MSFS 2020 Availability

[chrispbits]

For the UK MSFS 2020 will be available for download from 22:00 this evening. For the full range of availability times please see: https://www.flightsimulator.com/microso ... ase-times/

Almost here.

[chrispbits]

I should add that the timings above are for orders placed directly with Microsoft. Steam users will be able to download from 04:00 UTC tomorrow morning (18th). I have not seen any timings for any other suppliers.

[TSR2]

23:00 UTC for the UK, is 00:00 BST (so technically tomorrow)

[chrispbits]

Yes 23:00 UTC, which is midnight as Ben says. I still can't enter 00:00 as for anyone ex or current military it's either 23:59 or 00:01 but never 00:00. Either way it's tonight but I don't think I'll be staying up for it.

[TSR2]

The Core application should already be on your PC, once you launch it and sign in, you can then configure it and set it off downloading. It will take hours anyway, so I'll kick it off at midnight and leave it running.

[Nigel H-J]

Ben, I was wondering whether it might be a good idea for those like me who are holding off buying MS2020 is to have a stickied thread regarding purchase, downloading, setting up. This might very well help members when they do decide to go MS2020, especially me!!

Also it would be helpful for any advice of where to download to, I have M.2 as my C: Drive but only have 353GB free so using my D: Drive for X-Plane and will need to install MS2020 alongside.

Might be easier though if I purchased through Steam as then I can direct the sim to a new location through Library settings.

Has any-one bought MS2020 through Steam?

Regards
Nigel.

[TSR2]

Hi Nigel,

So the program breaks down into 3 component (broadly speaking)

1. Core or Launcher program. This is the bit you get from the Microsoft Store or Steam. If you have pre-ordered or signed up through Xbox game pass, it should be there already. Steam users wont be able to get it until 04:00 UTC tomorrow (18/08/20) This part is between 1 - 1.5 GB and by default will go to your C drive (for the Windows Store version).
2.Once you are able to launch the Core program (when the sim is "unlocked" depending on your time zone), it will then need to download the models. These are boats, aircraft, airports, scenery items etc. In the Alpha and Beta you could define where this was to go, drive / folder etc.It was between 75 and 128 GB. I suspect the 75GB is the standard version.)
3. Once you are in the Sim, there are settings with respect to the streaming data. This is the VFR type "tiles". You have the option to cache this information so that you don't have to redownload it. It streams as you fly the sim and is stored in a local cache. You can set the size and location of this cache file. Its one file and all the content is saved into it.

This is all based on Alpha / Beta experiences, and there may well be differences in the released version.

[Nigel H-J]

You can set the size and location of this cache file. Its one file and all the content is saved into it.

Now that is going to confuse me even more. Think you need to start another sticky thread concerning how and where and re-size the cache file!!

Sorry, not really into cache file and the like, always told to leave things as they are!!

Regards
Nigel.

[TSR2]

Cache is just a temporary store Nigel.

By default, it saves this file in the MSFS directory, but you can change this within the same to wherever you like.

This file stores the VFR tiles so that you don't have to keep streaming them from the internet.

For example. If you were to fly from Edinburgh to London, the aerial images (VFR style tiles) are pulled from the internet as you fly. It stores these in the cache file, so that the next time you fly over the same areas, its doesn't have to pull the images from the internet, it can read them from the cache file, this making them quicker and saving your internet usage.

Within the SIM you can set a limit on the size of the cache file and change its location. If you think of a cache as a bucket. You can set the size and location of the bucket. The bucket stores the tile images that come from your internet connection (the stream).

[Nigel H-J]

Thanks for the explanations Ben, will have to take a closer look at all that when the time comes sometime next year.

Regards
Nigel.