Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 - ALL the Facts

Summary

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 promises a revolution in flight simulation with over 45 new aircraft, enhanced aerodynamics, and improved terrain detail. The game caters to core simmers, gamers, and digital tourists with features like career mode, challenges, and a living world with accurate animal behavior. Technical advancements include cloud reliance for reduced load times and a reworked marketplace for easier aircraft acquisition. The game offers a realistic flight experience with volumetric lighting, ray-tracing, and a dynamic world.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has been played by over 50 million people since its release, with 49 updates over 4 years.
• 🔄 The game caters to three types of players: core simmers, gamers, and digital tourists, each with different priorities and playstyles.
• 🛩 Flight Sim 2024 introduces a wide variety of aircraft, including new additions like parachutes, paragliders, and hot air balloons.
• 🌪️ The game's aerodynamics have been greatly improved, with realistic simulation of ground effect, turbulence, and wake interactions.
• 🌍 The terrain detail in Flight Sim 2024 has been increased by 4,000 times, with fully 3D modeled terrain collisions and high-resolution textures.
• 🌳 The game world features 23 biomes, over 100 species of trees, and seasonal changes that affect vegetation and animal behavior.
• 🚗 Animal life has been added to the simulation, with species correctly located and behaving as they would in real life.
• 🌉 Improved traffic modeling includes both air and sea traffic, with data matched to hundreds of aircraft models for increased realism.
• 💡 Lighting has been upgraded, with physical-based lighting for all light sources and improved atmospheric lighting effects.
• 🌐 Flight Sim 2024 reduces installation and load times by relying more on cloud streaming, only downloading what's visible to the player.
• 📈 The game includes a comprehensive flight planning tool with advanced features like performance planning and checklists.

Q & A

How many years has Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 been out?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has been out for 4 years.

What are the three categories of players identified in the script?

The three categories of players are core simmers, gamers, and digital tourists.

What was one of the issues with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 that the developers aimed to address in the sequel?

One of the issues was the game starting to creak under the weight of add-ons, install sizes, and long load times.

What new features related to aircraft variety are included in Flight Sim 2024?

Flight Sim 2024 includes new additions like parachutes, paragliders, and hot air balloons to the variety of aircraft.

How has the aerodynamics simulation been improved in Flight Sim 2024?

The aerodynamics have become more detailed with increased flexibility in surface and wing design, ground effect simulation, and realistic turbulence.

What is the improvement in terrain detail in Flight Sim 2024 compared to its predecessor?

Flight Sim 2024 has 4,000 times more surface detail, affecting Landing strategy due to fully 3D modeled terrain collisions.

How has the representation of the world in Flight Sim 2024 been enhanced?

The world in Flight Sim 2024 includes new aerial and satellite imagery, 23 biomes, over 100 species of trees, and seasons with adapting vegetation.

What new living elements have been added to the simulation in Flight Sim 2024?

Animals such as giraffes, kangaroos, zebras, and more have been added, moving and migrating as they would in real life.

What is the improvement in air traffic simulation in Flight Sim 2024?

Flight Sim 2024 models the world's air traffic to 91% accuracy and matches the air traffic data to hundreds of aircraft models.

How has the lighting system been upgraded in Flight Sim 2024?

Every light source has real-world physical-based intensities, and atmospheric lighting has been reworked for more accurate cloud layer lighting.

What are some of the new aircraft types introduced in Flight Sim 2024?

New aircraft types include the Boeing 737 Max 8, Airbus A330, Airbus Beluga, Boeing Dreamlifter, A10 Warthog, and various helicopters and amphibious planes.

How does the career mode work in Flight Sim 2024?

In career mode, players can start from anywhere, get certified, and unlock more mission types by obtaining more licenses. Missions are dynamic and generated daily.

What technical improvements have been made to reduce installation and load times in Flight Sim 2024?

There is a greater reliance on the cloud, reducing internet bandwidth and install footprint, with world updates and marketplace purchases streamed on-demand.

What are some of the new features for flight planning and simulation in Flight Sim 2024?

Flight Sim 2024 includes a built-in flight planning tool with advanced features like performance planning, fuel and payload planning, and extended ops for oceanic operations.