• Would someone be kind and make a chart of some sort. It take me three or 4 tries to see a side view of my plane and when I want to sit in the pilots set all manage to do is be in the back. I know that a set # of views it linked to a category. That is where I get lost. Even a list of what view is under what category and how to tell the different categorys would help.

  • The Category and Views is confusing to me also. I program a key on my Saitek X-52 pro for Category and another key for Next. I can go forward or backwards until the cycle is compete. If I don't see my choice of view, I step to the next category. Sometimes I get lucky and get what I am looking for on the 3rd click.

    You can always use the onscreen icons and learn the code. They do seem to stay in the same location, but the number of views vary with the aircraft selected.

    I may try to make a matrix of the different categories and views, but not tonight.

    Regards,

    Ray

  • My two favorite and most used views are the pilots seat and the outside following view that can be moved. Both of these views respond to the hat switch on my flight stick. Once I step through enough cycles I can end up with one key (the trigger) always going to pilots seat and the pinky key (can't remember the name) going directly to the outside following view that I often change with the hat switch. If only I could remember exactly how to set it up.

    Fortunately, AFS2 remembers your last setting for the next flight so I try hard to avoid selecting too many different views. I also like to look directly down from above so I have 3 additional views that I add for my favorite plane. This code has to be updated every time steam updates the program so it is a copy and paste item for me. The views are specific to each airplane so I only do my one favorite plane.

    Regards,

    Ray

  • Add me here. too. I bound the views to two rocker switches of my Saitek yoke, one for Category and one for View. If I want to change views, I press them alternately as long as I need to find the proper one. Sometimes it's a matter of two switchovers, sometimes it's done in 20 sec, and sometimes I don't succeed at all and have to restart the sim.

    Like Ray, I essentially need two views: Pilot' s seat and following outside, where I only see scenery (plus the top instruments). Unfortunately, these seem to belong to two different Categories, as far as I understand that Categories thingy. A possibility to switch just between the two with one rocker switch would be a blessing.

    Kind regards, Michael

    Intel i7-6700K 4.0 GHz / Asus MAXIMUS VIII RANGER / Kingston 32 GB DDR4 / Samsung SSD M.2 500 GB + Samsung SSD 1 TB + Intel SSD 500 GB (AeroflyFS2) + WD HD 6 TB / EVGA GTX 1080Ti 11 GB / LG 34UM95 3440 x 1440 / HP Reverb / Win 10/64

  • Would you rather press one button to step through all cameras, not just in one category?

    And would you prefer having more clearly defined categories, e.g. first category just inside cockpit (pilot, copilot, jump seat, autopilot, fms, overhead, throttle quadrant, etc.), second just inside cabin (loads of wing and engine views), third one just outside attached to aircraft (gear cams, wing tip to fuselage, stabilizer tip), fourth external cameras that follow aircraft (pan around, fly by, chase views, etc.), fifth category ground cameras (tower view, spotter cameras, walk-around camera, push back truck view)?

    Let me know how you would prefer to find the camera that you like. Maybe assign a button to step through your favorite cameras or something like this?

  • Would you rather press one button to step through all cameras, not just in one category?

    And would you prefer having more clearly defined categories, e.g. first category just inside cockpit (pilot, copilot, jump seat, autopilot, fms, overhead, throttle quadrant, etc.), second just inside cabin (loads of wing and engine views), third one just outside attached to aircraft (gear cams, wing tip to fuselage, stabilizer tip), fourth external cameras that follow aircraft (pan around, fly by, chase views, etc.), fifth category ground cameras (tower view, spotter cameras, walk-around camera, push back truck view)?

    Let me know how you would prefer to find the camera that you like. Maybe assign a button to step through your favorite cameras or something like this?

    That's open to discussion, but one button to go through a few favorite cameras would serve me very well. Not sure what others use, but I don't think there are more than 4 views in regular use. Except special screen shots and such.

    Kind regards, Michael

    Intel i7-6700K 4.0 GHz / Asus MAXIMUS VIII RANGER / Kingston 32 GB DDR4 / Samsung SSD M.2 500 GB + Samsung SSD 1 TB + Intel SSD 500 GB (AeroflyFS2) + WD HD 6 TB / EVGA GTX 1080Ti 11 GB / LG 34UM95 3440 x 1440 / HP Reverb / Win 10/64

  • I'm in VR so I do not think I could set up any buttons. My categories would be inside ( left and right seats outside near under. over left side right side and under behind and under. far view.) I would love just for now to go from right seat to side view and back to right seat with out getting lost. I'm still learning all about the software one area at a time. Might put this on hold and learn how to us the AP system.

