TL:DR; Brutal install experience, but it was worth the wait. Picking up joystick and throttle tomorrow 
I had a rough experience with installing:
- First, I tried through Steam. That was a pure gong show, including Steam marking time spent downloading as playtime. After several failed installs, uninstalls, cache and file folder clears and a loading screen that was clearly broken I requested, and got, a refund. I still maintain that Steam marking time to get those updates as āplaytimeā is obnoxious. With such a huge download it basically means you lose any opportunity to review the game for a refund without playing the game. There has to be a better distribution model than that. As for the broken screenshot I took it was clear to see that something was very wrong with it. It literally had developer type variable names in place of the game menu to get started.
- Second, I read that the MSFT Store was a place I could get the game. However, installing that way came with its own issues including: Needing to fix XBOX Networking in Windows; downloading the XBOX Windows app; logging OUT and then logging IN again. It would have been great to have a more streamlined experience. However, I was, thanks to help from these forums, able to get it installed!
- Third, once I had that setup I could load the game in and get the 95GB of updates. However, if youāre having troubles with getting past the XBOX login do NOT click Play Offline. You need to get logged in first. If your XBOX account is authenticated THEN you wonāt even be prompted for whether you want to play offline or try again. If you see a spinning wheel and āChecking for Updatesā for more than a few seconds youāre likely not going to get any further.
Now, with that said, I was then able to load the game in. I selected Ultra settings for my rig, turned down the AA, and was getting an amazing 50-120 FPS (I have an FPS counter on my monitor) on the first tutorial. To be frank, it was so smooth I gave up looking at the FPS counter.
Being somewhat new to flight sims Iām going to go full on flight tutorial and enjoy learning how to fly.
However, and this is a HUGE however, mouse and keyboard is completely unflyable (for me). I suspected it would be. I had ordered a Thrustmaster flight kit over a month ago, but it was a special order and still not in. I was able to grab a Saitek joystick and throttle online from a local PC store and will pick it up tomorrow. I think Iāll stay off the game until I pick that up.
Iāve heard a lot of reports about poor install experiences and in-game performance. My install experience was a gong-show, particularly with Steam, and to a lessor and unintuitive extent the MSFT store; installing this game is much more complicated than it should be, but I also suspect that the Windows variant has something to do with MSFT going for cross-platform functionality and building out the infrastructure. As for Steam, Iām just glad I got my refund.
For comparison my setup is:
- i9 9900K water cooled overclocked to 5.1Ghz on 8 cores
- 2080 Super, mildly OCed
- 32GB 3200Mhz RAM
- 1TB EVO-Plus SSD
- 38" 1600p curved (LG38GL950G) monitor: 3840x1600 UltraWide with 160FPS on 8bpc RBG
So, with higher-end rigs it is possible to push into Ultra and get great gameplay, at least in the air. I did load into an airport and am still getting some sweet framerates. Once you get it going this game is outrageously beautiful!
Youāre going to have fun with the stick and throttle. Itās a whole new experience!
Remember to make sure you set the joystick Axis and NOT the roll buttons in case it doesnāt auto detect your stick. Will save you a lot of time 
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Awesome! Thank you. Iāll return here tomorrow to look at that tip once Iāve got the joystick and throttle installed.
FWIW: My setup detected a keyboard with NUM keys. Thing is, I donāt have a numpad. I was literally reconfiguring controls as I was playing. It didnāt even correctly detect the keyboard.
Reality is, this flight sim requires peripherals to make it workable. I knew it would. But trying out the keyboard was a lesson in why the money will be well spent.
Yeah, thatās true. Keyboard and mouse wonāt cut it. However, even a cheap Xbox 360 controller will work wonders. Theyāve done a great job of making it accessible from a basic game pad all the way up to uber expensive joysticks.
Enjoy your flights tomorrow.. see you in the skies!
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Thanks! I did think about a controller. But Iād actually like to do the throttle and joystick. I had ordered the kit with rudders. But since that didnāt happen Iāll maybe wait and see how the HOTAS works out. I may not even need rudders given that I can twist this joystick for that action.
