Interview With Microsoft Flight Simulator Team

15th version of this I've read.

Sounds great. But zero info on hardware requirements.

If this sim runs at 60 fps at 4K and looks like this, on anything less than a 16 core CPU, overclocked to 5.5 Ghz on liquid, with 2x SLi'd 2080 Tis.... I will eat my PC.... bit by byte.

Thank you for this post Chuck. Hopefully this will revitalize the genre.

I did read in another post that Microsoft was attempting to make it run on older systems as well. The detail may not be quite as great but I think they realize that they'll lose a huge market if it only runs on the latest machines.

7 hours ago, Gabe777 said:

Sounds great. But zero info on hardware requirements.

We probably won't know hardware requirements until this thing is well into beta testing.

17 hours ago, Gabe777 said:

But zero info on hardware requirements.

This is often the case with AAA games as well, mostly they release that information around or after the beta stage. 
 

Maybe you need a top spec computer to run the current version because of poor optimization but I’m just guessing. I’m sure they’ll try to make it run on a lot of different systems. Don’t forget this will get an Xbox release as well so spec wise this should give you an indication.

Thanks, Chuck.   Have you seen any screen shots of any of the 40,000 airports?

Sloped runways?

Thanks again for sharing this.

John

Evidently some of it is developed to a point, some of it is still to be developed to a point.  Hardware requirements based on what's done so far (Alpha?) may result in different requirements after all the alpha and beta testing is done, changes are made, and the code is brought to version 1.  Estimating a hardware requirements goal now could create an artificial goal that may end up limiting the final product.  

So what do we know?  All version of this thing so far:  

• allow for adjusting details that are somewhat tied to the user hardware  
• would require more hardware than it exists at the moment of release to run with all features enabled to the max limit to offer a smooth performance experience.

So, it's likely this upcoming version will be similar.  I've been addicted to it since the Commodore 64 days.  

Thank you! 

This is one of the few times in my life where, Lord willing, and when an important event and milestone effects me personally. I am really (really) looking forward to being an early adopter of MSFS (or whatever it is called), as an enthusiastic committed pilot in command.

Waiting patiently for clearance...

Kindest possible regards,

Spirit Flyer 

(Stephen)

It would be interesting to know the compatibility with the actual tons of add ons

Big Thank You!

Looking fwd to listen to it!

Please, please add VR support! After flying sims in VR it's just painful to think about not being able to experience those beautiful graphics and scenery in 3D!

I haven't seen any comments about whether or not our peripherals such as yokes, throttle quadrants, cdu's, MCPs (such as VRInsight stuff), etc., will work with MS FS2020. Any comments.

7 minutes ago, WingRider said:

I haven't seen any comments about whether or not our peripherals such as yokes, throttle quadrants, cdu's, MCPs (such as VRInsight stuff), etc., will work with MS FS2020. Any comments.

Oh yes they do! They bought every joystick, yolk, etc. they could off of amazon and tested them individually!

Posted on the update page on the very first update, there was a mention that joysticks and everything would work with the game.

On 10/1/2019 at 4:08 PM, Gabe777 said:

15th version of this I've read.

Sounds great. But zero info on hardware requirements.

If this sim runs at 60 fps at 4K and looks like this, on anything less than a 16 core CPU, overclocked to 5.5 Ghz on liquid, with 2x SLi'd 2080 Tis.... I will eat my PC.... bit by byte.

It has been mentioned in several places the preview rigs were running RTX2080 at 4K and pretty much maxed out graphics settings and running smooth enough, one of the developers went on to say they were averaging over 40 fps on that set up. https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/560000-a-stunning-preview-today-but-we-are-still-in-the-dark-for/?page=4&tab=comments#comment-4065152

21 hours ago, ckyliu said:

It has been mentioned in several places the preview rigs were running RTX2080 at 4K and pretty much maxed out graphics settings and running smooth enough, one of the developers went on to say they were averaging over 40 fps on that set up. https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/560000-a-stunning-preview-today-but-we-are-still-in-the-dark-for/?page=4&tab=comments#comment-4065152

 

40 FPS is not much overhead for a PMDG aircraft,unless there is a different process they are not sharing with us.

@BIGSKY Well don't run PMDG bloatware then 😄 You can't expect to max out the latest game when it's full of addons no matter what it is, there will always be compromise as it's built to account for future hardware. I run 1440p for that exact reason, rather than 4K, that's my compromise.

The aircraft visual models are done very differently which nets a performance gain whilst looking better, so if new models are developed using those techniques rather than a simple legacy port the only area left for major performance loss will be the gauges.

With an 8 Core overclocked to 5000,A nvidia1080 I am running P3DV4.5, FS Labs A320,FSDT KLAX,Orbix Socal most sliders 90%,I get 40 Fps at LAX......

