We are usually used to seeing simulators on PC which, although faithful to reality, has major technical limitations due to the budget available to small development teams. With Microsoft Flight Simulator, the giant from Redmond spared no expense and allowed Asobo Studio to create a fantastic simulator experience. If, thanks to the Xbox Game Pass or out of simple curiosity, you are about to approach a production of this type for the first time, here is my Microsoft Flight Simulator tips and tricks guide that will help you take off.
IT’S ALL IN THE CONTROLS
This Microsoft Flight Simulator tips and tricks guide is designed for gamers unfamiliar with simulators and, therefore, below you will find the complete list of commands to play with the controller. Take note that a controller is the most suitable method for those who do not want to extricate themselves with mouse and keyboard or who just wants to enjoy the ride aboard an airplane.
However, know that the game allows you to use two control systems at the same time and that it is therefore possible to use a controller and perform specific commands via the keyboard. Each single item of the command menu also allows you to assign two different keys to a single function for its activation.
Slew mode:
- Slew Translate Backward: LS down
- Slew Translate Forward: LS up
- Slew Translate Down: LT
- Slew Translate Up: RT
- Slew Yaw Left: RS right
- Slew Yaw Right: RS left
- Slew Translate Left: LS right
- Slew Pitch Down: RS up
- Slew Pitch Up: RS down
- Slew Translate Right: LS left
Camera mode switches:
- Cockpit/exteral view mode: select
Cockpit camera:
- Cockpit Look Down: RS down
- Cockpit Look Left: RS left
- Cockpit Look Right: RS right
- Cockpit Look Up: RS up
- Cockpit Quickview Right: DPAD right
- Cockpit Quickview Left: DPAD left
- Reset Cockpit View: RS
- Previous Pilot Position: DPAD down
- Next Pilot Position: DPAD up
- Toggle Smart Camera: X
Drone camera:
- Toggle Drone Depth Of Field: B+Y
- Toggle Foreground Blur: B+DPAD LEFT
- Drone Top Down View: X+Y
- Toggle Drone Auto Exposure: Y+LS
- Toggle Drone Auto Focus: B+LS
- Decrease Drone Rotation Speed: X+RB
- Decrease Drone Translation Speed: X+RT
- Decrease Drone Depth Of Field: B+LT
- Increase Drone Depth Of Field: B+RT
- Decrease Drone Exposure: Y+LB
- Increase Drone Exposure: Y+RB
- Increase Drone Rotation Speed: X+LB
- Increase Drone Translation Speed: X+LT
- Translate Drone Backward: LS down
- Translate Drone Down: LT
- Translate Drone Forward: LS up
- Translate Drone Left: LS left
- Translate Drone Right: LS right
- Translate Drone Up: RT
- Reset Drone Roll: RB+LB
- Reset Drone Target Offset: X+A
- Pitch Drone Down: RS down
- Roll Drone Right: RB
- Pitch Drone Up: RS up
- Yaw Drone Left: RS left
- Yaw Drone Right: RS right
- Roll Drone Left: LB
- Toggle Drone Follow Mode: RS
- Toggle Drone Lock Mode: LS
- Increase Drone Zoom: Y+RT
- Decrease Drone Zoom: Y+LT
External camera:
- Reset External View: RS
- External View Look Down: RS down
- External View Look Left: RS left
- External View Look Right: RS right
- External Quickview Left: DPAD right
- External Quickview Rear: DPAD down
- External Quickview Right: DPAD left
- External Quickview Top: DPAD up
Fixed camera:
- Next fixed camera: DPAD right
Instrument views:
- Previous Instrument View: DPAD left
- Next Instrument View: DPAD right
Brakes:
- Brakes: Y
- Toggle Parking Brakes: Y+B
Primary control surfaces:
- Ailerons Axis: LS left/right
- Elevator Axis: LS up/down
- Rudder Left (Yaw Left): LT
- Rudder Right (Yaw Right): RT
Secondary control surfaces:
- Decrease Flaps: LB
- Increase Flaps: RB
Control trimming surfaces:
- Rudder Trim Left: Y+DPAD left
- Rudder Trim Right: Y+DPAD right
- Elevator Trim Down (Nose Down): Y+DPAD up
- Elevator Trim Up (Nose Up): Y+DPAD down
Landing gear:
- Toggle Landing Gear: LS
Menu:
- Clear Search: Select
- Toggle Pause: Start
- Back To Main Menu: Y
- Close Menu: B
- Fly: Start
- Change Aircraft: X
- Liveries: Select
- See Specifications: Y
- Help Menu: LS
- Restart Free Flight: X
- Restart Activity: X
Power management:
- Decrease Throttle: B
- Increase Throttle: A
PILOT’S LICENSE
After the very long download, the first thing you would like to do would be to board an aircraft and leave for any destination, but I recommend that you make an effort by looking at the training menu first. There are 8 tutorials that contain all the crucial information about the game with the essential concepts that every pilot must learn. From take-off to landing, through the instrument management, and the execution of the various maneuvers. In short, skipping the tutorials could be an unnecessary mistake.
