Current status of Pro-ATC?

[rjord 3]

Jeroen

 

Perhaps reading the posts about the AI and active runway at the proatc forum,( in response to your questions), would help resolve your issues. You did not get back to the forum to let us know if that answered your question or not.

 

Unlike you, my experiences with proatc have been very good and any issues I have had, I have contacted support and found in a lot of cases I was doing something wrong or did not understand something correctly. Any other issue was resolved pretty quickly.

 

Not sure what has happened in your case but I know that when I have strayed I have been told to change heading to get back on course...... that was many months ago when I made a mistake and went off course. Since then I generally stay on course and do not stray and concentrate on flying the plane and enjoying the scenery.

 

 

 

Roy

[HighTowers 1,434]

In my current flight I decided to stray of my route to see what happened. Default FSX ATC would contact me within no time to tell me to get back on track. ProATC/X said nothing and let me wander off and I haven't heard of them ever since. What crap is that.

 

Hmm, I did encounter that once on the many flights I have done, but the vast majority, had me change heading to go direct to a waypoint without telling them.

 

Ive said it before, the support is outstanding. Send a question to MBA the developer with your issues and a log file if you had it recorded.

 

As for the AI issues, I agree. its messed up often times. But I have no doubt this will be resolved shortly. I found I have to set up at the airport and make sure my weather program has settled in and updated and then run the AI through its paces for a few minutes on high speed, and only then start ProAtc. Then it should follow the AI. The option to select runway according to the AI doesnt makes sense other than to be in line with it. Ive seen AI take off with the wrong runway according to the winds. Like a crosswind.

If there is someway that all this can be coordinated to control the AI in their stupidity it would be alot better.

 

Might have to look into this AI smooth program Jim was talking about.

 

I wasnt too thrilled about beta payware, but the fact its being actively updated with alot of commitment, makes it better. The more people using it, the more the bugs will be ironed out. Its getting better and better with every update that is a fact.

[Guest]

I indeed didn't reply yet in that specific forum but the AI not having had the time to refresh can't have been the problem because I only contacted FSX ATC some 10 minutes after having started everything. I always start FSX first and the load the 737 NGX and start the flight. After that I start OpusFSX to load the weather. When the weather has loaded I start FS2Crew and after putting the Co pilot to work I start the ProATC/X flight.

 

But in the end the AI isn't the problem: FSX ATC and the AI is using the right runway (when looking at the wind): it is ProATC/X that us telling me to use the wrong runway. So this isn't a problem that can be solved by refreshing the AI because ProATC/X is doing something wrong and ProATC/X has nothing to do with the AI (unfortunately).

 

But it isn't just this that made me park ProATC/X for a while. It's also the complete lack of contact with AI that ProATC/X has. Default FSX ATC talks to the AI that's around me. When I follow a plane on the way to the runway I can hear it having contact with the tower and I am told to wait. ProATC/X only sees me and nothing else. That's a big shame. Combined with the fact that ProATC/X didn't react to my straying off it gives me the idea I am simply triggering a wav every now and then: I am controlling what ATC does, so it feels and ProATC/X is controlling nothing. (It is of course a bit odd to call an addon ATC software (even Pro...) if it doesn't actually control the air traffic around you...! Even default FSX ATC doest THAT!) Add to that that the voices aren't top notch: very often during one sentence I have the idea a few other people were on the line too because some words don't fit in at all. This also adds to the idea I am triggering wav files and nothing else. It doesn't feel like I am being followed by ATC. FSX ATC does a wonderful job with the voices (better then any ATC addon I've heard so far) and giving you the impression there is a living world out there.

 

Some more things: 1. you can't request another approach...! FSX ATC has a lot of options to do that! 2. ProATC/X only allows a few steps up to be requested during climb (so it seems) while default FSX ATC allows you to reqeust for 10 x 1000 feet up or 10 x 1000 feet down! 3. Finally (at least the last thing I remember now): as it is now ProATC/X simply drops you at the end of the STAR and tells you to intercept the ILS even if it is still 35 nm away or if you are approaching from the complete wrong direction. No vectors, no nothing. No intelligence... Oh, and there is no (good) manual. I had to write my own tutorial to get things going.

