I got ENTC Tromsø on the sale but it black screens and ctd on Series X with both the PMDG 737 and Asobo A320 with live traffic and photogrammetry off. I recommend every to avoid purchasing the airport on Xbox.
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It has been in and out of my wishlist for almost a year… but the enormous file size has always put me off. MM’s stuff is usually pretty demanding on hardware, except Horta.
In the last SU14 build and in the SU15 beta I noticed that the draw distance to objects has gotten really bad. Jetways, textures or cars only appear a few meters away. You can see this best when flying with the drone, but unfortunately it is also noticeable when driving over the apron, for example with the runway lights. This is now the case at many airports (but not all). I can hardly imagine that I simply didn’t notice it before. I think that this has been the case since the latest builds. And it destroys the immersion for me. Has anyone had similar experiences? @UnitedArt had also posted something on this topic in another thread.
For me, it’s also definitely time for a PC. I just have to answer the big question of the right graphics card for me. Or perhaps rather, the budget I want to spend on the PC.
Edit: I noticed this very clearly a few days ago when approaching Skiathos. As the houses around the airport are part of the scenery, they only appeared shortly before landing. This looked absolutely terrible and makes the airport largely unusable for me.
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To be clear, indeed i posted about it. But for me personally, it’s not an issue. I understand that for others it is.
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I sometimes ride bicycles for fun and exercise. When it comes to premium bicycling gear, there is a saying from a famous manufacture: Light, strong, cheap: Choose two. Meaning one cannot have all three at once in a piece of gear. My time in the current beta, indeed, the last year in the sim, lead me to believe the same about Xbox (and probably all but the most expensive gaming PCs); by this I mean specifically: Add ons, bad/complex weather to render, traffic (AI or live): Choose two.
And so this is how I have approached my beta testing this week, but it is also how I have managed to have fun with my favorite aircraft and airports over the past year or so. Frankly, I found that ATC in the sim was so simplistic that my own imagination and knowledge of aviation was simply a more satisfying way to game. I just pretend. I tried on and off to like AI and Live Traffic, but then again, it never really worked for me either structurally in the sim or for the sake of immersion. When it did work (and I have not tested it yet in the current beta) it was more of a distraction. YMMV of course, as everyone brings something different to flight simming and expects to get different satisfactions out of it, but clearly to me when it comes to MSFS on Xbox (and mid to lesser PCs) today, we might be best served to adopt the “Choose Two” mindset and try to have fun.
For you, choose two may be defined by different terms, and that’s ok. The more “capable” or “diverse” the MSFS product becomes over time, the more picky we may have to be if we expect system stability AND performance in the same flight. This will not satisfy the caveat emptor points of view, and that’s ok. What I am trying to rediscover and redefine for myself is that sweet spot where it is still satisfying to fly and have fun with a healthy dose of imagination supporting immersion. The community that frequents this and related threads has done an excellent job of establishing some best practices for Xbox (rebooting and reloading come to mind) and sussing out that unoptimized add ons will always suffer, and which ones those are and which ones to avoid or not buy in the first place. Great community for sharing. What I wish to share with all of you today is simply to find and pick the two that work for you! Thoughts?
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Yes, I think you’re right. With the Xbox hardware, you’ll always have to make compromises. Unfortunately, in addition to stability, I also want the graphics to look as good as possible. That’s the most important point for me in terms of immersion. And that’s why things like textures that only appear a few meters away bother me.
So when I switch to a PC, it will be a top model. Only then will I have to make few to no compromises in terms of graphics and stability.
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Most console users who switch to PC do so after about 12 months. It’s almost like the Xbox is the bait…
I will this week join the PC simming club but will remain a staunch defender of the sim on the Xbox platform. Let’s remember, this is Asobo’s first go at a flight sim, let alone a flight sim on a console! Is it really fair to expect them to have nailed it on their first attempt? I imagine FS2024 will bring improvements but in all honesty I think we’ve reached the limits of the current Xbox hardware. Even if 2024 uses less RAM/VRAM and exports more to The Cloud, I believe it would take a miracle to get complex add-on airports working seamlessly with live weather/traffic and multiplayer. As Nikita said (in this thread or a similar one)… pick your two out of three. Being greedy, I want all three, and I think PC is the only route that allows that.
Having said all that, never say never. The A2A Comanche, FSReborn and PMDG 737 were never expected to release for Xbox yet the insurmountable eventually became reality.
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This thread is for Xbox users.
The Xbox Console isn’t a stepping stone.
The solution isn’t a PC.
Ths solution is for Asobo to fix the issues.
In terms of freeware we should hope the marketplace can venture there in future.
Migrating to PC talk is like discussing the painfully slow acceleration of a Ford Fiesta by suggesting purchasing a sports car.
