announcement What we're working on - Orbx 2021 Roadmap

[Casualclick]

On 4/7/2021 at 2:35 PM, Woogey said:

Not his model, no connection whatsoever.  

Interesting. I wonder how many quality 3D models there are out there for this plane? He claimed he had the original flight model from Pam Brooker (referenced in many places for the FSX conversion). In any case, looking forward to it. Will it have an Auto-Pilot since it appears to have a Nav Unit? I love the view from the converted one that's in circulation now for MSFS.

Edited April 9, 2021 by Casualclick

[Mawson]

 

On 4/9/2021 at 6:13 AM, flying_fish said:

Having spent a great deal on Orbx products in the past, I have not bought any pay ware since the announcement of MSFS. 

I have spent hours exploring the Earth VFR in MSFS, and still so much to discover. For example, Flight yesterday over Bristol was just extraordinary. It's enough for me.

I cannot for the life of me see why anyone still uses older platforms.

Just saying, and respect all other views.

It's simple becuase everyone likes different things and MSFS does not cater for people that like detailed systems or have a favorite complex aircraft. MSFS is good for rubber necking but some people just want to fly IFR in the dead of the night in IFR conditions. Maybe you like wandering the globe rubbernecking but that's not everyone and maybe people want good helicopters and not just GA fixed wing or they like to fly around a particular area as that is where they flew or fly IRL and don't need to tour the Suez Canal and are just happy in their own backyard like me at Jandakot and Murray field. The general Australian landscape is not much better than x plane in the most part at the moment just dressed up with trees and north american houses and the older platforms do it much better at the moment.

[Trevor Hannant]

Still nothing on bringing EGLC, EGPB and others up to date in P3D...   Disappointing...

[flying_fish]

13 hours ago, Mawson said:

MSFS does not cater for people that like detailed systems or have a favorite complex aircraft.

You should check out the CJ4 with freeware working title mod... so good that MSFS have taken them on board. Others will follow without doubt.

13 hours ago, Mawson said:

but some people just want to fly IFR in the dead of the night in IFR conditions.

You can with latest Navigraph data, and with extraordinary night lighting effects.

13 hours ago, Mawson said:

maybe people want good helicopters

Coming in 2022, I understand. I keep P3D on my PC only because I enjoy flying helicopters, when they come to MSFS it's going.

13 hours ago, Mawson said:

Maybe you like wandering the globe rubbernecking

I do, but mostly I like flying, and the default MSFS flight model as it reacts to terrain effects and weather is extraordinary.

Flying the exact circuits and navexs I used to as a student pilot is as real as it gets for me. 

As you say it's not all there yet, but the promise in the SDK is there, and I'm sure Aus scenery will develop in time.

I'll leave it at that, and as I said this is a personal view, it's up to you of course.

[xsist77]

Hopefully you can include Tallinn Airport. Thanks!

[Abriael]

On 4/10/2021 at 9:01 AM, Mawson said:

 

It's simple becuase everyone likes different things and MSFS does not cater for people that like detailed systems or have a favorite complex aircraft. MSFS is good for rubber necking but some people just want to fly IFR in the dead of the night in IFR conditions. Maybe you like wandering the globe rubbernecking but that's not everyone and maybe people want good helicopters and not just GA fixed wing or they like to fly around a particular area as that is where they flew or fly IRL and don't need to tour the Suez Canal and are just happy in their own backyard like me at Jandakot and Murray field. The general Australian landscape is not much better than x plane in the most part at the moment just dressed up with trees and north american houses and the older platforms do it much better at the moment.

 

This view has been grossly outdated for months. 

 

Anyone is free to remain faithful to obsolete products if they so wish, but perpetuating the idea that "MSFS is good for rubber necking" or "just GA fixed wing" today is simply disingenuous. 

 

This is a great roadmap, and fully to be expected given that developers and publishers tend to work with what brings food on the table. The gap will only widen going forward.

 

Again, it's great that people are free to fly on whatever sim they want, and I understand it's difficult to let go of considerable investment in old sims, but no one should expect third-party devs to keep obsolete products relevant when their first-party developers don't. 

Edited April 12, 2021 by Abriael

[JimmiG]

On 4/8/2021 at 9:56 AM, Julio Garcia said:

My little wish for Orbx....BACK TO THE ROOTS: Airfields & little Airports like Skagit Regional, Sedona, Sonoma County, Monroe Firstair, Israel Farm, Yakutat & many more....
 