  • Jan,

    Isolating the various views so similar views are in the same category makes sense to me. All cockpit views would help keep them straight in my mind. Not mix them up as they are now.

    I basically use 3 views - pilots seat,, following with movable locations, and top down. I would like to have those 3 grouped. The look down view with zoom needs to be permanently added.

    I think my second choice would be to be able to map a view of my choice to a single key, or maybe 2 views to a single key or button, like Michael suggests.

    Although I can select a specific view from the icons, it is not convenient and requires several mouse clicks and takes my attention away from flying. I am either in the pilot’s seat or looking at the plane from outside about 98% of the time. I do like to see the spoilers and gear position, but only briefly.

    Any improvement would be greatly appreciated.

    Regards,

    Ray

  • I think the confusion mainly comes from how the keys cycle through all views AND switch between categories at the same time. I think a lot of people don't realize that:

    1 and 2 cycle back (1) and forth (2) through category 1 (internal views) and BOTH keys can be used to get into that category (when you are in another)

    3 and 4 cycle back (3) and forth (4) through category 2 (follow views) and BOTH keys can be used to get into that category (when you are in another)

    5 and 6 cycle back (5) and forth (6) though category 3 (external views) and BOTH keys can be used to get into that category (when you are in another)


    So people just press a few keys without realizing they are either cycling through one category or changing categories! You can't always clearly see if you cycled to another view or changed a category. So they are in the pilot seat and just press one of those numbered keys and the view changes but... they don't know what they did exactly.

    There are two things that makes all this even more confusing:

    1. Category 1, internal views, also contains external views, though fixed on the plane! Confusing. So it is easy to lose track of what you are doing and where you are.

    2. The view last used in a category is remembered after switching to another category


    3. Switching to another category can be done by pressing either of the two assigned keys: only after pressing one of those keys again you will start to cycle. Due to this it seems the numbers keys have a different function everytime. You would expect key 1 to always show you the pilot view but that isn't the case.

    Example: you are in the pilot seat and you press 2: you will switch to the co-pilot seat (still in the same category). Then you press 3: you have switched to the follow category but you may not know that, also because category 1 also has external views. Now you want to go back to the pilot seat: you would THINK you'd have to press key 1 and you'd be there so you press 1... Odd, now you are in the co-pilot seat again! So you press 2 to go to the pilot view because you have no clue and you get yet another view...! You press 1 again, still no pilot view, so you try 3 (change of category) or 5 (yet another category) and the confusion is complete.

    What you had to do was this: you are in the pilot seat and you press 2: you will switch to the co-pilot seat. Then you press 3: you have switched to the follow category. How to get back to the pilot view? FIRST press either 1 or 2 (it doesn't matter which you pick because both will get you back in the internal category): now you are back in the internal category but still in the copilot seat (because the system remembers the last used view in every category). Since you are in the copilot seat, which is the 2nd view of the category (remember you pressed 2 in the beginning) you now have to press 1 to cycle back to the pilot view.

    The ADVANTAGE of this system is that the last view used in any category is remembered during a session. So if you like the pilot view in category 1, the in front of the plane view in category 2 and the tower view in category 3, then at the start of the flight, when you are in the pilot seat, press 3 (or 4) to go to category 2 and then press 3 (or 4) until you have the view you want (in front of the plane): leave it at that. Then press 5 (or 6) to go to category 3 and then press 5 (or 6) to until you have the view you want (tower). From now on you can switch between your three prefered views by simply pressing 1, 3 and 5 which will have you moving from category to category. Just make sure to not press a key that belongs to the same category or you will be cycling views again.

    LOL I suppose this sounds very complicated but once you get it, it's really quite simple... ;)

    I read some people would like to just have the pilot seat view and the external view that you can move. In that case you don't have to setup anything. When you are in the pilot seat, press 5: this will bring you to the external view and the first one in that category will be the moveable view. To get back to the pilot seat press 1 again. So by pressing only 1 and 5 you can switch between both views (both categories) easily! Just remember that AFTER pressing 1 or 5 you should NOT press that same number again or you will be cycling once more!

