Poll: Interactive Cockpits

[Antoninus]

We know that Oleg considers clickable virtual cockpits as not very useful for a combat flight simulator, but what do you think about them?

Personally I love this feature in FSX. It's very immersive to really fly the plane from the cockpit, adjust the altimeter or switching the lights as in the real thing. In Il-2 the cockpit is much too often just an obstacle that limits your view than your workplace, especially if you fly with speedbar and text messages switched on.

Of course nobody would (regularly) use the mouse to manipulate throttle, mixture and prop pitch/rpm controls or even the gun triggers, but there are already now lot's of of functions you use only once or twice during a mission. Currently things like lock/unlock the tailwheel, switch magnetos or aircraft specific features as folding wings, fire extinguishers or feather the props all have to be assigned to your keyboard.
Oleg has already stated that SOW will offer the possibility to simulate aircraft systems in greater detail, at least for 3rd party aircraft. Thus many more commands for things as switching fuel tanks etc. will become available and further overcrowd the keyboard layout.

I would prefer to have just the most important aircraft functions, that I need to access regularly or quickly during combat, mapped to my stick or keyboard and the more rarely used only as working switches in the cockpit.

[KG26_Alpha]

Not for me.

[nearmiss]

Originally Posted by Antoninus

We know that Oleg considers clickable virtual cockpits as not very useful for a combat flight simulator, but what do you think about them?

Personally I love this feature in FSX. It's very immersive to really fly the plane from the cockpit, adjust the altimeter or switching the lights as in the real thing. In Il-2 the cockpit is much too often just an obstacle that limits your view than your workplace, especially if you fly with speedbar and text messages switched on.

Of course nobody would (regularly) use the mouse to manipulate throttle, mixture and prop pitch/rpm controls or even the gun triggers, but there are already now lot's of of functions you use only once or twice during a mission. Currently things like lock/unlock the tailwheel, switch magnetos or aircraft specific features as folding wings, fire extinguishers or feather the props all have to be assigned to your keyboard.
Oleg has already stated that SOW will offer the possibility to simulate aircraft systems in greater detail, at least for 3rd party aircraft. Thus many more commands for things as switching fuel tanks etc. will become available and further overcrowd the keyboard layout.

I would prefer to have just the most important aircraft functions, that I need to access regularly or quickly during combat, mapped to my stick or keyboard and the more rarely used only as working switches in the cockpit.

Clickable cockpits don't work well in CFS, because when you are in the heat of conflict finding the right button to push or pull,etc. will get your butt killed.

If you want clickable elements get a X-Keys macro programmable keyboard. You can program a number of keystrokes to work with one key stroke on the X-keys. This is fast and on the fly in combat you'll find it is a best way.

ALso, the voice command things aren't bad if you articulate your words the same all the time and don't mind talking to yourself.

It is one thing to view the cockpit panel and find the switch, but it becomes very tedious having to view the switch, move the cursor over the switch and click it. Moving the mouse cursor and aligning it over the switch is definitely the slow part.

A best solution that may be implemented at some point will be touch screen technology, like in restaurants or McDonalds. The user sees the key function on the screen and touches it, that would work in combat.

[proton45]

Honestly, I probably wouldn't use it that much...

[Antoninus]

Originally Posted by nearmiss

Clickable cockpits don't work well in CFS, because when you are in the heat of conflict finding the right button to push or pull,etc. will get your butt killed.

You can still map the most important functions to your keyboard even if the cockpits are clickable. My point is that there a douzend other commands you never need during combat. How many times have you folded your wings or lowered the arresting hook while in a dogfight?

Originally Posted by nearmiss

If you want clickable elements get a X-Keys macro programmable keyboard. You can program a number of keystrokes to work with one key stroke on the X-keys. This is fast and on the fly in combat you'll find it is a best way.

That's same as starting the engine with a single keystroke as it is done now. It may be convenient but not realistic and certainly pointless to simulate complex procedures just to bypass them with shortcuts. A simulator should try to recreate the pilot's workload as closely as possible. If you have more things do to and think about you can make more, maybe decisive, mistakes.

