[jhb] Re: FS Scenery
- From: "Fossil" <fossil@xxxxxxx>
- To: <jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:49:14 -0000
It's hard to predict what the Impact of Microsoft Flight will be. I suspect
the key issue will be with how they implement the gaming engine.
I assume this will not just be multiplayer as provided in earlier sims
otherwise MS would not be plugging the "immersive and gameplay" issues so
much. As online gaming requires a good following to be popular MS must have
some plan for users to see a decent amount of aircraft in the skies. A user
in remote regions can't just hope that other pilots may connect so there
ought to be decent traffic levels worldwide by default and I assume this may
be by adding more AI flights. This alone isn't any different from FSX so
there must be something else to keep the user attracted to the sim and keep
playing.
My other thought was that the AI engine in FSX already provides "protection"
for the pilot in that AI recognises his aircraft and won't crash into him.
There is no such protection when flying multiplayer so with other online
pilots flying about it is up to the individuals to see and avoid others.
This is where VATSIM and IVAO score because any ATC available should be
capable of resolving any conflicting traffic.
I can only guess but maybe there's an ATC engine in the new product that is
more intelligent and can resolve conflictions between both AI and any active
pilots. It is only that level of control that would really take users away
from IVAO/VATSIM - anything less would just result in the free for all
approach that was always found in MP flying and made it less than
satisfactory.
Of course it is very probable that I might be barking up the wrong tree and
Microsoft is working on a more "immersive" product through other ideas. If
current gaming is more about exploration, collecting items, killing dragons
and solving puzzles it could well be that MS have a plan to make the new
product work along similar ways. Maybe the new program is task orientated
with pilots flying a set structure of routes (like the early ATP sim) and
gaining rewards/promotion as these progress. If such an idea is in the
pipeline it would certainly appeal more to those who like gaming for the
rewards gained through progressive use of the game.
We can only guess though. The Microsoft Flight pages don't exactly give any
clues away and the videos/images are remarkably uninformative.
bones
bones@xxxxxxx
http://woodair.net
-----Original Message-----
From: jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Frank Fisher
Sent: 10 August 2011 10:46
To: jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [jhb] FS Scenery
I have and use the original V1.0 Horizon scenery, many hours were spent
downloading the updates for Mesh and Watermasks etc, these updates are too
big to put on DVD unfortunately.
I also have the free Nightlight disc to go with them.
I never took advantage to upgrade to V2.0, which locks me out of the V3.0.
(more expense which I resisted)
The photo scenery has been rendered to AIO format at a huge 65gb, and
growing when scenery updates include trees. Takes an hour or more to copy to
a spare drive for backup.
With shallow pockets, my expenditure on FS is only for FSC updates.
If you have the V2.0s hang on to them.
I have not had problems installing FS9 after FSX, done it several times.
But there is a utility which restores the FS9 path if needed on the
Justflight site.
I suspect the new Microsoft Flight may be the death knell for Vatsim/IVAO,
the FSX gaming mode has had an effect by making newcomers think it is the
only way to fly online, as Gerry says, us oldies are probably going to be
the last of the true online flyers. A pity, as I am only just getting into
my stride.
If installing FSX, do not forget to install the SP1 and 2, these essentially
upgrade FSX to run in Vista/Win7 and 4 core, as well as clean out any bugs.
The basic FSX was written initially for WinXP and single core.
Frank
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