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Better Hardware Integration

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Better Hardware Integration

Postby flycanarias » Tue May 23, 2017 9:38 pm

Hello guys,
today I want to start a Thread on a topic I'd really like to see improved. It's the hardware integration of our sim, especially the compatibility with high-quality flight-sim hardware, e.g from Saitek or CH Products.
I know that few people here use that kind of hardware, and many people just fly with their keyboards.
That's fine, allright.
BUT For many people, Flight Simulation is a hobby, and they are willing to spend money on extra hardware. For these people, it is a real disadvantage that a lot of panels or other hardware is not really usable. Just take a look at the Saitek product line, for instance the multi panel, the autopilot panel, and the radio panel. These are really amazing pieces of hardware, but we as FGFS flyers can not use them.

Another thing is, that even "normal" yokes or joysticks are limited. If I want to set up flaps and speed brakes as an axis, this requires a lot of work, and still, it's not 100% functional. Or another example, the autopilot disengage button on the yoke is a feature I'd really like to use, but it's very difficult to set that up, because in different planes, there are various autopilot systems and functions, everything works different, and so, it is hard to have a feature as simple as that, which works on every plane.

Now, my question would be, if there is any possibility to improve the things I mentioned.
I know it's difficult, I know that it requires hard work, but if there is any possibility, we should aim for it.
It would position FGFS more into the role of a competitor to XPlane and FSX, and this should be our goal.

If you have any thoughts on this, please share it with us.
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Re: Better Hardware Integration

Postby wkitty42 » Tue May 23, 2017 11:20 pm

the first thought i have is that not everyone (craft developers) codes their craft the same as anyone else... that's why you see such differences between craft... if there were one large team like other sim manufacturers have and that one team does all the craft, sure, but not with the freedom that we have with flightgear to build our own the way we want... one need only look at several different craft and see that even different keys on the keyboard are used for the same things... or how some craft will completely disable the built-in route manager and autopilot dialogs and force you to use their stuff to lay in a route to a destination...

choosing your equipment and the craft you fly all the time is great... being able to modify those craft to work with your ""advanced"" equipment is part of the fun of your hobby... if it isn't, it should be... that kinda also means that you don't/can't go jumping from craft to craft willy-nilly and it does kinda maybe lock you into a certain version of those craft... at some point, they may no longer be supported by the sim due to features and enhancements made to it which older craft just cannot work with... that means you get to play with the integration of your ""advanced"" hardware again to get it tied into the newest version of those craft you fly...

that's my two centavos...
"You get more air close to the ground," said Angalo. "I read that in a book. You get lots of air low down, and not much when you go up."
"Why not?" said Gurder.
"Dunno. It's frightened of heights, I guess."
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