I could not agree more. It seems like reliable ATC is essential to a flight simulator but all the votes seem to be for friggin clouds and such. Like rearranging chairs on the Titanic. FIX the essential stuff before fine tuning weather and clouds - how does this not make sense!? Baffles the imagination how many people are worried about weather versus actually necessary flying stuff first!
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I think the new Azure voices are quite improved in terms of cadence and flow. Much more natural…when they work. When you go offline for whatever reason, then the voices are either robotic or it sounds like a 12 year old girl is directing you.
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Hi @ViscousTundra09. I moved your thread to the #self-service:atc-traffic-navaids subcategory where these type subjects ought to be discussed. I also added the “atc” tag to help with searchability. Hope this helps.
Guys, for the love of God and all things holy, forget about the ATC. It is trash. It’s been two years and hasn’t gotten any better. It ain’t gonna get any better.
Join VATSIM. Trust me. Once you get the hang of it you will never want to fly without it.
Just forget about sim ATC.
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Pretty much my experience too - it works fine most of the time and once you learn to ignore the obviously bad instructions it handles things pretty well in a basic way. I fly Vatsim usually, but recently I’ve been trying the OnAir app which takes you to lots of out-of-the-way airfields and the in-Sim ATC handles it all pretty well. Knowing its quirks makes a big difference.
But as others have said this won’t be addressed until WorkingTitle address the core navigation and flight planning aspects of the SIM - this needs to happen before you can improve the ATC. And we know that’s in the pipeline.
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I view the MSFS project like restoring an old house type of project. In this analogy, FSX is the old house.
System updates are major jobs (replacing windows, putting in a new kitchen etc.) whilst the scenery updates are decorative jobs (furnishing a specific room).
The updating and modernizing the ATC is defiantly a BIG job (like updating all the plumbing or wiring). It will come, but we just have to wait for that.
Asobo have stated this is a 10 year project. We have to be patient and trust them. Just have to put up with cold baths for a little while more. 
After 10 years, we will be living in the best sim around.
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Flying under VFR doesn’t automatically exclude you from talking to ATC in it’s entirely. I fly a ton under VFR on VATSIM (pretty much the only time I fly under IFR is when IMC presents itself) and I’m required to talk to ATC in many cases. I take full advantage of the strong point with this sim which is flying under VFR though sometimes that isn’t possible. If you’re up to it I do strongly recommend the VATSIM network. It feels like a weight is lifted off your shoulders, the experience is amazing.
Dude, I get what you’re saying but that’s not an option for some of us. For me, I do 90% of my flying while multi-tasking (chores, working at home, etc) and can’t post myself in a chair for three hours with a headset on avoiding the rest of civilization except the flight sim community. I assume there are many like me. If you can, great…but most of us don’t have the luxury of unabated time. Like many, I’ve been simming like this since the FS98 days where ATC was not perfect but it was functional and didn’t cutoff mid-flight.
If back then we had that, how can we not have that already in this sim?! MSFS is eons beyond FS98, FS2000, FSCOF, FSX, and yet this one missed the boat on a fundamental aspect of flying into and out of busy airspace.
If they intended this to be only multiplayer online with every other simmer out there, then it should’ve been advertised that way (I would’ve saved my money); otherwise, reliable single-player ATC should be present and should be considered a tremendous priority over instant replay or cloud perfection or wind gusts or whatever other dressing is nice but not needed to fly…just sayin…everyone has a preference obviously.
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Funny enough the reason I finally moved to VATSIM in 2009 was because I wasn’t happy with the ATC in sims (My first flight sim from MS was 98 though I used other ones). I thought FSX MP would satisfy my desire for better ATC but it didn’t. Someone had brought up VATSIM when I was in a MP session and I signed up and did a few touch and go landings in the Flight Replicas J-3 Cub and I was hooked. I just can’t settle for anything less these days, that’s just me though. There is just no comparison to stock ATC and networks dedicated to it. I’ve taught many people how to fly on VATSIM and they love it. A number where quite worried to use it at first.
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Xbox users can’t just jump on vatsim. So for the love of God and all things holy allow us to get the in game ATC fixed.
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I just ignore ATC all together. They can’t tell me what to do, they’re not my supervisor!
