FSX-SE MAAM DC3 on FSX Steam??

[Radial9 69]

Getting back into flightsimming after a few years pause (work). Retirement is right at hand. Been flightsimming over a decade, mostly flying DC3's. Building a nice dedicated system for it. 64bit P3D is just too tempting to pass up. I thought the hobby would be dying truthfully. Being there are no supported DC3's in P3D that I can see, I'm trying decide if I want to also install FSX SE so I have the option of continuing to fly the MAAM DC3 as I have 1000's of hours in it.

I attempted to find out on Steams support page if the MAAM DC3 would run under FSX Steam. Nothing came up in the searches. They want you to 1. install Steam 2. Spend $5 before you can post in the community. There is NO contact info to Valve to get my questions anwered. Not off to a great start. Is this telling me something?

Has anyone flown the MAAM DC3 under FSX SE or seen it (know those) who have it running stable?

Appreciate any info on the issue.

Thanks!!

[Chock 17,769]

If it works in the regular old boxed or download versions of MS FSX (which it absolutely does, since there is a download version of the MAAM DC-3 for FSX), it'll work in the Steam version for sure. The Steam version is basically a patched up and slightly optimised version of the MS version of FSX which runs a bit better and has a few new whistles and bells.

[Radial9 69]

Thanks for the info.

I'll attempt to take it one step further. If I have some custom panels, fuel gages and custom livery, can I cusomize the Steam version just as I would the boxed version?

I know my way around the panel folder structures of the boxed version and the config files, are they the same for Steam?

I can just edit them on my local drive and expect they will configure and react the same as the boxed verison?

Appreciate the info. Encouraging.

 

[Chock 17,769]

Yup, it's all the same stuff for both versions, all works the same, only difference is where the files are located on your PC for the Steam version as opposed to the MS version. Sometimes that means for some add-ons that you have to point config files at different paths, but that's easy enough to do.

[vortex681 806]

On 09/06/2017 at 2:38 PM, Radial9 said:

Being there are no supported DC3's in P3D that I can see, I'm trying decide if I want to also install FSX SE so I have the option of continuing to fly the MAAM DC3 as I have 1000's of hours in it.

As Chock has already said, it should work in FSX:SE. However, it needs a basic compatibility update to make it work in any version of FSX and, even then, there are some features that are no longer supported. See http://www.maam.org/flightsim/enhance/r4d_enhance.htm#FSX BASIC COMPATIBILITY UPDATE FOR R4D/DC-3/C-47 CD. Sadly, the promised, fully compatible version never appeared.

But there's good news. For a fully-functioning C-47, which was written specifically for FSX and P3D, see:

https://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=Douglas_C-47_Beta_V3.1405.zip&CatID=root&Go=Search

You need the V3.14 beta (base) file and the fixes file from the link. It's technically still in beta but it's probably the best C-47 available for any flight sim. Even better, it's freeware and it's being actively developed! The cockpit really is a work of art and a lot of time and effort has gone into the whole aircraft. I have it running in FSX:SE - it's a joy to fly and it sounds great. I loved the MAAM Sim DC-3 but I prefer this one and there are already many high-quality repaints available for it.

[kiwiflyer45 123]

23 hours ago, vortex681 said:

As Chock has already said, it should work in FSX:SE. However, it needs a basic compatibility update to make it work in any version of FSX and, even then, there are some features that are no longer supported. See http://www.maam.org/flightsim/enhance/r4d_enhance.htm#FSX BASIC COMPATIBILITY UPDATE FOR R4D/DC-3/C-47 CD. Sadly, the promised, fully compatible version never appeared.

