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Microsoft Flight Simulator will feature “all the airports on Earth,” - But 80 will have extra detail

Mista

Banned



Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) will feature “all the airports on Earth,” including 37,000 manually edited airports, according to the game’s developer.

In a new video published on Thursday, creator Asobo went into detail on how airports will work in the final Xbox and PC sim.

The developer revealed it has chosen 80 airports, based on the most played and busiest ones, to give “extra attention.” These airports will have more realism than others thanks to more detailed signage and surface definition, it said.


Finally, the developer defined a “top level category” containing an unknown number of “iconic” airports. These airports have been given unique buildings, props and terrain.

Environments in the new Flight Simulator use textures and topographical data from Bing Maps, as well as 3D world features such as terrain and buildings generated using Microsoft’s Azure cloud tech.

Explaining its approach to building airports, lead game designer Sven Mestas said:
In order to reach a new level of reality in flight simulation, we needed a new approach. That’s why we decided to innovate by editing airports from real satellite pictures. This technique involves editing each airport manually, which means particular attention to detail has been given to every single one of them, to bring them a step closer to reality.


Glimpse of some airports
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Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year



Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) will feature “all the airports on Earth,” including 37,000 manually edited airports, according to the game’s developer.

In a new video published on Thursday, creator Asobo went into detail on how airports will work in the final Xbox and PC sim.

The developer revealed it has chosen 80 airports, based on the most played and busiest ones, to give “extra attention.” These airports will have more realism than others thanks to more detailed signage and surface definition, it said.


Finally, the developer defined a “top level category” containing an unknown number of “iconic” airports. These airports have been given unique buildings, props and terrain.

Environments in the new Flight Simulator use textures and topographical data from Bing Maps, as well as 3D world features such as terrain and buildings generated using Microsoft’s Azure cloud tech.

Explaining its approach to building airports, lead game designer Sven Mestas said:



Glimpse of some airports



It's funny when someone headlines something that has been known for months.

We've known the game featured all the airports on Earth since the original announcement. 😂
 

Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
Every news outlet does this🤷🏻‍♂️

This is the same "news outlet" that outright misinterpreted Sony's statement on not being willing to discuss the price of PS5 and invented that they're waiting for Xbox One X's price out of nothing... so I'd say we're not exactly in the "every news outlet" range. :messenger_tears_of_joy:

Incidentally, trust me on this. This simulator is going to be absolutely fantastic for people into hardcore flight simulators. What they're doing is pretty crazy for that crowd (which includes yours truly), but people going into it casually drawn by the pretty pictures, videos, and numbers, are going to be burned, because there's going to be quite a lot of jank due to bing maps having very variable levels of detail depending on location.

Me, I'm excited like the Nintendo 64 kid on Christmas morning, because I know what to expect, but people going only by the marketing imagery should likely temper expectations a bit.
 
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Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
Woah, I don't know how I would feel if I saw this from my passenger window. Probably thinking "the pilot better not miss the landing, or we all go swimming".

No big aircraft operates to that airport. The only thing with passengers that lands there is a Twin Otter, which can land on a parking slot or almost :D
 
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Flintty

Member
Woah, I don't know how I would feel if I saw this from my passenger window. Probably thinking "the pilot better not miss the landing, or we all go swimming".

I’ve been on a plane that was landing at an airport which had the runway extending out to see. That was a shit your pants moment, especially with it being windy!
 

darkinstinct

...lacks reading comprehension.
This game is such a beauty (well, Earth is such a beauty, actually, since it's all based on real height data and images). Too bad that the gameplay will suck for me. I hope Microsoft knows what they should do next and uses the technology for Bing Maps. They could even visualize stuff like traffic in real time with little cars. Do it!
 

Flintty

Member
This game is such a beauty (well, Earth is such a beauty, actually, since it's all based on real height data and images). Too bad that the gameplay will suck for me. I hope Microsoft knows what they should do next and uses the technology for Bing Maps. They could even visualize stuff like traffic in real time with little cars. Do it!
A real world survival battle royale that lasts MONTHS and you have to camp in a tent to sleep when you leave the game. And you need to forage for food to stay alive! Big brain thinking!
 

