Just seeing if anyone else goes through this phase.

Over the last two months I picked up like 5 new MSFS 2024 addons. Four last month, one this month. Looking at my actual time in the sim, I have maybe flown three full routes total with them.

Work and life get busy, but even when I do have free time, I rarely touch the new stuff. The addons are great, so quality is not the issue. It just seems like the excitement of buying them was greater than the urge to actually fly them.

I still use my core tools every session like Chaseplane and BATC, though I started using default traffic again recently because BATC only handles departure and arrival airports. But the new purchases just sit in the community folder. Recently, I rarely use GSX too since I am not always in the mood for procedural and rigid flights. Anyone else buy addons faster than you actually use them?

Been there, done that, but age, focus shift, etc, have changed it, and while I was never a "consumerist" I have now even more become rather parcimonious redarging spending money in new addons, particularly if I feel I won't get the time to properly use them...

I, for instance, would have rushed buying addons like the F70 / F100 from JustFlight, but I know i would be rather difficult for me to find the time to learn how to porperly use it...

With MSFS 2024 I am now going through a rather minimalist phase / approach: I am using as much as possible, default only, and that means for instance that even addons I used until now, like BATC, FSHUD, Real Turb, AS FS, aren't used and I rely only on default MSFS 2024 for their respective areas of simulation. Is defualt good enough for me? Yes and No, but I can live with it and actually appreciate some of the default characteristics of the platform, and I want to believe that not having these addons running will make more importante resources available for the sim...

The only ancillary addons I still use are one that makes tress appearence and another for airport signs, more realistic than default, just as I use similar addons for X-Plane 12.

The "optimal" for me would be a platform like Aerofly FS 4, which I also use, where pretty much every content is default and we do not have to bother buying more of this & that to complement the base install...

Edited 12 hours ago12 hr by jcomm

5 minutes ago, jcomm said:

I, for instance, would have rushed buying addons like the F70 / F100 from JustFlight, but I know i would be rather difficult for me to find the time to learn how to porperly use it...

I have this problem, although I couldn’t resist buying it day one, I’ve not really flown it. I think I’ll stick to GA with an easier learning curve.

I suffered for years with buying BMW motorcycles until I ran out of garage space and money , so at least this hobby is cheaper.

It's situation like this where I felt Claude kinda saved my interest.

Recently I learned of the BOAC Speedbird route map

I then asked Claude to build me a route starting from London and ending in Sydney using this route map. There was a few adjustments, for example Bowen is just a grass strip haha.

Anyway I used this route to fly the Fokker with (since there was a British Airways livery), it was an absolutely fantastic way to get familiar with the aircraft and essentially travel half the world and see so many new places. It took me 2 weeks doing about 1 flight a day but I did it and was extremely gratifying but I feel really familiar with the F100 now.

It might not be accurate but it seemed reasonably faithful and gave me a mission of sorts. Now I'm doing the same thing with TWA and the Maddog to finally take time and learn the marconi unit.

2 hours ago, jon b said:

I have this problem, although I couldn’t resist buying it day one, I’ve not really flown it. I think I’ll stick to GA with an easier learning curve.

I suffered for years with buying BMW motorcycles until I ran out of garage space and money , so at least this hobby is cheaper.

Just bought a R1300gs. I know this addiction, lol.....

Great topic!

I’ve literally been thinking deeply about this too.

Like my friend @jcomm , I’ve often pined for the minimalist approach - in simming and in life.

Perhaps inspired by @jcomm over the years where he’d gleefully uninstall things for a fresh start, I get an endorphin rush from doing this (or donating 50 lbs of unused books and clothing).

Even though I’m now retired, I find I don’t have endless time for simming. Because it’s 75F and sunny and as a Wisconsin resident one must not waste those days indoors. Or because one’s garden or learning to play guitar or pushups or toothbrushing steal the time. So, I find myself doing a flight from Seattle to Portland in a jet at 12,000 feet or a quick hop in the Comanche and then I’m done.

AND like others, I run multiple sims which all need care and feeding and the more goodies you have, even if freeware, the more time updating and less time flying. And on my 10900K 3060 rig at least, the more I add, the greater chance I have of immersion breaking stutters. I tend to binge then purge - install all my airports, launch the AI ships, etc. then encounter a few long frames or stutters and uninstall everything but liveries and planes!

My purchases for the past quarter -

DFFlyer Scenery for Milwaukee and Portland - worth it, no FPS impact detected.

Inibuilds L-1011 - Lovely plane I have some history with, very few flights in it so far

Upgraded PMDG 737-800 - very nice, can’t get reversers to toggle on landing so don’t fly it.

