PRO ATC SR is released - first impressions

[Virtual-Chris 682]

2 hours ago, F1Fan said:

Yes, I was looking into P2ATC but the default MS voices really bothers me.  The program has been received very well as an excellent ATC program. But most of the reviews I've seen say that to get the full experience and benefit of the program you need to purchase those expensive voice packs for which I am not a fan of. However I might just try the demo since I am a little curious at how close the ATC programming works. 

 

Thanks for the information!

 

I'm also looking at an ATC program, and Pilot2ATC is currently top of my list, although I've not finalized yet. I'm still waiting to see what these latest entrants review like. But just so you know, you can easily import the other MS Windows/Azure voices that the default ATC uses into Pilot2ATC... but they may also bother you 🙂.  It seems most have terrible voices. this Pro ATC SR app seems to have better voices than most.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5KKop0TVnI

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by Virtual-Chris

[Virtual-Chris 682]

20 minutes ago, ryanbatc said:

I feel like I need to try this software....just don't have a lot of time and if it's not great I've wasted 50 bucks.

Agreed. I wish one of the regular YouTubers did a review round-up of all the ATC solutions... or a series on them.  And Pro ATC really needs a demo trial if they're asking 50-Euro.

[Alaska738 8,407]

I still hesitate to buy, is it really worth it or not?

[mmcmah 407]

12 minutes ago, Alaska738 said:

I still hesitate to buy, is it really worth it or not?

Wait until others start reviewing it

[Falconfly 61]

Is it me or can anyone not find the product page anymore?

[mmcmah 407]

I pulled it up just now:

https://www.pointsoftware.de/proatc_e/proatcfeatures.html

[JasonPC 173]

My first impressions are not good. A lot of the same problems from Pro-ATC/X but with new features that also have problems.

1) Cannot get speech recognition to work at all. Microphone is correctly configured, and it shows that Pro ATC SR is using the headset, but it just doesn't work.

2) I received radar vectors upon departure and the vectors provided did not properly follow the mapped vectored path provided by the program. You are really going to have to vector yourself and not rely on the given vectors because they are not responsive/flexible enough. When you miss a vectored point, the program will take forever to give you a new corrected vector and you will end up going in circles.

3) When I couldn't hit the vector waypoints, I requested direct to the first waypoint in the flight plan. There was zero indication that the request was received or approved. The ATC kept telling me in audio the vector to hit the vector waypoint but in text showed the vector to the first flight plan waypoint.

[MaVe64 414]

First impression:

Can't get it to work on a networked PC. Keeps yelling it can't find the simulator folder.

 

No decent manual to be found.

Edited August 10, 2022 by MaVe64

[guenseli 1,591]

After my initial hazzle (do not FORGET to turn off MSFS AI ATC!) I solved my first flight.

And it was as expected. It is "just" Pro ATC X for MSFS.

 

But I have used PATC for a reason the last years with FSX and P3D:

 

Voices sound at least robotic of all ATC programs (in my opinion)

Standard ATC is covered in a way, as the same voices are used for PATC and PATC is aware of standard ATC (but does not control it, what I see as an advantage)

altitudes are given correctly and there's a difference between europe and US restrictions

no controller ping pong

simple usage (you just have to click one key during flight)

PATC does give SID and STARs at his own "calculations". You do not set them up before (like in reality)

Descend and Approach instrucions are given in time.

You can use intersections

 

Beside this, there are the same relative minor bugs (which are during handling or setup the programs, but minor and do not influence flights). And the legendary bad support of the developer which will be proved if this changes now with that version.

Edited August 10, 2022 by guenseli

[c912039 112]

2 hours ago, MaVe64 said:

First impression:

Can't get it to work on a networked PC. Keeps yelling it can't find the simulator folder.

 

No decent manual to be found.

Ive also tried to duplicate a networked setup (as Im currently running with P3D & PATC), and no matter what I have tried, PATCSR will not accept any type of mapped or URL type reference to MSFS installed on my FS PC (which is sharing out disk access, which I know works with P3D & PATCX).

I know that I need to run mkrunways (which Ive done), So I was thinking that a 'dummy' directory on the local networked ATC PC might be enough, but I cant work out what files/folders PATCSR is looking for in the 'MSFS install directory) to be satisfied with a 'dummy' location.

