I've finally uninstalled everything to do with P3D and going all in on MSFS (don't have time to manage 2 sims). Will install it tomorrow likely. Plan on buying via Steam as the evidence shows that is the most trouble-free way of going vs. the MS Store. Having said that, I hope some will indulge some questions I have to help point me in the right direction. 

1. Rolling cache - on or off? What is the best setting? If needed, I have a 9900k, 3090 gpu and 64GB of physical ram. 

2. Shader tool recommended, or no? From reading, I see most use GeForce Experience or ReShade. I'm thinking of just going with GeForce Exp. as it is already on my computer if one is needed.

3. Other than Lorby AOL for putting scenery on a different SSD and AAO which I plan on getting so I can run all my controls through along with Streamdeck and Guenseli's profiles, is there any other must have add-on's that I should use? 

4. I forever have flown big iron. With this sim, I plan on a RTW flight with a GA starting at my homebase here in Florida. I've read that the Milviz C310 and the FSW C414 are top notch. Are there any others out there that I should consider? I want glass and not steam for gauges. I plan on just picking one and spending about 2 or 3 months seeing the world with it. 

5. Lastly, any other tips or tricks for MSFS that you have said to yourself, "I wish I knew about this a long time ago" as far as sim quirks / workarounds?

Thank you all for any input you might give, appreciate it. 

1. Rolling cache off for me.  I fly all over the place.  Never really saw it's value.  

2. I don't use any

3.  Recommend Add on linker from flightsim.to.  It's super easy and can put your scenery on another drive.  For controls I use spad.  I have never used AAO. 

4.  will let others answer as I'm still big metal in MSFS

5. Watch some tutorials on how to use the camera system on youtube.  It is lacking compared to chase plane, but it can be functional with saved view commands.  Will once again state Addon Linker.  Really simplifies things if you need to do a reinstall.  In the MSFS controls create a profile for each airplane (And each hardware device).  

My must-have add-ons are: FSRealistic, TDS GTN, FS ATC Chatter, SLC, A Pilot's Life and PSXT + AIG + RealTraffic.

Welcome! 🙂

Edited October 14, 20223 yr by GCBraun

21 minutes ago, B777ER said:

4. I forever have flown big iron. With this sim, I plan on a RTW flight with a GA starting at my homebase here in Florida. I've read that the Milviz C310 and the FSW C414 are top notch. Are there any others out there that I should consider? I want glass and not steam for gauges. I plan on just picking one and spending about 2 or 3 months seeing the world with it. 

For the record I own and fly all the PMDG Boeing offerings for MSFS and the excellent Fenix A320 but to answer your GA question I have both the planes you mention and greatly prefer the C414 Chancellor. That said my new and absolutely favorite GA aircraft (for now) is the Black Square KingAir Analog Steam Gauge from Just Flight. That would be a day one purchase if I were you. 
 

EDIT:  and I concur with and give a Thumbs Up CGBrauns recommendation of the TDS GTN750. Top Shelf.

-Braun
 

-B 

Edited October 14, 20223 yr by btacon

FS realistic,  I love the C 310  by Milviz ( I think it is blackhawk now) I don't use rolling cache since I fly different places every day, I don't have many add ons so don't use the linker. For Tubeliners, the Fenix A 320 is great. I like the PMS GTN 750, and there is a free version to try it out. 

Edited October 14, 20223 yr by Bobsk8

32 minutes ago, B777ER said:

I Plan on buying via Steam as the evidence shows that is the most trouble-free way of going vs. the MS Store.

FWIW, never had any issues what so ever with MS Store. 

Does anyone think the SWS Kodiak 100 worth the buy or the Carenado PC-12? 

1 minute ago, B777ER said:

Does anyone think the SWS Kodiak 100 worth the buy or the Carenado PC-12? 

I have the Kodiak but not the PC-12 so can't compare. Based on my experience with other Carenado Aircraft I think the Kodiak has more system depth an since you mention you want a full glass cockpit the Kodiak is quite good. No one has mentioned the Milviz Porter yet but it is quite good and has glass all over it. For a RTW trip the range of ~800nm might be a little low unless you plan to cross the Atlantic via Greenland.

2 minutes ago, orchestra_nl said:

I have the Kodiak but not the PC-12 so can't compare. Based on my experience with other Carenado Aircraft I think the Kodiak has more system depth an since you mention you want a full glass cockpit the Kodiak is quite good. No one has mentioned the Milviz Porter yet but it is quite good and has glass all over it. For a RTW trip the range of ~800nm might be a little low unless you plan to cross the Atlantic via Greenland.

Looking at the Kodiak, seems very versatile and has some range on it. Would be interested if anyone has it and the PC-12 to compare them. The PC-12 has the TDS GTN so that is good enough for me if it is overall a better simulation than the Kodiak. 

Welcome Eric, you reminded me of the time a year or so ago that I made the same decision, just too much work keeping up with two simulators.

Rolling Cache is mainly helpful if you are flying a lot in one area, as it saves some loading time. 

I do not use a shader tool as I find the sim more than acceptable, but this of course is pretty subjective. I suggest you fly for a while in different conditions and then decide if this is a route you want to go.

I have both the 310 and 414 and both are excellent aircraft with solid and high-fidelity flight models. The 310 has a much more complete failure module and modeled circuit breakers in case that is important to you. The developers are working to bring something similar to the 414 but it is not here yet. That said, while I have and fly them both, I spend a lot more time in the 414 because of its capabilities -- turbocharged, pressurized and a good deal faster than the 310. Really, I would recommend both. The Kodiak is also an excellently modeled aircraft, solid flight model, some failures and working circuit breakers. It depends a little on how you see yourself flying. The Kodiak is fully glass panel with the excellent G1000Nxi developed by Working Title. I do not have the PC12, but its reviews were not so positive on release.

