MAJOR RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT!! Flysimware Cessna 414AW Chancellor Essential Instrument Collection!
Another long-awaited instrument set is now available for download at simstrumentation.com. We’ve been diligently working on these gauges, switches and other controls for the past several weeks and we’re finally ready to release them to the public.
This includes all the essential gauges and switches required for operation of the C414AW. There’s a total of 27 instruments available.
Also its not on this update but i tried the only fuel digital gauge for the 414 and its showing weird number, any idea? any chance you are adding one to this wave?
Another thing wouldn´t be possible to add some kind of metal panel we can use behind the gauges?
so those screws dont look so lost haha
The fuel gauge you have in that image is our fuel gauge for the 414. What issue are you seeing with it? In testing, it always matched that the fuel gauge in the VC was showing. If you’re seeing something different, please let us know.
As for a background, that’s so individual to users. It’s hard to make one that will work for everyone due to people having different layouts, screen sizes, etc. What I use for mine with a pair of 22" monitors likely wouldn’t work for someone with a single small monitor. That’s why we don’t make full panels. You could always select a grey background for your panel in Air Manager.
This is what I built for mine. It definitely wouldn’t work with your layout.
■■■■ thats so nice. would you mind sharing them? I use a 24" display. Im used to photoshop, so maybe i can edit or at least have some inspiration to try something.
About the manifold, look closer you will see on the edges there are some marks, only showning on this one specifically.
Im about to make some more tests to the fuel gauge and will let you know.
Would be cool to have some options available at least in some basic resolutions
Ahhh I really had to look to see that small edge I see it now. I’ll fix that ASAP and get a fresh version uploaded. Since I was using a light background, I guess I didn’t see that in mine.
Here are my 2 background images for left and right screens. The right has holes in it for the transparency for the GTN750. I guess if you only have 1 screen, you won’t be needing that one.
Oh, and it’s less about resolution for layouts than it is about people using different layouts based on the physical size of their monitors. People with 15.6" screens (the most common for AM panels) won’t be able to use my layout because everything will be way too small.
It’s just much easier to let people make their own backgrounds as they see fit or just use a solid background colour. I have no issue sharing the ones I make for myself though as you can tell.
Here’s the original PSD file if you want. The raised panels are all vector objects, so you can resize / move them around as you see fit. All the effects for bezels , inner shadow, etc are there as well so they’ll move with the panels. You can apply that rustic texture you speak of.
That gets a bit more complicated. You need to cut a hole in the background image (like in my right panel
side image) for the sim popout to show through.
I would recommend watching @Sling380 's video on that.
Actually, I’d recommend watching his videos in general if you’re just learning to use Air Manager.
The numbers for each screen size thing is an interesting debate. I actually wonder what the most common size is. Before Russ did that video about the Wimaxit branded ones almost no one was using the smaller 15.6”. I’m betting the longer time AM users have the larger screens as that was what was originally demonstrated and that demographic has now been diluted somewhat by the introduction of more affordable but smaller touch screens. I wouldn’t also mind betting that some are tempted to upsize like you did now they have the bug.
You are correct that a background will be different for each user, but nevertheless, there is a “correct” layout for the instruments.
People may need to scale it up or down to fit their display, or may need to chop it into bits to fit onto several displays, but a convincing panel background would make a far better starting point.
You really need to watch that video I posted. It will tell you everything you need to know about running popouts with AM and correctly setting background images with transparency.
Once you have it set up correctly, have the correct holes cut out in your background image for popouts, etc, everything will layer properly and you won’t see the white header bar on the popout window.
I’m betting you’re probably correct. His video was the catalyst that drove that. And with others, myself included, having followed that path and been public with our stuff, that’s influenced others. And I still think it’s a good budget entry point for a lot of folks.
The other element at play is that the demographic of flight sim has also changed drastically. Traditionally, flight simming was a “Dad hobby”. Typically, middle age guys and up with more disposable income who didn’t mind spending that extra cash on their hobby. With MSFS, that age group (and available disposable income) has decreased drastically. So the availability of sub-$200 touch monitors, vs a single larger touch screen that can cost $400 and up is an attractive option to younger folks with a stricter budget.
But I can’t argue that bigger (to a point) is better. I recommend people get AT LEAST a 19" touch monitor now as a starting point if they can afford it. The 15.6 are still good, and I still stand by them as being a good budget choice. But if you’re really diving into this, bigger is definitely the way to go. You’ll eventually end up doing that anyway. You don’t really realize how you were missing the extra size and screen real estate until you have a larger screen.
Some good points there. I like that there is at least more choice now. At least I have a choice now for my pedestal. I’ll likely go 15.6” as that is just about right for what I need. Now I just need a new mb with dual gpu slots and I’ve got all the monitors I need straight into a gpu.
15.6 is actually perfect for a pedestal for most planes. It would be a bit small for airliners, obviously, but for GA, it works great.
I still haven’t decided what I’m going to do with my spare 15.6. I plan on eventually using it in my cockpit again. I just have to wait until I move over to my more dedicated setup for extra physical space for it. I have the option of using it as an overhead, which will work for most GA planes that have limited overhead controls. The other option is to mount it in portrait mode on the left side of my 22" screens so that I have some extra space for side panels. Like the switch panel for C414 or C310 as an example.
