One mostly uninformed opinion and ramblings

[jmig]

I have been playing around with the 2024 the last couple of days. The first day I tried out two of MS's default aircraft. They worked as expected. I found the new controller setup menu mostly intuitive and easy to use. The same for the rest of the setup menus. I figure that the keyboard changes, which I rarely used in 2020, were because of the avatar new walking and doing things modes. I didn't see a way to make use of many cockpit toggle switches. Most commands are still set up for momentary push buttons. It looks alike FSUIPC, Axis & Ohs, and company will still have niches.

Today I loaded the VAN RV-8. It flew like a charm. Getting into VR was a breeze. My Quest 3 with Virtual Desktop running went right into VR with the CTRL-TAB keys. I am setup for Ultra seatings, as recommended my MS for my system. I didn't notice any shudders or pauses. It just ran smoothly. I am happy with VR. Now, I need to setup buttons to get in and out and adjust seat height. BTW, in 2020 I would often find myself too far back or forward or off to the side when entering VR. At least with the RV-8, I was right in the cockpit.

I am somewhat disappointed with the VR visuals. At least in my home town of Lafayette. The buildings and streets have very little detail. The University of Louisiana campus is there but the football stadium and basketball arena are just flat planes. There was no traffic and the streets were a greenish color. My house was there with a tree in the front yard that was removed 6-7 years ago. My workshop is missing. ;( I noticed that many POIs, before I turned them off, were for commercial establishments. I wonder if they paid MS to POI their location?

The airport (KLFT) is there with mostly generic buildings. The new terminal has the right shape, but no details. My home airport down the road in New Iberia (KARA) is just flat planes. The airport builders are still in business, at least for the smaller regional airports. Actually, I can see scenery builders have lots of room for improvements.

The trees did show Fall colors. Maybe REX needs a new niche? They are much more realistic. I didn't try weather or nighttime operations, except for leaving an airplane on the runway while I did something else. When I came back it was night and the landing lights were on. They looked realistic.

I plan on taking my time using a limited setup for a while. Yesterday, I ordered a motion simulator platform and it will take four or five weeks to come in. In the meanwhile, I will need to take my current cockpit apart and see what I can reuse and what I will sell or give away. So, until then, I plan on using a basic controller switch panel setup.

As for my opinion of 2024. It is mostly good. However, I think MS and company oversold it. If you are on the fence about buying 2024, MSFS 2020 will provide you with 90% of what you will get in 2024.

 

[Bomber_12th]

I had the day off today and I've been doing a lot more flying in MSFS 2024 - beyond all of the visual improvements, I've noticed the flight models of the default aircraft to be nicely enhanced/more lifelike than in MSFS 2020, and I'm curious if others have the same opinion. From my experience thus-far, there is a more realistic "boat like" feeling of flying the aircraft/more completely not on rails feeling.

 

[Javis]

As for my opinion of 2024. It is mostly good. However, I think MS and company oversold it. If you are on the fence about buying 2024, MSFS 2020 will provide you with 90% of what you will get in 2024.

Thanks for that nice review, John !

Now may i ask you 2 questions about that 10% that *will* make a difference ??..... :

#1. Would you be so kind and fly thru the new amazing looking clouds ? From the VC how does that compare to flying thru the ol' MS2020 clouds ? Do you notice any difference ? Are those cheesy looking, slow moving 2D maps gone ? Do you perhaps get a sense of speed now ?

#2. Did you perhaps find something already that could point to a build-in ready to use FLY-BY Camera option ?..

Thank you so very much !

 

[Javis]

I had the day off today and I've been doing a lot more flying in MSFS 2024 - beyond all of the visual improvements, I've noticed the flight models of the default aircraft to be nicely enhanced/more lifelike than in MSFS 2020, and I'm curious if others have the same opinion. From my experience thus-far, there is a more realistic "boat like" feeling of flying the aircraft/more completely not on rails feeling.

