I only have one add-on, so far, but I'm one of the casual simmers (in terms of time spent flying, no prior experience with flight, but I am slowly trying to learn navigation techniques, etc.) So I don't want to invest more money into it (at the moment).

As I said, I don't have much time. It's more often than not an hour or less at around 11pm. And I prefer live weather, so I'm usually looking at a certain part of the globe to fly in daylight. Time is the main reason I'm not going to invest much into the sim. I think it gives me enough right now with the whole world at a high enough standard (for me) in terms of environment. Especially with the free world updates. And as I'm still getting to grips with different aircraft, albeit at a snail's pace, and basics of the systems, gradually turning assists off, I won't purchase additional aircraft yet, especially the more complex, closer-to-study-level ones.

In terms of things like AI aircraft, which I agree needs to at least function correctly as promised, I have every faith that Asobo will get it working right. They can see what's wrong with it, I have no doubt (and I mean in terms of functionality, not aircraft models and liveries, which they can't do much about without aircraft manufacturers on board). But I think Microsoft will still welcome third parties releasing mods that do things differently or, in some ways, perhaps better.

Microsoft said, I think in the first Q&A at launch, that they had discussions about what they'll do with the sim, and one thing they made clear at the outset was they didn't want to step on the toes of the established third-party community and put anyone out of business. So they decided, for example, that they could create study level aircraft, given the time, but they won't -- they will leave them to add-on developers.

So, I think it was made fairly clear at the start that they will give so much, but leave the doors wide open for plenty of add-ons, for the established developer community to shape it further, and for the simmers to therefore customise their experience.

 

Edited November 16, 20214 yr by March Hare

13 hours ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

Remember just over a year ago, we had a sim to end sim addons. (dreams).

I was hoping for this, too. Of course SOME add-ons will always be needed (Expert aircraft i.e.), but my understanding was that MSFS will implement most of them. Now we have the same situation as for decades 🤬. Peter

13 hours ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

Remember just over a year ago, we had a sim to end sim addons. (dreams).
 

One year in, before I launch the sim I launch:-

1.) FSUIPC

2.) Sim shakers sound module 

3.) spad.next 

4.) AIG traffic injector. 
5.) navigraph sim charts with sim link.
6.) Air manager. 
7.) FS realistic.

8.) pilot2atc. 
 

I wonder what else to come. 
 

EDIT:- 

Just to clarify (as it seems that some People in these forums like to assume things just to start arguments), I am not complaining, nor moaning, nor unhappy. Nor am I bashing Asobo. I hope that is clear. Anymore nasty comments, please don’t bother, just disappear down a black hole instead, it would be much preferable. 

 

In P3D I had a few apps running in the background.

1.) FSUIPC Dont need it

2.) Sim shakers sound module  Nope!

3.) spad.next Nope!

4.) AIG traffic injector.  I would if I could figure it out
5.) navigraph sim charts with sim link. Nope use it on my iPad Simlink runs auto
6.) Air manager. Nope never used it
7.) FS realistic. Nope did not like the looks of it.

8.) pilot2atc. Would love ProATC

So at the moment 1 apps running with it.

I think as a base sim its wonderfull. 

I would love a simple to use AI Traffic programe and ProATC. Cannot think of anything else I would want.

Reading the reply it seems a lot of people have forgot that P3D Xpalne is Dead blar blar was all over the forums. Was it true No, no more so now. 

It was a bit of an IQ test this topic, I will leave it at that...lol

In a years time P3D/Xplane could be dead? it could be true........PMDG Fenix all the upgrades coming..............popcorn......

 

Edited November 16, 20214 yr by Nyxx

I think the OP is taking this way too serious and expected too much from a vanilla piece of software of MSFS in a price range of 60 to 120 usd. I don't care what they (MS or Asobo) promised its not reality, you need 3pd to make a enjoyable sim experience. Thinking otherwise is being delusional. 

I was hoping for a one-click-sim too but quickly discovered it would never happen. I have a very basic list of addons and usually have to click these (icons in this order):

- TrackIR
- MSFS
- Little Navmap
- Simbrief link

However, because I use Simbrief I also felt the need to get Navigraph data so frequently I also have to click...

- Navdata Center
- FMS Data Manager

...so Navigraps adds 50% of clicks to my clicking list. May I use this opportunity to say that it rather sucks that Navigraph doesn't offer ONE utility to do all it has to do?

BTW For a short while I also needed to click...

- Navigraph Charts
- Navigraph Simlink

...which meant that Navigraph DOUBLED my amount of needed clicks! But to prevent my fingers from overstressing I decided to not use Charts and Simlink anymore. That's two clicks less. Yes, I am kidding, of course: I stopped using Charts and Simlinks for other reasons. After reading 10% of this topic I thought it would be a good idea to notify everyone here of remarks made in jest because a large amount of the Avsim population doesn't seem to be familiar with the concept of humor. Yes, that was another joke. (Or not.)

Anyway, although it's a shame MSFS isn't the sim to end all addons I couldn't care less because:

1. it's utterly and totally awesome

2. I don't need as much addons as I needed in other sims which looked awful without them.

EDIT
O, I forgot to mention the only addon plane I have installed but that's because I only need to run its installer whenever there is an update. I don't have to run that one everytime. I am talking about the magnificent FBW A320. But other than that... no more Orbx for me, no more REX, no more ASE... MSFS is the best AND cheapest sim ever.

