FS Realistic was just released

[AdvancedGrain30]

I have the same problem starting with v2.0.3. Seems an adjustment was made for users complaining their head height moved up during turbulence. For those of us that didn’t have that problem, now our seat height slowly sinks down. The only way to fix this is to quit FSR, reset the default cam view, then restart FSR. On longer flights, this gets tedious. I’m thinking about reverting to v2.02 before they made the adjustment, but then I lose the newer fixes.

The best solution is for the developer to add a toggle switch to enable/disable the auto head height adjustment so it works for everyone.

[Harfentoni]

In the Airbus H145 this happens after you switch to any external views : seat position to low and more wobbling

[polpox]

Is it possible to disable the camera when not in cockpit? I sometimes take a break and sit as passenger but the view is going up and down like my head is floating

[hobanagerik]

Some camera views are resistant to this. I find that a combination of FSR, and the Tobii 5 eye tracker, trying to lean forward to see an instrument to click on can be very difficult.

If I tap down on my hat switch twice it switches to an “Instrument” camera. These are unaffected by the movements that affect the pilot views, and are much more stable.

[Sonicviz]

I used to really like this app, but I’ve come to almost hate it due to the developer’s disregard for basic UX design, by forcing “jokey” ambiances as a default for all planes.

Cabin Ambience, Crash Screaming, and Scary Ride (and maybe Coughing too) as default settings are experience options that should be opt in, not opt out. Cabin ambience, for example, has zero relevance for most of the planes in the sim, and applies purely to passenger aircraft with cabins. How is that relevant to a single to dual seat aircraft? An ultralight?

The assumption on the developer’s part that you should start with this ON by default, despite not knowing what type of aircraft you loaded, is just bad design. Ditto for scary ride, coughing, cockpit ambiance and any other audio jokes. They are funny the first time, but that’s it. We get the joke, no need to repeat it, thanks. But we’re forced to hear it every time we open a new plane.

Having to do this every time (and it can be a regular occurrence due to plane/livery combos) really generates a bad feeling towards the app, despite its good points. UX is not just the main use, it’s how you use an app.

Useless suggestions that “it only happens once, you just need to save it” totally miss the point.
I’m annoyed having to do this plane after plane, when the issue at the root of it is a bad default for the product. Don’t force opt in audio ambiances onto people by default, especially if they are not even relevant to the type of aircraft.

I fed this back to the developer months ago privately, in the hope they would see the sense and just release an update with a tweaked default that makes all the jokey ambiances off by default.
Even a setting at the start before you load any plane would be nice, so you can create your own default profile.

[EdamllamaB]

@Sonicviz

I used to really like this app, but I’ve come to almost hate it due to the developer’s disregard for basic UX design, by forcing “jokey” ambiances as a default for all planes.

It is relatively simple to disable them for each of the four default types and save them as a new profile and then copy that new profile over the respective original default files:

… \FSRealistic\Data\Profiles\def_glider.json
… \FSRealistic\Data\Profiles\def_helicopter.json
… \FSRealistic\Data\Profiles\def_jet.json
… \FSRealistic\Data\Profiles\def_piston.json

[Sonicviz]

You’re not listening. Nobody should have to do that. This is a paid product that should be easily configurable on the front end to do that.

I’m talking about a basic UX & design flaw, and you’re talking over the top of me because you can.

[EdamllamaB]

Just providing a simple solution seeming as you can just change 4 files and it will work fine for all new aircraft forever after - well maybe till the next patch but whatever.

It is not a design flaw. Some people like that setting.

You are requesting they change their defaults to match your personal preferences which is extremely arrogant.

[Sonicviz]

It is not a design flaw. Some people like that setting.

If some people like that setting, they can set it themselves as their own default.
Nothing I’ve said precludes them doing that, and it is a design flaw - based on my design/development/UX experience.

Just providing a simple solution seeming as you can just change 4 files and it will work fine for all new aircraft forever after - well maybe till the next patch but whatever.

I rest my case. With “advice” like that…
You don’t force users to hand modify files, that then get overwritten by the next patch.
Oh wait, you can just go and edit them again! How convenient! rolling my eyes

Good design thinks about use cases like this, and provides functionality upfront to handle it.
Thing is, all the basics are there to handle this, the app has a neat cloud profile functionality already.
It just needs to be tweaked to handle custom defaults.

[EdamllamaB]

Fair enough. That is up to the developer to decide I suppose. You can argue with them.

For information of anyone else annoyed by the default settings in the current version of FS Realistic and wanting a work around :

There are only four files used to generate all the defaults for every new aircraft you add to the sim. Rather than change the profile for every single new aircraft you buy, just modify the four files above and all new aircraft you add will be fine. Keep a copy of these files and put them back if an update overwrites them.

