Aerosoar announces freeware Edgley Optica for MSFS… just a few days after Orbx!
Some healthy competition seems to be stirring up in MSFS. We’ve seen this recently when Just Flight and Carenado released their recreation of the PA-28R Arrow just a few days apart, and now the same seems to be happening with two different developers: Orbx and Aerosoar are now working to bring the same aircraft to Flight Simulator: the odd-looking Edgley Optica.
Orbx is a juggernaut studio that needs no introduction. Just a few days ago the team revealed their product roadmap for 2021, which included their very first airplane for the new Microsoft Flight Simulator: the Edgley Optica, a weird-looking airplane that is perfect for low and slow flying.
Interestingly, Aerosoar, a newcomer studio that already brought us the first glider for MSFS, the Discus-2b, has just announced the same thing: their version of the Optica is finishing development, and it will be coming soon to MSFS very soon! This comes after an initial FSX port was made available for a short period of time, but now the team is bringing the aircraft up to MSFS standards. And best of all, for free!
This new model was built from scratch, together with several animations, effects, and other items. Expect a fully clickable cockpit that is also VR-ready, which should be great. After all, the Edgley Optica is a perfect airplane to appreciate the scenery below and should prove to be a particularly nice VR experience.
The latest images still feel somewhat lifeless, especially the outside, lacking the realistic textures that will surely bring some life to Aerosoar’s Optica. Still, the release is apparently imminent, possibly within a week, so let’s see how it turns out. Stay tuned!
As for Orbx’s version of the Optica, there are not any additional details at this point, other than what was first announced last week. Obviously, being a payware aircraft, it will surely deliver a better overall experience of the aircraft, but we will have to wait quite a bit more to see how this one is going to turn out.
