Help me remember.

***tigisfat*** · 02-25-2012, 09:04 PM

I could swear that when Flight was first announced, the press releases made a point of saying they were committed to simulation fans. At what point did they stop using those words? Are we able to pinpoint either a change in marketing or overall strategy? Am I crazy?

**angels355** · 02-25-2012, 09:29 PM

There WAS a specific moment in time when things changed. The Games or other management argued with the management from Aces about the driection of the MS FS franchise. Continue to lead the industry in gaming excellence in a full encyclopedic full simulator that stresses current hardware (as has been the custom from the beginning), or whether to dumb it down like a frozen burrito for mass distrbution. Then they glossed over all the things that were important to us in those early press releases you mentioned, I'm trying to find a better way of saying this, basically they lied to us, with a smile on their faces. In military lingo they were WLSoS.

I just loaded up Combat Flight Simulator 3 for the first time ever because I just want to find a Stearman and shoot it down!!

***tigisfat*** · 02-25-2012, 09:51 PM

It sure seems to be that way, but what if they weren't lying? Wasn't it about 4-5 months ago that things really changed? It can't take THAT much time once you've got a game already built to ease back on the physics and include coin collecting and some other nonsense. At one point, they stopped telling us they cared. It makes me wonder if there was a last minute change of plans. On the other hand, I've heard information that lines up with what we now know for years. I've PM'd quite a few of you over time with that information.

Also, does anyone remember the survey that came out in the wake of the ACES firing? I do. There were some good ideas in it. I'd rather fly a bird simulation where an eagle must protect it's nest than screw around with a ridiculous carplane collecting coins and looking for caches.

**angels355** · 02-25-2012, 10:05 PM

My opinion is, it was the Aces vs the schlock management, and the minute the schlock management took over, they substituted quality and good reputation with PR, and were betting that we were just so desperate to fly that we would love anything they gave us. They were delivering #### from the beginning, as soon as the schlock management took over. Did you read what Russell said about his Beta experience in the thread Your Feelings about Microsoft Flight?

**angels355** · 02-25-2012, 10:46 PM

What bothers me is, does MS expect us to accept this as their permanent FS franchise format? They went to great lengths at authenticity over the car plane, it makes me wonder.

**angels355** · 02-25-2012, 11:31 PM

I have been flying FSX a lot the past six weeks or so, and put FS9 on my new system also. I feel compelled to say that FS9 is still one of the best simulators ever. I like FSX, but am amazed at how good FS9 is. FS9 excellent, FSX excellent, Flight's format has been an incredible disappointment and the Flight management has been proud of these features. I haven't flown it myself, however, it is stripped, etc etc etc.I think they ignored us while they themselves were trying to grab for the gold. Cheap production, quick bucks. PR is no substitute for quality!!

**aircav1970** · 02-26-2012, 10:15 AM

Hi guys,it is my opinion that Flight! will shortly fade into obscurity.The people that are simmers already know that this is not a simulation in any way,shape or form.The customer demographics that Spencer/Howard are aiming at are casual gamers that might download the first free package but will hardly spend any of their games budget on DLC that doesn't include some way to blow something up or shoot something down.How they (MS) think is beyond me as to any long term commitment from a customer base that has the attention span of a 5 year old.No offence to the many 5 year olds that are reading this board,but my grandsons,I have 6 of them,are not very excited about this new flying game.They would rather play Ratchet&Clank or whatever on a console than sit down at a PC and play what appears to be a very slow moving game even it if does have great graphics.It would be a great thing if I were to be proven wrong and we,the FS Community,got a lot of new converts to Flight Simulation but unless the individule already had an interest in real world aviation I doubt that playing Flight! on GFWL would cultivate any interest anyway.As I said,this is just my opinion but time will tell.I have been wrong before......

***fxsttcb*** · 02-26-2012, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by tigisfat

I could swear that when Flight was first announced, the press releases made a point of saying they were committed to simulation fans. At what point did they stop using those words? Are we able to pinpoint either a change in marketing or overall strategy? Am I crazy?

Nope, you are not crazy! I had the same early impression. They probably got so many questions, right off the bat, that they responded with their December 8, 2010 explanations. It seems to me that further News Updates, simply didn't expand on the "simulation" aspects. I figured they were already well versed in creating the simulation, and were focusing on enticing their expanded audience. Only the official release, and first DLC made available, will possibly show us more simulation. Fingers crossed!
As a Beta tester, I could see some possibilities, by wandering thru the install, but, the Beta itself did not impress me...Don