So much misinformation and all to answer someone who does not have either version of MSFS.

2 hours ago, Antipodeslonghaul said:

The biggest thing I can't quite get used to in MSFS is the pausing and saving. It's maybe just a small niche, but people who do a takeoff, say for a ten hour flight, and then get a call from their uncle who needs help with fallen branches in his yard, and afterwards have to cook dinner for the family, and no idea when they'll be able to get some quiet time back at the computer, seem to sort of have to give up on focusing on their calculated flight time. 

Active Pause......the most pointless invention since the square wheel.

1 hour ago, Reader said:

So much misinformation and all to answer someone who does not have either version of MSFS.

I was trying to be helpful to the originator. What I own or don’t own is irrelevant.

Indeed, it is.
However, your questions, such as

"Some people have reported they’ve lost their settings after an update. Is it possible to save them locally and copy them back should things get reset?"

"That’s assuming the user can remember what they were. Screenshotting is probably required. Not ideal. Why can’t Microsoft save the user preferences and restore them? Hardly difficult."

are eliciting answers for you, which are indeed irrelevant to you and in some cases not necessarily accurate.

Since you ask though, Controls settings, which are the hardest to restore, can be stored in a user profile which is then given a
name by the MSFS user and saved to the MSFS cloud.
If the user does not make their own profile, MSFS can indeed revert to default when updated, exactly like P3D does if you allow the 
Controls\Standard.xml file to be deleted without making a backup.
In the case of MSFS, if a profile has been made, simply selecting and appying it in the game will restore all the chosen settings,
just as pasting the backup over the default Controls\Standard.xml does for P3D.
In both cases, it's not really so much a fault of the simulator, as a failure to understand how it works by the user.

Although there are many of us who shamefully do not read them, a comprehensive user guide for MSFS would be a very useful tool, where we could all find this information in the same place, instead of having to hunt for it all over the internet.

 

Edited February 12, 20251 yr by Reader

4 hours ago, GCBraun said:

I don’t even recall ever losing my settings, but if it did happen, restoring them to ultra would be a simple fix.

Same same, 5000+ hours, 4+ years, zero overwritten controller settings and a couple of Assistance settings changed once or twice.  As for graphics etc:  zero issue period it's so simple to reset up even if you ever needed to.

5 minutes ago, Noel said:

Same same, 5000+ hours, 4+ years, zero overwritten controller settings and a couple of Assistance settings changed once or twice.  As for graphics etc:  zero issue period it's so simple to reset up even if you ever needed to.

Same.  I set my graphics when I installed it years ago, haven't touched them since.  

Controllers I set up for a specific aircraft, but I think that's reasonably normal.  

On 2/10/2025 at 8:01 AM, abrams_tank said:

 like a day and night experience between a medium or high spec PC and XBox.  Right now, it seems like XBox is getting the shaft.  Looks like the MSFS team have two different coding paths now and they are allowing MSFS 2024 to flourish with powerful PCs.

R u sure about that...?

Xbox hardware is currently 4+ years old.

And even when new, Xbox X was still a "75%" build spec.

And as such, it's due for a refresh.

I doubt Asobo are forking code due to the substantially increased costs that would entail, but I do stand to be corrected if anyone can cite any sources...?

On 2/12/2025 at 4:51 AM, Reader said:

So much misinformation and all to answer someone who does not have either version of MSFS.

I have MSFS2020 installed and have opened it up to fly a few times. That’s why I’m asking the question. 

On 2/12/2025 at 6:02 AM, Ray Proudfoot said:

I was trying to be helpful to the originator. What I own or don’t own is irrelevant.

You’ve been very helpful, and so have many others in this topic. The off topic responses have provided greater insights to things I haven’t yet thought about in regards to “living” with MSFS. It sets my expectations accordingly, so I really do appreciate how much discussion my humble rant sparked. I’d like the discussion to continue so that it helps others going forward, because not all Google searches are answered directly to someone outright asking it. That’s how I’ve found many answers to my questions on flying, auto mechanics, cooking, and many more things. I welcome any and all thoughts, as I’ve said before! 

7 hours ago, UrgentSiesta said:

R u sure about that...?

Xbox hardware is currently 4+ years old.

And even when new, Xbox X was still a "75%" build spec.

And as such, it's due for a refresh.

I doubt Asobo are forking code due to the substantially increased costs that would entail, but I do stand to be corrected if anyone can cite any sources...?

