Release Notes (1.15.7.0) World Update IV: France/Benelux

[Tom Clayton]

CUSS!!!

It's looping on piece 138/172. Guess I'll have to restart it and let it d/l the whole "farging" thing again.

[heywooood]

With previous World Updates, once your sim was updated, there were still items that had to be downloaded from the Marketplace. Select the Free Content filter and you should be able to find it easily. I'm not on my flight rig at the moment, so I'll have to verify when I get back to it.

Xbox store - then Marketplace - then Content manager - and in that order. Don't understand why they at MS don't stipulate this in big red letters once you are directed to the 'mandatory update'. Every update is the same - folks who've been here a while as well as those who are brand new to this sim make the same mistakes
or complain that items are missing because they didn't know or miss-remembered the thing.

[pilto von pilto]

Xbox store - then Marketplace - then Content manager - and in that order. Don't understand why they at MS don't stipulate this in big red letters once you are directed to the 'mandatory update'. Every update is the same - folks who've been here a while as well as those who are brand new to this sim make the same mistakes
or complain that items are missing because they didn't know or miss-remembered the thing.

The issue is the update ritual in the first place. I dont think they need big red letters reminding you that you need to do that sort of update dance each and every time a point update is done. It shouldnt be required in the first place.

How it should work is this. Update released > platform updates > game updates. Dont mess with user placed files , work out what that user has already got installed ( they already do know this due to always on connectivity ) and automatically update it. Rather than expect the end user to remember to check the content manager afterwards.

BTW. I had forgotten to check the content manager. Why ? I have a tonne of other things on at the moment and just assumed that it would just update. How about a tickbox called auto-updates enabled like steam has on their service?

[Javis]

Talk about Steam... the reason i went with Steam also for MSFS is mostly because it took me a few days and lots of aggrevation and irritation to even get a Microsoft account. "You can't use an email address from your work or school, use a personal email address". That was MS' welcome to try to get an account. Yeah, right, i am retired and i USE a personal email address for god sake ! WTF !?? ( i am from the Netherlands..). Second reason, all my sims and other games i bought via Steam. Never a problem always smooth as butter, fast as furious. Particularly the best thing since sliced bread when it comes to reinstall.

Like it's always been before when there's an update, i start MSFS, get a screen that says "checking for updates", get a screen that tells about the update with a button that says 'Install' and, in this case, after about 30 minutes all 22Gig of new stuff is on board without me having to do anything and a new button pops up that says "Continue". Once in the main menu i do have to go into the Content Manager and click the install button for the new regional stuff.

And you know what, i have never ever moved my 'Community Folder' out of my 'MSFSPackages' folder. Never a problem.

Btw, just curious, i did not install this new 'France/Benelux' scenery at first. Thought i'd inspect Amsterdam first after the 1.15.7.0 World Update. Indeed nothing changed sofar. It's nice but the houses/buildings don't look like what the're supposed to look like at all. After installing the France/Benelux scenery and again flying over Amsterdam i was glad i had fastend my seatbelt otherwise i would've fallen smack dab on the cockpit floor. This is my own Amsterdam! Finally! Wow!!

Tis true, you'd better not get below 500 feet because it'll make you feel you had been taken too much advantage of the coffee shops down below...

All i can say is that i LOVE MS for giving me so much flightsimming fun for more than 30 years but when i read about all these problems with installation and updates of MSFS ever since the memorable occasion of its release i am glad i bumped into this silly and annoying problem of just getting a stupid email address accepted. It really felt like a true potential for disaster so i said goodbye to MS and Hello to Steam.

I know it won't help much, just saying... Good advice for future MSFS buyers i think it is... (no affiliation with Steam whatsoever, just think it's installation heaven)

[azflyboy]

For anyone who is running into MSFS updates downloading painfully slowly, try connecting to a VPN and see if that helps.

In my case, the MSFS download was only running at about 10Mbps, but after turning my VPN on, the download speed jumped to 40-50Mbps, which makes absolutely zero sense, but apparently it's a common fix for whatever causes that problem.

[heywooood]

The issue is the update ritual in the first place. I dont think they need big red letters reminding you that you need to do that sort of update dance each and every time a point update is done. It shouldnt be required in the first place.

BTW. I had forgotten to check the content manager. Why ? I have a tonne of other things on at the moment and just assumed that it would just update. How about a tickbox called auto-updates enabled like steam has on their service?

I agree with these two points - the update ‘process’ with MSFS is ridiculous.
that said it IS the process.
My point is that it is doubly ridiculous that they do not preemptively try to mitigate that
with more strident information and guidance. Rather they would scatter their updates on the floor and then see their forums clogged with complaints from folks who struggle to pick them up properly - mixed in with those who did but still have REAL issues. It makes their own reporting system akin to a plate of spaghetti thrown against a red and white paisley wall

[modelr]

I can't even start my update, as my latest Windows update screwed up something in my box. My computer won't shut down without using the power button, and suddenly the windows update screen in settings is mostly blank, while everything is there on the other pages. I had checked to see if the update was in the store yet, and it showed I had already downloaded it???? So, I checked my Windows update and it showed two. Started them, which took almost two days?!?!? since then, The computer won't shut down using the normal software link. Must use the power button. Not good, I know.

As for speed, MS has been real slow, lately, and my main box is hardwired all the way. I have very fast cable ISP. They did just replace my modem with the newest high speed unit, which tripled my wireless speeds in the house. My notebook is wireless. Hardwired doesn't use the VPN. Also, I turned my VPN off on my phone and my notebook, because none of the websites that use cookies would let my passwords work!!!! Anyone else have this problem?