We know a PC will be optimal. Point is the SIM and add-ons sold FOR IT…should work on Xbox..Since it is advertised as such.
It isn’t sold as a gateway beta until you can get a PC.
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MSFS on Xbox has never been a stepping stone to PC; and never will be. It offers the same fundamental experience, using the same systems and physics. Anyone who claims that Xbox users are somehow lesser is talking rubbish.
However, it’s becoming clearer to me that putting a complex flight sim on a console is an enormously challenging task. I have loved simming on my Series X but I’ve come to the conclusion that, if I want a more hassle-free experience, I need to go PC. A couple of months ago I’d have disagreed with that statement but the fine balancing act we’re seeing with the SU15 beta is telling me that there are sacrifices that must be made on Xbox. Believe me, my decision to go PC wasn’t made overnight.
Of course they should but in many cases, this unfortunately isn’t the reality. I genuinely believe Asobo are doing their best but I refer again to the statement Nikita made about choosing two of the three Xbox virtues. Also, bear in mind that Asobo have no control over the way in which third-party devs choose to play their part by properly optimising their console releases. We are at their mercy too but, unlike Asobo, they’ve no obligation to toe the line.
I really hope the public SU15 build (and, beyond that, FS2024) improves things for console simmers. I’m lucky to have had some spare cash lying around with which to buy a PC and full understand that, for some, such a machine just isn’t viable.
I will continue to follow Xbox-specific threads as I’m holding onto my console for now (which should serve as some kind of testament to how I view the Series X). It’s the machine that rekindled my love for simming so I will always have a soft spot for it. The console that took on top-spec PCs and gave them a real run for their money, at a fraction of the price.
The Xbox should hold its head up high. It’s admirably handling something it was never really designed to handle.
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Try the Aerosphere tree height fix on xbox. It renders at least twice as far out and some areas darn near unlimited trees as far as you can see out, buildings too. You lose Bijan seasons. It’s doing something bypassing the normal LOD, and with a frame rate increase no less.
However, if some places like NYC it renders so far out you may have problems with things like Samescene NYC as it will render buildings seemingly all the way form JFK and you can see the Manhattan skyline loaded. JFK is awful anyway, a half baked airport with ~2000 various worthless items that pop in and out idiotically.
If you have the TV that is capable, push 120HZ VRR, at least if you are in 15 Beta. The opening videos are still messed up but who cares, holy cow. Vegas works like butter, including the Sphere. Supercarrier pro and San Diego scenery/airports, no chance in 14 working all happy together smoothly but now it’s aces. No more flickering/tearing/bugginess. If anything it pushes right on through what would of been a black screen before. Areas like San Diego, any of the islands-anywhere including Gibraltar with the enhanced airport, Vegas, Atlanta, Miami, Sydney, etc works fine. Sedona is just awesome and Jeppson’s Niagra Falls is just unbelievable-all the water effects and the train, etc are silky smooth. Even the birds look better with far less ghosting.
I avoid PG now unless it’s really well done. Most places it’s still a wet hot mess. Typically I will use it flying at high altitudes. But the ‘cells’ I fly in with updated scenery, I skip it. I was using it everywhere for a long time again until last week or so where I just can’t stand it most of the time. Although areas like Sydney look good(with the Orbx scenery and Kingston too of course). Some areas both the autogen or PG are just lousy, so I just don’t fly there unless zooming in/out in a business jet. Plenty of places to just flat out skip on this planet that I’m never going to visit regardless. It’s hit or miss. Some places get better ground textures without it.
Try with PG on and off in areas you like to fly. Especially if the few landmarks you’re looking for are hand drawn. I can’t say getting up and close to Disney Orlando in PG is some enlightening experience. Hey it’s a Millennium Falcon shaped ■■■■ in a pile of other ■■■■■. Yup, it’s there, waste of an evening…
I dialed some stuff down from the usual 100% to like 90-95% or so, such as ground aircraft and shipping, seems like there’s this trigger at 100% even if you can hardly notice the difference that just adds additional stress you can’t even see-sort of a ‘you asked for it!’ setting. Road vehicle traffic doesn’t add much, usually run 50%. Hard to say what the difference is because at FT Vegas, the streets around the airport are chock full of traffic(from them) and it makes no noticeable hit. I do keep the ground vehicles and workers to 25% or so are they are just all up in your business anyway.
XB is unique because the OS becomes minimized when in game, on a gaming computer you’re still pushing half your resources to running windows. If I WERE to build a gaming computer for MSFS, I would try to closely follow what XBSX architecture is, for the time being they are going to continue to optimize this and 2024, so I would go for the closest I could get to an XB on steroids.
