As a game that is only still alive today thanks to free and paid third party content, those who bought Dovetail Games' Steam Edition re-release may have noticed missing SDK content, such as binaries and a few other files. Files that are required for development of scenery, airfields, aircraft, plugins and anything else keeping the 8 year old game popular.

What changes have you made in FSX: Steam Edition from the Microsoft-supplied boxed version of FSX?

This is a re-release of FSX Gold Edition so you should not expect dramatic differences. However, we have updated it to include all standard Steam functionality, we’ve removed CD checking and combined the components of Gold Edition into a single installation. The major change we've made is in replacing the now-defunct GameSpy multiplayer systems with Steam features, enabling multiplayer to work seamlessly once again. Our aim in this first instance has been to ensure that the software will run for as many people as possible rather than radically improving or updating it.

[Steam Forums|Archive.org]

The Microsoft Boxed editions came in Standard, Deluxe, and Gold. Standard — the base game; Deluxe — base game, extra missions, aircraft, high detail locations, tower control in multiplayer & SDK on disc; Gold — Deluxe and the FSX Acceleration expansion.

Okay, so it should be included, right? It was. Only missing the important binaries and several other components. List of missing files:

ConfigSDK.exe

/Core Utilities Kit/SimProp/[ALL FILES]

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AC2Scan.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AC2Scan.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AC3Scan.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AC3Scan.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AgnDump.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AgnScan.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AgnScan.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Annotator.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Annotator.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AnnotatorThunk.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenConfigEditor.Controller.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenConfigEditor.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenConfigEditor.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenConfigEditor.Extensibility.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenConfigEditor.Model.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenConfigEditor.View.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenEditor.Controller.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenEditor.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenEditor.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenEditor.Model.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/AutogenEditor.View.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/BaseTypes.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/BglScanComponentized.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/ContentScan.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/ContentScan.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/EditorFoundation.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Managed_QMID.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Managed_RiffMapper.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/MdlScanComponentized.exe

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Microsoft.SimProp.SchemaDefs.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Renders/[ALL FILES]

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Xceed.DockingWindows.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Xceed.DockingWindows.Layout.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Xceed.Editors.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Xceed.Grid.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Xceed.UI.dll

/Environment Kit/Autogen SDK/Xceed.Validation.dll

/Environment Kit/BGL Compiler SDK/BaseTypes.dll

/Environment Kit/BGL Compiler SDK/BglComp.exe

/Environment Kit/BGL Compiler SDK/BGLScan.exe

/Environment Kit/BGL Compiler SDK/BGLScan.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Plugins/BaseTypes.dll

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Plugins/FSModelExp.dle

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Plugins/Managed_RiffMapper.dll

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Plugins/MaxUtils.gup

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Plugins/MaxXML.gup

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Plugins/MdlScan.exe

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Plugins/MdlScan.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Plugins/SetupAcesRoot.ms

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Plugins/XToMdl.exe

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM7/Scripts/[ALL FILES]

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Plugins/BaseTypes.dll

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Plugins/Managed_RiffMapper.dll

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Plugins/Max9_FSModelExp.dle

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Plugins/Max9_MaxUtils.gup

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Plugins/Max9_MaxXML.gup

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Plugins/MdlScan.exe

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Plugins/MdlScan.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Plugins/SetupAcesRoot.ms

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Plugins/XToMdl.exe

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/3DSM9/Scripts/[ALL FILES]

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/bin/[ALL FILES]

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/FSX_GmaxGamePack/Plugins/BaseTypes.dll

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/FSX_GmaxGamePack/Plugins/Managed_RiffMapper.dll

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/FSX_GmaxGamePack/Plugins/MdlScan.exe

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/FSX_GmaxGamePack/Plugins/MdlScan.exe.config

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/FSX_GmaxGamePack/Plugins/XToMdl.exe

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/FSX_GmaxGamePack/scripts/CloudTool.ms

