Topic: User Interface

[john lima 5]

When the scenery is loading it would be nice to have AIRPORT CHARTS to examine.

even if take one or two minute to load, if you could read charts related to the flight plan.

Also, when you load a flight plan, a summary of all frequencies and weather at all navaids would be great.

You could wait reading all this.

Also, open flight with ATC OPEN could still be used but also, an option of OPEN flight with Flight Plan, summary and charts.

[Arista 64]

But you will certainly agree that our body is able to ease out this movement - in other words: if we want to push that button we are easily able to do so.

Yep, I certainly do. I already hinted at that in my post - not to clearly, I guess. Basically, all I wanted to say is, while FSX's mouse behavior certainly makes it harder than in real life (in the same way that it's hard to operate an on-screen keyboard with the mouse), it's not entirely unrealistic. That being said, there are times when it's virtually impossible to hit the button you want at first try - or even just to read the instruments clearly, for that matter. Been there, done that.

Judith

[dylanryder 0]

I kind of like the way X-Plane loads your last flight at start-up, and then you can make changes. But I think the following would be a better way to do it. AFS2012 could load your flight the same way X-Plane does, but it could place your aircraft on the ramp and have you standing on the ramp looking at it. It could have buttons placed around the edges of the screen allowing you to change things , and then it could have a "Done" button to save the changes and make the buttons disappear.

regards,

dylan

_______________

Simulation pret

[john lima 5]

I have seen a lot of discussion about missions for the new simulator. Scripted missions are fine and dandy and have their place but I would like to suggest something new and different. Something like a random mission generator. This generator would use several factors to determine what missions to generate. These factors could be customizable via the user. You could have a/c type, for example, Helicopter, Gen. aviation, Commercial jet, Private jet, turboprop.. etc. Then the user could set a distance... 50 to 5000nm, and the generator could select several destination airports within that range. After the parameters are set, several mission types would pop up on say, an airport diagram dialogue of your current airport. Passengers waiting at gates, cargo needing to be delivered, etc. A dispatch planner could be included, printable of course, with a fuel load req'd etc.

Those would be examples of some commercial applications. What if you're in a C172? How about a photo flight? Aerial tour? aerial survey? What about helicopters? how about Photo flights again? how about air-crane ops? how about aerial tours? VIP transport? Oil platform transport?

The possibilities are endless. Military a/c could be included in this as well. Say for instance when you get to the gate you have some sort of FSpax type dialogue pop up and tell you boarding times, comfort, satisfaction.. etc. These results could be recorded and published. You could have this be implemented with VAs as well. They could put "parameter files" up for their different A/C, or even set particular destinations. Set time tables that if a flight wasn't available at a particular time, it was inaccessible. So many ideas and possibilities and it really seems like it could be feasible.

Just my two cents to make a great feature for a great simulator.

I TOTALLY AGREE with this idea! All of us are simmers, "experienced" ones but, FS having a "random" objective is a very nice touch for the new FS players. Although I like to simulate by "myself" I like to fly using FSpassengers because it makes me more "responsible" for a nice flight/landing.

Again, NICE SUGGESTIONS!!!!!!

[BPL 39]

I kind of like the way X-Plane loads your last flight at start-up, and then you can make changes. But I think the following would be a better way to do it. AFS2012 could load your flight the same way X-Plane does, but it could place your aircraft on the ramp and have you standing on the ramp looking at it. It could have buttons placed around the edges of the screen allowing you to change things , and then it could have a "Done" button to save the changes and make the buttons disappear.

regards,

dylan

_______________

Simulation pret

You copied my post. Were you trying to quote me?

[Dylan 1]

you could make an options bar that includes "facilities" so you can request stairs, jetways, fuel truck and missions available at the airport. that would be easier to use and should be more realistic

I also like this idea.

Also with the planes vc would you be able to put a FMC into it, as i find the defult gps just doesnt cut it

[Dylan 1]

you could make an options bar that includes "facilities" so you can request stairs, jetways, fuel truck and missions available at the airport. that would be easier to use and should be more realistic

I also like this idea.

Also with the planes vc would you be able to put a FMC into it, as i find the defult gps just doesnt cut it

Regards,

Dylan

[Waleed 29]

I do not know if this fits in here, but I did not want to loose my thought so here goes:

If I want to add a new scenery, say (I just did) Tokyo city, it is "somewhat" time consuming. Some sceneries take longer (fantastic Abu Dhabi Scenery by Mathew).

