An interesting possibility has been brought up in the PMDG FB page. Namely that of using FSX shared cockpit feature (or some other means) to fly a plane cooperatively over the net. This is the thread in question:https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=479&post=2869&uid=165758250130634#post2869I think this would be a rather exciting direction for our hobby to take. If the technical aspects can be solved, I'm sure a lot of people here would be interested.What do the PMDG devs think? Is this feasible? Could it be achieved in some other way other than FSX's Shared Cockpit (off the top of my head: using Virtual LAN and WIdeFS)?

An interesting possibility has been brought up in the PMDG FB page. Namely that of using FSX shared cockpit feature (or some other means) to fly a plane cooperatively over the net. This is the thread in question:https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=479&post=2869&uid=165758250130634#post2869I think this would be a rather exciting direction for our hobby to take. If the technical aspects can be solved, I'm sure a lot of people here would be interested.What do the PMDG devs think? Is this feasible? Could it be achieved in some other way other than FSX's Shared Cockpit (off the top of my head: using Virtual LAN and WIdeFS)?

I see no reason why it shouldn't be possible to implement this (outside the FSX SDK because Microsoft didn't release the code for it blablabla). Freeware FSUIPC would be a solution maybe?For me it would add great value to this product but I'm afraid it's not going to happen.Best Regards,Bert Van Bulck

I was hoping it might be possible to do this using existing software, without PMDG having to write new code for it. Thing is I've never tried something like this before so I came here to ask for some expert opinion on the matter.

Would be a fantastic addition to FSX wouldn't it!? I cant see it being done, not for a few years anyway. FSUIPC would I think have to be used and the connection I would say have to be via a network client such as Hamachi to link the two computers. Would be an amazing thing for FSX. Think compatibility between the two computers with settings having to be similar,being the problem though.

A few developers have already added multicrew to their planes, for example the Leonardo crew for their Maddog, so its certainly possible from a technical point of view

A few developers have already added multicrew to their planes, for example the Leonardo crew for their Maddog, so its certainly possible from a technical point of view

I see no reason why it shouldn't be possible to implement this (outside the FSX SDK because Microsoft didn't release the code for it blablabla).[...]For me it would add great value to this product but I'm afraid it's not going to happen.

Not sure what you mean. Why outside the SDK? As long as I'm not mistaken MS did release the code for it, it's in the SDK and the rest is available online in Susan's blog, AFAIK. Not sayin' I had ever tried it or if it is sufficient, but there certainly is something to start with. Plus as said by the devs a number of times:

No guarantee, but we are trying to do this, yes.

No definite news though, correct. :(

Well since Maddog has this implemented it is definitely feasible. Anyone knows how they did it? Did they provide their own utility or did they use FSX's shared cockpit functionality?Etienne could you post a link to the original thread that Tabs quote is from?

BTW, just for infos...I have done some flights with shared cockpit in a well known Maddog...Faboulous...Having the real Checklist in the hands and watching the tests the FO is doing during your FMS setup is amazing...And with a voice channel for interaction between you and the PF/PNF is something like reality...I'm sure PMDG will think about developing this feature in the future, it's something over everything else around...(I done it from LAN, with two PCs near at each other...Like double monitor...two sets of CH Yoke and pedals and it was like a "simple" homemade cockpit...from FS9...)Cheers

could you post a link to the original thread that Tabs quote is from?

Yeah, there it is. As I said, there is no more info however.

BTW, just for infos...I have done some flights with shared cockpit in a well known Maddog...Faboulous...Having the real Checklist in the hands and watching the tests the FO is doing during your FMS setup is amazing...And with a voice channel for interaction between you and the PF/PNF is something like reality...I'm sure PMDG will think about developing this feature in the future, it's something over everything else around...(I done it from LAN, with two PCs near at each other...Like double monitor...two sets of CH Yoke and pedals and it was like a "simple" homemade cockpit...from FS9...)Cheers

Thanks for sharing this. It sounds like an amazing experience!

Yeah, there it is. As I said, there is no more info however.

Thanks. So... any devs willing to dispel the uncertainty with some info on whether 737NGX will have this? (I'm guessing if they wanted to share this they would have already, but it's worh a shot)

Yeah, me and one friend...just a couple of months ago...He managed to find real "FCOM" of a Maddog, thanks to the aviation school, and after we read the Normal Procedures section we come up with the idea to give a try to the "shared Maddog Cockpit"...We connected our two laptops on LAN, with yokes and pedals and just started...At the end, it was one of the best flight i've ever done on FS...A bit "difficult" to prepare the hardware but, at the end, it was well worth...(and the straight forward Setup of the maddog is very simple to follow and prepare...)Cheers

The problem with doing this with our products is that virtually all of our gauges are programmed outside the bounds of the Microsoft SDK. We don't use the default stuff because it's not realistic enough. Our autopilot is completely custom coded, all the systems on the overhead, the FMC etc. FSX can only "share" what it actually knows about. The FSX engine doesn't know what's in our FMC or what the state of our fuel system is because we aren't use the built-in FSX system for those things. It takes a completely custom networking implementation to go along with the gauges to make "shared cockpit" work. The quote from a while back still stands on having this in the NGX.

Thanks for the update Ryan. I take it then that the possibility of seeing this for NGX still exists. That's good news.

Personally I would rather see PMDG put all their resources into making this 1:1 shared cockpit thing after the 737 rather then building the T7. And be sold as a separate addon.

The problem with doing this with our products is that virtually all of our gauges are programmed outside the bounds of the Microsoft SDK. We don't use the default stuff because it's not realistic enough. Our autopilot is completely custom coded, all the systems on the overhead, the FMC etc. FSX can only "share" what it actually knows about. The FSX engine doesn't know what's in our FMC or what the state of our fuel system is because we aren't use the built-in FSX system for those things. It takes a completely custom networking implementation to go along with the gauges to make "shared cockpit" work. The quote from a while back still stands on having this in the NGX.

Sure, that's what I meant by Susan's blog, which I am sure you know about. I believe this is what explains exactly the problem you describe, like sharing these custom systems. Sure, as long as you use the usual token vars and events those might very well be sync'ed without any further ado by the dev. But I can't comment on this as I have never dealt with developing for this feature. :(

Personally I would rather see PMDG put all their resources into making this 1:1 shared cockpit thing after the 737 rather then building the T7. And be sold as a separate addon.

Now that you say this, I wouldn't mind either, haha... :(