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Orbx: new rules

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Orbx opened their new shop today and it comes with a new version of FTX Central.

 

Pro's: it kinda works like Steam. One login and you can download and install all your purchases without having to validate them one by one. Updates will be downloaded automatically whenever they are there and they will always be as small as possible, so no need to for instance redownload the entire libs everytime: only the files that are being updates will be downloaded. And when you reinstall your PC you will always install the latest versions of everything.

 

New purchases are also done using the same Central.

 

Con's: some may not like that you can only install Orbx addons on a PC with internet. Internet is not needed to use the addons but it is needed to validate purchases. You can't download addons and move them to another PC.

 

On a side note: future updates to make the Orbx addons compatible with new (versions of) sims (like P3D v4, DTG) won't be free anymore. It depends on the product if you have to pay for small fee or repurchase the entire addon.

 

And btw you have to transfer all FSS purchases to the new Orbx shop. FSS won't sell Orbx anymore nor will you be able to get downloads (EDIT meaning updates) for products which you bought there but haven't transferred. The transfer method is quite easy though.

 

I personally like the new shop. I like Steam (a lot) so I also like this. If you have hundreds of addons from Orbx and you have to (re)install your entire PC you can simple order Central to download it all and go to work or sleep or whatever and when you get back (after an hour or a week, depending on the amount of addons LOL) everything will be ready! Obviously you can also go flying while things are being downloaded in the background. I personally really disliked the constant validation routine for each and every addon and having to check for updates manually.

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Since I don't use any other scenery than ORBX, I'll survive. But I'm not thrilled with not having full control of my purchased addons (copy protection and online validation sucks!), but getting updates through the FTX Central is a plus. This is another step by ORBX that will keep me from buying scenery from any other developer. I simply won't be bothered with all the compatibility and usability issues that face the addon scene. Too many developers, too many passwords and serials to keep track of, too many shops, too many installers that mess with default files breaking other addons, too many bad uninstallers that either don't remove what they should or break another addon in the process, too many configurators, too many that don't care to update installers to the latest version of Prepar3D... Nah, I'll just get with the program and ORBX my sim. 

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Simmerhead - Making the virtual skies unsafe since 1987! 

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On a side note: future updates to make the Orbx addons compatible with new (versions of) sims (like P3D v4, DTG) won't be free anymore. It depends on the product if you have to pay for small fee or repurchase the entire addon.

 

And btw you have to transfer all FSS purchases to the new Orbx shop. FSS won't sell Orbx anymore nor will you be able to get downloads for products which you bought there but haven't transferred. The transfer method is quite easy though.

 

I personally like the new shop. I like Steam (a lot) so I also like this. If you have hundreds of addons from Orbx and you have to (re)install your entire PC you can simple order Central to download it all and go to work or sleep or whatever and when you get back (after an hour or a week, depending on the amount of addons LOL) everything will be ready! Obviously you can also go flying while things are being downloaded in the background. I personally really disliked the constant validation routine for each and every addon and having to check for updates manually.

 

I have been following the treads this morning.  I opened and account and that's it.  Personally I'm waiting to see all the issues sorted out...I'm in now hurry.

 

I don't think you are quite right on the FSS downloads.  I checked this morning. While you can not buy new Orbx products from FSS your/my downloads are all still on file and will remain that way UNLESS the licenses are transfered.

 

I agree I hate the constant validation routine for each. I rebuilt a new flightsim PC this spring and it took forever to reinstall, having to sit there validating, finding the email with the codes etc.

 

However, I don't like that Orbx has basically moved to a captain of the world model, like Microsoft.  I guess I'm a bit of control freak but now one can not install stuff themselves and must use the Central to do so. Maybe its not so bad once a person gets used to it.

 

And once you transfer the licenses, the old installers won't work so that when you update your operating system or get a new PC one must use the Central to reinstall everything and for me that's about 160 gigs of data. Given that I already have those old installers backed up its too bad that these can not be used. This means the Orbx has pushed the cost of bandwidth to the customer.  Given the demand for data in our house, for streaming movies, gaming online etc...this is costly.

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Bryan Wallis aka "fltsimguy"

Maple Bay, British Columbia

Near CAM3

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I don't think you are quite right on the FSS downloads.  I checked this morning. While you can not buy new Orbx products from FSS your/my downloads are all still on file and will remain that way UNLESS the licenses are transfered.

 

 

Correct, but I meant to say that from what I understand you can't download any new updates for non-transferred addons. I edited my post.

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I downloaded the new new FTX Central V3, created an account and transferred all my orders from the Flight Sim Shop. It took all of 10 minutes. John V. has a stickied guide on the official ORBX forum to using the new store, but even without the guide, it's pretty easy to do.

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Thanks for the heads up.

