ACS Adventure Generator for Super Flight Planner
By Alain Capt / acapt@worldcom.ch / Switzerland
URL: http://www.acsoft.ch ("Produits" chapter)
-----------------------------------------------
*********************************
* VERSION 2.0.6 / April-25-2001 *
*********************************
PRELIMINARY REMARKS
-------------------
ATTENTION !!! User of SFP 2.7.3 or under, you MUST use the following trick
to insure your adventure will be correctly compiled for the selected FS
target: The first time you are into the Adventure Maker with a newly
created adventure, select page "Properties" and change "Output format"
setting ALMOST ONE TIME. This will provoke update of internal SFP variable
which is, otherwise, incorrectly set. Then, you can select desired target
and don't have to worry about this problem, all further times you will
reload this adventure into Adventure Maker.
I recommend to new users to first fly the "REFERENCE COMPILED ADVENTURE
EXAMPLE" Palma de Mallorca to Geneva, included with this package and this,
even before to do anything else with ACSAGSFP. Then after, start to read
basic documentation "Advacs.doc" and discover, in this readme, all the
evolution of this Adventure Generator.
What is included here after, just describe what has changed in regard to
initial version release.
ATTENTION !!! Users of previous versions, please re-read this document in
totality, because not only "WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE ..." has been added. New
chapters appear and important modifications are made almost everywhere.
Sorry about that! I hope to have the time, one day, to redo all the doc.
This version require Super Flight Planner version 2.5 or over and Adventure
compiler APLC32 version 1.32 or over to work.
For FS2000, I warmly recommend the usage of FSUIPC module, version 2.10 or
over, by Pete Dawson, which will make all APL weather variables available.
You can found this freeware on all major FS sites. If you don't use this
module, all weather related feature of Adventure will simply NOT work as
expected and are therefore UNUSABLE.
In FS2000, adventure text scrolling is a real mess (shame on Microsoft).
In version 2.X.X, there is no more scrolling text. Scrolling dialog has been
simply supressed. Other required message are short still stand printing
messages. Here Again, I recommend usage of Pete Dawson tool: AdvDisp
version 1.31 or over.
Version 2.X.X DO NOT INCLUDE ATC chatter, just two sample files per category
are included, to allow you to eventualy duplicate these 2 files to make
the necessary count of required files, in order to test the product. Now
you can also use ACSAGSND.ZIP instead of separate sound archives files
(SndBase.zip, plus one pilot voice and one or more controller voice). This
package as more ATC and has a batch file to construct automatically all
required sound structure.
UPGRADE FROM 2.0.0
------------------
Files to upgrade:
ACS2_0.txt, ACS2_1.txt, ACS2_2.txt, ACS2_3.txt
ADVACS2.DLL
FLWEATH.DLL (if SFP lower or equal to 2.7.2)
Callsign ini file upgrade (eventualy)
For more detail, read chapter INSTALLATION.
UPGRADE FROM 2.0.1, OR FROM 2.0.2, OR FROM 2.0.3, OR FROM 2.0.4, OR FROM 2.0.5
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Copy the four files ACS2_0.TXT, ACS2_1.TXT, ACS2_2.TXT, ACS2_3.TXT
into "system" directory of Super Flight Planner.
- Copy ADVACS2.DLL into root directory of Super Flight Planner.
- If you have Super Flight Planner version 2.7.2 or lower, please also
upgrade FLWEATH.DLL. Replace old version you have into your root
directory of Super Flight Planner, by the one inside this package.
This will allow you to set barometric pressure into Adventure
generated Weathers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking of sounds, you have now two solutions:
1) The most easy one is:
- Use ACSAGSND.ZIP to build required sounds structure, almost automatically.
Please refer to installation instruction inside readme of this package.
2) The other "hard" manual solution:
- Unzip "SndBase.zip" into your FS "adv\wav" with the unzip option
"Use folder names" activated. This will create a directory "acs"
which contain a whole structure of sound directories.
- Install controller voices(s) (CtrlerX.zip) and pilot voice (PilotX.zip)
inside this "acs" structure. Inside Ctrler.zip, PilotX.zip and every
"acs" directories, you will find "readme.txt" files which will give
you all necessary instructions and guide you through this process.
REMARK: required archives for this manual solution are not published
everywhere, but for sure on my own site: http://www.acsoft.ch
--------------------------------------------------------------------
- Open into notepad the file "callsign_ini_modif.txt". In an other notepad,
open also the file "callsign.ini", located into SFP "system" directory.
Now, add the contain of "callsign_ini_modif.txt" at the end of
"callsign.ini" and save it back to disk. When you will be into SFP
Adventure Maker, on "Callsign" page, you will identify all version
2.X.X callsigns, thanks to the "(V2)" marker into label.
ALTERNATIVE METHOD:
If you have a standard installation, you should have, in fact, almost
the same set of callsigns, but filename are all prefixed with "fs". If
you rename these files into "Adv\wav", without "fs" prefix and check you
have then, an identical set of callsign files as those you have installed
before for 2.X.X, you can have a single list (callsign.ini), valid
for both Generator 1.X.X and 2.X.X. Of course, in this case, your list
should also be corrected to designate "wav" files without "fs" prefix.
Attention !!! To be compatible with 2.X.X, filenames in "callsign.ini"
must NEVER include a path.
- Now run your SFP and open "Adventure Maker". Select "Properties" page
and click button Adventure write module -> Install. This will open
a small window. Use the search file option to seek and select ADVACS2.DLL
into Path and name field. Type "ACSoft Productions Adventure Write Module
V2.x" into second field named "Module description" and click OK.
- You are now ready to start your SFP program and generate Adventure with
ACSAGSVP version 2.X.X.
REMARKS: This new version 2.X.X is fully independant of previous 1.X.X.
Versions. Therefore, it can coexist with previous 1.X.X Adventure
Generator (you don't need to uninstall it).
