Posted January 4, 2012 The basic game is free-to-play. You get some planes and regions. If you sign in with you Live account you'll get more planes and also Xbox Live Achievements. Additional planes, missions and regions costs extra. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 5, 2012 Might build a new PC by the end of this year or the beginning of next. I will certainly give it a try then. I like stuff that flies and shows some semblance of realistic behavior, but probably can't get into the really heavy stuff like the DCS series. I've never actually played MS Flight Simulator before. Only tried once or twice to click all sorts of things in MS Flight Simulator (Version 5.0) as a child on our old PC. I had no idea whatsoever what was going on. But I rediscovered the "Pilot's handbook" recently and it's the thickest manual I've ever seen. Edit: If this combines a more realistic flight model with some more game-like traits, some Pilot Wings fans here might also enjoy this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 5, 2012 From what I can tell, it's much less of a simulator (in regards to having the whole flight panel) and it has 360 controller support. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 5, 2012 One of my mates is really into flight simulator, to the point where (and i have witnessed it) he flys to different airports and makes a log of each flight on a notebook. I reckon he would be interested in this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 5, 2012 From what I can tell, it's much less of a simulator (in regards to having the whole flight panel) and it has 360 controller support. Apparently the complexity will be customizeable. From kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5872926/the-rebirth-of-microsoft-flight-simulator-will-be-free-on-pcs-this-spring): a spokesperson says that you could in fact play with just a mouse: "em>Microsoft Flight is compatible with joysticks, flight pedals, Xbox 360 controllers and additional traditional controllers used for flight simulators. Players only need a mouse to fly and can tailor flight controls to match their skill level, making Microsoft Flight easy for beginners while still challenging for the most accomplished PC pilots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 6, 2012 I've never understood flight simulators. Seems like a ridiculously boring way to spend your time. What I think would make it more interesting would be to have online multiplayer. You could have servers for people who just want to mess about and chat with each other, and the serious players could play with each other, (arguably) making it more realistic as they'd have to organise it around other people (I'd imagine somebody would go to lengths to create a timetable/schedule/flight plan). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 6, 2012 I've never understood flight simulators. Seems like a ridiculously boring way to spend your time. I think that's why they added missions to this one, to make it appeal to those people who don't like flying from A to B. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 6, 2012 (edited) What I think would make it more interesting would be to have online multiplayer. You could have servers for people who just want to mess about and chat with each other, and the serious players could play with each other, (arguably) making it more realistic as they'd have to organise it around other people (I'd imagine somebody would go to lengths to create a timetable/schedule/flight plan). I see you do understand (civil) flight simulators. At least from what I've heard, that was exactly what previous MS Flight Simulators could be used for. The addition of missions here might just make it interesting for single player, too. Still, the main fascination comes from mastering a virtual vehicle, that behaves closely to how it would in reality. Just how close it will be in this entry remains to be seen. Then there are combat flight simulators, which are inherently mission-centered affairs. Multiplayer in those is essentially a kind of Death Match-game with very complex controls. At least from IL2 (1946) though I know that it's entirely possible to reduce realism and complexity until it's closer to flying in Battlefield than to an actual simulation. Edit: There's a video showing parts of the Beta. Seems missions are structured as challenges, like landing under certain conditions, collecting floating marks etc. and you'll be rated according to how well you did. Edited January 11, 2012 by Burny Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
