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Posted
We would like to give you a small sneak preview into part of what we have been developing for the Citation.  We have had considerable feedback about the radios in the Saab and we ARE listening.  The Citation has a very similar radio package as the Saab.  As Ben Russell continues to develop Gizmo we are able to bring you more capability and even better performance. Below you will find a video highlighting some features of the "new" Collins Pro Line II radios as implemented in the Citation.  These features have been many months in the making and we hope they solve most, if not all, of the issues that some of our customers had with the Saab radios.  Feedback is welcome so please let us know what you think.

 


 

  • Upvote 13
Posted (edited)

Goran, I am one of those customers that is both eagerly awaiting the Citation release but also cannot stand the Saab's radio manipulators. I was fearing for the Citation a bit.

That said, I am blown away. If it works as demonstrated, it will be the best radio implementation we have seen in X-Plane. Incredible job. I really like the pop-up option.

As a big turboprop fan (no pun intended), I am also really looking forward to seeing this implemented in the Saab.

Thumbs up!

Edited by dr_nerdrage
  • Upvote 2
Posted

Hey Goran congrats for the team, it looks just like the quality X-Plane needs in the BizJet area! The manipulators functionality with mouse look great. Also, I would like to know if you're planning to release this aircraft with the necessary Custom Commands/Datarefs to be able to assign these functionalities to any key, joystick button, rotary encoder for those we have/prefer another input methods and sim cockpits like Arduino, Teensy or simply a Saitek panel? 

Posted

All in good time, Daniel.  I've already got topics lined up for the next few videos.  

You wouldn't undress a girl when you first meet her, would you?  

:)

 

Well, if I paid for her...  :D

 

Goran, in your video you briefly mention the same functionality for the course selector. Is this something that might also find its way into the Saab? Or are you only planning to implement the radios?

Posted

Not the course selector.  What I said was "Coarse Tuning", which is the larger tuning knob on the radio.

But I think we're adding the scroll wheel to everything that rotates on it's own axis.  Which includes the Course Selector, Heading Selector, etc...

Posted (edited)

I'd like to take a small moment to point out that scroll-wheel support requires no additional XPL when artists are working with Gizmo64.

 

It's fiddly but it's nowhere near as hard as some would have you believe.

 

Custom Icons were added as an additional level of polish by Jim Gregory to up the bar just that little bit higher.

Edited by Ben Russell
Posted (edited)

Scroll wheel support is very much appreciated. Thanks for implementing that.

My only worry is that "hotspots" are getting too small when offering 2 methods (=2x2 hotspots + 3 clickspots on a very small area). If looking from pilots "normal" position it might be very difficult to find the right one. I think I would prefer an option to use either scrollwhell or click and drag/click and hold functionality - but have larger hotspots instead.

 

But hey, there is also the new great 2D popup :)

 

Regards

Flo

Edited by FloB
Posted

We went through a few versions of click spots, and we found this one the most practical and easiest to use while keeping them uncrowded.  Trust me, there's plenty of room.  We're looking at finalizing the setup with a small test team who will give us a customers point of view on how they operate.  

Posted

Excellent news!  I have not flown much of the complex birds in XPX partly due to the hard to use manipulators.  Looking forward to this bird as well as potential back port to the SAAB of this feature.

Posted

My only worry is that "hotspots" are getting too small when offering 2 methods (=2x2 hotspots + 3 clickspots on a very small area). If looking from pilots "normal" position it might be very difficult to find the right one. I think I would prefer an option to use either scrollwhell or click and drag/click and hold functionality - but have larger hotspots instead.
 
But hey, there is also the new great 2D popup
We are/were concerned about this as well.  We tried several methods and the current implementation is the best so far.  For example, a rotary dial has 2 "hot" spots, one for the manipulator (drag) and one for the scroll.  There are no click spots because it would require at least one more "hot" spot (probably two) and that would definitely be too crowded.  Offering options to select manipulator or scroll was considered as well.  However, there are potential performance considerations regarding that type of implementation. In addition, just using scroll can sometimes be a bit finicky when attempting fine adjustments.  We are still beta testing this to assure  that the end product has the best possible solution.
Posted

I would also prefer that you only include 1 method of manipulating the controls. Scroll wheel would be my preference and if someone doesn't have a mouse with a scroll wheel chances are their pc is not going to be able to support this plane. Multiple methods just make it confusing.

Posted

Scroll wheel support is very much appreciated. Thanks for implementing that.

My only worry is that "hotspots" are getting too small when offering 2 methods (=2x2 hotspots + 3 clickspots on a very small area). If looking from pilots "normal" position it might be very difficult to find the right one. I think I would prefer an option to use either scrollwhell or click and drag/click and hold functionality - but have larger hotspots instead.

 

But hey, there is also the new great 2D popup :)

 

Regards

Flo

 

Good point. Especially if someone using TrackIR or Headshake plugin, your cursor can easily move out of the scroll wheel zone. I suggest we can select either methods from a menu, so we can have a relatively larger tolerance zone.

Posted

Especially if someone using TrackIR or Headshake plugin, your cursor can easily move out of the scroll wheel zone
Isn't there a feature where you can "freeze" the view while your using a scroll or manipulator?
Posted

Multiple methods just make it confusing.

 

May I ask how? :) You already know how to do the old method. Now we're adding one more option. 

 

We have many customers who still prefer the old method, as does Laminar themselves. Most prefer scroll, but I can assure you this method is not confusing at all. That said, we won't release this until our customer test group has signed off on the method implemented. Their feedback will be invaluable prior to getting this into everyone's hands.

Posted

More click spots in a small area just leads to more trouble getting the correct one. The drag or click and hold control methods are one the most complained about features in X-plane by new users. Not sure what the TrackIR issue is with scroll wheels as this has been the method in FSX since it came out.

 

I was only stating that I am not a fan of multiple methods and prefer the scroll wheel method. As a customer I would hope you would value that input.

 

I would also put little to no value in what LR prefers as they are not your customer.

Posted

I would also put little to no value in what LR prefers as they are not your customer.

 

You misunderstood. I was speaking of Laminar's customers (meaning Laminar has conducted questioning themselves with a number of folks still wanting things as they are), which in turn ARE also our customers. A very important thing to consider.

 

 

 

As a customer I would hope you would value that input.

 

That's precisely why I asked you to clarify.

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