Hype mode engaged: MSFS 2020

[Harry Voyager]

So, they just came out with a new trailer for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020:

 

 

I'll admit, I'm a mad flight-simmer so I've been excited about this since the first trailer looked good, but this I just want to put on repeat. 

 

Right now, they're bringing it to PC first and will investigate whether they can bring it to XBox. They're doing some clever things with the terrain engine to lighten the load, so it may well be possible to get it onto Project Scalette. 

 

Either way, I want. 

[Paul Rudd]

17 minutes ago, Harry Voyager said:

will investigate whether they can bring it to XBox.

My guess is that it's coming to Xbox 99.99%. It's an Xbox trailer.

[NineEyeRon]

I’ve already got a piggybank saving coins to pay for all the DLC 

[Harry Voyager]

27 minutes ago, Intransigent said:

My guess is that it's coming to Xbox 99.99%. It's an Xbox trailer.

I'd put it more at 80%. The game is expected to use the XBox Live service to handle the terrain streaming on PC, but there are some non-trivial interface issues that need to be resolved to run it on the XBox platform, not the least of which is the core sim is going to be mouse control heavy, and historically, XBox has been very mouse hostile. 

 

Basically they're starting from this: 

 

And need to have a way to run that with the stuff you can plug into an XBox. 

 

I think it should be possible to implement an RC style control interface for a simplified realism setting, but that's probably going to take some thinking, trial and error, and likely, some changes on the XBox side of the house. I think if they do, it has the potential to be a defining title for Project Scarlette, but there's no guarantee that the part will come together, and, despite the hype, there is not much margin for error on the primary title either.

 

I think they have the right goals, the right team, and the right tools to pull it off, but if it fails to launch, I do not expect MS to pour resources down it to try and make it successful after the fact. 

[Paul Rudd]

1 hour ago, Harry Voyager said:

I'd put it more at 80%.

Do you know of an Xbox One game that had a gameplay trailer and failed to launch the game?

[Zando_]

8 minutes ago, Intransigent said:

Do you know of an Xbox One game that had a trailer and failed to launch the game?

Keep in mind the fact that a good few games are Xbox games but also run on PC, see Forza and Gears and Halo Wars and such. Using Xbox services doesn't mean it's an Xbox only game. Plus like @Harry Voyager pointed out, there's technical and gameplay issues with trying to run it on an Xbox. 

EDIT: according to this article: https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/14/20964963/microsoft-flight-simulator-747-aerobatics-launch-date-price they will be bringing it to both Xbox and PC in 2020:

Will be interesting to see how it runs, it is using a bunch of texture streaming AFAIK, and MS is pushing out their alternative to Stadia in a bit too? Maybe they'll mess around with that and it won't actually do a ton of the rendering client-side. 

[Harry Voyager]

@Zando BobVery interesting. I'd be very skeptical of whether it could run well on Xbox One hardware, but I am seeing bits that Project Scarlette is targeting end on 2020, and I seem to recall from earlier developer interviews that they were expecting to release the PC version first, and if they do an XBox one, that would come later. I could see them doing a 1st or 2nd quarter PC release, and then following up with a holiday season release on Scarlette. I'll have to listen to more recent interviews to see if they say anything about it. 

 

@Intransigent MS Flight was a PC only Xbox Live title, so it's not unprecedented. Microsoft has rebranded all the games they've done under the XBox label. Does Microsoft even have a separate game label for PC only games? Further, are there any other MS titles that are dependent on streaming data at all? I suspect, in part, this is intended as a demonstrator of Project Azure. There are a lot of moving parts here that just may not fit in an XBox One, even if it's using that branding.

[Paul Rudd]

3 minutes ago, Harry Voyager said:

MS Flight was a PC only Xbox Live title, so it's not unprecedented. Microsoft has rebranded all the games they've done under the XBox label. Does Microsoft even have a separate game label for PC only games? Further, are there any other MS titles that are dependent on streaming data at all? I suspect, in part, this is intended as a demonstrator of Project Azure. There are a lot of moving parts here that just may not fit in an XBox One, even if it's using that branding.

Do you know of an Xbox One game that had a gameplay trailer and failed to launch the game?

[Harry Voyager]

1 minute ago, Intransigent said:

Do you know of an Xbox One game that had a gameplay trailer and failed to launch the game?

Do you believe that is running on an Xbox One? 

[Paul Rudd]

Just now, Harry Voyager said:

Do you believe that is running on an Xbox One? 

Answer my question, and I'll answer yours.

[Harry Voyager]

Just now, Intransigent said:

Answer my question, and I'll answer yours.

I do not believe that is an XBox One trailer. I believe that is an XBox branded trailer. Those are different things. 

[Paul Rudd]

1 minute ago, Harry Voyager said:

I do not believe that is an XBox One trailer. I believe that is an XBox branded trailer. Those are different things. 

Do you know of an Xbox game(playable on Xbox One) that had an Xbox gameplay trailer and failed to launch the game?

[Harry Voyager]

1 minute ago, Intransigent said:

Do you know of an Xbox game(playable on Xbox One) that had an Xbox gameplay trailer and failed to launch the game?

