announcement First Products Announced for Microsoft Flight Simulator

[chumley]

18 hours ago, Airlifter said:

 

You're implying we'll already have to pay to download the data. Where did you pick up that? Haven't read it anywhere. Most certainly not the MSFS website.

I don't expect MS to start charging for downloading the Bing / Azure data. But I do wonder how their business case is buildup justifying all the server and dataconnection costs involved. On the other hand; MS is a HUGE company and I think it could very well be that the overall impact on their servers from MSFS is extremely small compared to the whole of all the stuff running of those servers.

 

It will start at zero cost but any charge above zero is an increase.

[pmb]

Welcome MSFS in Orbx Central,

 

I just got an update of Orbx Central and it detected my  MSFS pre-installation. No products yet, but the entry and start page are there.

 

Kind regards, Michael

[MartinM]

Yeah, my Alpha/Closed Beta was discovered too.

 

Two things I would love to see.

 

Can you distiguish the entries from Beta and Production code?

Nags with X-Plane too. Got two installations, one is Beta and the other Final

 

Besides this I would love to see Triengen and Samedan in MSFS and of course the complete Alaska / PNW series of airports 

 

[Nick Cooper]

7 minutes ago, MartinM said:

Two things I would love to see.

Can you distiguish the entries from Beta and Production code?

Nags with X-Plane too. Got two installations, one is Beta and the other Final

 

Hello,

as you can now, hover your mouse cursor over each item in the simulator drop down menu

and you will see a tooltip that shows you where it is and its version.

 

[MartinM]

3 minutes ago, Nick Cooper said:

 

Hello,

as you can now, hover your mouse cursor over each item in the simulator drop down menu

and you will see a tooltip that shows you where it is and its version.

 

 

True, but still not very convenient. 

[pmb]

My Orbx Central entry goes to the alpha/beta Contents at this time. That's probably why MS suggested to deinstall it when pre-installing the payware version. Unfortunatey, I still need the beta for a few addon tests. I hope Orbx Central will adapt when I will deinstall the beta on Monday.

 

Kind regards, Michael 

Edited August 15, 2020 by pmb

[Smudger]

10 hours ago, carlosqr said:

Thank you again for your concern,

You are welcome my friend, and I hope you will soon be employed again, these are certainly trying times for us all.

 

Until the 18th none of us will be able to buy the MSFS 2020 products.

 

Take care and stay safe.

[stiletto2]

Hi Carlos,

 

Orbx Direct does not check to see what sim products you have installed.  If it did, it would kind of negate the option of buying a product as a gift for someone else.  I have also seen several examples where users actually ordered an Orbx product for a sim they did not have and then had to request an exchange. 

 

Rod

 

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by stiletto2

[stiletto2]

deleted duplicate post

Edited August 15, 2020 by stiletto2

[Phill Morgan]

Hi Guys

 

Just watched the live stream preview of the new products featured on FSElite. I get they are just previews but I have to raise these points:

 

I was looking forward to the London POI pack and they look great in the day time, but after seeing them at night the lighting needs turning WAY down on them. They stand out against default scenery lighting like a sore thumb. It was like looking at P3D4 all over again.

 

Also, EGLCs texture blending between taxiways and the grass is really bad. It looks like its just been blured at the edges. Also the grass texture that everything is sat on top of looks like a very low res Ortho, probably around ZL14 or ZL15.

 

I'm afraid the preview video was a day one purchase killer for me.

 

Looking forward to future efforts though, hopefully we will see these products come on leaps and bounds.

 

Thanks

 

Phill

[Matthijs]

I’m also a bit disappointed after the livestream:

 

https://fselite.net/news/fselite-exclusive-livestream-of-Orbx-products-in-microsoft-flight-simulator/

 

I know it is a work in progress but the scenery looks like a direct port from P3D/XP. Was hoping for some more/better details and features to use Microsoft Flight Simulator it’s full potential. 

Edited August 15, 2020 by Matthijs

[Mooze]

I think you have some over expectations.

 

1-The streamer was on medium settings.

2-The biggest majority of people will not be happy paying the full price for the scenery they already own in previous sims which obviously not worth rework the sceneries from ground up, which will involve obviously way more time and resources.

 

I would rather have some old sceneries converted fairly quickly with a bit less of a quality then not having anything for a quite longer period.

 

Orbx obviously have gone with the most common sense decision that is convenient for the majority.

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by Mooze

[Phill Morgan]

47 minutes ago, Mooze said:

I think you have some over expectations.

 

1-The streamer was on medium settings.

2-The biggest majority of people will not be happy paying the full price for the scenery they already own in previous sims which obviously not worth rework the sceneries from ground up, which will involve obviously way more time and resources.

 

I would rather have some old sceneries converted fairly quickly with a bit less of a quality then not having anything for a quite longer period.

 

Orbx obviously have gone with the most common sense decision that is convenient for the majority.

 

The thing is it's all well and good converting, but you're dropping old design into a modern and good looking sim, it just doesn't sit in the default scenery well. We've come to expect very high quality from Orbx, and for me the issues I've spotted mean that those two products don't live up to that expectation.

