Any info on how the addons will be installed and if the Steam or MS Store will affect this installation in any way - like if the addons have to be installed in the main MSFS folder or can they be installed on other drives, things like that?

@Tomaz Drnovsek Apparently addons will not be sold through Steam or Microsoft Store, it will be done through the in-game market place so it should make no difference.

2 minutes ago, ckyliu said:

@Tomaz Drnovsek Apparently addons will not be sold through Steam or Microsoft Store, it will be done through the in-game market place so it should make no difference.

As far as I understand addons will also be sold from other vendors, like Orbxdirect, Simmarket, Aerosoft, not only in-game market.

44 minutes ago, travelabroad said:

I don't know why people keep spreading this. 

They have just stated in the Developer Live Q&A, that there will be NO difference between the Steam version and the MS Store version!

Both versions, will install a launcher, which will act as the main gateway to the game. It will launch the game itself, handle updates, logins etc. Just like Red Dead Redemption and GTA V from RockStar Games on Steam does it. Elite Dangerous handles this, in the same manner as well. 

I don't understand the confusion... 

Reason is simple, some simmers try to separate themselves from gamers, which is why they distance themselves from Steam seeing it as a gamers platform.

No truth to it because to be honest when FSX first came out in 2006 I bought that in a store that also sold Barbie Dolls, does that diminish FSX any 🤣

@Tomaz Drnovsek That's right. The issue with that being that it's quite possible MS Store will inflict their UWP nonsense making it difficult to access MFS folders.

Support from MS Store has been poor (see https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/579670-installations-problems-no-help-from-microsoft/page/7/?tab=comments#comment-4291614 ).

Also to use MS Store you must login to Win10 with your Microsoft account, you can't use a standalone regular Windows user and I don't want to tie my MS account to my Windows one.

And finally, I don't trust MS Store to be around in 3 or 4 years; Steam has been a constant in this world, unlike Games for Windows, Xbox PC Marketplace, Xbox PC app beta, Windows Live Games or whatever MS have decided to use this week (and MS Flight users lost access to their paid DLC as a result of those changes).

And for all those reasons I bought on Steam, even if it means I start my download 4 hours after the MS customers.

 

 

Edited August 17, 20205 yr by ckyliu

There can't be a big difference between the two platforms (ms store and steam) because both of them will simply install the launcher. Within the launcher you set the directory of your game files, and addons wont be purchased through either steam nor ms store afaik. MSFS uses an in-sim marketplace in combination with the 3rd party developers own storefronts. 

With that said, if your goal is to play MSFS as soon as possible at launch, you DO, in fact have an advantage if you live in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania, because you will be able to get the launcher downloaded through the rolling lauch. There is no rolling launch for steam, only a set universal time (Midnight EST+0).

For many, that is not important at all. For others, like myself, it is rather important. 

8 minutes ago, Matthew Kane said:

Reason is simple, some simmers try to separate themselves from gamers, which is why they distance themselves from Steam seeing it as a gamers platform.

I doubt anyone thinks that, Matthew. I certainly have not seen anyone arguing that.

• Steam is also a platform for non-gaming software. 
• Microsoft sells this under its "Games for Xbox" banner.

So that would not make any sense. Where has anyone suggested something even close to this??

Edited August 17, 20205 yr by OzWhitey

I'll get it through MS Store, as I did alpha and beta versions. "hub" app around 1 Gb was installed on C, while all of the 150 Gb of the app was installed on the F: drive. I'll do the same with the final version. And yes i can access all the files on F: easily. 

10 minutes ago, OzWhitey said:

I doubt anyone thinks that, Matthew. I certainly have not seen anyone arguing that.

• Steam is also a platform for non-gaming software. 
• Microsoft sells this under its "Games for Xbox" banner.

So that would not make any sense. Where has anyone suggested something even close to this??

The issues of Steam versus MS Store come down to availability, cross-platform support, installation method and short and long term compatibility. 

It has come up many times over the years, Can't think of the one guys name right now but the one fella from South Africa always wanted to debate it on here, he's tag starts with a 'W' , and a few others over the years, that debate is old and tiring

Edited August 17, 20205 yr by Matthew Kane

16 minutes ago, ckyliu said:

@Tomaz Drnovsek Apparently addons will not be sold through Steam or Microsoft Store, it will be done through the in-game market place so it should make no difference.

