Hi All, I've been Simming since the Sub-logic days and flying years before that but I'm no Computer Whizz!  However, having had some much appreciated help previously in these Forums, I thought I'd impose upon your hospitality once more and ask for some advice please.

I've so far resisted buying into the New MSFS Sim. albeit I have read a fair amount about it and even bought the PC Pilot dedicated Magazine - it didn't help much I'm afraid!

I have P3D, FSX, Cliffs of Dover and several other Sims on my system but still mostly revert to FS9/2004 as my long term favourite. However, as with the other incarnations of earlier Sims, I'm drawn to the new program and wondered if some of you might be willing to pass on your thoughts and experiences?

I see there are 3 main choices at the outset as to how I buy the new Sim: Is it to be the Windows 10, Steam or this new 'Game Box'??!! ( I appreciate there are also 3 levels of program too but by default would normally opt for the 'Premier' or whatever level of program.)  If I opt to buy the Windows 10, is the Download reasonably painless through MicroSoft?  I'd be interested to hear your experiences please?

Then I'd appreciate your thoughts on the Download itself: In previous Sims. I keep the original DVD's in a safe place and then on my hard drives, any 'Update' programs where I can access them, when/if a new or re-install is necessary.  With the New Sim would the DVDs be worthwhile or are the Downloads a better bet? I appreciate the Downloads are huge, and then there are all the 'Updates' I've read about. Does one Download them and keep them as individual 'Updates' on a separate harddrive, similar to how I manage my previous Sims? ie. Keeping each 'Update' as I Download them should they be needed for re-installs should that be necessay? How do YOU manage your Original Downloads and the 'Updates' in this New Sim?

I'm sure there will be a host of other questions should I bite the bullet with this new Sim but for now would be most grateful for any advice or your observations.

 

Kind Regards,

Blue

 

 

 

I think your best bet is to try MSFS with the Gamepass for PC.

Updates are not kept as a file to be saved in an hard disk, and frankly i never had the need to do such a thing. You just run the game, it checks if there is an update and if there is the mandatory update phase starts. If you do decide to buy it after trying it, i would go for Steam since it's an estabilished and pretty bug free platform (unlike the Windows Store)

If you're going to do it, I would recommend the Steam version.

The DVD version of MSFS is intended for those without broadband connectivity, and includes only the (underwhelming) base autogen scenery.

Archiving the download is of limited utility, as the software is subject to frequent forced online upgrades, and restoring a saved copy would just result in the upgrades (some of which are massive in their own right) being reinstalled the first time it was subsequently run.  In the case of a drive failure or corruption, reinstalling via a fresh download is likely still the better option than trying to recover from an old archive copy.  The updates are not downloadable as discrete files in any event--they are streamed and installed by the software itself.

26 minutes ago, Bluescaster said:

I'm sure there will be a host of other questions should I bite the bullet with this new Sim but for now would be most grateful for any advice or your observations.

Might help if you take a bit of time and provide insight as to what you like most about FS9, FSX, and P3D, as well as your current system specs.  There are only a small handful of FS9 loyalists left so I am interested what influences that.

You might also profile for us the quality and speed of your internet connection.

Edited November 20, 20214 yr by fppilot

Indeed, what are your systems specs?

For MSFS you need 16 GB RAM and 6-8 GB VRAM, plus a 10 Mbps+ internet connection..

1 hour ago, Bluescaster said:

How do YOU manage your Original Downloads and the 'Updates' in this New Sim?

All that has changed... there is no "going back" to an earlier version.

The updates are mandatory.

Another two cents to add to the fountain...I've been totally stoked for over a year now with the Steam version. Like you I started in the early 80's with the original Sublogic Flight Sim.  So Steam isn't just for the young'uns.

Once you fly MSFS, you will never go back to anything else. 

Even though it's not a good moment for the sim, it's a generation younger than anything else on the market. So no doubt you will find it much more enjoyable than what you are playing now.

As for the platform, it depends on your current PC configuration. If you need a new GPU, they are still very expensive and short on the market and if your budget is tight you'd better get an XBox Series X.

Microsoft Game Pass allows you to try this and many other games for 1 $ the first month. If you like it you can buy it, preferably on Steam if you are on PC.

Edited November 21, 20214 yr by MrFuzzy

With regard to backups, keep in mind that in MSFS all addons are located outside of the sim so if you need to redownload from Microsoft it does not impact your addons....something very different from previous version of Microsoft Flight Simulator.  Personally I use the Microsoft Store, no issues at all....its a bit of a clumsy setup and perhaps Steam is better in that regard but really either is fine.

28 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

Once you fly MSFS, you will never go back to anything else. 

Well, now might not be the time unless your into IFR on days the real world METAR says it's sunny. I wouldn't recommend this incarnation to anyone until a fix is put out for the FSX like haze Asobo put in.  It totally destroys an otherwise amazing sim.  

15 hours ago, Bluescaster said:

Hi All, I've been Simming since the Sub-logic days and flying years before that but I'm no Computer Whizz!  However, having had some much appreciated help previously in these Forums, I thought I'd impose upon your hospitality once more and ask for some advice please.

I'm sure there will be a host of other questions should I bite the bullet with this new Sim but for now would be most grateful for any advice or your observations.

Kind Regards,

Blue

Stay away until the haze effect is fixed.  

Edited November 21, 20214 yr by Dillon

23 minutes ago, Dillon said:

Well, now might not be the time unless your into IFR on days the real world METAR says it's sunny. I wouldn't recommend this incarnation to anyone until a fix is put out for the FSX like haze Asobo put in.  It totally destroys an otherwise amazing sim.  

The haze doesn't seem to be in Europe, just the US.  I just flew out of Rotterdam and no haze at all. 

16 hours ago, w6kd said:

If you're going to do it, I would recommend the Steam version.

 

Why? I'm a heavy steam user and bought the MSFS version through the Microsoft store. Never had an issue. (in addition, I have dozens of other games I bought through the Microsoft store. Never had an issue with those either)

1 hour ago, MrFuzzy said:

Even though it's not a good moment for the sim

Huh?