Post by davidk on Feb 10, 2011 23:05:01 GMT -5
I thought I'd start gathering together the bits'n'pieces I notice about FSCaptain and add them here. Most are pretty small and/or merely cosmetic. In case anyone wants to comment, I've numbered them for the sake of reference. (They're added to the list as they occur, i.e. their order isn't meant to be a judgment on priority.)
Apologies in advance for those observations already covered elsewhere -- and for those where I simply haven't noticed what to do.
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1 ..... Vocals
1a ... Make the FA's descent announcement once the service altitude has been passed "We are now beginning our final descent...".
1b ... The delay before the safety announcement starts feels a little long and often isn't finished before the aircraft is lined-up on the runway (despite a reasonable taxi). Instead, trigger it only a few seconds after the aircraft has started moving away from its gate / parking spot..?
2 ..... Vocals
"V1" and "Rotate" vocals before "Positive rate"..?
b]3[/b] ..... Vocals
The vocal landing-lights reminder doesn't seem to be triggered consistently.
Option to change how soon before FL100 the landing-lights reminder is triggered. (I'd prefer it within 100 ft either way.)[/s]
4 ..... Sound
4a ... FCOM's built-in GWPS vocals seem extra-loud relative to e.g. the FO vocals.
4b ... "Approaching minimums" and "Minimums" vocals would be nice (useful) extras.
4c ... The FCOM "attention" sound (e.g. when landing information transmitted) also seems on the loud side.
5 ..... FCOM "Communications" page (ID 35)
Is "Smoking=" meant to be "NoSmoking="..?
6 ..... FCOM (various pages)
For the sake of consistency, use "F9=Return" in place of "F9=Exit" or "F9=Done" (but probably not in place of "F9=Cancel")..?
7 ..... Administrator | Flight dispatch
On the (preliminary) Dispatch Release form, I'm seeing "ARRIVE 00:-1L" -- is that correct?
8 ..... Sound
[The boarding song only plays once, even if boarding is only (say) less than half-complete.
I think I'm mistaken here. At least, it seems to be repeating at present.
9 ..... Administrator | Flight dispatch
If, when the Administrator is run, FS is already running in the background, the option to have the code for FS's current airport appear automatically in the Flight dispatch tab's "Optional: Airport" field.
10 .... Administrator | Flight dispatch
More often than not, the flight dispatcher lists flights for other aircraft types as well as for the type I've selected.
[Specific types for specific flights need to be included in schedules.]
11 .... Administrator
Somehow get the titlebar minimize/maximize button to work like other windows.
12 .... FCOM "Dispatch online" ("Online dispatch"?) page (ID 10)
"F1=Select flight" rather than "F1=Select Mission" (since, in FSX at least, "mission" has a particular meaning).
13 .... FCOM "Flight available" pages (ID 11)
Loop these pages? (e.g. flight 1 of 4 after flight 4 of 4, etc).
14 .... Sound
Boarding music only played if FA has time to say the Captain-we're-ready-to-get-started vocal.
15 .... Sound
FSCaptain's (optional) background hum remains once a flight has ended and FSX has returned to its main menu.
[Probably a Windows problem.]
16 .... Administrator | Areas of concern
"Congratulations! [Your airline] hasn't found anything to complain about. Yet." Anyone find the "Yet." a bit... pessimistic?
17 .... Administrator | Airline definitions (perhaps elsewhere too)
Pressing [Tab] to move to the next field sometimes produces unexpected results (e.g. pressing it while cursor is in the top-left field (airline's filename) moves it to the FO field in the Cabin Service section, not, say, the "Official name" field...).
18 .... Missing units in Administrator
18a ... Flight dispatch tab > Optional: Time constraint (i.e. "min").
18b ... Flight log tab: Payload column.
18c ... Airline definitions tab > Policies: "Deny ETE rev this close" and "Transition altitude" (e.g. "(nm)" / "(ft)" before each field).
18d ... Aircraft characteristics tab: Units after each field's label.
19 .... Administrator | Options for all airlines
Selecting "Assigned parking?" without having selected "Require an FS parking location for unload" prompts the ""Assigned parking?" can't be checked unless..." dialog -- but "Assigned parking?" remains selected after clicking the dialog's OK button. Similarly, if both "Assigned parking?" and "Require an FS parking location for unload" have been selected but "Require an FS parking location for unload" is then unselected, "Assigned parking?" remains selected. (If any/all of that makes sense.)
20 .... Administrator | Aircraft characteristics
Include never-exceed speed and max speeds for flaps and landing gear?
21 .... VA handling
Have something like ""[VA name]_va.cfg" rather than "vadefault.cfg" in the \config folder (like "[airline name]_schedule.txt" for airline schedules).
22 .... FCOM "Announcements" page (ID 55)
Disable the "F1=Welcome" and "F2=Takeoff delay" options after landing?
Also if no pax on board.
23 .... Administrator | Flight dispatch
23a ... Option to remove military airfields as possible alternates -- unless aircraft flying from a military airfield or designated as a military aircraft.
