I am a bit obsesed with order in my computer, and every game I install is stored in ONE specific folder, and I have total control about space adn whta is going on. What happen with Flight Simulator 2020? Why is this program so different and makes me fell as if I were forced to trust other people what the y do with my computer?
Afther todays (last) update I cant even see what is the space that this game takes on my E: drive. There are FIVE FOLDERS, and none of them is even intuitive about what is for:
Localcache
PACKAGES (this the only that I understand what is for)
Program files (it is empty)
WindowsApps
WpSystem
Please, beforre installing Flight Simulator my E: drive was empty and now it is a mess. The game is supposed to occup 80 Gb or so, but I can see only PACKAGES with the data I copied before. So where is stored the game?
and WHY NOT ONLY ONE DIRECTORY, AND PUT SOME ORDER WITH ALL THIS MESS???
Hi, Which version do you have , Steam or MS store version? I believe the main program is in the packages folder (The Official and the community folder) are the Core files. I think
I have the MS Store version. This is the 1st game I buy using MS Store, and the result is bad so far. I even experienced a problem a week ago hthat I couldn’t launch the game because a updating problemm with MS Store, and I solved reinstalling windows 10 again (preserving utils, of course). I never had any problem using Steam. The result is that I don’t feel confident and maybe tomorrow I will haave the same problem again…, but this is another problem.
I don’t know if with Steam the structure of folders is the same, I believe not, becouse Steam games are stored perfectly in the same folder. So maybe this is more a MS Store problem rather than FS 2020 problem, I don´t know…, but it is not accpetable.
The folder in your Steam library where the game is installed
The app data in your AppData\Roaming folder in your Windows user profile. the content folder where the Official and Community folders are stored in this folder as well.
I have a 3rd because I chose to install my content to another separate NVMe drive from my main library.
PS - the Windows store is awful in every way - from its interface to the multiple disconnected services it requires you to run, and then the mishmash of multiple folders it creates to install 1 game. I will never again soil my computer with any game purchase from it. If it’s not available on Steam, I’m not buying it. Luckily, I own MSFS via Steam.
I know exactly what you mean. I also thought I kept my folders decent by installing FS on my e: drive in a “Games” folder I created.
I also noticed certain folders were added to store the FS structured files. So it created “Program Files, WindowsApps and a WpSystem” folders in the root of my e: drive.
I expected the “FS 2020 AppData” folder to be created in my Games folder and any sub-folders in this directory. At this moment it’s not very clear what data is stored in these folders but certain files (and folders) are secured and not accessible.
Also there seem to be duplicates on my c: -drive (same folders and files).
I agree it looks very messy and I tend to structure these folders manually when I find out which folders contain the actual active files.
I think this structure is what you mean?
They are using different services, dlls, applications, user data and more trying to be compliant with Windows 10 guidelines, because afterall this is a Microsoft product and they have to be compliant to their own standards.
Personally I prefer neat xcopy deployable programs with their dlls in one folder, but this is a case where the opposite approach is taken. I agree it is odd, but imo an odd order is better than none at all. It is clear a lot of thinking went into it, for better or worse. I will accept it for what it is and don’t mess with it more than necessary.
The whole Windows OS appdata thing has never sat so well with me for a lot of things not just fs2020
But at least the steam version is reasonably sane.
IL-2 Cliff’s of Dover sometimes bends my head when trying to remember which folder I need to find when messing around with mods…it’s a bit of a mess.
Like the OP I sort of long for those days when I could simply define one location for a game and everything would be within that folder.
Totally agree. They way they’re doing it with MS Store programs is ridiculous. It’s not like it HAS to be done that way. The fact it runs fine in Steam without that is proof right there.
You’re looking at the standard folder layout for anything coming from MS. My Armory Crate installation has the exact same structure. My guess is that folders are populated as needed by each app.
I completely agree. Its an utter nightmare. My other sim is X-Plane 11 and I just LOVE how EVERYTHING is in just ONE folder. So easy to manage. In fact its one giant portable installation just cut paste the entire sim folder wherever you want since nothing is written to the Registry.
As much as Im blown away by the visuals of MSFS its file and folder implementation and management is a dumpster fire.
Localcache=game config files+WASM compiles from addons
Packages you know
Program files, not sure
WindowsApps=the MS store’s main storing of apps, this stores the FS launcher
WpSystem, some more further storage of MS Store stuff
If I would have known this about the MS Store version I would have gone with the Steam Version instead a long time ago but I’m stuck with the MS Store Version.
Agree, it is frustrating, especially after 10.1.15 update with the WpSystem directory which I got fed up with and deleted it and ruined the installation. Luckily it reinstalled without any difficulties.
Mine is apparently installed on D- drive but do not understand why Localcache is on c- drive.
I installed mine to C:\FS2020 - makes it a LOT cleaner. This is just for the user - accessible stuff. The rest goes in the WindowsApps folder in Program Files, plus then all the â– â– â– â– in AppData.
Still, there’s things all over the place, but at least I can get to them easily.
I know what you mean because I bought an SSD to install the game and to this day I have folders all over the place. At every upgrade the game says it is installing on drive C, although it is going to drive K.
My uneducated guess is that Microsoft tries to force people to use the store, so they won’t allow you to have a single folder with everything in it, just like I have with all other simulators, from Il-2 to DCS. Just a single folder with everything in it.
Sometimes I have to launch the game through the store. They might file other stuff like login, purchases and Marketplace history.
It is a pain, because it makes it almost impossible to do a clean instal of MSFS. You better reinstall Windows at the same time, because there will be leftovers all around your folders.
Maybe MS/Asobo know of something new in the future pipeline that will drastically change the directory tree structure and OS. Then they may be aligned properly for the future. Blue sky thought.
I would say the opposite. They resumed the code from the FX 2006 and we might have inherited a lot of the things that were done back in the days, including DX11, which is an upgrade from the old DX9 and is still single threaded. Liveries for example is a maze of folders in MSFS, when new studios like Il-2 and DCS have only one file for liveries.
On this regard we are walking backwards instead of forward. The game is OK, graphics are beautiful, but it came with many questionable decisions.
