AirwaySim Previews

[Sami]

This is a dedicated thread for previews about future developments of AirwaySim.

The features and changes displayed here are not yet available in the game worlds - the implementations are announced separately in the changelog thread.


All game related implemented updates are posted to this thread: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,58865.0.html

Updates to the website core and non-game systems are announced in this thread: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,54937.0.html


This thread is locked and is reserved for announcements only. Please make all comments to the General forums: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/board,1.0.html

[Sami]

New website & backend (part 1)

The entire website, core and backend systems of AirwaySim environment are planned to have a major technical and visual upgrade. The project is internally dubbed as "AirwaySim v2".

The current site and systems run on a custom-build website engine which has its origins way back in the history, and it has served its purpose well but was a bit difficult to upgrade. During the pandemic years our company received contract work for aviation software development, and this made also possible to start the development of a totally new version of our custom website engine from the ground up.

This new system is being implemented into AirwaySim too, allowing a new and modern backend system to be taken into use with a much needed refresh to the overall interface and compatibility of the website. Codewise the new version is also much cleaner and better structured, and takes better use of modern systems and ready-made software components, easing up the maintenance and development. As a very important step, the new system will bring in for example a fully mobile-compatible layout.

The current AirwaySim game interface and layout will be merged into the new system, and for some time we will use a "hybrid" solution where the main layout of the site and game will use the new backend (v2) with mobile-compatible menus and layout, while the game interface itself will still use the current (non-mobile) layout (v.1.4/1.5), but the pages and features of the game will be gradually replaced with the new (v2) code and layout.

I will be posting some previews of the new layouts to this thread.

Open testing will be made available before the launch (later on). Schedule for testing and actual implementation is not yet determined since "marrying" the old code into the new system needs work page-by-page, but is progressing.


Here are two screenshots of the Game Area main page, desktop and mobile.


This thread is locked and is reserved for announcements only. Please make all comments to the General forums: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,60273.0.html

[Sami]

New website & backend (part 2, messaging)

The messaging system will be fully upgraded with the introduction of the new system core with a centralized notification area.

At the first stage this will include notifications of incoming personal messages in the forum and overview of in-game message inbox.

You can see the amount of new/unread messages in the notifications for all games you are currently playing at all times, regardless if you are actually "logged in" to that particular game or not, allowing you to easily spot if there's something new in any game you are playing.


Another big change also is that the user account data and management is no longer tied to the forum software (SMF) at the very heart of the system core, but the forum and private messages are treated as a separate and replaceable module. This means we can then later on independently change the forums and discussion systems to a more modern solution, if needed (but that's a story for another time).


This thread is locked and is reserved for announcements only. Please make all comments to the General forums: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,60273.0.html

[Sami]

New website & backend (part 3, game changing)

One nifty new feature to be added is the quick-changing of game worlds, and also the ability to use multiple game worlds at the same time from different browser tabs.

1) The main navigation will show quick links to all game worlds you have joined, with the ability to change to that game with a single click, without having to go through the Game Area main page.

2) Additionally, the technical way how you are "logged in" to a particular game world will change. This means that you can have multiple tabs open in the same browser, and each of them will work independently. This allows you to keep for example game 1 open in one tab, and game 2 open in second tab, and they do not interfere with each others.

Since this is a fundamental change on the logic, the old users are requested to keep an eye on which game world they are working to avoid mistakes after this change is implemented 


Desktop and mobile views pictured below:


This thread is locked and is reserved for announcements only. Please make all comments to the General forums: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,60273.0.html

[Sami]

New manuals

The manuals and documentation of the simulation, and related features, will be moving to a new platform.

The updated documentation has a modern and mobile-compatible layout, search capability and is also very easy to maintain from admin's point-of-view.

Work on transferring the existing data into the new documentation platform is still under way for a week or two. (links to the new manual will be replaced once all is done)


This thread is locked and is reserved for announcements only. Please make all comments to the General forums: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,60273.0.html

[Sami]

New website & backend (part 4, Credits store)

The process of purchasing AirwaySim Credits will be totally renewed with the new website since we'll introduce a brand new online shop component.

As with other parts, the layout is fully mobile-compatible, and follows a more traditional online store flow with a product listing, and shopping cart and checkout pages. The handling of multiple products, discount codes, taxes, and currencies is also much better than before for the user.

With the update the following new payment methods will be offered:

• Apple Pay (works with iOS or Safari devices only).
• SEPA payments within EU area ( = transfer funds manually to our account).

The current payment methods of Credit Cards, PayPal and Google Pay remain available of course.

Pictured below is the Shopping Cart page on a mobile phone, and the Apple Pay confirmation view on an iPad.


This thread is locked and is reserved for announcements only. Please make all comments to the General forums: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,60273.0.html