23b ... Also, option to add other destinations not to be given as alternates.
24 .... Administrator | Flight log (and other places/dialogs)
Add bold middots (Alt+183 in bold) between the CD result codes listed at the bottom of the tab, to make them easier to scan..?
Similarly elsewhere where there's a stream of "X=Y" explanations.
25 .... Administrator | Flight log > select flight number > Export (i.e. the "Virtual airline export" dialog)
Add "OK" and "Cancel" buttons to this dialog? Also, if I switch off "Convert to FSPassengers result style", it's back on the next time the Administrator is run. Make it stay off (or on)..?
26 .... FCOM "Communications" and "Announcements" pages (IDs 35, 55)
Add the option of showing "Confirm send TOC report?", "Confirm send position report?", "Confirm start pax service?", etc (with, respectively, F1 / F2 / F5 / etc=Confirm and F9=Cancel) for those of us who might click the wrong function button and accidentally send a comm (cough)..?
27 .... FCOM
Make the characters on the function buttons ("F1", "F2", etc) change color as they're clicked, to give some visual as well as the 'click'-sound feedback..?
28 .... Vocals
If pax service is requested by the flight deck (via the FCOM Communications page) then if the FA confirms with "Okay" / "You got it" / etc, no need for the "Captain, we're just beginning the service now"..?
29 .... Vocals
Add option to issue the "takeoff delayed" announcement if a weather-hold occurs..?
30 .... Pax handling
Option to override pax number assigned by flight dispatch and specify your own..?
31 .... Pax/cargo handling
Occasionally not all pax or cargo items turn up..?
(See fscaptain.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=ideas&thread=617&page=1)
32 .... Administrator | Flight dispatch
If alternate at the bottom of the tab is changed, update airport name shown below it.
33 .... See #18.
34 .... Simulator time
Once flight has begun, prevent the simulator time from being set back..?
35 .... Vocals
If a turbulence warning given (via FCOM Announcements page, ID 55) while the belt-sign already happens to be on, trigger a vocal along the lines of "Folks, we may need to keep our belts on [etc]" rather than the (get-ready-to-)put-your-seat-belt-on announcements..?
36 .... Fuel
Major penalty (fine and drop a pay level?) if there isn't fuel for at least 45-mins flying (at average burn?) remaining at the end of a flight.
37 .... See #18.
38 .... Administrator | Aircraft characteristics
Add a Notes field so e.g. sources for amendments to the characteristics may be recalled..?
39 .... Vocals
Penalty for too long a delay before announcing an increase in turbulence..?
(Perhaps not, as FA makes belts-on announcement regardless)
40 .... Vocals
If turbulence announcement made while seatbelts already on, remove reference to putting them on..?
41 .... Administrator | Achievements
Only add a high-score entry to the list when it exceeds (or matches) the previous highest score..?
42 .... Flight unloading
Close the exit automatically after everything unloaded ("Captain, all passengers have left the plane")..?(Or is this meant to happen anyway?)
More realistic if they're left open (for cleaning staff, etc).
On third thoughts, wouldn't security mean they'd be closed before the cleaning staff etc arrived..?
Apologies in advance for those observations already covered elsewhere -- and for those where I simply haven't noticed what to do.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 ..... Vocals
1a ... Make the FA's descent announcement once the service altitude has been passed "We are now beginning our final descent...".
"V1" and "Rotate" vocals before "Positive rate"..?
The vocal landing-lights reminder doesn't seem to be triggered consistently.
Option to change how soon before FL100 the landing-lights reminder is triggered. (I'd prefer it within 100 ft either way.)[/s]
4 ..... Sound
4a ... FCOM's built-in GWPS vocals seem extra-loud relative to e.g. the FO vocals.
4b ... "Approaching minimums" and "Minimums" vocals would be nice (useful) extras.
4c ... The FCOM "attention" sound (e.g. when landing information transmitted) also seems on the loud side.
5 ..... FCOM "Communications" page (ID 35)
Is "Smoking=" meant to be "NoSmoking="..?
For the sake of consistency, use "F9=Return" in place of "F9=Exit" or "F9=Done" (but probably not in place of "F9=Cancel")..?
On the (preliminary) Dispatch Release form, I'm seeing "ARRIVE 00:-1L" -- is that correct?
[The boarding song only plays once, even if boarding is only (say) less than half-complete.
I think I'm mistaken here. At least, it seems to be repeating at present.
If, when the Administrator is run, FS is already running in the background, the option to have the code for FS's current airport appear automatically in the Flight dispatch tab's "Optional: Airport" field.
10 .... Administrator | Flight dispatch
[Specific types for specific flights need to be included in schedules.]
11 .... Administrator
Somehow get the titlebar minimize/maximize button to work like other windows.
"F1=Select flight" rather than "F1=Select Mission" (since, in FSX at least, "mission" has a particular meaning).
