# MS Flight Simulator 2020 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 13, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223 "2020-07-13T16:07:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/41 "2020-08-21T01:50:30Z")
Wow…the autopilot really, really tries hard to kill you. Often. The “altitude hold” has a mind of its own, and if it thinks you should be a couple thousand feet higher or lower than you are currently, it thinks nothing of pitching up/down 40 degrees. I ended up turning off aircraft stress damage after going 80% through an hour trip just to be soft-aborted due to aircraft stress simply trying to right the plane from the autopilot insanity. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/42 "2020-08-21T05:23:24Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I do not think there is a linear relationship between engine power and fuel consumption (i.e. 15% less power is not necessarily 15% less fuel burn). Is it possible that leaving the throttles at 100% could affect the fuel consumption rate significantly from what it is supposed to be in normal operation? You are correct about the non-linear relationship. Running at full throttle in the cruise would increase fuel consumption a bit. I’m not sure if that fully accounts for your experience though. In something like a DA40 you’d leave full power for the climb and reduce power once level. You should also lean the engine using the mixture control (if that is in the sim), that will also improve the fuel consumption. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/43 "2020-08-21T06:16:51Z")
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the views in this. It interests me but I don’t want to learn everything that an actual pilot would just to fly around a little. I tried a different simulator once and tried to make it as easy as possible. My aircraft was something like a hang-glider with a lawn-mower engine. I still couldn’t fly it. I actually think it would be cool to learn how to fly a simulator but I want to be able to enjoy the software even before I can competently pilot the virtual aircraft. Surely I’m not the only one in this position. Is there any way for me to have fun with this without (at first) having to pretty much learn how to pilot? ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/44 "2020-08-21T06:31:10Z")
There are “assists” built into the sim. With a little cessna and full assists on, you can pretty much buzz around without too much fear. At the easiest level (which is what I’ve been playing on - I’m not a pilot, or even a regular flight sim player) you have infinite fuel and you bounce off the ground if you hit it. If you’re at all interested, it’s worth getting the xbox game pass for a month to get access to it and see how you feel about it after that. Maybe you’ll buzz a few big cities and move on, maybe you will get into it. Its apparently perfectly playable with an xbox controller, it’s probably awful on mouse on keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/45 "2020-08-21T09:30:38Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > If you’re at all interested, it’s worth getting the xbox game pass for a month to get access to it and see how you feel about it after that. Maybe you’ll buzz a few big cities and move on, maybe you will get into it. Its apparently perfectly playable with an xbox controller, it’s probably awful on mouse on keyboard. Thanks for that. I didn’t know you could try it out. I don’t have Xbox or any other console. I would play on my PC with mouse and keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/46 "2020-08-21T11:36:14Z")
It’s called an “xbox game pass” because that’s Microsoft branding, you can get it for PC games as well. It’s not free, but it’s cheaper to pay that for a month than it is to buy the full game: > **[PC Game Pass | Xbox](https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/pc-game-pass/cfq7ttc0kgq8?activetab=pivot%3aoverviewtab)** > > Play hundreds of high-quality games with friends on Windows PC with PC Game Pass. If this is something you look at doing, make sure you get the PC game version! I have no experience playing the game on mouse and keyboard - I use a flight stick I bought for Elite Dangerous - so perhaps others can chime in on how well it plays on it. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/47 "2020-08-21T15:38:43Z")
what is best controller to use with Windows 10 for this game? ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/48 "2020-08-21T15:58:20Z")
The BEST controller would be the Honeycomb yoke: > **[ALPHA FLIGHT CONTROLS](https://flyhoneycomb.com/products/alpha-flight-controls)** > > Please note - For countries outside the USA duties and import charges are not included. Please check your local customs for additional information. Not XBOX™ compatible   I use an old XBox 360 controller. I’m very used to it, having been a long-time XBox user; I’ve not used my console in some years but I continue to use the controller for first-person shooters. Generally, it works well for me. I don’t have any experience with it, but people seem to love the Thrustmaster T1600. **Fuel starvation** : I just read a few Reddit comments that people are experiencing extreme fuel usage in a variety of aircraft, such as the Citation CJ4 jet running empty after 180 nm. So, it apparently is a systemic problem. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/49 "2020-08-21T16:34:11Z")
Should have said best Windows controller $100 or near there. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/50 "2020-08-21T16:47:43Z")
I have a T.Flight HOTAS X, which is the budget HOTAS. It seems fine. The throttle is a bit looser than I’d like, but it isn’t an issue so far. It’s like $60 or something. I think I technically have the PS3 version, but it works fine on Win10. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/51 "2020-08-21T18:19:41Z")
