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Post by ScruffyDuck on Oct 15, 2006 15:43:41 GMT -5
Last year I was developing a program which did much of what the mission engine does in FSX. I stopped when I saw that MS were building something in.
One of my beta testers has now suggested that the design side of the program might well have a place with FSX. He feels that the built in mission builder is not that friendly.
Just wondered if anyone had tried to use it and how easy it was. I agree with Tom, by the way, that missions could easily dumb down the Sim aspect but my idea was always to create realistic and interesting flight challenges.
So the program is still there and I am trying to decide whether to put any hours into resurrecting it
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Post by bhk on Oct 15, 2006 16:11:33 GMT -5
Jon, I neither own nor immediately plan to own FSX, so can't comment either way. Hopefully others who have the product will be able to give you some input.
Bruce
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Post by Admin on Oct 15, 2006 17:25:05 GMT -5
Jim Keir is working hard on the built-in Mission Builder but I don't know what progress he has made. I think he was the only beta tester who showed any interest. I know there is potential for missions, but I see them as a means of attracting gamers and satisfying the high pitched whine for a career mode. I will admit my dislike for so-called career modes (which I like to call straight-jacket modes) borders on the irrational, but I have never claimed to be totally sane. However, I also think many of the missions are well made and present interesting challenges and at some point in time I might actually try some others. I think if you can build a better mousetrap, people will beat a path to your door.
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Post by scubakobe on Oct 15, 2006 21:04:27 GMT -5
As Jon brought up, I think the new mission builder will actually be a good thing, even though some may think it's turning in to an action game not a simulator. I am sure the ability to customize the flight more, will be handy to those like Bruce who create flights.
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Post by bhk on Oct 16, 2006 4:20:08 GMT -5
I am sure the ability to customize the flight more, will be handy to those like Bruce who create flights. Perhaps, Kobbe. Perhaps. I say that because there is little that can be customised in an FSX flight that takes into account what I was really hoping would be in the new product, and that relates to ATC, Comms and the inability of the Flight Planner to allow for an "out-and-back" flightplan. FSNavigator and FS9 accomplishes the last point - and even lets us plot waypoints that are not fixed to airfields or nav beacons. But I guess only an FSXI might give us the changes needed to ATC. Bruce
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Post by scubakobe on Oct 16, 2006 8:13:59 GMT -5
If you are speaking of just doing it the way you do in FS9, making the weather, selecting the airplane and location then saving the flight (OK a bit more then that), I was talking about the missions. I haven't heard about or seen the mission editor so I can't say for sure, when I get FS-X (tomorrow hopefully) I will look at the mission editor and see what possibilites there are.
I wonder if there will be an FS-XI? If the gamers flock to FS-X because of the missions, Microsoft might see that and decide to create a better game the next time and leave the ATC in the dust, along with other things.
Hopefully sometime we will all be able to take advantage of FS-X and might be saying "FS-XI is just FS-X with addons!" ;D.
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Post by Admin on Oct 16, 2006 11:30:52 GMT -5
The flight planner in FSX is much improved. It allows drag & drop waypoints among other things. I have not investigated fully but I have been able to make a flight plan that routed me around some restricted space where the FS9 flight planner would route me straight line through it.
But to get back on topic I think if you have a potential mission builder with a GUI that's easy to use, that will generate the necessary GUIDs and the other structure a mission requires, it will be very popular. I have only spent an hour with the SDK process and that was in beta 2 so I can't even say what made it into the retail version.
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Post by ScruffyDuck on Oct 16, 2006 14:51:11 GMT -5
Thanks Guys
Right now I am putting LOM/SM for FSX to bed. I need to decide where to go with Scenery Design Tools given the prospect of SDSX, but creating something that can enhance the experience is something that I am interested in. I am certainly not interested in creating something that leads from a microlight to a Jumbo in six easy (if effects filled) steps ;D.
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