 

I've repeated a few things I already said but I think this makes it clear that ProATC/X is far from completed yet. I knew it was released as some sort of alpha that had to be shaped completely yet, but after reading some posts and reviews I really was expecting more than this. Simple as that. Of course after spending 50 euro's on it I really hope it will become what everyone (including me) is hoping for! But for now I am having a LOT more fun (again) with default FSX. Sometimes you need to try something different to really appreciate what you already have...! After flying with ProATC/X default FSX ATC sounds and feels far more realistic. And if you switch frequencies every now and then to prevent you from being vectored all over the place, it isn't so bad after all... Bruce is right when he said that the default FSX ATC does an amazing job!

[rjord 3]

The option to force runway according to AI was put in because AI do not takeoff from the correct runway at all times.

 

This gives people the option of either taking off on thr active runway according to wind direction or waiting a few minutes for proatc to study the AI to see

what runway they are making the active runway.

 

This is great because the developers give us a choice. I use UT2 and it seems in most cases if not every time that ut2 gets the runway

correct.

 

this could be due to waiting 6 minutes while i am prepping the airbus extended......

[Guest]

This gives people the option of either taking off on thr active runway according to wind direction or waiting a few minutes for proatc to study the AI to see

what runway they are making the active runway.

 

The way you say it makes it sound that ProATC/X of course uses the right active runway according to the wind direction and that the other option was to use the obviously wrong runway that the AI was using. But in my case ProATC/X was using the wrong runway and I would have had to enable that odd 'follow the AI' function in order to be able to use the right runway! If you know what I mean. ^_^ Again, that's why the post on the ProATC/X forum didn't resolve the problem because it also assumed ProATC/X was right. But it wasn't.

 

The next time it happens (if I feel like trying ProATC/X again: it cost me two days now and it clearly didn't really make my weekend) I will try to figure out where that log is and what to do with it (I also asked about that log on the forum twice).

[HighTowers 1,434]

The way you say it makes it sound that ProATC/X of course uses the right active runway according to the wind direction and that the other option was to use the obviously wrong runway that the AI was using. But in my case ProATC/X was using the wrong runway and I would have had to enable that odd 'follow the AI' function in order to be able to use the right runway! If you know what I mean. ^_^ Again, that's why the post on the ProATC/X forum didn't resolve the problem because it also assumed ProATC/X was right. But it wasn't.

 

The next time it happens (if I feel like trying ProATC/X again: it cost me two days now and it clearly didn't really make my weekend) I will try to figure out where that log is and what to do with it (I also asked about that log on the forum twice).

 

Your going to get a much quicker response sending your log to the developer for support than just posting on the forum. And he will be able to make the most sense of it what is going on. My replies are usually within a day. Except for maybe now during these holiday times.

[Guest]

I just gave it another try (I should have known better but well, if I want this addon to blossom I might as well alpha-test along) and yet another flight opportunity wasted. Instead of flying I again ended up troubleshooting. Again I was assigned the wrong runway. I posted it on the support forum along with a screenshot and the log (found it) but I was wondering if anyone here uses OpusFSX along with ProATC/X? I am beginning to wonder if ProATC/X can't somehow see the real time OpusFSX weather? (Even though the ATIS is correct.)

 

EDIT

Here is the screenshot showing the ATIS: the weather is correct (wind was coming from 200) and FSX ATC tells everyone to use runway 20 but ProATC/X insists on runway 02...

 

[ailchim 211]

I'm using ProATC-X and OpusFSX.with the PMDG 737NGX.

 

Firstly, I'm very pleased with ProATC-X. After a pretty shallow learning curve [and a couple of updates from ProATC], I'm completing every flight from the ATC standpoint and it's a joy to have proper climb & descend instructions and none of that "expedite turn to 123" nonsense when I'm trying to follow a STAR.

 

I was sent into a tailwind landing yesterday, onto 08-R at Gatwick when the wind was 220 at 12 knots gusting to 22. Not nice. I noticed from the OpusFSX destination weather report that there's a "static" wind listed in the ground conditions. That was blowing more or less in the opposite direction to the "live" wind. What's "static" wind and what part does it play in assigning runways I wonder?

 

I just popped into Gatwick and the local conditions show the static wind to be the same as the live wind.........

