MSFS : Download Procedure

[Catboat]

Hi All,

Just took the big leap of faith, purchased and downloaded MSFS. A couple of problem areas have arisen, due mainly to my lack of knowledge of computers. Firstly can anyone advise me on the links or threads to download third party purchases. I have installed a brand new hard drive dedicated to MSFS only. With my trusty old FSX, to download after extracting, was simply C:\ Program Files (x86)\etc. I find downloading purchases from MSFS's own Market Place, or from Just Flight (as Exec Files) no problem. However if the file is a zip file, after extraction I have put it into my F:\ Users File\My Name\Downloads. as the installation procedure calls to place the relevant download into "Community File" I go to MSFS, bring up Microsoft Games, then Content, and do not know where to go from there. Any ideas??

Also, I cannot find any assignment for the opening and closing of doors and hatches (such as FSX's Shift+ E etc). I have checked assignments on Mouse, Keyboard and Control Joystick, but with no success. Again, any ideas .

Best Regards, and thanks in advance

[wombat666]

A quick answer would be to download the 'Manual'.
I did and printed the bloody thing out, still navigating my way through it!

[lefty]

I'm in a very similar situation to Catboat - took the plunge after years of inactivity. Upgraded my rig and went ahead with downloads galore.

At times, like many, I suspect, I wanted to throw it out and fire up good ol' FSX. But the Scotsman in me wouldn't tolerate all that cash going doon the drain!

At the moment I have invested in a HOTAS setup and have more or less got the joystick under control - yes, the old AV8R has gone out to pasture. But the mass of buttons, hats, paddles and wheels on the throttle will, I suspect, remain a mystery.

The SoFly manual available from Orbx seems to have good reviews, although I'd prefer something printed.

I'll watch this thread with interest, and in the meantime wonder how ASOBO could have created something so half-baked and unnecessarily complicated.

(And Catboat, don't try the seaplanes just yet. They haven't got that sorted at all !)

But the scenery is even better than I expected. As long as you live in the USA.....

[Priller]

The addons go into the "community folder". depending on how you installed MSFS, here is where the folder can be found: Source: https://support.justflight.com/suppo...older-msfs2020

For the Windows Store install:

C:\Users\[Your User Name]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_ 8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\

For the Steam install:

C:\Users\[Your User Name]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightDashboard_ 8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Important: Windows 10 by default hides the “AppData” folder, so you will have to go to “View” in the menu of File Explorer, and select “Hidden items” so as to see it.

For the Custom install:

If you happened to use a custom location for your Flight Simulator installation, then proceed there.In our case it was: E:\Steam\steamapps\common\MicrosoftFlightSimulator \Community

If you want to move the folder to a more convenient location, here's a bit of explanation on that: https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t...t-drive/272303

Cheers,

Priller

[Stearman]

Hi All,

Just took the big leap of faith, purchased and downloaded MSFS. A couple of problem areas have arisen, due mainly to my lack of knowledge of computers. Firstly can anyone advise me on the links or threads to download third party purchases. I have installed a brand new hard drive dedicated to MSFS only. With my trusty old FSX, to download after extracting, was simply C:\ Program Files (x86)\etc. I find downloading purchases from MSFS's own Market Place, or from Just Flight (as Exec Files) no problem. However if the file is a zip file, after extraction I have put it into my F:\ Users File\My Name\Downloads. as the installation procedure calls to place the relevant download into "Community File" I go to MSFS, bring up Microsoft Games, then Content, and do not know where to go from there. Any ideas??

Also, I cannot find any assignment for the opening and closing of doors and hatches (such as FSX's Shift+ E etc). I have checked assignments on Mouse, Keyboard and Control Joystick, but with no success. Again, any ideas .

Best Regards, and thanks in advance

Add-ons purchased from MS Market Place go into the 'xxx/Packages/Official' folder (where the 'xxx' may vary, depending of your MSFS version). This is an automatic process and there is nothing you can or should do about it.

Add-ons purchased from external vendors go into the 'xxx/Packages/Community' folder, either automatically or manually, depending on every vendor's installation procedure. Anyhow, you can manually move every item in and out of the Community folder whenever you want.

As for key assignment to open doors, I think there isn't any. First of all take into account that most of the default aircraft don't feature opening doors (I wonder why too!!), and the 3rd party aircraft that do, usually require clicking on the door latch in the virtual cockpit (that I know of, anyway).

Anyhow, once you get used to MSFS, I'm quite sure you won't even consider moving back to FSX.

[Tom Clayton]

Default planes don't have anything that opens - but there's a catch to that. In at least some of the models, the animations are actually there, but they have to be accessed by mouse click, and the clickspots aren't there. For example, there's an improvement package (that has its own issues) for the TBM that activates the click spots to unlock and open the doors, including the nose hatch. There was speculation in the community very early on that Asobo would activate the door features, but there's been nothing. Many of the 3rd party planes do have doors that can be opened, but again, it's by mouse click from inside the plane. To my knowledge, there are no available commands that can be mapped for the doors, but it's been a while since I looked...

[Catboat]

Default planes don't have anything that opens - but there's a catch to that. In at least some of the models, the animations are actually there, but they have to be accessed by mouse click, and the clickspots aren't there. For example, there's an improvement package (that has its own issues) for the TBM that activates the click spots to unlock and open the doors, including the nose hatch. There was speculation in the community very early on that Asobo would activate the door features, but there's been nothing. Many of the 3rd party planes do have doors that can be opened, but again, it's by mouse click from inside the plane. To my knowledge, there are no available commands that can be mapped for the doors, but it's been a while since I looked...

Thank You All,

You've all provided me with some food for thought. I'll let you know how I go. Tom, I am surprised by the lack of attention to doors/hatches, though the Islander, Trislander, Boeing 247, and Grumman Goose to have click spots or switches to enable this, as does the Ju52/3m for the forward door only. Lefty, I've already tried with the water-bourne aircraft, and as I have a penchant for older aircraft, e.g. Dornier Wal, I've found their water handling just passable, and the visual water effects just so-so. The Grumman Goose for example leaves a massive trench in its wake, kind of like the parting of the Red Sea!! Anyhow I'm sure these will all be addressed in time. Thanks again all for your support. I'ts nice to know that I'm not the only one who has had some of these problems

[Stearman]

Default planes don't have anything that opens - but there's a catch to that. In at least some of the models, the animations are actually there, but they have to be accessed by mouse click, and the clickspots aren't there. For example, there's an improvement package (that has its own issues) for the TBM that activates the click spots to unlock and open the doors, including the nose hatch.

I know of at least another example, the excellent JP Logistics Enhancement Mod for Asobo's Cessna 152, found here:
https://es.flightsim.to/file/2246/msfs-c152-community

Do you imply that the opening doors feature was already present (and hidden) in those Asobo's models, and these mods have simply disclosed it?

If so, why would they hide it? That's beyond me.

[Tom Clayton]

Do you imply that the opening doors feature was already present (and hidden) in those Asobo's models, and these mods have simply disclosed it?

Apparently, that's the case, unless the mod developers, were able to add the animations themselves. The door lock complexity in the TBM leads me to believe that it was just uncovered by the mod's author, but I could be wrong.