FSX Steam

Hi.

 

I'd be grateful if someone would tell me, in a few words, why FSX is different from FSX Steam. What are the advantages with Steam over FSX and what are the disadvantages.

 

I have a Steam account and I'm still trying to work out just what it is. I have TS2015 train simulator and quite frankly I find it's connection with steam to be extremely confusing. To me, nothing appears logical and although their email help is excellent I find that other functions such as chat, etc., difficult to navigate.

Hi.

 

I'd be grateful if someone would tell me, in a few words, why FSX is different from FSX Steam. What are the advantages with Steam over FSX and what are the disadvantages.

 

I have a Steam account and I'm still trying to work out just what it is. I have TS2015 train simulator and quite frankly I find it's connection with steam to be extremely confusing. To me, nothing appears logical and although their email help is excellent I find that other functions such as chat, etc., difficult to navigate.

 

I remember someone told me here in the forum that steam is not a big deal

from what i understand they brought back multiplayer

eventually some new missions or aircraft, frankly it doesnt attract me much.

I have the FSX CD's but i read some simmers are trying to find it on the net and it became very expensive to buy the originals.

So steam, in that case, would be the best alternative.

if you are very lucky, you can find a copy of fsx gold in some near store at about 30e

but amazone or ebay are selling them for insane 150 and even more..

 

without going too far hijacking this thread with a different issue

do you know a lot about train simulation ?

what would be the best train simulator i can buy

something big, almost world wide train simulator.

you can reply back to me with a personal message.

thanks for your answer :)

Its on sale for 5 bucks. Why not try it. You can always delet it and leave it on the Steam servers.

Its on sale for 5 bucks. Why not try it. You can always delet it and leave it on the Steam servers.

 

Agreed. I bought SE last night. How could you not for that price?

 

I used it for a couple hours last night and worked well for me. If it doesn't suit your needs or you just prefer to have the disks, then you can find lots on the boards. Good luck!

Hi.

 

I'd be grateful if someone would tell me, in a few words, why FSX is different from FSX Steam. What are the advantages with Steam over FSX and what are the disadvantages.

 

I have a Steam account and I'm still trying to work out just what it is. I have TS2015 train simulator and quite frankly I find it's connection with steam to be extremely confusing. To me, nothing appears logical and although their email help is excellent I find that other functions such as chat, etc., difficult to navigate.

 

Steam is an online software store and platform for multiplayer gaming, basically a digital version of EB Games and the like. Dovetail Games acquired the rights last year to distribute FSX online, and chose to do so through Steam. As part of the deal with Microsoft they were allowed to make code changes necessary to FSX with the Steam service, and some fixes for running on current versions of Windows. You don't need to use any of the additional features Steam provides if you don't want to.

 

The advantages for the Steam Edition are better address space management which helps prevent OOM errors, fixes for current versions of Windows and minor performance improvements in some cases. On the downside, if Steam goes bust, you could lose all access to the games in your Steam account (although if Microsoft shuts down their activation servers, the boxed edition couldn't be activated either). Up until now you also had to have an Internet connection to run the Steam edition, but they have been working to fix this so you can run the sim in Steam's offline mode. Some add-ons also don't work with the Steam Edition, but many developers are providing updates to fix this.

Its on sale for 5 bucks. Why not try it. You can always delet it and leave it on the Steam servers.

 

Agreed. I bought SE last night. How could you not for that price?

 

I used it for a couple hours last night and worked well for me. If it doesn't suit your needs or you just prefer to have the disks, then you can find lots on the boards. Good luck!

Multiplayer is built in in steam (like gamespy was), but there are plenty multiplayer servers available already for the disk version. Like vatsim, fsopen, fshost, etc.

Some report performance gain, some performance loss. Nothing definitive.

Only small fixes, e.g. uiautomationcore file is already included.

Not worth it in my opinion.

It's fsx gold, but with an incomplete sdk.

MS has stated missing sdk parts will not be included in future. MS also stated improvements to fsx itself are not allowed.

They are only allowed to repair errors in making the program run on the steam platform itself.

Many payware installers can't find the steam folder's and won't install. Some may be fixed, some never will be.

If you have addons on discs, you will probably have to buy new copies that work with steam.

(I say disks,but steam is intended to be for download content only. Where you can buy everything through steam.)

 

I have the disk gold version, working well, lots of addons installed. No way I'll switch over and start setting up everything again. Better things to do.

Purchased FSX Steam several months ago (at full price). I have an older PC but FSX runs fair to good - very little stutter.

 

I decided to try Steam because my Internet forays into buying a boxed FSX Gold w/Accel. left me wary what with current exorbitant prices & no real guarentee of getting CD's without defects...

 

But hope to get a new PC rig soon.

The issues with installers is generally in the case where a user has both the box and Steam editions installed. In this case the Steam version creates its own specific registry entry. However, if the user only has the Steam edition installed, it will create the same registry key that the box edition would have.

