Heretic
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Here's the documentation that includes the download link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-HUCYi9oLjpQQGUMv29CzjDirvzOlXjep6YluTYIPMk/edit?usp=sharing
A more comprehensive overview can be found on my flightsimpage:
https://sites.google.com/site/fsxstuffbybk/gauges/maintenance-income-tool
RTFM!
-----------------------------------------------
Original post:
I've long wanted to do something like this, even more so as the original version of FSPassengersX doesn't work in FSXSE and I'm not too inclined to pay for an update. I've tried FSEconomy, but I just couldn't really warm up to it for a variety of reasons.
So when the subject of a maintenance tool came up at SOH yesterday, I decided to pick up the opportunity and see just how far one can take XML to achieve something akin to a very simple FSPax.
Much of the concept was carried over from an abortive attempt of mine from a few years ago. Doing a similar tool for the DBD L-39C also provided some valuable experience.
A major design objective is maximum commonality with every aircraft out there. So far, all an aircraft needs is at least one engine and a parking brake.
The first result of yesterday's XML frenzy is the UI, which looks like this:
Today, I've managed to implement a flight tracking and revenue generation system.
To generate revenue, you'll need to haul a certain amount of payload (freight and/or pax) to a destination. For that, you'll have to create a flight plan in FSX' flight planner and fly it. It's totally up to you where you want to fly and what route you take as long as you arrive at your destination.
To start, just set the parking prake, create/load a flight plan and start the engine(s). Then fly the route and, having reached your destination, set the parking brake, shut down the engines and
reset the gauge. The net income is added to/subtracted from your personal funds.
Both income and cost is dependent on flight time. Your reputation affects the maximum payload you can carry, while fuel cost is the amount that you've used for the flight. The crew earns hourly wages and the "Other Cost" item is a summary of insurance, catering and airport fees.
When you do not have a flight plan filed, you can still use the gauge, but it won't generate any revenue.
That way, you can blow your money on joyrides.
Note that the payload is just a recommended value. The flight tracker will refuse to work if the actual payload exceeds the allowable payload. Everything between allowable payload and zero payload is up to you to set in the payload window. That way, you can simulate ferry flights if you're inclined to do so.
My next objectives are the reputation and maintenance systems.
The maintenance system consists of regular checks that have to be done after a certain amount of time and repairs on certain systems. All of these cost funds, whereas the regular checks have a fixed cost and repairs depend on the amount of damage or wear that has to be repaired.
The A and B checks will also restore a certain amount of damage or wear to the subsystems, while the C check is prohibitively expensive, but will result in a brand spanking new aircraft.
The reputation system influences the amount of payload that people are willing to entrust you. So far, it only exists in a conceptual stage, but the idea is that the quality of your touchdowns, the condition of your aircraft, successful flights, excessive sink rate and forgetting landing lights will all influence your reputation for better or worse.
I've successfully implemented the random number generator from the wiki, so random failures and failures due to a system being in an awful condition are possible. I'm also toying with the idea of randomizing the time to failure for each system after every maintenance operation. That way, you'll get engines of varying quality which should make things interesting. Also, a mildly randomzied amount of maximum payload is possible with random numbers so that no two flights will be alike.
Failures will be fairly unspectacular and I haven't really thought about them yet.
One other thing I'd implement is company funds. By using XMLTools, I can write the current amount of funds and reputation to a centrally located text file. Every aircraft that has the gauge installed can then read from and write to this file. That way, weekday cargo hauling can pay for the operating costs of weekend GA aircraft. In company mode, one would probably have to purchase the selected aircraft (actually the panel variation the gauge was installed to) before the gauge would work.
Persistence will be ensured by XML_Config.
So far, I've made the gauge pretty configurable, so it can be tailored to whatever needs one might have.
I haven't tried it yet, but I guess that with the right values, it can be used by anything from a Piper Cub to an A380. It could even play nicely with RealEngine and DamageMod.
It could even be adapted to FS9 and might work in P3D (sans company mode since XMLTools is for FSX only).
(Available) Time (and motivation) will tell how much of this concept the gauge will eventually become, but what I have so far makes me mildly proud (flight tracking!).
