Which MSFS 2024 version should I buy?

msfs-2024

Ref:
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/msfs-2024-which-msfs-2020-purchases-transfer-over-to-2024/674233

Greetings!

Given the following:

  1. I currently “own” the Premium-Super-Delux with dancing-bears and ponies version of MSFS-2020.
  2. I have a considerable amount of money “invested” into add-ons and marketplace purchases for MSFS-2020, (see the noted posting)
  3. I am considering “buying” the 2024 version. (see above)
  4. As a general rule, when I have bought MSFS versions in the past I have always gotten the super-delux version with all the “goodies” included if it was available.
  5. There are currently THREE versions of MSFS-2024, ranging in price from (something like) $70 to $200.

Question:

  1. Is there any reason I should purchase, or not purchase, a particular version?

    • The “Super-Premium” version of 2020 was $120 - a bit stiff, but doable and seemingly worth the price.
    • The “Super-Premium” version of 2024 weighs in at a hefty two hundred simoleans which isn’t petty-cash.  Heck!  That’s almost a full tank of gasoline nowadays!  (:rofl: Just kidding, but it IS expensive.)
  2. Is there a compelling reason to get the super-fancy version as I have done in the past?  Or, is it a farcical waste of money?

  3. [Wishful Thinking]  Any chance of a Black Friday sale that might make the prices more palatable?

I’m not saying that the software isn’t worth it as I am highly confident that MSobo have done their usual magic[1] and have made a simulator that makes Disney/Pixar look like a bunch of first-year wannabes and echos the commercial “Is it live, or is it Memorex?”  (And yes, I’m dating myself there.)

==================== Footnotes ====================

  1. I am also highly confident that MSFS-2024 will have more bugs than a bait-shop too; but that’s to be expected of any software package more complicated than a beginner’s “Hello World!” program.
3 Likes

It might be interesting to know if there are more bugs in a particular version
I have the standard version and it’s a disaster

2 Likes

Why should there be? As far as I know it should be the same as FS20. Same program. Price difference is for all the additional aircraft and airports. I have the Standard 20 and will get the Standard 24. It’s difficult enough flying one aircraft. Who really masters all those available? As for the airports. I do fine with the thousands available in Standard. All I need is a place to takeoff from and land. Only added 4 aircraft to FS20 and have been flying the same one for almost 3 years.

1 Like

A disaster?  In what way(s)?

The Refund version :rofl:

8 Likes

I ended up getting PD. I’ve already half regretted it. Even the aircraft which existed in 2020 aren’t improved in any way or form, actually everything I’ve tried so far is WORSE and a lot buggier than 2020.

As for the new aircraft such as the advertised 737 MAX, they’re simply full of bugs.

So if money is an issue, best to stick to Standard. And then save that money to buy 3rd party content once it’s out.

ps: I keep mentioning bugs but the real issue isn’t the bugs becase most of these will be fixed sooner or later. The problem remains that half the buttons or functions are INOP. And these will never be fixed. Once you’ve tested a few 3rd party study level aircraft, there’s little chance you’re going back to ANY of the default aircraft.

So even if PD has 183 more aircraft, I very much doubt I’ll be using a single one of them until MSFS2028 is out.

2 Likes

The only difference between the editions is extra aircraft; they have indicated IIRC that the premium/deluxe aircraft will be available for individual purchase this time (we’ll see when the Marketplace arrives) and the Aviator edition additionally includes other planes that are available for purchase.

So unless you want to bulk-buy all of them, you don’t need to get the fancy editions.

As noted, the simulator is all-around a bit of a mess right now :smiley: so you’re not going to get your money’s worth out of any of the planes right now. Whether you want to spend more money at once or later is up to you, your budget, and how you like to balance money spent against enjoyment achieved.

2 Likes

None of them for now. Try some time next year. I’m serious, I will do the same once I get my refund.

2 Likes

I was wandering if I were to purchase the standard addition, can I purchase the planes I want form the deluxe or other editions? I only want 2 or 3 planes from the other editions and I don’t have the $300 to get the higher up version of the game just for the small number of planes I want.

msfs-2024

Boils down to how many of the aircraft do you already own - if any - and how much are you willing to pay for the ones you don’t? That’s the fundamental difference between the versions (well, and also some enhanced airports but I don’t know if you do airliner flying or not.)

I bought the Limited Collectors Edition and I’d definitely advise against that at this point unless a) you REALLY are into the physical goodies (not the digital ones - those you can get with the Aviator edition) and b) Aerosoft has any left (probably a few.) Aerosoft has botched this delivery in every way possible and you’re in for a big delay if you go that route.

