for its new opus, the flight simulation game aims for hyperrealism

And “digital twin of the Earth”. The ambition of Jorg Neumann, head of video games Microsoft Flight Simulatoris big for the new opus of the famous flight simulation license, released Tuesday November 19. Four years after the success of the 2020 version – purchased by fifteen million players (out of the 45 million claimed by the franchise since its creation in 1982) –, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is presented as a further step towards a simulation with astonishing realism.

The fundamentals remain the same: the player can take control of a Cessna 150, a very common training plane, at the end of a grass runway, engines already running. All he has to do is push his throttle, let it roll and slowly pull his joystick to take off, before admiring his surroundings. Or board an Airbus A330, all systems off and parked at the gate of an international airport. The “flight simmer” will have to start the device while respecting the various procedures, develop its flight plan, communicate with the control tower to obtain the necessary authorizations, etc.

The modifiable parameters also remain unchanged: the weather, the density of air traffic (but also road or maritime), piloting aids or even the programming of breakdowns. So what real changes compared to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020successor to an aging Flight Simulator X released in 2006? You should know that MSFS 2020 is, to this day, still considered a very accomplished transport simulation, whose content continues to expand through regular updates and thanks to paid third-party software (new planes, air traffic control generated by artificial intelligence, etc.).

500 cities reproduced in ultra-detail

Paradoxically, for a simulator where the sky is the main playing field, it is on the ground that the improvements promise to be spectacular: “Compared to MSFS 2020, we are 4,000 times more accurate in soil level of detail”welcomed Sebastian Wloch, co-founder and CEO of Asobo, the Bordeaux studio which develops the game, during a presentation to the press in mid-October. It will now be possible to leave the cockpit and walk around your aircraft, like a open-world. In addition, developers promise textures (grass, rock, sand, etc.) and lights that are more faithful to reality, whether in airports, cities or natural spaces.

To achieve this result, Asobo undertook photogrammetry work, a technique which consists of obtaining a 3D model from satellite photos. This method made it possible to reproduce in ultra-detail 500 cities and 100,000 square kilometers (the equivalent of South Korea) of rural landscapes, located mainly in North America and Europe. The rest of the world was generated by procedural generation, that is, the landscapes were created algorithmically.

If the content will be more detailed, will it be heavier? Developers promise shortened loading times and smoothness in-game by storing a huge portion of the content in the cloud and only loading what the player sees. Where it was recommended to reserve 150 GB of storage for MSFS50 GB could now be enough, according to Microsoft. Moreover, the game is extremely resource intensive, particularly for the processor, which worries “simmers”, fearing a lack of fluidity (lag).

A “career” mode to break the monotony

Flight Simulator 2024 will impress with its contemplative aspect. But it nonetheless remains a game focused on the driving experience. Its most complete version – the most expensive too – offers 125 aircraft (airliners, helicopters, military planes, jets, gliders, water bomber planes, etc.) including the flight model (all the characteristics of the aircraft ), is promised to be finer than previously.

Side gameplaythe “career” mode is the big new thing: virtual pilots will be required to take qualifications, starting with the PPL (Private Pilot Licence, private pilot license), to discover new aircraft and unlock missions. Tourist aviation, medical assistance, fire extinguishing, spraying or even advertising will allow you to earn virtual money which can be spent on taking exams or building up a fleet of aircraft. So, MSFS 2024 intends to fill the lack of objectives that was lacking in its predecessor and extend its lifespan.

The fact remains that over four years, millions of players have invested in additional content, not counting the game and the hardware (PC, joysticks, etc.). And it could be that some of them remain faithful to the 2020 version, due to lack of resources. But the promise of an improved game, based on an excellent base, with features popular with mainstream gamers and aeronautics enthusiasts alike seems to foreshadow inevitable success.