Please All Devs - Install outside the sim like Orbx

[Skywolf 992]

Hi Devs for MSFS Addon Products.

 

I just observed on how Orbx did their addon installs to the sim.  I am very grateful that their products are installed outside the sim and all of it does get symlinked to their MSFS directory.  It is super easy to symlink directories.

See Screenshot

 

Reason is this.  This sim is a 100GB Download and it will get larger.  If something breaks, and your addon is in the sim root etc and things break.  More headaches could happen if one has to download 100Gb+ worth of data all over again.

 

Right now everything is new for all of us; everyone is learning with the new sim.  We  want to support the new sim so that your business does well too.  We all want you to succeed, so that we can enjoy great products.  But for the love of god, follow new routines to make life easier for all of us.  These days every 6 months or so - Major Windows 10 Update can breaks things (has happened in the past so many times).

 

Following old methodology of doing it is well in my book very inefficient and just plain lazy.  

 

For example in P3D.  I can whack the sim if I need be, all I just do is move all the addons outside the directories linked for the sim.  Install new version and viola drag the addons back....but no some Major scenery addon guys will have some random bmp file burried in the sim root directory for no apparent reason (when it could been installed outside anyway).  

 

Just my .25 cents

 

Thank you

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2020 by Skywolf

[antonvs 76]

Couldn’t agree more. Orbx were early to latch onto this idea and it has worked well for years. It should be the industry standard for addon.

[flying_w 58]

I agree with the principle of installing outside the sim folder and linking back to it.  On the one hand I'm not too concerned with hardware breaking because one day it will so a backup strategy is worth investing in.  There are many excellent backup products out there, both freeware and payware to help.  On the other hand the disk space is finite, and I'm quite certain it will run out one day.  I'd like an option to spread the add-on installs ala ORBX today and Prepar3D in general over multiple disks.

[Skywolf 992]

Just now, antonvs said:

Couldn’t agree more. Orbx were early to latch onto this idea and it has worked well for years. It should be the industry standard for addon.

You have no idea on much I bugged Orbx for it during the p3dv1,2,3 days but it worked (even alpha tested the OrbxCentral 😉).  OrbxCentral sure has come long way.  That is probably the reason they are number 1. 

[antonvs 76]

1 minute ago, Skywolf said:

You have no idea on much I bugged Orbx for it during the p3dv1,2,3 days but it worked (even alpha tested the OrbxCentral 😉).  OrbxCentral sure has come long way.  That is probably the reason they are number 1. 

Yes, a lot to do with Ben’s brilliant work

[ShawnG 1,823]

Just now, Skywolf said:

You have no idea on much I bugged Orbx for it during the p3dv1,2,3 days but it worked (even alpha tested the OrbxCentral 😉).  OrbxCentral sure has come long way.  That is probably the reason they are number 1. 

Yes, I love Orbx.

This week though, they were definitely number 2...

[Skywolf 992]

1 minute ago, antonvs said:

Yes, a lot to do with Ben’s brilliant work

He sure is

[Skywolf 992]

1 minute ago, ShawnG said:

Yes, I love Orbx.

This week though, they were definitely number 2...

Lol - yep small things happen, in a big giant world.  That package will get sorted out (I think it already has)

[reignman40 450]

Do you have the sim installed somewhere else and it's defaulting add-ons to the folder in app data? I have it on my F: drive. If add-ons go into the C Drive folders I am in trouble.