PMDG stated that they do not know how this will work exactly, but addons will be available direct from developers (and therefore, presumably, via Simmarket and other vendors). Selling directly is likely to be more attractive to may addon developers, and also to may consumers.

Developer addons will need a different installation method for Windows Store versus Steam, given that the folder structure differs (at a minimum).

We know that some developers are terrible at updating installers. There is certainly the potential for either MS Store or Steam to become the preferred, better-supported platform for addons. At this time, it's hard to tell which one will be most popular, and there's a whole lot of other unknowns in addition to this.  

 

3 minutes ago, Matthew Kane said:

It has come up many times over the years, Can't think of the one guys name right now but the one fella from South Africa always wanted to debate it on here, he's tag starts with a 'W' , and a few others over the years, that debate is old and tiring

I'm familiar with the argument that MSFS is a console-style game based on it having the "Xbox" tag - that's become a meme at this point - but I've been following all the Steam vs MS Store threads (because I've been trying to decide myself) and honestly haven't seen anyone make that argument, let alone multiple people.

18 minutes ago, ckyliu said:

@Tomaz Drnovsek That's right. The issue with that being that it's quite possible MS Store will inflict their UWP nonsense making it difficult to access MFS folders.

Support from MS Store has been poor (see https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/579670-installations-problems-no-help-from-microsoft/page/7/?tab=comments#comment-4291614 ).

Also to use MS Store you must login to Win10 with your Microsoft account, you can't use a standalone regular Windows user and I don't want to tie my MS account to my Windows one.

And finally, I don't trust MS Store to be around in 3 or 4 years; Steam has been a constant in this world, unlike Games for Windows, Xbox PC Marketplace, Xbox PC app beta, Windows Live Games or whatever MS have decided to use this week (and MS Flight users lost access to their paid DLC as a result of those changes).

And for all those reasons I bought on Steam, even if it means I start my download 4 hours after the MS customers.

 

 

You do not have to login to windows with your Microsoft account, I use a local login and only sign into ms store with my Microsoft account

22 hours ago, DaWu said:

Actually I do know that....

OK, secret account of an Asobo developer who knows more than PMDG... 🙄

6 minutes ago, OzWhitey said:

I'm familiar with the argument that MSFS is a console-style game based on it having the "Xbox" tag - that's become a meme at this point - but I've been following all the Steam vs MS Store threads (because I've been trying to decide myself) and honestly haven't seen anyone make that argument, let alone multiple people.

The old argument was more the P3D users vs FSX Steam Edition. Most likely some of the die hard P3D users will still stay away from a new Steam version, only because they won't want to install the Steam interface on their PC at all. Some of the older boys in this hobby are stubborn to the core, they will see it as a gamers interface contaminating their systems 🤣

Edited August 17, 20205 yr by Matthew Kane

35 minutes ago, ckyliu said:

@Tomaz Drnovsek That's right. The issue with that being that it's quite possible MS Store will inflict their UWP nonsense making it difficult to access MFS folders.

Support from MS Store has been poor (see https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/579670-installations-problems-no-help-from-microsoft/page/7/?tab=comments#comment-4291614 ).

Also to use MS Store you must login to Win10 with your Microsoft account, you can't use a standalone regular Windows user and I don't want to tie my MS account to my Windows one.

And finally, I don't trust MS Store to be around in 3 or 4 years; Steam has been a constant in this world, unlike Games for Windows, Xbox PC Marketplace, Xbox PC app beta, Windows Live Games or whatever MS have decided to use this week (and MS Flight users lost access to their paid DLC as a result of those changes).

And for all those reasons I bought on Steam, even if it means I start my download 4 hours after the MS customers.

 

 

There is a dedicated folder for planes, sceneries, addons, etc. The only protected folder is the 900 MB Installer.... that you'll never need to edit.  

Also, you need a Microsoft Account to launch the game with the Steam version too... So if the support is discontinued, it'll be the same. 

Edited August 17, 20205 yr by Aaron555