10 Things You Didn’t Know about Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020
Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the longest-running video game franchises that can be found out there. As a result, it has had a huge impact on both flight simulators and other video games, meaning that it is worthwhile for video game enthusiasts to know more about it. This is particularly true because Microsoft has revealed that there will be a new Microsoft Flight Simulator called just Microsoft Flight Simulator coming out in 2020. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Microsoft Flight Simulator:
1. Can Trace Its Origins to the 1970s
There can be no doubt about the fact that Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the longest-running video game franchises that can be found out there. After all, the franchise started out with Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0 in November of 1982. However, the roots of the franchise reach even further back into the 1970s because Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0 was a licensed product meant for use on the IBM PC.
2. Can Trace Its Origins to Magazine Articles
For those who are curious, the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise can trace its origins to a number of magazine articles written about a program with 3D computer graphics by the software engineer Bruce Artwick in 1976. When the magazine editor told Artwick that there were people interested in buying such a program, Artwick responded by co-creating subLOGIC Corporation with Stu Moment. Artwick is no longer involved with subLOGIC Corporation, whereas Moment is still very much involved as its owner.
3. Falls Under Amateur Flight Simulation
There is a wide range of flight simulators made for a wide range of reasons. For example, there are some flight simulators that are meant to help their users with flight training. Likewise, there are other flight simulators that are meant to help their users with aircraft development. However, the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise falls into neither one of these two categories. Instead, it is categorized under amateur flight simulation, which is aimed at a very different audience to say the least.
4. Longest-Running Microsoft Product Line
It is amusing to note that the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise is Microsoft’s longest-running product line. This is because Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0 came out in 1982, which was some time before Windows 1.0 came out in November of 1985. MS-DOS can claim to be older because it came out in August of 1981, but MS-DOS can’t claim to be the longer-running product line because it hasn’t been supported since December of 2001.
5. Was Once Entrusted to Aces Game Studio
There was a time when both the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise and the Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator franchise were entrusted to a video game developer called Aces Game Studio that was based out of Redmond, WA. Unfortunately, Aces Game Studio was closed down as a consequence of a mass job cut at Microsoft in October of 2009. Apparently, the problem wasn’t a lack of profit from the latest title in the series but rather issues related to management as well as project delivery delays.
6. Now Being Handled By Asobo Studio
The next Microsoft Flight Simulator is being made by Asobo Studio. In short, Asobo Studio is a French video game developer that started up in the 2000s. This isn’t the first time that it has made a simulation game, seeing as how it was responsible for Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection. However, Asobo Studio has made a wide range of games in a wide range of genres. For proof, look no further than the fact that its most recent release was A Plague Tale: Innocence, which is a survivor horror title with both stealth elements and action-adventure elements.
7. Will Feature Realistic Weather
It has been said that the next Microsoft Flight Simulator will feature realistic weather that will have an impact on the plane based on realistic physics. For example, it has been revealed that each cloud will have its own behaviors, which can cause them to have a wide range of effects on plane performance when a cloud comes into contact with a plane. The flight simulator will make it possible to sync up with real world weather data so that in-game weather reflects real world weather for those who want such a feature.
8. Will Feature a Living World
On a related note, Asobo Studio is going all-in on the detail in other respects as well. For instance, it has been said that water will flow in a realistic manner while roads will be populated with vehicles. On top of this, the trees will have individual leaves, which is one more example of how the upcoming title is meant to create a living world for interested individuals.
9. Will Need an Internet Connection For Full Functionality
With that said, the next Microsoft Flight Simulator will need an Internet connection for full functionality. This is because without an Internet connection, the upcoming title would need more than two petabytes of storage space at maximum settings. As for why it would need so much storage space, well, suffice to say that the plan is to generate the entire Earth in 3D by using data collected from real world satellites.
10. Lots of Customization
It seems that Microsoft is fully expecting a lot of people to jump on to the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise with the upcoming title, which in turn, means that there will be a wide range of flying skills among them. As such, interested individuals will be able to make a wide range of changes regarding what they fly as well as how they fly, thus ensuring that each player can get an experience that has been tailored for their particular preferences. Due to this, even if interested individuals are daunted by the idea of playing a flight simulator, they shouldn’t be too concerned because they will be able to set a level that is suitable for beginners before scaling up as they gain in both expertise and experience.
