Microsoft flight simulator 2020

[PhillyGuy72]

Take-off at Logan International.

First time ever seeing a rainbow with the ‘live weather’ effects and the sun rising.

View attachment 2007668

I do love the Live weather feature, 95% of the time it's pretty darn accurate.

Do wish strong t-storms w/ lightning was in the live weather feature (if so, I don't get it). I'll check the weather on my app, see some big storms in a city, town. I'll take off...and yeah there are some big towering clouds that appear, rain. No lightning. Same as yesterday around here, nice big clouds...rain and even wind. No lightning. Perhaps that could be too much for the game to handle?

Lighting only shows up if I select it ("Storm") from one of my weather presets, or customize weather.

 

[44267547]

I do love the Live weather feature, 95% of the time it's pretty darn accurate.

Do wish strong t-storms w/ lightning was in the live weather feature (if so, I don't get it). I'll check the weather on my app, see some big storms in a city, town. I'll take off...and yeah there are some big towering clouds that appear, rain. No lightning. Same as yesterday around here, nice big clouds...rain and even wind. No lightning. Perhaps that could be too much for the game to handle?

Lighting only shows up if I select it ("Storm") from one of my weather presets, or customize weather.

Yeah, I think the weather could be a bit more dynamic. I believe there is a third-party package you can purchase as a paid update that will customize the weather if you look at the marketplace store in the game menu. Like, it will make the snow more extreme, more density in terms of cloud coverage/lower altitude, heavier rain, higher winds, etc. I haven’t tried it, but I believe it’s offered as an update.

So for example, if it’s snowing in Michigan, it might look like a light snowfall in the game, but in reality in real life, it might be a really heavy snowfall. I would like to see the intensity matched more to what the game is, and I’m sure that is something they can improve on in the future.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

Yeah, I think the weather could be a bit more dynamic. I believe there is a third-party package you can purchase as a paid update that will customize the weather if you look at the marketplace store in the game menu. Like, it will make the snow more extreme, more density in terms of cloud coverage/lower altitude, heavier rain, higher winds, etc. I haven’t tried it, but I believe it’s offered as an update.

So for example, if it’s snowing in Michigan, it might look like a light snowfall in the game, but in reality in real life, it might be a really heavy snowfall. I would like to see the intensity matched more to what the game is, and I’m sure that is something they can improve on in the future.

Yeah, I think it can, hopefully will be improved also.

I was browsing some of the add-ons in the Marketplace. I could easily spend a few $100 here...lol. The improved nighttime lighting/skylines look pretty cool, (NYC, Vegas) far better than what's in the game.

Update was released yesterday, seemed to improve the stability of the sim on my end.

 

[garnerx]

There’s an add-on called Weather Preset Pro that’s really good. Don’t know if it’s available in the Xbox version yet but it gives some intense preset conditions like hurricanes and sandstorms and stuff like that.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

There’s an add-on called Weather Preset Pro that’s really good. Don’t know if it’s available in the Xbox version yet but it gives some intense preset conditions like hurricanes and sandstorms and stuff like that.

Whoa, thanks. I have to see if this is still on Xbox.

Downloaded the Top Gun Maverick add on yesterday. Pretty cool!
The experimental "DarkStar," going Mach 4-9..., going from Florida to NYC in 20-30 min. Flying 200-275K in the Stratosphere, it's kind of insane perhaps...yet cool.

Also..If you DO download this, play the Low Flying Challenge...you MIGHT get this frozen "countdown" (3, 2, 1, Go graphic bug that never leaves the screen) - See image

If so, the fix is an menu animation toggle.

Go to Options → General Options → Accessibility → Set Menu Animations to “ON”." This should clear the "frozen Countdown" issue

 

[Heat_Fan89]

This Game has amazing visuals, playing in 2k with RTX on give amazing results.

It’s even more impressive in 4K. I have a PC with an RTX 3080 and it just looks real. Also the XBOX series X also does a nice job in 4K as well.

I have been playing MS Flight Simulator since 4.0 and I dreamed of the day I could see graphics like this. I remember when Microsoft released MS 5.0 back in 1993 and I was floored back then but my top of the line PC couldn’t run it in full detail.

 

[Jack Neill]

I usually play FS20 on my One X. I have it installed locally on the ROG but playing it from the One X is always up to date and It loads faster.

 

[diamond.g]

Has anyone downloaded the Pelican and given it a whirl?

 

[garnerx]

Has anyone downloaded the Pelican and given it a whirl?

