As a seasoned aviator and tech enthusiast, I must say that the latest offering from Microsoft, Flight Simulator 2024, has left me absolutely spellbound! With a life-like replication of real-world aircraft systems, it’s like having my very own Boeing 787 Dreamliner in my living room.
Despite the original Flight Simulator being quite a hit in its time, it was hard to anticipate that the 2020 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator would achieve such impressive success. The game managed to attract over 15 million players in June alone, thanks to its massive scale, stunningly realistic graphics, and an almost unparalleled dedication to flight simulation. Now, get ready for the next chapter – Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is set to take off on November 18th, available on Xbox Series X/S and PC, and also on Game Pass, just a day before S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.
Instead of simply cramming more elements into the sequel, Asobo Studio offers an array of distinctive features for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Here are fifteen intriguing details to consider before pre-ordering, rather than just playing it via Game Pass like other titles.
Career Mode
You’re already aware of the innovative Career Mode. Begin your journey as a pilot from any airport, execute various tasks, and gradually climb up the ranks by mastering new abilities via the skill progression system. Additionally, you have the option to design your own character, and exceptional performance in specific missions could yield extra Credits. You can also employ staff to oversee your expanding fleet. The developers boast “nearly endless” missions, a claim that might feel challenging for those who love to complete every task.
Career Mode Limitations
One potential rephrasing for your text could be: “While there are numerous exciting missions like aerial firefighting, cargo operations, search and rescue, aerial advertising available only within Career Mode, it’s worth noting that the specific aircraft usable in this mode may vary. Asobo Studio states that most, but not all, aircraft can be utilized here; however, they welcome third parties who are interested in joining the experience.
Challenges
Players looking for immediate satisfaction can dive into the Challenge League, squaring off against other competitors in numerous activities. However, how does this differ from the challenges in the 2020 version? According to IGN’s preview, each week presents three fresh challenges, lasting anywhere between two to three minutes. The competition is open at various levels such as bronze, silver, and gold, with leaderboards available for tracking progress. Additionally, don’t expect any compromise on flight model realism – if the challenge involves a Grand Canyon race using an F/A-18 Hornet, you must grasp its real-world complexities to emerge victorious.
Aircraft
120 or more airplanes will be accessible at the release of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, but the specific models you can access will depend on which edition you buy. The variety of planes looks impressive, ranging from the H-4 Spruce Goose by Hughes Aircraft Company and the iconic Wright Flyer to the DG-1001E and L-39. However, what sets this year apart is the addition of brand new aircraft models.
New Aircraft Types
The following aircraft have been introduced: Airbus’s A330-743L Beluga XL, A400M Atlas, A321LR, along with the S-64F Aircrane, A-10 Thunderbolt 10, Jetson ONE eVTOL, and Skyship 600. To make things even more exciting, participants can choose between two kinds of Hot Air Balloons and the Powrachute Sky Rascal.
Enhanced Physics System
Absolutely, the physics in this system has been upgraded to support various modern aircraft designs. The Xbox Store description suggests around 10,000 rigid surfaces to model any aircraft’s shape (even soft materials like cloth or balloons are included). Additionally, improvements have been made in how water and ground interactions occur, and new systems for wear and tear, as well as failure scenarios, have been incorporated.
27 Highly Detailed Biomes to Explore
Among all potential enhancements for a Flight Simulator follow-up, stepping onto the ground might have been the least anticipated. Yet, you can exit your aircraft and traverse various areas, even capturing moments in World Photographer mode. What’s truly remarkable is that there are 27 distinct ecosystems to discover, each featuring a variety of plant life, dynamic foliage, and additional elements (all influenced by weather and seasons).
Scale of the World
Asobo promises that this is the “most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date”, but what does that mean in raw numbers? Over 100,000 square kilometers of countryside (brought to life via photogrammetry) and some 40,000 airports, nearly three trillion trees, 1.5 billion buildings, 80,000 helipads, and 40,000 airports courtesy of the game’s procedural system. You can also expect over 500 cities brought to life via triangular irregular network or TIN.
