Today third-party developers shared some more interesting news about Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons.
We start with DC Designs and CJ Simulations, which provided a new look at their Eurofighter Typhoon, alongside a development update.
“I spent most of this week working on the CJ Simulations Typhoon, during which I added multiple further liveries, including all Royal Air Force squadrons, all international operators and one or two “special” schemes. The addition of chocks, covers, lights, Interactive Checklist and manual filled up the rest of the time spent, and CodenameJack did heroic work not just on avionics but also on understanding the cool afterburner effects created by Asobo ( burner flames no longer “pop” into existence but fade in and out as per real life, illuminating the surrounding airframe at night too ). This will now be rolled out on all other aircraft in the DC Designs inventory in their forthcoming updates. The same process of additions is now on-going for the Harrier, the majority of which will be done next week.
This leads me to an important point. I still keep seeing messages or comments ( sometimes quite aggressive and accusing ones ) demanding to know why the other products have not been updated yet? “It’s been months. Why haven’t you done it yet?” Some people accuse me of putting new products ahead of existing ones, as though it’s all about money and nothing else. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I get genuinely excited about doing updates. I like to see new stuff coming out on older products and seeing users’ delight at the improvements on aircraft they may have owned for a long time. But the example of the afterburner coding above is a perfect illustration of why it’s not an overnight process. These things have to be *learned* – developers have barely scratched the surface of what MSFS is capable of, let alone its future potential. Updating an aircraft isn’t something that we just sit down and spend a day or two on. It can take weeks. And no matter how much we add, you can guarantee that within a month or two, new stuff we’ve learned or that has been introduced to the sim will become something we want to add to them. Currently, it’s a continuous rolling process of updates alongside the production of new airplanes, and it probably won’t change for a while until MSFS really settles down. The more aircraft we produce, the more updates we will need to work through.
Be patient – if your favourite airplane from whichever ( reputable ) developer you purchased it from has not seen an update for a while, chances are it’s already being worked upon. It’s why I mention them here from time to time, so folks know I have not forgotten about them.
In one final piece of news, Sim Acoustics delivered the Harrier’s custom sound pack and it’s AWESOME!!! The Harrier’s characteristic whine is alive and well. I will be posting a demo video of it soon on the You Tube channel!”