Creating MSFS 2020 Aircraft

Hi Brian,

It's great to see you're interested in getting back into aircraft creation for MSFS 2020! The process has indeed changed significantly since the days of FSX, but I'm sure your previous experience will serve you well. I'll provide a breakdown of the main components involved in aircraft development for MSFS 2020 and some recommendations for software and resources to get you started.

1. Software Development Kit (SDK)
Firstly, you'll need the Microsoft Flight Simulator Software Development Kit (SDK). This is provided by Asobo Studio and Microsoft, and it's free to use. The SDK contains essential tools and resources required to create aircraft and other assets for MSFS 2020. You can download the SDK directly from the official MSFS website (https://www.flightsimulator.com/) under the "Creators" section.

2. 3D Modeling
For 3D modeling, MSFS 2020 supports various 3D modeling software, but the most commonly used are Blender and Autodesk 3ds Max. Blender is a popular, open-source 3D modeling tool (https://www.blender.org/) and comes with various plugins that streamline the export process to MSFS 2020. Autodesk 3ds Max (https://www.autodesk.com/products/3ds-max/overview) is another powerful tool, but it requires a subscription. The choice between the two depends on your personal preferences and budget.

3. Texturing
MSFS 2020 utilizes Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) for textures, which greatly enhances realism. You'll need to create PBR textures, including albedo (base color), metallic, roughness, and normal maps. For creating and editing PBR textures, you can use software like Substance Painter (https://www.substance3d.com/products/substance-painter/) or Quixel Suite (https://quixel.com/). GIMP (https://www.gimp.org/) and Photoshop (https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html) are also viable options, but you'll need to ensure the proper plugins are installed for PBR support.

4. Coding
In MSFS 2020, aircraft systems and instruments are primarily coded using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The SDK provides built-in templates for creating custom instruments, and you can also use the WebAssembly (WASM) modules to write more complex code in languages like C++.

5. Documentation and Tutorials
The SDK comes with a comprehensive documentation that covers various aspects of aircraft creation. The MSFS 2020 official forums (https://forums.flightsimulator.com/) are also an invaluable resource, as they have numerous tutorials and guides created by experienced developers. Additionally, you can find a wealth of YouTube tutorials covering various aspects of aircraft creation for MSFS 2020, such as 3D modeling, texturing, and coding.

To summarize, you'll need the MSFS 2020 SDK, a 3D modeling software (Blender or 3ds Max), a texturing tool (Substance Painter, Quixel Suite, GIMP, or Photoshop), and a good grasp of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for coding the aircraft systems. Dive into the SDK documentation and make use of the tutorials available on the official forums and YouTube to guide you through the process.

Best of luck with your MSFS 2020 aircraft projects, and don't hesitate to ask if you have any further questions