Can you choose which avionics to use?

A lot of us who fly General Aviation aircraft want to make the avionics in our sim cockpits as close as possible to what we have in our aircraft. For me, it's not having a glass cockpit, and using the Garmin GTN750, which I've been using for several years with the current version of MFS. Does anyone know if that's possible?

I too prefer 'steam' gauges to a glass cockpit, at least in flightsims so I understand your worries. If I was be a real pilot I might be of a different opinion.

 

The type of avionics is fixed for each aircraft but the Cessna 172 is available in both glass cockpit and steam gauges version. The latter is only available in the deluxe or premium version though.

There is also the Cessna 152 with steam gauges and the Robin DR400. There might be more, I haven't checked all of them.

 

Third parties are going to deliver other aircraft with steam gauges for sure, I think a few of them are already in the works. PMDG is also making their DC6 available for this sim and I am pretty certain it won't have a glass cockpit.

The old MSFS was quite moddable and anyone who had notepad on his PC could make changes to a panel.

I wonder if this is the case for FS2020 as well.

If they made the panel and instruments separate entities from the 3D cockpit and aircraft model then this may be possible.

You might be able to replace a gauge with another one of the exact same size and shape, but otherwise it would be similar to replacing the radio in a modern car where everything is integrated: it will probably look ugly.

The difference with the older sims is that panels were often just 2D graphics, or 3D but so low-res and ugly that it didn't matter much what you did to it.

The current sims, and especially this one, have interiors looking so realistically that you can't get away with a quick fix and you need designing skills to pull that off.

That really depends on how they implemented the panel.

 

In FS9/FSX the 3D cockpit could have many boxes fit for one particular gauge (making modding difficult) but also offer one big panel where gauges can be placed freely. (as on the 2D panel)

 

This could be done for detailed 3D gauges as well.

Where a 2D gauge would be built from stock bitmaps a 3D gauge could be built from stock 3D objects.

And where a text file would detail how gauges are placed on a 2D panel it could also detail how gauges are placed in a 3D space.

 

of course, we don't know what will be possible in the new sim.

 

And FS9/FSX addons had both very beautiful and very ugly panels and gauges.

It really depends on wether a designer is willing to put in time and effort or has access to good materials.

Where a 2D gauge would be built from stock bitmaps a 3D gauge could be built from stock 3D objects.

 

There's also the possibility that the 3D gauges could be built-in to the aircraft model, as they were in Flight Sim World, making them tamper-proof.

I dont think MSFS is going to offer an open SDK..yet again.

This Xbox and Win App stuff is devised to have an exclusive upgradeable stuff only by Microsoft. Third parties would have to go thru this system too. So for example PMDG releases a new plane, it goes to Xbox-Microsoft, you buy it, it updates the sim automatically.

 

Its all an anti-piracy strategy. So dont expect files-gauges to be manipulative.

 

They only have to lock the file "modified date" , so if you try to modify some file and the sim will crash/wont work. ("re-install the main sim from xbox" will be the message)

 

Remember, this is an online-game linked to Bing (microsoft) permanently

Edited August 15, 2020 by Kapitan

I dont think MSFS is going to offer an open SDK..yet again.

This Xbox and Win App stuff is devised to have an exclusive upgradeable stuff only by Microsoft. Third parties would have to go thru this system too. So for example PMDG releases a new plane, it goes to Xbox-Microsoft, you buy it, it updates the sim automatically.

 

Its all an anti-piracy strategy. So dont expect files-gauges to be manipulative.

 

They only have to lock the file "modified date" , so if you try to modify some file and the sim will crash/wont work. ("re-install the main sim from xbox" will be the message)

 

Remember, this is an online-game linked to Bing (microsoft) permanently

 

1. The SDK in its present form will be released on the 18th.

 

2. MS has publicly stated that both payware and freeware can be developed as always.

 

3. MSFS is not an online game linked to Bing permanently. You can run MSFS totally without the internet.

I dont think MSFS is going to offer an open SDK..yet again.

This Xbox and Win App stuff is devised to have an exclusive upgradeable stuff only by Microsoft. Third parties would have to go thru this system too. So for example PMDG releases a new plane, it goes to Xbox-Microsoft, you buy it, it updates the sim automatically.

 

Its all an anti-piracy strategy. So dont expect files-gauges to be manipulative.

 

They only have to lock the file "modified date" , so if you try to modify some file and the sim will crash/wont work. ("re-install the main sim from xbox" will be the message)

 

Remember, this is an online-game linked to Bing (microsoft) permanently

 

This is incorrect. Asobo has said all versions of the sim will come with the SDK for everyone to use, and developers are free to sell through the in sim Marketplace or their own website or store front.

Well then appologogies and I retreat what was said.

Lets hope its just like the past sims

Well then appologogies and I retreat what was said.

Lets hope its just like the past sims

 

I didn't really mind with FSX that when I engaged the Flight 1 GTN750 it didn't look integrated on the cockpit panel, and covered up some of the instruments. I was so happy to have it, so that I could practice approaches using the same type of GPS that I have in the Beechcraft Bonanza that I fly.