In opposition with ADVACS.DLL for previous 1.X.X versions,
ADVACS2.DLL is a DLL under my control. Therefore, don't bother
Alessandro with eventual problems relative to it.
This version 2.X.X don't use anymore sound parametrisation from
within SFP. This mean "ACSOUNDS.CFF" is not anymore used with
this version. Same for the settings of ATC chatter within SFP
Adventure Maker. Therefore, those settings remain purely
attached to previous 1.X.X Generator.
The following flags into Adventure Maker are now ignored by
version 2.X.X: "Play Hash Sound", "Text scrolling", "ATC voices"
"Output debug strings". All other flags can be used as before.
From version 2.0.4, "Approach only" flag is also ignored.
Version 2.X.X do not allow anymore usage of user APL module(s).
Therefore, Adventure Maker "Add-ons" page will not work (and
please, avoid to modify back APL code to restore this option).
SOUNDS: HELP WANTED
-------------------
Actually, the basic controller voice "Ctrler1.zip" is still built from the
well known MacKey voice package which was used already with previous
versions. They have been reworked to have an higher level and to introduce
some static noises and distortions, trying to make them more radio like.
"Ctrler2.zip" and "Ctrler3.zip" are built from "Ctrler1.zip". One has
lower pich, like a bear cartoon voice, the other has higher pitch like
a duck cartoon voice. Not very smart, but allow to partially test the
multiple controller voice feature.
The pilot voice "Pilot1.zip" is myself with my french accent !!!
I would be very pleased if some fans out there, good in voice recording
and wav files working will do some more new controller voices.
MISSING SOUNDS PROBLEM IN 2.X.X
-------------------------------
With FS2000, version 2.X.X started to reveal a bug into FS2000 Adventure
interpreter. For reasons I am still not able to clearly understand until
now, short sound files, mostly numbers or letters, are sometimes not
played within a message ?!?
It is now months I fight against this problem. By introducing an FS2000
specific new APL instruction (WAIT PLAY), I was able to reduce this
problem to a level which, I hope, will be acceptable on every users
configuration (tests have revealed this phenomena vary from machine to
machine, certainly because of processor speed).
In order to maintain compatibility with FS98, these "WAIT PLAY" instructions
are added ONLY when APLC32 target is set to FS2000. Therefore, don't
forget to set the correct target into SFP Adventure Maker, before to
compile your adventure.
ABOUT WEATHER FEATURE OF THIS GENERATOR
---------------------------------------
FS98 has the following bug: FS98 variable used for altimeter gauges is always
based on global weather barometric pressure setting, EVEN IF this pressure is
not valid, because you are inside a local weather. In this case, the valid
barometric pressure is the one defined by the local weather, which can be
obviously different.
Inside an adventure, the variable reporting barometric pressure is always
correct. If you are inside a local weather having a different barometric
pressure than the one of global weather, you will have to set your altimeter
to this local weather barometric pressure. But when doing this, you will
introduce an altitude error, because your altimeter don't take care of this
correct pressure.
If in previous 1.X.X versions ACSAGSFP Weather feature were not dealing with
barometric pressure, this has been NOW RESTORED. More precisely, the pressure
you can specify in all three: departure, en route, arrival weather definitions
ARE AGAIN used into weather generated APL code. This has been done with FS2000
in mind. Now, when using FS98 you would be advised to set standard pression
in every defined weather you use. Remember, the condition for the adventure
to work properly in FS98, is that you take care the barometric pressure of
global weather IS SET TO SAME VALUE of the actual ACTIVE local weather. When
NO local weather IS ACTIVE (mean you are obviously into global weather),
this condition is not required.
Speaking of FS2000, this version does not have anymore this bug. Also now,
weather generation feature WORK almost as good as with FS98. Cloud layers
CAN BE now well defined, As SFP do not allow selection of cloud type
name, I use layer bottom altitude to choose cloud type. For layer1, under
4000 feets, it will be "Stratus", over "Cumulus". For layer2, under 20'000
feets, it will be "Cumulus", over "Cirrus". ADVACS2.DLL will look the
compilation target, to determine which way cloud layers type name should
be used. When target is FS2000, names are just as described before. For
previous FS versions, name remain like before, "cumulonimbus" for storm,
"userdefined" for other's, like required.
Speaking of winds with FS2000. Apparently FS2000 accept only three layers to
be created by APL. Therefore my code do not attempt to create the fouth
layer and you can ignore seetings for this layer into Adventure Maker
weather feature. It seem also that the last defined layer extend over
his defined top limit.
Let me remind you that ACSAGSFP require that you calibrate your altimeter
to the current barometric pressure, like you would have to do in real life.
Version 1.3.2 and over introduce a new real life feature: over 18'000 feets,
you MUST turn your altimeter calibration to STANDARD pressure (1013 millibar
or 29.91 mmHg), even if real pressure is different. In the contrary, when
you return under 18'000 feets, you MUST re-calibrate your altimeter
according to actual real barometric pressure.
Standard pressure over 18'000 feets is especially useful when flying airliner
adventures with any weather feature and barometric changes (adventure weather
feature, FS2000 Real Weather or any other external weather add'ons).
ATTENTION !!! Bad altimeter calibration may not only lead to situation where
adventure will prompt you to maintain correct altitude when you believe your
are at correct altitude, but can also lead to missed approach.
ATTENTION !!! FS2000 introduce a new bug: the autopilot altitude hold
function has an altitude offset error, depending on the barometric pressure
offset between altimeter calibration and real pressure. In other words,
autopilot will lock with precision on selected altitude, ONLY when altimeter
does not have calibration error. More you have a large difference between
real barometric pressure and altimeter calibration pressure, more the
altimeter will lock to an incorrect altitude. This situation might be
encountered when flying over 18'000 feets with STANDARD calibration.