 

 

 


Pro's: it kinda works like Steam. One login and you can download and install all your purchases without having to validate them one by one. Updates will be downloaded automatically whenever they are there and they will always be as small as possible, so no need to for instance redownload the entire libs everytime: only the files that are being updates will be downloaded. And when you reinstall your PC you will always install the latest versions of everything.

 

I've always been a vocal proponent of Steam, so this resonates with me. However, the whole buy / install process that Steam has made so viable has another important component - uninstalling. One of the pluses about your Steam library is that you can 'juggle' games. Install this, uninstall that, reinstall on a whim, knowing that you're a click and ten minutes away from playing anything in your library. Does the new FTX Central allow you to uninstall purchases as well? Or is it a one-way street, as in only letting you install and update?

 

 

 


And once you transfer the licenses, the old installers won't work so that when you update your operating system or get a new PC one must use the Central to reinstall everything and for me that's about 160 gigs of data. Given that I already have those old installers backed up its too bad that these can not be used. This means the Orbx has pushed the cost of bandwidth to the customer. Given the demand for data in our house, for streaming movies, gaming online etc...this is costly.

 

I agree, but only partially; it seems like every time I've done a major reinstall of either FSX or P3D in the past, there's been a pile of new updated FTX installers, so I invariably end up downloading quite a few things over again.


Jim Stewart

Milviz Person.

 

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And once you transfer the licenses, the old installers won't work so that when you update your operating system or get a new PC one must use the Central to reinstall everything and for me that's about 160 gigs of data. Given that I already have those old installers backed up its too bad that these can not be used.

 

Well, yes and no on this one.

 

YES - The old FSS installers will not be recognized by the new system, so the first time you perform a full reinstall (new PC, wipe out your OS, etc.), you will need to download the products again under the new Orbx store system.

 

- But... per the FAQ's on Orbx's site -

 

You do have the option to download them and create a backup copy. This effectively caches the "installer files" somewhere safe, so that if you need to do yet another fully from scratch reinstall, you can point to those files and it should install from there instead of needing to re-download the entire kit.

 

I'm curious how this will work with packages which get updated, but on the surface it seems as though they are putting in some provisions to allow you to save your installers... (*much like what you can do with Steam, actually)

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However, I don't like that Orbx has basically moved to a captain of the world model, like Microsoft. I guess I'm a bit of control freak but now one can not install stuff themselves and must use the Central to do so. Maybe its not so bad once a person gets used to it.

 

...and to add further fuel to that argument - can anyone on this site demonstrate a walk-through on how to completely uninstall ALL Orbx products from a user PC?

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So, if you build a new PC with a new sim, you have to repurchase the upgrade for each addon?  E.g. if P3D 4.0 comes out and you install it, then you wish to install your Orbx stuff on it, you have to pay an upgrade fee for each product?  That could be significant.


Gregg Seipp

"A good landing is when you can walk away from the airplane.  A great landing is when you can reuse it."
i7-8700 32GB Ram, GTX-1070 8 Gig RAM

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Does the new FTX Central allow you to uninstall purchases as well? Or is it a one-way street, as in only letting you install and update?

 

I did read that addon airports can now be uninstalled using the new Central so yes, I do think it is a two way street now. But don't really know of this goes for every Orbx product. I suppose so.

 

So, if you build a new PC with a new sim, you have to repurchase the upgrade for each addon? E.g. if P3D 4.0 comes out and you install it, then you wish to install your Orbx stuff on it, you have to pay an upgrade fee for each product? That could be significant.

If you build a new PC you don't have to repurchase anything. If you are installing a new sim, you may have to pay a fee or even repurchase addons: this depends on what addon it is and how complicated the conversion is. This isn't really significant: this is quite normal. And this has been talked about numerous times in the past. Every new MS flightsim forced you to rebuy addons. When you switch to X-Plane you will have to rebuy addons. The same goes for DTG FS. And yes, apparently also for P3D v4.

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...and to add further fuel to that argument - can anyone on this site demonstrate a walk-through on how to completely uninstall ALL Orbx products from a user PC?

Total Silence on this topic .... as with every other question on the same topic on every other forum...... 

 

Hmmm.....

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hmmmmmm.........signed up for an OrbxDirect account, followed JV's instructions for logging on and then transferring FSS purchases...and the screen says I've purchased nothing, which is odd, considering I've spent many $100s of dollars on Orbx software.

 

That's not an encouraging start.

 

UPDATE: never mind....unclear directions (or an aging mind) led me to believe I'd see my FSS purchases upon initial log-in to OrbxDirect. That's NOT the case. One has to click on an emailed link to transfer purchases information. 

 

All's fine now.


Wayne Klockner
United Virtual

BetaTeamB.png

 

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Every new MS flightsim forced you to rebuy addons.

 

Sorry Jeroen but you are wrong on that, I carried many FS9 products over to FSX as did many folk here.

I have at least 30 payware airports bought for FSX working fine in P3D, many aircraft too.

The Franchise would not have survived any other way.

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