 

The missing SDK files can be found elsewhere if the user so desires.

 

As for unsubstantiated improvements in VAS and performance, check out the comments by Pete Dowson, the FSUIPC developer, on Avsim. Certainly the improvements may not be worth switching if one currently has FSX set up and running the way they like, but for a new user, I think the Steam Edition is worth a serious look. It's also worth a look for those that are having issues with OOM errors.

Thank you for the replies. From what I've read here I think I'll stick with my FSX Delux.

 

Thanks again, guys.

This has been discussed in these forums, several threads. FSX-Steam is the better choice IMHO, if for no other reason than that FSX:SE is being actively supported and developed/improved, which is not the case with the original editions- any/all of them.

 

See this thread among others for a discussion on advantages/disadvantages of FSX:SE.

Unfortunately, Steam (dovetail games) has a licence to distribute the existing fsx, through steam. But it does not include making product improvements.

They did mention developing a lot in their initial ads, but that was about another game, due to come out in 2015. Not much known about that but could well be based on "Microsoft Flight" (A very different game from FSX).

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/446086-dovetail-games-buys-licensing-deal-with-microsoft/

if Steam goes bust, you could lose all access to the games in your Steam account.

 

You know, that's something I hadn't considered... I have 7 Steam-dependent "games" (that's in quotes because I don't consider FSX a "game" per se). All of them are playable in "offline" mode without requiring a log-in to Steam, but I don't know if I could even get access to "offline mode" if Steam disappeared... the Steam client is locally installed, but it does try to log into Steam every time I launch it. Although this has never failed in the ~2-3 years I've been using Steam, I may have to unplug my Ethernet cable and try it to see what happens. :confused:

 

Up until now you also had to have an Internet connection to run the Steam edition, but they have been working to fix this so you can run the sim in Steam's offline mode.

 

The last Steam-provided update to FSX:SE provided offline functionality, so it's reality now, not just "being worked on."

 

I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium x64 with an i5-3570 quad-core cpu, 8GB of system RAM and a GEForce GTX970 with 4GB of VRAM, so it's not a "bleeding edge" setup. I had both FSX Deluxe SP2 and FSX:SE running side-by-side for a couple of weeks. Functionally, the only difference I found (other than the F/A-18 and Agusta helicopter which the Deluxe boxed set without Acceleration didn't have) was that the Steam edition ran a little smoother, around 10 FPS higher before I locked it down to 60 FPS to make FRAPS happy, and the Steam Edition allowed me to go all the way to "Uber-Ultra" graphics (Ultra setting then moving the non-maxed sliders to the right) even with addon scenery installed. I used to get one or two OOMs a night on Ultra settings with the boxed set, but I've never gotten any with the Steam version even though I'm running higher graphics settings. I do not use *any* cfg tweaks.

 

I have since "started over," installing Windows on an SSD and all my "games" on a dedicated gaming SSD. I fresh-installed FSX:SE on my Games SSD (without the previous boxed version being present on my machine) and the installation went perfectly. I have addon aircraft from Captain Sim, POSky, Flight1, Carenado and MAAM. They all installed perfectly into my fresh FSX:SE installation, as did UTX and GEX (latest versions) and the latest version of FSUIPC that was specifically designed to be "Steam compliant." I have had zero crashes/OOMs.

 

So my overall experience with the Steam Edition of FSX has been very good, and noticeably better than that of the boxed set. :)

Thanks for the update on the offline patch. I knew the last beta included, but lost track of its release.

Hi. I'd be grateful if someone would tell me, in a few words, why FSX is different from FSX Steam. What are the advantages with Steam over FSX and what are the disadvantages...

 

Advantages-

1- FSX Steam is usually a LOT cheaper than paying the earth for disks. (For example I saw disk FSX selling on the net for 149 US dollars (100 GB pounds)

2- In FSX Steam there are "a few tweaks that may improve performance of FSX for some users".

3- FSX Steam can be played multiplayer on Steam.

4- After buying FSX Steam you'll automatically get free updates and stuff if and when they're released, and get a warm fuzzy feeling from being part of the huge Steam family..:)

 

Disadvantages- I can't really think of any except that buying FSX (and all other games/sims) from Steam is by download only, but some people would prefer to buy the physical disks from somewhere so that they'll always have the game in their hands even if Steam goes bust.

 

Dovetail Games are the company who market FSX on Steam, and here's what they themselves say-

“The main reason you would even consider picking up FSX: Steam Edition if you already have a significant FSX-O[riginal] setup is the implementation of Steam for multiplayer purposes.

That's the big single thing we've done is replaced GameSpy with Steam.

Yes, there have been a few tweaks made that may improve the performance of FSX for some users, but if you already have the simulator we're making no secret about the fact that at this point, what we're offering to you is limited.

The people we're hoping to attract first and foremost are those to whom FSX will be a brand new experience, rather than those who have already invested a great deal of time and energy into the hobby.