Edited November 16, 20214 yr by tup61

There was plenty of discussion before the release of MSFS about no need for addons. I didn't read the first post in the thread as a dig at Microsoft or Asobo. Rather it was an acknowledgment that some users were wrong to assume the addon market would be dead.

A product as good as MSFS was always going to generate plenty of addons. In the short time it has been released, just look at the development pace of the sim itself and the addon market.

I personally think the OP was actually being enthusiastic about addons rather than digging at Microsoft.

Edited November 16, 20214 yr by w6kd
mod edit: quote from deleted post removed

1 hour ago, jbdbow1970 said:

I think the OP is taking this way too serious and expected too much from a vanilla piece of software of MSFS in a price range of 60 to 120 usd. I don't care what they (MS or Asobo) promised its not reality, you need 3pd to make a enjoyable sim experience. Thinking otherwise is being delusional. 

Did MS or Asobo promise the sim to end all sims (from an addon point of view), or was that an assumption from some people on forums after seeing the pre-release screenshots?  I think you maybe mis-understood the OPs reasons for the post.

Clearly MSFS was a giant leap in what a base simulator offered, but the scope of what can be included in a simulator from a single company will never be infinite. I believe the OP was referring to the pre-release enthusiasm from perspective customers, rather than a dig at MS/Asobo.

I can say, I am buying (and downloading) much more addons for MSFS than I did for any sim since 1990. The reason is simply, that I use MSFS much more than any of its predecessors and competitors.

Most of my addons are airports in regions where I happen to fly often, big hubs and GA airfields alike. With very few exceptions (like Bijan's stuff), I refrained so far from global/regional addons of the "Roads for the SE of the US", or "Night lighting for Northern Italy" type.

Kind regards, Michael

I think the main issue is us flight simmers want the best of the best all the time!

MSFS is pretty word not allowed good right out of the box but there are definitely areas that can be improved upon and a good market for add ons…
 

 If an add on brings more realism and features to MSFS there will always be a market!

2 hours ago, tup61 said:

However, because I use Simbrief I also felt the need to get Navigraph data so frequently I also have to click...

- Navdata Center
- FMS Data Manager

...so Navigraps adds 50% of clicks to my clicking list.

The FMS data only updates once a month.

Cheers!

Luke

Good God the first two pages were really hard to read with all those people "in their feelings". 

Luckily for me i came from FS9 so apart from fsuipc, roger wilco and the tons of addon airports(which were necessary at that time) i never felt the urge to have many addons as some do with for example p3d. With the vast improvement from the last time i was simming the default MSFS2020 scenery environment wise (with One or two exceptions like AI traffic) is good enough. Addon airliner aircraft and my actual PC is where i intend to put money in. After that i think i am set for the most part. So for me its kind of fitting the all encompassing bill.. but keep in mind my expectations are lower than say someone used to having their p3d/xplane11 systems with all the addons  which im sure cost hundreds if not thousands.. They will have different expectations and that's understandable.

Im also a stickler for clean systems. All those things that need to be started up before the main program would kinda irk me lol 😁

Edited November 16, 20214 yr by Maxis

1 hour ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

And this yes also. However according to some, this never happened and it’s all in my head. 

You're right, it definitely happened...but weren't you one of those people?

"It'll be so nice, we won't have to buy x y and z add-on"

1 hour ago, Maxis said:

Good God the first two pages were really hard to read with all those people "in their feelings". 

Luckily for me i came from FS9 so apart from fsuipc, roger wilco and the tons of addon airports(which were necessary at that time) i never felt the urge to have many addons as some do with for example p3d. With the vast improvement from the last time i was simming the default MSFS2020 scenery environment wise (with One or two exceptions like AI traffic) is good enough. Addon airliner aircraft and my actual PC is where i intend to put money in. After that i think i am set for the most part. So for me its kind of fitting the all encompassing bill.. but keep in mind my expectations are lower than say someone used to having their p3d/xplane11 systems with all the addons  which im sure cost hundreds if not thousands.. They will have different expectations and that's understandable.

Im also a stickler for clean systems. All those things that need to be started up before the main program would kinda irk me lol 😁

Just FYI, I have over 800 add-ons, mostly freeware, only some of which are activated (using Addon Linker) for any particular session. None of them need to be "started up before MSFS starts." What most of my add-ons do is simply to supply more detail or precision to particular areas I may be flying in -- they are not "essential", they just add to the realism. No addiction here, just enjoyment.

Edited November 16, 20214 yr by cobalt

1 hour ago, Luke said:

The FMS data only updates once a month.

Cheers!

Luke

Yes - and no. I think we’re already on the 3rd revision of the current Navigraph AIRAC data.

25 minutes ago, cobalt said:

Just FYI, I have over 800 add-ons, mostly freeware, only some of which are activated (using Addon Linker) for any particular session. None of them need to be "started up before MSFS starts." What most of my add-ons do is simply to supply more detail or precision to particular areas I may be flying in -- they are not "essential", they just add to the realism. No addiction here, just enjoyment.

I think you misread my post.. Im aware scenery does not need to be started before the sim. For fs9 the addon airports i had purchased were essential .. With MSFS for me addon airports are more or less no longer essential as i am pretty much happy with things as they are scenery wise.

The items that you have to start up before the sim ? See NYXX's post above mine.. best illustrates my feelings on the issue... 

Glad you are enjoying the sim the way you want to though

Cheers

Edited November 16, 20214 yr by Maxis