Flight Simulator

[Cautious Optimist]

Evening all

It's been a good few years since I last used Microsoft Flight Simulator and I've completely lost touch with it, I was hoping someone on here might be able to bring me up-to-date as I'm thinking about getting back into it.

When I was last playing it regular, I guess around 2009ish, Flight Simulator X was the latest version from Microsoft, but it was still too advanced for most users computers so 2004 was still the popular version, with little freeware or payware available for X compared with 2004. No other flight simulators were nearly as popular as the Microsoft versions.

What I want to know is, with Microsoft no longer releasing new flight simulators, are they still the market leaders? I would imagine by now X would have overtaken 2004 but even then must look quite dated after nearly ten years released? Has another software developer managed to step in and steal a big chunk of the market? Are virtual airlines still as popular as they were back in the late 2000s, is Avsim still the main website for FS add-ons?

If anyone can bring me up to speed I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

CO

[garyscott]

AvSim are still quite a good repository of add-ons, as are Simviation. Some of my own work is hosted on them both.
Microsoft Flight Sims still are the main big hitter as far as mainstream sims are concerned, although they are by no means the only one.
I haven't had much to do with that sim type for a couple of years now though, i have an involvment with the "ArmA" genre that pre-occupies me.
But yes, FSX has completely overtaken FS9, both in capability and add-ons.
But do not count FS9 out completely, there is a massive amount of add-ons etc that are for FS9, and that sim still has a large and current following.

[Cat3508]

FSX "Gold Edition" is the newest version, and works very well with today's modern CPU's and Graphics cards .Plus there is FSX steam edition There are still many simulator forums online, too numerous to mention. The number of add ons for FSX has risen exponentially of the last few years, there being a wide choice of aircraft, scenery, weather, and avionics to choose from, Depending on your preference of aircraft, there are many, many, virtual airlines to choose from, some requiring you to fly online, others not, but most have an automated PIREPS system in place.
There are 2 other flight-sim platforms to choose from, namely, X Plane 10, and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D, pronounced Prepared., based on the Microsoft ESP source code.

Cheers :)

[Driver 170]

Prepar3D end off. FSX is old and dead! I'm building my own NG simulator from Fly Engravity.

[Groundloop]

Prepar3D end off.

"Prepar3D is not to be used, offered, sold or distributed through markets or channels for use as a personal/consumer entertainment product."

[Vitesse]

"Prepar3D is not to be used, offered, sold or distributed through markets or channels for use as a personal/consumer entertainment product."

Except for in the real world, where that's exactly how it is being used.

As far as I can tell most fsx add ons are now designed for fsx original, fsx steam and Prepar3d.

Personally I wouldn't bother with fs9 these days. A reasonably modern pc will run fsx fine. It's such a big franchise that it's the genre standard, despite being abandoned by Microsoft. It's essentially a flexible framework allowing third party developers to modify fsx far beyond it's origins.

For my money, A2A Simultaneous make the best addon aircraft.

[Driver 170]

Well i don't consider P3D as a game, its for my own personal use and study for my fully built 737 NG cockpit build.

[Groundloop]

its for my own personal use

"Prepar3D is not to be used, offered, sold or distributed through markets or channels for use as a personal/... product."

Except for in the real world, where that's exactly how it is being used.

Which just goes to show how many people are theoretically breaking the law by ignoring the licensing agreement - and have actually committed fraud by ticking the acceptance box of the licence agreement.

[striker26]

Dovetail Games has bought the rights to Flight Simulator from Microsoft. From what i read they're releasing a new flight simulator soon lets say next year? But i think they're keeping majority of FSX in tact, making some upgrades to the functionality and obviously graphics. Really wished their was greater emphasis on the airline world but it would be really difficult and expensive to get agreements from airports, airlines and aircraft manufacturers. Dovetail's train simulator is actually pretty good but i really hope they improve this flight simulator, otherwise itll be another fail like Microsoft Flight!

[Vitesse]

It's Dovetail behind the Steam FSX version isn't it?

That's being upgraded in a similar way to Prepar3d with dlc through steam. I'm not sure they'd develop another sim alongside but stranger things have happened.

I keep meaning to reinstall fsx but DCS World has my attention at the moment. There's too few hours in the day.

[TurboCompound]

I still use FSX, and I have a wealth of payware and freeware addons.

There are too many good ones to name, but I can start you off by saying that any aircraft made by Fraser McKay is worth downloading.