I have some questions related to MSFS2020 vs MSFS2024.

 

1. Can both platforms (MSFS2020 / MSFS2024) be installed and used on the same PC and why should I keep MSFS2020 if I get MSFS2024?

2. When using MSFS2024, which MSFS2020 platform features/functions will I miss, if anything?

3. Can I use Free Flight in MSFS2024(pick an airplane, load simbrief data and fly the route to a destination) and what will I miss from MSFS2020?

4. If all MSFS2020 platform features/functions are ported over to MSFS2024 + MSFS2024 improvements, why do I still need MSFS2020?

5. Will new updates to MSFS over the next 4 years as announced also be added to MSFS2024?

 

1,2,3,4,5... Hard to tell as MSFS2024 hasn't been released yet. Everything out there now is marketing hype.

43 minutes ago, nas123 said:

1. Can both platforms (MSFS2020 / MSFS2024) be installed and used on the same PC and why should I keep MSFS2020 if I get MSFS2024?

It's two different software. 100% confident we'll be able to run both. This is on xbox and there has NEVER been a case where you can't run one game because of another game on the console.

 

46 minutes ago, nas123 said:

2. When using MSFS2024, which MSFS2020 platform features/functions will I miss, if anything?

Jorg said in a number of interviews, they are adding feature to 2024 not subtracting.

47 minutes ago, nas123 said:

3. Can I use Free Flight in MSFS2024(pick an airplane, load simbrief data and fly the route to a destination) and what will I miss from MSFS2020?

Yes. They are adding not subtracting.

 

48 minutes ago, nas123 said:

4. If all MSFS2020 platform features/functions are ported over to MSFS2024 + MSFS2024 improvements, why do I still need MSFS2020?

I think the only reason would be if 2024 if is not a smooth launch. Ex. Bugs or other issues. 

 

50 minutes ago, nas123 said:

5. Will new updates to MSFS over the next 4 years as announced also be added to MSFS2024?

My opinion is that updates to 2020 will be mainly stuff like world updates, city updates and stuff that can be easily backported from 2024. Once 2024 launches, it will be the primary focus.

I'm sure you will be able to use both 2020 and 2024 if you want to and have sufficient storage.  Personally, I will be backing up all my addons and deleting 2020 before I install 2024.

I would imagine you will be able to do anything you can in 2020 in 2024.

MS say that most 2020 addons will be usable in 2024.  Which ones won't work, we shall have to see and of course developers will need to update them to take advantage of 2024 features.

There will be updates to 2020 and 2024 and I'm guessing that most of them will be for both platforms for a few more years.

3 hours ago, nas123 said:

1. Can both platforms (MSFS2020 / MSFS2024) be installed and used on the same PC and why should I keep MSFS2020 if I get MSFS2024?

2. When using MSFS2024, which MSFS2020 platform features/functions will I miss, if anything?

3. Can I use Free Flight in MSFS2024(pick an airplane, load simbrief data and fly the route to a destination) and what will I miss from MSFS2020?

4. If all MSFS2020 platform features/functions are ported over to MSFS2024 + MSFS2024 improvements, why do I still need MSFS2020?

5. Will new updates to MSFS over the next 4 years as announced also be added to MSFS2024?

 

1. Yes.. as to keeping both that's up to you to decide (initial MSFS 2024 bugs, some add-ons not quite working in 2024 yet, etc might definitely make you keep MSFS 2020 around for a while)
3. Of course, it's a superset of functionality that's in MSFS 2020 (as usually with all sim evolutions)
4. You probably won't need/want MSFS 2020 if MSFS 2024 can do all it can and more

Good to keep an eye on the official FAQ, which MS/Asobo update frequently: https://www.flightsimulator.com/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-faq/
 

Edited July 17, 20241 yr by lwt1971

If it will be possible to have them both installed, I REALLY hope it's possible to have both use the same Community folder.

Plan to have both installed until a certain level of stability is established. My motherboard has three NVME slots so ill just get a 2TB nvme dedicated to MSFS 2024 and install to that one. When i notice i have not used msfs2020 in a few months ill just back up the files from its NVME and uninstall. 

I know for sure that I'm keeping both sims on my SSD. I am cheap, and so my hardware specs are not the best. But I do have a 4TB Nvme of a name brand and recommended on Tom's hardware, cost about $200. Their test results convinced me not to spend money for higher spec SSD drives unless I was doing something different from simming.

With a train sim and MSFS and addons the only drive on my system already contains 2.12 TB of data. And there's a great deal of other data I keep in the cloud (Pcloud).

Pcloud is pay once forever, not a subscription. They run phony sales almost all the time, but also real sales occasionally. Part of that Pcloud data is encrypted. If you mess up there is no way to get the encrypted parts of the data back. Even their own experts cannot break the encryption.

I am concerned the terms of the licence agreements might be broken by using the same addon in both sims.  We need to see how they will get around that.  Hopefully the companies involved will be sensible about it.

MS2020 runs quite well on my "older" PC.. and 2024 is an unknown in that regard.

"More grass, trees, and rocks" must come at some computing cost, and whether that would force me into a systems upgrade is a question in my mind..

SO, I would hesitate to delete 2020 before I am 100% sure that 2024 delivers a fluid experience..  😉

2 minutes ago, Bert Pieke said:

MS2020 runs quite well on my "older" PC.. and 2024 is an unknown in that regard.

"More grass, trees, and rocks" must come at some computing cost, and whether that would force me into a systems upgrade is a question in my mind..

SO, I would hesitate to delete 2020 before I am 100% sure that 2024 delivers a fluid experience..  😉

From what ASOBO have told us, the more advanced coding used by MSFS2024 will make it perform better than 2020 even on weaker systems, so I'm not expecting a performance hit from all of the new features at all.  The proof of the pudding will of course be in the eating though and no doubt the new sim will have a few bugs to iron out and I will not be installing it until I have seen a few reviews.

According to the information we have sofar:

1. Can both platforms (MSFS2020 / MSFS2024) be installed and used on the same PC and why should I keep MSFS2020 if I get MSFS2024?
Yes. They will be totally separated products.

2. When using MSFS2024, which MSFS2020 platform features/functions will I miss, if anything?
No. They are adding features. Everything included on 2020 will be there in 2024. Some special missions and vehicles might not get there (like Top Gun and Dune).

3. Can I use Free Flight in MSFS2024(pick an airplane, load simbrief data and fly the route to a destination) and what will I miss from MSFS2020?
Yes. You won't miss anything. Unless some of the missions I said above won't make it, and you really like them(because of IP licenses).

4. If all MSFS2020 platform features/functions are ported over to MSFS2024 + MSFS2024 improvements, why do I still need MSFS2020?
You don't. They are offering 4 more years of support/updates probably so we have a smooth transition.

5. Will new updates to MSFS over the next 4 years as announced also be added to MSFS2024?
Not much clear for now, but I believe it will be the other way around. Features will be implemented natively in 2024 and then ported (when possible) to 2020. Seasons is something they were assessing the possibility to port to 2020 and it is native of 2024.

2 hours ago, somiller said:

I REALLY hope it's possible to have both use the same Community folder.

I doubt they will, because wouldn't there be conflicts with addons that use 2024 only features?

5 minutes ago, Tuskin38 said:

I doubt they will, because wouldn't there be conflicts with addons that use 2024 only features?

Yeah, it won't happen. But people can always use symlinks. We can just link the add-ons that work for both.

Edited July 17, 20241 yr by ca_metal

My question would be......will MSFS 2024 be playable in DX11 mode?