Better Online Aircraft Models

[Jah]

Hey there,

 

I need to ask now. For my personal peace.

 

Just for you to understand the reason why, here's short flashback on my "Flight Simulator Career".

 

- >

 

Started exploring the possibilities of online flying back in 2001 on the former existing online network 'Flight Project International - FPI' maybe someone still knows it. Back then I was able to see the development of the old squawkbox into something newer, better - more realistic. It was a new Client for online flying but I sadly have no idea anymore what it was called. But nevertheless its features were: Accurate Multiplayer Models on which you could see the flaps extending, lights switched on and off, gear up/down. So far pretty cool! 

 

And now, 24 Years later... we do have XSquawkbox and the XIvap client using the russian CSL Libraries - simple, plane objects with some colour - no features beyond lights (and even there only position and beacon). So here we are at my core question:

 

I guess everyone knows games like "Crysis 3, Farcry 4, The Division etc.", and YES I know the software departements (VATSIM, IVAO) are working for free BUT is there really no chance of implementing better AI (Multiplayer) Aircrafts than the CSL ones? Is there any technical problem behind I do not know? Because I cant even read anyone saying: "Okay guys, the new software is under developement just stayed tuned for some time and we go into the 21th Century based on PC Performance!"

 

Dont get me wrong but I just cant understand why we are still flying like 24 years back - except we are using finally a 64bit Xplane (Whats really really cool ) 

 

Thanks for reading and hopefully replying!

 

Steffen

[MercuryMat]

I recently flown a route with a fsx friend on IVAO. I remember he was impressed by the fact he saw my lights switching on and off and my flaps rectracting during taxi after landing. So this is perfectly possible to be seen in fsx but not in xplane...it is the same old story related to how many users are in each sim...

[Ben Russell]

Actually, it's about the ridiculous policies that both VATSIM and IVAO have regarding their client software.

 

You get what they'll let you pay for.

[chris k]

PilotEdge has all those features working in Xplane -- to underscore bens post above.

It's not a limitation of XP10.

[Jah]

Ahh this is interesting! So, anyway... Ivao and Vatsim is developing a Client.. and they leave out the functionality even if theres no Limitation by Xplane..? I dont get that... it would be so cool to see these features...

[GamerNurd]

The most important for me as for the immersion is the aircraft models. Don't bother if the flaps dont work. I think that the xsquawkbox development goes way too slow, and I know that the developer/s doing it in their freetime. Someone knows if the upcoming swift client will be compatible with xplane?

Edited December 21, 2015 by GamerNurd

[niebieski]

Steffen,

 

I started with VATSIM around the same time (by the way 2001 was 14 years ago, not 24 ). I am using VATSIM almost exclusively. I have some experience with FPI (long ago) and IVAO. Since i rarely fly in North America PilotEdge is out of my area of interest.

In my very humble opinion more detailed aircraft models are simply not worth the effort.

Firstly it would require a lot of time to rework existing models or create new ones from scratch. This would propably imply rework of the net-code.

Secondly it seems pointless when most of the time you see MSFS piloted aircraft and more often than not airport sceneries don't match between XP and MSFS. What's the point of modelling a flap movement on a plane that's parked inside the terminal building or floating 50 feet above/below the airport surface? 

Not the mention VATSIM (IVAO too i think) is known for being very very restrained when it comes to introducing new ideas. It's still based on the technology of the 90s...

 

 

It's great we have xsquawkbox (64-bit!) but truth is it's far from perfect. Personally i would love these to be fixed:

 

- AMPLIFIED audio

This is giving me headaches on every online flight with ATC. The volume at max level is so quiet that i have to reduce every volume setting in X-Plane sound settings to around 15% and yet if the guy on the other side doesn't have his microphone set properly i can barely hear anything. This is very different from Euroscope (ATC client) and from what i remember using SquawkBox back in FS9/FSX. To add to this you can't fix things in Windows audio mixer, because xsquawkbox is a sub-process of X-Plane itself and is not adjustable separately. The xsquawkbox voice sounds somewhat muffled in general to me.

 

- squawk standby/mode C operation

Clicking on the "Squawk standby" in xsquawkbox menu is laggy and often won't toggle transponder mode - very cumbersome and possibly dependant on the aircraft.

 

- aircraft models lights

This is the one i would like to see fixed in regards to online aircraft models 

The lights on other pilots aircraft are unnaturally big. Here's an apron at a distance (some static a/c there too, barely visible):

 

 

If we were to discuss "bigger" changes, i would vote for:

1. 21st century voice comm

2. ICAO flightplan format (IVAO does this one right!) 

 

My five cents!

[-VETTE]

niebieski, I agree with all your issues except for the lights. There's a fix for the lights here. However, XSB has some huge problems, and I really hope that it continues to be updated. 

 

-VETTE

[niebieski]

Thanks VETTE!

 

Going back to the low volume problem. Yesterday i had to turn off all of the FF 767 sounds as lowest sound level in 767 preferences was still too loud to understand what ATC been saying to me...  yes, X-Plane sounds completely muted (pure silence) just so i could hear xsquawkbox transmissions 

[captain_alligator]

On 22/12/2015 at 11:20 AM, niebieski said:

Going back to the low volume problem. Yesterday i had to turn off all of the FF 767 sounds as lowest sound level in 767 preferences was still too loud to understand what ATC been saying to me...  yes, X-Plane sounds completely muted (pure silence) just so i could hear xsquawkbox transmissions 

Sorry, I was searching for information in X-IVAP and stumbled across this thread - Why not buy a cheap USB headset and use that? One good thing about XSB is it allows COM1 and COM2 to be independently set to different audio devices. So, I have COM2 on my speakers along with the aircraft sounds, useful for monitoring chatter during cruising, and COM1 on my USB headset which I can turn up and down independently of the speakers. Get a headset with simple in-line volume control and you can set it really quickly and easily while flying.

Of course, if you're already using a headset for all your sounds then that idea goes out the window...