Don't get me wrong, as a alpha/beta tester of MSFS I know I should reserve judgement for the final release products and I'm basing my opinion on pre-releases, but IF these are what is going to market then I'm afraid I'll hold off and wait for better versions.

Edited August 15, 2020 by Phill Morgan

[carlosqr]

9 hours ago, Smudger said:

You are welcome my friend, and I hope you will soon be employed again, these are certainly trying times for us all.

 

Until the 18th none of us will be able to buy the MSFS 2020 products.

 

Take care and stay safe.

Thank you my friend

Likewise

Cheers

 

7 hours ago, stiletto2 said:

Hi Carlos,

 

Orbx Direct does not check to see what sim products you have installed.  If it did, it would kind of negate the option of buying a product as a gift for someone else.  I have also seen several examples where users actually ordered an Orbx product for a sim they did not have and then had to request an exchange. 

 

Rod

 

 

Roger that Stiletto

Thanks

[Mooze]

38 minutes ago, Phill Morgan said:

The thing is it's all well and good converting, but you're dropping old design into a modern and good looking sim, it just doesn't sit in the default scenery well. We've come to expect very high quality from Orbx, and for me the issues I've spotted mean that those two products don't live up to that expectation.

Don't get me wrong, as a alpha/beta tester of MSFS I know I should reserve judgement for the final release products and I'm basing my opinion on pre-releases, but IF these are what is going to market then I'm afraid I'll hold off and wait for better versions.

Not saying you are wrong, absolutely, but my point is that that is why they are charging very little for those sceneries, maybe very few will refrain from paying that little extra but most will pay with no hesitation until a very hight fidelity one will be available.

 

Anyway again am ok paying a little fee to get the scenery sooner than have a default for a year or so, this is my opinion.

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by Mooze

[Nic727]

2 hours ago, Matthijs said:

I’m also a bit disappointed after the livestream:

 

https://fselite.net/news/fselite-exclusive-livestream-of-Orbx-products-in-microsoft-flight-simulator/

 

I know it is a work in progress but the scenery looks like a direct port from P3D/XP. Was hoping for some more/better details and features to use Microsoft Flight Simulator it’s full potential. 

 

Just at the start, I don't know why they are not using default grass instead. Other than that, I think it's good. Would like to see a comparison with the hand-made Innsbruck airport from Asobo.

[carlosqr]

Hi

Another question

 

I just watched this Chicago video and saw the area of Merrill C. Meigs Field as it currently is

 

Would there be a change for Orbx to add Merrill C. Meigs Field  to this sim?

 

Would there be a possibility to negotiate with them an option to fly with current look or with Meigs Field enabled?  It would be nice to have both options so you can have either depending on your mood

 

Cheers

Carlos

[kerrygipe]

13 hours ago, pmb said:

Welcome MSFS in Orbx Central,

 

I just got an update of Orbx Central and it detected my  MSFS pre-installation. No products yet, but the entry and start page are there.

 

Kind regards, Michael

When I log into Orbx Central now it doesn't show any thing , not even available products, for anything except XP-11. No mention of the old FS product I have purchased or the Aerofly purchases or even that any thing other than X-Plane exists. Hummm...

[Gulfstreamtwo]

I think people may be talking about two different things here, Orbx Central and OrbxDirect (aka, the Store). As Michael and others noted, Orbx Central detected my MFS Beta installation when OC updated to version 4.1.21. When I deleted MFS in anticipation of installing the release version, MFS no longer shows as an available sim in OC. Clicking on the "Store" tab in OC does indeed only show installed as well as available for purchase add-ons for the selected sim. Going to OrbxDirect I can see the products I purchased for XP11 (no longer installed). As for FSX, it seems to be merged with P3D. I doubt I ever had FSX products that I didn't also have the P3D version for, so for that, I can't tell, but it's irrelevant to me, since I long ago removed FSX.

[kerrygipe]

2 hours ago, Gulfstreamtwo said:

 Orbx Central detected my MFS Beta installation when OC updated to version 4.1.21.

I think that is the issue. I am at Orbx Central 4.1.14, and even when I click the 'Check For Updates" button in the settings, it returns that "No Updates Available". Perhaps I need to just delete Central and reinstall it from scratch.

 

Edit: The Orbx Central link on the Orbx Homepage lists the current Central as Version 4.1.14, so not sure how you managed to snag a copy of 4.1.21. You aren't running a MAC by any chance are you Gulfstreamtwo?

Edited August 16, 2020 by kerrygipe

[BradB]

31 minutes ago, kerrygipe said:

I think that is the issue. I am at Orbx Central 4.1.14, and even when I click the 'Check For Updates" button in the settings, it returns that "No Updates Available". Perhaps I need to just delete Central and reinstall it from scratch.

 

Edit: The Orbx Central link on the Orbx Homepage lists the current Central as Version 4.1.14, so not sure how you managed to snag a copy of 4.1.21. You aren't running a MAC by any chance are you Gulfstreamtwo?

You might try logging off from your account and then log back into Central , that's when my version updated to 4.1.21 .

 

John

[carlosqr]

My Central is also 4.1.14

[carlosqr]

13 minutes ago, BradB said:

You might try logging off from your account and then log back into Central , that's when my version updated to 4.1.21 .

