Today, Microsoft Studios premiered Microsoft Flight, a PC game that lets players jump into the challenge, fun, and freedom of flight. Microsoft Flight will be available as a free download this spring, giving players the freedom to fly the skies over the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii, complete a variety of exciting missions, test their skills in flying challenges, or find hidden aerocaches on the island. (www.microsoft.com) 更多...
The new video posted on the website clearly shows that this is being marketed more towards the average consumer. Is the "simulator" part present in previous releases in the franchise truly dumbed down, much to the chagrine of the aviation community? I honestly do not want to revert to X-Plane...
Im going to have to STRONGLY disagree with you on that. Get the right addons and FSX can be an amazing platform for flight training and proficiency. Such as when I was getting my type rating for the 737NGX, I purchased the PMDG (Precision Manual Design Group) 737NGX and it has helped me dramatically with familiarization and proficiency with the systems on board and just the overall limits and characteristics of the aircraft that Ive grown to love and work with.
....getting my type rating for the 737NGX ??? The real Boeing aircraft is an "NG", not an "NGX". NGX is just the PMDG brand for their 737NG simulation to represent the fact that the simulation is just for FSX. That said, the NGX is an amazing simulation. X-Plane has nothing that is even close.
Have you tried xPlane? Check out xplane and the x737. It's amazing. X-Plane is approved by the FAA (when used with the right hardware). I don't think the same can be said for MS flight sims.
Actually, in defense of MSFS, they have a software version called the Microsoft ESP which is their version of the flight simulator that can be converted and certified by the FAA. It is the simulator engine that powers the Redbird Flight Simulator among others.
You are correct that XPlane is the same simulator that powers other certified flight simulators "out of the box." Of course it requires different licensing etc but the software is the same.
Try out the new demo of xplane 10, I also have to disagree, the 737ngx blows your x737 out of the water, I don't want to put anything down on xplane but in terms of realism and complexity of the cockpit if you get the right addons such as pmdg for fsx it is far more realistic.
From everything I have read online and heard from others FLIGHT is going to a big step back for the serious simmer and sim product companies. Flight looks like it is going to be based more for the kid who has XBOX and just wants to earn points and medals by completing task and so on. Their are some absolutely amazing on line communities like BVATC that turn FSX into a great training program by just bringing a large amount of pilots online at the same time flying with real ATCs handling the traffic. Flights new design and layout does not even mention online programs and if it will be capable of taking on all the large existing communities that exist.
O Don - Vatsim is ok but really has nothing on BVATC(www.bostonvirtualatc.com) BVA uses all its own servers and so on...you should check it out. vatsim is just known on a larger scale. Either one is great.
I'm glad microsoft is slipping in the fligt sim industry because I have plans to introduce a new one in the future, and they are simply getting in the way.
FSX sucked, and Flight will too. We need a totally new software, and I hate xplane. Nothing about it feels real except the fde but that does me nothing since i can go to the airport and get that experience for free in an FTD (sh they don't know but don't seem to care to lock the sim room).
I wasn't planning on moving on to whatever new flight sim MS came out with until some good 3rd party add ons prompted me to. MSFS is a good base product, but it really is the additions made by the community that makes the game. I'll be disappointed if the future of 3rd party development of Flight is hindered by the redesign that MS is doing. I suppose I will be sticking to FSX for now.
I really think that the big addon groups like aerosoft, should come together, share their resources, and develop their own flight simulator. Their program designers seem to have a better understanding of what the true flight simmers wants. The product they would develop would be far superior to any thing Microsoft could make. The wiki on Microsoft Flight said that Microsoft wants to create a marketplace for third party addon groups. I think that is code that in order for a third party to create an addon for Flight, they have to go through Microsoft, unlike it has been for previous versions. It is a niche group of die hard simmers, but I do think a third party group would have a lot of success against Microsoft if they make a product for the die hards.
The Flight Simulator series peaked with FS2004/CFS2 and has been on a steady decline since. One can only hope MS Flight takes a page from these successes and makes Flight something that can accept and be altered with 2nd party add-on software, otherwise it'll be DOA.
FSX is great if you pick and choose your add-ons wisely. I was a diehard FS9er till I upgraded to win7/64 and a i7/965 etc etc. Now I run FSX with many sceneries, terrain, landclass... It still amazes me... Anyway, I agree that MS flight is probably aimed at the xbox crowd. Actually, I think that FSX was supposed to "break us in" to the reality of that; what with its missions/goals other than learning something. As long as companies like Aerosoft, PMDG and the rest (you know who you are) keep cranking out QUALITY addons for FSX I will keep buying them.
Flight Sim X & 2004 are all you need period With the wonderful add on's available and a decent computer and monitor you can pretend all you want for as long as you want. SO go fly a plane !
While I agree with a lot of the comments here, it boils down to actually having to wait and see for the final product and to see if it will fit what the hard core flight simulation community wants. If not, FSX and X plane 10 are great programs and will keep us busy for quite some time!
Has anyone tried Pro Flight Simulator? http://www.proflightsimulator.com/ I have looked a the reviews and videos on the web but havent put down the $$. I'm sticking with FSX for the G1000 avionics.
Has anyone tried Pro Flight Simulator? http://www.proflightsimulator.com I have looked it their web site and videos but have not purchased it yet. I'm sticking with FSX for the G1000 avionics. Does the new xPlane have G1000?
A quick Google search shows several sites indicating it is likely a scam.... Take a peek at this: http://www.flightsimworld.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=191586 and perhaps more importantly, this: http://www.flightgear.org/flightprosim.html
Can anyone tell me how to download & install X-Plane? I can NOT get it to install or unzip on a Win 7 pro system? Is it freeware or how much does it cost? Thanks a lot for any help!
Please tell me you are joking. Tiny communities like BVATC are fun, don't get me wrong, but right now BVATC has one controller and 14 pilots. VATSIM has 123 controllers and 720 pilots. I think you have it confused as to who has nothing on whom...
Tiny? BVA has over 2,500 members. Vatsim may have size but it is spread out all over the world so pilot at atc interaction is very diluted. I do not know where you came up with one controller... during mid day when no one is online there might be a center online and that is it. But during peak hours 5pm and on and during events airports are stacked with C/D,G,T,A,C controllers along with 50+ pilots all flying in and to the same airports. At least for me I would like to experience some real fast moving traffic along with by far the best ATC service online. The Giant on the block does not all ways provide the best experience. But to each his own.
Oh the coversations I start :) I'm still waiting to see what Cascade Game Foundry (the ex-ACES studio guys) come up with--whatever they have will probably be better that Flight...
Not sure that Microsoft Flight is going to make it into my library. As for VATSIM, as a member from day one, I welcome you to fly ZLA, especially when you see me logged on as LAX_CTR. I guarantee you'll hear my voice.