 

I agree, but we seem to be in the minority. When I asked about this in another thread a while ago, it was explained that Orbx have moved on from producing small airfields and would only do larger regional fields and other scenery products.

 

 

[JimmiG]

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by JimmiG
Double post

[Pukcip]

And there ends what was a nice update by Orbx on their plans this year for all platforms...   

[SGunard]

4 hours ago, Mawson said:

so you are disingenuous to suggest they are obsolete

 Maybe not obsolete - but maybe obsolescent (or soon to be!) 

[futurebreadmachine]

 

Just wanted you to know that waiting for proper helos in MSFS might not take many years as you think, check this out! Happy simming 

 

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/payware-bell47g-by-flyinside-coming-soon/379099/67

Edited April 13, 2021 by Richard Lincoln
Edited to remove Quotation of above garbage

[Kevin980]

Is the list of MSFS landmarks packs in order of release?

[lumbco]

Am wowed by MSFS having converted from Xplane.

 

Haven't seen any reference to EGHP Popham which was brilliant in Xplane, hope this will be converted for the MSFS?

[Mawson]

10 hours ago, futurebreadmachine said:

 

Just wanted you to know that waiting for proper helos in MSFS might not take many years as you think, check this out! Happy simming 

 

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/payware-bell47g-by-flyinside-coming-soon/379099/67

Yes thanks these guys caused P3D and X plane to adopt a native VR so they certainly have credibilty though unless Asobo change the flight model its never going to reach the very good flight dynamic model of X plane though it may mean I can shut off P3d and go back to 2 sims.

[Mawson]

14 hours ago, SGunard said:

 Maybe not obsolete - but maybe obsolescent (or soon to be!) 

I totally agree they ( Xplane P3d Aerofly) may be obsolete to those that just want a GA sim and one for just rubbernecking and a limited range of aircraft now and into the near future. I certainly agree FSX is obsolete without a doubt.

 

I will reiterate that we need more than one sim as where would we be, or where would Orbx be  if  X Plane had not  stepped it up when MS abandoned us for 12 years. Don't underestimate or forget that X Plane survived against MS  FSX and its multi billion dollar company publisher so X plane will adapt and change to compete as they wont be standing still either.

 

MSFS has a lot to catch up on to fill out functionality and deliver and XBox to support and a lot of unreliable code to fix along the way. I am sure the boffins at X Plane will find a way to keep the dream alive as they have always been a niche player and very good at what they do and they have a great sim and a great following so they will adapt like they always do as there is always a niche that is forgotten when trying to look after what they (MS) think is the major market.

 

I am hoping MSFS doesn't just  turn into a Box game. Some already argue that point that it is very game like so before everyone disregards X plane it may be history repeating itself when they save us from MS once again and the callous disregard that had for our hobby in 2008 if they decide to change tack. many of the ASOBO MS promises and timelines are just vapourware at the moment and there is a long way to go. It concerns me that leaders like PMDG are still holding back, you have to wonder why .... don't you?

 

I have MSFS and a few other sims and will continue like many others to do the same though there are some first time sim users here and they don't know what MSFS is missing and a good part of that is 20 years of third party development . MSFS may catch up but its not caught up yet and that's my point in disagreeing that X Plane and to a lesser extent  P3d are obsolete. 

 

In terms of P3d well who knows what LM may do as this is a big commercial sim company and focus more on systems and procedural type experience for training than eye candy as us regular hobbyist mostly demand but who knows what a new multi thread or faster processor could do to LM's P3d in the future ? 

 

Obviously Orbx don't agree with you as they are still releasing titles for the other sims but not at the same ratein the past  which is not surprising as they already have a full catalog of years of development for these titles and MSFS is a new market and this is reflected in their pathway forward.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by Mawson

[EasternT3]

18 minutes ago, Mawson said:

many of the ASOBO MS promises and timelines are just vapourware at the moment and there is a long way to go. It concerns me that leaders like PMDG are still holding back, you have to wonder why .... don't you?

 

 

You have a few good points, I exclusively use MSFS now and really do miss my PMDG hanger and am really looking forward to having them back in MSFS, one thing to note is you said PMDG are still holding back, as of RR last post he said "it's beginning to accelerate nicely" with MSFS development, and with this they showed a preview of the DC-6 in MSFS (on a different thread)

 

24 minutes ago, Mawson said:

I have MSFS and a few other sims and will continue like many others to do the same though there are some first time sim users here and they don't know what MSFS is missing and a good part of that is 20 years of third party development . MSFS may catch up but its not caught up yet and that's my point in disagreeing that X Plane and to a lesser extent  P3d are obsolete. 