[Sonicviz]

@EdamllamaB

There are only four files used to generate all the defaults for every new aircraft you add to the sim. Rather than change the profile for every single new aircraft you buy, just modify the four files above and all new aircraft you add will be fine. Keep a copy of these files and put them back if an update overwrites them.

If you’re going to give advice, at least make sure it’s accurate.
There are six files (at least I have 6), and they are in JSON format.
You might also want to give an example of what you need to change from to what you need to change to, with traps to be wary about.

JSON format might look simple to a developer (only if the editor formats it correctly), but it can easily confuse someone not code savvy.
Don’t screw it up by accidentally removing a comma either (easy to do in a simple text editor), or the app will no doubt vomit if the JSON parser doesn’t like it.

Let me state again:
You don’t force users to hand modify files - especially in formats they have no clue about, that then get overwritten by the next patch. If a user is forced to hack an app to resolve an issue, then the problem is with the apps design, not the user. The advice to hack it, while well-intentioned, just reinforces the whole point I’m trying to make.

Good design thinks about use cases like this, and provides functionality upfront to handle it.
Thing is, all the basics are there to handle this, the app has a neat cloud profile functionality already.
It just needs to be tweaked to handle custom defaults.

[EdamllamaB]

fair enough - to be more clear the suggestion if you make the changes you want in the settings for a particular aircraft save those as a profile, then it is relatively simple to save that over the top of the relevant aircraft default file.

We are talking about two different things, you are discussing the choice of default profiles and lack of flexibility/options, I am just saying it is possible to work around it to some exent.

[Sonicviz]

@EdamllamaB

fair enough - to be more clear the suggestion if you make the changes you want in the settings for a particular aircraft save those as a profile, then it is relatively simple to save that over the top of the relevant aircraft default file.

We are talking about two different things, you are discussing the choice of default profiles and lack of flexibility/options, I am just saying it is possible to work around it to some exent.

If a user is forced to hack an app to resolve an issue, then the problem is with the apps design, not the user. The advice to hack it, while well-intentioned, just reinforces the whole point I’m trying to make.

[hobanagerik]

Wow. It was just a suggested workaround, and attacking someone trying to help you is not warranted.

I for one will be investigating that as its something I can do right now instead of waiting for the developer to do something.

I’ve never understood that “But I shouldn’t have to…” attitude. I was tickled by the request for further information on how to apply this workaround that wasn’t wanted.

@EdamllamaB If those files really are in JSON format Powershell can import those, and retain their structure. You could build a tool that could easily manipulate settings, then save them out again. Perhaps even a menu system where you toggle them on or off.

Fortunately the modding community continues to release improvement mods for aircraft, and not waiting on the developers to improve them themselves. If they decided to follow that advice, now that would be a real shame.

[Sonicviz]

No, I didn’t “attack” him at all, and you have totally missed the point.

I said, repeating myself for the third time because apparently some people are too lazy to read:

If a user is forced to hack an app to resolve an issue, then the problem is with the apps design, not the user. The advice to hack it, while well-intentioned, just reinforces the whole point I’m trying to make.

Also…

I’ve never understood that “But I shouldn’t have to…” attitude. I was tickled by the request for further information on how to apply this workaround that wasn’t wanted.

Also wrong. I never requested further info, I actually clarified incorrect info he’s giving regarding the hack, especially for non-technical people who can potentially kill the app by following unspecified advice. I’ve long been aware of the hack, and that also doesn’t negate the point I’m making as a developer.

Fortunately the modding community continues to release improvement mods for aircraft, and not waiting on the developers to improve them themselves. If they decided to follow that advice, now that would be a real shame.

Good for you if you want to investigate it, but that in no way negates what I’ve been saying.
This is also not “modding”. This is a paid add on app that should have basic features like this as part of the design. There’s a huge difference between modding games and hacking apps to do a workaround.

[hobanagerik]

I haven’t missed you point at all, and I’m not too lazy to read either so please stop saying that.

No one disagrees with you that the application defaults couldn’t do with some tweaks. We are just suggesting that there is something that can be done about it right now. If you want to continue to shout into the wind, you can die on that hill alone, but I would advise you to take action yourself instead.

That would be better than you endlessly repeating yourself ad infinitum impotently as we aren’t the people you need to talk to about this. You need to chase the developer up elsewhere, not here.

[Sonicviz]

You’re just arguing to back your buddy up. Not buying what you’re selling. Move on.
You also can’t be bothered reading that I did contact the developer.

Whatever. If you want to give advice, make it actionable and accurate.

Potential buyers should also be made aware of issues like this in advance, so this is also an entirely appropriate place to explain certain issues the app has. If someone wants to explain hack workarounds, feel free to but at least make them 100% accurate and in a manner that a non-tech person can follow so they don’t make a mistake and potentially screw their app up.

