Also, backup the installed game (there is an option for that in the Steam game menu), make a hardcopy of the compressed file that is to be found in Steam/Backups. You can then install froim that file instread of needing to download it. Just saving the folder of the installed game will NOT allow you to reinstall from that. You need to use the backup option by Steam.

The data Steam collects, is limited, as far as I know,m and related to the games of steam indeed. That they know my playing hours, is not so much my concern. I mean the ammount of data Windows 10 phones home even if you have all mrelated options switched off, is a quite beigger worry. Almost 2000 data variabkles get frequently collected by Windows even if you shut all telemetry down as far as that can be done by the normal user. And these collect far more than just usage times, but allow to profile and identify people and connect this data to gained data form other sources. Sensitive, potentially abusable data.

If you are sensible about Steam, you should not use Windows at all, Steve. The whole bullcrap of Windows 10 has been reverse-engineered into Windows7 as well already long time ago. Go Linux. Chrome is safer than Windows, but knows no privacy. Apple is like Windows, just more locked in its own universe. For a weekly overview of the latest Windows patch mess, visit this siter occasionally: https://www.askwoody.com/ Busines sslowly realises that Windows costs them money: in license fees, and in workaround, repair and overtime working hours by their IT staff.

Steam has started already years ago to slowly start migrating away from Windows, and offering more and more games for Steam OS which in principle is Linux, as far as I understand. Of course that is also announcing their desire to have people buying their own Steam hardware.

When Windows is gone one day, consoles indeed may be what ius left for me to play on. At least a few good racing games are available for them - Assetto Corsa as an example. Niche products however from the cosim branch and others, may find it hard to surive then, but since they usually do not need additonal controller hardware that Linux finds hard to offer drivers for, authors maybe finally will see a greater motivation to start developing such things for Linux.

That's pretty fair in all honesty. The learning curve is ridiculous.

FSX has some cool features and the graphics are better, but I guess it's just that I'm biased. Grew up playing FS2002 and FS2004.

I almost got into P3D or XPlane. I might do it once I get some rudder pedals. I'm half considering building some switch panels as well. For the lolz, you know.

There are videos out there of guys who build entire cockpits. They are only interested in one type of aircraft and they want to experience it to the hilt.

P3D is very pretty, a great improvement on FSX. Well, except for the part where people are creating new scenery and super-detailed planes for both X-Plane 11 is a whole other world. The scenery is not as pretty, but that's because the real world isn't as pretty. And X-Plane offers the real world as a backdrop. It takes a little work, but it's worth it.

On the other hand X-Plane does have a couple of immersion-killing faults which they refuse to address. The worst is the constant tire-screeching. If your taxiing isn't perfect it sounds like you're touching down every second or two. They say that's normal, even though everyone complains about it. The other biggie is the tail-draggers. Maybe with rudder pedals they're easier to guide, but with the twist-stick I find myself doing a lot of doughnuts - just spinning 'round and 'round. It's pretty silly, really.

Right now I'm stuck on WOFF, though. Just flying a Caudron G.IV around in late 1914 tickles me no end.

XP11 has inbuild VR support, but while in princi8ple it works fine, it has its inherent setbacks.


XP is nthe better VFR and small-plane simulator. FSX/P3D is the better button-pusher simulator.


Its a shame that AES doe snto work in P3D anymore. For version 4 of P3D, the PMDG 777 and 737 are aqvailable: two big arguments in favour of it.



But: I have followed FS since FS98, and bought additional aerosoft sceneries in rich numbers, many of them several times for various versions of FS. I do not feel like wanting to buy them all again, and then comes a new version of P3D claiming it is incompatible and...



And then there is the nightmare of installing and tuning all the stuff. When I reinstalled my system in past years, I counted one day alone for all that FS airport scenery and aircraft stuff and tuning the options.

Yeah. I've encountered the downsides as well. Stock X-Plane has no Salt Lake City at all. Gorgeous scenery, and all the rivers and roads, but not one building. MisterX has created a stunning version of Salt Lake Airport, complete with moving cars and commuter trains. It also adds some of the downtown buildings, but most of the Salt Lake Valley with its 14 cities and one million inhabitants is still missing.

Stock FSX, on the other hand, has some buildings. It also has SL Airport No. 2, which I like. Pacific Island Simulations has created a complete redo of the whole valley for FSX and P3D v3, and I bought it and love it. They also make a version for P3D v4, but if I get that version of Prepar3d I'll have to also buy the other version of SLC. I'll probably get P3d v3 and the 32-bit graphics, and to be honest I probably won't notice the difference.

While I am one that prefers to purchase the game disk/CD/DVD, go home and install the game, and never touch the disk again...

Just a few thoughts:


"Offline Mode" is your friend.

I show about "3 Minutes" played for Fallout: New Vegas.
But I played FO:NV for 1 YEAR in "offline mode", before logging back in to update to the patched version (sometime in 2011).

I've played that game alone, for weeks at a time. With potentially MORE hours total, than SH3 and SH4 combined. Both were purchased about the same time.
(My SH3 was the SH2/3 combo, without the Starforce.)
I only get online to update, and/or get a new game.

Steam's Primary advantage *to -ME-* is:
Newer (CD/DVD based) games often required the disk to be in the drive in order to run.
This has resulted in the loss of many of my older games. Some from as far back as 1997/1998.
As a result, I'm not wearing out my disk.
(With WINE giving added benifits that I can cover if you want to know.)


Barracuda