So first of all, when you say "fork," I am assuming you mean that there is different code for XBox and different code for PC.  That's not to say all of MSFS is using different code for XBox and different code for PC.  Obviously, most of MSFS is using shared code between XBox and PC.  Now I don't recall the MSFS team formally saying they have a separate coding path for XBox and PC.  But then you read their fixes and they have fixes specifically listed for XBox in their patch notes:

Quote

Fixed a crash on Xbox that would occur when accessing areas close to the antemeridian, such as Savusavu Airport (NFNS), for example

So specific XBox fixes in the patch notes tells me they have different code for XBox and PC.

Furthermore, it's reported by XBox users that in the settings menu of MSFS 2024 on XBox that certain things locked out or greyed out, meaning XBox users don't have full control of their settings. Conversely, everything on PC is adjustable in the settings menu.

But lastly, XBox uses unified RAM which can be used both as VRAM and RAM: https://www.reddit.com/r/XboxSeriesX/comments/gletqp/comment/fqwwjbj/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button.  The MSFS team are likely taking advantage of being able to use XBox RAM as VRAM, so I would guess they have different code for XBox and PC.

As a software developer myself, if the MSFS team were using different coding techniques and different coding paths for XBox vs PC, it explains why XBox users are suffering from so many CTDs in Free Flight, while Free Flight on PC is way more stable.  The MSFS team are probably trying to get around the XBox RAM limitations but their code isn't bullet proof yet, which explains the frequent CTD of MSFS 2024 on XBox.  Conversely, Free Flight for MSFS 2024 on PC is pretty stable if you have medium spec PC or above (provided you are using compatible add-ons, and your PC doesn't have faulty hardware).

Edited February 14, 20251 yr by abrams_tank

On 2/10/2025 at 1:39 AM, Amrick615 said:

Does anyone here resonate with what I am saying? What was the switch like for you all? I think I speak for a lot of us when I say we put a good amount of money into the prior generations of flight sims, so switching is easier said than done. 

Nope, doesn't resonate with me at all. To the contrary. Moving from P3D to MSFS 2020 was an eye-opening experience, because I realized how FSX and P3D were basically platforms for many developers to dig deep holes into my (financial) pockets. 

Remember: there was a company who charged you for rain drops. If you wanted synthetic vision in your aircraft - you had to pay for it. You want better clouds and weather - sure, enter your credit card details here. P3D out of the box looks like word not allowed? We will gladly sell you visual upgrades for many, many $$$$. And on it went. 

MSFS 2020 did away with all of that. 

After installing MSFS 2020, my add-on spending decreased by at least 90%.

I don't see myself changing my spending pattern with MSFS 2024

Cancelled my Navigraph subscription. 

I'd even go one step further: given the value that MSFS 2020/24 provide, I'd say that both sims actually put money back into your pockets!

So, switching was/is a no-brainer for me. 

On 2/10/2025 at 12:39 AM, Amrick615 said:

Does anyone here resonate with what I am saying? What was the switch like for you all? I think I speak for a lot of us when I say we put a good amount of money into the prior generations of flight sims, so switching is easier said than done. I do recognize that MSFS is meant to be cheaper overall given the amount of freeware and stunning sceneries. 

No.

Arguably, there is no need for a switch, or to sacrifice anything that you spent your money 
on for other flight simulators.
If making a switch is so painful, just don't do it.
Keep them both.

1 hour ago, Ricardo41 said:

I'd even go one step further: given the value that MSFS 2020/24 provide, I'd say that both sims actually put money back into your pockets!

So, switching was/is a no-brainer for me. 

Absolutely agree!  Look at all the free content we got in MSFS 2020, and that free content is continuing in MSFS 2024.  After the release of MSFS 2020, we continued to get free planes: iniBuilds A320, iniBuilds A310, all the free planes in the 40th anniversary edition, etc.  Then we got so many free World Updates!  Those free planes and free World Updates would normally cost money as separate add-ons.

It really feels like they put some money back into our pockets.

The best part for me is that I bought the Premium Deluxe version of MSFS 2020.  So I was wondering if I bought the Standard Version of MSFS 2024, whether the Premium Deluxe planes from MSFS 2020 would carry over to MSFS 2024.  And the answer is yes!  All my Premium Deluxe planes from MSFS 2020 carried over to MSFS 2024, for free. I paid $60 USD for the Standard Version of MSFS 2024 this time (instead of buying the Premium Deluxe version of MSFS 2024), and I got all my Premium Deluxe planes from MSFS 2020!