Good news, John, thanks ! If you have had MS Flight by any chance, does that changed feeling of flight in MS2024 possibly resemble that of MS Flight ? ( a total disaster but certain things were absolutely way better than we've seen in any FS version (and still not even in MS2020 ! )

According to your screenies of the Jenny, i think she looks absolutely gorgeous. I noticed the pilot models have had a nice upgrade as well ? Do i see it correctly that the Jenny pilot has his cap the other way around ? If that's true we might be in for some good period style pilot figures ?

Flown thru the new clouds already ?...What do you think ?...

Thanks !

 

[modelr]

I had the day off today and I've been doing a lot more flying in MSFS 2024 - beyond all of the visual improvements, I've noticed the flight models of the default aircraft to be nicely enhanced/more lifelike than in MSFS 2020, and I'm curious if others have the same opinion. From my experience thus-far, there is a more realistic "boat like" feeling of flying the aircraft/more completely not on rails feeling.

I've only been able to actually fly one aircraft so far, the Carenado Cessna 170B Tundra. I was very impressed with the default ground handling and take-off. The tires did not break traction and slide off the left side of the runway when I lifted the tail, and with the default sensetivity I did not need a huge, then suddenly way to much rudder input. Climb out was as I expected it should be. Landing was also very nice, without the tail going nuts, nor excessive bounce on a poor approach.

I flew over my home in Tama, Iowa. There was way to much vegetation, and the map and roads/buildings appeared to be from 5-7 years ago, seeing a lot of construction in town and where I worked that has been completed for years. My yard had more trees in it than it ever had, and none of the damage done by a derecheo back in 2020. My place of employment was a tank farm holding asphalt oil and patching material used in road construction and repairs. All the tanks had buildings on top of them, instead of the proper tanks as had been in MS2020. But my car was in the driver's parking area!

My graphics setting are defaulted to Ultra, and I noticed no flickering or stutters. Colors were bright and clear. It is late autumn, and the fields have almost all been harvested and most grassy areas turned brown, which was well depicted in the open areas, however, over the towns all the vegetation was still green and trees were full, although most of them have shed thier leaves now.

I still haven't figured out how to take a proper screenshot with WIN 11. None of the working screenshot programs I had in WIN 10 work now. I've been told the XBox app has a screenshot taker, but can't find it on mine. I'm just to dense in some aspects of program usage. Also, I have three monitors hooked up in the old way (?) and the default screenshot program takes all three screens, even if I use the cropping tool before the shot.

I still have the problem of my controls losing all motion after a few minutes, and then returning. However, I think I may have found one of the causes. I run the sim in windowed mode, and if my mouse accidently leaves the window, the controls freeze. When I bring the pointer back into the window, the controls work again. I do not have to click the mouse, whether when leaving the window nor returning for the controls to freeze/unfreeze.

Overall, so far, I do like the newer graphics and flight model. I need to try a military WWII fighter. If it takes off normally, instead of sliding off the left side of the runway when reaching 50kts, I will say it's worth it.

I don't have any problems with bandwidth as I have a 1G package and use a wired connection. I do NOT use a router in my house anymore, as I have had 4 different ones, and they ALL would lose connection every few days, and needed to be rebooted. Usually while I was doing something. I use Netgear Ethernet Switches now. I have three of them in use, and have never lost internet since, except when the feed from outside has gone down. No loss of speed or trouble sharing connections with other devices, including 4 tvs in different rooms.

 

[Bomber_12th]

Good news, John, thanks ! If you have had MS Flight by any chance, does that changed feeling of flight in MS2024 possibly resemble that of MS Flight ? ( a total disaster but certain things were absolutely way better than we've seen in any FS version (and still not even in MS2020 ! )

According to your screenies of the Jenny, i think she looks absolutely gorgeous. I noticed the pilot models have had a nice upgrade as well ? Do i see it correctly that the Jenny pilot has his cap the other way around ? If that's true we might be in for some good period style pilot figures ?

Flown thru the new clouds already ?...What do you think ?...

Thanks !

