It has been mentioned in a few different threads that a tool like FSUIPC may not be needed in MSFS.   Well, I for one sure hope Pete or John Dowson do make a version of FSUIPC available for MSFS if the new SDK, etc., makes that feasible. And I will be happy to buy the new FSUIPC.

Besides providing very convenient access to many of the sim's parameters and aircraft Lvars, the Lua scripting capability provided by FSUIPC is a powerful and very useful tool.  For example, I like to minimize use of the mouse as much as possible for repetitive functions, and it is through the FSUIPC Lua scripting (programming) capability that I'm able to do things like enter headings, courses, airspeed, altitudes, autopilot settings, and comm and nav frequencies without having to resort to fiddling with elusive mouse click spots while bouncing around in the clouds. Instead, I just directly enter the values needed using the keyboard numberpad (kind of like entering values into an FMC). Lua scripts let the user enhance the sim experience and tailor a/c operation to their own particular situation and liking. I suppose if MSFS provides a FSUIPC-like capability, including something akin to Lua scripting, then perhaps FSUIPC will not be needed. TBD.

Al

Edited December 26, 20196 yr by ark

I agree.

Additionally many third party apps rely on FSUIPC to communicate with the sim. So it would be desirable that all the functionality of FSUIPC will be in the new sim as well, be it by default or by a new FSUIPC.

 

Edited December 26, 20196 yr by RALF9636

I haven't used Fsuipc in many many years so I may be completely wrong here.

But I would assume it's main use is simply because of limitations on the FSX SDK as well as limitations on the FSX software.

I think Asobo will take the Xplane approach to be more developer friendly than FSX.   Third party add-ons should be able to interact directly with the sim rather than require the middle man.

I'm a user of FSUIPC, I think most of us are. I'm quite sure Microsoft and Asobo know what it is and what it does. I think their goal here as Theboot100 mentioned, would be able to code the new sim to have the X-Plane style of saveable configurations for any aircraft and controller type and really open up what we can do with bindings. 

And I wouldn't doubt that Mr. Dowson wouldn't be opposed to retirement 😄

8 hours ago, PWJT8D said:

And I wouldn't doubt that Mr. Dowson wouldn't be opposed to retirement 😄

Pete's son John is assuming responsibility for FSUIPC5. Pete is now taking a back seat.

One of the problems reported in the last update was insiders have a problem with Saitek and third party hardware.

I for one want compatibility with the new MSFS.  A lot of use have older high dollar HOTAS's with rudders Systems and don't wish to have to part with them soley because a new sim. I have yet to see anything out there in controllers that I'm willing to shell out another $600 for. 

😯

17 minutes ago, FireRx said:

I for one want compatibility with the new MSFS.  A lot of use have older high dollar HOTAS's with rudders Systems and don't wish to have to part with them soley because a new sim. I have yet to see anything out there in controllers that I'm willing to shell out another $600 for. 

😯

My Warthog and MFG pedals work without FSUIPC, why shouldn't they in the new sim ?

Edited December 27, 20196 yr by domkle

I do wonder if it is still worth getting fsuipc paid now.I mean you can do most of  the stuff  using p3dv4 controls options ?

 

What do you all think ?

 

Thanks

FSUIPC is still the only way to have aircraft specific axis and button controls setups.

It remains to be seen what capabilities the new sim will provide. For those not familiar with FSUIPC, in addition to the what I mentioned in my opening post above regarding conveniently entering frequencies, courses, headings, AP settings, etc., here are a few of the FSUIPC capabilities and applications that I have found particular useful:

- Conditional button programming that lets the action of one button depend on the state of another button. And that other button does not even really have to exist -- if can be a virtual button if so desired. What this does is effectively double or triple or.... the number of real buttons you have available to assign to functions. If the virtual button is on, real button #1 does this, but if the virtual button is off, real button#1 does something else, etc. The virtual button is controlled by a simple Lua script.

- A key or button does something different each time it is pushed. For example, push 1 turns on the taxi lights, push 2 turns on the landing lights, push 3 turns off the lights, and then the next push turns on the taxi lights again. So in effect you have a 3-way toggle switch -- common in many a/c. The Lear35 uses just such a switch to control the taxi and landing lights.

- A Lua script that provides verbal altitude call-outs on approach and landing (1000, 500, ... 100,50, 40, 30, 20,10 ) for any a/c  (e.g., a C172, Baron58, KA B200) if the a/c simulation itself does not provide that capability .

- A Lua script that quickly moves an a/c based on a user specified distance, move direction,  and new altitude, heading, IAS, and gear position. This is handy for just jumping ahead in cruise, or quickly repositioning an a/c for repeated landing practice.

- A Lua script the provides feedback on landing performance by displaying parameters such as VS, IAS, GS and aircraft attitude at touchdown, and also displays total landing distance, landing roll and bounce count (I needed that last one 😉).

- A 'poor man's Heads Up Display' Lua script that continually displays a host of flight parameters in a small window [IAS, TAS, GS, Mach#, VS(ft/min), VS (ft/NM), a/c attitude, RA, FPA (Flight Path Angle), etc].

- A Lua script that pauses the sim at a user specified time after takeoff. This is handy if you need to leave the house for a while but want the sim to pause at a particular point in the future so you can pick things up when you get back.

The above just barely touches on what can be done with FSUIPC. You can see many more such applications of FSUIPC here: https://forum.simflight.com/forum/143-user-contributions/

Does everyone need or want the above -- certainly  not. I would think those fortunate to have an elaborate home cockpit setup (I don't) make good use of FSUIPC, but so also do many, many simmers with much more modest, typical desktop setups.   But how you use a tool like FSUIPC, if you use it at all, is certainly very personal. 

Bottom line, if the new sim does not provide a full FSUIPC-like capability with an easy to use scripting  language (not likely is my guess), then I sure hope Pete Dowson or his son John (or someone else) does so. I can't see why anyone would object to this; no one is forced to buy or use FSUIPC.

Al

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 20196 yr by ark

27 minutes ago, MindYerBeak said:

I do wonder if it is still worth getting fsuipc paid now.I mean you can do most of  the stuff  using p3dv4 controls options ?

What do you all think ?

I have the PMDG737 and GoFlight hardware. Because PMDG released an SDK I was able to map controls such as fuel flow to a GoFlight switch. That required a registered version of FSUIPC. We’re a long way from being able to do without the things only it can do.

3 hours ago, Adrian123 said:

FSUIPC is still the only way to have aircraft specific axis and button controls setups.

For that functionality at least, it's a good argument for having it included in the default control setup. X-Plane has had that for a while now, and I remember seeing it in combat sims like Rise of Flight. This should be part of the default MSFS control setup, in my opinion.

40 minutes ago, Paraffin said:

For that functionality at least, it's a good argument for having it included in the default control setup. X-Plane has had that for a while now, and I remember seeing it in combat sims like Rise of Flight. This should be part of the default MSFS control setup, in my opinion.

I agree. I can't see any reason why a 'modern' flight sim would not provide at least a basic level of aircraft specific setup capability.

Al

Edited December 27, 20196 yr by ark

On 12/27/2019 at 1:25 PM, Adrian123 said:

FSUIPC is still the only way to have aircraft specific axis and button controls setups.

SPAD.NEXT does all of this and more -- it uses Simconnect to talk directly to the sim.