MS only has a single planet to populate...
So If Microsoft Can Do This......
- Thread starter Leadfoot
- Start date
No there isn't, the mapping technology used by FS2020 is not fit for use by anything except a flight sim because it doesn't translate well to actual surface interaction, it's basically a 3D projection of a 2D map using AI interpolation, it looks fine from the air, but has problems once you get down to ground level and interact directly with the terrain. Yes it's excellent tech for a flight sim, but it's not ready for FPS on foot, the AI interpolation can often throw up some oddities that would be unacceptable on foot without a lot of manual editing, for instance from PC gamer.
So while it might be useful for a Flight Sim you can't use it to render an entire world, let alone billions of them.
I know. I am biased towards X-Plane flying it for many years. When I see a commercial jet landing at LAX in Microsoft with tower comms as in X-Plane then I'll be impressed and probably buy the thing.
Just bear in mind that procedural generation is a thing and if fdev could do Earth using similar tech (not necessarily the same tech, just a similar idea) then they can absolutely populate all earth like worlds using pg.
I think this is the reason this is tentatively exciting. It's creating something using procedural tech, not hand crafting.
I'd say it's more an issue that you just can't compare MS to many devs, let alone Fdev. So, yeh...
How's the PvP going to work in MS FS? Is there a way to earn in game cash to buy other planes? How about an SRV? Multi-billion dollar Corp. with how many subsidiaries, compared to Fdev? Price point for FS. Even at $15.00/month, that's $180.00/year. Completely different set of controllers. And it goes on! I guess I just see any useful comparison.
I'm aware of the differences. But when ED came out, there wasn't any concept of this kind. It's a step. And that's all I said it was.
For this type of tech to work in ED it'd be a requirement to generate a first person, ground level representation of everything as you've mentioned above.
And it's going to need to be procedurally generated. So, using existing mapped data, you'd need to be able to procedurally generate the terrain and city satellite maps (which would ultimately be textured height maps for the most part).
Huge project still. But the whole reason this tech is exciting is it's not hand crafted. There is a process that takes satellite images and allows the engine to present it this way.
Almost anything can be procedurally generated. We already have billions of planets that are all fundamentally unique. The way they're generated isn't hand crafted.
Taking that to a height map based on Earth like terrain isn't insignificant but it's not impossible. And that's the same for whether you'd be able to then render the 3d world well enough to allow landing (though I'd strongly suggest not every single location should be accessible by the player any way as it wouldn't be necessary to still be fun).
Whether it's ever going to happen or not is where I'm more in agreement with those who are cynical about this.
Yes indeed, ED has loads of planets, some of them landable. However, the majority have little on them worth writing about.
I suspect those who like to explore sans PvP will be just fine and dandy FS2020 and ED.
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I'm honestly so excited about the new Flight Simulator that I don't even care anymore about Frontier's dev diaries coming out "soon". By the time Frontier says anything I'll be too busy flying around exploring the virtual Earth!
10 days left to wait. My new PC is built, my yoke and pedals are set up, my HOTAS for Elite is put away. I'm ready for takeoff!
Yeah, kinda in the same mindset now, sadly.
With MSFS2020 landing soon, SW: Squadrons in October to scratch my VR flight/fight itch (with MSFS following soon after, fingers crossed for Rift support) and Cyberpunk at the years end, FD's incessant silence has become less and less of interest as time goes on. Such a shame, they could be really ramping my hype levels*, but now unfortunately they're very much on the back-foot for my attention. When they do, eventually, release some info, it'll need to be considerably better than what they have been doing in recent times to pull my interest back.
(* less the no VR at launch meh'ness)
I do agree with that, scope creep & blind alleys (in terms of engaging features) seems to have been a significant factor in ED's development.
Not only does Asobo listen, they interact and regularly update the community with direct information. No announcements of announcements, they post videos, screenshots, roadmaps, devs talk about features which are coming, features which are put on hold for later dates, and even features which have been cut AND they give reasons why for everything. It's very similar to SCS Software's approach to direct communication about their truck sims which has worked WONDERS for them, as it has for Asobo & Microsoft.
It's not novel, it's just good game development practices in the modern age, and it's been bloody lovely.
Frontier could do this too, but they need to CHOOSE to do so, which they seem very reluctant to do. With Frontier everything is always a big secret.
Not at all interested in this game. I prefer to fly in space and explore alien planets. I'll explore earth in real life. It's better.
I have to admit, this is looking very attractive .... and Elite is looking a lot less attractive by comparison, even with Odyssey. With my limited time for gaming, and past experience of flying aircraft I'm leaning towards buying this game and putting the other aside. But, to be fair, Odyssey is another 6 months away, which may turn out to be to its advantage ... we might have got tired of Flight Sim by then
I love flying around in space. I wish I loved flying aircraft, unfortunately I don't get a kick out of it.
This game however looks to be ground breaking in every kind of way. So for those who enjoy flying aircraft, your dream game is not far away.
This game however looks to be ground breaking in every kind of way. So for those who enjoy flying aircraft, your dream game is not far away.
I'm certainly hoping that, based on their experience with Planet Zoo, we see things crawling around even on planets with tenuous atmospheres. We certainly see things roaming around on planets with a hard vacuum.
I don't think it would need to be that complex. Things might only be found on certain types of atmospheric worlds and then only in spotty areas (like the way we find geysers now. Point is, it could be simple creatures....that crawl up into your landing gear.
This is something I think we all understand. They wouldn't have to populate entire planets, just small patches of SOME of them. Sort of like the way only certain planets are populated with fungus (and only certain KINDS of fungus at that).
Myself included. I just hope we find more than exotic fungus. This was used as an example of what COULD be possible, given FD's practice with Planet Zoo and I hope they put that practice to good use.
What?????? How dare you!!! I blame TJ!!!!!!!
Oh wait, that WAS TJ
Even though I'm excited about FS2020, I would prefer to fly may AspX and explore alien planets only if there was something to find. As things stand, anything new to 'discover' is automatically added to the Codex (yup, you don't have to read it), making finding stuff in game pretty mundane.
Everything in FS2020 is discoverable by Google these days. I don't see the issue. I use the Codex to find stuff and look at it myself. I really don't care if someone else has discovered first, I'm still exploring.Even though I'm excited about FS2020, I would prefer to fly may AspX and explore alien planets only if there was something to find. As things stand, anything new to 'discover' is automatically added to the Codex (yup, you don't have to read it), making finding stuff in game pretty mundane.