Flight Simulator X Announced

[bapenguin]

Microsoft has announced Flight Simulator X coming Holiday 2006 to the Windows platform.

“Flight Simulator X” is the culmination of nearly 25 years of the landmark “Flight Simulator” franchise and the most significant addition to date. “Flight Simulator X” will be fully optimized for Windows Vista. “Flight Simulator X” will set the standard for technological innovation, incredible graphics and realism for the genre. “Flight Simulator X” will also present players with a wide array of new aircraft to fly in a beautifully rich and believable world which will contain greater detail than past entries in the franchise. Players will be able to experience what it is like to be a pilot and have real distractions, to shade their eyes from the glare of reflective paint and the glint from glass and chrome. Players will enjoy the opportunity to fly their dream aircraft, from classic seaplanes like the de Havilland Beaver and Grumman Goose to the Cessna 172 there is a plane for every terrain and every player.

[bapenguin]

Successor to landmark “Flight Simulator” franchise scheduled to land on shelves Holiday 2006

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas tonight, Microsoft officially unveiled “Flight Simulator X” and provided an exciting first look at the innovative new title. During Microsoft’s keynote, hosted by Chief Software Architect Bill Gates, attendees were given an exclusive sneak peek at the jaw-dropping realism and exciting new content enabled through “Flight Simulator X,” which is scheduled to be available this holiday.

Published by Microsoft Game Studios and developed by ACES studio, “Flight Simulator X” is 10th addition to the highly successful “Flight Simulator” franchise and is regarded as one of the most popular Windows franchises in history.

“Flight Simulator X” is the culmination of nearly 25 years of the landmark “Flight Simulator” franchise and the most significant addition to date. “Flight Simulator X” will be fully optimized for Windows Vista. “Flight Simulator X” will set the standard for technological innovation, incredible graphics and realism for the genre. “Flight Simulator X” will also present players with a wide array of new aircraft to fly in a beautifully rich and believable world which will contain greater detail than past entries in the franchise. Players will be able to experience what it is like to be a pilot and have real distractions, to shade their eyes from the glare of reflective paint and the glint from glass and chrome. Players will enjoy the opportunity to fly their dream aircraft, from classic seaplanes like the de Havilland Beaver and Grumman Goose to the Cessna 172 there is a plane for every terrain and every player.

“Flight Simulator X” will also enable players to enjoy a connected world through an improved online experience. With more than 24,000 airports located on every continent, players will be able to explore their home town or a favorite far off city.

[snubber]

Any shots of this available? It's got me curious.

[bapenguin]

Any shots of this available? It's got me curious.

Unfortuantely there was nothing with the press release. Maybe they'll leak out tomorrow.

[falcon]

They had some video during the Keynote webcast and it looked pretty good. Didn't show much as the game is still a year away from development though.

[Savok]

I know some aviation nuts that have been waiting for this desperatly. Looks like I was right, they were waiting for Vista.

[Frogleg Special]

Mechwarrior V > Flight Simulator X for Vista launch

[Veloxi]

Woohoo! This has given me a simulated woodie. ;)

[Deadend]

Any chance of a dumbed down X360 port?

[Subbacultcha]

I hope FS10 has better terrain graphics than FS2004. The excellent third party terrain available for FS2004 emphasised how bloody lazy MS was in this department: unless you're flying above 1000 feet the ground looks Fugly (note the capital F).

[A-Team]

Any shots of this available? It's got me curious.
I just received 31 shots (1600x1200). I'll post back once I get them up.

[A-Team]

(Click to Enlarge)

http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/d/47092-3/fsplanet_com_fsx_14.jpg (http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/v/screenshots/pc/flight_simulator_x/fsplanet_com_fsx_14.jpg.html) http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/d/47102-3/fsplanet_com_fsx_16.jpg (http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/v/screenshots/pc/flight_simulator_x/fsplanet_com_fsx_16.jpg.html)

http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/d/47127-3/fsplanet_com_fsx_21.jpg (http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/v/screenshots/pc/flight_simulator_x/fsplanet_com_fsx_21.jpg.html) http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/d/47142-3/fsplanet_com_fsx_24.jpg (http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/v/screenshots/pc/flight_simulator_x/fsplanet_com_fsx_24.jpg.html)

http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/d/47040-3/fsplanet_com_fsx_03.jpg (http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/v/screenshots/pc/flight_simulator_x/fsplanet_com_fsx_03.jpg.html) http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/d/47058-3/fsplanet_com_fsx_07.jpg (http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/v/screenshots/pc/flight_simulator_x/fsplanet_com_fsx_07.jpg.html)

