Bodolza wrote on Dec 8, 2022, 12:44:
There's also the Microsoft Store, which is where I bought my copy. Cheaper and steam not required to be running.

Yes, of course, and that's where the 9.95 million GamePass casual "pilots" are coming from which I mentioned in my post. As someone who bought a MS Store copy, rather than casually downloaded it for GamePass shits'n'giggles, you are probably a very small minority since -leaving aside GamePass- Steam has always been and will always be the go-to platform for the foreseeable future. Steam is basically a monopoly. I would bet that purchased copies (as opposed to GamePass) Steam vs. MS Store is 90% to 10%, if not even more in Valve's favor.

There's also the consideration that the MS Store does not have the most stellar reputation in the first place but it's even worse when it comes to MSFS. There are many reports of people who are annoyed with download and update issues which is a real problem since the vanilla sim requires close to 100GB. Yes, those problems also exist on Steam but seemingly to a much lesser degree as most people recommend the Steam version when asked where to buy the sim.
Anecdotal but true: I own MSFS Premium Deluxe on Steam (day 1 purchase) and have not had any issues worth mentioning so far as far as the platform (content delivery etc.) is concerned. The actual sim itself comes with a host of issues regardless of platform, of course.

GinRummy wrote on Dec 7, 2022, 15:58:
Bill Gates (yes, the man himself) wrote me a personal reply back about they had just come out with a color version and he included it with the letter (on a 5.25 floppy) so I could enjoy it.

That's pretty cool. I also played the original on one of my mother's friends IBM PCs. I remember the disk spinning continuously to stream data. The first game I ever bought for myself was Chuck Yeagers AFT.

RogueSix wrote on Dec 7, 2022, 17:51:
The Steam concurrent/peak player numbers are pretty meh, unfortunately.

There's also the Microsoft Store, which is where I bought my copy. Cheaper and steam not required to be running.

GinRummy that's a cool story! I was born in 83 and have heard my mom say "Gin Rummy" to describe some kind of card game, which I don't think I've played.

Wilhuf wrote on Dec 7, 2022, 16:52:
Will we see a new MS Combat Flight simulator?

Im hoping for something along those lines too. If not from Microsoft maybe from someone else. Something to directly challenge DCS and Eagle Dynamics, I've grown sick of the way they do business, their lies and false promises and their software is breaking apart at the seams. Especially in VR.

JTW wrote on Dec 7, 2022, 19:22:
I was pilot # 3,518,211

Was? Did you hang up your wings?

I was pilot # 3,518,211

One word: GamePass.

Would be interesting to see the numbers excluding GamePass. The Steam concurrent/peak player numbers are pretty meh, unfortunately. And the achievement percentages on Steam are outright pathetic. The highest percentage is 59.4% for the "complete any activity" achievement.

This makes me believe that the unfortunate truth is that 9.95 million "pilots" (GamePass casuals) flew over their house once (if that) and called it a day...

Glad this has sold well because it's a very impressive project that has had a ton of support and free updates since launch. Not really my thing but I respect the game/sim for what it is.

Will we see a new MS Combat Flight simulator?

Back in 1983 (I'm old) I got my first IBM PC clone (a "Columbia" computer) and ran a very early version of MS Flight Simulator. I was a bit disappointed because it only ran in monochrome, and my spiffy machine had 4-color CGA graphics and a color monitor. So I wrote a letter to Microsoft about how they should have a new color version of the Flight Simulator now. Bill Gates (yes, the man himself) wrote me a personal reply back about they had just come out with a color version and he included it with the letter (on a 5.25 floppy) so I could enjoy it. I still have the letter filed away somewhere, might be worth something on the collector market.

I recently picked it up since it was on sale for $30. And you can't really play properly without a yoke, so that arrived a couple days ago. Now I'm feeling the need for some rudder pedals, too. It's a slippery slope.

BTW, thank god for the community, cause MS provides zero documentation on how to actually fly.

Kxmode wrote on Dec 7, 2022, 12:02:
"Ah, miss. I speak jive." Also, "I just want you to know we're counting on you (3x)."

LOL, was thinking of the same movie. Don't think that could be made these days

Vulkan wrote on Dec 7, 2022, 14:35:

Xil wrote on Dec 7, 2022, 11:57:
well that is a relief then, because the chances that there is a MS pilot among the passengers when the real pilot gets sick is huge

Which is tricky as the first thing they're gonna want to do is fly the plane under a bridge.

lol

* REMOVED *

This comment was deleted on Dec 7, 2022, 15:57. Reason: Poor taste

Xil wrote on Dec 7, 2022, 11:57:
well that is a relief then, because the chances that there is a MS pilot among the passengers when the real pilot gets sick is huge

Which is tricky as the first thing they're gonna want to do is fly the plane under a bridge.

"Ah, miss. I speak jive." Also, "I just want you to know we're counting on you (3x)."

well that is a relief then, because the chances that there is a MS pilot among the passengers when the real pilot gets sick is huge