Would like to contribute to the community. Need Advise

[Guest]

AllI have been simming for 10 years but mostly military. I recently got involved with FlyII and moved to FS. I spend as much time as I can between work and family, but not as much as I would like sometimes. I I really love the hobbie, forums and the anticipation of the great products that have come and will come in the future. I am a programmer by trade and have proficiency in a couple of languages including C and object pascal. I have done a little VB but prefer the aforementioned languages by choice. Anyway, I really would love to write something that the majority of the users can use. Im not a painter nor do I wish to dabble with flight models. Gauges dont do anything for me except as a user. So not sure what that leaves. The AI stuff seems to be a hot topic and there are a number of utilities for that. I really dont want to discount the idea the there may be room for improvement of existing applications. I would be interested in getting some ideas from all of you as to what you feel would be a worthwhile venture. If we can come up with something and others wish to contribute in anyway I would certainly invite them to join in. RegardsBobG

[Guest]

bump. Would like to keep this up so it gets some exposure.Bob

[Guest Simpit]

Okay, I have a challenge for you - I don't know if it will really fit in the category of "a majority of users", but see what you think of this...I would like to see an application put together (and here I'm not sure what it would take to do) that would enable one to take a second computer running FS2K2 and "spread out" the panels across a computer network.Basically, the application would work something like Enrico Schiratti's , except that instead of writing custom software for the other displays, your appication would enable one to copy the panel and gauge files for the aircraft you want to 'enable' to the other machine and have them link and work across a network. This would allow one to efficiently create a analog glass cockpit for home built cockpits without going to all the trouble of programming gauges again from scratch.There are some programs around that allow one to use a network for something similar to this (see [link:http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html|WideFS] and [link:http://www.wideview.it/|Wideview], but not one specifically for panels and gauges. You may want to look at the [link:http://zone.msn.com/flightsim/FS02DevDeskSDK12.asp]datapipes SDK for more information on one method of doing this.Hope you think about it!RegardsDerek

[Guest]

Ok, thats a big one Im sure. There has got to be someone out there that can verify whether or not this can be accomplished. If I can find someone who has done some digging into the sdk api's I would not mind doing the work. Anybody know if this is possible??? Lets keep this going though to see what other ideas arise.Thanks Derek for your idea.BobG

[Guest]

Hi bob,The bigest thing I would like to see is the dynamic roads ,I have been trying myself but no luck at this.it would be mostly loved by all i think :-)not real detailed to kill fps but maby just a sujestion like as 2000 but day and night.Alpha

[Guest SD Sim]

Okay Bob, at the risk of inciting a near riot :-ukliam, how about creating a program to benchmark FS2K2? I know that this has been beaten to death, but there are so many posts with claims/questions regarding performance, it's nearly impossible to sort out what is possible with different systems, or give meaningful advice for that matter. Imagine being able to direct someone to Bob G's FS2K2 benchmarking tool. I understand a benchmark was available for FS2000, although I never used it. What people are certain to point out is that there are so many variables with FS2K2 as to make benchmarking difficult. But if you were to set up a flight with a default version of FS2K2 and no add on scenery and textures (does that leave anyone?) it should be possible. Just a thought.

[Guest]

This would be nice..expecially with some 3D cars and trucks on the roads :-)If this happened, it could in theory be done for the same as railroads?http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/edenw/fs_banner_je4.jpg I took your love for grantedAnd all the things you said to meI need your arms to welcome meBut a cold stone's all I see

[Guest]

Hi Bob,First, I would like to commend your attitude. You want to give back something to the flightsim community... fantastic. You have skills which are sorely needed. As far as FS2002, I vote for the dynamic traffic. Cars, trains buses, etc. I love FS2002. However. FLYII is in more dire need of your help. It is a great sim as is, but in need of some improvements. I'm sure if you were to contact Richard Harvey over in the FLYII forum there would be some much needed programing to do. There is a very loyal following over at Flight Unlimited also. I recently bought FU2 and 3. It has its own great personality. There would be a lot of opportunity for improvements for it also.These are just rambling ideas. I hope you find just the right opportunity for whichever sim will bring you the most satisfaction. No doubt, there are many times MORE FS2002 simers, but there are no more appreciative simers than FLYII and FU3 simers.Good luck making your decision!ThanksEarl.... "and the greatest of these is Love." I Cor. 13:13

[Guest]

I agree fly 2 needs helpI got it and installed it and it was like 1 fpm (frame per minute)the aircraft textures were in the sky and the whole think locked up after around 10 minutes so i uninstalled it and there it still is in the box. :)Alpha

[Guest Scott Campbell]

Derek,You already have the ability to use muliple computers and spread the panels out. Just have FS installed on all the machines, install Peter Dowson's WideFS and WideView, and voila! all computers are linked and you have what you need. Works pretty well.

[Guest Scott Campbell]

Bob,What really is needed is some quality gauge programmers. The best have all gone commercial, so it's getting really, really hard to find any good stand-alone gauges. I would give anything to have individual 747-200 autopilot gauges made, a complete overhaul of all my Ernst gauges used on ALL my panels would by killer. Since you know C, upgrade to C++ and you're set!Gauges! There's where the need is. But be aware that if you do start in this area, you will be deluged with requests (mostly from me! :-lol).

[Guest]

Thanks for asking!Here we go. Rambling on such brief notice ...For multiplayer, where we have one host, and several "clients", enable the host (server) to broadcast the position of AI aircraft to all of the clients. This way everyone in the multiplayer game would have the same ADDED AI traffic. The feature would be a blast flying VFR. The HOST would be the only one that needed additional parking spaces and added airports with the added flightplans.This would allow a mutiplayer session to use the work of project AI with the timely-real-world schedules to be used by several people at once. It would be somewhat like the "robot" aircraft that are used on VATSIM flight operations downunder from the land of OZ to generate additional traffic for online VATSIM flying. The number of "robots", from my observations never number more then six. A lot less then what the AI engine generates.In summary: All multiplayers see each other as it now. ALL multiplayers see the SAME AI Aircraft at the same postions.Many of us have multi-computers connected (I have 3) to the internet and we could assign one as the host, only generating the AI aircraft postions and broadcasting the other player locations to all of the clients. I bet a "AVSIM type" might even be willing to provide the "host". They are currently providing a Roger Wilco host/room.I would guess that it would require more inventing and code breaking then actual lines of code. The "AI Bridge" program by Jose certainly doesn't contain much actual code. Yes, a lot of thought had to go into it!This would provide high traffic all the time in the multiplayer environment without the need of "flyins" on the VATSIM type organization. The size of the data packets and the frequency of the broadcasst will not create a brandwidth - problem that has challenged VATSIM. I assume brandwidth is becoming a challenge on VATSIM because of the recent rules to limit brandwidth abuse.Thank you for your attention and the consideration.We have plenty of time to help you.Best Regards,Bobrsam@mtco.com

[Guest Simpit]

Hi Scott-You need to go back and reread my message. I'm aware of the two utilities you mentioned- however, WideFS just mirrors the FSUIPC interface across the network, and I have been unable to be 100% sucessful in having Wideview do the instruments thing.The application I'm interested in would go through the gauges you have for a particular panel and figure out which variables are being used, and then mirror them intelligently across the network...with the computer doing the legwork, as it were.Derek