(Before someone asks: Freeware.)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-HUCYi9oLjpQQGUMv29CzjDirvzOlXjep6YluTYIPMk/edit?usp=sharing
A more comprehensive overview can be found on my flightsimpage:
https://sites.google.com/site/fsxstuffbybk/gauges/maintenance-income-tool
RTFM!
-----------------------------------------------
Original post:
I've long wanted to do something like this, even more so as the original version of FSPassengersX doesn't work in FSXSE and I'm not too inclined to pay for an update. I've tried FSEconomy, but I just couldn't really warm up to it for a variety of reasons.
So when the subject of a maintenance tool came up at SOH yesterday, I decided to pick up the opportunity and see just how far one can take XML to achieve something akin to a very simple FSPax.
Much of the concept was carried over from an abortive attempt of mine from a few years ago. Doing a similar tool for the DBD L-39C also provided some valuable experience.
A major design objective is maximum commonality with every aircraft out there. So far, all an aircraft needs is at least one engine and a parking brake.
The first result of yesterday's XML frenzy is the UI, which looks like this:
Today, I've managed to implement a flight tracking and revenue generation system.
To generate revenue, you'll need to haul a certain amount of payload (freight and/or pax) to a destination. For that, you'll have to create a flight plan in FSX' flight planner and fly it. It's totally up to you where you want to fly and what route you take as long as you arrive at your destination.
To start, just set the parking prake, create/load a flight plan and start the engine(s). Then fly the route and, having reached your destination, set the parking brake, shut down the engines and
reset the gauge. The net income is added to/subtracted from your personal funds.
Both income and cost is dependent on flight time. Your reputation affects the maximum payload you can carry, while fuel cost is the amount that you've used for the flight. The crew earns hourly wages and the "Other Cost" item is a summary of insurance, catering and airport fees.
When you do not have a flight plan filed, you can still use the gauge, but it won't generate any revenue.
That way, you can blow your money on joyrides.
Note that the payload is just a recommended value. The flight tracker will refuse to work if the actual payload exceeds the allowable payload. Everything between allowable payload and zero payload is up to you to set in the payload window. That way, you can simulate ferry flights if you're inclined to do so.
My next objectives are the reputation and maintenance systems.
The maintenance system consists of regular checks that have to be done after a certain amount of time and repairs on certain systems. All of these cost funds, whereas the regular checks have a fixed cost and repairs depend on the amount of damage or wear that has to be repaired.
The A and B checks will also restore a certain amount of damage or wear to the subsystems, while the C check is prohibitively expensive, but will result in a brand spanking new aircraft.
The reputation system influences the amount of payload that people are willing to entrust you. So far, it only exists in a conceptual stage, but the idea is that the quality of your touchdowns, the condition of your aircraft, successful flights, excessive sink rate and forgetting landing lights will all influence your reputation for better or worse.
I've successfully implemented the random number generator from the wiki, so random failures and failures due to a system being in an awful condition are possible. I'm also toying with the idea of randomizing the time to failure for each system after every maintenance operation. That way, you'll get engines of varying quality which should make things interesting. Also, a mildly randomzied amount of maximum payload is possible with random numbers so that no two flights will be alike.
Failures will be fairly unspectacular and I haven't really thought about them yet.
One other thing I'd implement is company funds. By using XMLTools, I can write the current amount of funds and reputation to a centrally located text file. Every aircraft that has the gauge installed can then read from and write to this file. That way, weekday cargo hauling can pay for the operating costs of weekend GA aircraft. In company mode, one would probably have to purchase the selected aircraft (actually the panel variation the gauge was installed to) before the gauge would work.
Persistence will be ensured by XML_Config.
So far, I've made the gauge pretty configurable, so it can be tailored to whatever needs one might have.
I haven't tried it yet, but I guess that with the right values, it can be used by anything from a Piper Cub to an A380. It could even play nicely with RealEngine and DamageMod.
It could even be adapted to FS9 and might work in P3D (sans company mode since XMLTools is for FSX only).
(Available) Time (and motivation) will tell how much of this concept the gauge will eventually become, but what I have so far makes me mildly proud (flight tracking!).
(Before someone asks: Freeware.)
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