A new hotfix is coming to Flight Simulator to further address issues after SU5
The Flight Simulator team has recognized the mounting problems that have been reported since the release of Sim Update 5 last week and is now getting ready to launch a second hotfix that aims to fix many of these issues.
Sim Update 5 has been a polarising new release for MSFS, one that has brought significant performance improvements at the cost of some underlying changes that had implications elsewhere on the experience. Simmers have been reporting degraded visual quality and frequent crashes, while third-party developers are still scrambling to update their add-ons in order to make them compatible with SU5.
As we expected, Asobo and Microsoft have been hearing about all of this and, perhaps a little later than ideal (but then again, SU5 only came out last week), publicly admitted that the reported problems exist, are being actively investigated, and that a new patch is being prepared to further address them, after the first hotfix that was released shortly after the update came out.
This second hotfix is expected to come out this Friday or Monday, and will address the hottest topics that have been debated by the community, namely:
- Missing volumetric lighting
- Popping objects and stutter when moving camera – a new option to cache scenery will be introduced with the upcoming World Update 6 on August 24th
- Low-resolution ground textures
- CTD’s
- Washed Out graphics – a new option will be introduced in an upcoming Sim Update to change overall brightness in the sim
- Aerosoft CRJ fixes
- Fixes to incorrect altitudes from ATC
- Further fixes to temperature spikes.
To illustrate the improvements to the low-res graphics at high altitude, the developers shared a few screenshots showing how this will look after the new hotfix. These show the view from 30.000 feet down to New York, both in daylight and at night, where the ground textures look significantly more detailed.
While this new hotfix hopes to address some of the most important issues reported by the community, the team is aware that there is a longer list of problems, which they are looking into and will provide further updates by the time of the next Feedback Snapshot on August 12. In the meantime, hopefully, the new patch will bring enough improvements so that those most affected by these issues can get some enjoyment out of the sim.
SkyVagrant
Nah I’m sorry but you don’t get to have this now.
I this past few weeks I was very surprised to learn how flightsim blogs such as this one (but also others) would go completely silent about the ruining of a great project at the core of our community.
None of these platforms addressed the fact that the scenery looked like we were back in October 2006 with the release of FSX. Instead, you were publishing articles about how much performance was gained, like you were the external department op Microsofts PR machine. It seriously made me wonder about the going rate for online community “journalism” these days.
I really expected those blogs that are formerly known and previously trustworthy for giving good and honest reviews to have published and say: something is terribly wrong and we all sure hope these are not development decisions but just problems being problems that are being lined up for fixes. And untill then we’re going to pull some answers from our lines with developers, organize some livestreams and get the group together on this.
Only now publishing this summary of the past 1,5 week and on a side note pointing at online “protest marchers” in the many comment sections really isn’t something an honourable gentleman would do. You could have remained silent about your lack of responsibility, fearing any responses from Microsoft as I now tend to imagine that you do, but don’t come with a sort of critique now, only as you’ve learned that the community and developers are coming back together again.
You did absolutely nothing whilst other protested and I really wonder why. I’m holding you somewhat in contempt for a while. But rest assure such feelings will pass over time. I do hope you can reflect on all this for a while and gear up for future responsibilities as an established community platform.
Pete
@Skyvagrant – I do think, that you are way out of line in accusing anyone of being “silent” and “passive” in the aftermath of the SU5. The ones being vocal about the issues they had are only a minor fraction of the user base. Good Journalism is NOT to jump into the fire to keep it burning. If you want to be taken serious you will not get utilized as a mindless tool to fuel the fires laid by a few. Instead you sort the information and inform the readers accordingly. Some of the comments we were able to read in the comment sections of many news-pages and blogs were made by people that are either new to this topic, impatient or that were simply trying to troll.
To write “you don’t get to have that” sums up the problem in parts of the community. Impatience in combination with a very complex piece of software. Have faith, that the creators of that software will get things sorted out. And be grateful for the ones reporting on that and everything else. Being a journalist or content creator was never easy and it has become even more taxing these days. So how about a bit more respect, patience and goodwill for all sides. If everyone kept this in mind, we wouldn’t have comment sections as toxic as a nuclear waste dump.
So maybe you should heed your own advice: reflect on all this for a while and gear up for future responsibilities” as a member of the flight-sim community no matter which platform. I think we should be a part of the solution rather than being part of the problem.
Cheers!
Ultraglyd
Way out of line my aching butt. Most of us can’t even download SU5, and it has rendered our systems useless. Paperweights. I agree with Skyvagrant in Spades. I only wish I had access to the update so I could actually test it. But for now, you should be ashamed of hiring those programmers fro HealthCare.gov, and go back and take some more lying lessons from Jen Psaki.
Yes I’m pissed. This is nothing more than sheer incompetence at the leadership level. Perhaps this is where the guys who9 put out the exploding phones ended up.Back to X-Plane 11
The Dude
Personally, I think Asobo does a great job, many just don’t understand how complex such an implementation is, e.g. hardware support, streaming service, world updates, troubleshooting, performance improvements. And which developers take so much feedback and regularly publish new functions, patches, etc. Those who can do better should bring something comparable onto the market and wait for the response. Anyone can complain, it’s very easy.
Hans
Personally, I think Asobo does a great job, many just don’t understand how complex such an implementation is, e.g. hardware support, streaming service, world updates, troubleshooting, performance improvements. And which developers take so much feedback and regularly publish new functions, patches, etc. Those who can do better should bring something comparable onto the market and wait for the response. Anyone can complain, it’s very easy.
The Dude
For all experts among the naggers, here is the official page for applying for a position, otherwise there will be complaints again on various platforms.
https://www.asobostudio.com/careers
Tom Carroll
Good summary! While I personally have not had any problems, I can understand the frustration for those who do. The sim is a massively complex piece of software.
I am confident MS/AS will get it right.