These were just some of the ones I picked out, but by all means, feel free to look at them all here (http://www.filerushnews.com/gallery/v/screenshots/pc/flight_simulator_x/). Knowing Microsoft, we'll see at least two or three more packages equal to or greater than the size of tonight's bundle before the game arrives.

[Veloxi]

Any chance of a dumbed down X360 port?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHAHAHAAHAHHAHAHA

<catches breath>

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAHAHA

[A-Team]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHAHAHAAHAHHAHAHA

<catches breath>

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAHAHA
He/she could always use his/her wired Xbox 360 controller to play FSX on the PC. It's not FSX on the Xbox 360, but who would know the difference with an above-average system?

[XenonCJ]

Mechwarrior V > Flight Simulator X for Vista launchBut you forget... Microsoft HATES people that like Mechwarrior... I'm not sure why...

[Akeldama]

I've just posted a preview of Flight Simulator X (http://pc.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=10220) over at Boomtown.net.

[Stormwatcher]

He/she could always use his/her wired Xbox 360 controller to play FSX on the PC. It's not FSX on the Xbox 360, but who would know the difference with an above-average system?

Only very dumb people would play a REAL flight simulator on a gamepad. IT's not about processing power in the machine, it's about processing power on the player's brain.

[Akeldama]

Actually since my joystick recently broke I've been using my wired 360 controller on FS2004 and it's pretty damn good. The pad has more buttons than my joystick so trimming the aircraft and altering the engine mixture is now less of a faf.

Don't knock it until you've tried it.

[Savok]

Aircraft textures need work, but that's what the FS community is for with folk like AI Aardvark.

[doyama]

I was excited when PCGamer 'leaked' on their website yesterday about an article in their February mag about how they listed FSX as coming out now (haha). Glad to see some official word about a new FS.

Though my overriding fear these days with FS, is that with all the crazies like Jack Thompson, they might make a big stink about FSX being a 'terrorist simulator', comments Jack has repeatedly made about FS. Though a previous poster joked about a 'dumbed down X360 version' I wonder if that's what they're going to give us! Instead of dusting off my joystick and throttle, I'll be plugging in my gamepad :(

[Donut11]

Man, I hope that they finally put a real career mode into it. I want my hopes for 777 captainship to be destroyed by the short, icy runway of Chicago Midway, just like real life!

[Frogleg Special]

Actually since my joystick recently broke I've been using my wired 360 controller on FS2004 and it's pretty damn good. The pad has more buttons than my joystick so trimming the aircraft and altering the engine mixture is now less of a faf.

Don't knock it until you've tried it.

Yeah, and soon all future airliners will have gamepads to steer them. :rolleyes:

[Stormwatcher]

Oh, I did try flying with gamepads. Played Lock On and IL-2 with a Dual Shock once. It sucked. The bigger stick is better for controlling the surfaces correctly. the lil' analog stick is far too limited. And I happen to have a device called keyboard, with 104 buttons. That's almost 90 more than a gamepad (not including the shifted, control-ed and alt-ed keys).

After actually trying, I can safely say it sucks.

[Busted_Astromech]

And the point is not how well the gamepad controls the plane but how realistically it controls it--and between a joystick and a gamepad, one clearly mimics a joystick much better.

[Savok]

Only I don't remember airliners using joysticks...

[Busted_Astromech]

Um...flight stick?

[Subbacultcha]

Um...flight stick?

Most commercial airplanes use yokes. They're like steering wheels than can also move forward and backward.

[Akeldama]

Many modern airliners now use small joysticks instead of yolks.

[Busted_Astromech]

Ah! Now I remember what you're talking about, yes, the yokes.

I just had in my mind the image of plane using joysticks--it's still not an unfamiliar way to fly, considering all the planes that do use them.

And in any case better than a thumbstick.