 

John

Proceeding John

I'll revert with results

Cheers

Carlos

[carlosqr]

15 minutes ago, BradB said:

You might try logging off from your account and then log back into Central , that's when my version updated to 4.1.21 .

 

John

Hi John

 

Logout and then signed in again, same version

 

 

Though the update should be automatically as always had been...

 

Cheers

Carlos

[carlosqr]

I though downloading it again would update the version but the installer is also version 4.1.14

 

 

I suspect that a different version could exist for those who might have opted for the fastlane?...

 

Cheers

 

Carlos

[NBouc]

53 minutes ago, kerrygipe said:

I think that is the issue. I am at Orbx Central 4.1.14, and even when I click the 'Check For Updates" button in the settings, it returns that "No Updates Available". Perhaps I need to just delete Central and reinstall it from scratch.

Could it simply be that those who have Central 4.1.21 have opted for what Orbx calls "Fastlane" (access to beta versions) ?

[Gulfstreamtwo]

37 minutes ago, NBouc said:

Could it simply be that those who have Central 4.1.21 have opted for what Orbx calls "Fastlane" (access to beta versions) ?

Might be. I did long ago and when I opened it yesterday, it automatically updated to 4.1.21 and when I went back a bit later, to 4.1.22 where it is now.

 

Kerrygipe, no, not a MAC. Win 10 64 Pro.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Gulfstreamtwo

[BradB]

I have fast lane . 
 

John

[kerrygipe]

OK, I verified that Fast Lane is the ticket. I opted in to Fast Lane and then checked for updates and Central updated to 4.1.22.

[pmb]

Yep, I am on fastlane, too.  4.1.22.

 

Kind regards, Michael

[makapala]

23 hours ago, Nick Cooper said:

 

Hello,

as you can now, hover your mouse cursor over each item in the simulator drop down menu

and you will see a tooltip that shows you where it is and its version.

 

 

Can't see it on mine yet :/

 

[golden Eagle]

can not wait for this to come out and also very happy Orbx are involved  it will run like a dream 

[Tbolt47]

Yes excited for what's to come, this is going to get expensive 

 

One thing I have noticed is that all the runway light I have seen the centreline lights are all lined up with the centerline markings and Orbx LOWI is also. The Orbx XP version of LOWI has the lights correctly offset from the centre lines like a lot of airports do, so is this a restriction of MFS, is there no way to offset the lights?

Edited August 16, 2020 by Tbolt47

[Mooze]

5 hours ago, Tbolt47 said:

Yes excited for what's to come, this is going to get expensive 

 

One thing I have noticed is that all the runway light I have seen the centreline lights are all lined up with the centerline markings and Orbx LOWI is also. The Orbx XP version of LOWI has the lights correctly offset from the centre lines like a lot of airports do, so is this a restriction of MFS, is there no way to offset the lights?

Very true, am not going to comment about that yet as it is a preview but I can see lots of runway lightings, taxiway centreline lighting and taxiway edge lights completely off or placed where it should not be, specially centre line lighting which are for low visibility procedure (LVOP) they should be carefully placed for accuracy of the simulation, same applies for runway lightings and stuff, those kind of stuff must be done with precision and accuracy imo.

 

This is where XPlanes is superior as the user can adjust them very precisely when it is not done properly by the dev.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Mooze

[CharlesM]

Very excited about this!
I notice KSBA, Santa Barbara, CA, is mentioned in this thread but not on the coming soon page:

https://orbxdirect.com/coming-soon
Is it coming later than the others?
Crossing my fingers

[manihell]

Will the apron / taxiway / runway lights be on all day with Orbx too? 

[adambar]

On 8/9/2020 at 8:30 AM, alexf said:

Awesome news!

I left FSX many years ago and went to other games.

 

I am back, eagerly awaiting FS2020 release. Got a new Honeycomb Yoke and am ready for it (dusted off my very old CH Throttle for now).

 

I Have dozens of Orbx sceneries as I was involved in GA/Bush back then. Some people may remember me (I do remember many I see in the Forum)..

 

I will immediately go for these when they release, esp exited for KORS (used to be my FSX "base"), KTIW, London City. and LOWI.

 

Anything that can be ported, updated from the Orbx stable I'll buy.

 

Anything in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest I am especially interested in.

 

Welcome back Alex, been a long time. 

[Harrier]

To my opinion, better only smooth improvements on the airports details (like PBR for example...) but bringing the already well done airfields to the MSFS. In countries without TE regions, it has been the surrounding area that still had to be improved a lot, not the airports above all. MSFS will bring this finally, so visually the Orbx airports now will fit great into the landscapes.

40% off is a fair offer regarding the work Orbx have with. Even if most of us wish that each product we bought once would be working on each new sim (forever), we have to accept that this is not reality.

 

[Glenith37]

Hey Everyone,

 

Just wondering if it matters where you purchase MFS2020 from? (Microsoft or Steam) Will Central pick up the installation regardless of where it's bought from?

 

Many thanks

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

yes.

It does not matter where you buy it, the software must be the same.