Hi Jan, with the pilot models, you create your own (a lot of customizable options, including different hats and helmet types, amongst a plethora of other options), and then every time you fly, it will use the pilot model you've made. When I flew the Jenny, I purposely adjusted my pilot avatar to have a backwards cap and vintage headphones, so that he had the most appropriate attire provided. I still have yet to spend much time in the clouds.

 

[MZee1960]

John, I was wondering if you could post a few pics of the 'new and improved for 2024' P51 'Stang of the old 2020 'Reno Air Races' addon in screenshots forum. Just wondering if the rumors regarding the tablet integration, pilot removal when cold & dark, and opening canopy MS devs talked about all came true ? I understand it is now a revamped, default AC in FS2024. Thank-you.

 

[Bomber_12th]

MZee, I tried out the '2024 P-51D earlier today, and it was quite a bit of a let down. The canopy doesn't open/close, unlike most of the other default aircraft I've looked at so-far. The cockpit only appears empty when you're in the preflight mode. It is also one of the few default aircraft I've looked at thus-far that doesn't have a 3D tablet in the cockpit, however you can still use the EFB/tablet window. All that aside, my biggest disappointment with it is that the aileron and flap on the right wing do not animate at all - especially noticeable when you come in to land with full flaps and only the left flap is deployed. I can tell it was not a priority aircraft. When things calm down a bit, I figure I'll send a support ticket to Microsoft/Asobo to see about fixing that.

 

[jmig]

Thanks for that nice review, John !

Now may i ask you 2 questions about that 10% that *will* make a difference ??..... :

#1. Would you be so kind and fly thru the new amazing looking clouds ? From the VC how does that compare to flying thru the ol' MS2020 clouds ? Do you notice any difference ? Are those cheesy looking, slow moving 2D maps gone ? Do you perhaps get a sense of speed now ?

#2. Did you perhaps find something already that could point to a build-in ready to use FLY-BY Camera option ?..

Thank you so very much !

I had mixed results flying in the clouds. It may be that I need to tweak some setting, however sometimes they look amazing, just like I remember in RL flying. Other times I saw banding and jagged edges as I approached them. Maybe someone else can try, too. I really think we will need to fine tune 2024 before we can tell what is and what ain't. Other words, the jury is still out.

The cheesy 2D maps, at least for the RV-8 is in an EFB that pops up. I could get any of the click spots to work for me. I noticed, also, that the Garmin 450 isn't working in this airplane. Maybe that has something to do with the iPad not working.

As for the fly-by camera. I am in the 1% who doesn't care or use it. I have read that there is no built-in flyby. I didn't see anything in the Camera settings.

 

[MZee1960]

Thanks, John. I wasn't expecting A2A study level, but you're right - a bit of a let down. Like getting a battery operated toy at Christmas without the batteries.

Hopefully, once all the initial hype calms down and the streaming/start-up issues are under control, the devs will revisit and polish it up a bit - at least to a Carenado level for now.

 

[Javis]

Hi Jan, with the pilot models, you create your own (a lot of customizable options, including different hats and helmet types, amongst a plethora of other options), and then every time you fly, it will use the pilot model you've made. When I flew the Jenny, I purposely adjusted my pilot avatar to have a backwards cap and vintage headphones, so that he had the most appropriate attire provided. I still have yet to spend much time in the clouds.

That's atleast 20 more points on the positive scale of going for MS2024 ! (eventually...;-) Thanks John, I think I will enjoy that !

Yeah, i (for one...) find that quite remarkable. I don't even remember the last time i boarded an airliner but it must've been in the by gone century. 16 hours of boredom flying from one end of the world to the other but i'll always remember the clouds and how they looked from above and particularly flying thru the clouds during climb and decent. There you'd finally get the sense of the gigantic speed you'd be moving at. I couldn't get my eyes off of it. Bummer it never lasted that long...