Jan, I bought the MSFS2020 from the store, as I had never used Steam, yet. (Heard all the horror stories from early on. Kept me away.) Then, all the talk about American Truck Simulator, and European Truck Simulator on here, which seems to be a Steam only game, finally got me to try it. Very impressed, very fast. Love it. Now, I wish I had MSFS on Steam. Only thing is, a lot of add-ons are not listed for Steam. Do they still work there?? Also, none, or very few of the sales cover the Steam versions. Oh well.

When I get things sorted out on my gaming rig, I'll start the downloads/updates. Strange thing is, the operating system itself seems to be fine, and I can play ATS on it fine. It just won't shut down, and the Windows update keeps coming on and locking in a never ending loop, much like the MSFS major updates do for some. Mine usually does it in Content Manager updates. Tom, I always end up shutting down the Sim program and restarting when mine hangs. It does not redownload everything, it returns right to where the loop was, and finishes there, either continuing on to the finish, or hanging on another update.

[modelr]

Took a while, but I got my rig straightened out, and am now downloading the installation manager portion. Here's hoping everything goes well. currently on 165/182. Almost done.

[Priller]

Crossing our fingers for ya!!

Priller

[Tom Clayton]

Mine started looping on 138/172. I shut it down and rebooted - now downloading twice the size, but only 35 parts. Then it looped on part 1! At that point, it was getting late. I finally got running after a few attempts, then fell asleep on the couch. I woke up around 0300 and it was finally done and I could "Continue." Went to the content manager and updated 15 things there, then to the Marketplace to get the actual World Update. I was finally done at 0315 and headed to bed. Hopefully I won't be too tired to fly when I get home tonight.

[Penzoil3]

Umm, Tom ?
Xbox store - then Marketplace - then Content manager - and in that order.
Sue

[Tom Clayton]

It worked for me - at least this time. The hard part was getting past the looping.

[jimjones]

The opening screens for this update show Sacre Couer Basilica with green/blue domes. When viewing the Basilica in the sim the domes have horizontal grey and white bands and the overall look is a stark white, less colorful than the opening MSFS screens of the Basilica in 1.15.7.0.

Sort of a misrepresentation of features in my mind.

[Tom Clayton]

Did you go to the Marketplace and download the scenery update from there? Select the free content filter and you'll find it much easier.

[Fnerg]

Could you recommend airfields to visit, I'm not familiar with any of these places in the latest world update. I do love mountainous regions.

[jimjones]

Did you go to the Marketplace and download the scenery update from there? Select the free content filter and you'll find it much easier.

Yes. Many new POIs were added and Paris shows up in Photogrammetry, That was proof to me that I got the France + other updates. Strange the Basilica does not match the ad.

[DennyA]

If you're looking for some beautiful mountainous scenery and a challenging takeoff/landing...

So yesterday I decided I’d challenge myself by taking off from the destination in the current landing challenge, LFPS Notre dame de la Salette. Takeoff was really challenging in the Jabiru J160 – I actually had to pushback farther up the hill to succeed. It was stupid-easy in the Savage Grravel, but that’s not a plane to use when you want to challenge yourself to anything except maybe landing in a 50-foot open space.


Little did I know what challenge awaited me. I looked at the map for the closest destination airport and found LF79 Mont Aiguille. So took off, admired the beautiful valley and towns below, and flew towards LF79.


I see that Mont Agille is a huge, stone mountain. Impressive! I approach it and start looking for the field near its base.


Oh.



The field is not at its base. Looking at the GPS, I realize… It’s on top of the mountain. I was near the base of the mountain, and the Jabiru doesn’t climb well at all at that altitude, so I had to fly out away from and it do a circling climb to get up to the level of the mountaintop.(Pic above.)



Turns out there’s not an actual ICAO airport up there, but there was a stunt pilot, Henri Girard, in the 50s-70s who’d landed a J-3 Cub up there, and started taking paying passengers up to the mountain.



It’s a big area to land on, but you don’t want to overrun the runway. Again, the Jabiru made it much more challenging than the Grravel.



I got the Jabiru down safely, but I landed directly upslope and started sliding backwards! I just managed to turn it around, finally, at which point the downslope made it easy to get enough speed to take off again.


I recommend this flight plan.

[gribouil]

Could you recommend airfields to visit, I'm not familiar with any of these places in the latest world update. I do love mountainous regions.

Hello Fnerg,
I think I can help you as I'm French...
You may try these:
LFBT: Tarbes Lourdes Pyrénées airport close to the Pic du Midi Observatory
LFIP: Peyresourde Balestas mountain airport in the Pyrénées
LFHM: Megève mountain airport close to the Mont Blanc in the French alps
LFKX and LFKJ: Méribel and Courchevel mountain airports located also in the French Alps (both airfields are very close)

Other beautiful places that are worth a look:
LFCM: Millau Larzac airfield south of the Millau viaduct (countryside)
LFCH: Arcachon La Teste de Buch airfield east of the Dune du Pyla and the Cap Ferret (seaside)
LFMK: Carcassonne Salvaza airport just west of the Cité of Carcassonne (countryside)

The airstrips descirbed by DennyA located in the South East of France are very fun and very challenging!!!

hope this helps!!!
Cheers,

Stéph.

[Fnerg]

Thank you for that Stéph! Off to explore! Merci!