Community

On Orbit => Space Shuttle Mission Simulator (tm) => Topic started by: Conan on March 05, 2011, 01:47:17 AM

Title: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Conan on March 05, 2011, 01:47:17 AM
All I got to say is WOW, I am floored by the view of earth on SSM2. Nice Job!, I got a couple of questions.
1. Will the surrounding area on earth such as Cities be High res too.
2. Will Cities be Clearer for orbit
3. Will SSM2 contain the same missions as it SSM07
3. Will there be a discount offered for previous Owners of SSM07 or and upgrade version.
But any ways I salute you guys to a beautiful job done on this new one, it is a true work of art. Absoulutly amazing.
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Admin on March 05, 2011, 01:54:55 AM
All I got to say is WOW, I am floored by the view of earth on SSM2. Nice Job!, I got a couple of questions.
1. Will the surrounding area on earth such as Cities be High res too.
2. Will Cities be Clearer for orbit
3. Will SSM2 contain the same missions as it SSM07
3. Will there be a discount offered for previous Owners of SSM07 or and upgrade version.
But any ways I salute you guys to a beautiful job done on this new one, it is a true work of art. Absoulutly amazing.

Hey,

Thank you for the warm words!

1. As clear and visible from 80,000' and above.
2. As clear and visible as from 170 nmi and above.
3. Yes and more.
4. Don't think so. Considering the FREE content and significant new features the original SSMS constantly got, I'd say that there was/is enough value for money in the current SSMS already <g>

The Earth you see in the pics is by no means the last word on the subject. Remember, it's still Alpha and still work-in-progress ;)

/Admin
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Pocci on March 05, 2011, 05:54:00 PM
I would be happy to pay the full price as long as it is in the range of the price for SSM2007.
For those that don't want to pay the full price for the new version, they can still use the old version, as it was stated here in the forum several times, that SSM2007 will get new missions as well.

/Armin
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: uri_ba on March 05, 2011, 08:06:21 PM
I would be happy to pay the full price as long as it is in the range of the price for SSM2007.
For those that don't want to pay the full price for the new version, they can still use the old version, as it was stated here in the forum several times, that SSM2007 will get new missions as well.

/Armin

I havn't seen anything regarding new mission on SSM2007. I assume it will have a final Bug Fix patch before EOL. and we would still support it as a community (for a while at lease).

But new missions? I doubt it. it takes a lot of resources to keep two versions maintained and checked.

but we'll have to wait for Admin's response on the matter...
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Admin on March 07, 2011, 03:12:07 AM
Pocci,

The price will definitely NOT be higher than SSMS.

As for new missions after SSMS2 is out, I doubt that too. The Ground Crew will be busy releasing new missions for the NEW version which will include more and better of everything ;)

/Admin
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Ryan on March 07, 2011, 06:03:46 AM
I too have no issue paying for the new version.  I've already set money aside for it as well as the PMDG 737NGX.  These are my two upgrades for my 2011 budget, and in my opinion the "absolute top of the line" in air & space simulation.  Unfortunately there both still on the assembly room floor.   :'(   
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: CapitanPiluso on March 07, 2011, 07:47:22 AM
The price will definitely NOT be higher than SSMS

Another good news !! ;)
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: thammond on March 11, 2011, 11:24:46 PM
I too have no issue paying for the new version.  I've already set money aside for it as well as the PMDG 737NGX.  These are my two upgrades for my 2011 budget, and in my opinion the "absolute top of the line" in air & space simulation.  Unfortunately there both still on the assembly room floor.   :'(   

I wish I could say the same thing here.  I will evaluate the cost vs the new features before deciding if I will purchase the new version or stick with SSMS.  I'm hoping there are enough new features/enhancements for me to justify upgrading.
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Nats on May 09, 2011, 07:05:07 PM
I wish I could say the same thing here.  I will evaluate the cost vs the new features before deciding if I will purchase the new version or stick with SSMS.  I'm hoping there are enough new features/enhancements for me to justify upgrading.

