18 minutes ago, LouP said:

Too bad they can't direct traffic.  Right traffic when it seems it should be left and vice versa.  Let's not even get into a complete ignorance of the wind direction.  And I was told an airport was closed because of weather just the other day, so I'm in the middle of setting up an IFR approach and look to see the airport right there under clear skies.  Really?!

LouP

Default ATC is a total waste of time. 

23 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

Default ATC is a total waste of time. 

This x100 it's actually a great indicator (for me) to Asobos arrogance in developing a simulator.

1 minute ago, pilatuz said:

This x100 it's actually a great indicator (for me) to Asobos arrogance in developing a simulator.

If you know of a better sim than MSFS today, let us know. No sim has ever had default ATC that was worth anything. 

3 minutes ago, pilatuz said:

This x100 it's actually a great indicator (for me) to Asobos arrogance in developing a simulator.

The default ATC was no better in FS9 or FSX, and is no better today in P3D or X-Plane. Developing an accurate and bug-free ATC emulation is simply not in the skill set of any flight sim development house - it never has been.

Asobo should outsource the entire ATC system to a third-party contractor with in-depth knowledge of real world ATC procedures.

I quite like the default ATC. Certainly better than Xplane. I don't think we should forget how difficult these things are to code.

We've been given an environment which closely resembles the planet (obviously with a few shortcomings), models of some of the most sophisticated machines mankind has created. a simulation of the weather, globally, and the behaviour of a complex object within that. And now we need a simulation of complex human interaction within all of the above. I can't imagine it is straightforward.

 

That said, I would prefer not to be asked to go around on finals at every busy airport 🙂

1 hour ago, JRBarrett said:

Asobo should outsource the entire ATC system to a third-party contractor with in-depth knowledge of real world ATC procedures.

They would do, but apparently they are having difficulty choosing which company to go with. I don't know what they're playing at; they are literally spoilt for choice as to which one of the hundreds of ATC-savvy computer game software companies there are out there, sat in their Cadillac Criterion Ambulances, with registrations such as ATC-1, probably in an old fire station, just sat twiddling their thumbs, awaiting a contract to make the ATC for a flight sim. 🤣

2 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

Default ATC is a total waste of time. 

I was always being told to go around in FSX.  It was probably my fault , I mean I did have the AI settings up way too high sometimes.  So, there I am,  number one on approach, visual with runaway and runaway clear and requested to go around by ATC. Whaaaaat?   So,  I ignore and continue on finals. Next minute the main gear of some recently spawned AI 747 is slicing my Islander to bits! Fine, now I'm number 2 (and in several bits), but I'm still not going around, so how's them apples!! LOL. It was a constant battle with ATC 🙂. 

Is there any other ATC for MSFS except the default ATC? It may just be me or it could be my sound setup (just the tv speakers) but I can hardly understand what they are saying. It sounds like they're in a tin can or warehouse bouncing echoes around the place or slurring their speech sometimes. And yeah, the constant US twang. Maybe WT, who I assume may have spoken directly to Garmin on one or two occasions, can get some inside assistance with developing ATC voice packs given Garmin's Nuvi experience? I used to quite like a third part Irish ladies voice, Cathy.  Very soothing. 

 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, Lord Farringdon said:

I was always being told to go around in FSX.  It was probably my fault , I mean I did have the AI settings up way too high sometimes.  So, there I am,  number one on approach, visual with runaway and runaway clear and requested to go around by ATC. Whaaaaat?   So,  I ignore and continue on finals. Next minute the main gear of some recently spawned AI 747 is slicing my Islander to bits! Fine, now I'm number 2 (and in several bits), but I'm still not going around, so how's them apples!! LOL. It was a constant battle with ATC 🙂. 

Is there any other ATC for MSFS except the default ATC? It may just be me or it could be my sound setup (just the tv speakers) but I can hardly understand what they are saying. It sounds like they're in a tin can or warehouse bouncing echoes around the place or slurring their speech sometimes. And yeah, the constant US twang. Maybe WT, who I assume may have spoken directly to Garmin on one or two occasions, can get some inside assistance with developing ATC voice packs given Garmin's Nuvi experience? I used to quite like a third part Irish ladies voice, Cathy.  Very soothing. 

 

 

 

 

Being unable to understand what is crackling over the radio, is, in my view, entirely realistic 🙂 In many ways I think the trickiest part of real world flying.

