I bought MSFS 2020 for casual, interactive fun flying with anyone and everyone, as per Airforceproud95 videos on YouYube, which I appreciate some people may not be fans of.
I already have XPlane-11 as a study level simulator. I wanted something for fun flying. I bought the game on the assumption that I could enjoy a fully interactive online multiplayer mode. I bought a new Xbox Series X and I paired my Lucidsound LS35X headset expecting to use voice when flying in ‘All Players’ mode online. I also bought a 12-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold.
Disappointingly, it seems like I can’t make use of my headset for this specific purpose. Is there something more I need to configure or buy to play MSFS 2020 as I want to?
Currently multiplayer voice communication is not possible within the sim. Most group and multiplayer flights use a third-party solution such as Discord for their voice comms. Check out the official Microsoft Flight Simulator Discord channel for starters: Discord
As stated, no need for a mic in game at the moment. I use mine for VATSIM but not possible on XBOX. Discord is an option but I would have to assume that there are MSFS groups on XBOX by now that you can join their party chats?
Does anyone know if Microsoft FSX has ‘proper’ built-in multiplayer mode where you can fly around and talk to other players without requiring any third-party services? If so, I may need to invest in FSX to get the kind of gameplay that I hoped MSFS 2020 would deliver.
Not to my knowledge, as I own several editions of FSX. But even, if you would have the option to talk to others, I do not recommend to buy FSX. The graphics are the main reason, why I don‘t fly it anymore since last years August. The so called „eye candies“ would put you on a drastic diet. You would need so many addons, to make FSX look better on your computer. It‘s simply an old game, and has seen its best days.
If you would like to talk to others during MSFS2020 flights, I would check the options from the folks above over Discord. I read once, this option to talk is planned, but it might take a while.
Probable answer “LIABILITY” – with No Pilots left behind, one might imagine that MS did not want the liability of providing an UN-moderated “Audo Chat” for such a wide cross section of age groups etc etc.
And if they did, can you imagine the Inappropriate Audio CHAOS that would exist of such a open, public Audio Chat Channel !!
Personally, I think it was a wise choice, with alternatives like Discord available, that are far better controlled and moderated by individual flying groups.
Plus, discord offer so may additional features, one being the ability for channels to be able to LIVE STREAM video, of individuals MSFS flights etc etc
The more you think about it, and the advantages of Discord’s many features , the more it makes sense.
I also don’t think it would make sense to intigrate some open audio chat into MP. I think it would make more sense to extend ATC to multiplayer instead with some way to turn this feature off (If some kids spam ATC with senseless requests).
People one knows can use TeamSpeak or Discord to group communicate
Thank you all for the pointers to Discord. I have signed up to Discord now. I still need to understand how it works. I have installed the Discord app on my spare Android phone.
After a lot of Googling, here is my plan to get voice with MSFS 2020.
Connect my phone with the Discord app running on it to my Lucidsound LS35X headset via a 3.5mm TRRS cable so that it picks up the mic on the LS35X
The LS35X is already wirelessly paired to my Xbox Series S
Would the above give me enough for voice chat? As mentioned, I still need to figure out how Discord works. I’ve already joined the MSFS and Airforceproud95 Discords.
I suspect the people that answered you are mostly PC pilots that don’t use an Xbox. (no offense).
We usually use Xbox Parties to voice chat while flying in groups with people on Xbox and PC.
The XBox already has a voice chat system, so since our community for group flights is mostly Xbox Pilots, obviously we use that. PC players in our group use it via the XBox app.
However, you need to invite people from your Xbox friend list to chat with in an Xbox Party or join a friend that has an open party.
A bit different than the system on discord. Discord is more a thing originating from the PC gaming scene. I remember when the it first was released, people on PC were all still using Teamspeak. Discord did not charge for servers like Teamspeak, so it became quite popular over the years.
So with the Xbox Party scenario, I would just need my Xbox headset?
My big problem at the moment is not having anyone to fly with. I only ever played Rainbow Six Vegas 2 on my previous Xbox 360 and Xbox One X so my friends list is tiny and none of them play MSFS 2020. Is there a place where these Xbox Parties are organised?
Well we are a German Xbox community for people of 30 years and older, so it’s quite limited to people speaking that language. We organsise via a German Xbox forum.
No idea if similar communities exist in other countries, I would suspect so.
However, there are on the Xbox itself the so called Clubs. If you look for clubs having to do with MSFS, there are many of them. Xbox players are a very social bunch.
If you press the XBox symbol on the controller then navigate one step to the right, you are in the menu with all the friend lists and parties and also clubs. Try your luck there.
But also definitely try the discord thing, some of the organised events you find here in this forum are associated with a permanent discord channel. I myself sometimes fly with the Bush Divers. They fly every saturday and are mostly US based.
