For the first time, Microsoft has shared patch notes for the current Alpha Build with the general public. The patch notes range from including information about new included aircraft, new multiplayer components and also fixes and changes based on community feedback.
In the blog post from Microsoft, they firstly thanked the community for providing feedback throughout the alpha testing process. The feedback has helped shape the changelog into various section so that it is easily digested by the community and focuses on what’s important to those who have contributed feedback.
The first section of their change log focused on new content.
New Content
As mentioned in a previous update, the Cessna 152 is now included for those in the Tech Alpha. Introduced in 1977, the Cessna 152 is an incredibly versatile aircraft that is used throughout the world for many reasons with one primary function as a flight training aircraft. That links nicely with the fact that all new Training Missions have also been included, which will teach new pilots the basic controls, altitudes and instruments before then taking new pilots of the basics for take-off, level flight and landing. We imagine that many of these training packs will be designed with real-world instructions in mind considering a lot of the Asobo team are currently undertaking their private pilot license. After you’re done learning, you can then take on the Sedona landing challenge which is also new content. Speaking of events, Microsoft has now enabled “live events”, which will be swapped out on different event types. The final points in the “new content” section focused on what was mentioned during last week’s feature discovery video: multiplayer. The new 1.2.5 update has added in “groups” functionality to the multiplayer and also the ability to add and find friends on the world map, with easy functionality on joining them for a flight. You can learn more about Multiplayer and the “One Shared World” in our previous video and post.
Sticking with the multiplayer component, various other tweaks and fixes were made to version 1.2.5 of the tech alpha build for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Friends are now represented by an icon in the Freeflight World Map and in-game traffic nameplates now apply to other users who are also flying online. Finally, player representation is now included, which means anyone using your plane will show up in the same aircraft as yours, but if they are using a different aircraft, they will appear as a “generic” aircraft.
Moving onto aircraft. As mentioned, the Cessna 152 is now included, but that hasn’t stopped Microsoft from improving the others already included in the Tech Alpha. Both the DA62 and the TBM 930 have both seen flight model improvements, which icing fixes and improvements have been made in general. According to the patch notes, glass cockpits have also had multiple bug fixes and grass, trees and clouds are no longer visible from within the planes. We think that means it won’t enter the cockpit, not so much that you won’t literally be able to see anything from the cockpit as that would be a weird new “fix”!
You can watch our video highlighting everything from the change log above.
On the subject of planes, of course, everyone is asking “where are the jets”. Right now Asobo and Microsoft are working hard to put the final touches on the core functionality and getting it right before they are clear for departure. Once they are ready, we’ve been told we’ll be kept in the loops.
Airports
In the patch notes, a long list of airports was reported missing but now added to version 1.2.5 of the new alpha build for Microsoft Flight Simulator. These airports include:
- Boston
- Singapore
- Phoenix
- Catania
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport
- Beijing Capital International Airport
And many more. In total, 13 airports have been added back in.
Alongside the newly added airports, bug fixes include removing buildings and vegetation on runways, improvements to airport life, air traffic behaviour improvements and changes to where aircraft part at the airport. Whilst on the subject of aircraft movements, ATC general improvements have been made, along with the options and application to flight.
World
Beyond airports, the rest of the world has seen numerous updates to improve various aspects. In the changelog, we see that there have been various visual improvements to the grass and that wind will now impact the grass and trees. One of the biggest changes is the new update auto-gen for the buildings in the world, which are now more realistic in representation. Add this to the new night lighting and additional lighting to photogrammetric cities and this sim continues to see huge visual improvements. For those worried about flying offline, then rest assured as this new alpha version sees offline texture improvements. Finally, it was confirmed that wind turbines are now added to the world for those that use them during VFR flying.
One of the final parts of the changelog, but equally as important to Microsoft, is the use of peripherals in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Peripherals
By default, Microsoft has now included default input presets for a wide range of products from manufacturers including Thrustmaster, Logitech, Virtual-Fly and Honeycomb. So your Virtual-Fly Yoko the Yoke PLUS or Thrustmaster TBM pedals will now work without any input from the users involved with tech alpha.
Finally, the team said that there is also overall stability and performance improvements, multiple improvements to autopilot and auto-throttles and also how the weather display has been improved.
