My expectations for Flight School are not high for the simple reason it's not a product aimed at someone who has been in the simulation for years and years. And its focus anyway is on those lessons more than the world and scenery as we know it. Martin said that things will be different for their DFS, on which they still have some time to work on anyway

I am interested in the detailed interactive lessons in DTG Flight School, but I worry that my eyes may not be able to handle the graphics if they are too similar to default FSX or P3D.

I have read on the other Avsim forum that DTG use steam because it is easy to issue updates - - the reality is that is not the case as Xplane 10 provide automatic update without be Steamed UP !!

A Freewareless - SDK-Less - Creative-Less - Freedoom-Less Sim where only Few can enjoy the privilege of being creative will not be popular as our existing Simulator already out there.

 

As I understand it, the only reason the Steam version of X-Plane doesn't use Steam's ability to offer opt-in beta versions like you can get with the non-Steam version, is that it would be difficult to keep betas in sync for the Mac and Linux versions as well as Windows. They probably also want to keep user feedback on beta versions in one outside channel, without managing a second one in Steam.

 

At any rate, there is no reason DTG couldn't use Steam for both updates and opt-in beta versions of their new flight sim, as well as the Steam Workshop to distribute free user made add-ons (if they wanted to).

Agree with you Paraffin - 100 %

 

but Steam do not feature a proper files library system as such Avsim for Flightsim - over there is just a long list of stuff added to a page  - without any order - date.

Agree with you Paraffin - 100 %

 

but Steam do not feature a proper files library system as such Avsim for Flightsim - over there is just a long list of stuff added to a page  - without any order - date.

 

Did you check? Take for example Cities Skylines workshop.

 

http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/browse/?appid=255710&browsesort=mostrecent&section=readytouseitems&p=1

 

You can check the most popular ones, or even sort them by the most recent. Once you click on the addons itself you will see the precise time in which they have been updated, the steam contact of the author and even a mini forum of users using the addon. It's all pretty well done.

You can also search for authors or different kind of mods.

 

The bottom line of course is that such service is not for free, so not every developer is willing to spend money on it

ye - i had a look at some workshop - but there was nothing to suggest any order.

might have come across some that are free to setup.

Sometimes simmers remind me of spoiled little brats that want everything NOW.

 

Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once. :smile:

 

But seriously, all these things do take time. Just look at how long it took a legion of developers to expand out FSX, how long Eagle Dynamics has been working on DCS, etc. What they need to do is get a good basic sim out there and go from there with community feedback, etc.

 

My personal want is VR support but that at least won't be supported immediately in either. I just can't fly now without it and neither do the other VR flyers I hang with. But even without it, I'd love to see DTG build out Flight School and Flight Simulator with all the new stuff and modern programming to make better use of modern multi-core systems and the powerful GPUs out now.

 

FSX itself is a dead end and has been for a while. P3D is supported and is being expanded so that's really good. But for me, the best in looks and fidelity is DCS though there are very few aircraft, no add-on scenery, and no civilian scenarios. So I'm hopeful. And I bet VR gets in there either through aftermarket plugin or through direct support integrated by Dovetail.

 

We'll get there. It just may take a while.

FSX itself is a dead end and has been for a while. P3D is supported and is being expanded so that's really good. But for me, the best in looks and fidelity is DCS though there are very few aircraft, no add-on scenery, and no civilian scenarios.

 

I getting tired of reading things like this, and it's this negativity that will kill this hobby! I can't count the number of negative posts I've read on these forums poo pooing DFS and that's before the sim even exists. The fact is there is no evidence of any of this. Most addons for P3D originate from an FSX release not the other way around. How long FSX stays around now depends how well DTG's DFS is received. If it meets or exceeds expectations the transition may be quick, if it doesn't it will be slower and addons will continue to be produced for FSX for a longer period.  Time will tell. For now both FSX and P3D will be supported about the same.

 

Edit: While I stand by my statement, I just noticed this was your first post here, and my anger on this subject is not meant to be directly at you, so I apologize for that and welcome you to AVSIM!!

Hi Tom, no problem. I have a thick skin and can get salty myself.

 

But also, I didn't mean that negatively about FSX either. It's just more a statement of fact that the core of the flight sim itself won't be getting any major updates especially now that DTG has embarked on this path with new sims.

 

FSX still has wonderful community support and will be a go-to platform for some time to come. It's my sim of choice and I have it loaded up with extra aircraft, scenery, and plug-ins. I'm not a combat sim kind of person and as beautiful as DCS, I pretty much exclusively set up missions where I can fly formation with other aircraft and just enjoy the flying most of all instead of fighting. What I really love is civilian flight, sightseeing, and formation in FSX in VR.

 

But also, I wasn't poo-pooing DTG's new sims at all. I support the effort and really look forward to seeing what they do. I'm really intrigued by the few screenshots so far and really want to see civilian flight sims get the kind of graphics that I love so much in DCS. The only thing about these new sims for me is lack of VR support right out the gate. I really can't fly a monitor any more now that I have been flying in VR and without VR support I'll just have to wait a bit longer but I'm confident it will come. Now that the consumer VR HMDs are hitting in April, as more discover and try flying in VR, there just won't be a way for flight sims to survive without supporting it. So it will get there I'm sure. And I'm sure there will be a big monitor base too. I'm just saying I'm in the VR flight sim camp from here on out. I love it and everyone I've talked with or showed it to agrees. But it won't be everyone. But it will be big.

