What is it? The latest in virtual aviation that includes the highest-fidelity recreation of our planet in any videogame to date Expect to pay : $70/£70 Developer : Asobo Studio Publisher : Xbox Game Studios Reviewed on : Ryzen 7 3700X, GeForce RTX 2070 Super, 32 GB RAM, Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick Steam Deck : Unsupported Multiplayer? Leaderboards Link : Official site Presenting the entire Earth in even greater fidelity than its 2020 predecessor, it's hard to overstate what a remarkable technical accomplishment Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 represents. The aircraft and cockpits are astoundingly detailed, both visually and in how they function. The physics of flight are delightfully authentic, and while it has its quirks, no one has ever even tried to include our entire planet in a game with such fine-grain detail. Before we get ahead of ourselves, I want to acknowledge the horrendous state of the servers at launch that prevented me and many others from even being able to play at all. These have been, at least for me, almost entirely resolved as of the writing of this, though I still do run into occasional issues like the fact that I can never seem to get all of the high-res geometry in the Grand Canyon to load. It was not an acceptable launch day experience, by any means. But I have seen no indication in my testing that you will have that bad of an experience today, so I'm willing to let the past be the past. It is worth noting, though, that due to the streaming nature of modern Flight Simulator, you will have a variable experience depending on your network set-up. I'm lucky enough to be soaring on gigabit wired ethernet, and allocated 200 GB on a fresh SSD to FS2024's "rolling cache" that stores things like terrain data for frequently-visited locations. The load times, especially for a first-time launch, are much better than they were in FS2020 regardless, but Microsoft does recommend at least 100 Mbps of bandwidth for playing on max settings. I haven't needed that much—the most I've seen FS2024 use at any given time is around 46 Mbps. But it's something to be aware of. You are a pilot Microsoft has identified three types of players Flight Simulator aims to cater to: hardcore simmers who want the most realistic experience, gamers who want to earn rewards for completing challenges, and sightseers who want to visit cool world landmarks. I like to think I have a little bit of all three wolves inside of me. I appreciate a lot of the little touches of realism, I'm a geography and architecture nerd who is easily delighted by things like being able to fly under a faithful recreation of the Golden Gate Bridge, and I sure do like it when number goes up. While I'd say the simmers and sight-seers are well served, FS2024's attempt at a goal-driven career mode is a little bit underwhelming. I did enjoy practicing and taking exams to earn new certifications for stuff like IFR flight and jet aircraft, but the actual economics of being a freelance pilot are shallow and not that interesting to manage. It takes many, many hours of mercenary work on borrowed wings, handing over most of your pay in finder's fees, before you can even afford to own the cheapest plane available. And while the mission variety—from dropping off skydivers at 10,000 feet to helping put out forest fires—is enough to keep things interesting, I never got the feeling of running a small business that I was looking for. Blue Yonder It hardly mattered when I was cruising in and out of gorgeous volumetric clouds or diving down almost low enough to dip my toes in the sparkling Nile, however. FS2024 truly looks incredible. At least from 1000 feet up, or when you're admiring the many bespoke airports and landmarks—both new and returning from FS2020—it's probably one of the best-looking games I've ever played. Beyond the bounds that human artists have touched up, though, it handles certain things better than others at eye-level. I know, I know. This isn't Microsoft Walking Simulator 2024. But if you give me the option to exit my aircraft and trudge around with a custom avatar, of course I'm going to put it through its paces. And what I found was a startling level of believability across a multitude of distinct biomes... as long as you stick to rural or wilderness, inland areas. Walking through the wooded hills around Divide, CO that I spent a lot of my childhood in was almost eerie in how faithful it felt. But if you get to more populated areas, things get surreal and bizarre pretty quick. Don't expect to be able to walk around the streets of Tokyo without wondering if your graphics card is malfunctioning or you're maybe having a bad trip. This engine also still can't handle places where land and water meet that well, which is unfortunate if you want to take a cruise up the Pacific Coast or around the fjords of Norway. Waves often look painted on and unmoving, and river banks frequently defy gravity in wacky ways. It's still damn impressive. I mean, they modeled the whole Earth! But these details stick out more because of how unbelievable a recreation it is otherwise. Different yokes for different folks Aside from a good internet connection and a good GPU, the remaining entry cost to have an ideal experience with FS2024 is some kind of a dedicated peripheral. You don't have to splurge on a full HOTAS if you don't want to—my trusty Logitech Extreme 3D Pro, which will run you about $30 on sale, served perfectly admirably with a keyboard beside it to give me access to more hotkeys. Each excursion in a new vehicle [feels] almost like getting to know a new person. But I also tried to tough it out with an Xbox controller for about 12 hours, and I can only just barely recommend this experience if that's your only option. It's playable, but not having fine throttle control is a constant issue, and all of the control surfaces are really, really touchy with that tiny thumbstick. I definitely got cramps trying to hold the correct angle of attack for climbing, and I had to adjust the sensitivity per aircraft to not put myself into a death spin on every take-off and landing. I can't even imagine trying to play with a mouse and keyboard alone. If you're less interested in the simulation aspects, there are a lot of options to tweak your flying experience. With all of the assists turned on, it can feel pretty arcadey. Much too arcadey for my taste, but it's nice that they give you that choice. On the other end of the spectrum, you can go through a pre-flight checklist and manually flip every switch in the cockpit before takeoff, and the air traffic control system is much more detailed than FS2020. You're still going to hear a lot of uncanny AI voices, which I don't love. But given the number of missions and different airports, it's not like they could have recorded human dialogue for all of it. Final destinations The variety of aircraft, with 70 even in just the base edition, is also pretty incredible—with everything from commercial airliners to fighter jets to hot air balloons. Each has its own distinct quirks and handling challenges to learn, which makes each excursion in a new vehicle feel almost like getting to know a new person. Helicopters and I never quite saw eye-to-eye, but I'm particularly partial to the rugged "taildragger" bush planes that let me take off and land quickly in the middle of some random field in Africa. And many of these wild areas are now populated by migrating local wildlife, too, with the highly-detailed and excellently-animated models borrowed from Frontier's Planet Zoo. They don't have a wide variety of behaviors, unfortunately. You can walk right up to a polar bear or a water buffalo and they really won't even acknowledge your existence. But it's a cool little touch, and yet another excuse to use the full-featured photo functions. There's even a whole new World Photographer mode that challenges you to snap pics of various animals and landmarks, which I found to be a relaxing break from career mode. If you want to really put your piloting skills to the test, there's also a selection of challenges with weekly leaderboards, ranging from perfecting difficult landings to doing what I can only describe as "some Top Gun shit," trying to fly through locales like the Grand Canyon in an F-18 while maintaining as low an altitude as possible. These are neat, but definitely a lot more stressful than the other modes as well. The core of what makes this long-running franchise great is stronger than ever. And this sim is also not without some quirks, glitches, and oversights. One issue I ran into multiple times was at some of the smaller, procedurally-generated airports you might fly out of for certain missions, where my plane would spawn with one wing partially stuck inside of a structure, making it impossible to take off. Other times, I'd get dinged for infractions like using my flaps at too high of a speed when my plane was standing completely still with the parking brake on. These issues tend to be small, infrequent, and with an easy workaround of simply picking a different mission. But they are still annoying. None of that gets in the way of what Flight Simulator 2024 represents in its entirety, though. It takes the mind-boggling ambition of the 2020 sim and executes on it even better—launch woes notwithstanding—which is already a massive accomplishment. Some of the new things it tries to do work better than others, but the core of what makes this long-running franchise great is stronger than ever.By Burnett Munthali Malawi is currently facing several interwoven challenges: Firstly, the country’s economy is teetering under the weight of rising inflation, a depreciating currency, and skyrocketing commodity prices. The cost of living has become unbearable for many, with basic necessities slipping out of reach for ordinary Malawians. Secondly, allegations of corruption continue to erode public trust. High-profile scandals and perceived inaction against corrupt officials have fueled frustration among citizens, raising questions about the government’s commitment to accountability. Sadly, the dissatisfaction has spilled into the streets, with protests becoming a common occurrence. Citizens are demanding better services, transparent governance, and meaningful economic reforms. Fourthly, the ruling Tonse Alliance if not the lonely ruling MCP is under strain, with internal divisions and opposition parties gaining momentum as they capitalize on the public’s discontent. The government’s handling of these crises will determine its credibility moving forward. To regain control, it must address key areas: Bold economic policies aimed at stabilizing the economy and supporting vulnerable populations are urgently needed. Stimulus packages, subsidies for essential goods, and policies to attract foreign investment could offer some relief. Malawi is experiencing a severe fuel crisis that has been there for weeks, yet the President, Pastor Lazarus Chakwera, continues to focus on pageantry and empty platitudes. This fuel crisis stems from a shortage of foreign exchange, a consequence of a failing economy driven