What a deal, $60 USD for MSFS 2024, plus I get to use all the Premium Deluxe planes that I paid for from MSFS 2020. It really feels like they put money back into my pocket 🤣

Edited February 14, 20251 yr by abrams_tank

1 hour ago, abrams_tank said:

Absolutely agree!  Look at all the free content we got in MSFS 2020, and that free content is continuing in MSFS 2024.  After the release of MSFS 2020, we continued to get free planes: iniBuilds A320, iniBuilds A310, all the free planes in the 40th anniversary edition, etc.  Then we got so many free World Updates!  Those free planes and free World Updates would normally cost money as separate add-ons.

It really feels like they put some money back into our pockets.

The best part for me is that I bought the Premium Deluxe version of MSFS 2020.  So I was wondering if I bought the Standard Version of MSFS 2024, whether the Premium Deluxe planes from MSFS 2020 would carry over to MSFS 2024.  And the answer is yes!  All my Premium Deluxe planes from MSFS 2020 carried over to MSFS 2024, for free. I paid $60 USD for the Standard Version of MSFS 2024 this time (instead of buying the Premium Deluxe version of MSFS 2024), and I got all my Premium Deluxe planes from MSFS 2020!

What a deal, $60 USD for MSFS 2024, plus I get to use all the Premium Deluxe planes that I paid for from MSFS 2020. It really feels like they put money back into my pocket 🤣

Considering the title of this thread I don't see the word 'p3d' in any shape or form mentioned in your typically very long and detailed sales pitch. To call you biased would be an understatement. If you walked into a car dealership and asked the salesman why the 2024 model is different to your 2018 model you'd get a one sided sales pitch too. 

But AVSIM is not supposed to be an auto dealership full of characters like that unpopular figure, the car salesman. 

 

Edited February 14, 20251 yr by sloppysmusic
Terrible autocorrect..

27 minutes ago, sloppysmusic said:

Considering the title of this thread I don't see the word 'p3d' in any shape or form mentioned in your typically very long and detailed sales pitch. To call you biased would be an understatement. If you walked into a car dealership and asked the salesman why the 2024 model is different to your 2018 model you'd get a one sided sales pitch too. 

But AVSIM is not supposed to be an auto dealership full of characters like that unpopular figure, the car salesman. 

 

This is rich coming from you, given that you were praising flying_carpet's thread because it was showing negative aspects of MSFS 2024, until Matt Nischan from Working Title verified that the whole thread was misinformation and had to correct flying_carpet. Look at your comment which helped to spread the misinformation from flying_carpet:

Quote

If only all these pesky game reviewers would stop mentioning bugs as a negative factor in game reviews. They're only bugs after all! They are not even part of how the game is supposed to work. I think grandma used to say if you can't say anything nice about a sim then don't say anything at all?

This thread is basically a rebuttal to a similarly named thread with the opposite opinion. It has a right to exist just as much as the other one, but as I do not own the sim I do not have the right to criticise the physics simulation personally. 

Here is Matt Nischan correcting flying_carpet and showing that the whole thread that flying_carpet created was nothing more than misinformation:

Quote

This is not an issue at the simulator level, at all, as the videos showing aircraft actually blowing away show.

Pre-MSFS sims (FSX, FS9, etc) had a hardcoded function where crosswind speed effect on the airplane was reduced to 0 based on altitude and/or groundspeed. This was carried over into MSFS 2020 to maintain backwards compatibility. However, for about a year and a half (or could be more) the crosswind reduction effect can be reduced or disabled completely in the flight_model.cfg file, under the [FLIGHT_TUNING] section.

In addition to those specific parameters, there are also new ground handling parameters to further allow a totally new ground handling model to be used which utilize a much more complex model of dynamic friction of the tire surface. These parameters, like many of the new parameters, are opt-in. If you do not add these parameters, you will not get the new behavior.

It is up to aircraft developers to add and tune these parameters if they want to enable their aircraft blowing across the airport in incredibly unrealistic and absurd wind scenarios that would result in closed airports. The sim will happily simulate such conditions, though.

I wasn't going to comment on you falling for misinformation, and even helping flying_carpet to spread that misinformation. That's how biased you are, you are helping flying_carpet to spread misinformation in that thread, as long as it deliberately shows a negative aspect about MSFS 2024. But you constantly attack me over and over again so the gloves are off. 

Finally, you say P3D is your primary flight simulator, and MSFS 2020 is your secondary flight simulator, and you don't own MSFS 2024 yet, and yet you are constantly in a lot of MSFS 2024 threads here at Avsim. What is your agenda? Why are you constantly participating in so many MSFS 2024 threads, especially saying so many negative things about MSFS 2024?

Edited February 14, 20251 yr by abrams_tank