Kusarigama

Member
Do they make the interiors of the airports as well or is it just the runway and the parts where planes are serviced and parked and what not?
 

Mista

Banned
This is the same "news outlet" that outright misinterpreted Sony's statement on not being willing to discuss the price of PS5 and invented that they're waiting for Xbox One X's price out of nothing... so I'd say we're not exactly in the "every news outlet" range. :messenger_tears_of_joy:
You always diss every news outlet that isn’t Twinifinite like if you lot are the only ones that do it right. Its getting annoying friend and sorry to break it down for you but Twinfinite got click bait and shit articles too :)
 
Im a playstation guy, I totally dont care if I dont get to play Halo, Forza, GeoW games because im not gonna get the xbox unless extra cash is lying around but this game, this is the only one I feel jealous about, that I wont be able to play it. Or should I say, this might be something what would make me get an XboX. I used to be a flight attendant for 6 years for a huge airline, love3 everything about the industry and just to see this looking lifelike, fuck man. If I was a kid today this game would make me want to become a pilot.
 
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Wonko_C

Member
Hopefully there's still add-on support so we can get more detailed airports by third parties.

My friends go crazy when they nail the landing at Toncontin in FSX, it's brutal how tight the window is.

 
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KyoZz

Tag, you're it.
Everybody that laughs about the power of the cloud or streaming games needs to look at this game and eat some crow. And Microsoft needs to buy Asobo.


THIS.
I live in Bordeaux (same place as Asobo) and I asked if I could visit the studio. Still no response but I don't loose hope :messenger_beaming: It's such a talented studio !
And yes, the power of the cloud is real but it's only starting to be visible. FS 2020 is so impressive, I have taken some screens you could think are from real life, I swear.
 

Flintty

Member
Hopefully there's still add-on support so we can get more detailed airports by third parties.

My friends go crazy when they nail the landing at Toncontin, it's brutal how tight the window is.


That sharp turn followed by such a short runway... Fuck that. I look forward to giving it a go in game and crashing though 😂
 

Mista

Banned
Challenge accepted !
(well at least we know some people will try to land bigger planes there within the game)
Be being an aircraft engineer makes this game one of the most anticipated for me. Looking forward to see clueless people flying it like if they’re driving a car. Good times ahead😂
 

Catphish

Member
This game is such a beauty (well, Earth is such a beauty, actually, since it's all based on real height data and images). Too bad that the gameplay will suck for me. I hope Microsoft knows what they should do next and uses the technology for Bing Maps. They could even visualize stuff like traffic in real time with little cars. Do it!
When I was a kid, there was a game by Activision for the Commodore 64 called The Great American Cross-Country Road Race. You would race from West coast to East, choosing from several different routes to get there. Along the way, you'd dodge traffic, avoid police with your radar detector, and stop for gas when necessary, until you arrived at a checkpoint city, greeted by its skyline as you drew closer.

I would LOVE to see a modern, 1:1 take on this, using Maps data. Imagine a real-time, true-scale race, from San Francisco to New York. You could save when necessary, of course, but it would take days to complete.

omgosh
 

darkinstinct

...lacks reading comprehension.

Thaedolus

Member
Hopefully there's still add-on support so we can get more detailed airports by third parties.

My friends go crazy when they nail the landing at Toncontin, it's brutal how tight the window is.



wtf no. This isn’t a nailed landing. Oh god, knees weak palms sweaty...
 

Skyr

Member
I hope there will be a campaign where I can do jobs as a drug trafficker ala Barry Seal.

I look forwarde to this so much. It will be the ultimate game just to chill, listent to music and make awesome screenshots.
 
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Wonko_C

Member
wtf no. This isn’t a nailed landing. Oh god, knees weak palms sweaty...
I didn't say that was a nailed landing, LOL. I Just put that video to show how dangerous that airport is.

What I meant is my friends use that airport in Flight Simulator X to practice, most of the times they don't even land.
 
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Thaedolus

Member
I didn't say that was a nailed landing, LOL. I Just put that video to show how dangerous that airport is.

What I meant is my friends use that airport in Flight Simulator X to practice, most of the times they don't even land.

I can’t blame them, this vid is a go around if I ever saw one but I get homey had somewhere to be..:
 
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