What is MSFS for?

Once upon a time, there was a discussion in a flight simming Forum about scenery causing problems with FS. The thread grew longer and longer about this problem when a lovely young lady entered the thread [i can't recall her name]. She was a real commercial pilot. She brought the whole debate to a sudden stop with her very brief post: "Guys, it's a FLIGHT simulator, not a SCENERY simulator." I thought that was so appropriate and, because it came from a lady, no one was offended. I never forgot that post of hers.

We should have just left it at 16 colors and vector graphics. The planes flew fine (both of them) and the animation was as smooth as polished glass on my 512 Mhz machine.

 

-Pv-

"Guys, it's a FLIGHT simulator, not a SCENERY simulator."

FS is a computer program which is centered around trying to simulate flying. But when I fly real airplanes, I see trees, houses, farms, cars, trucks, tractors, people, etc. Since the sim does so poorly at simulating flight sensations (control feel, seat of the pants, field of view, etc. etc.), it needs more to aid in the illusion of real flight, so the "eye candy" plays, to me, a big part in that illusion.

 

Otherwise it's merely a procedures simulation, and would hold little interest for me. Perhaps it's different if you spend all your time at FL 350, but I'm rarely anywhere near that.

"Guys, it's a FLIGHT simulator, not a SCENERY simulator."

 

That's one person's view of what FS is all about from the perspective of a pretend pilot, chances are if you ask ACES or LM what it's all about they'll tell you it's a scenery simulator that you can fly airplanes around in.

That's one person's view of what FS is all about from the perspective of a pretend pilot, chances are if you ask ACES or LM what it's all about they'll tell you it's a scenery simulator that you can fly airplanes around in.

 

She was a commercial pilot.

We should have just left it at 16 colors and vector graphics. The planes flew fine (both of them) and the animation was as smooth as polished glass on my 512 Mhz machine.

 

-Pv-

Imagine the frame rate you'd get with today's processors.

What is MSFS for?

 

What is this thread for??????

"Guys, it's a FLIGHT simulator, not a SCENERY simulator."

I'd say it is more of an Aircraft Simulator with flying as a side benefit. I mean look at PMDG's products

Well, that was her opinion! Of course it's not a scenery sim, but it's not just about realistic aircraft preformance and tuning. It's also about the more realistic experiance. The better scenery we have, the better flying experiance we get.

 

Combining a realistic aircraft with realistic textures and sceneries, then we get a realistic experiance.

Well, that was her opinion! Of course it's not a scenery sim, but it's not just about realistic aircraft preformance and tuning. It's also about the more realistic experiance. The better scenery we have, the better flying experiance we get.

 

Combining a realistic aircraft with realistic textures and sceneries, then we get a realistic experiance.

 

Which is why I've become a fan of photoreal scenery. I see what real pilots see.

Which is why I've become a fan of photoreal scenery. I see what real pilots see.

 

You mean they see an image with no height objects, no seasonal changes, and no night objects?

Which is why I've become a fan of photoreal scenery. I see what real pilots see.

 

Perhaps that's true from FL 350, but not when you're within 1,000 to 2,000 feet of the ground, or even lower (OK in the sim), unless perhaps it's used in the fashion that ORBX uses it (not everywhere, either). The so-called "photoreal scenery" is, in the couple of times I've tried it, a blurred mess when flying at low level (50-3,000 feet). It's fine from FL350, but I'm rarely up there, and in any case properly done non-photographic scenery can sometimes look better even from that high.

Still beats the monopoly houses that are cut in half by roads and rivers...

Still beats the monopoly houses that are cut in half by roads and rivers...

 

Not if you use high quality add-ons.

Perhaps that's true from FL 350, but not when you're within 1,000 to 2,000 feet of the ground, or even lower (OK in the sim), unless perhaps it's used in the fashion that ORBX uses it (not everywhere, either). The so-called "photoreal scenery" is, in the couple of times I've tried it, a blurred mess when flying at low level (50-3,000 feet). It's fine from FL350, but I'm rarely up there, and in any case properly done non-photographic scenery can sometimes look better even from that high.

 

Since all I fly are jetliners, that's why I'm a fan. At high altitudes it looks so much better than default in my opinion.

 

Not if you use high quality add-ons.

 

Such as?

Ah, but that's the beauty of MSFS. It can be whatever you want it to be. I was first licensed to fly the real thing back in 1957. Back then I flew out of KMRY in a 172. And so, there are times I still do that in MSFS. I remember vividly flying into Kai Tak in a 747 some years back. So, sometimes I'll fire up MSFS and do that. My wife and I have flown the Atlantic more times than I can count, and loved every trip. So, sometimes I'll fire up MSFS for a flight to Rome. In a prior life I spent some time in the Chicago area and had a chance to fly in and out of Meigs. So, sometimes I'll fire up MSFS and relive that experience.

 

So, don't make too much of realism vs. simulation and eye-candy vs. flight dynamics. Just do what you feel and let MSFS take you anywhere you want to.

 

Doug

 

Edited becuase I can't spel

Such as?

 

FTX Vector

FTX LC

FTX Global for better textures and night lighting.

 

Oh, and since you mostly fly at 35K you can't see the "monopoly houses cut in half" anyway!

 

 

Edited becuase I can't spel

 

I find going to skool helps with speling!

 

I agree with make it like you want and fly it like you make it????

FTX Vector

FTX LC

FTX Global for better textures and night lighting.

 

Oh, and since you mostly fly at 35K you can't see the "monopoly houses cut in half" anyway!

 

Yeah I was tempted to get those some time ago. But it looked like a higher priced version of UTX, in my opinion.

No more expensive than all that photo scenery you purchased. And Vector and Global cover the world, not just a tiny section of it.

I find going to skool helps with speling!]

 

 

Wuns I coodent spel teknishun - now I ar wun

Well, MSFS is different things for different people. For some, it's a game, for others, it is a gateway to one's imagination, a whole world (photo realistic, or not) in which we loose ourselves & fly wherever we want to, or drive & even sail, wherever our mood, thoughts & dreams take us, be it within the 'Golden Age' or the Space Age..

I find going to skool helps with speling!]

 

 

Wuns I coodent spel teknishun - now I ar wun

 

Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghhuot slelinpg was ipmorant!

 

Duog