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MSFS2020 scenery problems, MS's response...


Robert Shearman Jr
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Robert Shearman Jr
Posted
Posted

This morning I received an interesting response to my two "bug reports" identifying issues with MSFS2020 scenery (taxiway signs everywhere, and, missing runway at BWI).  Both responses were identical and read as follows:

"We are planning to have discreet World Updates that focus on a specific region of Earth. The current plan is to do this every 2-3 months.

In order to really celebrate that particular part of the planet we are updating, we are also planning on creating some new hand-crafted airports, some new POIs and we will also attempt to provide some more activities … like landing challenges.

We are very excited about this as it will – over time - spotlight all regions of Earth, which we hope will bring focus to areas that might not be a current aviation hub."

This sounds interesting in one regard, which is that the entire digital globe will eventually get a facelift, region by region. However, the disheartening part of that response is the "eventually" (or, as they phrased it, "over time") part.  This leads me to believe that fixes to the glaring scenery issues limiting sim usability on VATSIM -- most notably, the near-complete lack of accurate taxiway signage -- won't be coming anytime soon. 

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Cheers,
-R.

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Robert Shearman Jr
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Posted (edited)

... and before any of us saddle up and grab our pitchforks, keep this in mind:

Microsoft expects to sell 2.27 million copies of FS20 (according to an article at venturebeat.com).  VATSIM's active userbase is around 90,000.  Even if VATSIM climbs to 150,000 active users and FS20 sales fall well short of estimates hitting 1.5 million, at best we're ten percent.  Even that assumes 100% of VATSIM users buy FS20.  Optimistically we represent maybe 2 to 4 percent of their FS20 sales market. 

Edited by Robert Shearman Jr
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Cheers,
-R.

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Ralph Kloess
Posted
Posted

While I'm with you that these issues need a fix,...

and here comes the but (and it is big)

the planet is large, and the number of issues is not that small I'd reckon.

A lot of people want "their" bug fixed first.

Yes a runway is missing in BWI

The complete airport of Stuttgart germany is missing.. Which is more important?

The houses in my area don't look close to what they look in real life

The list goes on.

I'm happy that they're fixing the issues with an over-the-air upgrade and that they commited to continue to do so.

 

Cheers

Ralph

(Hope I left the pitchfork in the shed and out of my hand)

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Robert Shearman Jr
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Well, I wasn't trying to imply that any one missing or incomplete airport is any more important than another.  BWI was just one example.  I'm actually MUCH more concerned with the fact that ALL taxiway signage is inaccurate or missing GLOBALLY, with the exception of a small handful of "premium airports."  And while we await with bated breath an update on the SimConnect issue, it seems that flying and controlling on VATSIM with FS20 being part of the mix may be problematic for a long time to come. 

Cheers,
-R.

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Martijn Rammeloo
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Posted

I guess charts may be helpful?

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Robert Shearman Jr
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Posted

Yes, however, the number of VATSIM pilots who get lost on the ground WITH charts AND correct taxiway signage is already pretty substantial...

Cheers,
-R.

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Brad Littlejohn
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Posted
4 hours ago, Robert Shearman Jr said:

Yes, however, the number of VATSIM pilots who get lost on the ground WITH charts AND correct taxiway signage is already pretty substantial...

 

I don't know if I should return to my rocking chair, since around this time 20 years ago, I am reminded of how MS released FS2000, which was supposed to be the most advanced flight simulator at that time...

...only for the masses to be stuck in shock waiting for some updated 3rd party scenery, because MS failed to realize that 9 months prior, a new runway was added to KPHX, and their runways renumbered. So the FS2K was already outdated, with SATCO/VATSIM/IVAO pilots getting lost on the ground because they had current, updated charts/taxiways, etc., while the scenery was lacking...

yeah.. I guess this 40something-but-still-acts-like-a-10-year-old should go find that rocking chair.. 😁

In short, we feel your pain, but this is bound to happen at times, especially in relation to early adoption. But it does help when those that grab the latest/greatest find all the bugs! Is anyone keeping record of a list of bugs to give them to fix?

 

BL.

 

Brad Littlejohn

ZLA Senior Controller

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Robert Shearman Jr
Posted
Posted

The difference is, you're talking about ONE airport.  I'm talking about ALL airports. 

I'm sorry I even mentioned BWI.  It was a secondary point and clearly has clouded my message. 

Taxiway signs AT ALL AIRPORTS are messed up. 

I guess if no one else thinks that's completely ridiculous, I'll shut up about it... 

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Cheers,
-R.

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Brad Littlejohn
Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Robert Shearman Jr said:

The difference is, you're talking about ONE airport.  I'm talking about ALL airports. 

I'm sorry I even mentioned BWI.  It was a secondary point and clearly has clouded my message. 

Taxiway signs AT ALL AIRPORTS are messed up. 

I guess if no one else thinks that's completely ridiculous, I'll shut up about it... 

 

That is a BIG problem. If it is every airport then that is a serious issue that MS needs to fix. It sounds to me like they were more concentrating on flight dynamics, how scenery looks, and how to get access to scenery than the integrity of the scenery. They should have known better on this, especially if considering at the time, FSX had updated taxiway signs.

It still makes me wonder if MS has publicly posted a list of bugs that they are addressing.

BL.

 

Brad Littlejohn

ZLA Senior Controller

27

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Roger Hanson
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Posted
2 hours ago, Brad Littlejohn said:

It still makes me wonder if MS has publicly posted a list of bugs that they are addressing.

 

I believe they have https://www.flightsimulator.com/known-issues/

Regards, Rog Hanson

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James Drake
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Posted

I haven't had a chance to play with the SDK for the airports yet, but if it's possible, I'm sure the community (including me) will put out some corrected airport data.

1300947

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Brad Littlejohn
Posted
Posted
15 hours ago, James Drake said:

I haven't had a chance to play with the SDK for the airports yet, but if it's possible, I'm sure the community (including me) will put out some corrected airport data.

 

Yeah.. definitely rocking chair time. 😁

I remember a website at some point when FS2K came out... or was it FS2K2? Yeah.. I think it was FS8.. when they finally fixed the KPHX runway issue, because they finally had updated geographical data....

... but no airport in that entire simulator had ANY taxiway signs.. so that made someone (whose name I honestly don't remember) come up with an idea.. let's make them for the airports in question, especially if someone has the data for them!

Thus, taxiwaysigns.com was invented.

Who expected history to have to repeat itself 18-20 years later. Ya know, maybe this rocking chair bit isn't so bad after all! 😅

BL.

 

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Brad Littlejohn

ZLA Senior Controller

27

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