Here in our precious flight simulator the only time something coming almost close to that sight and feeling was with, remarkably enough, MS Flight. Quite noticeably the team responsable for that, and, i guess, the other flight characteristics as well, must have concisted of different people than those that created these characteristics for any other version of FS. To me it felt like much more time and dedication in that very important respect was spend on that compared to what it was before MS Flight. Never have we been able to enjoy the ( what i would call...) excitement of flying thru the clouds like we could with MS Flight.

And, sadly enough, by viewing a few of MSFS2024 video's that are now becoming available, no change in the cheesy way that it has been executed all along (just a few transparent bmp's that are moving towards you at a speed resembling that of a ship rather than an aircraft flying at 450 mph IAS ). The clouds itself in MSFS2024 look fantastic but flying thru them they'll turn into transparant cardboard....

I have always found it a big missed chance that literally *nothing* of the good stuff in MS Flight has been taken forward into new versions of FS.

I'll get off my clouds box now

 

[Javis]

I had mixed results flying in the clouds. It may be that I need to tweak some setting, however sometimes they look amazing, just like I remember in RL flying. Other times I saw banding and jagged edges as I approached them. Maybe someone else can try, too. I really think we will need to fine tune 2024 before we can tell what is and what ain't. Other words, the jury is still out.

The cheesy 2D maps, at least for the RV-8 is in an EFB that pops up. I could get any of the click spots to work for me. I noticed, also, that the Garmin 450 isn't working in this airplane. Maybe that has something to do with the iPad not working.

As for the fly-by camera. I am in the 1% who doesn't care or use it. I have read that there is no built-in flyby. I didn't see anything in the Camera settings.

Thanks John !

Talking bout the RV-8, you didn't do anything with MS Flight, did you ? (remember....;-) The mission in MS Flight to fly a photographer 'above the deck' so he could shoot photo's of an exceptional astronomical event happend to be with an RV-8 (or maybe 7....). The transition from flying in the clear, flying thru the clouds and finally climbing out of the clouds into the clear again was something to behold. I mean REALLY !! Never ever could that have been experienced in any other FS version and not in MSFS2020 and, by the looks of it in the few videos i have seen sofar, certainly not in MSFS2024 neither ! A damn shame if you ask me.

Clouds are the only friends you've got up there. And they are utterly extremely beautiful friends as well, is there anything more beautiful on earth ? (although in a movie i heard a captain say "clouds are for co-pilots"....;-) And, certainly kudos for MSAsobo in that respect, as far as we can experience clouds in MSFS2024 now 'from an *outside* POV' is absolutely fabulous. How they could forget or simply totally ignore the fact of what it's like 'flying thru them' is something i can never ever understand. It's like they simply ignored the fact too that a float plane spouts water around, that's the nature of the thing !

As for the Fly-By camera: Drat!!! 50% atleast on the scale NOT to go for MSFS2024. For me it has been the one and only BIG miss in msfs2020. I knew it, this whole MSFS202X thing has become waaaay too complex to even THINK about integrating something like a Fly-By view. I mean, a proper one of course, not just a 'one shot only' in replay mode like it could be done with this crazy 'drone' thing in msfs2020. I bet that same thingamabob is still there in MS2024, right ?....

Thank you, John !

 

[falcon409]

If you are on the fence about buying 2024, MSFS 2020 will provide you with 90% of what you will get in 2024.

That alone is reason enough for me to stay with 2020 for the foreseeable future, thanks!

 

[tommieboy]

Well, it looks like my Windows 7 Pro / X-Plane 11 setup is getting another stay of execution. The core components of this old gaming rig date back to 2009.



Tommy

 

[jmig]

Thanks John !

Talking bout the RV-8, you didn't do anything with MS Flight, did you ? (remember....;-) The mission in MS Flight to fly a photographer 'above the deck' so he could shoot photo's of an exceptional astronomical event happend to be with an RV-8 (or maybe 7....). The transition from flying in the clear, flying thru the clouds and finally climbing out of the clouds into the clear again was something to behold. I mean REALLY !! Never ever could that have been experienced in any other FS version and not in MSFS2020 and, by the looks of it in the few videos i have seen sofar, certainly not in MSFS2024 neither ! A damn shame if you ask me.