One installer that puts everything where it belongs (overwrite the original).

Beats the heck out of having to put one file in scenery, and another in say effects.

Force everyone (if possible technically) to use one specific (super smart) installer that does the work.

Less installation time, less mistakes in installing something in the wrong place.

[Arista 64]

Many games have their own add-on installer, along with a corresponding installer package format. That might be an option for AFS2012, too. Each and every add-on would come in an .aip file (Aerosoft Installer Package ), which is basically a zip file with a certain layout and an XML description/script file. Double-clicking an .aip file launches AAM (Aerosoft Add-on Manager), which present you with a summary of what the package contains, along with an Install button. When launched manually from the Start menu, AAM presents you with a list of installed packages, along with options to uninstall them, search for updates, or whatever.

By the way, have I already mentioned that a central, integrated add-on repository, not unlike Apple's App Store, would be kind of nice?

Judith

[Patrick O. 18]

Wow, Arista -- you've come up with some beauts... again!

[MD-80 Project / Leif B 0]

My suggestions:

Most important: they "A"-Key (next view in category) is awesome in virtual cockpit.

In (old technology) 2-D-Cockpit, you can assign a key or button to each sub panel.

In VC (e.g. Catalina) you have to press 6 times the A-key to see the radios...

There should be direct keys for different views in the VC.

Free Flight Menus

Airport Selection:

Most drop-down lists are to short with e.g. 8 fields.

Would be nice, to identify seaplane basis.

After selection there could be a window with all informations about the airport (altitude, runways...)

Button "Addon Scenery" seems to be useless (only GAF 9 inside).

Time and Season

Didn't ever used a different date, but essential for starry sky.

Btw. Do the stars effect an impact of performance? Few people use this.

Weather

Fine Weather selection could be with seasonable temperatures and winds (to date and location).

Fuel and Payload

at this place should be a button to change the units of measurements.

Flight Planner

Enhancement of FSNavigator ...

Should be possible to enter a complete flight plan with keyboard (no further questions).

Map should be shown always simultaneously (WYSIWYG).

Map should have a scale.

Map with more informations (towns, rivers, streets which are important for VFR).

Nav Log more similar to professional ones.

Settings

Keyboard and joystick – I would like to have cfg file with my current settings!!!

After selecting a joystick, it should be possible to see all settings in the menu

(FSX I have to scroll down the complete list to find them all).

Realism Settings

The aircraft isn't glassware, should be possible to touch little branches...

Scenery Library

I've 250 entries – did you ever try to move one from bottom to top?

Drag and drop.

Departmentalization?

Here we can make a lot of nonsense (with the order) – plausibility checks?

Display Settings

Show feature performance impact (like UTX) fore each feature and a summary.

Kneeboard

Please add a pdf reader

(much time during flight – I could read the manuals – less questions to support forums)

Please add an Internet Browser

(much time during flight – more questions to support forums...)

OK, we'll only get the pdf reader

Albrecht

I would like to have the map Print able to VFR flights

[Dotsalgon 13]

Hey there..

Sorry if I am off topic but wouldn't be a nice idea for the new sim to keap, if not all but some of the controls the same as FS? I mean the keyboard controls and the views.. ?

e.x. It's quite logical for G to be the gears key and I believe we all have got used to S as changing the view!

I do not know if FSPassengers will support the new sim but if not could it be possible to have announchments and a flight crew on jetlines and some turboprop?

The rest I would like to see in the new sim have already been posted!

Regards,

Dot..

[Albrecht 9]

BTW the flight log could be better.

The details folder doesn't show the floatplane hours (and this folder is a little bit confused, as we all know).

At this place there could also be a report with a benchmark of my skills

(but would I really want to know this?)

Albrecht

[ggi 3]

Agreed - the logbook entry should be optional to record your flight - I've a list of non-flights, where I was trying an aircraft system or weather effect but not taking off. (And they do add up!!!) Oh! and can deleting an entry not cause the sim not to start

Aircraft Selection

I would like to see 4 selections i.e.

Boeing > 737 > 700 > easyJet

Airbus > A320 > CFM > Lufthansa

Cessna > 172 > Floatplane > operator

Piper > PA-28 > Archer > operator

To me it would make selection much cleaner - drop down lists fine with me, I hate the FSX selection with big menu pictures, and I have no need to select Single Engine Prop etc.. I know whether I want to fly a Cessna or Piper before I start, more specifically I would then choose a Cessna 172, 182, 206 etc. The manufacturer of the sim product ie. Aerosoft, Carenado etc again not to me so important.