Hand-crafted Locations
Although all the specific locations haven’t been disclosed, Asobo has confirmed that they have meticulously created over 150 airports, approximately 10,000 heliports, about 2000 points of interest, 900 oil rigs, and around 2000 glider airports for players to explore. This is truly thrilling, and it’s even more so when compared to the previous game’s content offerings. Keep in mind that these numbers may increase as additional World Updates are rolled out.
Photometric Lighting and New Cloud Types
Over time, the world has undergone significant graphical enhancements across various aspects such as traffic for vehicles and ships, and lighting. These advancements have made everything appear more authentic, especially with the introduction of a cutting-edge photometric lighting system. Additionally, weather improvements now offer realistic depictions of seasons, storms, and even northern lights (depending on the time of year). Furthermore, there are exciting new cloud types to discover if the stunning skyboxes haven’t already demonstrated them.
Additional Details on Flight Planning
The much-anticipated Flight Planner, sought by fans since 2023, now stands at your service! It allows for route planning, fuel allocation, and more, but what sets it apart is its support for both IFR and VFR map layers, ETOPS planning, IFR Charts, and NOTAMS. To top it off, you can access this flight planner via mobile devices or web browsers.
New Aircraft Systems
But wait, there’s more. Have you ever wanted to conduct walkaround checks or inspections? Flight Simulator 2024 offers that while implementing electrical, fuel, hydraulic and fuel systems alongside payload and passenger systems for aircraft, which are “highly accurate.” You even have avionics like Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2 available.
PC Requirements
It’s bad enough that Flight Sim 2024 demands top-of-the-line CPUs and GPUs on PC for its “ideal specs,” but you better pack enough RAM as well. To fully push the game to its limit, you need an Intel Core i7-14700K or AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, a GeForce RTX 4080 or Radeon RX 7900 XT (12 GB VRAM) and 64 gigs of RAM.
The other specifications are somewhat more practical. For the minimum configuration, you’ll need either a Core i7-6800K or Ryzen 2600X processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a GTX 970 or Radeon RX 5700 (with 4 GB of VRAM), while the suggested specifications call for a more powerful Core i7-10700K or Ryzen 7 2700X processor, a larger 32 GB of RAM, and an RTX 2080 or Radeon RX 5700 XT (with 8 GB of VRAM).
As a fan, I’d like to share some insights about the game installation: It’s comforting to know that the base setup takes up just 50 GB of space on your hard drive. However, the internet speed you’ll need for streaming assets from the cloud can differ quite a bit. To ensure smooth gameplay, minimum requirements suggest 10 Mbps, while recommended specs push it up to 50 Mbps. For an optimal experience, they advise a whopping 100 Mbps connection speed.
Carries Over Content From Flight Sim 2020
Microsoft Flight Simulator wasn’t just a captivating flight simulation software; it also had a thriving marketplace with numerous add-ons available for real money, including new aircraft models, paint jobs, missions, landscapes, airports, packs, and more. Flight Simulator 2024 is following the same path, but most of the add-ons bought for the 2020 version will be compatible.
Additionally, enhancements to content created by Microsoft such as Expert Series, Local Legends, and others will be provided at no cost. Moreover, planes from the Premium Deluxe Edition of Flight Sim 2020 in the Microsoft Store will function within Flight Sim 2024, regardless of whether you acquire the latter through Steam.
“The Biggest and Most Advanced Consumer Flight Sim”
Should the astonishing size of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 not already be persuasive, let me share an exciting piece of information directly from the development team. They boldly describe it as “the largest and most sophisticated consumer flight simulator ever launched.” An impressive workforce of over 500 developers, distributed across numerous teams, were involved in its creation – a stark contrast to the 120 employees who worked on Flight Sim 2020.
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2024-11-11 17:42