FSX-SE FSX-SE Install - I'm Confused

[betelgeuse 41]

In April, I bought and downloaded to my HDD a copy of FSX-SE.  I ran it and installed a few updates including Orbx.  Orbx Central identified FSX-SE on my PC.

Now, when I try to run fsx.exe from the folder, I get an FSX Splash Screen, then an error message about Object Flow, then a message that Microsoft Flight Simulator has stopped working.

When I checked my Steam library, it told me when I had last run the program but there was also a large green button, asking me to INSTALL.

This I did. I did not get an option where to install and it used my smallish SSD on C: (I had reserved it for the OS only). Now it is a mess!

On the upside, I can run FSX-SE when I am connected to Steam. I cannot run it from my own PC as I was able to do last April.

So, I would like to know if FSX-SE can only be run when connected to Steam?  Or can it be run as a stand-alone installation? 

Thanks.

 

[W2DR 1,860]

John - I don't use Steam but does this help?    https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-agcb-2555  ......Doug

[betelgeuse 41]

Thanks. It helps a bit.

Since my OP I uninstalled everything and started again. I installed to a HDD on my PC. Steam is not connected but when I run fsx.exe I get an invitation to fly online.

From your link, I see that to avoid missing updates (they are very infrequent and likely to get even more infrequent) I need to login to Steam. Just what happens then is unclear. Where does an update go? Will I get an option to choose where? If an 'update' in Steam language means an 'install', then what happens my third party sceneries and aircraft. Last time I updated, Steam installed a second FSX-SE - on my small SSD.

It is remarkable that I've had only one response about this on this board. Or, perhaps not. Maybe FSX-SE is dead in the water. It is clear that 64bit is the way to go, but I hate parting with my hangar of old buddies, not to mention some lovely airport sceneries.

Edited July 8, 2020 by betelgeuse

[Kronovan 14]

Other than the recent Beta update -has to be manually chosen after install & I recommend NOT to opt for it- there hasn't been a FSX:SE update in years. So once you install  FSX there won't be further updates. If you purchase any DLC through Steam though, their installation does appear somewhat like an update with a blue progress bar appearing at the bottom of the Steam client. DLC/addons are handled a bit differently than those that are purchased externally at webstores and the way they were in FSX Gold. Those purchased on Steam are installed under a DLC folder that's specific to FSX:SE. Sometimes those DLC downloads don't occur until the next time you start the Steam client, so if you aren't logged into Steam via the Internet, they won't be installed. 

It sounds like you've already learned that you can start the Steam client in offline mode and launch FSX without problems. If you've previously logged into FSX-Steam mutliplay though and chose to be automatically logged in, you'll be prompted to login to Steam when FSX starts. I recommend against doing that and just loging into Steam multiplay when you want to join a server.

I run the Steam edition with all of the following  addons and DLCs without problems: 

Active Sky Next
Accu-feel
HD Airports
Steve's DX10 Fixer
Natural Trees X
ORBX Pacific North West, Pacific fjords, Southern Alaska & Wales
FS Global 2010
Ultimate Terrain X Canada, Europe & USA
FSDreamteam CYVR (w/GSX & GSX2)
Scenery Manager
Milviz DHC-3 Otter
A2A Piper J3
Aerosoft Twin Otter Extended
Lionheart Creations Quest Kodiak
Carenado 206 Stationair & V35 Bonanza
Virtuacol Dash 8

So a stable FSX:SE with a number addons is most definitely doable.

[Edit] I HIGHLY recommend installing FSX to a SSD if you will be buying and installing 3rd party scenery. There's a kludge with FSX, where a flight can fail to load past the 6% point if you have lots of scenery installed and the reads from the HDD aren't fast enough. Having it and your scenery installed on a SSD seems to avoid this.

Edited July 8, 2020 by Kronovan

[betelgeuse 41]

Thanks.

I was using FSX-SE in offlline mode at one stage. Then, for some reason, the fse.exe refused to run. That is where I got into diffs and had to login to Steam.

