Can't see other players? -Mac OS X

[Slick29]

I've had flightgear for a while now but am just now experimenting with online play. I tried logging on today (to server05). It brings up a google map of all the other pilots in the room and their positions. I've also enabled my AI Traffic, as suggested in a guide I read.

But I can't see anyone else. They're all flying around on the map, so it seems like I should be able to see them, but nobody shows up on my pilot list in-game and I can't see them flying around.

Any ideas as to what's going on? I'd love to be able to fly around with everyone else....or at least some AI planes. I'm all alone in my little world!!

EDIT: I also wanted to clear up that I do have the newest version of the game, and my computer (macbook pro) was just bought about a month ago, if that makes any difference.

[skyop]

It's not specific to your installation, the MP servers are having all sorts of problems right now. We think it's because mpserver02 is overloaded. We'll have to wait until the server operators restart their machines, I guess.

[Slick29]

Oh ok. I'm glad ....well, I'm not glad they're not working. Just glad its not something I did wrong. haha

Is there a reason I can't see AI planes though? At KSFO, there is one plane parked down near the end of a runway but it never moves or anything. Do those run off of the server too? Or are they built into the actual game?

But thanks so much for your reply. I tried doing a search on it but couldn't find anything specific as to what I had going on. Thanks again.

[skyop]

Is there a reason I can't see AI planes though?

They're pretty hard to catch... our world isn't as thoroughly populated as it is in, say, FSX or X-plane. Try loading up at EHAM, it's one of the busiest AI airports in the current release of World Scenery.

At KSFO, there is one plane parked down near the end of a runway but it never moves or anything. Do those run off of the server too? Or are they built into the actual game?

That's a static Southwest 732- it just sits there like a regular scenery object. Someone landed a helicopter on it.

[Slick29]

They're pretty hard to catch... our world isn't as thoroughly populated as it is in, say, FSX or X-plane. Try loading up at EHAM, it's one of the busiest AI airports in the current release of World Scenery.

That's a static Southwest 732- it just sits there like a regular scenery object. Someone landed a helicopter on it.

Ok, will do. I had tried the demo of X-plane, and enjoyed it. But I love the feel of flightgear. Like it was made by a small family of guys just out to see what they can do in the world of flight simulators.

[AndersG]

I've had flightgear for a while now but am just now experimenting with online play. I tried logging on today (to server05). It brings up a google map of all the other pilots in the room and their positions. I've also enabled my AI Traffic, as suggested in a guide I read.

Note that AI Traffic is obsolete, crash prone and not at all recommended for a pleasant FG experience.
However, enabling ai-models is required to use MP. They are on by default but the launcher application might expose an option to toggle them on/off.

But I can't see anyone else. They're all flying around on the map, so it seems like I should be able to see them, but nobody shows up on my pilot list in-game and I can't see them flying around.

Now, there are about 3 likely causes for this:

1. Your FG doesn't send anything to the server, and, hence won't receive anything. Not the case if you show up on the MPmap yourself. Do use the server tab on MPmap to select the same server as you are trying to connect to to rule out server problems.

2. Your FG receives a bad local IP address (or computer name) from the launcher application and are therefore unable to receive any data. Normally FG doesn't even need to be told the local IP address - it can figuring it out for itself. However, the launcher applications (fgrun and I think the one on Mac) persist in trying to do this better and often fails. This is a very common problem. In this case you will show up on MPmap but not see anyone.

3. You connected to a server that is empty due to not receive data from the other servers. This sometimes happens, and in particular mpserver02 has problems to push all data from its local players to the other servers due to restricted international bandwidth (meaning that the other servers frequently lose some players on 02). If you select the server you are connecting to in the server tab of MPmap and do see players close to you then this is unlikely to be the problem.

Cheers,

Anders

[Jester]

Also note that some versions of the mac launcher are known to ignore server selection and connect to 02 anyway.
In that case do not enable mp on the Network tab, instead add the appropriate --callsign= and --multiplay=out, options manually in the Others tab.

EDIT: --multiplay=out, not in