 

 

 

UPDATE:

Ive "fixed" the network install "MSFS path" issue by directly editing the file proatc.xml file in the networked ATC install directory for proatcSR, and manually edited the <options><app><fspath> value to point to my network share where the AppData,LocalCache,LocalState,RoamingState etc directories are located for MSFS.

After editing this and starting PATCSR, I was able to import the outputted data from makerunways (which I had to run locally on the FS PC, and then copy results over to the makerunways directory on the networked ATC PC).

Edited August 10, 2022 by c912039
FOUND A SOLUTION

[Fiorentoni 4,227]

I wonder what level of support to expect from a dev that took 2 years to just port his program into MSFS without any additional features... Pilot2ATC had MSFS support almost from the start and new features are still being added regularly.

[tup61 1,567]

Ouch. It's really funny how your memories plays tricks with you... In my mind ProATC was awesome and had great voices. But after seeing the video's of this new rendition... my goodness... those voices are a total mess. Not only do they really really really sound 'stitched' together (sometimes different voices or recordings are used in ONE sentence!!!) but they also simply sound bad. Not all of them but a lot do. I think I have been spoiled with default ATC and (lately) FSHud.

Also the interface... my goodness... it looks like an app from the nineties. Not the most important thing, I know, but still. UGLY!!!

All in all it looks indeed like a basic port (apart from the SR part which I don't need), including various old problems, so for now I will skip it. I also would like to see how support from the dev is the coming months before I even think of buying it. The only nice thing ProATC offers is that is tells you SID and STAR depending on the weather. That's a neat feature. But just as other ATC addons, apart from FSHud, it doesn't control traffic at all. Keeping AI out of your way isn't 'controlling' AI. It's odd how most ATC-addons don't do what you expect them to do: CONTROL the traffic. FSHud clearly is a work in progress in this regard but at least it is trying.

I will stick with FSHud for now, that's for sure. VERY simple setup and interface, easy to use, and actively being worked on. Although, in all honesty, I sometimes wonder if the dev of FSHud knows what he is doing and if he can solve all problems that come with an addon like this. It might be a bit over his head. Still, the best ATC addon so far. Imho. This ProATC is a major letdown for now, again imho. I was really hoping for something new and better but no... Pity. (I didn't mention P2ATC or PF3 because I don't like them at ALL for various reasons.)

Edited August 10, 2022 by tup61

[SierraHotel 982]

I thought this might help anyone new to PATC, just a few tips to help you on your way.

Once PATC has installed it will automatically ask you to "Read Scenery", this will run makerwys and read all of your airports (NOTE) You MUST do this if/when you add or remove an airport.

Voices and ATC? Yes, there are many files available for real ATC Worldwide, you can purchase or find them for free, Google is your friend. New voices are already availble from within PATC and consist of US, UK, Spain, Swiss, German, Australian and Swedish. These voices are NOT computer generated, all have been recorded by real people.

AI Traffic From my own personal experience I highly recommend using the AIG Traffic Manager and Traffic Controller, this seems to work far better than the default MSFS AI and real traffic.

Happy landings, if you have any questions (like how do I set up holding) head over to the ProATC/SR Facebook group.
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1571953959750565

[c912039 112]

14 minutes ago, SierraHotel said:

Once PATC has installed it will automatically ask you to "Read Scenery", this will run makerwys and read all of your airports (NOTE) You MUST do this if/when you add or remove an airport.
 

I would add that anyone who uses MSFS Addon Linker, and who only enables a hand full of airports they are flying to at any one time, are best to enable ALL airports and scenery via AddOn Linker PRIOR to starting PATC for the first time, and anytime you want to re-run makerwys.

Once makerwys has completed, then you can go back in Addon Linker and disable all but the few airports/sceneries you might be using for that session.

Otherwise you will have to rerun makerwys and reimport into ProATC everytimew you change your linked sceneries.

[c912039 112]

Another tip would be that prior to running ProTAC for the first time, download the latest Navigraph dataset for ProATCX and install the updated Navigraph data into the dataimport directory.

ProATC SR comes with a default Navigraph data set from 2017, in case users dont have their own subscription.

The Navigraph data set is read in, in conjunction with your default sim runway data and Community scenery (collected by makerwys)