I could do the $1 Gamepass thing, but there’s no way I’m installing all that Xbox bloatware garbage in order to be able to access a game I can access without it on Steam. Plus I’d be in the same situation with the PD edition on Steam and standard on MS Store.
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Oh believe me I know the pain well…
Unfortunately, I need to be able to test our products, which means I get stuck with a fun uninstall process each beta test.
The installation / update process on Steam is far less complicated and error prone, and it’s still a complete Rube Goldberg machine.
I utterly refuse to use that dumpster fire that is the MS Store for any software or games, nor will I install any of the shovelware we’re forced to install in order to use it.
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A bit off topic, but if I may?
Other than the XBox app (which is only required for MSFS) and the MS Store app, what is all the “shovelware”?
I have three titles that I purchased through the MS Store. Anytime I use one I generally pop into the store first and check for updates. If found, done, if not, move on.
I also have 3 or 4 titles that I purchased from Steam. I have no complaints other than I never have Steam load until I use a title that needs it. So firing it up and getting logged in each time is much the same as checking the MS Store.
I guess I just have never encountered the “Rube Goldberg” version. Why the hostility between the two? It’s like XBox vs PC. Whichever one you have, the other is a dumpster fire.
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Completely understandable.
Now that Xbox has been released, perhaps Microsoft would direct Asobo to focus on regression bugs specifically after each update. Rather than the two steps forward, one step back approach we have seen (or, would that be one step forward, two steps back?).
It would be awesome to know that they put a high priority on fixing things that get broken by an update or hot fix. No bug left behind.
I’m no expert by ANY means, but it seems really strange that they did not address numerous regression bugs (some of which were highly visible and detailed by the community). But, with the new strategy that Jorg spoke about in the Live Dev Q&A, getting a firm commitment on tackling regression bugs just might be possible.
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IIRC the other app is the Xbox Game bar, though I could be wrong. My issue(s) with the MS Store version are:
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Files are encrypted, most are not on Steam
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The Windows Store installation creates a messier file tree
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Many users have issues installing updates with the MS Store version, I don’t see these types of issues reported with the Steam issue
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Uninstalling this version is painful, because among other things, you have to re-gain control over various folders that the installer locks you out of
For me the Steam version is just more enjoyable… However, it isn’t without faults here are my three biggest:
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The ‘Verify Integrity of Game Files’ button is anti-pattern with MSFS. Rather than validating files, and repairing corrupt files, it just deletes everything forcing you to download ~100+ GB again
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There are a myriad of billing issues with between Steam and the marketplace, this has led to a whole bunch of people making double purchases, and often requires the CMs here to fix it because support is apparently incapable of it
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Support is bull ■■■■, too many organisations involved.
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I was merely waxing philosophical.
My greatest peeve in life is when the announcement is made that the twenty properly dressed kids playing on the playground need to end recess early because Johnny forgot his coat and is cold.
I’ll lick the monkey bars before I will go inside.
At some point the majority has to just ignore the noise.
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Interesting.
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I am not sure the XBox Game bar is required. May be. Not an issue for me because I use it all the time for Party Chat when flying multiplayer. We just create a party and we have live headset comms while flying. But OK. If required and you don’t use it…
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Not sure I would call it messier. I merely puts the cabinet and executables in a protected folder and accesses them using aliases. I took ownership of the protected folder the day I installed Win10 and have never had an issue.
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I really like the update process in MS Store. Quick and simple. Updates all my store software with one click.
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Just run Uninstall in the Apps settings, then toss any data files you created. I can see where those not familiar with the structure may falter.
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Having never used Steam for MSFS I can’t speak to the MSFS specific issues, but I agree that support in general is a disaster and I find I fumble around the interface. I feel like everytime I open Steam they’re trying to sell me something. I would prefer a mild manner computer voice simply asking, “would you like to play a game?”
I really get the feeling that whatever you are comfortable using and use most often becomes seamless and the other is the country mouse that gets shooed away.
All of that, and live traffic still won’t take off. Maybe in 2024?
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No mention of promised fixes for turboprop logic, only tweaks to particular aircraft…
The list is missing a weather radar fix on all aircraft with it. This problem is present in ALL Xbox users.
Yeah, this made me scratch my head, too. But I checked with the Bug list and it is announced for SU6 and SU7.
So how long will the list be with things that will be broken ?
Sorry … i lost a lot off fait
Everytime it looks prommising but ends in disaster.
The ATC is a mess and has been since launch. Yesterday I received a message saying I was 0 ft above my assigned altitude, and telling me to descend to 15,000 ft (which is where I was). Several other nonsense messages in the same flight. A fix does not appear to be in the release notes, so it looks like we will have to wait until the excellent WT get around to it late next year, after all the other fixes they have on their ToDo list.
Totally immersion breaking having to decide which messages to act on, and which ones to ignore (ascend to 18,000 ft during final is a no-brainer, but other nonsense commands are more plausible). I’ll reserve judgement on the other fixes listed till I see that they work, and have not damaged anything else. But I find it hard to be optimistic.
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Well there goes a great proportion of competent knowledgably beta testers right there I’m sure.
From posts from previous beta testers as well as some vague discussions with some of the alpha testers (limited info given due to NDA), it’s not really about the testers, quality of them, nor quantity. Bugs are universally reported by testers, but not actioned and the updates released with those bugs. Bugs that were reported en masse by alpha testers are still alive and well 16 months later…
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Definitely a valid concern, but I am cautiously optimistic that that situation will improve now that the Xbox release has shipped. My bet is that for several updates leading up to SU5 there was a lot of merging of branched code taking place, and this is where regressions became really painful. And SU5 was probably the worst of the code merge monsters, hence the less than stellar release.
With SU6 focusing on fixes, hopefully everyone is working off of a pretty fresh snapshot of the code so there may be less of a chance for regression bugs.
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This is why I try and enjoy the sim as much as I can in between patches.
I sim as if the next patch will completely ruin everything I’m currently enjoying.
SUs bring so much anxiety and paranoia of a potentially ruined once amazing flight simming experiences.
It’s a feeling of always being on temporary joy…shaky grounds with MSFS.
I honestly get why some folks want updates to be OPTIONAL ONLY.
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Optional Only Updates may be of some value but can you imagine all the bug complaints in this users forum if we had people using 3 or 4 versions of the base sim. That could turn into a forum nightmare.