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FSFlyingSchool Pilot
Group: Frequent Flyer
Last Login: Sunday, January 11, 2009 5:03:17 PM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 50
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Hello,
I've tried FSFlyingSchool about 10 days ago. It was looking promising, but I couldn't get the Shift+Z key to work so I gave up for a while. Now I think it might have been the order I launched FSFS and FSX and/or my version of FSUIPC that generated the problem, so I'm considering giving it a second go. However, I've got a question about the extent to which FSFS is compatible with multiplayer sessions and shared cockpit mode:
my main interest in FSFS is its ability to generate failures in a more spontaneous and natural way. Failure handling is even better in a shared cockpit where pilot and copilot can split the work etc, and above all it's great fun to share a cockpit with a friend.
Are failure working in multiplayer? Is it possible to start FSFS in this mode?
Then, as a cherry on the cake, if flight evaluation would work in multi it would be great too, but as long as failures are working I'll be happy. No other tools, freeware or payware, is currently handling failures in an interesting way, you're the only ones on this for now. And to finish with failures, a nice improvement, for the next versions maybe, would be failure induced by improper flying, such as flaps or gear damaged/stuck when extended over safe speed (something nicely done by FSPassengers back in FS2004).
My second question concerns flight reports and evaluation. If I remember rightly, I've heard the instructor citing my touchdown speed just after landing, but I didn't see precise quantitative stats when I went back to the written debriefing, just a qualitative appreciation such as "smooth landing" or something along this line. Is it, or will it be, possible to customize logbooks so that we can see our touchdown speed, possibly a stat about the average? The overall landing score leaderboard is very nice, but I think the average touchdown speed is also a very nice stat to look at.
Thanks!
Flying Monkey
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FSFlyingSchool Developer
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 8:59:32 AM
Posts: 5,065,
Visits: 9,200
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| Flying Monkey: >> I've tried FSFlyingSchool about 10 days ago. It was looking promising, but I couldn't get the Shift+Z key to work so I gave up for a while. Now I think it might have been the order I launched FSFS and FSX and/or my version of FSUIPC that generated the problem, so I'm considering giving it a second go. Some users of FSX have found the need to get the flight all set up 1st before loading FSFS, at which point their issue was solved. Also make sure you have the latest FSUIPC installed. Shut off any other programs which affect keys such as Snag It...
FSFS is running fine with FS2002, FS2004 and FSX all over the world. I am sure we can get you up and running. >> However, I've got a question about the extent to which FSFS is compatible with multiplayer sessions and shared cockpit mode:
my main interest in FSFS is its ability to generate failures in a more spontaneous and natural way. Failure handling is even better in a shared cockpit where pilot and copilot can split the work etc, and above all it's great fun to share a cockpit with a friend.
Are failure working in multiplayer? Is it possible to start FSFS in this mode?
Multiplayer mode is not an area where our testing is complete and so we have to suggest that you just download the demo (latest version is 1.6), have a friend do the same and go for it - see if you like the experience it creates. There are so many issues here - I cannot go into as this is a mode where our testing is not complete. We make no claims about what you will experience.
Note however that FSFS has no specific multiplayer logic in it. >> Then, as a cherry on the cake, if flight evaluation would work in multi it would be great too, but as long as failures are working I'll be happy. No other tools, freeware or payware, is currently handling failures in an interesting way, you're the only ones on this for now. Thanks for the kind words. We'd like to quote this if we may? 
As to the flight evaluation in multi mode - you'll need to run it yourself and see what you think of the results. >> And to finish with failures, a nice improvement, for the next versions maybe, would be failure induced by improper flying, such as flaps or gear damaged/stuck when extended over safe speed (something nicely done by FSPassengers back in FS2004). Ah - now this is an area where I can help - we've already done these - they are part of the system. You can damage these as you describe - you'll hear a very unpleasant sound when you break them... >> My second question concerns flight reports and evaluation. If I remember rightly, I've heard the instructor citing my touchdown speed just after landing, but I didn't see precise quantitative stats when I went back to the written debriefing, just a qualitative appreciation such as "smooth landing" or something along this line. Is it, or will it be, possible to customize logbooks so that we can see our touchdown speed, possibly a stat about the average? The overall landing score leaderboard is very nice, but I think the average touchdown speed is also a very nice stat to look at. Lots of interesting ideas for the future (thanks), but I can tell you that FSFS already has something along these lines. The Career Analyzer introduced back in version 1.4 (I think... ) graphs the data from your flights according to 74 (I think... ) different data, including IAS at landing! Many thanks for your interest and interesting questions.  Any more questions - fire away. 
Jeff Preston ('Squadron Leader') - FSFlyingSchool Publisher & Lead Developer
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If you wish to unsubscribe simply reply to email with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the SUBJECT line.
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FSFlyingSchool Pilot
Group: Frequent Flyer
Last Login: Sunday, January 11, 2009 5:03:17 PM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 50
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Wow, thank you very much for that quick and developped answer. I must say I am really impressed by how much you are taking time to give complete answers here on the forum. I really appreciate that! And from what I've seen in other topics I am not the only one to be impressed by this here, it's more or less everybody.
