MSFS2020/2024 Multi-View Integration

Introduction

Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) has evolved significantly since its initial release in 2020. With the November 2024 launch of MSFS2024, a new "stream all" implementation was introduced, ensuring that most content, including aircraft, scenery, liveries, and other SimObjects, is streamed online.

In MSFS2020 SU10, Microsoft introduced an experimental multi-monitor feature. However, this feature was undocumented and had significant limitations that rendered it virtually unusable for professional simulation setups. Key missing functionalities included:

• Consistent and accurate specification of view/camera position and orientation (pitch, bank, heading) for each view independently.
• Accurate specification of Horizontal and/or Vertical Field of View (FOV) for each view/camera independently, including support for asymmetric FOV and frustums.
• System-level specification for multi-view parameters, independent of the selected aircraft or flight scenario.

Despite numerous attempts to encourage Asobo and Microsoft to implement a robust multi-view interface—similar to Prepar3D's ViewGroups or X-Plane's multi-view—a clear roadmap for this essential feature was not provided.

Upon the release of MSFS2024, the "experimental" flag was removed from the multi-monitor feature, but the necessary controls for proper view configuration remained absent.

In response to these limitations, Fly Elise-ng has developed solutions to overcome the inconsistencies of the current MSFS multi-monitor feature. Our goal is to provide a usable and geometrically accurate multi-view correction and edge-blending solution.

We have updated our Immersive Calibration PRO, Immersive Display PRO, and Immersive LCD PRO software packages to support both multi-PC (one channel/view per PC) and single-PC (multiple channels/views per PC) setups using the current multi-view implementations in both MSFS2020 and MSFS2024.

The remainder of this guide details the steps necessary to:

• Export multi-view data from Immersive Calibration PRO and/or Immersive LCD PRO for MSFS2020 and MSFS2024.
• Configure MSFS with the exported multi-view data.
• Configure and use Immersive LCD PRO and Immersive Display PRO with the exported MSFS multi-view data.

The latest versions of Immersive LCD PRO and Immersive Display PRO include single-click tools to automatically configure MSFS2020 and MSFS2024 with the exported multi-view data each time the system is recalibrated. This eliminates the need for users to manually edit MSFS files, though manual editing remains an available option.

FPS Performance Disclaimer

All Fly Elise-ng warping and edge-blending processing is performed on the GPU. Our warping algorithms utilize advanced GPU techniques and minimal GPU resources to limit their impact on the frame rate. These processing algorithms are optimized to sub-millisecond timing, resulting in at most a 1 frame drop per 1000 frames (0.1% FPS drop).

Any additional FPS performance drop can only be attributed to the MSFS rendering and processing performance required to render one or multiple views with the desired Field of View. Please direct any FPS performance questions related to MSFS rendering to Microsoft/Asobo, not Fly Elise-ng.

MSFS Multi-View Export

Both Immersive Calibration PRO and Immersive LCD PRO software support the export of multi-view data for either Multi-PC (one channel/view per PC) or Single-PC (multiple channels/views per PC) MSFS multi-view configurations. This exported data contains the necessary parameters to configure the view orientation and the horizontal/vertical Field of View (FOV) for each view.

Key Considerations for MSFS Export

• FOV Limitation: The current MSFS implementation supports only one FOV value for all views per PC.

  • For Multi-PC setups, this is not an issue, as each PC has only one view.
  • For Single-PC setups with more than one view, all views must share the same FOV.

  Same FOV

  When exporting multiple views for Single-PC, always ensure that "Same FOV" is selected and checked to guarantee all views have an identical FOV.

• Asymmetric Frustums: MSFS does not support asymmetric frustums.

  Asymmetric frustums

  Always ensure "Asymmetric frustum" is turned OFF before calculating and exporting perspective view data.

• Vertical FOV Range: The current multi-view MSFS export has a limitation on the Vertical FOV, ranging between 26 degrees and 104 degrees. Any design that produces a Vertical FOV outside this range cannot be exported and will require a redesign.

"Reuse Default MSFS View" Option

The "Reuse Default MSFS View" option is available only for Single-PC setups. When selected:

• The exported view data will configure the main MSFS window for the first view.
• Each additional view will be configured using the MSFS experimental multi-view window. This approach optimizes the use of existing MSFS windows.