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I now realize what people mean when they say black screens. I was doing one of the new landing challengers, In the Bahamas i believe in one of the default small twin props. All the screens went black.
I’ve had FS on XB for months now whilst im abroad (and can’t bring PC with me) and I haven’t even really used it. The ini 320 and FS traffic could change that, but it seems we are still far from it being worthwhile
The principle difference is the cash outlay. Sub 500 versus over £2,000 for a decent machine.
Like bemoaning the quality of a self catering week’s holiday in Majorca versus all inclusive 5+ star in the Dominican Republic. There’s no point saying I want having issues in Majorca but went over to the Dominican. They aren’t comparable or options to each other. If you made that switch fine. I daresay some folks might feel satisfied about it and look over at Majorca hoping it doesn’t improve to much since they’ve now spent a fortune. Or others feel jealous they can’t afford the Dominican. I digress. Alot. Lol.
But let’s not pretend PC isn’t just cost prohibitive it’s also a time monster for some.
There is also the never ending windows updates, driver updates, having to move things around in community folders.
The huge amounts of freeware you’ll install then having to heaven forbid have issues with any updates have to clear it all out.
You’ll then be also forever playing with sliders and chasing the perfect balance - not to mention the inevitable upgrade to hardware you’ll need in a few years (because who wants to lower those sliders).
It’s another wonderful world…one I was part of for decades and now am liberated from.
Xbox was the freedom of plug and play. And should be a huge money maker for MS.. if it worked and the wider market appeal of gamers being drawn in.
Yet we find despite MS making the decision to release it on Xbox. They can’t make it work properly..
The Xbox is basically a lower to mid-range PC .in terms of capability. It should run and work fine.
I’m talking about base Vanilla not add-ons.
Rightly we must expect that not all add-ons will be compatible that’s the tradeoff. Although it should be made aware to us Xbox folks which won’t perform (that’s another.thread topic)
The basic vanilla also suffers from black screens.
The Xbox isn’t at it’s limitations it’s poor management of memory (optimisation) that’s causing black screen or CTD. And they need to fix it - not make it worse.
Or alternatively admit defeat and pull the title from the platform or create an X/S version. Period.
PC players aren’t our problem or concern. They have their own issues and concerns which aren’t shared ones with Xbox.
Oh if it weren’t only that simple friends!
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It is THAT simple.
We need to pull the title and issue refunds.
Or fix it.
What else is there.
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Um, I’m having plenty of fun with my copy of MSFS and would not like to see it go away. Sure there are limitations, just like anything else for leisure time & enjoyment. Why take it away from folks who are having fun?
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Often it is the opposite that is true. Many problems appeared that were not there before the Xbox version, and SU5 were released. The black screens are just a symptom of a program struggling to run on its target platform.
A very real fix would be to release a future console with a more reasonable amount of memory.
I think it’s great that MSFS is on Xbox and think there’s some strong advantages for the platform if these issues are fixed.
But it’s also not axiomatically true that PC users have to constantly play with sliders or deal with never ending updates. I’ve barely done either since moving to PC in December for the first time.
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Im not sure who owns the decision to put it on Xbox. I don’t believe it was the MSFS team.
Probably Spencer’s Xbox team wishing to showcase the capabilities of the console using a notoriously resource hungry simulation.
And probably the bigger reason is the trend for cross platform multiplayer on big titles.
I doubt it will ever be killed off and won’t be segregated from PC either..
Lol @ArchBlizzard278 literally just got a windows update and restart right now on my laptop..
You’re right though not everyone will fiddle with setting sliders but alot of users will - especially if coming from Xbox and splurged on a powerful PC if nothing else but to experiment how far they can push to maximise the graphics advantage. Which on a high end machine is very very noticeable.
A very long time ago I had MSFS on a dedicated PC, along with a lot of peripherals in a mini cockpit kind of flight deck up in the attic of a house we long since sold. It was wonderful, it was a PITA to maintain, it is still stored in boxes in the garage as I never unpacked it when we moved. When 2020 came out for Xbox, I was playing Forza on Series X and was super psyched to return to flight simming (still am). And I do read many of the PC threads here to see what our compatriots are up to/up against. Very happy to stay with Xbox as long as I have the 80% solution that I do now for MSFS.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but when I read some of the PC folks posts, I wonder what their real hobby is! In any case, we all spend our time and money on what works for us, recreationally and budgetarily. Even within each platform choice, PC or Xbox, what people put into MSFS and what they expect to get out of it varies wildly by individual; and the sim has gotten so broad that it spans so many ways to fly/sim: just not all at once (or at all sometimes LOL)! Luigi, anyway thanks for moderating a good conversation here; it is a nice respite from the relentless week of beta testing I am putting myself though LOL cheers!
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