flatreader

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Arrives With a 'Full Digital Twin' of Earth

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is out today (Xbox/PC, Steam), and it packs in a whole lot of simulation. It's hard to imagine topping the 2020 version, which contained the entire world, at scale, 3D modeled and able to be flown over. It had real-time weather and rather detailed physics. You could theoretically fly a helicopter back to your high school football field and land on it, like 15-year reunion royalty. What could come next? A lot, including a world simulation that Microsoft repeatedly describes as Earth's "full digital twin." There are few, if any, real "reviews" up yet, given the size of the game and seemingly late access for reviewers. As such, I offer up all the notable things packed into this latest release so that those with flight sticks, patience, and a desire to get way up yonder can decide whether to take off. These are the most "notable things" available in this latest release, as highlighted by Ars' Kevin Purdy: - The file size is much smaller than the 2020 version, totaling "around 30GB" - You can expect ~5GB an hour of streaming data (up-close data is streamed on demand; flying high-up in the skies uses pre-loaded data) - AI learning has allowed for "4,000 times more" detail in textures and terrain meshes - Aircraft and airports you customized or purchased are carried over from 2020 into 2024 - There's a new Career Mode, with 26 different paths - Animals have more realistic behavior -- e.g. sheep head inside when it's raining, birds migrate, and elephants will be more aware of your flybys - Flight Simulator 2020 will continue to get support