If the main MSFS window is intended for other purposes (e.g., maps, instruments), disable the "Reuse Default MSFS View" option. In this scenario, each view will open in a separate multi-view window, leaving the main window available for menus and other rendering.

Exported Files

The MSFS export process generates two text files:

msfs_multiPC.txt
msfs_singlePC.txt

These files contain textual information about the views and instructions for setting them up in MSFS.

Additionally, the software exports a set of *.msfs files that can be used by Immersive Display PRO and Immersive LCD PRO for automatic MSFS2020 and MSFS2024 configuration.

Setting Up MSFS2020 and MSFS2024 for Multi-View

Since MSFS2020 and MSFS2024 lack a native interface for configuring multi-perspective views, the data exported from Immersive Calibration PRO must be manually entered into three specific files: two files per aircraft (cameras.cfg and model.cfg) and one system configuration file (UserCfg.opt). Additionally, the correct zoom factor must be applied to each view.

The Simulator tab in Immersive Display PRO and Immersive LCD PRO offers functionality to automatically detect MSFS installation folders and apply the necessary configuration file changes per aircraft.

Depending on the installation type (Steam or MSStore), the software can auto-detect the installation folder and the default Community folder. Users can utilize the "Detect" button for auto-detection or the "Select directory" button to manually choose the MSFS installation folder.

MSFS2024 VFS Projector and Package Creation

For MSFS2024, the software provides a dedicated tool to extract necessary files from the streamed MSFS2024 packages and create an overlay Virtual File System (VFS) package with the modified files.

Microsoft Flight Simulator employs a VFS to access its resources (Aircraft, SimObjects, Liveries, etc.). This VFS is a layered file system composed of files from various Microsoft, Asobo, or third-party packages. In MSFS2020, all MSFS packages were installed locally and were readily modifiable. However, in MSFS2024, all built-in VFS packages are streamed online upon simulator startup, and their content is compressed, making it unavailable for direct local modification.

To enable modification of streamed aircraft files, we offer a VFS Extractor tool. This tool extracts relevant airplane files from the MSFS2024 VFS and creates a set of packages containing the modified aircraft files. These packages can then be placed in the Community folder, overlaying the streamed packages. This ensures that modifications required for 100% accurate geometry and edge-blending are applied even to streamed content.

To extract streamed content, follow these steps:

1. Enable Developer Mode:
   • Navigate to Options > General Options > Developers and enable Developer Mode.

1. Start VFS Projection:

   • From the Tools > Virtual File System menu, select VFS Projector and start the VFS projection. This action will mount the MSFS VFS in the VFSProjection directory within your MSFS installation folder.

   

   

2. Use VFS Extract Tool:

   • Press the Extract VFS button to open the VFS Extract tool. This tool will detect all unencrypted streamed aircraft.
   • You can select one or more aircraft to create separate Community packages for each. Each package will only contain the cameras.cfg and model.cfg files that need to be updated from the exported calibration data.

   

   Important

   This tool only detects unencrypted aircraft. Any encrypted or DRM-protected aircraft will not be listed.

   Any previously extracted and mounted packages will not be extracted again.

   If any extracted packages are already in your Community folder, ensure they are removed before running this step.

3. Configure Output Folder and Prefix:

   • Select the packages output folder and specify a prefix to be applied to each package name.
   • When enabled, the "Clear packages folder" option will remove any existing content from the specified output folder before extraction.
   • After pressing the "Extract" button, the output packages folder will contain a package for each selected aircraft. Each package folder includes the camera.cfg file, models.cfg file, and other MSFS package files. The camera.cfg file will be used when applying the exported *.msfs configuration.

   

   Important

   We advise using a separate extracted packages folder distinct from the main MSFS2024 Community folder. After extracting the streamed airplanes, the exported *.msfs configuration files can be loaded and applied per aircraft. Subsequently, these modified packages can be copied or symbolically linked into the MSFS2024 Community folder.

   MSFS Add-ons Linker 2024

   We recommend using a third-party tool like MSFS Add-ons Linker 2024 (https://flightsim.to/file/1572/msfs-addons-linker) to manage a separate add-ons folder and use linking for one or more community add-ons within the MSFS2024 Community folder.

Applying the *.msfs Configuration Files

Both Immersive Calibration PRO and Immersive LCD PRO will export one or more *.msfs configuration files. For a Multi-PC configuration, a separate *.msfs file is exported for each PC. For a Single-PC configuration, a single *.msfs file is exported.