Thanks

Gary

[Pi@no 17]

Aircraft Selection

I would like to see 4 selections i.e.

Boeing > 737 > 700 > easyJet

Airbus > A320 > CFM > Lufthansa

Cessna > 172 > Floatplane > operator

Piper > PA-28 > Archer > operator

Great idea !

But with 5 sections

Boeing > 737 > 700 > CFM 56 > easyJet

Airbus > A320 > 200 > IAE V2500 > Lufthansa

[Hiflyer 129]

I think one of the most important questions about a possible UI is exactly who is the Sim going to be aimed at. For instance, people who think of the Sim as a "serious" training tool might prefer a more utilitarian type of interface, whereas people tending to think of it as "fun" or a "game" might tend to want flashier visuals, brighter colors and more special effects like audio cues when selecting options etc.

The older model of flight sim UI is in general very very static, even boring, but newer operating systems Like Vista, Windows7 (And the apple Os's) have accustomed people to "livelier" responses to user input. In fact, it might be instructive to look at the iphone for instance, for how the system might be set up to organize and visualize options in a modern and intuitive manner.

Since this type of interface is in use both by business people and "ordinary" people, it might be less likely to cause negative reactions in one or the other. It might even be desirable to allow the interface to be customized through ready made or user designed "themes". One can even imagine that third party programs like some equivalent of Rex, for instance could be selected from an "addons" menu, which might then switch to a configuration/theme created by the add-on designer to be specific and appropriate to the app and functions desired.

Essentially a fully configurable, modern UI.

(Just rambling, as usual!)

[Patrick O. 18]

+1 Hiflyer! If this is going to be an "open" simulator, a fully modifiable UI is just... logical.

[Albrecht 9]

Starting FSX - 2:44 min

Starting free flight - 3:48 min

Pleeeaaassse reduce waiting times in AFS2012.

Albrecht

[marick626 0]

Starting FSX - 2:44 min

Starting free flight - 3:48 min

Pleeeaaassse reduce waiting times in AFS2012.

Albrecht

FSX was rushed out. The team took allot of shortcuts on its development and performance is one thing that was affected. I am sure Aerosoft won't have this issue since, afterall, they don't have a company like Microsoft rushing things.

I just hope they are able to make something as large as FS. If they don't I simply won't enjoy it and will find myself going back to FS unless there is something really good about the sim that would make it enjoyable without the ability to travel around the world. Frankly, 2012 seems too soon for something this large.

[LPPT_man 12]

If you want ppl to change rapidly from FSX to ASFS then do it similar and then start doing modifications in the next ASFS versions.

There's no point in doing a completely new thing as FSX users will not change because they try it and its not familiar to them and this is the main market ur aiming ur new product.

And the more complex and different more difficult will be the change.

Regards

[liam727 45]

i actually like the fsx user interface, its pretty easily layed out, however 2 things:

1. the settings: why have the generalized sliders in a game with such complexity in terms of frame sucking features? its easier for beginners but you have to tweak fsx to make it work properly

2. i liked the interface music feature, however they only supplied a few cheesy themes, in which 2 were different and of the 8 or so the rest sounded identical to me. could we have a feature that enables us to put our own music on the user interface rather than corny themes?

[BPL 39]

2. i liked the interface music feature, however they only supplied a few cheesy themes, in which 2 were different and of the 8 or so the rest sounded identical to me. could we have a feature that enables us to put our own music on the user interface rather than corny themes?

You can put your own music in there. Place a sound file in your "Microsoft Flight Simulator X/Sound/UIMusic" folder. I think it has to be a wave file, but you can download free programs to convert sound files to different formats if necessary.

[liam727 45]

You can put your own music in there. Place a sound file in your "Microsoft Flight Simulator X/Sound/UIMusic" folder. I think it has to be a wave file, but you can download free programs to convert sound files to different formats if necessary.

o cool, thanks. that sucks it only takes wve files my music is in mp3s

[Joey Sipos 4]

o cool, thanks. that sucks it only takes wve files my music is in mp3s

Just download a simple audio program to convert dude. Magix music maker basic adition is just an example (the one i use). Or audacity...

[wiltzei 1]

If changing the airport inflight, ability to choose time & date at the same time.