    The confusing part again here is that you could also press 6 2 5 1 6 1 5 2 5 1 6 2 and still you'd only be switching these TWO views... because both cycle keys of any category can be used to switch categories... This is why a lot of people don't understand the system because the keys seem to be doing something different everytime. But again, as I said, it's really very simple once you get it. ;)

    Edited 3 times, last by J van E (March 4, 2018 at 2:29 PM).

    • Official Post

    Since we've had a similar discussion earlier, wouldn't it be enough to just cycle through the categories to get to your favorite cameras?

    If we remember what was the last selected camera in each category (even after closing and reopening the sim) and make this consistent across aircraft it could be quite nice I think. Then no additional function to manually save the favorites is needed.

  • Hm, the above post is a bit too complicated... Let me summarize it.

    There are three view categories and all three have two keys assigned to them by default to either cycle through views within a category or to switch to another category.

    Category 1: internal views. Keys: 1 and 2. (Take note: this category also contains external views fixed to the plane!)

    1 cycles back and 2 cycles forth though the view in the category. Both 1 and 2 can be used to get back into this category when you are in another. Take note that when you get back you will see the last used view of that category again.

    Category 2: follow views. Keys: 3 and 4.

    3 cycles back and 4 cycles forth though the view in the category. Both 3 and 4 can be used to get back into this category when you are in another. Take note that when you get back you will see the last used view of that category again.

    Category 3: external views. Keys: 5 and 6.

    5 cycles back and 6 cycles forth though the view in the category. Both 6 and 6 can be used to get back into this category when you are in another. Take note that when you get back you will see the last used view of that category again.

    How to switch views

    Before you want to go to another view remind yourself if it is a view in the same category or if it is a view in another category.

    - if it is a view in the same category, press one of the two keys to cycle back or forth through the views.

    - if it is a view in another category, first press one of the two keys to switch to that other category (you will see the last used view in that category) and then, if needed, press one of the two keys again to cycle back or forth to the view you want.

  • Since we've had a similar discussion earlier, wouldn't it be enough to just cycle through the categories to get to your favorite cameras?

    If we remember what was the last selected camera in each category (even after closing and reopening the sim) and make this consistent across aircraft it could be quite nice I think. Then no additional function to manually save the favorites is needed.

    I think, after typing all I did, ;) that the main source of the confusion is the fact that keys are used both for cycling AND switching. In FSX/P2D you have one key to cycle views (A) and another key to cycle categories (S). You can also use shift to cycle or switch in the other direction.

    So an idea for AFS2 might be (to keep things close to as they are now) to use keys 3, 4 and 5 to switch to the three categories (3=internal, 4=follow and 5= external) and to use 1 and 2 to cycle views (in all categories).

    Example of that new situation: you are in the pilot seat and want the moveable external view, press 5 (=external) and then press 1 or 2 if needed to cycle to the correct view. To get back to the pilot view press 3 (=internal).

    This way none of the keys are used for different options and there won't be anymore confusion. ;)

    You could even create categories for keys 3 up to 0 (eight categories)! As long as you keep 1 and 2 strictly for the cycling within a category there won't be any confusion.

    And btw if you change it like this I would also move the external views that are fixed on the plane (which now are in category 1 internal) to the external category where they belong imho. ;)

    Edited once, last by J van E (March 4, 2018 at 2:58 PM).

    • Official Post

    Yes, I think a lot of people get confused by this. I changed my assignments to 1 and shift+1, 2 and shift+2 etc. which is much more intuitive.


    My suggestion for a future camera system would be like this:

    Don't like the category? press shift+number key. (or assigned button to cycle through categories like circumflex ^ )

    Don't like the view? press number key. (or assigned button to cycle through cameras)

    for example:

    I could press Shift+2 -> last wing view I had.

    Shift+1 -> back to the cockpit, press (e.g.) 1 to get to the pilot camera, 2 for jump seat, three for copilot.

    Shift+4 see the outside.

    This would still work with "next/previous category" and "next/prev. camera" but there would be more categories, and more cameras.

    So for a pop-up in vr we could either do a sort of grid style to directly jump to a view (5 rows for the categories)

    • Official Post

    I don’t think it could be any simpler than the way FSX had F9 for VC and F12 look down. Why can’t someone at IPACS figure that out?

    Ray

    This does not cover all of our cameras. How would you access the cabin wing views or the tower view or the external pan around from this? You quickly run out of buttons if you put each camera onto a single button.