Thinking of purchasing FSX SE

My hard drive finally died so I had to buy a new computer. I'm thinking of buying the steam edition of FSX. I have already read quite a bit about the various pros and cons. A big consideration for me is how good a job did Dovetail did in fixing all the annoying bugs and CTD's. If the improvement is substantial that would move me in the direction of a buy. If there are folks out there who have perhaps run the boxed and steam edition I would be interested in hearing your comments.

 

If I decide to remain with the boxed edition I would like any tips people might have about doing the install. I would install on the C drive instead of programs x86 and I know about the High Mem fix lined needed in the config. file. Anything else I should be doing ?

Hi Stubby, for what it's worth, I flew the boxed edition from it's inception in 2006, and yes I had bugs, including OOM and all of the others, but I still thought that it was the best thing going, so I stuck with it. It was the basic edition, no SP-1, SP-2, or Acceleration installed, which may have improved things for me, and probably would have according to most people, but I remained fat, dumb. and happy, and used it as is . Then one day I was made aware of a Steam sale, and so I said why not, and took the plunge. Now I am completely computer illiterate here, and don't know where the local Guru's recommended where I should install it, or all the other little tricks that I was supposed to resort to, so I just gave the program it's head and let it load into all of it's Default locations. Was it " Substantial " you ask ? Bottom line - I was blown away by the improvements that I saw ! Now ...... maybe that was just the case for me and my little nothing special Dell household computer, and not having all of the " Fixes ", but I am just telling you what it's been like for me, since you have asked. I still have the old boxed version installed on the same computer, and can resort to it at any time, but why go back to something that doesn't perform as well ? If you have the fixes installed, or are ready to install them in boxed, then great. I believe my friends when they tell me that boxed with all of the fixes works just as well, but Steam offers the whole package ready to fly, and for me, it installed and performs smooth as silk.

 

Just one man's opinion. :(

 

Jim

If I was to begin flightsimming today, my starting point would be FSX:SE.

 

But I began long ago with the boxed version, and am now slowly transitioning towards P3D.

 

But FSX, whether boxed or SE, still (to me) has lots of life left in it, like FS9/FS2004 has for other people.

 

Jorgen

Well, I never had FSX Box. I was just chuggin along on FS9, and happily. Then, I saw FSX:SE on sale when it first came out. I'd read about it a lot on the forums here, and I figured that even on my non-budget I could afford $5.00. So I bought it, thinking that if I didn't like it, I was out a hamburger one day. I just wanted to see what all the excitement with FSX was about.

I was sold when I first found out there were actual moving carriers, along with other AI. Then I found a few add-ons, and I never looked back. I still have FS9 installed, and ready to go, but haven't used it in a loooong time.

Just as a side note, I've had a total of, count them here....ONE OOM CTD since I installed FSX:SE.

 

I like FSX:SE. I don't use the sim for eye-candy very much, but it has that in spades. Over the years I tried out any number of FSX.CFG tweaks, too. Kosta's first, then others I found here and there around the net. Some I kept and use, some I discarded. Same for add-on planes, sceneries, effects, gauges, you name it. Some I kept, some not.

 

Overall, I would say, in my personal opinion, for what it's worth, that FSX:SE is well worth it. Especially when it's on sale. My only caution, after reading others forum threads, is to not allow it to install to C:\Program Files (X86). I've seen folks that have it there, and it works fine for them, and others who regret allowing the installation there. You choose.

Just be aware that Win10, in particular, has a severe personal problem with allowing any kinds of changes to any program, folder, or file, in "that" folder. I don't have Win10, so I can't really be certain, but I understand it's worse than any previous Windoze version about it. Just a heads-up.

 

Good luck!

Pat☺

Pat, a big +1!

 

Jorgen

 

Former Sergeant Major, RDAF

FSX-SE is the best way to go. What you get with it is all that's needed. In other words, you don't need to go hunting the web for other stuff to get it to work properly. You'll get the FSX Sim, Acceleration pack, SP-1 & SP-2 plus any updates that you would not have otherwise. Also, you get all the Steam benefits. As for Installing. Make a separate path other than Programs (x86) just to avoid any hiccups caused from Windows. Make a folder on your C or other drive to install to. IE. C:\\STEAM Post your questions here for the best Customer Service you'll find. I have posted many questions here and have had the best free advice from top simmers available. If your into flying WWII on line, come join 217 Squadron Server in multiplayer. We also have a FB page. Good luck.

Along with several other simulators I have FSX-SE installed. Do I have the box edition along with the acceleration pack? Yes but, the FSX-SE version runs so much better I have not looked back. You will not go wrong with this version. :)

 

Good Luck and Happy Skies. :)

I have boxed with both SP's installed, like pat I got SE when on sale. I think SE is easier overall but mainly use boxed as all planes and weather traffic run there. If I were to start today FSX-SE is the wat Id go or P3D V4...

