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Post by Travis on Jul 10, 2015 13:45:07 GMT -5
Captains,
We've been processing reports from the Alpha testers and hope to lock down lots of frustrating to find issues. But we're getting there....
One thing that we're adding for those who haven't yet purchased a license is three additional airports that will be "free to fly from": EGCC Manchester, EGGD Bristol, and EGJJ Jersey. (They're all covered by marvelous UK2000 sceneries, if you're a scenery fiend like m'self.) Why three additional airports? Well, it offers the ability for trial usage outside of the US, plus the ability to support a KSEA-EGCC round trip trial for those long rangers out there.
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Post by Travis on Jul 14, 2015 22:26:47 GMT -5
I found and fixed a bug late today that cropped up due to a change that I made in the "File Selector" handler - that's the routine that passes the "path" and "filename" back into the code from when you're asked to pick a METAR file, or load an aircraft configuration file, etc.
I'll have a new refresh out to the testers tomorrow, and then I'll go back to add some extras to the Customs Services handlers... so we can support both the Schengen Area "customs free zone" and the US Customs and Border Protection Preclearance program.
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Post by Travis on Jul 19, 2015 0:18:43 GMT -5
Beta 3 is trickling out to selected testers. There are a few specific errors/crashes that we're dealing with, and progress is being made....
Btw, that's me if I were a Simpsons character....
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Post by Travis on Jul 23, 2015 0:02:40 GMT -5
A few testers have reported issues that we've addressed - and we hope to have a new build out to them within 24 hours....
As part of this, we've enhanced our weather coverage so that long flightplans will have better upper level wind coverage, and as well that "alternate" airports will have weather input too....
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Post by Travis on Aug 6, 2015 23:01:58 GMT -5
Captains,
The testers have just been sent notices of what we hope is the final BETA build for the current FSCaptain version.
Below are all of the README changes since BETA 2 - the first one is highly important if you have a flight saved under BETA 1 or BETA 2.
We will post a link to the general download once it has been deemed complete.
Important items
- There has been a change to the Save/Restore file structure since BETA 2. It is possible to load Pre-BETA 3 save files, but the results will be unpredictable.
- There have been slight changes to the format of the FSCaptain Aircraft Configuration files to better support non-wheeled aircraft, as well as other per-aircraft functions. Care has been taken to ensure that older format files will be supported. When version 1.6.3 goes live, all aircraft configuration files will be published in the new format.
- There have been changes to the "Customs" data files and as such, if you are flying with RESPECT_CUSTOMS enabled, you need to rebuild your airport database. You don't need to re-run Makerwys.exe, but you do need to Rebuild from the Administrator.
- Please note changes to the SceneryScanner (detailed later) as well as changes to how FSCaptain handles "File Selector" calls. If you come across any file such as an airline configuration file or a METAR file that doesn't load properly, please file a report (complete with logs) in email.
- If you make changes to any of the airport.cfg support files - closed_user.txt, customs_user.txt, military.cfg, new-id_user.txt, or private_user.txt - you will need to go to the Administrator and run the Rebuild Airport Database. You would not need to have it run Makerwys.exe beforehand unless you have made changes to your simulator's scenery.cfg file.
New Optional Items
- New Customs configuration files will allow direct flights from fifteen specific airports to any capable airport in the United States - thanks to the US Customs and Border Protection Preclearance Program. Flying into the Schengen area of Europe is different too - from outside, you must fly to an airport that has active Customs. But once inside the area, you can fly to any capable airport also inside the area!
- Captains may choose to silence their FO on some takeoff, climbout and landing callouts. (Mostly v-speed calls and the climbout call to "check the flaps.") However your FO will always caution you to check your flaps if you've not deployed them for takeoff or landing, and to caution you to check your gear before landing. (Those are critical items that your FO's contract will not allow to be silenced.....) These motions-to-silence are available at a "global" level by setting a value in your options.cfg file (DISABLE_FO_TAKEOFF, DISABLE_FO_CLIMBOUT, DISABLE_FO_LANDING), or on a per-aircraft level via the FSCaptain Administrator.