1 hour ago, Chock said:

They would do, but apparently they are having difficulty choosing which company to go with. I don't know what they're playing at; they are literally spoilt for choice as to which one of the hundreds of ATC-savvy computer game software companies there are out there, sat in their Cadillac Criterion Ambulances, with registrations such as ATC-1, probably in an old fire station, just sat twiddling their thumbs, awaiting a contract to make the ATC for a flight sim. 🤣

Obviously there are not “hundreds” of companies with the ability to do that. But companies that specialize in accurate ATC simulation (specifically for training r/w controllers) certainly do exist. A brief Google search gives several: 

https://ansart.nl/air-traffic-control-simulator/

https://www.adacel.com/maxsim-air-traffic-control-simulation-training

https://quantum3d.com/air-traffic-control-tower-and-radar-simulator/

https://www.enac.fr/en/atc-simulators-0

These are just a few examples - there are several more. Some of these companies have decades of experience in this field.

Granted, these are professional ATC training companies, not game developers, and their products are primarily designed for training controllers, not pilots, but any of them could (at the very least) provide consultation and guidance to Asobo as to how ATC simulation can be done, if not (perhaps) creating a turn-key solution.

My point is that Asobo needs to bring someone on board with the kind of real-world ATC experience that these kind of companies possess, with the specific knowledge of how to emulate it in software.

Before the advent of MSFS, MeteoBlue was strictly a professional provider of meteorological data and forecasting services who may well have never heard of flight simulation as a hobby, or ever given any thought to creating a version of their forecast model specifically for use in an entertainment game - but they did do just that, once approached by Microsoft with a proposal of what was needed.

 

Edited September 26, 20214 yr by JRBarrett

4 hours ago, Nate1 said:

I quite like the default ATC. Certainly better than Xplane. I don't think we should forget how difficult these things are to code.

Now Nate that is no way to let Asobo off the hook.  Clearly they should have everything perfect by now right?  I mean every little detail after all it's been a whole 13 months now since release.  Certainly MS has enough coin to hire a 3rd party who could do it much better like LM did for P3D right?  Oh, that's right they still use default FSX ATC.  But they only made $56B in net income last year so they have a good excuse.  

Nate--good for you, your cup is half full 🙂

16 hours ago, Nate1 said:

Thrilled to take off from Barton to Dublin and discover that both my accent and ATC have English accents! Something I'd been hoping for from the outset.

Now going to try some other parts of the world to see what happens. Will ignore the fact that the voice is that of an 80 year old chain smoker.

LOL, I sometimes have a 12 yo kid directing me (when the connection to Azure is lost I suppose) but still with US accent.

Never heard a British accent 🙂

11 hours ago, JRBarrett said:

The default ATC was no better in FS9 or FSX, and is no better today in P3D or X-Plane. Developing an accurate and bug-free ATC emulation is simply not in the skill set of any flight sim development house - it never has been.

Asobo should outsource the entire ATC system to a third-party contractor with in-depth knowledge of real world ATC procedures.

+1

 

My favorite story of long ago about ATC and English accents. I was once in a French AFB tower watching a simulated attack by two Mirages followed by an Touch and Go of the same. To my surprise, the ATC petty officer and the pilots were speaking in English with a  strong French accent. I asked why and she told me that they needed to practice their English to be able to converse with  NATO ally aircraft. Loved it. 

5 minutes ago, Dominique_K said:

 

My favorite story of long ago about ATC and English accents. I was once in a French AFB tower watching a simulated attack by two Mirages followed by an Touch and Go of the same. To my surprise, the ATC petty officer and the pilots were speaking in English with a  strong French accent. I asked why and she told me that they needed to practice their English to be able to converse with  NATO ally aircraft. Loved it. 

Under ICAO standards, civilian controllers are supposed to use English, no matter what their countries’ native language might be, but that is often overlooked. Controllers in France often use French when speaking to locally based aircraft, and in Mexico, Central and South America, you will hear a lot of Spanish (or Portuguese in Brazil).

I once had to airline from the US to Italy with parts and test equipment to replace a failed air data computer in one of our company G-IV aircraft - and got to sit in the jump seat on the return flight to the US. Our route took us right across France. One thing I noticed is that every one of the center controllers were female, and they all had the most delightful-sounding voices I have ever heard. French-accented English, but all perfectly understandable.

I will defintiely be very happy with the MFS ATC if it gets a Glaswegian ATC voice one day.