Fortunately, an important pressure difference is required to provoke an
altitude error which might be outside adventure tolerance. Also don't
forget that you can set this tolerance in the adventure settings (this
bug is maybe now corrected by FSUIPC).
ATTENTION !!! When using adventure Weather feature with FS2000, it is not
very recommended to activate FSUIPC winds feature, nor to open FS Weather
menu and certainly not, to modify some Weather parameters. This may lead
soon or late to a splendid FS2000 crash !!! For more details on this
matter, please consult also FSUIPC documentation.
ATTENTION !!! My tests of FS2000 real Weather features reveal many problems
with barometric pressure. Abrupt changes of this pressure can occur during
Approach, if you get weather change. Moreover, I also had cases where, when
flying level, with correct barometric pressure calibration, FS2000 was
returning a wrong altitude, causing "Watch your altitude" warning message.
If this happen, you can now use CTRL-P feature and you will read into
"Altitude" line, the wrong altitude returned by FS2000. From it, you may
deduct the wrong counter-correction to apply to your barometric calibration,
in order to compensate this error and avoid an eventual "Missed approach".
If this occur during cruise level flight, this trick will allow you to
"calm" the controler.
ATTENTION !!! When not using internal adventure Weather feature, but using
instead FS2000 real weather or other generated weather, Adventure can choose
an arrival runway, which MAY BE INAPROPRIATE, in regard to the surface wind
direction you will finally get over the airport. This is because runway
choice has to be made far before to be really near of the airport and APL
only know surface wind conditions at aircraft position.
My intention was to impose surface wind conditions found when runway was
chosen, but this is unfortunately impossible to do, almost in the case of
FS2000 real weather feature. For the same reason, arrival ATIS will report
surface wind where is located the aircraft and again, this may NOT be the
arrival wind conditions. The day APL will be able to return surface wind
conditions, at specified lon/lat coordinates location, this problem will
be solved.
ALL WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SID/STAR INTO ADVENTURES
--------------------------------------------------------
When creating adventure with SID and/or STAR, you must always respect the
follwing rules to avoid problems:
1) Flight plan start with an airport IMMEDIATELY followed by an eventual SID.
Then you must have almost one navaid, then an eventual STAR, followed
IMMEDIATELY by the destination airport.
2) Arrival & departure runway into flight plan must be limited to ONLY the
SID departure runway, when using a SID, and/or ONLY the STAR runway when
using a STAR. This is, of course, only needed for SID/STAR designed for
a specific runway. If your SID/STAR is able to manage all departures or
landing into one specific axis, you can then include all suitable runways
of this axis.
3) For SID, a first point very close from runway CAN BE DANGEROUS and may lead
to incorrect behaviors of adventure. This distance rely on the type of
aircaft used. TO AVOID PROBLEM HERE, you must insure that standard ATC's
following just after you take off, can take place before you reach this
point. This will be the tower telling you to contact departure, and then,
departure telling you to follow SID and to contact Center. Finally when you
have contacted Center, the ATC vectorization to this first point.
4) Whith the same princip, you must avoid too close consecutive SID or STAR
points. This may confuse adventure or eventually the GPS you may use.
5) A flight plan using a SID should not have the radar departure option
activated. In princip, this will not affect the adventure if you forget
to respect this rule.
6) A flight plan using a STAR can use also the radar approach option. When radar
approach is activated, as soon as the STAR is ended, approach control may
release you immediately to final or will start to vectorize aircraft on
FA point, like into a classic radar approach only. This will depend on the
aircraft situation relatively to FA point when you finish STAR. Therefore,
it is fundamental, in this case, that STAR is "COMPATIBLE" with FA point
(see "STAR with radar approach", here after, for further details).
A flight plan using a STAR without using the radar approach option don't need
to be compatible with FA point. When STAR end, approach control will simply
ask you to contact tower when established on final and you will be on your
own to get final.
7) Don't forget to call Center when prompted to do it, just after takeoff and
before to start a SID. If you don't do it, this can lead to bad behavior
of adventure.
8) In the same way, don't forget to call approach, when prompted to do so when
flying a STAR or before to fly it. This can also lead to bad behavior of
adventure, if you don't call.
STAR with radar approach:
You have two ways to "synchronize" the end of your STAR with the FA point used
for radar approach feature.
1) If the last leg of your STAR end in condition to be released for final, this
mean: You are toward FA point and the runway axis, inside a sector of +-15
degrees relative to runway axis for ILS approach (sector of +- 4 degrees for
visual approach), at a distance to FA point less than a quarter of FA Distance
and finally, of course, with an altitude equal to FA altitude, YOU WILL BE
IMMEDIATELY RELEASED FOR FINAL, like at the end of a successful standard
radar approach.
2) If the last leg of your STAR DO NOT end in condition to be released for final,
this mean: you will be vectorized to FA point until you reach condition to be
released for final. In this case, to avoid bad situations which may imply a
missed approach and/or a full re-vectorization to FA point, YOU MUST BE
TOWARD THE FA POINT AND THE RUNWAY, AT RECOMMENDED MINIMUM DISTANCE TO FA
POINT OF ABOUT 1/3 FA DIST, CLOSE TO FA ALTITUDE AND BETTER NEVER LOWER. Of
course, these advises are with the meaning you want to obtain a "straight
forward" vecorization. If this is not important for you, the only rule you
must respect is the recommended distance to FA point.
When you "synchronize" a STAR with FA point, you must always adapt the STAR to
a correct FA point definition and never the contrary. FA point definition MUST
always remain consistant for the kind of aircraft you use, like explained in
the basic documentation of Adventure Generator.
This ability to combine STAR with radar approach is a really powerful feature,
which let you imagine a lot of different approach type.
Finally some useful remarks about SID/STAR in adventures:
Departure using a SID will be always controlled by the Center (not departure).
This mean with a SID, departure will immediatly prompt you to contact Center.
