Fs2004 monster preview

[Guest]

Anybody heard any news on when the avsim fs2004 monster preview will be posted?

[michal 44]

I think you got this 'monster' wrong. It will be a "review" not a "preview" - so wait until after the COF is out for sale.Michael J.

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Yes, let me clarify a few points on our review.First, our policy is that we DO NOT review BETA's. The FS2004 that everyone has in their possession is a "Press Release Beta", which gives the mainstream press an opportunity to run it, and provide screen shots, etc. Some are using it for their "reviews". Unfortunately, those reviews based upon this BETA may be wrong when the final product is released. MS has quite a bit of time to go yet before the "gold" preproduction set is released. Changes could be incorporated before that gold set is published.AVSIM will not review the beta, but when the gold becomes available, we will review it, as it is the final version that is released to the disk publisher. We ARE using the BETA to put the foundations in place for our review, but the gold version will be what we complete our review with. We hope to have our gold version in plenty of time to publish a review sometime around the time that FS2004 is released in the U.S. Hope that clarifies what AVSIM is doing in regards to our review.

[Guest kurtj]

I am just curious how people can get the "Press Release Beta"? I thought it was only Microsoft that can use it. If it is available for downloading I would like to try it out. I'm not sure if this is possible, but I am just curious. I guess I would like try before I buy. I am very exited over it and looking forward to it. Please let me know.Thanks,

[michal 44]

>I am just curious how people can get the "Press Release>Beta"? My guess would be you have to be a legitimate member of the simulation/gaming press community. It is not for everybody and certainly not for download.Michael J.

[Guest]

Tom,If thats the case, knowing that you have tried out the Beta as well as posted some of its features could you answer one question being the fact that there is a 99.9% chance that how its done in Beta will be the same way in gold. The question is does ATC default to the runway thats the longest or for the runway thats closest to being directly into the wind? In understanding that you can request any runway now was just wandering if CoF will assign runways like 2002 (longest) or with this new improved ATC will now default to landing planes closer to into the wind.Kilstorm

[Datalink 26]

From what I gather, I believe that the new ATC engine will allow you to choose the runway you want. I'm sure I read that about approaches, so I guess it would be the same for departures.AK

[michal 44]

There are numerous previews on Avsim, simflight and flightsim and they do talk about it.Michael J.

[Guest]

Yes I've seen screenshots that allow for the request of all runways on the field for take off and landing. I feel that the ATC will assign a runway and afterward you can request another if you so choose. My question is simply does ATC assign longest or into the wind runway as its default. Lets look at Nantucket, MA KACK which has a 6303 foot long runway which 737 use to land on a few times out of the year. There is also a 3999 runway which is rarely used since the longer one is aligned more with the way the local winds blow. If the winds are in favor of the short runway on a clear day and your landing a 737 does the new ATC:1)have the short runway open as the active by default.2)have the long runway open as the active by default.3)have the short runway open as the active by default but recognizes that you will need the long runway so sets you up to land on the longest runway (allowing you to request any runway) and provides sequencing with all other inbound traffic so there is no conflicts.Theres also the factor of visiblity as well. I suppose as pilot in command having the ability to request any runway and various approaches we will be able to make the call as to where and how we land but it would be nice to know (and i can wait for this info in the review or upon my own discoveries) in the new ATC will consider vis, winds, equipment, terrain/obstructions, use of parrells for departures and arrivals, and runway lengths when it determines the active(s). However being PIC is one thing but also having to do the ATC for the AI is another. If you know the default runway is not the one you are requesting or needing due to weather (vis/wind) and you have to provide your own seperation from AI while under IFR conditions, like how we have to do in 2002, then having the ability to land on any runway is great only during VFR conditions. It kind of also defeats the purpose of having the ability to shoot different approaches knowing that ATC is not assisting in providing seperation from other traffic. I will be happy with whatever CoF offers and will wait to see the program before I start commenting on the ATC. I also know if I am looking for better ATC there is always flying online with VATSIM but prefer more artificial controllers than few real controllers right now. It would also be interesting to find out if you can change what runway you want to land on more than once allowing for a circle to land approach. I have a strong feeling that the improved ATC will offer many new features but its going to take a few or at least one more version after CoF to get the ATC engine to work with better skills when it comes to vis, wind, equipment, runway needs, obstuctions, and sequencing with AI. It would also be a great feature to allow for online multiplayer where you can join session based on AI percentages. The user could go to (dare I say) the zones and select a session to join. MS would be the host for this feature and the sessions would be categoried as:AI 100%AI 90%AI 80%etc all the way to AI 10% providing for 10 sessions. This way when the user joins selecting a session by what his computer can handles you would be able to have both AI traffic as well as other simmers keeping the skies busy. Real weather would also be downloaded when you join as well. Trade off would be having only those fictional airlines that come with the program I guess. Oh well, probably never going to happen anyway so no loss.Kilstorm

[clayton4115 56]

well as you brought the ATC topic up, i am just wondering if the default ATC will support 2 runways, for example 25R and 24L at KLAX?

[Guest]

Wouldn't it be nice if there was an addon application like TTools or AFCAD where you could have a fill in box for each airport as to what makes a runway(s) active that could be shared like AFCAD and TTool files.Something likeKBOSwhen winds are from: to:Vis is max: min:use this runway for Departures:use this runway for Arrivals:you could enter in many examples for each airfield and the ATC engine would look at this file(s) first to determine an over ride and if nothing mentioned then it would just default to the way it picks the active.It wouldnt be no time before simmers would have shared enough files to cover almost all heavy used airfields.Kilstorm