A simple Splash Screen after starting MSFS

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1

As discussed before (https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/splash-screen-please/216577)
I wanted to have some sort of splash screen displayed after starting up MSFS
Several times, I did mistakenly double start MSFS, just because I didn’t know if it was already started or not, as there’s no activity on screen for about 30 seconds on my computer, before the first logo screens appear

So I have assembled this simple batch script, that displays a Splash Screen to cover the first 30 seconds of blank activity after starting MSFS

A small video here to show what this script does:

It will load some MSFS online screen logo, and some text. Can be easily changed
It runs natively for the MS Store version. For Steam version, a specific line is to be uncommented

Feel free to download and use if you like!

How to install the script:

This is a batch command line script.
Just download the file (or copy/paste its content to a file) from the link below, and save it anywhere on your PC, with a .bat extension e.g. “somename.bat”

MS Store version: You can start the .bat file directly for MS Store version.
For Steam:, do these changes:

  1. uncomment the line:

start steam://rungameid/1250410

  1. comment or remove the line:

cmd.exe /C start shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

To add a shortcut icon as on the video, you need to create a shortcut to the .bat file you just created
Then, change the icon as for any shortcut in the properties, and choose to start Minimized
The icon and script are available here:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ak6Ua13tf3r_gcp9DWt0OTinzqU5Vw?e=stXmhL

Happy flying!

7 Likes
2

For Steam version

I think it should be unnecessary for Steam. The icon for the Steam version isn’t actually the game executable. It’s a Steam command to start the game. And Steam won’t let you start it more than once. I’ve done what you described a few times and I get a message saying “Failed to start Microsoft Flight Simulator: App is already running”.

Cool idea for the MS Store version though! It’s interesting how something as simple as a splash screen like that can improve the User Experience. And even more interesting that that knowledge seems to get lost in time; splash screens seem more and more rare nowadays.

1 Like
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A splash screen would be nice, just so you would know that something is actually happening in the background - as it is…you sit for a minute wondering if you double-clicked the icon or only single-clicked it.

2 Likes
4

please give some advice how we can change the splash screen to a screen shot from the game

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Idea here was to avoid the double run, in the MS version, this message pops up also but more than 30s after you start the second time. Let’s say the Steam start is just for courtesy, this is definetely more useful to the MS version
Yep, splash screens tend to be out of fashion, but I still found those cool and let you wait a few instants

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Actually the same thing happens to me in the steam version. I start it but there is a delay before you see anything. So I click on the game icon again and it complains that it is already running but you don’t see anything yet. It leaves you wondering which is a bit annoying for sure.

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Yes that’s possible

Just edit the line 20 starting by: set "imageurl=

change the https link on this line by the full path to the image you want to display.
e.g.:

set “imageurl=c:\users\myname\images\mysplashscreen.jpg”

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My take on it —- Patience Grasshopper -

1 Like
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OP. Thank you… not knowing if Fs2020 had really started (MS Store Version) until some 30 seconds are clicking on the Icon, has been most annoying. Nice Solution.

I stopped having that issue when I installed XPForce, for my Force Feedback Joystick.
It puts up is own “Loading Graphic” while Fs2020 is loading in the background.

Also If you make your own Shortcut to start FS2020, and then modify the “Target” to end with
“-FastLaunch”, it will skip the Into and therefore start a lot faster.
(as documented in the Fs2020 SDK )

1 Like
10

In fact, it just skips the Xbox, Asobo and Blackshark.ai animations, but the 30 seconds blank screen is unfortunately still there even with that launch option
For memory, I did place it commented in the script

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I wonder what happened to the fourth logo that was being displayed before 184 patch? Maybe that’s how they “improved load times”? LOL!

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You did – but I did not download it and look before I posted … My bad .,.

Anyway (nice code) . many thanks … something else to play with and customise, while waiting for the next Patch

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Real happy with the Splash Screen. made it have a second counter, so I cna get an idea of how long it is taking to load, as I fill up the Community Folder.

BTW: GREAT program to manage whats in your community folder…

Modman FX64 – cant live without that one now either !!!

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Hi Pieloth,

I like this idea and was going to create something similar to start both MSFS and FSUIPC7 in such a batch file. I’ll base my script on yours (if thats ok) to be included as an optional install for FSUIPC (free version)

Regards,

John

1 Like
15

Hi John,
Thanks for your kind feedback!
Yes of course, feel free to use or adapt this script as you want, according to your needs
BR,
Nicolas

18

Thank you!
It’s because of you and others like you that I keep following this forum.
Thanks again!

19

Thanks for posting this.

I just got this splash screen installed, edited its batch file to slightly change the splash screen text appearance and to use the -Faststart option, and configured MSFS Addons Linker to start MSFS with it.

I was also able to download the background image file that is noted in the script, save the image to my computer and edit the script to call up the downloaded image from my computer rather that going to a web address for the image each time the script is run on MSFS startup.

A definite improvement in the MSFS startup!

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20

The point of the downloaded splash graphic, is that if it displays, then you now to have at least an Internet connection to the MS Azure servers.

Would be nice if it could check the connection to the actual MSFS servers, and the weather severs, but no real idea even if the could, to tell if they are actually operational.
You find that out when MSFS finally loads & tried to connect !!!

Thanks again to the original developer … @Pieloth :+1:

2 Likes
21

When MSFS was 1st released, the music played during the loading, with smooth and without stutter.

Each update, this regresses, with more and more stutters ( brief periods of no sound).

Now, there re as many as 4 or 5 such brief silences, each one making one’s heats miss a beat, expecting the sim to be crashing.

The sound itself is not a deal breaker, but could be a sign that things are getting over-stressed during the loading process, and whatever thread is playing the sound, is getting locked up for a brief period.

Along with this, there are much longer periods where the UI becomes unresponsive, and the mouse cursor unresponsive, in fact, WINDOWS itself becomes unresponsive, with the whole of the MSFS screen becoming unresponsive to any operation (like moving to another screen etc )

Not good symptoms, and ones that are getting worse with every update .

Also, far more “Random” CTDs when loading, sometimes the Sim will CTD or loading, and then immediately after, a 2nd attempt to run the sim, is successful.

An exciting prospect, Loading MSFS - and what seems like a coin toss, whether it will load or CTD.

1 Like