The full changelog for Tech Alpha Build 1.2.5.0 can be found below or on the Flight Simulator blog. If you want more details on how to join the Tech Alpha, you can read about it here.
New Content
- Cessna 152 is now cleared for takeoff!
- Training Missions: These missions will take you through the Basic Controls, Attitudes and Instruments, and Take-off, Level flight and Landing.
- Sedona Landing Challenge
- “Groups” functionality added to multiplayer
- Add friends to find them on the world map and can click to join them
- Live Events are time-limited activities that we plan to switch out with different event types often.
Planes
- Glass Cockpits – Multiple bugs fix
- Cockpit Occluders
- Grass, trees, clouds are no longer visible inside the planes
- Icing fixes and improvements
- DA40 NG and DA62 – Altitude Knob added on Pilot side G1000
- DA62 – Improved flight model
- TBM 930 – Improved flight model
Airports
Bug fixes include:
- Airport buildings
- Removed Building on runways
- Removed Vegetation on and around runways
Improvements to existing airports:
- Parking Spots placement
- Jetway placement (Not final)
- Ground markings
- Airport Life improvements
- Improved parking spot settings based on plane types
- Air Traffic behaviors improvement
Some airports were reported as missing have been added back in for this version:
- KPHX
- LFRN
- KIAH
- WSSS
- LICC
- KPHL
- MUHA
- KSAN
- KMSP
- PHNL
- KBOS
- HECA
- ZBAA
ATC
- ATC general improvements have been made
- ATC options and application to flight improved
Cameras
- Cockpit camera
- Improved the Focus mode to be more accessible
- Alllowed camera speed & momentum tweaking in the menus
- Added controls to translate the camera left/ right
- Chase camera
- Added 4 more quickviews
- Drone camera
- Improved the “Lock” mode behavior
- Improved reset position feature
- Smart Camera
- Allowed smart camera to target other players
Flight Model
- Handling/friction improved for a more accurate behavior on ground
- New ground effect allowing for a more realistic flaring
- Plane performances tuning
Multiplayer
- Friend groups
- Add friends – use the Add Friend icon on the top of the menus
- Your Friends are now represented by an icon in the Freeflight World Map; click on them to join them
- To change MP preferences, go to the World Map and select Flight Conditions
- In-game traffic nameplates now apply to other users
- Player Representation – Anyone using your plane will show up in the same aircraft as yours – if they are using a different aircraft than yours, they will appear as a “generic” aircraft.
Peripherals
- Controls menu update
- Improved the Essentials filter list
- Improved the calibration menu (added curves visualization)
- Player’s input presets management (create and manage multiple inputs preset for each device)
Additional default input presets :
Thrustmaster
- T16000M (Already in Alpha1)
- TWCS (Already in Alpha1)
- TPR (Already in Alpha1)
- Warthog (Already in Alpha1)
- T-Flight HOTAS One, X & 4
Logitech
- Extreme 3D Pro
- Flight Yoke System
- Flight Throttle Quadrant
- X52
- X56
Virtual-Fly
- Yoko “The Yoke” +
- TQ6 +
- V3rnio TPM
- Ruddo +
Honeycomb Aeronautical
- Alpha Flight Controls
UI/UX
- Weather, Traffic, and Multiplayer settings are now in a Flight Conditions Panel that can be found in the freeflight world map
- Flight Plan settings improved
- General bug fixes
- Improved UI accessibility when navigating the HUD
- Worldmap navigation and search functionality improvements
- Worldmap VFR and IFR selection has been fixed
Various bug fixing & improvements
- Overall, improvements made to stability and performance.
- Flight plan approach waypoints displayed and followed
- Altitude waypoint constraints displayed
- Weather display has been improved
- Multiples improvements to autopilot and auto-throttle
- Fixed Trim from running too quick
- Grass and water not going through cockpits
Weather
- Weather fixes made to Live-Weather settings and Conditions
World
- Water improvements: Update on ocean to improve numerous reported elevation issues
- Visual improvements have been made on grass
- Improvements on vegetation
- Biomes
- Tree Visuals
- Offline textures improvement
- Wind impact now on grass and trees
- Updated our auto-generation of the buildings in the world to be more realistic in representation
- Night lighting Improvements
- Added night lighting to buildings in photogrammetric cities where there was none before
- Improvements to street lights
- Added wind turbines