11 minutes ago, Der Zeitgeist said:

There's only a few config files that reside in c:\user\appdata...whatever, but I almost never have to touch those.

Unfortunately, this is also the default place for saving flight plans created with the MSFS internal flight planner. I save these quite often to make them accessible for external moving map programs like FS-Flightcontrol or Little Navmap running on a networked machine.

As a result, this directory gets cluttered with an unhealthy conglomerate of true configuration files and flight plans. A more appropriate place for flight plans would have been somewhere under \MyDocuments (where they are saved by default for Prepar3d).

Not a show stopper, and I could modify the path every time I save a plan, but certainly not an optimum design choice.

Kind regards, Michael

I've never had an issue with the Xbox app. That said, I have over 200 games im ny Steam account and never had an issue with Steam either.

I suspect that the majority of issues with either service are user-generated. 

You will get access to a little discreet fps counter with Steam 😉

For me Steam is a no-brainer. I have been using Steam for several years and never had any issues that I can recall. It is, for me, a very reliable and simple interface. Additionally, I have read several posts about issues with the Microsoft Store, so once it was announced that Steam would carry MSFS my mind was made up. For MSFS so far, Steam has worked flawlessly, and I have not had any issues with updates. You know what they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Cheers, Pete

Edited June 24, 20214 yr by PilotPete99

Ms store version and happy. Just did not want another application/steam running in the background. I have an OCD about these things.

If you already own the game on the MS Store, why not try installing it on the new PC?  Whatever issue you were having on the old PC may not happen anymore.  It is worth a try. 

Just moving to a new PC and a fresh OS install may do wonders for you.  Windows is like that unfortunately.  I've never had any issues with the MS Store myself, but I've heard of others having problems. 

Steam all the way for me. Granted all my games are on it so granted I was already wired to select it but I did have a few days where I thought about the MS Store but nope nope I really dislike it. It just comes across as messy. The Steam app ties things together well (all your games). The file structure is easy (all games reside under a folder called Common) and its easy to navigate. 

Moving core files around is also very easy. You can set up the Steam library on any drive. All done through the neat interface (take some time to set this up). 

As far as I can see there is only one time I would have to think about the MS Store version and thats if you own an XBox. Then if you buy on MS Store you'll get the Xbox version as well. 

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I came across comments here and there about people having a hard time tweaking files on the MS Store version because of encryption?

I know everyones experience is different but I had absolutely no issues with MSFS and Steam.

 

14 hours ago, mikeymike said:

Was it wrong if me to purchase from MS store?

mike

Not at all, plenty of people use MS without any issues.  As above should you get an Xbox you'll get the game on that free so it does have that one + point!

 

50 minutes ago, kerosene31 said:

If you already own the game on the MS Store, why not try installing it on the new PC?  Whatever issue you were having on the old PC may not happen anymore.  It is worth a try. 

Just moving to a new PC and a fresh OS install may do wonders for you.  Windows is like that unfortunately.  I've never had any issues with the MS Store myself, but I've heard of others having problems. 

I agree with this. If you have already bought it on MS try installing again on your new system before spending money again. However to avoid issues it might be worth getting a new MS ID  - just sign up for a new outlook.com account and use this ID ONLY FOR MSFS. I stress that because theres been cases of gamers who have MSFS getting banned/blocked/suspended while playing other games (like shooters) and then unable to play MSFS. 

 

Edited June 24, 20214 yr by ThrottleUp

I have the Steam basic version and the MS premium version. Both work fine. From a consumer point of view Steam is excellent (and I do like the small fps counter) but the MS version is ok once you've traced where all the files go. I know consumer ease is important but as demonstrated in two other threads, Developers (and MS itself) are whacked hard over the head with large commission charges from steam.

I'd rather the revenue went directly to Asobo's budget so they can divert greater funds to continue development of the sim's core attributes. But commission for 3rd party products are too high all round. Taking more than a third of someone's revenue just for posting an item on a portal (which takes less than an hour's work, as opposed to often a year or two taken to produce the item itself) is unreasonable exploitation.

 

Edited June 24, 20214 yr by robert young

Can one choose where to install MSFS with Steam or can it only be automatically put into the default Steam directory?

15 minutes ago, threegreen said:

Can one choose where to install MSFS with Steam or can it only be automatically put into the default Steam directory?

Tha base files (1.6 GB) with the exe go into the Steam directory. The huge rest can be chosen at will. I have it on a different drive.

Kind regards, Michael

2 hours ago, threegreen said:

Can one choose where to install MSFS with Steam or can it only be automatically put into the default Steam directory?

You can choose where to install on steam as well.

  

2 hours ago, pmb said:

Tha base files (1.6 GB) with the exe go into the Steam directory.

By default yes, but you can have steam libraries on multiple drives, if you have more than one drive. Can't have multiple on the same drive though.

Edited June 24, 20214 yr by Tuskin38

4 hours ago, robert young said:

 

I'd rather the revenue went directly to Asobo's budget so they can divert greater funds to continue development of the sim's core attributes. But commission for 3rd party products are too high all round. Taking more than a third of someone's revenue just for posting an item on a portal (which takes less than an hour's work, as opposed to often a year or two taken to produce the item itself) is unreasonable exploitation.

 

Quite agree with that, unfortunately wasn't impressed with the MS store and purchased through Steam.

That said I was surprised that it instantly went to Steam (actually wondered if MS got preferential terms), since people pre-purchasing are probably less likely to care which store they buy from, than those buying later (obviously speaking from personal experience there, others may have a different opinion)...

 

G

1 hour ago, Gazzareth said:

That said I was surprised that it instantly went to Steam (actually wondered if MS got preferential terms)

It's not surprising, most of Microsoft's first party releases have also been released on steam for the last couple years.

Edited June 24, 20214 yr by Tuskin38

MS store for me. Tried it as a $1/month on game pass and bought it outright. Saved reinstalling!

I also have a lot of steam games as well but honestly said, other than initial download issues which everyone seemed to have had it's run insanely well for me.

Brendon 

Can't see the point of putting another piece of software between installers and the sim.  MS Store has been 1000% flawless, I've had only a very rare CTD, never any problems with any updates, never settings altered after an update, etc.