 

Since MSFS released I have been an advocate of use any sims you want, I don't get people who are MSFS vs P3D vs X-Plane, and neither of the latter 2 are obsolete as they both are miles ahead of MSFS in terms of 3rd Party Aircraft as you say, (I also don't get the people who thought that MSFS would have a full suite of PMDG, FSLabs, QW, Aerosoft, *IniBuild's* etc on or just after release)

 

Orbx like every other flight simulator company have decided what the future for them is and in most cases it's MSFS, still like Mawson said P3D and X-Plane are not obsolete yet, but I'm interested to know what we will be saying in 5 years time

[Mawson]

1 minute ago, EasternT3 said:

 

You have a few good points, I exclusively use MSFS now and really do miss my PMDG hanger and am really looking forward to having them back in MSFS, one thing to note is you said PMDG are still holding back, as of RR last post he said "it's beginning to accelerate nicely" with MSFS development, and with this they showed a preview of the DC-6 in MSFS (on a different thread)

 

 

Since MSFS released I have been an advocate of use any sims you want, I don't get people who are MSFS vs P3D vs X-Plane, and neither of the latter 2 are obsolete as they both are miles ahead of MSFS in terms of 3rd Party Aircraft as you say, (I also don't get the people who thought that MSFS would have a full suite of PMDG, FSLabs, QW, Aerosoft, *IniBuild's* etc on or just after release)

 

Orbx like every other flight simulator company have decided what the future for them is and in most cases it's MSFS, still like Mawson said P3D and X-Plane are not obsolete yet, but I'm interested to know what we will be saying in 5 years time

I won't be waiting five years as there is still of lot of fun to be had with X Plane and P3d and in the meantime MSFS has now finally joined my stable and like said I previously said the X Plane and P3d sims will be moving along too we hope!

[Mawson]

 

@EasternT3

 

The  fact that Orbx has not abandoned the other sims is probably due to the fact that both sims as they are now probably  appeal to a different audience and therefore  there isn't really much of a competition between them, just looking at the past history of each one makes me pretty sure that I will maintain x-plane for as long as it keeps being developed.

What we have in X plane today is the result of dedicated team of aviation enthusiasts who have now worked for almost 30 years straight on a flight simulator, taking a very special engineering/physical approach and the first sim to implement a next generation API while the new sim on the block MSFS released with a legacy API Dx 11.

On the other side we have Microsoft (who are well known for losing interest and dumping the flight sim community twice before without notice) who hired a really talented French game studio to create a new msfs.

 

I have read that most of these developers at ASOBO are already working on their next projects which have nothing to do with MSFS, but that's just how the gaming industry works. 

With the huge investments in technical breakthroughs such as the Azure streaming service and creating Blackshark AI to generate airports and cities,  I am hoping they really will  keep their word and this becomes a 10 year project.

 

I am really interested in seeing how this evolves now that the hype is over and they are selling less copies and the gamers move on and we have less players but what I am confident of is that MS would never do anything for  goodwill or passion only, unlike X Plane that is full of passionate Aeronautical simmers.

 

I am investing in MSFS now we have a helicopter and I am thankful we get good discounts  from Orbx for multiplatform buys but while I see the end of P3D for me once more airframes turn up in MSFS, I will be with X Plane so long as they keep moving forward as it offers something quite different to MSFS and I am thankful Orbx are still supporting this platform.

Edited April 13, 2021 by Mawson

[EasternT3]

@Mawson, I completely agree with you, the last think ASOBO/MSFS need is MS puling the plug like they did with FSX, I hope they do continue to develop it, I take hope it that they will as Asobo currently have 14 open vacancies for the MSFS team. The other good thing with MSFS that I haven't seen since probably FS9 is the freeware market leading to the talent at FBW/WT

 

I have been interested in using X-Plane for a while, they have some aircraft I want to fly, that even P3D doesn't have but I struggle to justify the cost of having two sims (maybe in a couple of promotions ) 

 

Which ever sim you use and which ever way you cut it, thankfully the flight sim world has a good future ahead.

[Mawson]

16 hours ago, EasternT3 said:

 

I have been interested in using X-Plane for a while, they have some aircraft I want to fly, that even P3D doesn't have but I struggle to justify the cost of having two sims (maybe in a couple of promotions ) 

 

 

Like I mentioned in the post you replied to, X Plane is quite a different user base to what was FSX and then P3D and now MSFS . It started off more scientific in its approach with no eye candy and very procedural but after the demise of FSX it started to fill the eye candy gap but its focus is more flight dynamics and procedures in the cockpit.

