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PF3 Randomizer
http://www.ocs-support.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1938
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Author:  Ashun [ Wed Mar 30, 2016 5:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

sbsim wrote:
RALF9636 wrote:
Ashun wrote:
Please forgive my ignorance.
Do i run randomizer every time before PF3? As Roman suggested, if i dont not tick SID and STAR option, where do i put SID and STAR name for randomizer to recognize?

Thanks
Ash Nerurkar
Yes you have to run randomizer before each start of PF3 if you want different settings each time. After that you do not go to the SID/STAR page of PF3 so that you don't know the options randomizer has set there to be surprised during your flight.

You cannot enter names randomizer chooses from. Randomizer only chooses from the names listed in the first post. At least that is how it is now.
I already suggested to implement such an option for example to enter the real STAR names for a specific airport to have randomizer choose one if them.
Roman said that might come in a future version.

Hope that helps.

Regards

Ralf
Thank you Ralf, affirmative!

For anyone reading this thread, let me once more explain the functionality of Randomizer the simplest way I can :)

When you run the app, it checks if PF3 is not running and then sets these four standard settings in PF3.ini file: SIDs Active (Yes/No), STARs Active (Yes/No), SID name, STAR name. Technically, it is done exactly the same way and has exactly the same effect as if you will set these settings yourself in PF3 through SIDs/STARs options. The only difference is that you do not see how they are set. It means you don't know whether you are going to be vectored or given a standard procedure and, in that case, you don't know the name of the procedure. That's it.

How do you use this for your enjoyment of PF3 is up to you. It can make your flights more or less realistic and I believe that soon-to-be-added possibility to enter your own SIDs/STARs names will make this randomisation more useful also for "serious" simming purposes. As an example, I am now en route from Sydney to Cairns. I work hard for Jetstar this Australian summer and, yes, PF3 controllers have contracts down under too! :) I will approach YBCS from BIB, preferred RWY is 15 there and they are five possible published STARs: BIB3A (ILS), BIB3P (RNAV), BIB3U (RNAV), BIB3Z (GNSS) or BIB3V (visual via Creek Corridor, my favourite). I don't know yet which one PF3 controllers will give me as I don't know which one Randomizer set for me (as you can see, I'm already using a version with customisable names). I adjusted the probabilities according thorough observations of Flightradar24, but have to be prepared for any alternative :) This uncertainty increases my enjoyment and satisfaction from flying with our trusty PF3.

Hi
I am really waiting for this new update. It will add great realism to already fantastic PF£.
Do we know the time frame of update and how can i get it?
Best wishes
Ash

Author:  sbsim [ Wed Mar 30, 2016 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

Ashun wrote:
Hi
I am really waiting for this new update. It will add great realism to already fantastic PF3.
Do we know the time frame of update and how can i get it?
Best wishes
Ash
Hi Ash,
The new version with customizable names and presets is almost done, I am now writing a manual. I will send the finished work to Dave March. After his approval, it will be published here.
Roman

Author:  RALF9636 [ Wed Mar 30, 2016 8:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

Great, can't wait.

I really hope Dave will be happy to approve your application. I guess he could drop some of the entries on his don't-forget-to-have-a-look-at-this-list thanks to your work! :D

Ralf

Author:  sbsim [ Tue Apr 05, 2016 10:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

Gents, the system of customisation is finished and I'd like to know if you find it OK :)

[ img ]
  1. You store your names and probabilities in presets (see the right window). Each preset is named [whatever SID] or [whatever STAR].
  2. You set the probability of a standard procedure (vs. vectoring).
  3. Each preset contains one default name and a maximum of 10 optional names.
  4. Each optional name has a probability of 10%.
  5. Each empty name is substituted with the default name.
As an example, let's 'decode' the settings shown on the picture above:
  1. Your presets are loaded from Presets A320.ini.
  2. You use the preset YSSY for SID and the preset YBCS for STAR.
  3. The probability of vectoring out of YSSY will be 3%.
  4. You will have a 50% chance of getting SID RIC3, 30% chance of SYDNEY6 and 20% chance of a direct routing.
  5. In the case of SYDNEY6, you will get a vector between 275 and 330 with a higher chance of something in the middle of this range, e.g. 'SYDNEY6V300' (this SID contains a vector segment and the values come from my observation of Flightradar24). The usage of variables will be further explained in the Manual.
  6. In the case of DIR, you will be cleared to the first waypoint of your flight plan (i.e. RIC) after reaching 1500 or 2000 ft.
You can see that with a relatively simple setup we get large variability. Let's don't talk about the correctness of generated procedures, since the purpose of this example is solely to demonstrate the idea and its possibilities ;)

