[Polls] Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) Sim Update 16 & 16.1 Feedback

[LukG8843]

Tonight, Digital Design rolled out updates for three of their sceneries. Why am I mentioning this? Because the changelog contains some very interesting adjustments. The changelog lists “improved ortho image, optimized LOD and fixed elevation changes in the airport area”. In my opinion, all of these changes are necessary because of Sim Update 16.

I already wrote a few days ago that the Sim Update changed the LOD level and that old airports may not be optimised for this. In addition, the airports often no longer fit well into their surroundings because they were optimised for the old satellite images with different colours. One thing I hadn’t realised myself, however, is that the new terrain data means that some scenery buildings may fly into the air after the update. I noticed this yesterday in the vicinity of Portland Airport, Oregon. This was also partly the case with Digital Design’s Moscow. Credit to Digital Design for adapting their sceneries so quickly for SU 16. But how many other developers will do the same now that the focus is clearly on MSFS 2024? Probably not many.

Due to the LOD adjustments, the new satellite images and the new elevation data, I believe that countless third-party airports are no longer 100% compatible with MSFS 2020. The changes made by Digital Design confirm this. The extent of the compatibility issues is likely to vary greatly from airport to airport.

But as I said a few days ago, it is completely unacceptable to roll out an update that significantly reduces the quality of many of the third-party sceneries that users have paid good money for. For me, that’s an even bigger problem than the poorer satellite data.

Moscow Domodedovo before today’s update

Moscow Domodedovo after today’s update

Changelog

[CooingRelic3945]

Up to now I have rarely chimed in when everybody else was complaining about bugs and degradations introduced by sim updates. Mainly because on my mediocre system these things were hardly noticeable. But SU16 really ruined the sim for me. I’ve aleays and exclusively enjoyed flying in VR, but after SU16 I have mainly flown pancake, because it looks horrible in VR: blurry textures, scenery popping in, weird greenish PG buildings and stutters whenever I move my head. I have not experienced any performance improvement whatsoever. What they have done to this amazing sim is a shame!

[davegranstrom16]

SU16 was unnecessary. I was taxiing in KMCO (Taxi2Gate) in FS2020 last week (in only my 2nd flight since SU16 dropped, by the way) and the entire surface was uneven. I didn’t take any photos of it, but I can post a few when I get back to my PC later. I’m sure it’s not the only airport affected, since this issue was caused by SU16 and the new elevation data. And because a lot of these airports have been “abandoned” by their developers, the chances of them being fixed are low.

It was fine before, no? Why did this have to be done, and more importantly, why don’t I know why this was done? A normal game developer will tell its end-users why and what it does, so the users can expect to see what they will see. Instead, here I am, guessing away, because MSobo is too busy to take 5 minutes out of their day and explain to us why they did this.

I’m getting tired of this endless radio silence. Sooner than later I think I’m just going to switch to the direct competition, which is so much more efficient than the MSFS crew, and most importantly listens to and communicates with their simmers, whom they view as friends instead of wallet-padders.

[n772ua]

Do French holidays really affect business that much? It seems that everything Asobo did in recent months was rushed

[n772ua]

And only existing customers are able to access it until 2028. That coincide with MSFS’s 2028 target.

[aloofPilot5634]

For instance, the amazing tool Addons Linker used to feature Bing Maps free API key addition in order to enable the users to view the mods in a hi res satellite map until the end of last June. Now it is only able to offer an OpenStreet and a basic plain map.

[AussieBurger80]

Just read this:

• The primary successor to Bing Maps for Enterprise is Azure Maps, which is Microsoft’s next-generation mapping and geospatial service. Azure Maps offers similar features to Bing Maps, including the ability to retrieve map tiles at various sizes (including 512x512 pixels for higher resolution) and different map styles.

So I know as of su16 they prevent 512 tiles and enforce only 256, but if Asobo’s hands were forced to downgrade us all then could they not offer a paid add on (prefer not to have to pay but would if offered at this point tbh) that leverage the enterprise maps with 512 tiles and with higher zoom level? Or have it in a higher paid tier of the sim? This would allow people that want the best level of detail to have it, and those that don’t mind the potato graphics of 2024 and now post su16 2020 to stay as they are.. all within Microsoft and legal constraints etc and fully supported by Asobo.

I know I’m grasping at straws, but until Asobo cares to put down their latte and update the community on any remediation of su16 it doesn’t hurt to dream right!

[SinusAchat51719]

No words, no explanations from the devs for the issues last friday. That is really very disappointing. In no uncertain words, I purchased the DVD-version 5 years ago as a PC game and not as a XBOX game. I could have expected the resolution to be improved, but the opposite has happened.
This is how you lose your lead. This is not the best way to achieve sales success.
For me it’s time to close the chapter MSFS. Bye!

[PaulausPilot]

I’ve long suspected we’re being primed for a subscription based gateway to high definition scenery - wouldn’t come as any surprise whatsoever. doesn’t help the current situation though in that the title was sold on its aesthetics…

[BattyPlains5374]

Probably this. I would not be surprised at this stage.