This step is identical for both MSFS2020 and MSFS2024.

To apply the configuration files:

• Use the "Apply MSFS Config" button to open a separate window.

• Select the exported *.msfs file. This will open the file and display its contents. For each additional view (window) to be created, you can select the OutputID on which the window should be placed. MSFS2020 and MSFS2024 enumerate outputs starting from 0, where 0 is always the primary desktop display. For example, in a 3x1 ungrouped projector setup where the left window is the primary desktop display, the output IDs would be 0, 1, 2. It is critical to set these values correctly to match your PC's output index order.

  Window position

  A window can be repositioned to another output after MSFS starts. Simply use Alt+Enter to enter windowed mode, drag the window to the desired output, and press Alt+Enter again to return to full-screen mode.

• The required changes must be made per aircraft. Use the "+" and "–" buttons on the right side to locate and add the aircraft's cameras.cfg file. This file will be updated with the exported data from the *.msfs configuration file.

  • The cameras.cfg file can be found in the aircraft's package folder. For built-in MSFS2024 streamed aircraft, use the extracted packages from the previous chapter.
  • One or more aircraft can be added to the list and updated simultaneously.

• After pressing the "Apply" button, the listed aircraft cameras.cfg files will be updated, and if necessary, the global UserCfg.opt file will also be updated to ensure the creation of additional windows.

• For MSFS2024, if the "Remove cockpit" option is selected, the 3D cockpit model will be removed, and the package will be updated accordingly. This option is exclusive to MSFS2024.

• For Multi-PC (Single channel/view per PC) configurations, separate software is required to synchronize the position and state of each MSFS instance on each PC. Solutions like WideView or similar software can be used to couple and synchronize multiple MSFS instances.

Setting Up MSFS Zoom

MSFS has a limited and often volatile method for setting the view Field of View. Only a single ZoomPercentage slider can be used to zoom in and out and adjust the FOV. There is no direct, logical relationship between the zoom factor and the actual horizontal or vertical FOV. Additionally, changing views in MSFS frequently resets the ZoomPercentage values to the default 50%.

The exported *.msfs configuration files contain the correct zoom factor that must be applied to all views in MSFS.

After pressing the "Apply" button, the zoom percentage will be automatically configured.

To ensure a stable and accurate ZoomPercentage, both Immersive LCD PRO and Immersive Display PRO include a SimConnect client. This client connects to the MSFS instance on the same PC and ensures that the exported ZoomFactor is consistently applied to the MSFS Virtual Cockpit view. Even when changing views or ZoomPercentage via the GUI, the desired ZoomPercentage will be correctly set and enforced by both Immersive LCD PRO and Immersive Display PRO software. This is a requirement for both Single-PC multi-view and Multi-PC multi-view setups.

In the Simulator tab, press "Start" (or enable auto-start) to initiate the SimConnect client, which will connect to MSFS and maintain the correct zoom value.

Setting Up MSFS Cockpit Mode

By default, certain MSFS camera options can alter the view orientation, interfering with geometric correction and edge-blending. To prevent any undesirable view changes, ensure the CAMERA SHAKE option is turned OFF and HOME COCKPIT MODE is turned ON.

Removing the Virtual Cockpit

Fortunately, there is an alternative method to prevent the rendering of the aircraft's interior and/or exterior.

1. Locate and make a copy of the SimObjects model.cfg file for the specific aircraft you wish to modify.

   • Example: For the Asobo default C172sp aircraft (Steam installations), the file is typically located at: <MSFS_INSTALL>\packages\Official\Steam\asobo-aircraft-c172sp-classic\SimObjects\Airplanes\Asobo_C172sp_classic\model\model.cfg

2. Edit the file and insert a semicolon (;) before the exterior and interior lines to comment them out. This will prevent them from being rendered in the views.

Final Setup

One final step remains. Load the exported multi.procalib files into Immersive Display PRO or the exported .lcdcalib files into Immersive LCD PRO, respectively.

Start MSFS in full-screen mode and confirm that the main view and any additional views are correctly positioned on their designated video output displays. Following these steps, your views will be perfectly aligned and edge-blended, ensuring a geometrically accurate display.

Examples

6-channel helicopter setups.

3-channel LCD panel setup.