Clouds are the only friends you've got up there. And they are utterly extremely beautiful friends as well, is there anything more beautiful on earth ? (although in a movie i heard a captain say "clouds are for co-pilots"....;-) And, certainly kudos for MSAsobo in that respect, as far as we can experience clouds in MSFS2024 now 'from an *outside* POV' is absolutely fabulous. How they could forget or simply totally ignore the fact of what it's like 'flying thru them' is something i can never ever understand. It's like they simply ignored the fact too that a float plane spouts water around, that's the nature of the thing !

As for the Fly-By camera: Drat!!! 50% atleast on the scale NOT to go for MSFS2024. For me it has been the one and only BIG miss in msfs2020. I knew it, this whole MSFS202X thing has become waaaay too complex to even THINK about integrating something like a Fly-By view. I mean, a proper one of course, not just a 'one shot only' in replay mode like it could be done with this crazy 'drone' thing in msfs2020. I bet that same thingamabob is still there in MS2024, right ?....

Thank you, John !

I haven't tried any of the "career" features, and probably won't. After all, at my age, who needs another flying career?

Speaking of clouds, allow me to reminiscent a real world cloud story. For my first ride in the T-38, what we called the "dollar ride", the weather was overcast from about 3000- 8000 feet. It was traditional for the IP to do an unlimited climb for this ride, so as to suitably impress the young 2nd Lt sitting in the back. Well it did.

I remember seeing the nozzle gauges wing fully open and feel the afterburners kick when they were engaged. The next thing I remember was we were pulling out of the pattern and the IP was making the initial call to ATC. Then we entered the clouds.

I remember the swirling mass of greys and off whites of the clouds. Then we busted out in brilliant sunshine, made whiter by the reflection off the cloud tops. I watched in the rearview mirrors, what is now a common Youtube scene, the clouds rapidly falling away as we climbed at almost 30,000 feet per minute.

It was a sight I will never forget.

Speaking of clouds in 2024. REX had some very nice clouds in 2020. Perhaps they will port their weather app to 2024?

 

[Javis]

I remember the swirling mass of greys and off whites of the clouds. Then we busted out in brilliant sunshine, made whiter by the reflection off the cloud tops. I watched in the rearview mirrors, what is now a common Youtube scene, the clouds rapidly falling away as we climbed at almost 30,000 feet per minute.

It was a sight I will never forget.

Exactly what i'm talking about, John. The clouds are our playground, isn't it. And by viewing the oncoming screenshots and vids of MSFS2024 MSAsobo certainly dressed it up a whole lot better compared to 2020. Really love what i see in that respect ! It's the way to get there that they still throw a hat at i.e. who cares.

I have been a dedicated flightsimmer from 'day one' (Sublogic FSII 1984 Commodore 64) and if you'd ask me what is the most exiting FS experience you've had during those 40 years it has deffinately to be the 'thru the clouds' assignment in MS Flight. I don't know who the team consisted of, possibly partly Aces, but they made progress in certain area's of PC flight simulation never seen before and possibly won't ever be seen again. A true flight simulator tragedy as ever there was ( all IMHO of course ;-)

Speaking of clouds in 2024. REX had some very nice clouds in 2020. Perhaps they will port their weather app to 2024?

I had REX in FSX/P3D sure but i did like the clouds and weather in MSFS2020 (i did have some kind of weather add-on but not REX) so i never bothered with REX anymore. ( OH YEAH!! If they could've provided the wonderful experience of flying thru the clouds like i experienced in MS Flight i would've traded my Porsche Cayenne for that ! ) I think the clouds in MSFS2024 look totally amazing so that's atleast something i'd like to thank MSAsobo for. (mind you, still remains to be seen if i buy it or stick with 2020...;-)

Check this MSFS2024 screenie out :



Lovely isn't it ! But that's great for a frikkin adventure game ! What's the use of it in a flight simulator program !