Same here. I have been stuck on the 3rd mission and just got fed up with it after a while. Trying to get the satellite to stop rotating took me absolutely ages of messing around - days in fact. But then when I just couldn't get the shuttle arm connected to it after that I just gave up. I dont know why I couldnt get it connected but then the game doesnt tell you which is a short fall I think - lack of feedback. I sometimes think if a mission is messed up beyond what the game AI is meant to be experiencing - for example here I had rotated the shuttle to see the satellite connector better - there is absolutely no way to continue if the game AI doesnt allow for it. I've played games like that before that have some limitation due to the AI resulting in artificial problems beyond what would be experienced in real life like that, and they become really frustrating real quick.

Anyway it just stopped being fun. Havent been back to the sim since.

So I cant see me getting another game to be honest. All I want to do it have a reasonably enjoyable shuttle simulator to do some interesting stuff with, see earth from high up, construct the ISS and all that. But I think this sim is a bit too serious for its own good, makes things more difficult than they would be in real life.

A good example of this 'making things more difficult than real life' is not using plane labels in a dogfight simulator. Many purists frown on using labels. But in real life your appreciation and 3d definition of your surroundings is far better than anything that could be portrayed on a computer. So using labels actually is a 'cheat' that actually compensates for the limitations of a computer screen and using a joystick hat to turn your pilots head etc.

I definitely think this game would benefit from some 'aids' (I wont say cheats again) like this. But I am sure the developer will frown at this judging from previous posts which is a shame. Anything that expands these kinds of games to a wider community than the die hard space fanatics is a good thing as far as I see it.

Me, I don't expect to have to mess around with these kinds of problems like spending all night trying to connect an arm to a satellite. That isnt a very pleasant occupation for me in my spare time.

Perhaps the new sim will blow me away and I have to get it, but I cant see it from the release images and I cant really think of anything major that could be added to the present sim that isnt there already, other than the above.

I suppose you might ask why not just try another mission if you are stuck? But being the way I am I wanted to go through all the missions in order or not at all. I may perhaps try another mission at some point when the interest kicks in again to press some buttons or try the impossible!

In terms of a new game, though, I would have been far, far more interested in an Apollo sim or even better a new well done space game like Frontier Elite.
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Admin on May 09, 2011, 09:23:59 PM
I wish I could say the same thing here.  I will evaluate the cost vs the new features before deciding if I will purchase the new version or stick with SSMS.  I'm hoping there are enough new features/enhancements for me to justify upgrading.

Same here. I have been stuck on the 3rd mission and just got fed up with it after a while

...<SNIP>...

In terms of a new game, though, I would have been far, far more interested in an Apollo sim or even better a new well done space game like Frontier Elite.

At this end we have already accepted that the game is not for everybody. Fortunately, far more people are successful at finishing all the missions than those who give up early in the process. Our Astronauts Hall of Fame is a proof of that :)

Sorry you're not having as much fun as we do when performing the mission. Hopefully you will find a space game that meets your criteria.

/Admin
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: bjbeard on May 10, 2011, 04:48:03 AM
SSMS is not for sissies!

(Its a joke Nats! Keep your pantyhose on!)

Check out the Ground School board for help in grappling Solar Max. It took me 2 hours to figure it out the first time. I too threw my hands up in disgust, but found the key to doing it there.

I hope that eventually we can get a mission builder for the new version.
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: DenisFerrari on May 10, 2011, 02:38:03 PM
SSMS is exactly a Space Shuttle Mission Simulator... and this is it! It's not a game ... it's a simulator. And unique and marvelous is the simulation level achieved ... and I imagine what is gonna be achieved with incoming SSMS 2!

For any one who want to play ... well go to any multimedia market and buy a game console ;)

SSMS is a whole different thing and - sure - not for all :)

Good speed SSMS !
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Cras on May 10, 2011, 07:57:57 PM
It seems to me the best advice is if you want to play in space, have a look at [a different space sim].  But if you want to FLY in space, operate a machine that feels like a space craft, that is a complex and wonderful machine with various systems from power to life support, the GPC, and not feel fly you are flying a Cessna into the upper atmosphere, then seriously look at SSM.