It reinstalled FSX-SE on my SSD but I wanted to keep it for the Win 10 OS only. After that I found I had two copies of FSX-SE - the one on the SSD, and my original on F: drive. I uninstalled the SSD version and since then everything has worked well. Don't ask me why or how...

Looking over your addons, they are remarkably similar to mine! Orbx Alaska and Pacific NW, ASN, Accu-feel, even Steve's DX10 fixer! I did not know that Ultimate Terrain X Canada was compatible with Orbx. Oh, if you like Lionheart, the Super Viking is a joy at around 25 Canadian JustFlight.

 

[Kronovan 14]

Happy to hear you got it sorted out.

13 hours ago, betelgeuse said:

I did not know that Ultimate Terrain X Canada was compatible with Orbx. Oh, if you like Lionheart, the Super Viking is a joy at around 25 Canadian JustFlight.

UTX is compatible, just as long as it's at a lower priority in the Scenery Library than the Orbx scenery files. The Orbx scenery was apparently designed with a feature that will auto-exclude UTX terrain if it's encountered. That's certainly what I see in the British Isles where I have Orbx Wales and UTX Euro v2 installed. There's some silly things that happen on road joins, like vehicles taking a wee bit of a roller coaster dip into a depression. There's also a discernible seem line, but in some areas it's minor enough that you'd have to be looking for it. It's certainly nothing as bad as the terrible seeming you have between default FSX terrain and Orbx and waterways such as large rivers match up much better.

I'd say I'm luke warm with the Lionheart Quest Kodiak. I'm still new to it, but it's flight model seems off and there's some real quirks with it around start ups and water taxiing. On the other hand it's speedy, has an attractive glass cockpit and is fun to fly. So far, the shear fun of flying tops its lack of realism.   🙂  If the Super Viking could be fitted with floats, I'd be all over it - yes I'm that much of bush piloting nerd.  😉  At 40% off in the July PC Aviator sale though, I might just get it anyways

Edited July 9, 2020 by Kronovan

[betelgeuse 41]

18 hours ago, Kronovan said:

Happy to hear you got it sorted out.

UTX is compatible, just as long as it's at a lower priority in the Scenery Library than the Orbx scenery files. The Orbx scenery was apparently designed with a feature that will auto-exclude UTX terrain if it's encountered. That's certainly what I see in the British Isles where I have Orbx Wales and UTX Euro v2 installed.

That's interesting to know. I gave up on UTX when I tried the Canada-Alaska version but that was a long time ago, perhaps even in FS2002, but certainly in FS2004 days. I guess it's a lot improved now. I'm pretty happy with Orbx stuff with FTX Global. We've come a long way from wire-frame scenery and aircraft!

[Kronovan 14]

6 hours ago, betelgeuse said:

That's interesting to know. I gave up on UTX when I tried the Canada-Alaska version but that was a long time ago, perhaps even in FS2002, but certainly in FS2004 days. I guess it's a lot improved now. I'm pretty happy with Orbx stuff with FTX Global. We've come a long way from wire-frame scenery and aircraft!

I can't speak to previous editions of UTX, as V2 is the 1st I've owned. There's certainly much more attention to detail in the Orbx scenery and some of the terrain such as the steep, mountainside forests in Orbx PacNW and Pac Fjords just look that much better. The trade off of course is the cost per size of coverage, for which UTX offers much more at a fraction of the cost. TBH, the UTX v2 coverage for England and Scotland is good enough that I don't feel compelled to buy Orbx England and Scotland tp complete my coverage of that part of the UK.

As well, the UTX coverage is far more configurable. Whereas Orbx for the most part just uses the FSX display-scenery settings, UTX has a terrific configuration tool that allows for finite tweaking of the scenery. I'm quite disappointed with the Orbx PacNW Seattle, for which I can't get acceptable frame rates when flying anywhere near the urban core. Whereas with UTX I could turn off small-residentual streets and only have auto traffic on major roads and freeways, resulting a a good frame rate and a city that IMO looked as good as the Orbx edition - Vancouver looked as good too. Orbx Portland with the freebie skyline scenery installed though, is definitely an improvement.

Edited July 10, 2020 by Kronovan