The T.Flight HOTAS (I think the latest version is “4”) looks quite interesting, and its MSRP is very reasonable. Personally, I’ve tried an old MS Sidewinder, and it was perfectly fine, but I just felt awkward with it and its size - if I put it on the desk I have to hunch up to it, and it seems too big to put in my lap. But that’s just me. All of these controllers are in very short supply right now, in part due to COVID impact, but also to the much-anticipated thread topic FS2020. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/52 "2020-08-25T21:58:54Z")
Good luck finding a decent controller. It seems that pretty much everything is out of stock everywhere, and some retailers are marking up like crazy. I saw a $199 Thrustmaster T1600 flight pack on Amazon.ca for $798. Lots of places trying to sell them for $500. You can find the odd cheap controller, but the quality stuff starting at $200 or so is all gone. Even the specialty high-end controllers are unavailable. Imsuspect this is because we haven’t really had a new flight game for a long time, and the market for controllers was low. Now FS2020 comes along, and millions want it - but there are no controllers. I just read that analysts expect FS2020 to generage sales of 3 _billion_ dollars in hardware. Don’t expect to find easy availability of in-demand joysticks and such until probably October. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/53 "2020-08-26T05:52:50Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Imsuspect this is because we haven’t really had a new flight game for a long time, and the market for controllers was low. Now FS2020 comes along, and millions want it - but there are no controllers. I don’t think there is anything to be suspect about. This market has always been small(ish) and for whatever reason (partly including COVID reasons) the makers of these things were simply unwilling to make many thousands of them and put them in a warehouse hoping they’d get bought. That is an all or nothing bet few businesses will make. What if MS 2020 was delayed? What if it sucked? Too many unknowns. The first one able to get stock on the shelves will do really well though. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/54 "2020-08-26T13:59:31Z")
I’m probably not going to get this, since I’d probably just try to land a 747 on my neighborhood street over and over. Speaking of, how do small buildings like houses look? I know in google earth it does a pretty good job, at least in my area, of making houses look pretty good in 3d procedurally. Certainly passable from 1000 feet I’d imagine. But other areas? Not so much. Also, I saw a pre-release video, where bridges looked AWFUL. Has this been addressed? ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/55 "2020-08-26T17:06:13Z")
Buildings generally look very good. Even in areas that are completely procedurally generated, they look “appropriate” to the area (the Amalfi coast has houses that look like they belong there, for example). If you want to post or message me a specific area, I can do a fly-over and take a screenshot. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/56 "2020-08-26T17:51:51Z")
Can you do 1412 Potlatch Beach Rd, Tulalip WA? I don’t live there anymore but it’s a beautiful area and I’d like to see how it renders. 48.038044, -122.252326 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/57 "2020-08-26T18:38:46Z")
Heh. I wanted to PM someone and have them record a flyby my house so I can see what it looks like. I also used to live in China at: [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tianjin+TEDA+Maple+Leaf+International+School/@39.0279622,117.720854,17z/data=!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x35ed88bb23341b33:0x7fd3c333f2552f58!2sTeda+Football+Stadium!8m2!3d39.031846!4d117.724416!3m4!1s0x0:0x804129f9a214cd4c!8m2!3d39.0253179!4d117.7190872](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tianjin+TEDA+Maple+Leaf+International+School/@39.0279622,117.720854,17z/data=!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x35ed88bb23341b33:0x7fd3c333f2552f58!2sTeda+Football+Stadium!8m2!3d39.031846!4d117.724416!3m4!1s0x0:0x804129f9a214cd4c!8m2!3d39.0253179!4d117.7190872) If someone flew over that, I’d love to see roughly what it looks like today. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/58 "2020-08-26T20:25:32Z")
Ashtura, It’s a bit tricky to translate addresses in the air, but hopefully one of these two photos gives you the view you want. [[Album] Tulalip, Washington as seen from FS 2020 ![](https://i.imgur.com/iQSuJdb.jpeg?fb "Tulalip, Washington as seen from FS 2020") ](https://imgur.com/a/ljq9Ilj) ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/59 "2020-08-26T20:29:13Z")
Mahaloth, I apologize for the drabbiness of these two photos. I had “real weather” turned on and it apparently is very overcast there right now (I did adjust the time to day, though). [[Album] Tianjin TEDA Maple Leaf International School from FS 2020 ![](https://i.imgur.com/RHm64cW.jpeg?fb "Tianjin TEDA Maple Leaf International School from FS 2020") ](https://imgur.com/gallery/zAWSMRg) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223/60 "2020-08-26T22:06:38Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > Mahaloth, I apologize for the drabbiness of these two photos. I had “real weather” turned on and it apparently is very overcast there right now (I did adjust the time to day, though). Oh my god, that’s my school from 15 years ago(I was a teacher)! I’m blown away!!! Dude, do you know how to record a video and turn off realistic physics and fly down around that stuff? I am BLOWN away! Thank you so much!!! My wife will lose it when she sees this! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-flight-simulator-2020/915223.md?page=4)