The new and very major feature of starting up airlines with a new easy & basic mode has been finished and requires testing.
What's it all about? Read it here: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,58864.msg344697.html#msg344697 (Previews thread, post from June 30th)
Shortly, the user will be able to choose between "easy start" and "advanced start". Easy mode is where the system automatically suggests suitable base airports for you together with 2-3 suitable aircraft, and upon selection will create the airline complete with leased planes, routes, schedules, maintenances, staffing, marketing etc.
Technically this feature has been a real challenge since it incorporates systems from many different areas of the game. Especially the scheduling and slot functions are the most complicated ones.
Before this feature goes fully public, I'd like some extra comments and testers for it. Please post all feedback and reports to
this thread only.
Instructions- You should know what you are doing. Don't be a newbie (this feature will be unlocked for everyone soon)
- You will need to apply for the tester group membership first. Go to forum's profile page (https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;area=account) and click on "Modify Profile" -> "Group membership" (https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;area=groupmembership). Join the 'Airline Tester Group' group (click "join" at the right hand side).
- After this go to the Game Area, and join the Beginner's World #2: https://www.airwaysim.com/game/?gView=175#game175 (only game with the new mode enabled, and only for these tester members)
- After that simply follow the instructions. Use the 'easy start' mode (advanced start is the old 'regular' start).
- When you have created the airline look around to see if everything looks normal: airline settings, financial reports, staff page, route image page, marketing, my aircraft page, manage routes page, scheduling. Are the routes "sane" for the chosen aircraft (payload/range) and demand? Report also if it takes unusually long to create the airline (max a few seconds).
- Pay close attention to the structure of the routes. None of the schedules should overlap naturally, and all routes should be 7x weekly and depart earliest at 06am and arrive around midnight by latest (=simple scheduling). All of the planes should have 1-5 routes, planes with 0 routes is a clear issue.
- After the lookaround, you may continue to play until the day changes to see some results (day change).
- Try out many combinations and continents!!
- Especially the slot and scheduling related areas may have issues.
- When you are done, please close down the airline and leave the game world. If you spent more than 30 mins in the game and 5Cr was not returned please post a message here and the used Cr's will be returned.
- When reporting an issue I need to know the continent and type of operation chosen, then the suggested/chosen airport and the fleet it created for the airline. And after this basic data the issue itself of course - screenshots appreciated since the info is not logged.
Thanks!
So far so good.....
two 'minor' items -
MX scheduling.... would prefer A/B checks schedule on sat or sun, not fri, thur. For a new player they'll assume there's no difference and it doesnt affect schedules.
Advertising - not sure if city billboard and newspaper is enough for starting.
Bill
Ok, created one at Riyadh. Got 2xDC-9-34
Minor issues:
- one of the DC-9s is 19.8 years old (not ideal)
- DC-9 production is about to end
- it created 3 flights to Bahrain, 300 supply, 310 demand. 3x may not be ideal even with RI boosted to 50 on this route
- Total Supply on the route is now (300 mine + 162 of another player) is now 150% od demand, while there are other unserved destinations
Major issue:
- 2 out of 3 flights to Bahrain depart at the same time, 0600
It may be better (and much simpler) to perhaps do only 1 flight per destinations on the computer generated airlines.
Will need to test this in a full world with good competition. Started two other test airlines, both in LAS, one med, one small. Both would be good starters but there's no competition.
Same issues encountered in 2 more airlines created:
- same departure time to the same destination
- scheduling to destinations that already have demand mostly met by other airlines (in latest case, BWI-JFK) while there are other destinations (from BWI) with plentiful unmet demand.
Aside from these issues, it works great, schedules are generally good, TAT mostly appropriate.
Couple more minor points:
- as mentioned before, sometimes the A check is not at days with low demand. I got one on Monday
- Turnaround times at destination mostly consistent, but at HQ, sometimes not.
For 757, at destination, it seems consistent 90 min (may be a bit low, 17% chance of delay)
At HQ, it fluctuates between 90 and 95 minutes.
- A/B checks changed so that they cannot be Mo or Fr (day selection is random)
- Max age of chosen a/c is lowered to 18 years (max age is rather old to make sure there is something to choose from). The production status of the planes is not a factor since we're only looking for used/stored planes.
- Turnaround time may vary if there are no slots available, by default/minimum it depends on a/c sizeclass (for class 3 planes it's the minimum time + 20 minutes for example; for all models of that class).
- Added a basic departure time overlapping checker; each dep to same destination must be at least 1 hr apart (regardless of the demand that could allow lower intervals).
- Schedules are now partly created in the order of potential demand. So first those with none or minimal competition, then moving on to routes with more existing supply. However this applies only to the first aircraft, the 2nd/3rd plane are filled with potential routes on random order.
- The system can still (by random) create multiple schedules to the same destination, given that there is enough free demand potential. In the case of competition and no available free routes, it will also enter competed routes (up to certain limits).
- System now inserts default turnaround settings to the airline's settings.
- System also assigns now a/c registration numbers, and insert that default setting into settings page.
Testing possibility is expanded to all game worlds, and public implementation will happen to BW#2 first soon.
edit: BW#2 update is live. Other games still pending. https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,58865.msg345801.html#msg345801
Feedback to this thread is welcome still.
OK opened 1 in gw4 and 3. Am going to stick with gw3 for a bit to see if it can be made profitable. Strange choice of starting city. ACE. Also scheduled a flight to MAN leaving at 130am, not ideal, but will see what it does.
Like idea of quick start, may need put disclaimer that this is for newbies to get started and going to learn, not to build a world beater.
Ok got this message,
Noise regulation violation notification
Some countries or areas have implemented new noise regulation rules. Some of your aircraft do not comply with these rules and routes flown by these aircraft cannot be flown anymore.
The following routes are in violation of the regulations:
NS003, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51, EC-AAA, Engines: 2x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15, Noise certification: Chapter 2 certification, required level: Chapter 3 certification
NS005, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51, EC-AAA, Engines: 2x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15, Noise certification: Chapter 2 certification, required level: Chapter 3 certification
NS007, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51, EC-AAA, Engines: 2x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15, Noise certification: Chapter 2 certification, required level: Chapter 3 certification
NS001, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51, EC-AAA, Engines: 2x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15, Noise certification: Chapter 2 certification, required level: Chapter 3 certification
The routes in question have been unscheduled are are not currently flown. Please change them to a different aircraft or if possible upgrade the aircraft to comply with the new regulations.
OK Upgraded acrft 14days 1.9million....tried to reschedule but there was overlap with rte7 and rte 1
- Aircraft wizard now takes into account any active noise regulation rules at your home base.. (not so far any rules that MAY be soon active)
More feedback is appreciated still, as usual.