Happy:pilot: Flyin

AD

I think SE is easier overall but mainly use boxed as all planes and weather traffic run there.

Just a small note there: As an overall, general rule, if it runs on FSX Box, it'll run just as well or better on FSX:SE. I have yet to try to add anything (freeware), made for "FSX" that doesn't work on my FSX:SE.

Freeware is all I ever add to my sim. I am an extremely limited non-budget, so freeware is all I get. I have a total of one, yes one, payware add-on, and it was given to me by a very good friend. TacPack. Not their SuperBug, just the main program.

 

Just thought I'd throw that out there and see if it stuck to something :p

Pat☺

Thanks for all the responses. I think I will probably buy FSX SE right after Christmas when I think the next sale will be. I created a folder on my C drive and when I tried to create a new library folder in steam it would not let me do it giving me a message that there was already a steam folder on the C drive. I have no other drives installed and I am tapped out for money because I just bought this computer. Do I have to get another drive so I can download steam games outside of programs x86 ?

 

I'm not a techie so my skills are limited.

Don't expect anything new. fsx-se is fsx acceleration. So it's the exact same game as fsx box.

(with also the same crashes, OOM's (it's stil 32bit), etc.).

 

Only change is that you can directly connect to steam's multiplayer forum with it. (you can play multiplayer with any edition too though.))

 

don't expect updates either. Steam (Dovetail) only has a licence to sell MSfsx, not a licence to make changes. After all, they don't own the software. Microsoft does.

 

(you will get updates to the steam client, but not to fsx itself.)

game???

 

Ack! As I go running and screaming down the street!:eek::confused:

Relax zippy, no running required, it's just a game...:D

Don't expect anything new. fsx-se is fsx acceleration. So it's the exact same game as fsx box.

(with also the same crashes, OOM's (it's stil 32bit), etc.).

 

Only change is that you can directly connect to steam's multiplayer forum with it. (you can play multiplayer with any edition too though.))

 

don't expect updates either. Steam (Dovetail) only has a licence to sell MSfsx, not a licence to make changes. After all, they don't own the software. Microsoft does.

 

(you will get updates to the steam client, but not to fsx itself.)

 

FSX:SE isn't the same as FSX boxed: it's been re-compiled, it has numerous bug fixes and improvements over FSX boxed, and Dovetail have released 3 updates for FSX:SE so far. Here's the full list from FSX Insider: https://fsxinsider.com/fsx-steam-edition-and-boxed-fsx-what-is-the-difference/

 

"Are you thinking of making the switch to FSX: Steam Edition? Do you want more information on the differences between FSX: Steam Edition and the boxed versions? If so, you are in the right place! The following article will go through the differences between boxed FSX and the Steam Edition, as well as the updates we have made since FSX: Steam Edition was initially released.

 

In December 2014, Dovetail Games released the latest incarnation of Microsoft Flight Simulator X on Valve’s popular PC Gaming platform, Steam. For those of you unfamiliar with the Steam PC gaming platform, click here for more information on what it is and how to use it.

 

The distribution of FSX on Steam has had many advantages, including easy installation of the sim itself as well as add-ons from the Steam store, Windows 8/8.1/10 compatibility, and the reinstatement of the multiplayer function via the Steam platform.

 

What is FSX: Steam Edition?

 

Essentially, FSX: Steam Edition is a re-release of the FSX Gold Edition (including Service Packs 1 & 2) which in turn is comprised of FSX: Deluxe Edition and the Acceleration Expansion Pack.

 

For those of you who are new to FSX, the Deluxe Edition was the most recent incarnation of Microsoft’s acclaimed Flight Simulator series before Dovetail Games released the Steam Edition.

 

Additions from the Standard Edition include: the Garmin G1000 flight deck featured in three aircraft, the ability to act as Air Traffic Control (ATC) for other online users, and the following additional aircraft: Agusta Westland AW101, Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, the Grumman G-21A Goose and the P-51D Mustang. Additionally, the Maule Orion is flyable in the Deluxe Edition, as opposed to the Standard in which it was only available as an AI aircraft.

 

The Acceleration Pack is a multiplayer-based expansion for FSX which also included the F/A-18A Hornet, EH-101 helicopter and the P-51D Mustang. Multiplayer air racing was the highlight of the pack, as well as new missions and graphical improvements in selected areas such as Berlin, Istanbul, Cape Canaveral and the Edwards Air Force Base.

 

What Have We Changed?

 

The complete change log from the initial December 2014 release of FSX: Steam Edition is as follows:

 

General:

 

Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition is now built using the VS2013 compiler for better optimization and performance. (Still makes use of VS2005 libraries for backwards compatibility.)

