Well, FSX has always allowed the VFR pilot to contact any controlled airspace and ask for transit permission or landing clearance, report position, etc.  It also allows you to practice proper calls at uncontrolled airports on Unicom or CTAF.  

From my experience, XP allows you to do none of this, or makes it very difficult, at least without filing a flight plan, which I almost never do.

It can't be that hard to code in such basic comms ability.  

If you think about it, FSX VFR ATC do not affect anything.  For example, nothing will happened if you busted class Bravo without permission. Or AI plane will not interact with you if you call short final in untoward airport . Perhaps the only things useful is traffic calls during flight following. Although realistically flight following would require controller to know your destination type of aircraft, cruising altitude and etc. In FSX you can fly any way you want. 

 

To me personally it would be great thing if ATC system would interact with AI craft, provider realistic sequencing, and "punish" you for violations (to make things more fun). Or In uncontrolled field AI would interact with you based on your calls and so on.

52 minutes ago, sd_flyer said:

To me personally it would be great thing if ATC system would interact with AI craft, provider realistic sequencing, and "punish" you for violations (to make things more fun). Or In uncontrolled field AI would interact with you based on your calls and so on.

I think that's what Austin was eluding to in the Q & A session:

50:26

 

I agree with you on both counts, SD_flyer.  I use FSX comms correctly, if only to stay in good form for RL.  But, of course, there's no real interaction or punishment for bad form.  

Here's hoping that Austin does indeed have some ideas for a more full-fledged and interactive ATC and comms environment.  

35 minutes ago, strider1 said:

I think that's what Austin was eluding to in the Q & A session:

Right, that's an elaboration of what he mentioned in the earlier Q&A from his office. In the earlier comments he also mentioned building in the kind of barely understood or mis-communicated stuff you hear in radio traffic between VFR planes, just for flavor. Sounds ambitious, and I assume that's after they get everything else working correctly. 

I just hope there's enough variety in the voice files, whether it's synthesized or patched-together real voices. You won't want to hear the same ATC voice every time. It would be nice if there was a least a little localization of English accents too.

11 minutes ago, Paraffin said:

Right, that's an elaboration of what he mentioned in the earlier Q&A from his office. In the earlier comments he also mentioned building in the kind of barely understood or mis-communicated stuff you hear in radio traffic between VFR planes, just for flavor. Sounds ambitious, and I assume that's after they get everything else working correctly. 

I just hope there's enough variety in the voice files, whether it's synthesized or patched-together real voices. You won't want to hear the same ATC voice every time. It would be nice if there was a least a little localization of English accents too.

Thats a good idea ! Shoot a email to Austin with your suggestion !