 

I'm a huge fan of Flight Simulator and glad to see the mantle getting picked back up. I'm also glad to hear DTG plans to work with devs because Dan Church has done amazing things with both FSX and P3D and VR. I didn't mean for my post to sound negative at all. Unfortunately FSX is pretty CPU/core bound and FSX apparently won't get any updates that fix that. That was all I meant - that FSX won't be getting any more overhauls which I think is true. But that's not bad or a strike against it. It works great and will continue to see more scenery, more aircraft, and more innovations.

Tom, I just realized that you may have thought I was saying DTG's Fliight Scool program didn't have scenarios, add-in scenery, etc. I was referring to Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) - not DFS. DCS doesn't have add-in scenery (that I know of), limited support for other aircraft, and is really mostly a combat simulator but is really beautiful. I have the Steam version and am really anxious to get the Nevada scenery as all it has now is the Black Sea region. That's what I was talking about. Not Dovetail's Flight School. I think DFS will be great and as I said, just wish it had VR support but understand totally that I'll have to wait - which is OK. I'm sure it will all come in time and fingers crossed they support a rigorous flight model. But whatever they do, I am happy to see the hobby supported and progressing!

Excellent sequence of posts Robert455, and... I couldn't agree more with you :-)

Thanks, Jcomm. ;-)

 

Not sure where to put this since I didn't want to clutter the main DTG Q&A with Martin, but I saw a number of posts by the cockpit builders there asking about FSUIPC support (that is some amazing software, btw).

 

Not sure if many here have tried virtual reality flight but it is truly amazing as it puts you in the flight sim and in the cockpit. But there has been an issue with realistic activation of knobs, switches, and levers. You can use the keyboard (cumbersome) or a mouse (actually not bad but in VR you don't see the real world so well - i.e. not at all unless you lift up the HMD though one has a forward facing camera on it so you sometimes fumble a bit reaching out to find it) or with lots of switches and buttons programmed on a stick if you have a stick with lots of switches and buttons. But the guy making the VR plugin for FSX/P3D has been working on support for tracked hands. There is a thing called Leap Motion that you can use to track your hands but until a driver software update from the manufacturer just in the last month it wasn't good enough to use for reliable cockpit interaction.

 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=dDd8psWui8A. This is what it looks like now.

 

The thing is that with VR and hand tracking, you can have cockpit interaction in most any aircraft instead of having to build specific or generic cockpits. The thing is there is no tactile feedback yet (believe it or not there are ways of doing that coming) so you have to watch as you reach with your hands to interact, but it works.

 

It may not be for everyone but you basically get a full cockpit in any plane just by saddling up the airplane. Reach out and start flipping switches, levers, etc. Wait until you guys try VR flight. It's really bizarre to find yourself in the airplane cockpit with full natural head tracking, able to look all around, look close, judge depth and distance like in the real world, see everything at full size, etc. It's why I can't go back to monitor flight and it is very addicting.

I'm reading the same comments that have been posted on many other forums, & I think a few points have to be noted & realized.

The sims will be released through Steam & the Windows 10 Store. This should tell you who the target market is

The Training sim is geared to the novices & newbies, to hook & encourage them to get into & keep them in our hobby.

DTG needs to monetize the product. So, it is ideal for them to release add-ons via the DLC method.

 

Realise that this is a long term project as our hobby needs new blood & needs to keep them.

Far too often we have seen 'elitists' saying,.... 'If it does not have ....... I'm not getting it'.

Forget about compatibility between the old & the new, DCS & FSX, P3D whatever.

Forget about looking for the Holy Grail!

 

We are getting something new, a clean slate, to grab & hold a new generation of simmers.

Us old timers should be happy with what we have, it's taken 10 years to get our FSX's to what we have now. P3D'ers are more fortunate, obviously.

 

So, cockpit builder might have to wait until there are solutions for you, It's not going to happen immediately. Remember, DTG needs to cater for the masses first, before the hard core'rs. We have had it great for 10 years,

Give the new guys a chance.

 

 

The sims will be released through Steam & the Windows 10 Store. This should tell you who the target market is

 

That is not so much the issue.  More importantly, is where third parties are permitted to distribute - and how.  It's not known yet.  But its a tricky one as it may be the end of websites like simmarket and flightsimstore in the long run if the distribution model is exclusive.

That is not so much the issue.  More importantly, is where third parties are permitted to distribute - and how.  It's not known yet.  But its a tricky one as it may be the end of websites like simmarket and flightsimstore in the long run if the distribution model is exclusive.

 

This isnt an issue to me. Simmarket and theflightsimstore have been the source of alot of my money being spent, but they dont actually produce anything for me. So if Steam can be a distribution platform, the minimizes piracy and crates a convenient and centalized place for me to purchase addons from, it will be my source for purchasing addons in the future. The key is, if they can make it fair for developers to distribute their addons on this platform. According to DCS and XPlane, it has potential.