If you ask me nothing but easy applied (thru some kind of scenery engine) 'gobsmacking' scenery to draw the Xbox gamesters in "Look at THAT! WOW!!"... I'd say look at the sad and cheesy cardboard clouds when you fly thru them. No easy applied 'flying thru clouds engine' for that. They should've just hired the programmer(s) responsible for that wonderful effect in MS Flight.

I used to play all episodes of 'Myst', truly fantastic, and that pic above could've come right out of it but in a flight simulator program it has no meaning what so ever.

Sorry for rambling on, John. I'll shut up now.

 

[modelr]

Javis, just for the heck of it, I just made a quick test flight using the Cirrus Vision Jet G2 using the built in weather and scattered clouds, over the San Diego, California area. First time I 've flown the plane. I could learn to like it.
Anyway, sorry no screenies, but I thought the clouds were just as I expected them, like driving in and out of fog on the ground. No jagged edges or 2D rotating cards like was in FSX & P3D. Did not appear to be over pixelated on my screen, and there was NO jittering or stuttering like I always got flying in this area even in MSFS2020. My frustration level is lowering much faster than it did even with 2020.

My average load time from click one to choose flight... 3 minutes, then from hitting "fly now" to "ready to fly"... approximately 30secs.

 

[tiger1962]

Today I did an IFR flight in the Corvalis TT (which is superb, by the way) from Edinburgh to Aberdeen in some real-time filthy weather with occasional glimpses of snow-covered ground, and cloud graphics on Ultra.
Absolutely stunning. Okay there were a few concrete colored banks of storm clouds, but they were underneath a higher layer of cirrus and *technically* in the shade.
Now that the server issues have been sorted here in the UK, I am really loving this sim.

 

[Spook48]

Haha Jan , that looks like a scene from Skyrim. Now go fly through the trees.

 

[Javis]

Javis, just for the heck of it, I just made a quick test flight using the Cirrus Vision Jet G2 using the built in weather and scattered clouds, over the San Diego, California area. First time I 've flown the plane. I could learn to like it.
Anyway, sorry no screenies, but I thought the clouds were just as I expected them, like driving in and out of fog on the ground. No jagged edges or 2D rotating cards like was in FSX & P3D. Did not appear to be over pixelated on my screen, and there was NO jittering or stuttering like I always got flying in this area even in MSFS2020. My frustration level is lowering much faster than it did even with 2020.

My average load time from click one to choose flight... 3 minutes, then from hitting "fly now" to "ready to fly"... approximately 30secs.

Well, that sounds atleast hopeful, Don ! Thanks !

You know, what was so extremely beautiful and immensely immerseful (if that's a correct word..;-) during this MS Flight mission, was the actual 'getting out of the clouds and into the clear again' bit. With a sudden burst of extreme clear sunlight that also accentuated the imperfections/ scratches on the canopy glass as the perfect apotheosis of the very realistic climb through the clouds or murk if you will. And just before that the clouds would get thinner and thinner and more transparant before fading away completely.

I lost count of how many times i spoke about this particularly interesting and outstanding MS Flight experience in the various fora but literally no one, not one flightsimloving soul whatsoever reacted to it, knew what i was for heavensake talking about. Seems very much like the one and only truly and utterly spectacular event that could have ever been experienced in a Flight Simulator version has miserably failed to get attention but for only *one* dedicated flightsimmer : me..... (must say i start to believe that i might have dreamed it, that it really never happend..... ;-)

One more try then : dear flightsimmers of SOH, is there really no one here that took the chance and bought MS Flight (released Feb.2012) and played the 'mission' to take an astronomy photographer up above the cloud deck (over Hawaii) in a RV-8 (or -7) ??....... ("can't remember" won't work because *IF* you did it would've been impossible to *not* remember)

Oh well, thanks again, Don ! I'll continue to look at MSFS2024 vids for glimpses of flying thru the clouds.