STAR is independant of approach control. It may start inside or outside approach
center radius. For example, if your STAR start before it is time to contact
approach, Center on which you are tuned, will give you ATC orders for the
beginning of your STAR. When it is time to contact approach, you will be
prompted to contact it. Approach will simply answer with a confirmation of
your approach type and then, will continue to order next STAR legs. In the
case your STAR begin within the approach range, you will not be prompted to
contact approach until you start STAR.
STAR don't start effectively when you are prompted to go to first point of STAR.
Normal navigation will continue until you are about 3 NM from this point. At
this moment, Control will tell you to start flying the STAR.
When a STAR is started, it is YOUR RESPONSABILITY to respect assigned altitude.
"Expedite descent" or "make three-sixty" feature don't work when flying a STAR.
STAR entry point is included in the process to determin the time to descent,
fixing the weather and arrival conditions. This mean, for example, control may
prompt you to start descent in function of the first STAR point and altitude,
even if this point is not already the next one. For further information's about
time to descent and fixing weather and arrival conditions, please consult
ADVAGSFP initial documentation.
Never forget that FA point parameters are very important for the adventure to
work well, even if you use a STAR without radar approach. The most important
one is FA Distance which should be ALWAYS fixed according to the aircraft used.
I would warmly recommend you to check existing SID/STAR, distributed with SFP,
to be really compatible with rules described here, before to use them into
an adventure.
CONSIDERATIONS ON RADAR APPROACH, DIRECT LANDING PATTERN
--------------------------------------------------------
For the direct landing pattern approach, assuming you don't fly manually and
just let autopilot and copilot feature do the job for you, you may consider
the following when designing your adventure:
- If your flightplan is designed to bring you right toward the runway with
almost already the runway heading, approach will have not much work to
release you "to contact the tower". But curiously, FS autopilot is
sometimes not very good to lock the runway heading in this case. It may
happen that you will have a derivation of this lock during descent and
that you will finally have to take manual control of the aircraft.
- Before approach contact, you are generally flying toward the destination
airport. When approach is contacted, you will start to aim at FA point.
This result, in many cases, to increase the angle between your path and
runway heading. Optimum angle range is 30 to 60 degrees. But it may
happen that you get close of 90 degrees, even maybe more, because of
the speed of aircraft and the time required to turn. Obviously when
you come to FA point with a 90 degrees angle with runway heading, the
ILS interception will be critical. Still in this case, adventure will
give you a final optimum interception angle, but this may happen TOO
LATE, especially if a long random ATC do not allow the controler to
speak to you in time, or the ILS frequency is received too late.
In conclusion, try to design your adventure in a way you will obtain the
optimal 30 to 60 degrees angle between you path and runway heading, when
you fly to FA point. This will always result in perfect interception. I
assume, of course that you also follow other rules, like a correct
definition of FA point, according to the aircraft type you are flying.
"SWISSAIR MD-11, THE FULL PACKAGE" AND ACSAGSFP 2.X.X
-----------------------------------------------------
Version 2 of this Generator contain a special feature for my package
"Swissair MD-11, The full package".
To avoid as much as possible sounds conflict with MD-11 "Crew"
feature (I mean to hear adventure ATC in the same time a "Crew"
member talk, which is really uggly), special ATC sound blanking
are implemented for every detectable cases of potential conflict.
- When you release brakes, after calling ground for taxi to runway,
ATC are not allowed for a fixed time, which should fit with the
length of crew feature "Security announce".
- After landing, ATC are also not allowed when the "Crew" feature
will play the "after landing" message (this blanking rely on ground
speed, therefore, do not slow down too much aircraft, before
"Crew" feature message has finished to play.
For other non-detectable situations, I recommend to tune radio just
outside the correct frequency, during the time you know the "Crew"
feature will play messages.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 2.0.6
---------------------------
The fact that arrival detection has now the priority over the flight
plan (this was changed some release ago). In other words, that you will
be prompted to descent and call arrival center, even if you are not
already in the last leg of your flight plan, bring a lot a advantages
and solve several problems. But this has a bad side effect: For flight
plan where arrival is close enough from departure, it happen that you
are called to descent and contact arrival just after takeoff !!! So, I
refine the logic the following way: Now, descent and arrival detection
will start to be active ONLY AFTER YOU PAST THE FIRST WAYPOINT.
Therefore, if this mandatory waypoint is defined OUTSIDE the range of
descent and arrival detection, you will be called for descent and
approach, only when your flight plan will re-enter inside this range.
When you use Weather feature, it may happen that you do not define all
items. For example, maybe you will define only one upper clouds layer
and let lower layer with all variables to zero, same maybe for temperature
layers. Until now, generated code produced by advacs2.dll would generate
APL commands, even for those meaningless items. Apparently, this was not
a problem in FS98, but with FS2000, this seem to induce many problems.
Now, items which are defined with top of layer set to zero will be
ignored (no APL is generated).
Some "Is with you..." pilot messages will include now also the heading
and not anymore only the altitude.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 2.0.5
---------------------------
I have discovered a runway heading and aircaft approach heading
configuration which resulted into a wrong final interception
heading. This is now corrected. Looking around this part of code,
I made this interception heading more precise (now always optimum
35 degrees). In the case of radar controlled approach on runway
without ILS (controlled visual), last given heading will also not
anymore be just the runway heading, but a more precise heading which
should insure you will fly TO runway axis, when you are not already
on it. This enhancement is precious for controlled visual approach
with airliners, because, when you are released, most of the time
you cannot already see the runway.
Looking around the code, I found other places where some heading
computation had the same kind of potential error. So I decided of
course to apply the same correction. I hope this work will, for
example, suppress the abnormal "remain within the airway" message
we get in some circumstances.
In case you have several arrival runways which are suitable for
landing (typical is multiple parallel runway like 24L & 24R for
example), you will get now a random choice between all these
possible runways, instead of always getting the same runway.
