AH Aztec

[IanP]

There are actually two reasons - one very large reason - for keeping FSX DVD; the large one being the SDK, which is crippled (no executable compilers) in Steam Edition, the more minor one is that many installation routines do not and will never be updated to allow installation into FSX Steam Edition. Other than that, SE is patched, updated and performs slightly better than FSX DVD, so is worth having, as more and more add-ons will be released as SE add-ons only. While non-SE content can be installed to SE, SE only content cannot be copied the other way, due to a different file structure and DRM being used to lock it to the platform.

I have both installed and have both non-Steam-specific and SE-only packages installed; the SE-only packages are installed to a "DLC" folder under the FSX installation path and parts of them are compiled in a non-standard way, which the DVD version of FSX cannot read. Unless Baz has come up with a specific deal for this not to happen, the Aztec will be locked to Steam Edition only. From a repainter's perspective, which is where I was approaching it from, the fact that Model Converter X cannot read the SE DRM format of files makes testing repaints a lot harder.

Ian P.

 

[hairyspin]

There are actually two reasons - one very large reason - for keeping FSX DVD; the large one being the SDK, which is crippled (no executable compilers) in Steam Edition...

The lack of XToMDL.EXE can be easily overcome with the P3D v1.4 SDK for 3ds Max, which supplies an FSX-compatible version. Gmax and 3ds Max can therefore export to FSX afaik.

 

[IanP]

That's true to an extent, but again it comes down to this question of how much people care about licensing, because the P3D SDKs specify they are to be used with Prepar3D - what really needs to happen is DTG need to sort out the FSX SDK, which we know they won't do. Therefore, without breaching any licenses, the only option to use is FSX DVD.

It's not just XtoMDL that's missing - all the SDK executables are. DTG are aware, but say that they are "unable to support" the SDK. I don't know why they include any of the SDK to be honest, because without any of the executable files, it's just taking up extra hard drive space.

Anyway. My answer is that I have both running in parallel and use them for different things. It's really not a problem... But then I also have two P3Ds, two DCS Worlds, two X-Planes...

Cheers,

Ian P.