Do you think this system would work for you?

Roman

Author:  RALF9636 [ Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

Roman,

that looks excellent!

Several preset.ini files to deal with different aircraft and separate SID and STAR presets in these files that can be airport specific. I assume I can add as many [... SID] and [... STAR] entries as I like. The probability setup with ten possible names each at 10 percent also is easy and efficient. I'm curious about the variables you implemented for SID and STAR names.

And then just enter the origin and destination preset in the PF3random.ini file before each flight.

In my opinion you made it as simple as possible with a great flexibility.

The autostart option for PF3 also is a good idea.

Just one thing. I assume that in addition to the PF3random.exe file and the PF3random.ini file also the preset.ini files have to go in the PF3 main folder. All these files might get somewhat lost in that main folder. If at all possible I would prefer all the randomizer files in their own folder as a subfolder of the PF3 main folder.

Thank you for your great efforts!

Ralf

Author:  Ashun [ Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

Dear Roman
It looks promising and I can't wait to try it on.
Can I make one suggestion?I don't know how difficult it is to do.
Can we have runway options in preset? We can feed all sids and star possibilitis for all runway for that airport and depending on runway in use, atc can give us random but correct clearance. This will be almost real life experience and it will also eliminate need of pf3 to read aircraft cycles.
Best wishes and thanks a lot for your hard work

Ash

Author:  sbsim [ Wed Apr 06, 2016 12:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

Ralf and Ash, thank you for your kind words!
Quote:
separate SID and STAR presets in these files that can be airport specific
And runway, time, direction, etc. specific too (e.g. YSSY north night, YSSY16, YSSY34...).
Quote:
We can feed all sids and star possibilitis for all runway for that airport and depending on runway in use, atc can give us random but correct clearance.
Yes, and it actually can be static where appropriate. But you have to somehow deal with eventual changes of RWY assignments, i.e. to accept some degree of generalization (at least at some airports).
Quote:
I'm curious about the variables you implemented for SID and STAR names
Only 3 at the moment - heading, speed and altitude.
Quote:
And then just enter the origin and destination preset in the PF3random.ini file before each flight.
The problem is that the more presets you have, the more painful it is to remember or search for them. Editing ini file before each flight is a bit painful too. That's why I'm considering a possibility of selecting the presets from a drop-down list. This will take some effort, but sooner or later it'll be inevitable.
Quote:
If at all possible I would prefer all the randomizer files in their own folder as a subfolder of the PF3 main folder.
For good reasons, the exe file and the basic ini file should stay in the main PF3 folder. Preset files can be in a subfolder.

Roman

Author:  RALF9636 [ Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

sbsim wrote:
The problem is that the more presets you have, the more painful it is to remember or search for them. Editing ini file before each flight is a bit painful too. That's why I'm considering a possibility of selecting the presets from a drop-down list. This will take some effort, but sooner or later it'll be inevitable.
I guess I would start with airport ICAO codes as preset names to avoid problems remembering them.
Some kind of user interface with a drop down list would be great of course. But please don't wait to release the new version until that is done. ;)

Ralf

Author:  sbsim [ Wed Apr 06, 2016 8:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

RALF9636 wrote:
But please don't wait to release the new version until that is done. ;)
Wilco ;)

Author:  Dave Leesley [ Thu Apr 07, 2016 10:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: PF3 Randomizer

Moved PF3 Randomizer to it's own forum to keep things simple. ;)

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