DTG Flight School: certainly NOT not for us simmers

[torium 207]

In case anyone still wondered if the upcoming DTG Flight School might offer an in-depth and realistic experience for us simmers: it won't. It will mainly be fun.

 

As opposed to P3D - where entertainment is banned.  :wink:

[W2DR 1,859]

I remember some 10+ years ago my then six year old granddaughter wanted to learn to "fly the airplane". I spent countless hours with her using FS9. I would have given anything to have had a sim around like what I think Flight School is going to offer. Will it teach me anything? Probably not. But I've been simming for over 30 years. Would it have taught my granddaughter anything? You bet it would have. Will it teach other folks sons, daughters, and grandchildren anything? You bet it will. I applaud DTS in this effort. Sometimes I think we all take this hobby a little too seriously. Maybe it's time to lay back and start a new generation of pilots.

Doug

[scotchegg 4,166]

I'm sure DTG have thought carefully about their branding here and it made help if we followed their lead. Flight School is clearly a separate experience from the flight sim so perhaps we should keep the distinction clear on the forums.

 

Also I'm not sure I agree with the OP; it sounds like their might be stuff even "us simmers" could brush up on, although I'm sure we all hope the full sim offers a lot more than Floght School.

[ErichB 3,638]

I was thinking:

 

When Boeing update a version of an aircraft to next gen technology, I wonder whether real pilots take to forums fuming and say...... ' I can't believe they've just rehashed the flightdeck with a different layout of the same old switches and a few silly glass displays!  It's just the same rehashed technology, just slightly tweaked!   As for the engines, well, they're the same old stupid things that were hanging from the wings since the 1980s,  - they just look slightly different with some incremental thrust and a new cover!  I cant believe a company like Boeing think they can get away with selling the same old garbage to airlines, year in and year out! 

 

And as for those newbie start-up airlines, well they'll just buy it wont they!   THEY'RE THE REAL TARGET MARKET FOR BOEING!  NOT US BA PILOTS!

 

I GUESS WE'LL ALL JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC TO BRING OUT SOMETHING REALLY NEW!

 

:smile:  :smile:

[JLSeagull 191]

I was thinking:

 

When Boeing update a version of an aircraft to next gen technology, I wonder whether real pilots take to forums fuming and say...... ' I can't believe they've just rehashed the flightdeck with a different layout of the same old switches and a few silly glass displays!  It's just the same rehashed technology, just slightly tweaked!   As for the engines, well, they're the same old stupid things that were hanging from the wings since the 1980s,  - they just look slightly different with some incremental thrust and a new cover!  I cant believe a company like Boeing think they can get away with selling the same old garbage to airlines, year in and year out! 

 

And as for those newbie start-up airlines, well they'll just buy it wont they!   THEY'RE THE REAL TARGET MARKET FOR BOEING!  NOT US BA PILOTS!

 

I GUESS WE'LL ALL JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC TO BRING OUT SOMETHING REALLY NEW!

 

:smile:  :smile:

:Applause:

[DTG Martin 213]

Just like with train sim, I do not understand why there can't be an option for the end user to decide? If I want to simulate building a full head of steam before my rail journey and go through all the hoops and check of making sure it does you should let me. If I want a casual, quick experience then adjust my slider setting and off I go. DTG I see you point but why make it one or the other?

 

In a world of infinite resources, time and money yes that would be the ideal. To create a game which is all things to all people. Unfortunately the world is not like that, hence game developers have to make decisions regarding what to include and what not to include. 

 

- Martin 

 

 

Maybe it's time to lay back and start a new generation of pilots.

 

We certainly hope so. If we can introduce this hobby, that we all love, to just one young kid and inspire a passion in them for it, then we will be happy. 

 

It is great to hear people say "oh I remember X,Y,Z on the C64. I loved that game. It got me started in flight simming." We all have stories like that. We hope that one day someone will be here on avsim, after we are all gone, saying the same thing about DTG Flight School. 

 

- Martin 

[gingerterry 16]

Hi all, I hav a 10 year old son and a 5 year old daughter that love sitting and watching me fly. When the dreaded " can i have a go " question rears it's head, it's like " you wouldn't understand and it's too hard to show you", well hopefully it will soon be " there you go, enjoy yourself ".

We have to remember that once us dinosaurs have gone, what will be left? empty virtual airspace? virtual aircraft grounded for life, rotting away on virtual tarmac?.

I'm buying it for myself also as I never really got my head round navigation, so here's hoping! 

[Farlis 2,277]

We have spent the last two years listening to existing and would-be simmers alike. We have been intent on discovering what keeps you all simming, and what stops those who would like to get into flight simulation from doing so. We have learned that flight simulation appeals to an incredible amount of people, but a lot of them find it too hard to get started with. It is our aim to reclaim and attract those would-be simmers, but in order to do so, we need to present flight simulation in a way that doesn't initially overwhelm them.

 

 

That is where Flight School comes in.  We wanted to create an experience which makes flight simming accessible to anyone who wants to try it. Doing this as a standalone release allows us to focus on tailoring the experience more at these players.

 

- Martin 

 

Sounds like a reasonable approach. 

[Pastaiolo 1,686]

DTG has always been clear since the start that Flight School might be interesting for us even, but it's not aimed at us.

We all started by doing silly things or not knowing well what we were doing. And our playerbase is not going to magically increase or stay the same either. Life happens, for the good or the bad of it. A steady flow of new people with an open and interested attitude towards Aviation is more than welcome.

As for expectations, i think ours are all focused on the Flight Simulator and not the Flight School. However sometimes questions overlaps because Flight School will use SOME of the modifications we will get to see in the Flight Simulator too.