Microsoft Flight. 

[Paul Rudd]

16 minutes ago, Harry Voyager said:

Microsoft Flight. 

Microsoft Flight(2012) is not playable on Xbox One.

 

Xbox One was released on November 22, 2013. Microsoft Flight(2012) was never playable on Xbox One.

 

Do you know of an Xbox game(playable on Xbox One) that had an Xbox branded gameplay trailer and failed to launch the game?

 

My point is that until you find 1 Xbox game, that is playable on the Xbox One, that had an Xbox branded gameplay trailer and failed to launch the game, Microsoft Flight Simulator(the one releasing in 2020), has a 99.99% chance to launch. Whether it runs great or poorly is insignificant because gamers are gonna dish out the money regardless. I myself would love to play the game but who knows when it's going to hit my price range.

[Harry Voyager]

10 minutes ago, Intransigent said:

Microsoft Flight(2012) is not playable on Xbox One.

 

Do you know of an Xbox game(playable on Xbox One) that had an Xbox gameplay trailer and failed to launch the game? 

Your criteria is not in evidence.

 

As of yet, no one has shown this playable on an XBox One, only PC. Your instransigent insistence that this is playable on Xbox One has no supporting evidence as of yet. 

 

I have shown that Xbox branded games have existed that have not been playable on XBox hardware. As such, it is demonstrated that there is no requirement that a game with XBox branding be playable on the XBox One or any other XBox related hardware. 

[Paul Rudd]

11 minutes ago, Harry Voyager said:

Your criteria is not in evidence.

Which is why I say 99.99%, and not 100%. But if history repeats itself, the game will launch in 2020 on Xbox One. I just don't see why Microsoft would release an Xbox branded gameplay trailer for a game and not launch said game on Xbox One. Especially since they've yet to do such a thing.

 

I mean, how hard is it to get 22-30 fps on the Xbox One in Microsoft Flight Simulator like all their other high demanding Xbox One games? Even if fps dips to 15, console gamers won't really care. They're console gamers. They could care less about fps, they just want it to look good.

[Paul Rudd]

5 hours ago, Harry Voyager said:

I'm a mad flight-simmer

Are there any older flight sims around the years 1998-2008 worth playing? I'm looking to run it on my laptop.

[Harry Voyager]

6 minutes ago, Intransigent said:

Are there any older flight sims around the years 1998-2008 worth playing? I'm looking to run it on my laptop.

Il-2 1946 for WWII combat sims. If you look around for the dynamic campaign packs, you can pretty much fly anywhere on any side during the war. 

 

Rise of Flight for WWI is good, but don't know how the requirements have evolved. 

 

For civilian flight sims, you can still get MSFS Flight Sim X: Steam Edition, and it may run, depending on the laptop. Graphics are rather dated though. 

[Paul Rudd]

34 minutes ago, Harry Voyager said:

Il-2 1946 for WWII combat sims. If you look around for the dynamic campaign packs, you can pretty much fly anywhere on any side during the war. Rise of Flight for WWI is good, but don't know how the requirements have evolved. For civilian flight sims, you can still get MSFS Flight Sim X: Steam Edition, and it may run, depending on the laptop. Graphics are rather dated though. 

Perfect, thanks. Looks like IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 will be the quickest and easiest to get for just $2.49 next time it goes on sale here real soon. Microsoft Flight Simulator X Steam Edition hasn't hit $5.00 to $6.00 in almost two years and hasn't hit under $10.00 in almost 1 year exactly to the day. It might hit $9.99 in a few days during the Autumn/Black Friday Steam Sale here on Nov 22nd. Knowing Steam, their just gonna match its last sale price of $16.24 just to piss me off.

[Harry Voyager]

@Zando Bob So I'd seemed to recall in one of the developer interviews them mentioning that they were developing it first for PC, but after digging around on the Xbox websote, apparently they are advertising it as an XBox One title. I'm still very skeptical that this would run well on Xbox One hardware, but apparently Marketing thinks it will, so we'll see. I just hope if they do, it is not a gutted version of it to wedge it onto borderline obsolete hardware. 

 

That said, I'm also seeing the Project Scarlet launch titles being advertised as Xbox One titles as well, so I find myself wondering if the release version of Project Scarlette will also be branded as an Xbox One? Have they actually announced what Scarlette is going to be commercially called? I wouldn't expect them to reuse the Xbox One name for it. 

[Harry Voyager]

So, more video just came out: 

 

https://stormbirds.blog/2019/11/18/more-videos-from-x019-on-flight-simulator/

 

And a write up from one of the Il-2 blogs. 

[Praesi]

Nice Graphics, boring Gameplay. No Hype for me.

[Kilrah]

Can't wait...

[Harry Voyager]

7 minutes ago, Kilrah said:

Can't wait...

Where do you want to fly first? I think I want to do a coast following run from New Orleans to the tip of South America.

 

Apparently the Falklands are there too. I wonder if a Bonanaza has the range to reach them. If so, I might plan to hit there first, then the southern tip.