But if and when they do fix it, i will probably use it a little more for the immersion
Yeah this. I’m simply not interested in Vatsim. It’s fun to think about but it’s not for me. If i wanted to worry about proper communications, i’d go get a real pilots license. I’m trying to have fun flying half way across the virtual world, not make sure i don’t ■■■■ off whatever nerd in their mom’s basement because i didn’t fly direct to whatever in the time he wanted me to.
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You could’ve made your point without that toxic remark.
I appreciate the feedback
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difficult to simulate ATC, if real ATC is what you are looking for then you are better off looking at VATSIM, IVAO or Pilot Edge. There’s only so far simulation can go
And that’s completely fair. I don’t deny that as a valid reason to use vatsim. I’ve technically had a vatsim account since 2011 but i’ve never used it. I was turned off at the idea of having to do a test. I understood why like it’s to weed out the people who just wanna get on and talk to other people while they’re buzzing around a major airport in a jet trolling everyone trying to take it just the least bit serious.
However i’m one of those people that see FS2020 as a video game more than a “simulator.” Even more specifically, i like a balance of “having fun” and “serious simming” and more on the side of “having fun.” I been seeing some of the Tutorials for the 737 coming out and i’m just here like “bro i just wanna put in a flight and go.” I’m no stranger to high fidelity aircraft and i know what i’m getting when i buy it (yknow after $200 worth of DCS purchases for planes i barely know how to fly.) But as long as i can start the plane, put in my flight in the simplest way possible, back up, fire up the engines and make my way to the runway without exploding i’m good. Heck i’m even willing to up the failure chance to realistic levels because i think it will be fun. For some, the next level is having to announce properly your plane is crashing to a guy playing pretend Denver Center controller (maybe he is a real Denver center controller…). That’s great if some people want to play that way. It’s not for me though. I’d rather pretend i’m screaming into the PA “OH MY GOD WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE JEEZ OH MIGHTY I SHOULDNT HAVE HAD THAT SECOND CUP OF COFFEE OOOHHHHHH MAAAANNNNN.” Can’t do that on vatsim…cause it’s toxic…
I have thought of Vatsim and others but I know I could not use them. It’s pity that people quote them as the only alternative. I have a difficulty in clear speech that I have had for over 70 years and just want simply correct directions and responses. I just have no alternative to the default.
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I agree with you. I don’t understand why people are more interested in clouds, and how low, or high they are as appose to the immersion of the ATC. I have been using Flight simulator since the very first one, and I still go back to FSX just so I can experience the in game ATC, I have used VATSIM before, however, sometimes you don’t always want to sit there and waste a lot of time at the computer waiting for a human being to talk to. I prefer to fly with the ATC that I can control. If they could make it work at least like FSX I would be happy.
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if I was single, had lots of time on my hands then yes vatsim all day long maybe you are lucky in that respect
I don’t mean to be rude and I’m not judging your marital status etc but we all know that you bang on about vatsim like it’s the best thing since sliced bread but for a lot of us with busy lives, kids, work and trying to juggle that for a few hours on a sim is hard enough as it is and I’ve been flying as long as you since fs98 at least
Don’t take this the wrong way , if I had more time and not the distractions like kids , spouse , work etc then I would be on vatsim all the time
Other than that if I had the money I would increase my hours to get my PPL
Enjoy your vatsim , hope to see you in the virtual air soon , but as others have said it’s not practical for them or me at this point in my life
That is exactly why we have to put up with the msfs ATC , we don’t have the time , well I certainly don’t to fly vatsim , sorry like I said I am not being rude it’s just how some people need to juggle this hobby of ours with life
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I agree ATC should be the number one priority.
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Likewise I don’t mean to sound rude but you’re making some bold assumptions about myself and others that use the VATSIM network. There are some days where I have a few hours at most to be on my PC.
I fully understand that VATSIM isn’t for everyone and I do hope that Working Title are able to fulfil the desires for those that don’t wish to use VATSIM however we all know that stock ATC isn’t good in MSFS. I myself would argue that it was never really that good in flight sims. Did it at least work in past versions? Sure, I’ll agree with that. Bottom line is though people are not happy with ATC in MSFS (same deal with XP) and I always, always want to get the word out there that they don’t have to be stuck with it.
If anyone wants better ATC sooner rather than later I strongly recommend getting some alternative because it’s going to be a while before the ATC in MSFS sees major changes. I only have a ton of experience with VATSIM so I suggest it so much to people and willing to go out of my way to have Discord calls with people and share cockpits with them to get them going. I have done this with a ton of people.
Best regards.
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