Yes, but I'm not 100% sure it's worth nearly 3GB of disk space. It's more fun to fly in Halo anyway, I can't figure out how to switch it out of the default straight and level mode.

edit: figured it out - there's a toggle switch for that. But as soon as I picked up any speed it said I'd overstressed the aircraft. I think it needs to be flown with all the failure and damage options turned off.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

I have to try this Pelican today, downloaded it late last night. (I have never played Halo and was wondering "what the h-ll is this thing!!??" LOL!)

Tried something Sunday night. My brother and his wife were flying back from Chicago to Philly - after a nightmare of delays. Anyway, he gave me the flight - United 2103.

I wanted to mimic his flight on FS in real time, he took off at 7:07pm, I did as well in the game with the Airbus. I DID let computer do the flying, 100% AI so I wouldn't mess up.

This was almost in total perfect sync with what FlightAware was showing all the way past Pittsburgh, PA

But when MY plane hit Central PA...the AI pilot slowed down, which was normal...but then also dropped to a cruising alt. of 2000-3000ft...and remained around that altitude all the way to Philadelphia 😳

In the end, my brother did land about 18 minutes earlier than Flight Sim.
AI Pilot did miss the 1st landing also...and had to do another fly around and 2nd attempt, successful landing.

But as this goofy AI Pilot flew over Philly International in the aborted landing, there I see my brother's plane marker on the runway-taxing "UAL2103".
(I showed my brother this, he was never into FS, his reply... "Cool" Well, he was never into FS like I was...lol)

 

[garnerx]

But when MY plane hit Central PA...the AI pilot slowed down, which was normal...but then also dropped to a cruising alt. of 2000-3000ft...and remained around that altitude all the way to Philadelphia 😳

I’ve had some weird instructions like that from the ATC, where they tell you to go to an unsuitable altitude. Usually it’s too high, and the plane I’m in can’t climb fast enough before it’s time to descend.

I noticed something really cool with the AI yesterday. I was flying a microlight and decided I might as well set down at Orlando International, which was nearby. As I was lining up with a runway, a huge jet swooped past and banked away sharply, so I tuned the radio to the tower, and the ATC was instructing multiple other aircraft to abort their landings and go around. There was a queue of them behind me, taking evasive action. I had no idea the AI was capable of that!

 

[PhillyGuy72]

I’ve had some weird instructions like that from the ATC, where they tell you to go to an unsuitable altitude. Usually it’s too high, and the plane I’m in can’t climb fast enough before it’s time to descend.

I noticed something really cool with the AI yesterday. I was flying a microlight and decided I might as well set down at Orlando International, which was nearby. As I was lining up with a runway, a huge jet swooped past and banked away sharply, so I tuned the radio to the tower, and the ATC was instructing multiple other aircraft to abort their landings and go around. There was a queue of them behind me, taking evasive action. I had no idea the AI was capable of that!

I have had this also when NOT contacting the tower, just recklessly coming in for a landing. Random AI jets aborting their landings. I'll get message from the tower that I was not authorized. LOL, oops. It is pretty darn wild!

 

[44267547]

The only times you’ll receive the ‘unauthorized’ decline for landings, is if you’re 1.) Under IFR, 2.)You didn’t clear it with ATC 3.) You’re landing on an unspecified runway that wasn’t directed from your landing location.

 

[garnerx]

They should incorporate this stuff into some sort of pilot safety rating system.

I have a cool add-on aircraft for the sim I used to play before this one, Prepar3d, which you could fly in a 'Captain of the Ship' persistent career mode. One time I flew it in really hairy conditions and landed at Miami in something close to a hurricane, when I think the correct thing to do would have been to divert to a different airport. All the passengers survived but I was stripped of my licence and that was the end of my captain's career.

I wish they'd bring this to MSFS but the company (A2A) seems to be having trouble getting their super complex add-ons working in the new sim.

 

[SamC741]

I just got a new GPU RTX 3070 going to try this game in 2k

 

[avkills]

The 1080Ti in my PC does fairly well at 3840x1600. One of these days I will be getting something better though. I will probably wait until the RTX4000 series drops then go pick up a RTX 3080Ti for cheaper.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

Went to launch the game a few minutes ago, "needs an update"
This is a nice surprise. Just BEAUTIFUL!

 

[garnerx]

Went to launch the game a few minutes ago, "needs an update"
This is a nice surprise. Just BEAUTIFUL!

Very nice! The free updates to this sim are amazing - my MSFS install is now up to 195 GB. When I used Prepar3d, each major update to the sim meant paying full price again, and I spent many hundreds on scenery and airport upgrades just to get it looking acceptable. Then I'd have to spend ages resolving conflicts to stop runways appearing in giant holes in the ground. Some hardcore simmers still prefer it because of its huge third-party ecosystem, but for normal people the value just isn't there compared to MSFS.

For all those updates, though, the thing I want them to fix more than anything, which has been there since day one, is the weird line that appears across the horizon. The time of day and weather affect how prominent it is, but it's basically always there, even in the shots they've used for loading screens.