Until this version, I didn't really tested much adventure not using
radar controlled approach flag, or adventure using this flag, but
where you request visual with CTRL-E feature. Now I have fully tested
this kind of adventure, including approach with STAR and discovered
some logic control weakness or even dead locked situations. All these
problems are now corrected. As a result, I believe I can say now that
we have strong logic control for approach in any circumstances.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 2.0.4
---------------------------
Main purpose of this release was to introduce the "Resume flight"
capacity, instead of special compiled type adventure "Approach only".
With 2.0.4, you can load adventure with aircraft on the ground or
in the sky. If adventure is loaded on the ground, you will have to be
on departure airport and adventure will behave like a previous standard
adventure. If you load adventure in the sky, adventure logic will
resume the flightplan in the clever way.
If you are far from destination (before arrival conditions are meet)
you will be assigned to filed altitude. In the other case, you will
have the same behavior as before with "Approach only" special adventure
and your flight level will be the aircraft altitude when you load the
adventure.
Assuming you aircraft heading is in the general direction of the
forward direction of your flight plan, resume will not send you behind,
even if the waypoint behind you was closer than the next one.
The only thing to avoid is to resume a flight relatively close from
a waypoint toward you. This is because resume operations take time, and
this may lead to the situation adventure tell you to resume at this
point, but when it tell it to you, waypoint will be already just
passed. Now, if this occur you will be saved with the skip to next
waypoint feature.
The standard usage of this feature consist to save a "Flight" situation
during the adventure, before to quit. When you want to continue your
adventure, you simply reload the saved situation and then, the adventure.
ATTENTION !!! You must avoid to use the SFP flag option "Use a situation"
if you want that your adventure can be resumed. You may use this option,
but in this case, the situation you specify with "Use a situation" flag
MUST always be the one to be resumed.
This release also correct some other minor problem, like the heading
set by copilot always 1 degree less and hopefully finish to solve the
similar copilot problem with COM frequencies.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 2.0.3
---------------------------
It is just when you believe: that's it, this time !!! That you hit an
old problem you have completely forgotten and this, of course, just
after you publish your presumed final version !!!
APL frequency variables do no accept frequencies with 0.025 increment, if
they are written only with 2 decimal positions, like are always returned
frequencies by SFP. (for example: 128.575 is 128.57 for SFP, etc...).
As a consequence, copilot feature wouldn't work with such kind of frequency.
So, I decided to change all the frequency system in APL and ADVACS2.DLL.
New design solve the mentionned problem and also frequency errors due
to APL floating point imprecision.
All printed frequencies (for example with CTRL-F) are reported in the
complete form, with 2 or 3 decimals when required. Said frequencies
continue to use the 2 decimal form in any cases (128.575 is said 128.57).
Now, for "approach only" adventure, not respecting recommended altitude
and distance to arrival airport, will not anymore lead to unrecoverable
situation, where logic control is lost (for example: repetitive silly
"Make 360"). You can even, for example, place your aircraft at 20 nm
of arrival airport and 20'000 feets !!! Logic will be now able to handle
such a situation (try it, it is funny). In fact the new rules to start
properly an "Approach only" adventure is to be anywhere on the planet,
at an altitude not lower than FA Altitude, flying TO the destination
airport. Like before, if you are far before descent, you will have
to wait until to be near of descent, before Adventure will contact you.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 2.0.2
---------------------------
On start, Adventure display now: ADVACS2.DLL version, ACSAGSFP version
and the FS target for which the adventure was compiled.
In previous version I forget to adapt ChangeWeather() routine to FS2000
standard. Therefore, if SFP "Weather conditions" parameter was set to
"Few changes" or High changes", clouds were "lost", as soon as Adventure
was changing Weather condition. This is now corrected.
New feature: I have implemented now, the two ATIS frequencies (Departure &
Arrival). If you tune on these frequencies, when they can be received, you
will hear a continuous weather condition report. Wind reported is always
the surface wind, Clouds is always the LOWEST defined layer. Like before,
if no clouds are defined, it will say "clear sky".
I have returned "Flight Service" frequency to the previous behavior. Now
you must again "call" with CTRL-Q, when tuned on this frequency. But now,
the weather report is slightly different: Wind reported is the wind layer
you are flying into (not anymore the surface wind), both possible APL
Cloud layers are reported, of course if they are defined (APL know only
two clouds layer, therefore, with FS2000, if you have more than 2 layers,
you will get the report only on the two first defined layers).
Improved speed control logic during radar controlled approach: In previous
versions you may simply get, from time to time, a random message to change
your speed.
Now, when you are with approach control, it may happen that controller
will start to assign you a speed. If this happen, your speed will be check
and you can receive message ordering you to respect this assigned speed
(plus a bad point in speed violation counter!).
Now, it may also happen that controller let you freely manage your speed.
But of course, if Adventure option "Obey 250 kts limit under 10'000 feets"
is set, you will have to respect this, or again, you will get bad point
in speed violation counter!
Finally, for every approach patterns, a "fixed check" of your speed is
placed strategically, in order to insure your speed will be optimum, to
successfully execute the end of your pattern. If your speed is not optimum,
controller will prompt you to adapt it.
This "final pattern speed" is calculated with variables "Minimum approach
speed" and "Maximum approach speed" you can set into Adventure Maker, on
page "Aircraft". The formula is: MinApprSpd+((MaxApprSpd-MinApprSpd)/3*2).
In the case of procedural turn pattern, this speed will be mandatory. For
other patterns, this speed will be a maximum limit.
Of course, it is required that both Min/Max approach speeds are set
correctly in regard to your aircraft type, to obtain optimum result.
From the 1.3.0 version, it was not possible to enter in approach phase,
until you where flying the last leg to airport. If this solved a logic
control problem for me, in the time of version 1.3.0, this has the bad
side effect that flight plans no well defined, with last waypoint too
close, or even after FA point, would miss expected direct landing.
