MSFS2020 since 2024 came out, not improving it

Here we go again, with the conspiracy theories.

51 minutes ago, canada_duck said:

I've found that they seem to be slowly breaking MSFS2020 since 2024 came out, not improving it

Replace the word "breaking" with "neglecting" and you're spot on.

5 hours ago, canada_duck said:

I've found that they seem to be slowly breaking MSFS2020 since 2024 came out, not improving it

4 hours ago, MarcG said:

Replace the word "breaking" with "neglecting" and you're spot on.

Uh, no...

No, FS 2020 is not getting secret background updates. Placebo.

1 hour ago, Rimshot said:

Uh, no...

Remind me, where is SU16 that was twice delayed from last year? When is that coming out exactly?

1 hour ago, chapstick said:

No, FS 2020 is not getting secret background updates. Placebo.

Well considering I specified I had also updated to DLSS4 and updated my video drivers as well as provided 180 images documenting what I was describing it "could" be the graphics drivers and DLSS4 if we indeed have concrete proof 2020 is not getting background updates like 2024 is. 

There is another option other than placebo because what I showed in my screenshots is not what I have seen in the past.