Now that we’ve seen the FSExpo MSFS2024 discussion, I’m hoping we can get some feedback regarding the future of the World Hub. It seems they’re touting a marvelous new AI, some new runway markings, etc, but at this time we still don’t know what that entails. Perhaps tomorrow’s discussion will provide more answers.
Either way, I’d like to address the elephant in the room and ask whether World Hub will be necessary going forward, whether our edits will be reverted by the new AI, what’s included in the new SDK, and if any of our advice and wishes regarding current state are still being considered and possibly implemented in the new version. Should we still be submitting airports or should we hold off for now? Are we going to have to start over?
In short, how is this whole World Hub thing working out and what does the future hold?
Today’s FSExpo presentation will be about the Marketplace, part 2020 and part 2024. Should be interesting, I think, but alas, no discussion of airports.
Yeah, I didn’t realize that until I read someone else’s summary. Oh well, I’m sure it will come out eventually. But it would be nice to know how much value our work will continue to have as we transition. I enjoy editing, but not enough to keep doing it if everything will be upended and rendered obsolete.
I spoke to Jörg yesterday at FSExpo about this issue. He understood the situation. I don’t know what exactly he is going to do…he said that maybe they will exclude any World Hub airports in the update. To be honest with you, I don’t know if that’s the right answer. For something like my BWI, I had to cover half the airport in grass aprons because the current airport is a giant construction project, but those grass aprons look like AstroTurf. For other airports, it would be a shame if the airport doesn’t get updated because someone moved a windsock.
But I don’t know if that’s the final answer, either. I think he might talk to the World Hub team to figure out what the best course of action will be.
Wow, that’s awesome you got to talk to him personally! Thank you for speaking for our tight little community here.
In fairness, this thread is about the big picture - for starters, the world hub is only necessary for two reasons: because the AI doesn’t usually get it right in the first place, then because seems to be no AI update after the imagery eventually updates.
So my question would necessarily also be bigger-picture: will AI get it right (including implementing and/or refining some of the tools/objects we’ve discussed), and will there be successive AI sweeps any time the imagery changes? I mean, half the WH work is just realigning things a few feet after the new imagery has shifted.
But I don’t want them to exclude an airport just because we’ve worked on it, especially if the imagery has since been updated and it can leverage better, more robust, and most importantly, accurate AI.
My hesitation right now is knowing there are going to be more robust tools that we’d need to go back and revise, but even moreso, that there’s a new AI sweep coming and we don’t know how accurate it’s going to be.
And with that in mind, I’d happily sign an NDA to be part of a beta test team that investigates differences between the new-AI built airports and reality, including those little touches that make (my wheelhouse of small to medium US) airports accurate and immersive.
Good luck with finding WorldHub team!
Really looking forward what’s you going to find out!
At least, Jorg clearly said, that we won’t be trashed. That’s a start and revieve. I really hope you’ll have these answers
I’m myself always trying to create mini scenery. In my country all of the Bing pictures are still the same as it was when 2020 released. So I think there’s no need to trash my airports that I’m creating for weeks. At least I really hope this won’t happen.
P.S. On the marketplace stream Jorg said they need a feedback. I just wish they’ve come to our threads more frequently…
That baffles me. I feel like we’ve given some pretty detailed feedback, supported by evidence and real-world experience. What we don’t have is response as to whether any of the specific things we’ve mentioned have been or are targeted to be fixed. Some feedback on our feedback might allow us to drop our particular bugaboos and focus on different areas.
Thanks! It’s not easy to talk to those guys. They are constantly swarmed by people. You think that you could just walk up to them and start telling them flight sim stories. But so many people want to say hi. it’s not just simmers who want to talk to them, but also the media like FSElite and Helisimmer and Threshold doing interviews and stuff. Two expos and I still haven’t successfully talked to Seb. So, I’m glad that I was able to communicate our collective concern.
I don’t think so right away. In the April dev stream (normally I’d search and link to the part where it’s said, but I’m on my phone and need to conserve my battery), Jörg said something to the effect of, there will definitely be mistakes, and we will need the World Hub.
This one, Jörg sort of volunteered to me. I didn’t ask him this, but he said that ideally they would automatically refresh the world, but he said that that was not possible right now. I don’t recall if he explicitly gave a reaaon why, but I do know that there is a lot of manual work involved normally. My hunch is that this is a one-off.
I ran into a developer I know at FSExpo, and he joined the World Hub and quit when he saw how limited the tools are.
Thank you! Unfortunately, everything I shared is everything I know about the situation. I asked him straight out, “Should we continue to develop for the World Hub?” and he said yes.
Where I live has been updated with a world update, and yet, the scenery is still the same as 2020. So I understand!
That was a specific ask to partner developers who are on the Marketplace. But yes, it would be great for them to read our feedback.
I’m sure they can find some time 