Iām waiting for the Honeycomb Bravo to release in my country.. hopefully in early November.
Meanwhile I have to use keyboard throttle lol
Yes! I wanted that with the Honeycomb yoke.
I figured before I spend that kind of dollar Iād get a cheaper $200 set that will at least give me the opportunity to learn how to fly. Once Iāve earned my wings and have a bunch of hours in my logbook then Iāll look at a more pricey upgrade. It will be my reward. I will also have proven to myself that itās a worthwhile upgrade for me.
A yoke with keyboard throttle I could see. But keyboard for flyingā¦not a chance
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Iāve been having a lot of fun with a Thrustmaster T1600.m. I do have a Saitek Yoke and throttle, but that takes up too much space on my desk so it sits in my closet. The joystick is (relatively) cheap and cheerful and Iāve had no issues.
The T16000M was the kit I ordered! And it simply isnāt available. Trust me, I wanted it.
In the end, I went with the Saitek. The reviews seem alright for it, and Iām a newer flyer. And now that Iāve got the comparison with keyboard and mouse Iām sure Iāll be as happy as when Iām eating pie!
And then, Iāll upgrade down the road and be even happier 
Welcome aboard!
Flying with a keyboard / mouse really ruins the game. Looking forward to see you in the skies once you get all your gear!
Thatās an accurate description. Flying with keyboard and mouse does ruin the game.
Ironically, I had ordered a kit but I have a sneaky suspicion that with MSFS2020 and EA SW Squadrons combined with the pandemic that there is a shortage on peripherals. Got my confirm email though, so Iāll be good by tomorrow lunchtime.
Wow, thatās out of stock everywhere! I bought mine (just the stick, no throttle or rudder), two years ago for hmmm.. $70 (ish), and it was same day delivery.
I guess lots of people are buying joysticks these days ahah
Yah. I did my research, whittled it down to the T16000 kit (for bang for the buck). I tried to get the kit with joystick, throttle and rudders. After 4 weeks still no sign.
Gave in and went for the Saitek joystick and throttle as I was downloading. Thankfully Memory Express (Canada) had a kit at my local store. Amazon was dead to meā¦nada out there.
Fellow canuck, eh? Iām in YYZ
ordered my Thrustmaster TCA Airbus Stick & Quadrant a week ago, i canāt wait!
Still about a month left before they start shipping it, iām growing impatient haha
I agree. I have a modest Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick (literally Ā£35 off Amazon) and an Xbox 360 controller (gamepad). They both seem more than adequate and MSFS 2020 has no trouble recognising them, either.
Well if a MS game canāt recognize a 360 controller that would be beyond brutal.
Iām holding out hope for it being recognized as the joystick and throttle kit I got has been out since 2015. However, if it doesnāt recognize Iāll have some learning how to configure. Iāll follow up tomorrow when I know more.
Can confirm, I was testing out my Xbox 360 controller (with an xbox USB wireless adapter) to test out views and it does indeed automatically recognize it. 
Awesome setup by the way!
Good to know on the 360 controller. If this stick and throttle donāt work out Iāll give that a go.
Thanks. I built this PC beast for this game. MSFS2020 literally had me going - I need a gaming PC AND a UW monitor. Iāve had them both running for a couple of months now. The monitor on a heavy-duty arm/stand allows me to bring it forward and centred in my view. The 38" 1600p fills my vision, with a little peripheral left. Typical UWs or SUWs are 1440p, but I suspected that would not have enough vertical height for me. This 38" 1600p monitor is incredible! Coupled with this rig and itās silky smooth. In about a year Iāll drop in a next gen GPU and Iāll fill out those 160FPS on ultra settings. But even now, itās really, REALLY immersive.
I canāt do VR yet. Not fast enough and I feel motion sickness. But a 38" ultra wide at 1600pā¦now THAT fills my vision. And on this gameā¦lots of WOW!
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