Microsoft Flight Simulator (sometimes abbreviated to MSFS or FS ) is a flight simulator program for Microsoft Windows, marketed and often seen as a video game.
One of the longest-running, best-known and most comprehensive home flight simulator series, Microsoft Flight Simulator was an early product in the Microsoft portfolio – different from its other software which was largely business-oriented – and at 25 years is its longest-running franchise, predating Windows by three years. It has been reported that Microsoft Flight Simulator may be the longest running PC game series of all time. In January 2009 it was reported that Microsoft closed down the ACES Game Studio, the design team responsible for the series.
Bruce Artwick developed the Flight Simulator program beginning in 1977 and his company, subLOGIC sold it for various personal computers. In 1982 Artwick's company licensed to Microsoft a version of Flight Simulator for the IBM PC, which was marketed as Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.00 . Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates was fascinated with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's book Night Flight, which described the sensations of flying a small aircraft in great detail.
History
Main article: History of Microsoft Flight SimulatorMicrosoft Flight Simulator began life as a set of articles on computer graphics written by Bruce Artwick in 1976 about a 3D computer graphics program. When the magazine editor said that subscribers wanted to buy the program, Bruce Artwick incorporated a company called subLOGIC Corporation in 1977 and began selling flight simulators for 8080 computers such as the Altair 8800 and IMSAI 8080. In 1979 subLOGIC released FS1 Flight Simulator for the Apple II. In 1980 subLOGIC released a version for the Tandy TRS-80, and in 1982 they licensed an IBM PC version with CGA graphics to Microsoft, which was released as Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.00 . In the early days of less-than-100% IBM PC compatibles, Flight Simulator was used as an unofficial test of the degree of compatibility of a new PC clone model, along with Lotus 1-2-3. subLOGIC continued to develop the product for other platforms, and their improved Flight Simulator II was ported to Apple II in 1983, to the Commodore 64, MSX and Atari 800 in 1984, and to the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST in 1986. Meanwhile, Bruce Artwick left subLOGIC to found Bruce Artwick Organisation to work on subsequent Microsoft releases, beginning with Microsoft Flight Simulator 3.0 in 1988. Microsoft Flight Simulator reached commercial maturity with version 3.1, and then went on to encompass the use of 3D graphics and graphic hardware acceleration.
Microsoft has consistently produced newer versions of the simulation, adding features such as new aircraft types and augmented scenery. The 2000 and 2002 versions, were available in a standard edition and a Professional Edition which included more aircraft, tools and more extensive scenery than the regular version. The 2004 (version 9) release marked one hundred years of powered flight, and had only one edition. Flight Simulator X, released in 2006, has returned to dual editions with a "Standard Edition" and a "Deluxe Edition".
The most recent versions of this simulation, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 and Microsoft Flight Simulator X , cater to pilots, would-be pilots and people who once dreamed of being pilots alike. Microsoft Flight Simulator is less a game than an immersive virtual environment; it is usually frustrating, complex and difficult to new users due to its realism, but it can be rewarding for the skilled flightsimmer at the same time. The flying area encompasses the whole world, to varying levels of detail, including over 24,000 airports. Individually-detailed scenery can be found representing major landmarks and an ever-growing number of towns and cities. Landscape details are often patchy away from population centres and particularly outside the USA, although a variety of websites offer scenery add-ons (both free and commercial) to remedy this.
The three latest versions incorporate sophisticated weather simulation, along with the ability to download real-world weather data (Beginning with Flight Simulator 2000). Also included is a varied air traffic environment with interactive Air Traffic Control (although the MSFS series was not the first to implement this), player-flyable aircraft ranging from the historical Douglas DC-3 to the modern Boeing 777, interactive lessons and challenges, and finally aircraft checklists. In addition, the two latest versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator have a “kiosk mode”, which allows the application to be run in kiosks. It is the wide availability of upgrades and add-ons, both free and commercial, which give the simulator its flexibility and scope.
Closure of the ACES Game Studio
On January 22, 2009, it was reported that the development team behind the franchise was being heavily affected by Microsoft's ongoing job cuts, with indications that the entire Microsoft Flight Simulator team was laid off. Microsoft confirmed the closure of the ACES studio on January 26, 2009 in a post on the official FSInsider Web site. The article, "About the Aces Team," states in part:
This difficult decision was made to align Microsoft’s resources with our strategic priorities. Microsoft Flight Simulator X will remain available at retail stores and web retailers, the Flight Sim community will continue to learn from and encourage one another, and we remain committed to the Flight Simulator franchise for the long term.
According to former ACES employee Phil Taylor, the shutdown was not due to unfavorable financial results of FSX, but due to management issues and delays in project delivery combined with increased demands in headcount, at a time that Microsoft was attempting to lower costs. It has been speculated in the mainstream and gaming media that future releases on the franchise would come as part of an Internet game or on the Xbox 360.
In response to Microsoft's decision, members of the user community issued an open letter in support for both the ACES studio members and the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise as a whole. The on-line petition accompanying the letter has collected about 8500 signatures as of early December 2009.
On October 12, 2009 ( 2009-10-12 ) , several members of the former ACES Studio team announced the launch of a new simulations-based development studio named Cascade Game Foundry. Further details relating to their first project are to be announced.
Version history
Main article: History of Microsoft Flight Simulator
- 1982 – Flight Simulator 1.0
- 1983 – Flight Simulator 2.0
- 1988 – Flight Simulator 3.0
- 1989 – Flight Simulator 4.0
- 1993 – Flight Simulator 5.0
- 1995 – Flight Simulator 5.1
- 1996 – Flight Simulator 95
- 1997 – Flight Simulator 98
- 1999 – Flight Simulator 2000
- 2001 – Flight Simulator 2002
- 2003 – Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight
- 2006 – Flight Simulator X
Flight Simulator X
Main article: Microsoft Flight Simulator XFlight Simulator X is the most recent version of Microsoft Flight Simulator . It includes a graphics engine upgrade as well as compatibility with DirectX 10 and Windows Vista technologies. It was released on 17 October, 2006 in North America. There are two versions of the game, both on two DVDs. The Deluxe edition contains the new Garmin G1000 integrated flight instrument system in three cockpits, additional aircraft in the fleet, Tower Control capability (multiplayer only), more missions, more high-detail cities and airports, and a Service Developers Kit (SDK) pack for development. Main improvements are graphical, for instance it is the first simulator with light bloom.
Microsoft has also released a Flight Simulator X Demo, which contains limited aircraft and area of flight. It is available for Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista.
Add-ons and customization
The long history and consistent popularity of Flight Simulator has encouraged a very large body of add-on packages to be developed as both commercial and volunteer ventures. A formal software development kit and other tools for the simulator exist to further facilitate third-party efforts, and some third parties have also learned to "tweak" the simulator in various ways by trial and error.
Aircraft
Individual aspects of Flight Simulator aircraft that can be edited include cockpit layout, cockpit image, aircraft model, aircraft model textures, aircraft flight characteristics, scenery models, scenery layouts, and scenery textures, often with simple-to-use programs or only a text editor such as Notepad. Dedicated flightsimmers have taken advantage of Flight Simulator's vast add-on capabilities, having successfully linked Flight Simulator to homebuilt hardware, some of which approaches the complexity of commercial full-motion flight simulators.
The game's aircraft are made up of five parts:
- The model , which is a 3D CAD-style model of the aircraft's exterior and virtual cockpit, if applicable.
- The textures , bitmap images which the game layers onto
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