MS&T INTERVIEW
Image credit: Microsoft
ESP: Beyond
Flight Simulator
Microsoft Corporation is moving into the professional simulation
market with the new visual simulation platform Microsoft ESP.
Mr Shawn Firminger, Studio Manager, ACES Studio, is responsible for Microsoft’s simulation products. He spoke with MS&T’s
Europe Editor, Walter F. Ullrich.
MS&T: The popular Flight Simulator
was launched in 1982. Why has it taken
Microsoft so long to launch a professional
simulation product?
SF: There are two reasons for us taking
our time to enter this market. The first is
that we did not feel our studio was properly resourced to stretch beyond our core
entertainment business. And second,
prior to Flight Simulator X (FSX) we were
not convinced that we had all of the right
components in our software to make a
real impact in the professional simulation
marketplace.
MS&T: What clientele are you addressing with Microsoft ESP?
SF: For Microsoft ESP 1.0, we have
already received strong interest from military and civil aviation organizations and
their partners who recognize Microsoft
ESP’s potential to improve readiness levels and increase operational excellence
at a reasonable cost. Future versions of
Microsoft ESP will offer expanded capabilities that will address new markets
beyond aviation.
MS&T: Microsoft ESP consists of the
underlying PC-based simulation “engine”
that powers Flight Simulator. What are
the main differences is between Flight
Simulator and ESP?
SF: There are several differences. Microsoft
ESP has a commercial user license while
FSX is licensed for entertainment-use only.
Microsoft ESP has better documentation
than FSX has. The user interfaces are different, with the ESP offering there is a customizable user interface. Microsoft ESP
has a more extensive toolset to support
developers who will build sophisticated
solutions on it. And, FSX is a retail packaged product, while Microsoft ESP does
not have a retail packaged offering.
MS&T: More and more game-based
simulations are being used in the professional training world. What benefits does
Microsoft ESP bring?
SF: Historically, bringing visual simulation solutions to market has been both
lengthy and costly. The availability of an
affordable COTS-based simulation software platform enables new solutions to
be built in a faster and more cost-effective
manner by providing an engine, tools and
content so developers can readily focus
on building immersive simulation solutions, not on the underlying technology.
Microsoft ESP makes it easier and more
cost-effective for partners and developers
to build and deploy simulation solutions
by enabling visual content to be used over
and over again for a variety of applications.
As a platform technology, Microsoft ESP
provides a PC-based engine, tools and an
extensive base of simulated world content
including weather, scenery, and static and
dynamic objects that can be tailored for
custom simulations.
MS&T: Version one of Microsoft ESP
focuses on civil and military aviation.
What developments will we see next?
SF: Microsoft has an aggressive road map
intended to add features and functionality rapidly to the platform. We anticipate
Microsoft ESP 2.0 will strengthen our core
technologies and add numerous ground-based scenarios such as ground operations
and vehicle operator training. In future
versions we plan to enhance capabilities
for indoor, marine (surface and undersea),
and social interaction scenarios.
MS&T: Microsoft showcased ESP at
I/ITSEC in Orlando. What plans do you
have for ITEC, I/ITSEC’s European offspring? And what are your objectives for
Europe?
SF: We are still finalizing our plans for
ITEC, but we had a tremendous audience response at I/ITSEC and are looking
to build upon that at ITEC. For Europe
we are hopeful that our growing relationships with several important partners
and customers will eventually help ESP
become the standard platform for M&S
development and usage.
MS&T: Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates
said: “We’re focusing more on research
than ever. We’re building the technology
that will enable computers to see, listen,
speak, and learn so people can interact
with them as naturally as they interact
with other people.” So, from Microsoft’s
point of view, which emerging technology will have the biggest impact on simulation and training?
SF: We think that the biggest impact
will come from how the emerging technologies are deployed in the market. In
simulation and training, for example,
affordable, COTS-based simulation will
enable major transformations in the ways
science and math courses are taught in
schools, how emergency responders
prepare for potential disasters, and how
teenagers learn to drive a car or truck.
We believe that simulation and training
are already in the early stages of a very
exciting transformation! ms&t
34 MS&T MAGAZINE • ISSUE 3/2008