Now, you will be prompted to call approach, when it is time to do so
and even if you are not flying the last leg of your flight plan.
Until this version, Approach zone was a single round surface, centered
on the FA point of landing runway, with a radius equal to 2X FA distance.
If this surface is good when coming toward FA point, it is not so good
(no wide enough) when coming from the opposite side of landing. Approach
boundary is, in this case, too close from airport and lead to unexpected
"Procedural turn pattern". Now I have added a further round surface to
Approach zone. This additional surface is centered on airport coordinates
and also has a radius equal to 2X FA distance.
In previous versions, when you were in Easy mode, acknowledge of waypoints
vectorization was forgeting to set NAV1/ADF, when copilot feature was
active. This is working now.
Several rare and minor control logic conflict/weakness I have discovered
during my numerous test flights are also solved.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 2.0.1
---------------------------
More work trying to avoid missing sounds. For more details, read new
chapter: "MISSING SOUNDS PROBLEM IN 2.X.X".
After being released for final approach, in case you forget to call
Tower and therefore, be ordered to execute an urgent missed approach
when close to the runway, this case was leading later, into an
unrecoverable conflict problem with frequencies. This bug is now
corrected.
If you were flying over 18'000 feets (therefore with altimeter set to
standard pressure), in case effective barometric pressure was different
from standard pressure, altitude said by the pilot in message "... is
with you at ..." was incorrect. This problem is now corrected.
Previous versions were not checking altitude until assigned level was
reached, with the bad side effect that, if aircraft never reach it, the
checking altitude logic would never start. To avoid this, now I check,
during altitude changes, if the aircraft stop his progression to the
required new altitude (check if is level at wrong altitude or change
altitude in the opposite way). If this happen, controller will now
react with message "please watch altitude, maintain ...". This feature
is linked with the air traffic control rate, except when in approach,
where message will immediately follow detection. This enhancement
should be very helpful to avoid missed approach.
New pattern "Downwind -> Crosswind -> turn base" had a problem in case
you do not respect or badly execute "Turn Crosswind" order. This could
potentially lead into a situation where logic was locked. Now, you
will get a "Missed approach" message soon or late, if you do not
fly properly this interception phase of the pattern. This enhancement
apply also to "Procedural turn" pattern, if you do not execute
properly the 180 turn.
Flight Service has been made more ATIS like. Now, after you have tuned
on Flight Service frequency, you don't need anymore to press CRTL-Q.
Flight Service info's will play in loop as long as you remain on this
freqency.
Weather generation should now work even with FS2000, for more details
read chapter "WEATHER, BAROMETRIC PRESSURE AND ADVENTURE".
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 2.0.0
---------------------------
Full controller and pilot dialog:
Now you will have to press CTRL-Q to acknowledge, after the controller
speak to you. Suppose you have pressed CTRL-Q to query for clearance.
Controller will answer to you and give you the clearance. At this stage
you have three options: directly press CTRL-Q to acknowledge, press CTRL-R
to ask for repeat or just do nothing. If you do nothing, controller will
soon remain you he wait an answer from you, by saying "Come up to my
frequency!". If you press CTRL-R, controller will repeat. finally, when
you press CTRL-Q, you will acknowledge the clearance. If your option
copilot is active, it is at this stage that all required parameters will
be automatically set. After you have ackowledged, repeat will not be
possible anymore.
For some kind of messages (mainly during radar controlled phase, when you
receive instructions) ackowledge is not mandatory. You will have about
30 seconds to do so. If you don't, controller will not remind you, but
you will catch a bad point into statistic data. This kind of message
also do not have repeat function implemented.
I try to make dialog more natural as possible. For example, if you
acknowledge immediately, you will not hear the callsign but maybe
"roger..." or "OK...." etc... You will also hear a short "Right !!!"
from controller, after a long aknowledge. Some short pilot acknowledge
may vary: like "Wilco..." or "Will do all that..." etc... You may even
acknowledge as soon as the controller has started to speak. This will
insure the quickest possible aknowledge.
New Radio with related ATC chatter:
Now if you tune a frequency which is valid where you are, you will hear
ATC chatter concerning this frequency. Tuning on clearance will play
clearance chatter, tuning on Ground will play ground chatter etc...
But tuning on arrival will not work if your are on departure airport.
Same if you are in the middle of a flight, you will be able to tune
maybe on previous Center too, but all departure and arrival frequencies
will be dead. This feature allow to have same frequency for both
departure and arrival, even if this frequency belong to a different
control, like tower on departure and ground on arrival.
Multiple controller voices:
Version 2.0.0 use 8 different controller voices. When Adventure start,
these voices will be randomly allocated to all adventure frequencies
in a way you will always have a different voice when tuning along all
successive controls during the adventure. This will work even if you
have multiple control center changes along your flight.
More solid Radar controlled departure:
Now, airliner are detected through speed and have a much larger
probability to receive clearance to flight level, before to reach
takeoff clearance altitude. Vectorization to first waypoint is also
much more consistent now. Depending of the angle between your takeoff
heading and the first waypoint heading, you will reveive one or two
turn instructions. In case first waypoint is just front of your
takeoff heading you will not be requested to turn at all. In case
you are not lucky to get direct cruise level clearance, the time
announced during flight clearance will be accurate (was not the
case in previous versions).
New pattern in Radar controlled arrival:
The legendary precision for radar controlled arrival vectorization,
for all kind of aircraft and speaking of ILS interception or
visual final approach remain. The new pattern Downwind, Crosswind,
Turn base has been added to previously existing direct landing
pattern and procedural turn pattern.
In case you come toward your landing runway, you will get, like
before, a direct landing. When coming from the side, you will now
have the new Downwind, Crosswind, Turn base pattern. Procedural
turn is now limited to the case you come almost right in the
front of the wrong side of your runway.