/Environment Kit/Modeling SDK/FSX_GmaxGamePack/scripts/FSXAnimation.ms

/Environment Kit/Terrain SDK/ImageTool.exe

/Environment Kit/Terrain SDK/resample.exe

/Environment Kit/Terrain SDK/Shp2Vec.exe

/Environment Kit/Terrain SDK/TmfViewer.exe

/Environment Kit/Traffic Toolbox SDK/TrafficDatabaseBuilder.exe

/SimObject Creation Kit/Cabdir SDK/[ALL FILES]

/SimObject Creation Kit/Panels and Gauges SDK/ace.exe

/SimObject Creation Kit/Panels and Gauges SDK/Infix2Postfix.exe

/SimObject Creation Kit/Panels and Gauges SDK/InfixHelpFile.txt

/SimObject Creation Kit/Panels and Gauges SDK/PropDefs/[ALL FILES]

/SimObject Creation Kit/Panels and Gauges SDK/psd2xml.exe

/SimObject Creation Kit/Panels and Gauges SDK/simpropace.dll

So some customers, including myself, emailed dtgflightsupport@dovetailgames.com inquiring about the missing content. Today they replied.

Dear [NAME],

I have now heard back for you regarding the missing SDK files.

Microsoft remains the developer of FSX and is solely responsible for implementation of any features or content. Meanwhile, Dovetail Games is acting as a publisher for Microsoft and is only licenced to modify the simulator in order to make it Steam compatible. Although we have optimised FSX: Steam Edition for use on Steam, in accordance with our licencing agreement with Microsoft we are not at liberty to make significant functionality changes to the simulator.

We know that the SDK is highly important to the FSX developer community and that the current situation regarding its use with FSX: Steam Edition has not been made clear. Implementation of the SDK currently falls outside of our agreement with Microsoft and therefore we have brought your enquiry to their attention so that we can best provide you with the information that you require. This has meant that we have been unable to address your enquiry as quickly as we would like. We are sorry for any frustration this may have caused.

Microsoft has now issued us with clarification on this matter. FSX: Steam Edition does not include a developer SDK and the focus for this release is to provide players with a stable standalone simulator which utilises the advantages of the Steam platform. If you wish to use the SDK it remains available in the boxed edition of FSX and all functionality will continue to work as it did prior to the release of FSX: Steam Edition. There are no plans to introduce a SDK to the Steam edition at this time.

Regard

Will

Dovetail Games Support

So, it appears that the developers of a game that has over £2,700 of first party DLC, can obtain a license to sell a game with non-significant modifications, Gamespy replaced with Steamworks(hardly insignificant), third party content dlc, but not an SDK. Users who paid £3.99(Initial release Steam sale) - £19.99 need to pay anywhere up to £80+(Amazon) for another copy if they want to join the massive community of addon developers, or even just make small edits using free or paid tools for FSX. Or hope that Lockheed Martin, developers of Prepar3D, a far more stable and improved version of FSX, don't make their v1.4 SDK only available to licensed customers($59.95 cheapest).

All I can say is that I am glad I already have the Gold edition with it's SDK and only paid £3.99 to say goodbye to Gamespy.

no wonder FSUIPC doesnt work.

no wonder FSUIPC doesnt work.

4.938c should work with SE. Plugins are a mixed case. But if FSUIPC did not work then some of the less shit addon developers they teamed up with would be screwed.

As someone who plays Train Sim a fair amount, I will say now the vast majority of the Steam DLC for it are only published and not made by them.

 

But yeah, DTG (or RSC depending how you found out about them) aren't exactly known for releasing good value for money content.

That kinda sucks, because FSX comes alive when enriched with user-made stuff like planes and terrain. By not including a way for new content to be made, they've pretty much strangled the potential for new modded content.

4.938c should work with SE. Plugins are a mixed case. But if FSUIPC did not work then some of the less shit addon developers they teamed up with would be screwed.

what about VRS Super bug?

I'd be REAL excited to see the TacPack optimized for the steam version

 

The tacpack & superbug are the main things that keep me running back to the gold edition