by... pic.twitter.com/7A6J9m5qvL Swift and decisive action against corruption will be critical. High-profile prosecutions and institutional reforms could help rebuild trust in governance. The government must engage the public openly, acknowledging the challenges while outlining clear, actionable solutions. Citizens need reassurance that their leaders are both aware of their plight and actively working to address it. Failure to respond effectively risks plunging Malawi into deeper turmoil. Public frustration could escalate, leading to widespread unrest and a further erosion of government legitimacy. Political opponents, sensing weakness, may intensify their efforts to discredit the administration, potentially destabilizing the political landscape further. In conclusion, the crises confronting Malawi are daunting, but they also present an opportunity for the government to prove its mettle. Leadership is not about avoiding challenges but navigating through them with vision, decisiveness, and integrity. As analysts have pointed out, the coming months will test whether the government can rise to the occasion or risk losing its grip on the nation’s future. Malawians are watching, and the world is, too. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .
A developer’s plan to build on the empty lot at the corner of E 3rd Street and River Drive in downtown Davenport hit a roadblock on Tuesday evening. Davenport City Council denied a tax incentive that would have provided the developers a portion of the city’s hotel-motel taxes for 15 years after it’s completed. The agreement also included an Urban Renewal Tax Exemption, which offers temporary tax breaks on increases in property value resulting from new construction. The vote was voted 5-4-1, but the issue needed 6 votes to pass. At-Large Ald. Jazmine Newton abstained from voting, saying she did not get requested information back in time to fully review it. “At this point in time, I don’t feel that I have sufficient information,” Newton said. If she were to have voted against the proposal, Mayor Mike Matson would had the power to break the tie. Those who voted no were alderpersons Rick and Tim Dunn, Jade Burkholder and Tim Kelly. Alderpersons Marion Meginnis, Ben Jogben, Kyle Gripp, Mhisho Lynch and Paul Reinartz voted in favor. People are also reading... A rendering of a proposed new hotel, restaurant, office space and event center at 227 LeClaire St., Davenport. The agreement primarily focused on the hotel portion of the project though it included both projects. A group of developers, led by Pete Stopulos, have proposed two buildings at 227 LeClaire Street . One is a $19 million, 88-room, four-story Marriott TownePlace Suites Hotel with a pool and rooftop patio. The hotel is designed to be an extended stay hotel with kitchenettes in the rooms. The second building is an $11 million four-story commercial building with a restaurant, two floors of office space and an event center on the top floor. A rendering of a proposed new restaurant and event center at 227 LeClaire St., Davenport. The two buildings will have different owners. For the first 10 years of the tax incentive, the developers would have been rebated 75% of the city’s portion of hotel-motel taxes generated from that specific hotel. In years 11 through 15, half of the taxes generated would be collected. Stopulos said they knew this site was going to be challenge but there is a plan in place. He brought up other developments he had a hand in helping development that faced significant challenges such as The Last Picture House. “These things happen because we make sure we do our developments the right way and that everything is accounted for throughout the process,” Stopulos said. “You got to trust me when I say we do it the right way — the proof is in the pudding.” Stopulos told the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus that they do plan on exploring all other options. “We are resolute in our desire to get this project done,” he said. The lot was once home to the site of a hotel before it was demolished nearly a decade ago and has been used as a parking lot and for staging equipment. An empty lot at LeClaire and Third streets on Tuesday, Oct. 15, in Davenport. Kyle Carter, Downtown Davenport Partnership director, told the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus that there is still an opportunity to work with council to get this done because it is a “welcome mat” to downtown Davenport for people who come here on the riverboat cruises. It’s also rare, he said, that someone comes forward to develop one of the most difficult parcels of land in the city. “I’m hopeful they can find a resolution to get this project done,” Carter said. Rick Dunn, 1st Ward, and Burkholder, 4th Ward, shared concerns about having uncertainty of both buildings being built. “I’m not against the project,” Dunn said. “But we were told that two projects would get done.” Burkholder shared similar sentiments, saying she was having a difficult time with these incentives they are being asked for now that they are two separate projects. No upfront cash incentive was being asked for in the project proposal, and the hotel-motel tax rebate would not have started until after the hotel was built and operating. Paul Reinartz, 8th Ward, voted in favor and said it’s a big mistake to only look at the tax base and that the project would bring in a secondary revenue stream associated with occupancy. People are going to come in, spend money in Davenport’s restaurants, casino and wherever else and that money will come back to the