# The return of Microsoft Flight Simulator! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 7, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-microsoft-flight-simulator/846047 "2020-01-07T00:36:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-microsoft-flight-simulator/846047/1 "2020-01-07T00:36:56Z")
[One of many videos out there](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_6-9l09tHo) A bit surprised nobody has mentioned this here. So far, what I’ve seen has utterly blown me away. From what I understand, the entire world has been modeled, and even if you don’t have a superfast connection to DL the terrain “on the fly” (based on Bing’s data), you can still preload it. The ground at least is virtually photorealistic, and, while the sky and clouds still need a bit of work, the potential is definitely there. In the video, they even go over how airflow over objects works and can affect flight. If the core flight code is as solid as the visuals, this will be a must-buy for me (as well as necessitating a new machine). ---
**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:** [January 7, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-microsoft-flight-simulator/846047/2 "2020-01-07T15:04:23Z")
I’ve bought every iteration of MS FS since the very beginning (monochrome!), and I’m sure this will be no exception. I had no idea it was in the works; thanks for mentioning this. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-microsoft-flight-simulator/846047/3 "2020-01-07T16:23:48Z")
That’s amazing. I was almost as amazed that they hadn’t released one in so long. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-microsoft-flight-simulator/846047/4 "2020-01-07T17:01:04Z")
I should update my thread [here](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=819585). ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-microsoft-flight-simulator/846047/5 "2020-01-07T17:28:20Z")
How do the visuals - both natural (e.g. mountains, rivers) and man-made (e.g. buildings, bridges - even airports themselves) compare to X-Plane? For that matter, will FS allow others to develop their own planes? The limited number of planes was one of the reasons I left FS for X-Plane. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-microsoft-flight-simulator/846047/6 "2020-01-08T04:22:52Z")
This may be a question more specific that this board can answer. I know an older dude who was Vietnam Huey pilot. He is recently retired and driving his family crazy. He kind of drops hints that he would like to get back into piloting helicopters. I know of no reason why he wouldn’t be able, but my general assumption is that a Vietnam aged dude, who hasn’t flown in 30 years, is probably not on the short list for hires. This is a guy who has no video game experience ever, not his generation’s thing. I am wondering if it would be insulting to suggest he look into it. I realize nobody can help very much with guessing his personality, but for an actual pilot, are there controllers( on a human budget) that would seem in any way analogous to really flying, or are they just slightly more expensive and complex stupid toys? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-microsoft-flight-simulator/846047/7 "2020-01-08T06:52:17Z")
There are DIY solutions. > **[DIY Helicopter Simulator Controls | Free Upgrade to Online Tutorials](https://www.rogerdodger.net/diy-flight-sim-projects/diy-helicopter-simulator-controls/)** > > This is how to build DIY Helicopter Simulator Controls for your flight sim. Online streaming tutorials show you how. Be a DIY guy and save hundreds. > **[DIY Flight Simulator Devices](http://www.helistart.com/DIYFlightSimDevices.aspx)** > > DIY simulator projects. Simulator PC, software, flight controls, display systems and cockpit mockup. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JoGoWrwuAFc/maxresdefault.jpg "Diy project: how to make Joystick Flight simulator with only 150 $ ! Flight Helicopter Control") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoGoWrwuAFc) Just a sample. I’m not sure how faithful the end products are, but they are attempts to make controller setups for flight simulators that feel like real helicopter controls which you won’t get from standard joystick/throttle game controllers. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-microsoft-flight-simulator/846047/8 "2020-01-08T06:56:12Z")
My grandfather is a WW2 Army Air Corps vet and he fires up the flight simulator a few times a week just to check the weather (apparently it has a decent weather feed). The control authenticity doesn’t matter, it’s about the experience of flying a realistic enough aircraft in a realistic enough environment.