That’s also exactly why this is a design issue, so people should not have to even do a hack.
The fact that you also want to do it again just reinforces the point I’m making that it is a UX issue with the app.

Thanks for confirming that it’s an issue with you too!

[hobanagerik]

I did read that. So there is no need to post about it here, is there. I’m sure they have their own forum as 3rd party support for products should not be conducted on the MSFS official forums.

I’ll have a play around either tonight, or the weekend, with a script that would manipulate the JSON files, and set some better defaults, disabling unwanted sound sets etc.

If nothing else its an interesting exercise, to hone one’s scripting, which is one of the things I enjoy at work, and in my spare time.

Personal preferences are never going to suit everyone, and that’s the problem. Your personal preferences will be different to my own. So in your example, you are effectively wanting to enforce your personal preferences on to everyone else by getting the developer to change them to what you personally want.

The better example you already pointed out would be to allow the user to create a default profile within the app, then allow that to overwrite others. It’s not a huge problem to work out what each option does, and most are self explanatory.

[Sonicviz]

Good for you, but I’d prefer the dev fixed the hole in their app instead.
It’s a great app, it just has a few glaring issues. This is just one of them, the others have also been noted here by myself and other posters.

All other assets are discussed in similar ways on this forum, so it’s no different with an app, despite your assertion that it’s somehow a special category of discussion where you’re only supposed to discuss hack workarounds to issues, and not the issues and suggested solutions to them.

Please, feel free to go onto any of the other discussion threads and tell people to stop talking about issues they have with a particular plane/airport/[insert asset here].
Suggest you wear a flame retardant suit though. Good luck either way!

@hobanagerik

I’ll have a play around either tonight, or the weekend, with a script that would manipulate the JSON files, and set some better defaults, disabling unwanted sound sets etc.

If nothing else its an interesting exercise, to hone one’s scripting, which is one of the things I enjoy at work, and in my spare time.

Personal preferences are never going to suit everyone, and that’s the problem. Your personal preferences will be different to my own. So in your example, you are effectively wanting to enforce your personal preferences on to everyone else by getting the developer to change them to what you personally want.

This is also contradictory, incorrect, and hypocritical.

You’re essentially agreeing with my point that the app has a gaping flaw by not allowing users to customize their own personal defaults for each aircraft type. You then attack me in the next breath claiming I’m saying “you are effectively wanting to enforce your personal preferences on to everyone else by getting the developer to change them to what you personally want.” which is not what I’m saying at all, which you yourself also literally just acknowledged.

Get your story straight!

And yes, while you can write yet another app/script or whatever to customize the settings profile for another app, that is a rather convoluted UX and the optimal UX is that the original app just does it all.

That’s just logical. Remove user friction. Allow users to set their own preferences.
What’s so hard to understand about that, and why would you logically argue against that?

[hobanagerik]

Just had a quick play around with a sample JSON file, as I didn’t have one to hand, and changing the attributes is trivial.

get-content .\sample2.json | ConvertFrom-Json

firstName    : Joe
lastName     : Jackson
gender       : male
age          : 28
address      : @{streetAddress=101; city=San Diego; state=CA}
phoneNumbers : {@{type=home; number=7349282382}}

To alter the firstname, lastname, and age of this person we do this:

$json.firstName = "Keith"
$json.lastName = "Richards"
$json.age = "78"

$json

firstName    : Keith
lastName     : Richards
gender       : male
age          : 78
address      : @{streetAddress=101; city=San Diego; state=CA}
phoneNumbers : {@{type=home; number=7349282382}}

We now save this file out, into either a new file, or in this case we would overwrite the original to change the default.

$json | ConvertTo-Json | Out-File altered_sample2.json

The layout of the file is slightly different in the case of the attributes with multiple values, like address, and phone numbers, but its valid JSON as far as I can see, so this should be easy.

Without having the actual JSON files in front of my I don’t know what their layout would be, but I would imagine there would be a block for each effect, and an “Enabled/Disabled” nested within it. Identify the correct effect, turn it off, save it out.

I downloaded the addon, and have a play around with the “def_piston.json”.

Let’s say I wanted to turn off the sneezing. Ingest the file:

$json = Get-Content -Path .\def_piston.json | ConvertFrom-Json

Disabled sneezing:

$json.effects.sneezing.enabled = "false" | ConvertFrom-Json

Save the file out. It looks like the default for this doesn’t go deep enough, so some values got truncated. It looks like it uses depth=3, but 4 looks okay. Just in case I used 5, as a higher number has no adverse effects.

$json | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 5 | Out-File .\def_piston_no-sneezing.json