How Microsoft Accidentally Made the Best Map


In a few days, the latest Microsoft Flight Simulator is going to come out, « Flight Simulator 2024 ».

You might know the genre, and maybe you also think it’s just a video game.

The reality is that it’s the latest release in a series that’s been going on for more than 40 years. It's a story that starts on an Apple computer in the late 70s, is tied to the history of personal computers and, well of course mapping.

I’ve been into aviation and airplanes before I ever got interested in maps, and if you’re reading me here, chances are you’re into maps and might not be into planes, so let me make a claim:

I think Microsoft, through Flight Simulator, has created one of the most realistic map out there.

And most of us mapping people haven’t given it enough credit.

So, ahead of the release of Flight Simulator 2024, let me present to you the latest project I’ve been working on in the background, 8 months in the making. I want to tell you the story of how Microsoft accidentally made the best map:

video preview

This was a long project, it’s been a lot of research, countless hours in Flight Simulator and a lot of editing. I’m saying this because I want to particularly thank my Patreons, those who financially support me and allow me, in part, to make videos like these.

If you find my work valuable, please consider supporting on Patreon. You get access to sneak peaks (those on Patreons saw a preview of the intro on this project a few weeks ago) and access to behind the scenes on how I make these videos. I'll be taking some questions from "Producer" tier supports on Patreon, so if you want to know how I make these, Patreon is the place to go:

Either way, I’ll see you next time. If you’re going to be flying in Flight Simulator, I might see you there ✈️


Cheers,
Maxime


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Maxime Lenormand

I was asked to give bio for a conference. It wasn't approved, but here nobody can stop me: "Maxime Lenormand doesn't have a clue what he's doing with his life: at the moment he plays around with satellite imagery hoping to make something useful out of it. When he's not doing that he asks people long winded questions about the meaning of life, what books they like and how the heck they ended up also playing with maps all day"

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