[gman1986 14]

Hi Jeroen

Glad to see you gave it another try. I too run Pro-Atc X with Opus and haven't had any issues lately. However I did have this problem a week back before I'd configured the programme correctly, ie I hadn't built the database and aligned the airac data. I also realise now that after I let the weather load into FSX I have to reset the AI traffic which in my case it UT2. I had to do this with Radar Contact as well. I also have the force runways according to AI checked in the Pro-Atc X options. With doing all the above I haven't been assigned the incorrect runway thusfar.

[shivers9 1,174]

JVanE:

I have been watching the Developement of Pro-ATC X and you seem very negative about the developers but I think it is very important that your above complaint was handled over at their forum where they have requested that things be reported. It would have been nice had you come back to AVSIM and tell people that you situation was handled and that yes there is a bug that is causing some problems with runway assignment and has been addressed in the very next release due out any time now. It is fine that you have a complaint but it would be nice if you gave the developers credit for answering you questions with in moments. I don't mean to flame you in anyway. When others read the above tread it leaves them with a very wrong impression. That is not helpful to the developers or other readers here. AVSIM has lost the input and respect of far to many members and developers as it is. I am not picking on you, it is just a good example of why we are getting such a bad Rep in the community.

[Guest]

JVanE:

I have been watching the Developement of Pro-ATC X and you seem very negative about the developers but I think it is very important that your above complaint was handled over at their forum where they have requested that things be reported. It would have been nice had you come back to AVSIM and tell people that you situation was handled and that yes there is a bug that is causing some problems with runway assignment and has been addressed in the very next release due out any time now. It is fine that you have a complaint but it would be nice if you gave the developers credit for answering you questions with in moments. I don't mean to flame you in anyway. When others read the above tread it leaves them with a very wrong impression. That is not helpful to the developers or other readers here. AVSIM has lost the input and respect of far to many members and developers as it is. I am not picking on you, it is just a good example of why we are getting such a bad Rep in the community.

 

I don't think I've been negative about the developers at all: I've been negative about the product and that's a different story. ^_^

 

About the complaint being handled: first of all the situation isn't handled yet (because I still haven't had it confirmed if the assignements were wrong or the reading of the current weather, which is something different) and secondly all this was 'handled' during the last hour. I just had dinner in between and didn't have the time yet to say anything about it over here. Not sure if would have btw because as I said, it won't be until the next version is released before I will know if my problem (about ProATC/X using the wrong runway) has been solved indeed, but I was about to say something about it because I noticed alpha117 is waiting for it... ^_^ In fact, I am about to post another problem over there! And in case you wonder why I post all this on two forums: the other one I use for support, this one I use to talk about everything FSX-related with my online buddies. Two different things.

 

I understand your point but the next time wait a few hours to give me some time. B) Oh, and btw this current problem isn't my only problem with ProATC/X... It's not that solving this makes this addon what I hoped it would be. There is still a long way to go... -_-

[High Plains Flyer 35]

I think many of the comments here are perfectly fair. The original poster was asking whether this product was ready for prime time. This is a perfectly fair question given that this product was released six months ago and was pretty buggy by all accounts. (I purchased it, and found it to be pretty unusable right from the get go, so I just figured I flushed a lot of money down the toilet. I guess I would like to know if they ever get it to work right.)

 

In fact, one would hope that developers would not relase unfinished and buggy products and charge a large price for their customers to be alpha testers. Of course, this never stopped Microsoft...

 

Someone reporting they still have problems with the product six months after it was released is a perfectly fair answer to the question.

[Guest]

Ok, so despite the wrong runways being assigned, I decided to start (yet) another flight. And well, I have to say I got vectors this time after straying off! Of course I couldn't just follow the magenta line... I had to see if there was ATC watching me es or no. :ph34r: And this time there was. I wandered off about 6 times (and asked for a Direct to a few times to make sure ATC didn't completely lose me) and everytime I got vectored back to the magenta line after some time. Victory.