FS2000 has more narrow range for ILS VOR. This might be a problem
with heavy aircraft and far defined FA point. In general, you
must avoid now to have FA point defined with FA dist greater
than 20 nm. I would recommend 18 nm. Adventure will also avoid
to release you on final, before ILS is effectively received.
In general:
With the exception of what is described to have been supressed in
chapter "INSTALLATION", version 2.0.0 remain fully compatible with
previous versions 1.X.X. You still have SID/STAR feature, declare
missed approach, the famous copilot feature, etc... Therefore,
all notices related to previous version in this document remain
valid.
Text on screen has been modified to adapt the best to poor FS2000
possibility. Remaining messaging through text on screen never use
anymore scrolling. Message are short. Long message, with multiple
information, are composed of a succession of short still text,
displayed one after the other.
I pay more attention to feedbacks. For example now, if you press
CTRL-Q when it not the time to query or acknowledge somethings, you
will see a short message which will indicate current valid frequency
tuning. Very useful if you have changed your radio to listen flight
service and forget what was the current Center frequency. In the
same way, if you try CTRL-R, you may read "SORRY, NOT ALLOWED NOW".
Testing such an Adventure Generator is a "never ending story", due
to his complexity and virtually, the infinity of different possible
combinations, with different flight plan, aircaft type etc... In
this domain, user should be warned that I had no time to test all
"silly" situation, like takeoff without even having asked the
flight clearance, or making exactly the contrary of what should be
done. Hope the logic will still do his best, but this is not a
waranty, because the code of this version has been tremendously
modified !!!
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 1.3.3
---------------------------
In previous version, when inside a SID or a STAR, you was receiving a
systematic altitude message on each SID/STAR point. Code also used a
flag to force a speed check immediately after SID/STAR point. As a
result, in case your speed was outside speed tolerance, because just
passed SID/STAR point has changed the speed, the SID/STAR message
would have also a speed directive.
This system had the inconvenient to miss speed directive in case of new
speed remain within the actual aircraft tolerated speed range.
Now, a systematic speed directive has been added to SID/STAR point
message and, in the contrary as before, speed check is not allowed for
one minute, just after SID/STAR point has been passed. This is to avoid
a speed directive, followed immediately by a speed warning. In other
words, you will have one minute to adapt your speed, before controller
may prompt you to respect assigned speed.
In an other way, SID/STAR altitude and speed directives are not anymore
a systematic message, but included into the "Easy mode", where controller
announce waypoint vectorization. In "Real mode", you will simply hear
nothing on any kind of waypoints (SID/STAR or not). But your copilot is
still there, if he is active, altitude will be set, but not the speed
(autopilot speed cannot be set within an adventure).
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 1.3.2
---------------------------
New behavior: STANDARD barometric pressure over 18'000 feets. Now, you must
calibrate your altimeter to STANDARD pressure (1013 millibar or 29.91 Hg)
when flying over 18'000 feets.
REMARK: With FS2000, you must respect this rule ONLY if you have installed
FSUIPC module. If not (barometric pressure always reported to be 00.00),
you must get actual valid barometric pressure information from FS2000
weather menu and calibrate your altimeter to it, in all circumstances.
As this pressure may vary during the flight, you may have to recalibrate
your altimeter many times during the flight (each time control prompt you
to maintain correct altitude). In any cases, you will be advised to check
your calibration, when closing FA point and BEFORE to reach FA altitude,
to avoid missed approach. Attention, it may be not obvious to determine
if it is the local weather or the global weather barometric pressure which
is actually the valid one !!!
[!!! FOLLOWING POINT NOT MORE TRUE FROM RELEASE 2.0.0 !!!]
New behavior: ATC messages simulation will now start a bit later in the
adventure (no more ATC messages until takeoff clearance). This is for
compatibility purpose with an other ACSoft product.
New behavior: Current barometric pressure is now also said during the first
contact message with Approach center.
Correction: Takeoff heading is not anymore deducted from runway ident, but
use now the real runway heading, specified into runways database.
Correction: "Long legs" where defined to be legs equal or over 500 nm. Now
this limit has been reduced to 300 nm.
Correction: found and corrected a bug which might explain why we get
sometimes incorrect "Remain within the airway" warning.
Some more code cleanup and optimization.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 1.3.1
---------------------------
In regard to previous release, this version have just some code cleanup and
optimization. For example, main adventure loop do not use anymore many time
the "random" function, in order to reduce computing load.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 1.3.0
---------------------------
New feature: Implementation of SID & STAR !!! Read specific chapter, included
in this document, for further details on the SID/STAR subject.
New feature: By pressing CTRL-4 during flight (when under control of Center),
you will skip to next waypoint. A message will immediatly scroll on screen
to confirm skip to next waypoint. Soon after, Center will call you to prompt
you to go to next waypoint. When scroll message do not appear, this mean skip
to next waypoint is not allowed presently (mostly when still in departure or
under control of approach).
New feature: when you press CTRL-P to get scrolled position informations, you
will now be able to read also actual BAROMETRIC PRESSURE. You will also read
a reminder for the Flight Service frequency on which you can tune to obtain
more informations. I think this modification give a more easy way to check
frequently barometric pressure, rather to be forced to tune everytime on
Flight Service frequency. Speaking of Flight Service frequency, I thought
it was the good place to remind it here.
New behavior & feature: Now, by default, when you are told by controller to
"resume your own navigation", you will not anymore be bored by controller
call's when you pass a waypoint. You can use CTRL-5 to toggle between this
new behavior and the old one, where you receive vectorization to next waypoint
each time you reach a waypoint. Remarks: when you use the new "skip to next
waypoint" feature you will always receive a controller call, as a confirmation
of the new active waypoint inside the adventure. For SID/STAR legs under Center
control, you will always receive altitude & speed changes call. Part of a STAR
under control of approach will always have a complete vectorization call (leg
name & heading, plus altitude and speed).