But there's good news. For a fully-functioning C-47, which was written specifically for FSX and P3D, see:

https://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=Douglas_C-47_Beta_V3.1405.zip&CatID=root&Go=Search

You need the V3.14 beta (base) file and the fixes file from the link. It's technically still in beta but it's probably the best C-47 available for any flight sim. Even better, it's freeware and it's being actively developed! The cockpit really is a work of art and a lot of time and effort has gone into the whole aircraft. I have it running in FSX:SE - it's a joy to fly and it sounds great. I loved the MAAM Sim DC-3 but I prefer this one and there are already many high-quality repaints available for it.

I heartily agree. I also am a huge fan of the MAAM DC-3 but the freeware version being referred to is every bit its equal and in many respects is superior. That's no insult to the MAAM developers - their version was state of the art when it was released for FS9. The new one is state of the art for FSX-SE and as said, is still under development. The only negative you may have is that perhaps a favorite livery isn't available (yet). BTW, being a very ancient RW pilot, I have a DC-3 rating and a couple of hundred hours on the type WAY back in the day. It was older than I was even back then and as far as I know, I was first officer on the last "regular" passenger flight of a DC-3 in New Zealand. (One was restored and used for sight-seeing flights much later)... The captain was retiring with the airplane and I still vividly remember the feeling of sitting there listening to those old radials "tinkling" as they began to cool after shutting down the engines and feeling the sadness of a man saying goodbye to a long and distinguished career....

[Radial9 69]

Gentlemen… thank you for the advice. It looks like I may have to “move along” with the technology and give the Manfred Jahn C47 a go. Many of my fellow DC3 Airways pilots are flying this bird, both in FSX and PD3.

I hope this is a permissible place to ask for this bit of education regarding the choice between fighting a new install of boxed FSX on a new Win10 computer or going the Steam route.

I have read all the info over the Steam site. I have looked through the 11 pages of product, aircraft, scenery, toposim, etc.

Questions if I may. I have spent considerable time reading back posts here and still have some unresolved issues floating around the old gray matter. As I mentioned, I shut all my simming down two years ago and am just rebuilding.

If I decide to go the FSX SE direction, will my boxed (or downloaded) versions of the small fortune of stuff I have be able to be utilized or will I have to buy (if available) the “Steam” version? Not too worried about aircraft, it’s scenery and utilities.  I would install FSX SE on its own SSD drive.

ORBX FTX Global Base

ORBX Vectors

REX4 ( I see you can buy the Steam version with FSX)

Active Sky

Plan G, or… looking into FSTramp for navigation

Would my CH yoke, THQ and rudder pedals all work, do I need FSUIPC? Will FSUIPC even run under steam?

I know these are a lot of questions, but hour upon hour of reading and I’m still uncertain about some of these issues. Would appreciate any direction help here.

Not sure if I want to limit myself on FSX for Steam. I’m thinking it may be the old AOL issue… viewing the universe through a keyhole.

Thank You!!!!

[vortex681 806]

11 hours ago, Radial9 said:

If I decide to go the FSX SE direction, will my boxed (or downloaded) versions of the small fortune of stuff I have be able to be utilized or will I have to buy (if available) the “Steam” version? Not too worried about aircraft, it’s scenery and utilities.  I would install FSX SE on its own SSD drive.

I've yet to find any non-steam add-ons which don't work with the Steam version (although I think that there may an old PMGD aircraft which doesn't). If you find something which doesn't work, chances are that the developer has released a Steam-compatible version.

11 hours ago, Radial9 said:

ORBX FTX Global Base

ORBX Vectors

REX4 ( I see you can buy the Steam version with FSX)

Active Sky

Plan G, or… looking into FSTramp for navigation

Would my CH yoke, THQ and rudder pedals all work, do I need FSUIPC? Will FSUIPC even run under steam?

Yes to all of these. You don't need the Steam version of REX 4 if you already have it. FSUIPC works perfectly with FSX:SE if required.

