The assistance option should be a valuable tool in the virtual pilots arsenal if they decide to use it. Unfortunately, many of the options do not work or they need improving.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that for a great many people who use them, they would also appreciate an update to make sure they’re working as they should do.
It is great the sim is focused on delivering an authentic experience, but I think that has come at a cost (sometimes) to the casual player who doesn’t wish to replicate that same experience on a computer. For example, I have (like many others here) been around many different types of aircraft from all years in the real-world both on the ground and in the air. However, I do not seek the same experience behind a computer. Sometimes handing the aircraft over to the AI is a leap in to the unknown, or applying Individual settings (like AI auto-trim) do not function as intended.
I think there’s real benefit in improving the assistance options to an almost ‘best in class’ level and would hope MS/Asobo see that too.
I totally agree with you on this.
Often when third party aircraft are released without autopilot functionality, there are shrill demands that an autopilot should be added, even if the aircraft wouldn’t normally have been fitted with an Autopilot.
This happens a lot and each developer eventually has to decide whether to accede to the pressure or not and modify their design even if it compromises authenticity.
Some users need or(or at least prefer) the assistance that an autopilot provides them and, to me, it would be a great solution for everyone if Asobo provided a level of assistance that would work for all aircraft and at least bring the functionality of a basic autopilot that could easily be switched in and out reliably - it isn’t at that level today. Providing easy to use and reliable assistance will broaden the user base of MSFS too so in my opinion the obvious potential benefits to all should push this high up the list of priorities.
Can you give a detailed overview of what is wrong with them now in your opinion? That’s easier to triage for the developers if this gets picked up than just a ‘they need to be looked at’
So from my own experience and doing some further research, the following I believe need improvement. Obviously, other members may have their own experience of additional assistance options that also need work - I would welcome feedback too.
AI Co-Pilot does not follow the assigned route (even when assigned a route in the World Map), flies too low, does not land correctly, ignores your requested cruise altitude and will even nose-dive the aircraft into the ground at times.
AI-Auto trim is not keeping the aircraft trimmed correctly for level/stable flight. Again, it will either be too aggressive to nose the aircraft down or up. Sometimes I’d like to just fly (with a controller) without having to touch the trim, so would appreciate if this could be implemented.
Auto-Rudder I think works, but not for all aircraft. Very helpful on take-off.
3rd party compatibility. My research tends to suggest that many of these assistance options do not work at all when buying aircraft from the marketplace and I don’t think that’s fair. It should be a requirement on the marketplace to let the customer see whether it will work with the assistance options - a simple line of text would help.
ATC has been discussed already and improvements are on-going in this respect.
I would like the Assistance options to be persistent. I have had the MSFS since day one and tried to run it on “EASY” all assists. In all these years it has never survived a re-start - I reinput “All Assists” also at the end of each session save and exit; but it is never there on restart.
More broadly speaking, I’m surprised the team have not looked at hiring more people to make this simulator more user friendly from a casual perspective, both on Xbox and PC.
Having the assistance options work and save correctly is a good point, @WeddingWindow63