Edited October 14, 20223 yr by Cognita

2 minutes ago, Cognita said:

Welcome Eric, you reminded me of the time a year or so ago that I made the same decision, just too much work keeping up with two simulators.

Rolling Cache is mainly helpful if you are flying a lot in one area, as it saves some loading time. 

I do not use a shader tool as I find the sim more than acceptable, but this of course is pretty subjective. I suggest you fly for a while in different conditions and then decide of this is a route you want to go.

I have both the 310 and 414 and both are excellent aircraft which solid and high-fidelity flight models. The 310 has a much more complete failure module and modeled circuit breakers in case that is important to you. The developers are working to bring something similar to the 414 but it is not here yet. That said, while I have and fly them both, I spend a lot more time in the 414 because of its capabilities -- turbocharged, pressurized and a good deal faster than the 310. Really, I would recommend both. The Kodiak is also an excellently modeled aircraft, solid flight model, some failures and working circuit breakers. It depends a little on how you see yourself flying. The Kodiak is fully glass panel with the excellent G1000Nxi developed by Working Title. I do not have the PC12, but its reviews were not so positive on release.

Thank you for the feedback. I have just been perusing the websites of all the aforementioned aircraft and I am heavily leaning on the Kodiak. SWS seems to have a solid reputation for quality in the MSFS userbase. It's a turboprop which is better IMO than a twin piston. Think I may have found my RTW aircraft!

45 minutes ago, B777ER said:

I've finally uninstalled everything to do with P3D and going all in on MSFS (don't have time to manage 2 sims). Will install it tomorrow likely. Plan on buying via Steam as the evidence shows that is the most trouble-free way of going vs. the MS Store. Having said that, I hope some will indulge some questions I have to help point me in the right direction. 

1. Rolling cache - on or off? What is the best setting? If needed, I have a 9900k, 3090 gpu and 64GB of physical ram. 

Rolling cache helps when you fly frequently around the same area.

In a world tour, it would be useless 😉 Also, you need to delete it after each update of the sim, because the stored sceneries might not be in a fully compatible format anymore.

45 minutes ago, B777ER said:

2. Shader tool recommended, or no? From reading, I see most use GeForce Experience or ReShade. I'm thinking of just going with GeForce Exp. as it is already on my computer if one is needed.

Not using any. However, I have activated the "blue light eye-protection" option on my monitor, which gives me slightly warmer colors, and I love that.

45 minutes ago, B777ER said:

3. Other than Lorby AOL for putting scenery on a different SSD and AAO which I plan on getting so I can run all my controls through along with Streamdeck and Guenseli's profiles, is there any other must have add-on's that I should use? 

I don't know about these programs/modules, but If I'm not mistaken, if you get MSFS by Steam, then you can freely choose the location of your Addon folder ( "Community" ) upon install of the sim.

45 minutes ago, B777ER said:

4. I forever have flown big iron. With this sim, I plan on a RTW flight with a GA starting at my homebase here in Florida. I've read that the Milviz C310 and the FSW C414 are top notch. Are there any others out there that I should consider? I want glass and not steam for gauges. I plan on just picking one and spending about 2 or 3 months seeing the world with it. 

These two are top-notch indeed. In addition, you might want to investigate a bit about the freeware mods that exist for some of the default planes. For example, the default TBM with its enhancement mod might be worth a try, so see if you like it 🙂

45 minutes ago, B777ER said:

5. Lastly, any other tips or tricks for MSFS that you have said to yourself, "I wish I knew about this a long time ago" as far as sim quirks / workarounds?

Thank you all for any input you might give, appreciate it. 

In Steam, you can specify a launch option "-FastLaunch" to skip the intro videos and speedup a bit your loading time.

The rest of the important tips are, for me, purely from general purpose: before launching the sim, I always perform these three operaitons:

1- launch the MS Store and check/force the discovery and download of any updates for your programs

2- ensure the XBox application is launched (X icon near the clock in the taskbar). Window can be closed, the application remains in the background.

3- trigger a synchonization of the clock in Windows.

Then I launch the sim.

21 minutes ago, B777ER said:

Does anyone think the SWS Kodiak 100 worth the buy or the Carenado PC-12? 

In general, the Carenado aircraft are quite low/average realism level, and some of them (especially the PC12) are also full of problems, according to the user feedbacks.

On the opposite, SWS has quite a good fame, both for realism and support.

Agree on @Cognita's excellent take on the C310, C414 and Kodiak! The only other interesting (to me) GA aircraft I'd add to that list is the Sting S4 which is well modeled aerodynamics wise. Of course once A2A releases the Piper Comanche that might take the top spot in the GA category. I believe all four of the C310, C414, Kodiak and S4 use the new propeller physics that came out in SU8. The S4 also uses the CFD capabilities since SU9 (also see https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/new-propeller-cfd-soft-body-simulation-airplane-list/504719)

Edited October 14, 20223 yr by lwt1971

 

Just now, B777ER said:

Thank you for the feedback. I have just been perusing the websites of all the aforementioned aircraft and I am heavily leaning on the Kodiak. SWS seems to have a solid reputation for quality in the MSFS userbase. It's a turboprop which is better IMO than a twin piston. Think I may have found my RTW aircraft!

I've flown the Kodiak quite a lot and if you prefer Glass cockpit, the G1000NXi is better than the GTN which still relies on other instruments for engine etc.
And the simulated passengers in the Kodiak are a nice bonus as well.