I’ve been playing around with manual caching and rolling cache a lot lately and have made some discoveries. I was motivated to do this because I want to get MSFS up-and-running for my dad who does NOT have internet but has been simming since FS2004. My thinking was that I’ll install the sim at my place (I DO have internet) and then pre-cache a lot of areas I know he like’s to fly in so he’ll be all set with great aerial imagery. Well, that isn’t possible … sort of.
Here’s what I’ve discovered …
If you launch the simulator with internet connected and then cache an area (either manually or with rolling cache by flying the area initially) and then disconnect your internet (but don’t re-launch the sim) and then re-fly that same area … it works. Scenery looks great because it’s pulling in aerial imagery and photogrammetry from local cache.
If you launch the sim WITHOUT internet connected and then try to fly an area that has been pre-cached … it won’t work.
Seems there is a bug whereby the cached data is useless and will not be utilized IF the sim if not able to authenticate properly (with internet connection at launch).
Microsoft/Asobo … PLEASE fix this and allow legitimate owners of the sim to play it offline AND retain full functionality of pre-cached data.