Otherwise, you’re not missing anything if you already bought the aircraft during 2020.

As a couple of other people have said, you may want to wait for another patch or two to drop - you’re correct that no program this size will be released without bugs, but 2024 needed a few more months of development before being ready for release. It’s clear the bean counters wanted this out in time for Christmas - I doubt Jorg and Seb would have minded having more time to get it ready. :slight_smile: That said, if you’re willing to put up with some major parts not working properly (or at all - see the Marketplace for instance) then go for it.

3 Likes

Sounds like what I predicted on a totally different thread - we’re being asked to PAY to be beta testers. . .

I’ve been where they are, and bean-counters wanting to rush a half-baked release to market is a common ill in the software marketplace.  Disappointing.  Not unexpected, but still disappointing.

I think the correct answer is:

  1. Unless there’s an absolutely BODACIOUS sale for Black Friday/Cyber Monday, save my money for later and keep enjoying FS2020.
  2. Wait for the dust to settle, then decide if there’s enough value-add to buy it.

Correct?

P.S.
X-Plane 12 was like this on release too.

2 Likes

Yep, this is definitely going to be possible. Might do the same now that my PD edition has been refunded. Might get standard and just pick and choose, a lot of the planes don’t interest me too much anyway, and when everything is buggy, even less so :sweat_smile:

1 Like

None !!

Don’t Buy it !

It’a still an alpha stage belive me

especially if you fly VR

4 Likes

I’d agree with this. I wouldn’t know about X-Plane but frankly I’d be a lot more forgiving with X-Plane because I know it’s not a huge team with the money of Microsoft behind it. X-Plane is a niche product and while it appeals to a lot of people, I’m not one of them (though I did have both 10 and 11.)

Good luck on your decision!

1 Like

One thing I will give X-Plane credit for is that - when they originally released XP-12 - they were very up-front about the fact that it WASN’T ready for prime-time, there WOULD be bugs, that it’s essentially a beta release, and they’re releasing it into the wild so that they can gather failure data as rapidly as possible.  (End users have a particular talent for finding bugs that the devs can’t find. :wink:)

Their idea, (AFAIK), is that they wanted to capture as many data-points and failure modes as possible so that when it went to “official release” status, the primary failure vectors[1] would have been identified and the lion’s share of the issues would be resolved.

==================== Footnotes ====================

  1. Failure vector:
    The reason why a particular failure wasn’t identified and where else can this particular class of failure occur.
     
    Example of a failure vector analysis:
    • Failure:
      Roads are not rendered correctly with respect to elevation.
      (Roads either float in the air or disappear within forests or mountains, etc.)
    • Root cause:
      Road placement logic did not have access to the elevation data for that particular road in that particular location.
    • Solution:
      Change the class “roads” to include elevation data in the rendering sub-class.
    • Other possible locations of the same error:
      Class “rivers”
      Class “railroad_tracks”
      Sub-class “Highways”
      (etc.)
2 Likes

Offtopic but talking about roads, at this point I’m also worried/dissatisfied about the quality of road textures, as most of the asphalt roads I’ve seen are like this:

3rd parties may step in to fix this issue with payware addons per country, but they’ll probably just copy over what they did in 2020 therefore their quality will most likely be marginally better…

1 Like

best would be a cheaper version without any aircraft. dont need the borked asobo and carenodo planes.

2 Likes

IF you are suffering from near panic level FOMO get the standard version. All the 2020 Premium aircraft and airports will be in your library. Reporting the bugs in all that will keep you busy (and frustrated for sure). MS has promised “upgrade packages” in the marketplace in 2024, but there is no marketplace in 2024 yet.

BUT - since everything is streamed, the experience of someone in your particular country situation should be sought - even standard version might be “a farcical waste of money”

This is forced out “Pre-Alpha Nightly Build” with “it didn’t break the build” level quality. We are used to expecting edge-case bugs and held back functionality on the first release of a new product, but obvious no one tested the primary use-case bugs (or just flat out “The shareholders said ship it”) is not expected nor acceptable from a company used to creating products of this complexity.

I wasn’t able to figure out how to capture a screenshot (or actually I did but can’t find the files).

Security showed up as soon as I started the engines … I think I captured your neighborhood - sorry for the low qual - had to take the shot with my phone.

With Windows SnipTool:


Close enough.

It’s interesting how the houses are American-style stick-built houses with asphalt shingles instead of the normally seen Russian-style construction with metal roofs. :man_facepalming:

It sounds like my original assessment was correct:  Wait for a while unless there’s a phenomenal sale.

1 Like

The best version to get right now is the 2020 version

3 Likes