- (This is a Windows / Network item.) Captains who use the FCDU.EXE in a remote / networked environment have had to refer to their flight plans via UNC/Network path descriptions rather than local paths. In other words, "\\MY-PC\Users\Me\Documents\" instead of "C:\Users\Me\Documents\". If you add this line to your options.cfg - USE_NETWORK_DOCUMENTS_PATH=1 - the file selector will open already in "UNC" mode.
- In prior versions, Captains whose airlines require Position Reporting needed to make their TOC call within 45 minutes of the start of the ETE clock. This has changed to a period of two Position Reporting periods after takeoff. (So if your Position Reporting interval is every 15 minutes, then you will need to file TOC within 30 minutes of takeoff.) However setting TOC_POLICY=1 in your options.cfg file will change the TOC period to better reflect each aircraft's climb performance measured against the flight's Cruise Altitude - likely reducing the TOC period itself. Whichever policy you choose, the Dispatch Release will advise you of when you will be required to declare TOC.
- It is possible that when the FCDU.EXE is running on the same PC as the simulator, the FCDU's window may block FSCaptain audio from being heard (as other windows would if they are topmost.) Adding this line REMOTE_VOICES=1 to your options.cfg file should cause your FCDU.EXE to play FSCaptain audio via the FCDU's window.
Changed Items
- If your Ground Services add-on crashes or otherwise becomes unresponsive while you're waiting for a service to complete, you can go to the main FCDU menu (the one that the Save and Restore options are called from) and select the RESET GND SVCS option. That should "reset" the FCDU's connection with your ground services.
- In addition to marking the Landing Lights and Engine de-icing equipment on an aircraft class as INOP, you can now mark the Pressurization system, the Nav Lights, the Wing de-icing equipment, and the Barometric Altimeter as INOP.
- The altitude where your FO will caution about landing "gear up" has been elevated, and is now aircraft size dependent.
- The standard external weather configuration file has been updated to account for different installations of Active Sky Next and of Opus.
- A new version of SceneryScanner is in use. It outputs an AirportSceneries file with more information than is used in FSCaptain - mostly Scenery Area & BGL name data - plus the format of the Customs data files have changed to allow for Customs exceptions and Customs preclearance.
- When in offline mode, Minimum Safe Distances are ignored.
- When airborne, the Information screen no longer points you to the closest parking spot. Instead your current g-force value is displayed.
- The Dispatch Release will note that unpressurized aircraft that are planned to be flown above 10000ft will need to have supplemental oxygen onboard. Unpressurized aircraft that are planned to be flown at or above 12000ft will have the "time at unsafe altitude" noted. Your PAX and live cargo will suffer if you linger too long without oxygen, just as they would have done yesterday or last year. Future versions of FSCaptain will simulate supplemental oxygen for those airlines who choose to do so... at a cost to both your and your airline's profit margin!
- The time period to declare Top Of Climb has changed. Previously it was calculated as 45 minutes from the start of the ETE clock. Now it is the minimum of 30 minutes (or two Position Report durations) since takeoff. The correct value for each flight is noted in the Dispatch Release.
- The maximum number of "Wind waypoints" has increased from 16 to 64. This allows a much better view of upper level wind conditions and their impact on your ETEs.
- Alternate airports are now listed in the flight plan section of the Dispatch Release.
- The Administrator will now allow you to select any parking spot at your Destination airport, although it will offer Dispatch's suggested spot given the current flight type and aircraft. The list of parking spots includes Type [RAMP, GATE, etc.] Number, (radius in meters), and special codes . It is up to each Captain's skill to force their aircraft into the chosen parking spot.
- The parking suggester has been modified to give priority to non-military spots, and if failing to find any suitable for the current aircraft and flight type, military spots will be considered.