I had the boxed edition of FSX installed on my old system but now I have the Steam edition on my new system and I would recommend it. Better memory management, no issues with activation and a bargain (particularly so if you can get it in one of the regular Steam sales). See https://dovetailgames.kayako.com/knowledgebase/article/View/64/16/what-exactly-have-you-updated-in-microsoft-flight-simulator-x-steam-edition-compared-to-the-microsoft-supplied-boxed-version-of-fsx for the full list of improvements. Once installed, you can run in offline mode if you don't want to connect to Steam every time - that said, it's quick and unintrusive so not really an issue.

[kiwiflyer45 123]

There are a handful of add-ons that don't work with Steam or work with some limitations but in the main these are products that were originally developed for FS9 and then ported over into FSX. (An example is Flight1's HeliTraffic 2009 - works in FSX but not in SE). Everything you mentioned will work though you will probably want to upgrade Active Sky to Active Sky 2016. As for FSUIPC, I think that investing in the registered version is one of the best investments anyone can make to get the maximum from their sim experience so although you don't HAVE to have it, I strongly encourage you to purchase it. Sadly, you just missed out on a huge sale on Orbx products but you have the two essentials. I think you will love SE - as everyone has said, it basically is everything that FSX could have been if MS hadn't rushed it into release.

Welcome back to the hobby!
Ian

[spesimen 135]

On 6/12/2017 at 4:55 AM, Radial9 said:

 

Not sure if I want to limit myself on FSX for Steam. I’m thinking it may be the old AOL issue… viewing the universe through a keyhole.

 

there's no limiting going on, it's the same program just with more bugs fixed. i think you are confusing the existence of the steam online store with the fsx program itself. you can buy addons from wherever you want and most freeware works too. the jahn c-47 is one of the best freeware ever made for fsx and once you try it the maam dc-3 will look antiquated. or as pointed out in the link above with the patch you can run the old one too if you want to also.

good luck!

cheers,-andy crosby

[vortex681 806]

As spesimen said above, apart from FSX itself, you don't need to buy any add-ons from Steam. In fact, after downloading and installing FSX, you don't even need to connect to Steam again as you can run it in offline mode. Some people seem to have a negative view of Steam but I've never had any problems with it. It's not intrusive and doesn't seem to affect system performance at all. Apart from P3D, all of the other well-known sims are also available through Steam - FSX, X-Plane, Flight Sim World, Aerofly 2 and DCS (I'm sure there are more that I've missed).

[vortex681 806]

Now is the time to buy FSX Steam version as it's on sale with 75% off! See http://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=fsx&page=9

[Radial9 69]

I did download FSX SE last week to start to warm up the long dormant flightsim brain cells. It looked horrible on this older system with stock scenery but as least I'm learning more about my choices. I will begin building my new computer over the next week. Reading as much as I can to begin to come back up to speed.

I use to fly multiplayer with a great bunch of guys for years and hope to do so again. They use a private server and most use FSINN as the client. I have configured it a number of times over the years, mostly with help from those pilots with more experience. First comments back from many of them say that FSINN would not run under FSX SE. I did some more searching and reading and found out that with some minor modifications it can be made to run under FSX SE. I'm going to give it a try anyway. If anyone has an interest, or has any knowledge of this issue, resources would be most welcomed. I can post the details of the fix if anyone has an interest.

It appears most of the problems that arise from trying to install the boxed version of FSX into Win10 come from previous versions of the program still residing on the computer. The computer thinks FSX is already installed and won't allow for the reinstall. There are dozens of such cries for help on this all over the flightsim world. It appears there is a very high degree of success installing FSX on a freshly installed Win10 OS on a new drive. Of course, the whole tweaking process then starts anew. Good FSX tweak guides abound.

It may be the easiest path to just go with FSX SE so as to have my legacy addons to fly with as I migrate to P3Dv4 and just use it to do my multiplayer flying online. I think they are using another client that does work with P3D, although version 4 may be another issue.

Learning a bunch about this subject over a short time. Hope to make an informed decision after all the dust settles, the rig is built and I actually install software.

Again.... thanks for comments and the help here. It really is appreciated.