city. At-Large Ald. Kyle Gripp said there is no risk to the city with this project and that if the developer is successful, they are successful. If the developer is unsuccessful, then they either try a different method to develop it or sell to somebody else to take a stab at it. “I think this is a good project and one the city should support,” Gripp said. “I think it makes a lot of sense financially from a tax revenue standpoint and this is a highly visible parcel of land in the city and one that a lot of people kind of measure the progress of the city on.” Community and Economic Director Bruce Berger said the hotel-motel tax is only attributable to the hotel but both projects can apply for the Urban Renewal Tax Exemption. If the second building as proposed doesn’t happen, Berger said, it is possible that something else can be built. The Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus previously reported that in the 1980s, environmental work identified as “coal tar” — sludgy material that contained benzene — on the current site of the Quad-City Times building, 500 E. 3rd St., across the street from the proposed development. Dunn and Burkholder also shared concerns with potential contaminants and environmental hazards at the site. According to a city memo about the project, city staff spoke with Mel Pins with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources earlier this month and Pins categorized the site as “garden variety” and that is only has “residual contamination,” based on data previously submitted about the site and the Quad-City Times building site. City staff said liability is of minimal concern if the developers were to encounter any contamination on the site because nothing in the agreement would transfer ownership to the city. Floodwaters from the Mississippi River and other environmental hazards have also posed a challenge for redevelopment. The city was awarded federal funding to raise portions of LeClaire and E. 3rd Street and to improve the intersection adjacent to the project, all which is expected to complicate construction timing, according to the agreement. In response to her colleagues environmental concerns, Mhisho Lynch, 7th Ward, said the environmental facet of the project is no concern to her. “I could not fathom that a project as exuberant as this one, as in your face of downtown Davenport as this one, that the professional firms that are hired to do their jobs are not going to do them,” Lynch said. Reporter Sarah Watson contributed to this story. Photos: Alternating Currents 2024 Kids dance hand in hand to Diplomats of Solid Sound's performance at the Skybridge Courtyard during Alternating Currents on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. The band encouraged the audience to dance for its physical and mental benefits. Scenes from Alternating Currents on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. A young boy is geared up Alternating Currents on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Diplomats of Solid Sound performs at the Skybridge Courtyard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Kids fill out the "Before I die I want to..." blackboard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. A couple dances to Diplomats of Solid Sound's performance at the Skybridge Courtyard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Alexa Deen interprets Diplomats of Solid Sound's performance at the Skybridge Courtyard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Diplomats of Solid Sound preforms at the Skybridge Courtyard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. A man records Diplomats of Solid Sound's performance at the Skybridge Courtyard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Regan Hatfield of American Devil Sound performs at Kaiserslautern Square on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Regan Hatfield of American Devil Sound performs at Kaiserslautern Square on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Regan Hatfield of American Devil Sound performs at Kaiserslautern Square on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos fans crowd out Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos perform at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos perform at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. A Post Sex Nachos fan models her t-shirt at Alternating Currents on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos before their performance at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos pose for a portrait after their Daiquiri Factory performance on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos relax after their Daiquiri Factory performance on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Kids dance to Diplomats of Solid Sound's performance at the Skybridge Courtyard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. Belt performs at Armored Gardens at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. Belt plays at Armored Gardens at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. Belt performs at Armored Gardens at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. CJ Parker performs Friday, Aug. 16, at Quad Cities' Got Talent at the Redstone Room at Common Chord in Davenport. A look at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. Comedian Kristin Lytie performs Friday, Aug. 16, at Quad Cities' Got Talent at the Redstone Room at Common Chord in Davenport. Luke Swinney, the casting producer for "America's Got Talent," watches Quad Cities' Got Talent on Friday, Aug. 16, at the