Updated splash, launcher and mission preview images for FSX:SE versions.

 

Multiplayer, Networking and Communications:

 

Gamespy networking now replaced by new Steam networking.

Game chat now integrated with Steam chat

Friends/Banned lists now integrated with Steam.

Game invites now use Steam.

Host networking defaults to a single port 6112.

Host networking uses 27016 for Steam Master Server Browser.

Host timeout (loss of connection to host) now 35 seconds by default (was 55).

“Disconnected” message dialog now retained on screen for 4 mins before automatic dismissal (was 30 secs).

 

Steam Support:

 

Top Down Camera (camera view select 4) was previously bound to F12 by default which is normally used for Steam’s screenshot feature. Camera View Select 4 now uses Shift+F12 by default to avoid potential clash.

 

Compatibility with Boxed FSX:

 

FSX and Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition co-Existence feature allows both versions to be installed on the same machine.

 

Default System-Setting Alterations:

 

Increased TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD to 4096 up from 1024

Changed HIGHMEMFIX=1

Increased Vertex and Index Buffers and the number of buffers.

 

Bugs Fixed:

 

Fix to particle emitter controllers which were not being updated properly.

Fix to flush all levels of detail in terrain cache.

Fix to Texture Composition preventing fail and crash.

Fixed issue where player is able to reserve more slots for friends than maximum players allowed in the game.

Fixed issue where invalid Briefing Room was presented to player when cancelling session creation.

Fixed issue where weather text in the multiplayer briefing room is partially cut off.

Fixed issue where no error message appears when attempting to host a session with the network adapter disabled.

Fixed issue where there is no error message when attempting to host a session with the network cable unplugged.

Fixed issue where host player is frozen after a collision occurs in multiplayer.

Fixed issue where client gets dropped from a multiplayer game after they crash into the host.

Fixed issue where the Host Options in multiplayer/ Free Flight allow a user to have a maximum of 99 player slots.

UIAutomationCore.dll work-a-round is now supplied by default with Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition. This fixes a number of crashes relating to UI interaction on 64-bit versions of Windows.

Fixed issue where the application’s taskbar preview window displays no content on Windows 8 and above

Prevent default color mode for Windows 7 and above (enable automatic display composition).

sserife.fon file now automatically supplied and loaded

 

Post-Release Optimization:

 

Since the initial release of FSX: Steam Edition, Dovetail Games have released several updates consisting of stability improvements, bug fixes, and optimization for the Steam platform. The complete change logs for these can be found below:

 

Version 62615 (current)

 

Version 62613

 

Version 62608

 

Dovetail Games currently have no plans to release any further updates, but will continue to support FSX: Steam Edition and its community so if it becomes necessary to release any more updates, we will do so."

So from what I can make out it's only good if you play online with someone, I don't do that.

I have the boxed version with accelerator.

FSX:SE will run on lower spec or older PC's better than FSX boxed. It's also better than FSX boxed on higher spec modern systems. You can also run it in offline mode without being logged in to Steam.

When fsx steam was launched dovetail claimed: "it may run better".

 

Independant tests quickly proved it didn't.

 

Cardboard may taste like chocolate. Yes. It MAY.

It doesn't though.

 

Extre planes? No. Nothing that isn't in fsx-box-accel already.

 

A new compiler? Sure sounds cool. But doesn't make any difference.

 

Btw, steam edition does not include the fsx-sdk.

A new compiler? Sure sounds cool. But doesn't make any difference.

 

Actually, it does make a difference. Maybe not a large difference, and not for everyone, but it does help. Much of it depends on what you're doing in the sim as some people did find the Steam Edition does run a little better.

.....I created a folder on my C drive and when I tried to create a new library folder in steam it would not let me do it giving me a message that there was already a steam folder on the C drive…..

 

…..Do I have to get another drive so I can download steam games outside of programs x86 ?

 

I'm not a techie so my skills are limited.

 

To answer these two Q's.....

 

First - the default install location for Steam is C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\…..

 

Second - Steam is best viewed as containing two elements - the Client and the Library.

 

The Client is your 'gateway' to Steam - it controls account access, allows you to purchase/download content and, to a certain extent, controls how updates to both the Client and contents of the Library.

 

The Library is the location where your purchases are downloaded to and run from. By default, this is in the same location as the Client within a specific subfolder called SteamApps.

 

You can change the location of the library but it can only be down via your steam account. You can either specify a new location when you first download and install a game or you can 'move' the game after install.

 

You can also control how game updates are delivered - by default all installed games within the library are updated whenever the Client is connected to the internet. You can change this so that updates occur either when a individual game is started or to only update when a manual update request is made.

 

Third - therefore you don't need to get another drive. Simply install into a new library location or move it after the initial install and activation process is complete. See HERE for details in how to do this......