[overspeed3 410]

Yes, this may be a good app to bring in new "blood" (as well as perhaps teach old dogs new tricks).

I think its' important to keep attracting  new "players" - we all certainly want payware companies to keep churning-out new flight sim products - and they need to know it's going to be profitable for the foreseeable future...    

 

But like P3D, which has several different levels of flight training and sophistication, Dovetail may one day evolve to a more sophisticated training tool with RW parameters; who knows?

[sightseer 895]

We certainly hope so. If we can introduce this hobby, that we all love, to just one young kid and inspire a passion in them for it, then we will be happy. 

 

It is great to hear people say "oh I remember X,Y,Z on the C64. I loved that game. It got me started in flight simming." We all have stories like that. We hope that one day someone will be here on avsim, after we are all gone, saying the same thing about DTG Flight School. 

 

- Martin

Martin - Im just wondering how far a person has to go into the Flight school lessons before they encounter any form of navigation. The earliest forms of MS flightsim came with paper maps showing airports and VORs. What really drew me into flying was the ability to take off from one place and head for a place that I could not see (and would not see for quite a while) and then to actually be able to arrive at that spot. Even after simming for over twenty years now, it is still the three dimensional geographic thought processes that navigation requires that I find most enjoyable. I like aircraft that help me do that and I think it'd be great fun to have better winds and weather that challenge the 3D navigation concept. I understand that DTG wants to attract novices/new flight simmers but I hope that you guys arent trying to dumb things down when you should actually be offering the original approach plus expanded levels of instruction to keep people interested.

 

The first lessons can be on basic flying but then I think that basic navigation and then airspace and ATC should also hopefully be introduced. I still dont know if Im supposed to fly above or below an MOA - or avoid it entirely. Introduction to approach charts and SIDS and STARS would also be great.

[vgbaron 3,496]

Well, you could have DTG Flight School followed shortly by DTG Advanced Flight School which would lead to DTG Flight Sim.

 

Simple progression to please everyone.

 

 

Vic

[Blind Pilot 22]

Hello from Ron Kolesar, AKA The Blind Pilot.

In short, I fly thanks to the following three programs.

1. FSX-Gold, now days better known by as simply FSX.

2. a bridge of a program called FSUIPC.

Now, FSUIPC allows FSX to communicate with third party programs.

3. Last but not least, the voice input programs from Canada It's Your Plane or IYP for short.

Their web page is as follows:

www.itsyourplane.com

In short, I am looking forward to both Dovetail's flight school and the new up coming newer 64 bit version of FSX.

When I play a game, or jump into a simulator and or help out with a project, I make it clear that I too would deeply appreciate it that every feature be

1. blind friendly so that we too may enjoy the program.

2. Just as important that each feature be close to the real world as possible.

So, this is why I'm hoping for good things for both the new flight school and for FSX.

The only sad thing about the two above programs is this.

It looks like you need a steam account to use them.

Currently Steam is not blind friendly.

We've tried to talk to Valve Corporation about making a audio challenge for steam's security capture screens.

But they just will not reply to our letters.

So I'm hoping that all will read, sign and help forward the following petition.

https://www.change.org/p/valve-corporation-make-the-steam-platform-more-accessible-to-blind-and-visually-impaired-people

Also, the only thing that is sad about IYP is that it is all voice input.

Now I was a beta tester on a hand to ear flight simulator.

But the owner now wants to sell his company and the copyrights to the program.

Here's to the future of Dovetail Games two projects.

I'm hoping that we can make them work with the IYP program for we blind pilots who has to see through our ears since our eyes just don't work.

Also, I'm hoping for Dovetail games can get a huge take off for both of their programs because

1. FSX has needed a facelift to the 64 bit processor world for a long time now.

2. For the flight school.

I hope that it is as realistic as possible in evey way.

I'm hoping that they were able to hier on actual CFI's to help them out with this project.

Because it is the only way I can fly is via my computer.

So best of luck to Dovetail games with these to products.

Ron Kolesar AKA The Blind Pilot who's hoping that we can get a FSX friendly version of Dassault Falcon8x to fly soon.

[DTG Martin 213]

 

 

I understand that DTG wants to attract novices/new flight simmers but I hope that you guys arent trying to dumb things down when you should actually be offering the original approach plus expanded levels of instruction to keep people interested.

 

Our approach has not been to “dumb down” the overall simulation experience but rather to present that experience in a way which is readily accessible for anyone who wants to try it and does not intimidate them. Our aim is for simmers to experience the thrills and challenges of learning to become a pilot. 

 

- Martin 

[sightseer 895]

Well, you could have DTG Flight School followed shortly by DTG Advanced Flight School which would lead to DTG Flight Sim.

 

Simple progression to please everyone.

 

Vic

This sounds good to me. maybe the advanced school could be an addon.

 

 

Our approach has not been to “dumb down” the overall simulation experience but rather to present that experience in a way which is readily accessible for anyone who wants to try it and does not intimidate them. Our aim is for simmers to experience the thrills and challenges of learning to become a pilot. 

 

- Martin

Martin - Thanks for the reply. I still remember starting MS Flight and being first put into the 'cockpit' of the Icon A-5 (which had few gauges and no knobs to flip or tune (that I remember)) and Im hoping that that is not the approach you guys are taking. It doesnt look like you are and thats great. Just dont forget the type of person who is drawn to flying in the first place and all will be good. I've never had a single friend who could stand more than a few minutes with flight simulator. They find it boring. I myself cant get enough.

 

I hope you guys make a spectacular new flightsim platform.