Now, it really sounds like good news. The fact that speed can damage flaps/gears is great, I'm really getting convinced this is the addon I'm looking for. I'll test the multiplayer with a friend - even if it's only working partially it would be great. Even if that doesn't work, I'll also give it a try in solo flights because it sounds like it's really worth trying
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FSFlyingSchool Developer
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 8:59:32 AM
Posts: 5,065,
Visits: 9,200
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FSFlyingSchool Pilot
Group: Frequent Flyer
Last Login: Sunday, January 11, 2009 5:03:17 PM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 50
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Sure, you can quote whatever I say here, even though I haven't bought FSFS yet (I'm already quite convinced by what I read I just need to test it now! ), the concept is brilliant and the support on this forum is the best I've ever seen around the FS addon forums.
What you've said about failures and stats really makes me impatient to try, hopefully tonight!
Just to add something about the multiplayer, do you think that it is better to try having one client set with some level of failures and the other one with 100% reliability, just to avoid that both clients start to generate failures, which could be too messy maybe?
Also, I was reading another topic about failures and scores, and I was wondering whether you were considering of something like a possibility for the player to report a sever failure by tuning the transponder to 7700, which could in return cancel the normal scoring system and shift to an emergency mode, or something along these lines.
Anyway, I feel like I've taken enough of your time, enough words, I'll just go and try it tonight
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FSFlyingSchool Developer
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 8:59:32 AM
Posts: 5,065,
Visits: 9,200
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| FM: >> Sure, you can quote whatever I say here, even though I haven't bought FSFS yet (I'm already quite convinced by what I read I just need to test it now! ), the concept is brilliant and the support on this forum is the best I've ever seen around the FS addon forums. Again - thanks for the kinds words and permission to quote. >> What you've said about failures and stats really makes me impatient to try, hopefully tonight! Excellent - bring a parachute... >> Just to add something about the multiplayer, do you think that it is better to try having one client set with some level of failures and the other one with 100% reliability, just to avoid that both clients start to generate failures, which could be too messy maybe? I think some very systematic trial and error is my best recommendation. The whole area is very complex - it's best if I just suggest you give it a go and let us know what you experienced. >> Also, I was reading another topic about failures and scores, and I was wondering whether you were considering of something like a possibility for the player to report a sever failure by tuning the transponder to 7700, which could in return cancel the normal scoring system and shift to an emergency mode, or something along these lines. We have indeed already written (not yet published) extensive code on these lines. Set transponder to emergency when it's not and you get in trouble, and vice versa. Same goes for COM1 to emergency frequency. These have a nice feel to them as it's not necessary to press a certain keystroke - the pilot does what would really be required.
As I mentioned, we are also working on getting all this integrated with the scoring. >> Anyway, I feel like I've taken enough of your time, enough words, I'll just go and try it tonight No problem with the words - keep 'em comin'. We love a lively forum.
Good luck tonight!
Jeff Preston ('Squadron Leader') - FSFlyingSchool Publisher & Lead Developer
FSFlyingSchool 2023 for Microsoft Flight Simulator
FSFlyingSchool 2023 for X-Plane 12 & 11
FS Instant Approach 2023 for X-Plane 12 & 11 (Windows)
FSFlyingSchool PRO 2020 Prepar3D v 5
FSFlyingSchool PRO 2019 FSX, FSX-SE, FS2004
FSFlyingSchool USA for Microsoft Flight Simulator
FS Instant Approach 2019 for X-Plane 11 (Mac)
FS Instant Approach for Microsoft Flight Simulator
FS Instant Help for FSX, FS2004
Winner of 5 consecutive PC Pilot Magazine 'Classic Product' Awards
Fly like the Pros with X-Plane, Flight Simulator and Prepar3D!
If you wish to unsubscribe simply reply to email with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the SUBJECT line.
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FSFlyingSchool Pilot
Group: Frequent Flyer
Last Login: Sunday, January 11, 2009 5:03:17 PM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 50
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Brilliant! I tested it yesterday, well I had actually already purchased it because after the good communication here I felt I wanted to support it and I knew I could trust the level of support here. Anyway, I hosted a multiplayer session, my friend were not around so I gave it a go alone on my server, just to test if failures would occur in mulitplayer, so I've put reliability all the way down, and sure enough I had only the time to rotate that they came one after the other. During my different attempts I have been really pleased to see all the variety of failures, ranging from instruments to losing an engine. Luckily, I landed in all cases, though one time I shared my runway with cars and trucks :p . I made positive scores for the flight but zero score for the landing, but it made sense since the landings,
given the emergency, would have been hard to judge (apart from the smooth touchdown) since they were not conventional at all and consisted in bringing my flying wreck to the ground with most of the instruments off.
I had a look at the career analysis and was pleased to see my touchdown speeds recorded there, along with many other stats. The qualitative flight critique is also very detailled and allows quickly to spot the good and bad points of the flight. Some maps might have been nice, but on the other hand they are other tools around to make nice ones (I used the freeware Yet Another Google Earth Tool to make nice 3D flight map reports, it's basic but very nice).
One thing that might be nice would be a sort failure log, so that after a flight we can come back to the log and analyze what really happened - with loose wire it can sometime be hard to understand what the problem was, especially for failures happening in busy times like final.
But I'm sure that patience is going to bring us more than we expect, actually each time I wrote something like "it would be nice to have that", not only I got really excited to hear that the thing were already developped or planned, but all the other things planned sounded just like exactly what I was waiting for.
Anyway, for now I plan to make GA and commercial flights with FSFS, I'll also do my Cargo Pilot flights with it, it will bring better flight reports and introduce the risk of failures. And then we'll test it in shared cockpits with friends and I'll come back to report what way of setting it seems to work the best with that mode. Well, actually it sounds like I'm going to use it for all flights in fact (on a second thought I will avoid to turn it on for the Red Bull Air Race :hehe
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