Where FSX ATC tells you to get back in line within a few seconds, ProATC/X let's you wanted off for some 30 nm before it says something (which was why I didn't get vectors before maybe: I didn't wander off enough) BUT... in the end it does and I noticed it always gave me a heading back to the magenta line (somewhere around the point where I was supposed to be going or where I left the line maybe, at least not straight to the airport). In the end I decided to stop teasing ATC and followed the magenta line, which was I think after the end of the STAR already. To me surprise ATC even gave me two vectors to get back in line and to intercept the ILS... and I landed safely. Peace to everyone.

 

All in all (considering how I was behaving (in the virtual air, I mean...)) not bad. Certainly a lot better then my experience with vectors (none) yesterday. This experience suddenly (and finally... and luckily) actually gave me the feeling someone out there was keeping an eye on me. Which was one of the things I missed so far.

 

Well, that's a positive end of 2013 as far as ProATC/X and I are concerned. On the official forum we are promised 'ALL' really soon (alternates and what not) so I am climbing up the hill again a little now. Yeah, I know... I am a kind of roller coaster guy... but my hopes have been restored a little now. Enough to not uninstall ProATC/X this year... ^_^

[shivers9 1,174]

I think many of the comments here are perfectly fair. The original poster was asking whether this product was ready for prime time. This is a perfectly fair question given that this product was released six months ago and was pretty buggy by all accounts. (I purchased it, and found it to be pretty unusable right from the get go, so I just figured I flushed a lot of money down the toilet. I guess I would like to know if they ever get it to work right.)

 

In fact, one would hope that developers would not relase unfinished and buggy products and charge a large price for their customers to be alpha testers. Of course, this never stopped Microsoft...

 

Someone reporting they still have problems with the product six months after it was released is a perfectly fair answer to the question.

I understand that not everyone wants to be an alpha tester as you phrase it and that is great. Each to their own. It just seems that many don't understand that both OPUS and Pro-ATC X are taking a different approach to their developement of the software. If you look back over the past history of FSX and it's previous renditions, you see that Weather and ATC have been two very hard nuts to crack. Many have tried and failed. These guys seem to be trying to work through the problems one area at a time until most of our computer configs and set ups don't choke on the info. I guess I just see it as a building block method. In the case of OPUS, it seems to be working amazingly well. If one keeps an open mind then Pro-ATC X is getting better by the day. The goal here is that one way or another we end up with an improved ATC for FSX and PrePar3D. I do understand your point about the money. I feel much the same because 3 or 4 years ago I bought version 4.3 of you know what (LOL) because they were floating the idea of V5 which never got off the ground. It is just a few bucks under the bridge. Perhalps it would be good if we are just made so minor adjustments about how we think of some of this software. Over the past year or two we have seen Microsoft, ORBX, OPUS and Flight 1 pretty much abandon AVSIM Forums. At some point we have to admit that we the members have some responsibility for those loses. I too am guily and not proud of some of my posts. Sorry this is long winded. Just been on my mind for a while.

 

I don't think I've been negative about the developers at all: I've been negative about the product and that's a different story. ^_^

 

About the complaint being handled: first of all the situation isn't handled yet (because I still haven't had it confirmed if the assignements were wrong or the reading of the current weather, which is something different) and secondly all this was 'handled' during the last hour. I just had dinner in between and didn't have the time yet to say anything about it over here. Not sure if would have btw because as I said, it won't be until the next version is released before I will know if my problem (about ProATC/X using the wrong runway) has been solved indeed, but I was about to say something about it because I noticed alpha117 is waiting for it... ^_^ In fact, I am about to post another problem over there! And in case you wonder why I post all this on two forums: the other one I use for support, this one I use to talk about everything FSX-related with my online buddies. Two different things.

 

I understand your point but the next time wait a few hours to give me some time. B) Oh, and btw this current problem isn't my only problem with ProATC/X... It's not that solving this makes this addon what I hoped it would be. There is still a long way to go... -_-

Sorry about not giving you time for dinner....lol Probably jumped the gun a bit there! Any way not at entended to beat you up. See my post to High Plains.....I really am trying to make peace and not war!!

[Guest]

Sorry about not giving you time for dinner....lol Probably jumped the gun a bit there! Any way not at entended to beat you up. See my post to High Plains.....I really am trying to make peace and not war!!

 

I understood that already, no problems at all. ^_^ And you might like my rather positive post that I posted while you probably were typing. ^_^