13 .... FCOM "Flight available" pages (ID 11)
Loop these pages? (e.g. flight 1 of 4 after flight 4 of 4, etc).
14 .... Sound
Boarding music only played if FA has time to say the Captain-we're-ready-to-get-started vocal.
15 .... Sound
FSCaptain's (optional) background hum remains once a flight has ended and FSX has returned to its main menu.
[Probably a Windows problem.]
16 .... Administrator | Areas of concern
"Congratulations! [Your airline] hasn't found anything to complain about. Yet." Anyone find the "Yet." a bit... pessimistic?
17 .... Administrator | Airline definitions (perhaps elsewhere too)
Pressing [Tab] to move to the next field sometimes produces unexpected results (e.g. pressing it while cursor is in the top-left field (airline's filename) moves it to the FO field in the Cabin Service section, not, say, the "Official name" field...).
18 .... Missing units in Administrator
18a ... Flight dispatch tab > Optional: Time constraint (i.e. "min").
18b ... Flight log tab: Payload column.
18c ... Airline definitions tab > Policies: "Deny ETE rev this close" and "Transition altitude" (e.g. "(nm)" / "(ft)" before each field).
18d ... Aircraft characteristics tab: Units after each field's label.
19 .... Administrator | Options for all airlines
Selecting "Assigned parking?" without having selected "Require an FS parking location for unload" prompts the ""Assigned parking?" can't be checked unless..." dialog -- but "Assigned parking?" remains selected after clicking the dialog's OK button. Similarly, if both "Assigned parking?" and "Require an FS parking location for unload" have been selected but "Require an FS parking location for unload" is then unselected, "Assigned parking?" remains selected. (If any/all of that makes sense.)
20 .... Administrator | Aircraft characteristics
Include never-exceed speed and max speeds for flaps and landing gear?
21 .... VA handling
Have something like ""[VA name]_va.cfg" rather than "vadefault.cfg" in the \config folder (like "[airline name]_schedule.txt" for airline schedules).
Disable the "F1=Welcome" and "F2=Takeoff delay" options after landing?
Also if no pax on board.
23 .... Administrator | Flight dispatch
23a ... Option to remove military airfields as possible alternates -- unless aircraft flying from a military airfield or designated as a military aircraft.
23b ... Also, option to add other destinations not to be given as alternates.
24 .... Administrator | Flight log (and other places/dialogs)
Add bold middots (Alt+183 in bold) between the CD result codes listed at the bottom of the tab, to make them easier to scan..?
Similarly elsewhere where there's a stream of "X=Y" explanations.
25 .... Administrator | Flight log > select flight number > Export (i.e. the "Virtual airline export" dialog)
Add "OK" and "Cancel" buttons to this dialog? Also, if I switch off "Convert to FSPassengers result style", it's back on the next time the Administrator is run. Make it stay off (or on)..?
26 .... FCOM "Communications" and "Announcements" pages (IDs 35, 55)
Add the option of showing "Confirm send TOC report?", "Confirm send position report?", "Confirm start pax service?", etc (with, respectively, F1 / F2 / F5 / etc=Confirm and F9=Cancel) for those of us who might click the wrong function button and accidentally send a comm (cough)..?
27 .... FCOM
Make the characters on the function buttons ("F1", "F2", etc) change color as they're clicked, to give some visual as well as the 'click'-sound feedback..?
28 .... Vocals
29 .... Vocals
Add option to issue the "takeoff delayed" announcement if a weather-hold occurs..?
Option to override pax number assigned by flight dispatch and specify your own..?
Occasionally not all pax or cargo items turn up..?
(See fscaptain.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=ideas&thread=617&page=1)
32 .... Administrator | Flight dispatch
If alternate at the bottom of the tab is changed, update airport name shown below it.
33 .... See #18.
34 .... Simulator time
Once flight has begun, prevent the simulator time from being set back..?
35 .... Vocals
If a turbulence warning given (via FCOM Announcements page, ID 55) while the belt-sign already happens to be on, trigger a vocal along the lines of "Folks, we may need to keep our belts on [etc]" rather than the (get-ready-to-)put-your-seat-belt-on announcements..?
36 .... Fuel
Major penalty (fine and drop a pay level?) if there isn't fuel for at least 45-mins flying (at average burn?) remaining at the end of a flight.
37 .... See #18.
38 .... Administrator | Aircraft characteristics
Add a Notes field so e.g. sources for amendments to the characteristics may be recalled..?
39 .... Vocals
(Perhaps not, as FA makes belts-on announcement regardless)
40 .... Vocals
If turbulence announcement made while seatbelts already on, remove reference to putting them on..?
41 .... Administrator | Achievements
Only add a high-score entry to the list when it exceeds (or matches) the previous highest score..?
42 .... Flight unloading
Close the exit automatically after everything unloaded ("Captain, all passengers have left the plane")..?
More realistic if they're left open (for cleaning staff, etc).
On third thoughts, wouldn't security mean they'd be closed before the cleaning staff etc arrived..?