[n772ua]

Has anyone here tried to contact them via zendesk?

[MucusTech]

@aloofPilot5634

I’m now wondering if msfs only streams the free low res aerials into the sim.

But how does this fit with the areas where what’s in the sim doesn’t appear to be ANYTHING from Bing (e.g. Pyecombe)? I am very curious to know exactly what data that is.

[aloofPilot5634]

afaik, the different zoom levels have their peculiar set of tiles, therefore what you see in Bing Maps might not directly be reflected to the sim at the same level.

[MucusTech]

Yes but what I found was two different zoom levels of tiles within the sim, NEITHER of which were what was shown in Bing.

[gardinirafael]

I bought 2024 and was disappointed with basically everything in the simulator, so I thought:

“No problem, I have 2020, which is very well optimized and works perfectly.”

Then Microsoft comes along and says, “No, no, what’s that? You have to fly in 24.”

Then they release SU16, and now I have a bunch of broken scenarios, poorly optimized, giving me horrible performance, especially since none of the scenarios I bought and spent a lot of money on have any interest in updating for a simulator that’s already obsolete.

I wasn’t even using 24 anymore, and now I can’t use 20 either.

SU15 will be missed.

I’m tired, folks. It’s not worth racking your brain and being a beta tester for something that will eventually stop being stable.

What kind of decision is this? Taking something that was perfect and turning it into something poorly finished and slapped together.

Switch to X-Plane, because I will.

[rp198419]

@gardinirafael

What kind of decision is this? Taking something that was perfect and turning it into something poorly finished and slapped together.

Switch to X-Plane, because I will.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[senna94f1]

I just downloaded updated both for MSFS20

And MSFS24 beta 3 ,

Now both were working perfectly OK before the major updates,

Now with with both I have terrible screen flickering making both MSFS 20 and 24 unpleasant and unplayable,

Why would both updates do the identical same thing even making the screen go red also,

How do you get rid of both major updates for both

Update after messing around with settings as we tend to do with PC

SO MUCH FOR THE PLUG AND PLAY FROM THE PAST FUTURE MICROSOFT WINDOWS 98. LOL

TURN OFF. V SYNC

CRAZY I KNOW BUT STILL OTHER ISSUES LIKE HUGE CPU MEMORY TAKING

ALONG WITH GPU MEMORY TAKING WHY

32 GB RAM. NOW WANTS ALMOST 20GB

GPU 16GB. NOW TAKING 12 GB

BEFORE UPDATES

CPU RAM 12 GB AND GPU 10GB

GPU TEMPS SAME

SO NEW UPDATES WANT MORE THEN 10 GB

EXTRA AND IT DOESN’T LOOK OR PERFORM ANY BETTER

IN FACT CHECK TASK MANAGER

ITS THE ONLY THING I DON’T LIKE ABOUT PC

AND BOTH OF MY GAMING PC I HAVE REMOVED AS MUCH BLOAT WARE AS WINDOWS 11 ALLOWS.

ON GAMING PC RIG

IS FOR SIM RACING WITH VR

THE OTHER

GAMING PC IS SOLEY FOR

FLIGHT SIMS AND GAMES AND VR

[Knightchucker]

@Azlog

I’m really starting to think that SU16 was rushed out so that Microsoft could delete the old bing world data. Performance is fantastic on Xbox and stability is also amazing. But they really made a mess of the LOD system with flickering textures in cockpits (A20N v2 and PMDG 737/777) and flickering wing textures on the A20N v2. And the ground textures definitely need some work

Yes the flickering buttons is really annoying.

Had a couple of amazing flights on Xbox over the weekend. Everything looking so sharp. None of the pop-up or blurry textures that others are reporting. I know I’ve said this before but I think it’s important to also report positives on this thread amongst what appears to be lots of negativity

[Matt831064]

I’ve been using 2020 a lot more recently. It’s much smoother than 24 and I actually think apart from the lighting, that it looks better too. Yes there are a few terrain issues such as Niagara Falls. I tried flying over them the other day as someone asked me to, and it does look messed up. But I actually prefer the new maps, the old ones were almost a bit cartoony. The colours are much more realistic now, especially over the UK.i don’t have to think about where I fly like on 24 either, in case I get stutters and freezes. I can just have trouble free flying on 2020, and I hope 24 runs this well one day!

[kaha300d]

@SinusAchat51719

This is not the best way to achieve sales success.
For me it’s time to close the chapter MSFS. Bye!

This helps no one except yourself. Even If all users that post here quit using MSFS will it change nothing.

We serious simmers are just a few and we have to take what we get. And we can try to enjoy it or not. In contrary to the recent past I now have decided to enjoy it as much as I am able to. Even if it will degrade further it’s still much better than what we had before MSFS.

And I would be willing to pay a monthly fee for a kind of ‘expert’ version of the sim with better visuals and QOL additions.