 

You can demo it for free and it runs wonderfully on the Vulkan API.  The rotary wing flight model is very accurate and the helicopters I fly in real life and on X plane fly pretty close to real flight profiles.  I see many people say the same about the fixed wing models.

The flight model has lots of advanced cross coupling of all the forces you experience when flying and in the helicopter models I can experience nearly all the real secondary flight effects and the cross coupling of these effects from the inputs of primary controls.

 

You don't need to invest a lot and just a few Orbx investments can make this visually spectacular but its not eye candy like MSFS but in the Orbx areas it pretty darn close at times.  I use MSFS and X plane for different reasons and I get a lot of fun from using both.

 

One thing to note is after 30 years X plane is in it for the long run so investing in a few basic add ons wont break the bank and over the years they look quite cheap on a longer term basis than any other sim I have used.

 

I am not dissing out on MSFS as this now has a place but it's not so good I don't need X plane and it's clear Orbx are committed to continue to support X plane just like they did when it was a niche sim and at worst it may go back to being a niche sim but it has a lot of strengths and it will maintain a good following for those that like those strengths.

 

Edited April 14, 2021 by Mawson

[Kurt V]

On 4/6/2021 at 3:00 AM, Orbx said:

And from our Indies, we have the following that are in deep development:

• KVNY Van Nuys for P3D & MSFS (Matteo)

It's been 10 days!  How much longer?!?!!  

Seriously, really happy to see this coming, hope very much that its more on the #Soon end of the scale and not next year.

[losil]

There are plans to build sceneries such as TrueEarth Eastern Alps also for the MSFS? I am asking this because parts of the Eastern Alps have been implemented in MSFS more badly than well, which is primarily due to the region's poor Bing map material.

 

 

Edited April 18, 2021 by losil

[wolfko]

4 hours ago, losil said:

There are plans to build sceneries such as TrueEarth Eastern Alps also for the MSFS? I am asking this because parts of the Eastern Alps have been implemented in MSFS more badly than well, which is primarily due to the region's poor Bing map material.

 

 

 

TE products in P3d and XP are based on special high quality areal imagery licensed by Orbx for its TE areas.

Since MSFS is based on Bing I doubt that Orbx can use these arial imagery in MSFS. So we apparently have to live with Bing.

Maybe there was a possibility to use custom areal imagery when Bing data are switched off within MSFS.

[losil]

1 hour ago, wolfko said:

 

TE products in P3d and XP are based on special high quality areal imagery licensed by Orbx for its TE areas.

Since MSFS is based on Bing I doubt that Orbx can use these arial imagery in MSFS. So we apparently have to live with Bing.

Maybe there was a possibility to use custom areal imagery when Bing data are switched off within MSFS.

Yes, there is a way to integrate other Sat-Images, e.g. from Google Maps, but the way is very complex...

 

https://www.flusi.info/index.php?attachment/8972-aw-msfs-guide-how-to-create-a-custom-aerial-scenery-v1-1-pdf/

 

It would be easier, if Orbx would also offer the addons for MSFS. Technically it is possible..

 

But maybe there will be a tool like Ortho4xp for MSFS one day...

Edited April 18, 2021 by losil

[Holger Sandmann]

Hi there,

 

Quote

There are plans to build sceneries such as TrueEarth Eastern Alps also for the MSFS?

 

At the moment, this is not possible as far as the orthoimagery is concerned. While the SDK does allow us to compile custom orthoimagery -- some of our MSFS airports and landmarks city packs include it -- there are several hard barriers to cover areas much larger than ~100 sq km, and TE Eastern Alps is ~1,000 times that size!

 

The MSFS package builder only allows for a single ortho CGL file per project, while Eastern Alps, in the P3D version, has some 350 tiles whose individual Photoshop source files are about 5-8GB each, meaning we can't possibly combine them into a single source file for compilation. 

 

Moreover, the MSFS compiler itself is much more limited in terms of influencing compression and output resolution, and the MS Marketplace currently has a limit of 4GB for any single file included with a product.

 

That being said, there are opportunities for porting some of the components of TE Regions to MSFS, and the Regional Packs announced in this thread are an example of that approach.

 

Cheers, Holger

[BradB]

I already feel that MSFS default scenery is much better than XP and 

P3D IMHO . How will the proposed “Regional Pack’s” improve the 

default scenery ? . 