A2A Aerostar - a great plane, ugly but fast, using this for a multi-leg trip around my home state of Wisconsin

Contrail Falcon 50 - another excellent aircraft, have flown some 20 minute flights and love it

FlyJSim 737-200 (XP12) - awesome aircraft, fly it a lot

All purchased long ago, but I find myself flying my BAe-146s (both sims), Fokker F28, FSS 727-200, Comanche and (XP12) 757 and the most.

I’ve not mastered any of these. True confessions - I can’t start any of them from cold and dark. I’m 51 and have simmed since 1998 and no longer know how to fly an ILS approach!?

Like @jcomm , I’ve held off on the Fokker 100 for now. I’m closely following the Bluebird 757 and Blacksquare 114 and may “bite”. The Blacksquare Turbocommander I will need to buy, especially after seeing one in person at EAA Oshkosh this week. But I really need to learn and fly what I have. And keep telling myself to NOT do anything to cause stutters! “I think I’ll install all my Drzweicki Seattle airports today!” said and did a younger, sillier me - last week! UNINSTALLED!! :)

In any case, I enjoy discussing the philosophy of simming and hearing what other enthusiasts are doing as much as I do simming, so thanks to the original poster for a great topic!

2 hours ago, History said:

Just seeing if anyone else goes through this phase.

It just seems like the excitement of buying them was greater than the urge to actually fly them.

Ive bought stuff I new I would barely or ever fly them. Citation X / BlackSquare Duke / FSReborn among others

All great planes, just not my cup of tea. May fly them 3 times a year. (the Duke I flew twice.) And I new this when I bought them.

Latest one is the Commander coming out. There is no way I am not getting it.

Yet I already have the Bonanza, Baron, Commanche, Aerostar 600

Do I really need another Piston. NO. Will have actually fly it. Sure a little, till I get tired of how slow it really is.

I think the sim like most computer games just leave you wanting for some reason. Yet, I cant say I am ever bored.

3 hours ago, History said:

Over the last two months I picked up like 5 new MSFS 2024 addons. Four last month, one this month. Looking at my actual time in the sim, I have maybe flown three full routes total with them.

What were the addons? Sounds like aircraft - you can only fly one at a time so naturally you'll feel like you're not getting enough time in each. I got the Miltech Mission Hub+MH-60 combo on sale about a week before the new Taog Dolphin came out and bought that up too. Now I pretty much only fly the Dolphin and I do feel bad not using the MH-60 anymore, but its there, for when the new car scent wears off the Dolphin lol.

Theres other helo's I want to buy now that my hardware setup is all finished, but I'm showing great restraint to pace myself - the hobby is a marathon not a sprint. It helps to be an older gamer, I'm already used to waiting for a good year on new releases for the discounts and patches.

1 hour ago, dbw1 said:

Just bought a R1300gs. I know this addiction, lol.....

Brilliant, enjoy. I’ve been out on my R1300GSA this morning, it’s got 6000 miles on it now and the engine is starting to feel really smooth, they’re a bit clattery when new.

I have ONE favourite app I use all the time: FStarter24 v5.

It is not an airplane or scenery app but a utility app.

4 hours ago, History said:

It just seems like the excitement of buying them was greater than the urge to actually fly them.

replace fly with wear and it sounds like my wife with shoes and handbags. so this must be the equivalent.

anyway, I am down to occasional purchases for 2024 nowadays though often biting my tongue and heaving a hard time to hold back and not buy immediately. still happens for (bigger) airliners but for scenery I am down to max one per quarter. most recent was LGKR and now I am zipping in and out LGKR across Europe, usually into those airports I purchased too, like EGLL, EDLL, LEIB or just now EGNM

Agreed and it’s a sign of just how much great content is available for the sim. It’s especially prevalent right now during our relatively short summer where I just don’t want to be inside simming when it’s beautiful and sunny out.

Soon enough though the leaves and weather will turn and I’ll get into more flights with my backlog.

I’ve found Carenado has helped wean me off constantly buying expensive complex aircraft.

I recently bought the C172, 182RG, 210, and the Mentor in their sale. Simple to operate, look and fly great, and only £10-12 in the sale.

I’ve used and enjoyed them more than the expensive complicated stuff that at present I can’t be bothered to learn, I just want to get up flying.

I must say their classic 172 is particularly enjoyable and feels strangely at home drifting over the corn fields of Illinois.

This afternoon I’m tempted by the contrail FA50, but instead will probably get the Carenado DO228 for the reasons above, cheap and easy!

1 hour ago, Republic DC9 said:

I’m closely following the Bluebird 757

aarrgh, I may fall for that one... :-)

11 minutes ago, jon b said:

I’ve found Carenado has helped wean me off constantly buying expensive complex aircraft.

I recently bought the C172, 182RG, 210, and the Mentor in their sale. Simple to operate, look and fly great, and only £10-12 in the sale.!

If you’re into Carenados (and I am on occasion), their F33 Bonanza is marvelous and their free Dakota we all received is also one of my favorites.