Redstone Room at Common Chord in Davenport. Comedian Chris Schlichting performs Friday, Aug. 16, at Quad Cities' Got Talent at the Redstone Room at Common Chord in Davenport. Soutru performs at Quad Cities' Got Talent on Friday, Aug. 16, at the Redstone Room at Common Chord in Davenport. Belly Dancing Samantha performs Friday, Aug. 16, at Quad Cities' Got Talent at the Redstone Room at Common Chord in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos before their performance at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos perform at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos relax after their Daiquiri Factory performance on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Belt performs at Armored Gardens at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos before their performance at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos perform at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos relax after their Daiquiri Factory performance on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Belt performs at Armored Gardens at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos before their performance at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos perform at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos relax after their Daiquiri Factory performance on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Belt performs at Armored Gardens at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos before their performance at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos perform at Daiquiri Factory on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Post Sex Nachos relax after their Daiquiri Factory performance on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Belt performs at Armored Gardens at Alternating Currents on Friday, August 16, in Davenport. Alexa Deen interprets Diplomats of Solid Sound's performance at the Skybridge Courtyard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Alexa Deen interprets Diplomats of Solid Sound's performance at the Skybridge Courtyard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. Alexa Deen interprets Diplomats of Solid Sound's performance at the Skybridge Courtyard on Saturday, August 17, in Davenport. The new Fairmount Community Center, near the Fairmount Library in Davenport, is complete. The City held a ribbon cutting for the community center on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2024. It features a half-court gym, activity space, and kitchenette. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Multimedia Editor/Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Woman from Kunkolim had rescued the cub on December 5 Nirgosh Gaude Ponda: A controversy has erupted in Ponda over the whereabouts of a leopard cub which was rescued in Kunkolim-Priol area earlier this month. While the forest department claims that the cub was released in the forest after the treatment was completed, a animal rights activist has alleged that the cub died in the custody of the North Goa division of forest department, Ponda last week. He has also challenged the department to provide the evidence of the “release” of the cub into the forest. Statements made by officials related to the custody and treatment of the cub don’t match and appear vague, he claimed. Sources from the department have confirmed about the death of the cub, which was housed in one storeroom of the division in Ponda. The Range Forest Officer (RFO) of Ponda has claimed that they released the cub in the Priol forest within four days of its rescue, while animal lover Surel Tilve has alleged that the cub died due to mishandling by the department officials. Tilve brought the issue to light through social media questioning the whereabouts of the cub rescued from Kunkolim village. Speaking to The Navhind Times, RFO Deepak Tandel maintained that they released the cub in the Priol forest within four days of its rescue. He said that it was treated at Veterinary Hospital, Ponda on the first day as it was dehydrated. Then it was sent to the clinic at Bondla Zoo for further treatment and then it was released in the forest area as it was fit. When asked about the exact date of the cub’s release, the RFO could not reveal that. However, when asked about the fitness certificate of the animal and chief warden’s order required to release it in the forest, he said that Schedule I animals are handled by Deputy Conservator of the Forest (DCF). But contacted, the DCF, Ponda was unavailable for comments, and his staffers informed that he was on leave. Veterinary doctors at Animal Husbandry’s hospital at Curti-Ponda, said that the cub was brought thrice at the hospital by the forest department officials for treatment. “It was recovering well and it was brought first on December 5, then on December 6 for followup check-up and then on December 12 when it started taking feed,” the doctors added. Meanwhile, Tilve in a press briefing claimed that “forest department officials killed the cub and secretly buried without following the protocol of handling Schedule I animals”. He said he has strong evidence about the animal’s death and the department should come out clear on the incident. He demanded a detailed inquiry into the incident and questioned as to why the incident was kept under wraps. It may be recalled that on December 5, a woman from Walwada, Kunkolim-Ponda rescued the female leopard cub in her neighbourhood which was being chased by dogs and handed it over to the forest department.
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