[kerrygipe]

Regarding Van Nuys (KVNY), please be sure to include the new Gulfstream/Jet Aviation maintenance facility on the North West quadrant. It makes a major change to the feel of the airport, but won't be shown if you are using source data more than about 18 months old. Also, directly across the runways, on the North East quadrant, is the 94th Aero Squadron restaurant. This is a really cool place made up like a World War I air base. The staff often wear period costumes, and there are mock up WWI fighters, jeeps, and other ground equipment parked outside. This is a favorite hang out for locals, and would be very missed by anyone that is familiar with the airport. Making sure that the Condor Squadron, flying the T-6's which are clearly parked outside near the base of the tower would be awesome as well. I flew with them a number of times. Back when I was there, they sometimes even partnered with the CAP, making them one of the last non-entertainment uses of authentic WWII aircraft, other than fire bombing and freight haulers up in the far North, and certainly one of the last using single engine WWII aircraft.

[I2icho84]

What ever happened to YBBN for MSFS? There was talk it would be released just weeks after the P3D release.

 

And it did not even make it on this list for 2021 release? 

 

[bon t]

As others have mentioned, would be great to see the much anticipated Perth Cityscape come to life in MSFS. Is Jarrad still working on it? Will it include areas such as Cottesloe, Hillarys and Fremantle Harbour?

[gleff]

2 hours ago, I2icho84 said:

What ever happened to YBBN for MSFS? There was talk it would be released just weeks after the P3D release.

 

And it did not even make it on this list for 2021 release? 

 

I second this.  It was supposed to be released in April, but April is quickly running out, and we haven't even seen the previews yet. Is it still coming out this month?

[NicolasA]

Maybe BILBAO and Asturias airports coming soon on MSFS 

[EasternT3]

5 hours ago, I2icho84 said:

What ever happened to YBBN for MSFS? There was talk it would be released just weeks after the P3D release.

 

And it did not even make it on this list for 2021 release? 

 

I don't think the roadmap included every Orbx product this year, Key West wasn't on the list but has been released, I'm really looking forward to YBBN when it happens

[orbmoke]

Glad to see that Orbx are continuing to support XP11 and very much looking forward to purchasing their TE Southern Spain when it's released.

 

[F737MAX]

16 hours ago, BradB said:

I already feel that MSFS default scenery is much better than XP and 

P3D IMHO . How will the proposed “Regional Pack’s” improve the 

default scenery ? . 

In my opinion/wishful thinking mode, the "Regional Packs" would contain POIs of regions/countries, e.g. castles, bridges, theme parks, antennae, masts, windmills, etc. that aren't included in the MSFS World Updates, nor appear in Orbx's City Packs.

While some people got upset with Orbx for 're-using' P3D assets from the TrueEarth GB series for the London CityPack, I'd be ok with assets from NA Northern Rockies, NZ North and NZ South Islands, Aus v2being used to give us more POIs that are missing from MSFS.

The World is a lot bigger than a few large cities in the USA and Western Europe.
 

[FireRx]

I still waiting for KMRY scenery with the pebble beach area for MSFS

[OzzyGamer275]

So excited for Melbourne Cityscape!!! 
 

really disappointed there is no word on YMML though, it’s heavily due for an update and it’s very much needed for MSFS

[Ruud.S]

I'm surprised that LFBO, Toulouse Blagnac, the home of Airbus is not included. I urge you to add this to your list and make sure it is for X-plane!

I'm on a MAC and do not intend to change to PC-ever!

Also still waiting for TE Netherlands. I know the reason why it has not happened but I just hope that nagging will make you find a way eventually.

Love Orbx sceneries!

[MumbaikarJi]

Thanks for considering Mumbai for a great Orbx City Pack  dhanyawad & shukria!

Please do not forget to renovate Gateway of India and the Taj Hotel, Haji Ali, the Sealink, .... and possibly you may have a look also at the both Mumbai airports VABB and VAJJ  too. Hoping for other Indian locations Kolkata, Chennai and Dilli!

 

Further inspirations: https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/world-update-india/358529

 

[I2icho84]

12 minutes ago, OzzyGamer275 said:

So excited for Melbourne Cityscape!!! 
 

really disappointed there is no word on YMML though, it’s heavily due for an update and it’s very much needed for MSFS

 

I know same here. Nothing better than a rwy 27 app at sunset, perfect! Now add Orbx YMML and i would be wetting myself Haha

[I2icho84]

Same it looks great!!