You can see it in the Pelican shot a few posts up, and it's impossible to miss on mountainous regions. Here's one I just took that shows it quite clearly. It ruins screenshots if you're trying to capture something realistic.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

Very nice! The free updates to this sim are amazing - my MSFS install is now up to 195 GB. When I used Prepar3d, each major update to the sim meant paying full price again, and I spent many hundreds on scenery and airport upgrades just to get it looking acceptable. Then I'd have to spend ages resolving conflicts to stop runways appearing in giant holes in the ground. Some hardcore simmers still prefer it because of its huge third-party ecosystem, but for normal people the value just isn't there compared to MSFS.

For all those updates, though, the thing I want them to fix more than anything, which has been there since day one, is the weird line that appears across the horizon. The time of day and weather affect how prominent it is, but it's basically always there, even in the shots they've used for loading screens.

You can see it in the Pelican shot a few posts up, and it's impossible to miss on mountainous regions. Here's one I just took that shows it quite clearly. It ruins screenshots if you're trying to capture something realistic.

View attachment 2020294

View attachment 2020295

The free updates are pretty awesome! (I saw THIS trailer, "40th Anniversary" free update coming in Nov. So cool!

)

In my content manager, all the scenery had an "update Available," so I took care of that also.

Yeah...I still see a few flaws like your screenshot. Also cars "floating/hovering" crossing over bridges..lol

After the USA Update last night, I flew in LA and Philly, also just south in Wilmington, DE where the enhanced Delaware Memorial Bridge is. It was late, maybe I was a bit tired...but it seemed like it appeared more detailed, Los Angeles area, skyline, even Hollywood Blvd looked a tad cleaner.

The Art Museum in Philly was no question updated...even has the 2 large flagpoles with waving USA flags now. Even in my area just north of Philly looked a tad more detailed. *The game DID crash however when I was approaching Philly International (ugh), I went to bed after that.

I'll fly again later tonight, try other areas.

 

[garnerx]

After the USA Update last night, I flew in LA and Philly, also just south in Wilmington, DE where the enhanced Delaware Memorial Bridge is. It was late, maybe I was a bit tired...but it seemed like it appeared more detailed, Los Angeles area, skyline, even Hollywood Blvd looked a tad cleaner.

The Art Museum in Philly was no question updated...even has the 2 large flagpoles with waving USA flags now. Even in my area just north of Philly looked a tad more detailed. *The game DID crash however when I was approaching Philly International (ugh), I went to bed after that.

You can check what’s been updated by uninstalling a world update before you fly in that area. See the difference.

There’s the basic auto-gen stuff where it sees a square that it thinks is probably a roof, then makes a building around it based on the local architecture style. There’s the photogrammetry areas, where you have 3D models made by AI from multiple angle photos. Then there are human-made 3D models that get added here and there in the world updates.

Check out bridges to see where they’ve made a 3D model pass. The auto-gen bridges are often just flat textures pasted on the water, i.e. it didn’t recognise a structure at that point, or they’re like painted wooden stage props. You can’t fly under them, you hit a wall. Proper 3D bridges with individual girders and holes are placed by hand, which is why they’re so uncommon.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

Coming Nov. 11th. (drool!!)

 

[Macalicious2011]

Pheriperal support for the Xbox is utterly disgraceful.

There are a few yokes but if you want a hot as the only choice is the dated Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas One. However it doesn’t feel premium and goes floppy within a few weeks-months of use. Basically not worth buying.

 

[Macalicious2011]

Pheriperal support for the Xbox is utterly disgraceful.

There are a few yokes but if you want a hot as the only choice is the dated Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas One. However it doesn’t feel premium and goes floppy within a few weeks-months of use. Basically not worth buying.

Woohoo. My prayers have been answered. The Thrustmaster Airbus TCA has officially been licensed for Xbox! Look forward to buying it in 3-8 weeks when availability improves and 1 or 2 Black Friday offers crop up.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

Woohoo. My prayers have been answered. The Thrustmaster Airbus TCA has officially been licensed for Xbox! Look forward to buying it in 3-8 weeks when availability improves and 1 or 2 Black Friday offers crop up.

That's a step in the right direction but we need a proper yoke for general aviation. A flight stick for fighter jets seems out of place when flying a Cessna or an Airbus 320. It breaks the immersion for me. I might as well use the XBOX controller.

 

[Macalicious2011]

That's a step in the right direction but we need a proper yoke for general aviation. A flight stick for fighter jets seems out of place when flying a Cessna or an Airbus 320. It breaks the immersion for me. I might as well use the XBOX controller.

I couldn't help myself and pulled the trigger on Friday.