Interface changes
- The Carenado C208EX interface now reports galley power (well, maybe coffeepot power), and window heat. Plus the interface will set the pitot flags, chocks, and tail support when you're parked (and haven't declared an emergency)... and remove them when you start your engines....
- There is a tweak to the CaptainSim 727 interface which supports v2.5.
General Bug fixes
- Substituted aircraft can have an incorrect load map.
- False "Gear Up" crashes with fixed gear aircraft. (Hello Islander Captains!)
- Minor tweaks to the METAR decoder.
- Emergencies not always recorded properly.
- Alternate airport's name not updated in Administrator.
- Dispatch not copied to the kneeboard when flight begins in FCDU.
- Ground Icing Rate of Change not calculated properly.
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Post by Travis on Aug 8, 2015 10:53:58 GMT -5
Beta 3 will release to the public today - I'm doing some last minute manual data compiling which could take several hours.
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Post by Travis on Aug 8, 2015 16:59:55 GMT -5
Captains,
There have been many code changes rolled into BETA 3, so we were slow to bring this to Public Beta. But we feel that the time is right to release this.
The full install (including all audios) of 1.6.3 BETA 3 can be downloaded from here: fscaptain.net/downloads/FSCaptain_163_B3.zip 165MB
The 1.6.3 BETA 3 Fixpack which will upgrade Version 1.6.2 and newer can be downloaded from here: fscaptain.net/downloads/FSCaptain_Fixpack_163B3.zip 21.6MB
Please read the README.TXT file within either of the ZIP files for a changelist.
Dutch is away this weekend, so Peter and I will monitor email and the forum for any issues.
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Post by Travis on Aug 14, 2015 16:36:06 GMT -5
Captains, I was prepared to post Release Candidate 1 when two potentially problematic issues were just raised in the Support Forum. I'm calling a 24 hour postponement for two reasons - the two new issues being one reason, and the other being a new opportunity which has just been presented for us to provide more usability. Notes on the latter issue when they're ready....
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Post by Travis on Aug 15, 2015 20:52:08 GMT -5
There's been a remote issue which I've just learned was resolved.
I anticipate a "Release Candidate 1" release in 24 hours....
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Post by Travis on Aug 16, 2015 22:52:06 GMT -5
Captains, Here are what we hope are the final Release Candidate versions of FSCaptain 1.6.3. This is the 21.8MB Fixpack, which includes the files needed to upgrade from earlier 1.6.3 BETA builds.... fscaptain.net/downloads/FSCaptain_Fixpack_163RC.zipThis is the 165MB full installation - including all files, even all Sound and Configuration files.... fscaptain.net/downloads/FSCaptain_163RC.zipThe Documentation has not been updated, and the aircraft Configuration files are still in the old format. If within a week's time there is no major breaking problem, we will release 1.6.3 as a full Release Build with all updates. Do note one slight change... because Makerwys.exe was updated over this current weekend (to Version 4.6.9.1) which includes a data file for helipads, we are including it in both Fixpack and Full installs. The installers should only include it if you have an older version of Makerwys....
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Post by Travis on Aug 25, 2015 17:47:24 GMT -5
Captains, There will be a new Release Candidate of FSCaptain 1.7.0 (yes, we've bumped up the version number) hopefully ready this upcoming Friday or Saturday. There will be a change to the Items.cfg file. For those of you who have given us your updated Items.cfg, I will gladly return you an updated version via email just before release. Thank you!One of the submitted files contains a concept that - after consulting with Dutch today - will see fruit in the next version of FSCaptain as a new type of special flight. We'll keep mum on the details until we're ready to spring it on you. Regards to all,
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Post by Travis on Aug 29, 2015 9:40:49 GMT -5
Peter found a week-old bug that is in a common / fundamental feature, so we'll need one more round of internal tests to see that nothing else is affected by the "fix."
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