Early early days, but no mention of ATC?

I think the bandwidth you have available to you is going to pretty critical, I believe in a model like these a lot of the rendering will be performed in the cloud. Sure, you'll need a machine capable of displaying those fully 3 dimensional objects in all their glory.

I don't know what sort of bandwidth a typical cable broadband gives you access in the different states. Results will vary I'm sure.

I'm lucky enough to be living with a cable 240MB/s connection that has no data cap (this still pales dramatically with South Korean, or even certain continental countries.)

Can the bandwidth and cloud processing be paid for in anyway other than subscription service?

I think the serious simmers on here will stick to their X-Plane, their P3ds and the DCS series among others.

This has probably been said many times before, but this just looks like Microsoft Flight 2- Now see  the whole bloody world!

ATC is on a Wishlist , possibly included , I expect they will need to have something from a 3PD but its a guess on my part

Best CJ

"I think the serious simmers on here will stick to their X-Plane, their P3ds and the DCS series among others."

Well I'm a serious simmer, and will be switching to FS in a heartbeat. As for PC specs, most simmers are still trapped in the old MSF X/P3D paradigm. FS is whole new ballgame using multicore and some of the latest graphics techniques. I'm getting a steady 60FPS from Star Citizen and I don't expect much less from FS.

On 10/3/2019 at 12:52 AM, ckyliu said:

It has been mentioned in several places the preview rigs were running RTX2080 at 4K and pretty much maxed out graphics settings and running smooth enough, one of the developers went on to say they were averaging over 40 fps on that set up. https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/560000-a-stunning-preview-today-but-we-are-still-in-the-dark-for/?page=4&tab=comments#comment-4065152

 

Unfortunately,  as many people are aware, it is the minimum framerate that is the most important number. This is what causes stuttering.

Average fps is meaningless.

And how many people can afford 1000 GBP for a 2080 ?

Many many many people are going to be sorely deflated when they eventually install it..... and realise it bares little resemblance to these sim-pr0n videos and lush images.

I have seen this sooooooooh many times with a myriad of games over the years.

And does anyone really trust MS, after the last debacle (s) to maintain the entire ecosystem after sinking loads of cash into it ?

I for one will not be uninstalling my P3D and XP11 installations any time soon... if ever.

They will continue to reside on their own NVME drives, and FS2020 will be auditioned on its own shiney new one right next door.

I aint holding my breath.

On 10/10/2019 at 12:45 PM, Gabe777 said:

Many many many people are going to be sorely deflated when they eventually install it.

Do keep in mind that they will eventually release this on Xbox (either being it the current gen or the 2020 model). They have said that the sim would run on a whole myriad of systems (going from low to mid and of course high end).

And what's it going to look like on the XBox ?

Come on..... just look at those videos MS have released.

Of course "it will run"...... but will it bear any resemblance to those 4K images of giraffe herds on the savannah, replete with individual blades of grass with ambient occlusion waving in the breeze ..... will you be able to see dynamic reflections, in said giraffe's eyes..... blah blah.

No. Just, no.

Lol.

I think some people are doing Microsoft a huge disservice with some of the negative and semi-negative comments. MS brought us the flight sim franchise in the first place. They have invested huge amounts over the years and they are a business. Clearly, at some point, the franchise wasn't making them the money required, or was diverting resources away from core focus tech and they moved on.

Welcome back I say, with big open arms. I've bought every version of FS since at least 1998 (that is the first one I remember actually buying rather than just using). I've spent far, far more on hardware and add-ons with other vendors over the years than I ever paid to MS and my passion for aviation has continued to grow because of their original vision.

Since Prepar3D was released 8 years or so ago I've given Lockheed Martin more of my money than I ever gave directly to MS, due to the subscription based nature of LM's licensing model. Remember that LM's one off price for P3D was originally $499. Not to mention the $5000+ of hardware and software MS donated to a certain auction in Denver 2006 whereby I ended up with almost 50% of the tickets because people didn't want to spend money (I think it cost me about $150 and I won.... lots). Anyone remember the Lynyrd Skynyrd themed talk there... bare feet and all?

I hope that MS pushes the boundaries and continues to up the hardware requirements (while still supporting lower spec systems, albeit at lower quality). This is what drives innovation and brings us better products.

Sure, LM gave me the ability to park a submarine on the apron at EGHH, but I'm looking for more. I want to need to spend $$$ on a new system so that I can experience the latest and greatest. I don't want vendors to have to focus on tech that is 5+ years old to appease those that spend thousands of hours playing a simulator and spend many hundreds of $$$ on add-ons while only thinking the core product (MSFS) is worth $69.99 or so of their hard earned cash and that it needs to run near it's best quality on dated hardware.

Push the boundaries. If you only do what you did, you'll only get what you got.