How does the pilot/copilot feature work in the beta?How does the tower feature work?Can you observe other players, like in a chase view or something?Is the sounds from other players planes improved compared to fs9?Is the update rate of other planes improved?Is the multiplayer in general much better than fs9?

Bump.

Co-pilot feature was cool,very smooth, you would think your flying it, except for the control sticks are a little jerky when the other user is flying, actually all animations are a little jerky, like as if it plays every 2nd frame of animation, but it didnt really bother me.If you open a door the other person sees it etc, everything syncs up.The model for the tower feature wasn't included, so when you choose tower it gives a missing model error but loads you in anyway, so you can pan around, and open up your radar/comms panels.Update rate is improved, very smooth flying, no jerkiness.Not sure about observing other players, didnt try.Sounds seem to be much better, i'll have to try some more aircraft though.One thing we found out while in shared cockpit... my terrain settings where higher than on my brothers pc, so he landed us on a hill, now to him he was on the hill, but to me I was 20 feet above it, I could look down through the terrain and see the VC.Then when I took over, it placed the aircraft on the ground (for me) but for him he was 20 feet inside the terrain.For airports its ok, its just outside the flatten areas.The planes no longer sit in the ground either, the harder the landing the more you enter the ground but you would return to ground level imediatly. So no more hovering or submerged aircraft. Voice comms are clear too, you can also push Q to mute your audio but the voice stays on so if your having trouble hearing over the engine noise you can just mute it.Overall way better than fs9, I will defiantly be using it more. :)/Alan

Thank you...

>>How does the pilot/copilot feature work in the beta?It works great. Last night my friend was FO on a 737 flight from KIAD to KPIT, quick little hop. Everything was smooth and easy. We are going to work on procedure, and then later on find a mp session with a controlled airport and try it that way.>> How does the tower feature work?Minus the 3D model for it (2D panels still work), it works as advertised. You are in the tower, you have the radar, you have list of frequencies, and a session list giving you info about each player connected, you can zoom or pan the radar. It's pretty cool.>> Can you observe other players, like in a chase view or something?I didn't try this, but there is a view menu called multiplayer that is just like the ai option when you are offline, that lists the other planes. I'm assuming you can set your view to that. Even better, there is a "follow player" option in the controls, which (once again I didn't test it) means you just follow another plane in yours.>> Is the sounds from other players planes improved compared to fs9?Pretty much all of the sounds in the game are better.>> Is the update rate of other planes improved?Vastly improved.>> Is the multiplayer in general much better than fs9?By an order of magnitude. It is so much better it's like it's a completely new version or something. :(EDIT: About the radios and voice comms. This feature is absolutely perfect. You have all the settings you need in hosting and joining the game. First, the host can decide whether to have voice on or not (why wouldn't you) for the server. Beyond that, he can decide if it's just open chat or if you have to use the radio. If it's open, pressing and holding CAPS LOCK is the push to talk button, and everyone on the session hears you. If it is set to radios, then caps lock broadcasts over the Comms channel you are tuned to and (I believe) only within the range of your radio. However, in this mode, pressing SHIFT+CAPS LOCK will still broadcast to everyone on the server.When you are in a shared plane, you have the option to have open comms inside the plane. That means that if you are sharing the plane with someone the mics are hot all the time, and then pressing CAPS LOCK does a push to talk for the rest of the session. I found this worked incredibly well.

Ok, i have the beta now.However i have no key.I'm dying to try the multiplayer part, but fail to see how i find servers?How do i do that?Thanks.Ps: i like getting private messages.. Just thought i would mention that. :) :-halo

On the FSX Multiplayer Tab you register with GameSpy. Then you can see the servers.

I must be blind.I simply can't see the FSX multiplayer tab.

Just to add what NotASenator wrote, there are many great new features in multiplayer.Specifically with Multiplayer AI rendered aircraft.If you're at an airport with lots of traffic, you can hear each aircraft within a 2nm radius, and each will get louder as they're closer too! Flight models are dynamic, meaning, you will see them set their flaps, gears up/down, engine shutdown/start up, lighting, smoke system, vortices off the wings, tire smoke, on wet runways - you'll see spray etc.The sound is dynamic also, so when a multiplayer aircraft throttles up/down, engages reversers, you will hear it!You can lock on one particular ai craft if you want too. Lets just say multiplayer on Gamespy, VATSIM and IVAO with FSX is going to be a treat. ;)Randy Oldfield

>I must be blind.>I simply can't see the FSX multiplayer tab.Could it be that a key is needed to see the multiplayer tab ?

Multiplayer appears to be disabled if your running the beta in trial mode without a key. I get the same thing here. :(

>Multiplayer appears to be disabled if your running the beta>in trial mode without a key. I get the same thing here. :(Argh, now im really desperate to get my hands on a key.Anyone that feels like sending me a private message?

In another thread discussing FSX's multiplayer feature someone mentioned that you're limited to receiving ATC service at just ONE airport per MP server. Is this true? Basically, does "server" equal to "ATC", where the host can select one airport they provide ATC at? Or can multiple ATC players join a server and choose which airports they want to man?If it's just one airport per server, that's something of a bummer.. you'll have to choose to have ATC either at your destination or departure - the other location will be dead quiet. It's an improvement over FS9's multiplayer, but still...Also, I seem to remember someone (from the devteam?) mentioning that sharing a cockpit will eventually work on VATSIM, too, when VATSIM's software gets updated to work with FSX. Can anyone else confirm this or was that just wishful daydreaming on my part?I sure hope that's true, although Squawkbox will need some serious upgrades to work properly with a shared cockpit.. All ATC transmissions need to be sent to everyone in your plane (or everyone designated "crew" anyway), for one.

Bump, bump..:(Kasper BehrentzsDenmarkALL NEWS FROM FSX COLLECTED AT ONE PLACE!MY SITE, http://www.xflightx.piczo.com http://pic.piczo.com/img/i167876616_71278.gif

No, you can have towers at as many airports as you want.