How to make airports more interactive: An idea for MP

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So obviously unneeded pie in the sky feature idea work on bugs and stability etc etc - but I’m going to mention it anyways.

Right now multiplayer is kind of just a curiosity, we just kind of see other planes out there doing their thing unless we are using Vatsim or something.

Also, airports themselves are cool, but unless you are majorly into airliners and such you probably treat them mostly like any other airport when flying GA.

Two things: First: Some kind of control tower MP opt in mode.

Second: And a more radical Idea but I think it would really give some meaning to multiplayer. Imagine if star airports had a kind of “Lobby” or at smaller airports the “FBO” and you can choose to spawn (without a plane) at a preset area of the airport (for example a terminal wing at a large airport as if you were the captain waiting to board your flight) that has some nice preset views of the runways and such and maybe an “Opt in” chat box. You would also have a dialog box that would let you sort of advertise “flights” that other players could join you on. You would be able to hang out in the lobby and watch planes go in an out while you plan out your flight and others could sort of see everyone’s flights and click to join in on. When you start it would let you both spawn at a ramp near eachother, taxi to the runway together, and the flightplans would match up.

I feel like a system like this could make airports feel like real places and sort of bring people together in MP and give areas kind of a “micro community”. Also sounds like something that would get trolled a lot but also a lot of fun.

Edit: Also, I feel like the Lobby could be some place at every airport that gives a nice custom modelled interior area, that also looks outside. Like a terminal or the local airfield Cafe or something. I hope people understand what I mean.

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It’s a flight simulator, not a VR Chat app. :small_airplane: :smile_cat:

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Its really just an idea for a way to facilitate people flying together and give airports some meaning. I think thats def in the scope of a next gen flight sim.

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There should be a first person mode first of all, and then that can lead to many other options in multiplayer to do.

One example, is a fly in Event where everybody flies to an airport, they walk to the building or hangars, and watch presentations similar to the flight sim expo. It’s like Oshkosh in the simulator.

But there are many possibilities for first person mode obviously.

Greazer.

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I think any kind of non-airplane first person mode would have to be used pretty sparingly, just because it risks making the sim feel kind of like a battlefield game or something. That’s kind of why I personally could see more of a generic interior view sort of like the Hangar view in the menu. But I dont know it depends on how they make it feel.

But one place I think an on-foot 1st person mode would be necessary: preflight inspection

I do like the idea of “airport events” and dedicated “fly-ins”… Stuff like Oshkosh or airshows and such. That would be a way to get players to gravitate towards certain places at different times and give them some more flavor.

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  1. Yes walk arounds (with co pilot) will be possible. Or walk inside terminals and down jetways etc.

  2. You can fly on real world flights as a passenger in the sim.

  3. You can attend multi player fly in events or shows etc, or some activity.

  4. You will choose your appearance and clothing.

  5. Any number of people can fly together in the one aircraft in multi player.