We know this will be a little disappointing to those who had hoped for a revolutionary rebirth of the simulator, but we've got a way to go before we can talk about our future plans. At the moment we're focusing on introducing FSX to a new generation of flight simulation fans.”

http://www.winbeta.org/news/take-skies-once-more-flight-simulator-x-steam-edition-dovetail-games

Here's some feedback from my experience as a newbie with both FSXSE and FSX.

 

I'm running FSXSE on a Dell Inspiron 560, Pentium Dual Core CPU, E5700 @3.00 GHz with 4.00 GB RAM (not the best system for FSX IMO, but it's all I have)

 

So far, I'm much happier with the performance of FSXSE. I tried a simple flight using the 747 departing from San Francisco and climbing to FL180, with some turning.

 

The framerate with SE was much better than FSX. Seemed very fluid.

 

I also tried a training mission using the Orbit CRJ, takeoff and landing in Scotland. Not only was the framerate very good, but I opened a second window and maximized it on my second monitor to increase the field of vision. WOW! This was a first for me. It was simply amazing. The framerate decreased a bit but the experience was very cool. It got a little more choppy once I landed and taxi'ed to gates.

 

All in all, go with SE. It's on sale, and it's a great value.

 

Now to work on upgrading my system. Cheers!

actually the box version is better then steam. #1 because from what I have read about it there is no acceleration pack. I have had dove tail games in the past and all they are is cash cows. because when I had train simulator you had to wait between 8 to 10 hours for it to download through steam. now the idea with fsx se edition is basically for new arm chair pilots to take flight. but I have seen a lot of bad reviews on it and will not even try it. sorry steam.

actually the box version is better then steam. #1 because from what I have read about it there is no acceleration pack.

 

FSX-SE does include Acceleration.

 

Any more misinformation you'd like to share with us?

from what I have read about it there is no acceleration pack.

 

There is no "acceleration pack" because the contents of that expansion pack, along with SP1 and SP2, are already included in FSX:SE. Read about it here.

 

In case you don't want to bother clicking links, here's a direct quote from FSXInsider.com:

Will there be new content with the initial release?

No, the initial release will only contain the content that was provided with the original FSX GOLD pack which includes Flight Simulator X Deluxe and Acceleration pack, both official Service Packs, with the addition of Steamworks multiplayer.

 

I have seen a lot of bad reviews on it

Links or citations, please. I don't find any bad reviews (other than unsupported or speculative comments such as yours, above) on FSX:SE other than some release-time comments about non-working addons, most of which have now, 3+ months later, either already been fixed or are being worked on by the 3rd-party devs, and the observation that you can't play it in offline mode, which was fixed in the last update from Steam.

 

Full disclosure: I do not use VATSIM, and I have read that it didn't work with FSX:SE. However, there are indications here and here that VATSIM works with SE, requiring only that you run Simconnect.msi and install FSUIPC 4.939 (Steam-compliant), which was only recently released. You can get FSUIPC 4.939 here.

 

I have used both FSX Deluxe and FSX:SE, running them side-by-side for a few weeks right after the Steam Edition released. With all due respect, I find it difficult to place any credibility in comparative comments from someone who has never tried one or the other, and who provides no basis, citations or links to support their opinions.

 

I have tried both, FSX-Deluxe since its release several years ago, and FSX:SE since the first time it went on sale for $5 shortly after release, and in my opinion, FSX:SE is better in almost every way. Not "stunningly" better. Just a little bit better in several areas, which I have already posted in this and one other thread. Go ahead. Be a big spender. Drop $5 on it (it's on sale through March 30) and give your future comparative remarks some credibility. :)

How about the deliberate lies about the SKD?

Disadvantages- I can't really think of any except that buying FSX (and all other games/sims) from Steam is by download only, but some people would prefer to buy the physical disks from somewhere so that they'll always have the game in their hands even if Steam goes bust.

 

This is a very valid point. I bought a 1TB USB drive for less than $125 for the purpose of backing up my entire Games SSD weekly, including my save games and other \appdata stuff, which are not on the SSD. As a bonus, I'm also able to back up my Documents folders (mine and "Public's") on 2 computers, plus full backups of 2 smartphones. Best $125 I have spent recently, and since my previous cloud-backup service was costing me $60 a year, my break-even is about 2 years. :cool:

That is my understanding as well. If you want to purchase FSX in its original format, go to eBay or other online sites. You can find FSX there.

no i won't share any more information. I'll just go back to my aviation books and flying. I thought this was a forum for sharing information about tips and tricks for fsx and the like. but I guess not!!! oh well.

no i won't share any more information. I'll just go back to my aviation books and flying. I thought this was a forum for sharing information about tips and tricks for fsx and the like. but I guess not!!! oh well.

 

This forum is " for sharing information about tips and tricks for fsx and the liken". That doesn't include false information which can readily shown by simply reading the FSX-SE website..

no that's fine. I don't have any more information to share. happy flying all.