[nearmiss]

Originally Posted by Antoninus

You can still map the most important functions to your keyboard even if the cockpits are clickable. My point is that there a douzend other commands you never need during combat. How many times have you folded your wings or lowered the arresting hook while in a dogfight?



That's same as starting the engine with a single keystroke as it is done now. It may be convenient but not realistic and certainly pointless to simulate complex procedures just to bypass them with shortcuts. A simulator should try to recreate the pilot's workload as closely as possible. If you have more things do to and think about you can make more, maybe decisive, mistakes.

IL2 is a WW2 combat flight simulator that covers a time when flying and fighting was less complicated, less restrictive.

You like all the button tweaking and complications yo need to stick with the MSFT and X-Plane type flight Simulators... They've got all the whistles and bells for doing all the stuff you want to do. They also have all the clickable cockpit stuff.

I like WW2 flight simulators. I like the speed, firepower and combat effectiveness of WW2 aircraft. I enjoy the lack of complications of post Korean war stuff.

Heck, I don't even care for the C.E.M. in IL2. I'd just soon Oleg created a most excellent C.E.M. switch, which wouldn't be that hard to do. I care less about messing with all the C.E.M stuff.

It's all about enjoyment, relaxation, it's a game.

If I want to go through all the complications of flying navs, flight plans, etc. I'll drive out to the airport and rent a plane.

[SlipBall]

I would love this feature, and have asked for it many times. Would be nice to have it with a switch, for those who do not like

[Supah]

I would love this feature, without it we will still be stuck with the single key to start engines, fuel management will become a chore and we will never see realistic modelling of essential aircraft systems. You wouldnt use it for functions you use in combat ofcourse, you assign those functions to a button on your keyboard or better yet to a button on your joystick. But if we are to have even semi realistic procedures to say start an engine then it is much easier to click the relative handle then to remember a awkward key combination. Having a clickable pit allows much greater depth of simulation, without it you are almost stuck with a game instead of a simulation.

I recently bought Falcon 4 : Allied Force, I quite enjoy a more complicated system suite in a simulation. I start every mission on the ramp and to the complete start up procedure in the falcon. It's not THAT hard and quite fun to do. We want to simulate what it is like to be a combat pilot right? Well this is part of it, waiting for your INS to spin up etc. It's been done very well in falcon4, the MSFS series (no combat there but try flying a ILS approach in a 747 ... lots of high workload moments, you map keys you need then to your stick). Basically this is a choice between simulation (Click pit) and game (Dumbed down procedures because of lack of keys) Besides, the systems on a ww2 fighter were relatively simple compared to a F-16A MLU. Also its not like you are forced to use it, you can always press I to start your engine. As you can see a quarter of users wants it so it's worth the effort programming it. I probably wont be flying the spitfire, you arent hearing me saying they shouldn't waste their time making it flyable? I understand a lot of people will be wanting to fly it.

[Former_Older]

Originally Posted by Supah

I would love this feature, without it we will still be stuck with the single key to start engines, fuel management will become a chore and we will never see realistic modelling of essential aircraft systems.

wha?!

No, no it would not be a single key press to start the engines. It would be a single key press to use each system or flip each switch. You need to stop thinking in the box here. Your logic says:

'in il2 a single keypress was used, so that means a non-clickable cockpit always uses a single key press'


This is just not so

And how does a clickable cockpit ensure "accuracy for essential systems", while a keypress interface destroys that accuracy?

Personally? I see many of the 'click cockpit' proponents as Puritans who can't conceive of any other way to do it. I have a flippin HOTAS, and touchbuddy exists. I also have a seperate USB numpad that I map plane functions to. In my opinion, forcing a click cockpit severely limits a combat flight sim becasue now precise mouse control is the end-all and be-all of ACM

If you guys like it, great for you. I would never suggest having the clickpit as anything other than an option

[Former_Older]

Oh-

the poll choices are a little limiting. I either think the clickpit sucks, or it's the best thing ever