VIRUAL CO-PILOT
Whether or not you have completed the training phases, it is always a good idea to start playing with some help and, luckily for you, Microsoft Flight Simulator has a wide range of options to do so. Whether it’s simple navigation aids or damage management, everything is customizable either down to the smallest detail or by selecting one of the three presets: All Assists, Middle-Ground, and True To Life.
The ‘All Assists’ preset is perfect for novice users who want to to learn the basics. The ‘Middle-Ground’ preset is suitable for those who already have some basic knowledge but do not feel safe enough to deprive themselves of all help. The ‘True To Life’ preset is the most authentic experience possible, requiring the player to manage any aspect of the aircraft with no help.
FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT
Another aspect to consider before leaving for the first trip is the type of aircraft to be selected from the categories present in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This is how Asobo Studio categorized the aircrafts: Airliners, Turboprops, Jets, and Propellers.
Unless you have bought the Premium version of the game or resorted to micro-transactions, the planes at your disposal are not many, but it is still possible to select quite a few. The best way to start is perhaps to get on board a Jet, as long as you do not want to do things in a big way starting right away with a long trip.
In this case it might be better to opt for a huge airliner that it is more complex to maneuver but has enough fuel to travel between two continents. If you really are undecided, you can always set up quick routes and try each of the available aircrafts to understand which is the most suitable for you.
YOU ARE FREE TO FLY
Microsoft Flight Simulator is certainly not a classic game with a story mode or very specific activities. The only possibilities offered to the player except for free flight are the time challenges. The absence of specific objectives, however, does not imply that the player will get bored, since by accessing the World Map it is possible to plan one’s flight from point A to point B anywhere in the world.
Unless you decide to depart from a specific airport (it is almost impossible not to find one), the game allows you to start the game with the plane already in flight and the starting point can be any point on the globe. Take note that it is possible to extract the coordinates of a point of interest and insert them into the game when you plan to fly over places of your interest, such as your city or even your home.
A MOMENT OF PAUSE
In Microsoft Flight Simulator you can have fun in the middle of a flight by interacting with the tools menu, which appears on the interface simply by moving the mouse pointer to the top of the screen. The menu in question allows you to interact with more technical settings such as those related to damage and fuel, and the ability to change weather conditions in real time.
This way you can have fun going from rain to sun or night to day seamlessly. If, on the other hand, you want to take a break to enjoy the view, you can always activate the ‘Active Pause’ function by pressing the ‘Pause’ or ‘Start’ button on your keyboard or controller. This function stops the position of the aircraft in the air, allowing the player to freely move the camera and maybe take some screenshots.
Was my Microsoft Flight Simulator tips and tricks guide useful or is something missing? Please let us know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below, or make sure to read my full Microsoft Flight Simulator review. Are you already playing the game and need help with installing mods and other free content? Read our guide here!
