Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is releasing on November 19th 2024 and will be the next in the franchise from Microsoft. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 takes a giant leap in the technology used to create this new simulator with several new features and improvements. The developer stream which took place today (25/09/2024) was the first stream to talk in more detail about the new simulator.
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Starting Notes
Pre-orders are available now on the Windows Store and will be on Steam later. If you pre-order you will receive the De Havilland CL-415 for MSFS2020. Starting with some MSFS2020 news, the AAU 3 update is launching next week alongside the ATR 42/72-600 update.
This update for the ATR is mainly to the model and a map update feature which now allows you to freely move around the map and use it to look around the airport with the map as if it were a chart. The ATR update is free to all who already own it and will be free for those moving to MSFS2024. It also includes new variants which include:
- ATR 42-600S (STOL)
- ATR 42-600F
- ATR 42-600 High line Config 2 and 3
- ATR 72-600 High line Config 2 and 3
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Technical
Starting off at this part of the stream was a Q&A for technical questions. The first is why is 64 GB the ideal amount of RAM?:
Answering this was Seb who mentioned that the simulator won’t use 64 GB but the extra is recommended to allow for several software running alongside the simulator. However, 32 GB will be enough if you run minimal other programs alongside. The simulator is using more of the cores available, this is why the specs are slightly higher as the simulator is using more resources.
Seb mentioned that a new feature is now in the simulator to automatically adjust the detail to help with performance and stable frame rates. You will be able to set a target so that the detail automatically adjusts for where you are flying.
What resolution can Xbox expect, and how will it compare to PC in terms of performance?
Xbox can expect 1080p resolution on both consoles. They now also have access to more memory to help with performance for Xbox. Ultra Wide resolution support is unknown at this time.
DX11 and DX12 questions and black avionics on Xbox X and S
DX11 will no longer be available in MSFS2024 because of the new technology they are utilising but they are aiming to make DX12 more stable in the simulator. With all the new technology and optimisations the team hopes the issues are fixed for Xbox S and X regarding black avionics.
How are loading times being increased? How will server outages affect players?
The old simulator would have to re-download the planet when you load in every time which would take a long time to do. With Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, all it has to do is zoom in on the camera and put you into the simulator. As you move on the map and select your starting location, the simulator is already loading the world in behind the scenes.
As you can now stream aircraft instead of downloading them, you can download them to your PC or console if your internet is slow or if outages happen. However, certain aspects of the simulator, such as weather, need a live connection to work.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: World and Weather
Will cloud and weather depiction be improved in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?
In the new simulator, there are new cirrus clouds, and new lighting so when it hits the clouds it accurately recreates what you would see in real life. The new simulator also better represents storms and bad weather to what it would actually look like. Tornados are also now included in the simulator and are recreated to look life-like.
Tornados will spawn in missions but not in live weather as they do not have any live data for tornados to be able to put them live into the simulator. MSFS 2024 will also still receive world updates as development continues.
Will there be a working weather radar? Windscreen wipers and bespoke airports
This feature is still on the backlog catalogue to be implemented later on in the development. Windscreen wipers now work in the simulator and will wipe the rain off the windows. Asobo hasn’t created too many new airports but has improved previous ones and they will remain in the same edition.
Is it possible to have more cloud types? Has the lighting been improved? Thermal simulations?
Currently, they have 64 layers of altitudes which helps the renderer to make the clouds, so there are not really different cloud types in the simulator. They have also improved the data they gather for the live weather system. Fog has also been improved to look more life-like, so there is variable density.
The entire lighting system has been improved with much better night lighting. Live weather thermals have also been improved, along with better turbulence modelling in the new simulator.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Peripherals and Settings
Will all simulator hardware that is compatible with MSFS 2020 also work with MSFS 2024?
All hardware currently compatible will work with the new simulator along with easier ways for hardware developers to pre-make key binds for plug-and-play. Non-VR head tracking like Tobii Eye Tracker and TrackIR are also supported.
Can I import all my settings from MSFS 2020 to 2024? Does the logbook carry over?
Unfortunately, you will have to set all your settings up again as the system is different. Your logbook also won’t carry over as the two simulators use different systems for this. However, each aircraft will have its own profile you can set up that switches automatically when you fly in that aircraft.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Core Features
Will we see improved AI behaviour and has model matching been improved?
Microsoft has tried to improve AI vehicles and aircraft, and they will continue to do so. Model matching has also been improved for the new simulator, so aircraft are better represented.
Will I see the flight effects of other players in multiplayer? Where is shared cockpit?
Some flight effects will be seen from other players, but more complex systems won’t be displayed. Currently, shared cockpit is not present in the simulator yet as it is quite complex and is not ready. Online networks such as Vatsim, IVAO and PilotEdge should all work as they currently do in 2020.
Is walk-around available in free flight, does a 3rd person camera exist and what are the limitations?
This feature is in career and free flight modes. You can also go outside at any time not just in preflight. So if you land, you can get out at any time and explore, with no limit to where you can explore. You can get out of your aircraft and go as far as you want without limitation. An option to teleport back to your plane will also be available. No 3rd person view exists, walk around will always be in a 1st person view.
Will there be tower and fly-by camera views? Replay mode?
These camera views are not supported yet but they will look at adding them if the community still want them present. Xbox will get the same replay mode as PC according to Microsoft.
Will there be better voices that don’t sound as robotic?
New voices will be used that sound better than current voices found in 2020. You can also customise the voice your avatar uses which allows you to use your own voice as well. They are using Microsoft technology for this so it will get better over time.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Career Mode
Will we lose an aircraft if the simulator crashes?
You will only lose your aircraft if you crash your aircraft or damage it.
Is character creation just for career mode and can 3rd party aircraft be used for missions?
Character creation is not just for career mode. You will create your character as soon as you first launch the simulator, as it is used across the simulator. You can also use 3rd party aircraft however they have a system that checks each aircraft to make sure it has the right features. If the aircraft does have the right features, you can select it to fly in missions.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: General Questions and Answers
Microsoft has stated that there will be no public open beta before launch on Nov 19th. The team also said they would talk in more detail about the SDK in another stream. Looking at freeware content being added to the marketplace, Microsoft said they are still discussing a few things but this should become a feature soon.
Has the water physics been improved?
Yes, the water physics has been improved since 2020. The waves will respond better to the wind so you will now have to be careful when landing on water.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Marketplace and Ownership
Add-ons purchased from MSFS2020 on Steam should transfer if you buy MSFS2024 on the Microsoft Store but the team still need to check. Premium deluxe aircraft will transfer over to the standard edition of MSFS2024 if you have previously owned the same edition from MSFS2020. Responding to feedback, premium deluxe aircraft can now be bought separately.
World Update 19 and Closing Notes
World Update 19 is focused on Brazil and improves a few different airports as well as adding lots of new POIs. This update also comes along with local legend 20. The CAP-4 Paulistinha is the Local Legend 20. World update 19 releases on December 3rd, 2024.
Pre-orders for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on Steam start tomorrow, the 26th of September. Pre-orders have already started on the Microsoft Store for all editions. You can read more about what has been shown previously for MSFS 2024 here.
You can view the entire stream here on their official YouTube channel and on Twitch. For more flight simulator-related news, check out the rest of FSNews here.
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