New behavior: In previous versions, when you had to hold short and contact Tower
to get the clearance to align aircraft on the runway, assuming your aircraft
was stopped, you was getting immediately this clearance. But the further
clearance to take off may be delayed for a maximum wait of 3 minutes. Now,
waiting may only occur when you contact tower on holding position, before to
enter on runway. This waiting can be, in maximum, 2 minutes. When you get the
clearance to fly runway heading, you can be sure you will get clearance for
take off 30 sec later.
New behavior: ATC chatter will be silent during last 600 feets of landing. Useful
with an aircraft, like my MD11, having full GPWS and radar altitude calls.
Improvement: in descent management during approach. In previous version, ATC was
sometimes waiting quite long before to prompt you to descent to final level for
interception and soon after urge you to expedite descent. Now this situation
should not occur as often as before (difficult to avoid it totally, for several
technical reasons).
[!!! FOLLOWING POINT NOT MORE TRUE FROM RELEASE 2.0.2 !!!]
Improvement: Position of the last waypoint before airport, relatively to FA
point, was determinant for the radar approach to succeed. If this point was
defined inside the range of approach. In other words, if you where still
flying to this waypoint instead of destination airport, when approach contact
you, this situation was fooling totally adventure. Now, to avoid this, you
will not be prompted to call approach until you fly toward the arrival airport.
But I recommend to avoid this situation and prefer to place your last waypoint
before airport, outside a circle with a radius of (1.5 * Fa Distance),
centered on Fa Point. This new behavior obviously only concern Radar
approach only (without STAR).
Correction: of a WP bug still remaining. Depending of the runway heading (close
to 360 or exactly 360), the tower was never giving the clearance to land and
just say to continue approach.
Correction: of a bug which lead to loose the ATC or scroll message to execute a
three-sixty. With option Copilot activated, the three-sixty was started, but
was not said nor scrolled.
A ton of other tunings and logic enhancements, which would far to long to
explain in details here. I just hope they will give you a stronger Adventure
Generator, which will avoid situations where the Adventure come to be fooled
by certain contexts or particular situations relative to flight plan design
or aircraft situation in regard to flight plan.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELEASE 1.2.1
---------------------------
Now, vectorization with FA point on radar approach for landing rely on magnetic
heading as it should. Therefore, vectorization is precise, even on location with
important magnetic deviation. This correction should avoid all problems linked
with approach and landing.
This release is compatible with the new "Centers" feature of Super Flight Planner.
An "auto contact new Center" has been implemented. It work this way: when ATC
request you to contact a new Center, in the case you don't do it within the next
2 minutes, adventure will call the new Center for you. Therefore, you will not
loose contact, even if you are not behind your computer.
Barometric pressure parameter is now included in concerned ATC messages. Normally
controller should say "Altimeter" followed by baro pressure. Unfortunately, I
was not able to found this word said by the "standard" voice, therefore I had
to replace it with "Alt currently". Not perfect, but better than a completely
different voice!
SID & STAR are not implemented yet in this version.
CREDITS
-------
Many thanks to Antonio Arreghini for his precious help, playing the beta
tested for me and also for the nice controler voice pack he has produced.
Many thanks to Pete Gay for the cool and "very British" controler voice
package he has produced. Pete, when I hear you, I alway imagine a RAF
Spitfire pilot with nice mustaches !!!
Many thanks to Nicolas Ruiz for his pilot voice pack. We have now an
alternative to my french accent own package.
Many thanks to Robert Mac Key. The voice package he produced for the
pionner ATC Workshop Adventure Generator are still used in many other
generators and is still controler #1 in this one.
Many thanks in advance for all other nice SFP fan's who will later decide
to contribute and will record more controler and pilot voices.
COPYRIGHTS
----------
THIS PACKAGE IS FREEWARE AND NO MONEY SHOULD EVER BE MADE WITH IT !!!
WRITTEN PERMISSION OF AUTHOR'S IS NEEDED TO COPY THIS PACKAGE OR PART(S) OF IT,
ON EVERY MEDIA LIKE CD-ROM, DISKETTE, BBS, INTERNET SITES ETC..., IN THE CASE
USERS MUST PAY TO ACCESS THIS MEDIA OR HAVE TO BUY IT.
NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT, WITHOUT PRIOR AUTHOR WRITTEN PERMISSION, TO USE ANY PART
OF THIS PRODUCTION, IN ITS ORIGINAL STATE, OR MODIFIED WITH UTILITY SOFTWARES,
INTO ANY OTHER APPLICATIONS INTENDED TO BE PUBLISHED, EVEN IF PUBLICATION WILL
BE A FREEWARE.
UNTIL PREVIOUS VERSION, APL CODE WAS A WIDELY DEBUGGED, TUNED AND MODIFIED
VERSION OF WINPLANNER PLUS 4.0 BUILD 35. BUT WITH THE NEW ACTUAL DESIGN WHICH
HAVE DEEP REWORK OF THE OVERALL LOGIC CONTROL, JUST SOME VARIABLES, ROUTINES
NAMES AND VERY FEW LINES OF ORIGINAL CODE REMAIN. I CONSIDER THIS WORK TO BE
NOW A NEW ORIGINAL WORK OF MY OWN, UNDER MY EXCLUSIVE COPYRIGHTS. THEREFORE
RULES DESCRIBED HERE APPLY ALSO TO THIS APL CODE.
SPEAKING OF ALL VOICES PACKAGES, COPYRIGHT BELONG TO RESPECTIVE AUTHOR'S.
AUTHOR
------
Alain Capt
35 ch. des Passiaux
CH-1008 PRILLY
SWITZERLAND
Tel + Fax: 41-21/ 648 38 37
E-Mail: acapt@worldcom.ch
URL: http://www.acsoft.ch (look on "Produits" chapter to found FS pages)