The strengthy of SSM really is in how it simulates the Shuttle vehicle and all its complexities.  
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Nats on May 11, 2011, 06:45:27 PM
Well I completely understand all that.

But firstly there should be an easy way out for people like me who want to fly the shuttle, take off and land it, operate it accurately as we can, but if we get stuck on a mission to enable a cheat or some other help that will get over that bit. I would say for this kind of simulation its a given. Particularly as I dont happen to agree that this is at all a realistic sim at the moment.

The real astronauts must have a much easier time capturing objects with the arm when they are using a real CCTV link as opposed to relying on a computer rendered image like in this game. I would very much like to see a real payload specialist actually use the payload capturing system in this software successfully I really would. I dont think they would be able to do it in this game at all.

You cannot judge where the end connector is exactly, how close it is to the satellite, whether its slightly off or not. I've tried connecting the Solar Max 6 or seven times and each time the connector seems perfectly aligned. I mean what's the degree of accuracy modelled at in this game - how much leeway does it allow before it fails to connect? 0.2 degrees or something? Its just not realistic. In real life you would capture the satellite far more easily than that and if you are slightly off I am sure it wouldn't matter. Again I wonder how little accuracy in real life is allowed when real astronauts manage to connect to their payloads with the arm.

There should be a difficulty setting that affects this kind of thing. Otherwise you are just losing lots of potential customers for no reason other than stubbornly trying to meet the demands of the couple of purists out there.
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Admin on May 11, 2011, 07:13:10 PM
Nats,

Actually there is quite a bit of leeway, depending on the difficulty level. The leeway cannot be too big because any small degree of angular rotation can translate to significant motion at the RMS end. That will of course force the RMS to "snap" for a grapple (if a serious cheat would be employed) - not too impressive I'd say. Same goes for any grapple or "getting there" detection. There is a limit to the leeway, otherwise the sim becomes a joke, realism-wise.

Saying that "...In real life you would capture the satellite far more easily than that ..." is not really fair - after all, how many real-life satellite captures have YOU performed in real life? Actually we do not simulate the many problems the Astros did have during this capture - IN REAL LIFE - so believe me, you're NOT getting the oily end of the rope. You should also appreciate that in real life, Astros have trained for this mission for many months, while you expect to do all that in a few hours.

As for potentially losing customers, well, as I said, we came to accept that this sim is not for everyone, yetl it is not reserved for "purists" either. We believe that we stroke a good balance between realism, accessibility and playability, and having happy customers ranging from 10-15 y/o to 86, just shows that the sim is accessible.

SSMS is not an arcade game or something simple or casual to play with. It requires attention, patience and perseverance. You need to invest some time to "get it". Not everybody has what it takes - especially patience - and this is not necessarily a bad thing. We accept that too. Actually many positive reviews in the press point this thing out and we have no issue with that.

Again, sorry to see that you are giving up at this point. We surely hope to see you back, giving other missions a try, and then getting back to that "nemessis mission" that each of us must have had while spending time with the sim.

/Admin
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Moonwalker on May 12, 2011, 05:47:32 AM
Personally, I think that the 3D interrior of the ISS alone justifies the upgrade 8) I can't imagine how exciting it will be to dock with the ISS and just float through the adapter and discover the ISS and look through the windows down to the "new" earth (which is another justification for the the upgrade). Can't wait to do that.

The only thing that bothers me is the time we have to wait for that. But I fear it's very worth it ;)
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Admin on May 12, 2011, 04:14:42 PM
Personally, I think that the 3D interrior of the ISS alone justifies the upgrade 8) I can't imagine how exciting it will be to dock with the ISS and just float through the adapter and discover the ISS and look through the windows down to the "new" earth (which is another justification for the the upgrade). Can't wait to do that.

The only thing that bothers me is the time we have to wait for that. But I fear it's very worth it ;)

"Like"

/Admin
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Cras on May 13, 2011, 10:23:09 PM
Yes, being able to enter the ISS is sure going to be a lot of fun.  And to see as it grows through the missions from the small upstart to the massive city in the sky that it has become.

Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Pocci on May 14, 2011, 03:23:41 AM
Nats, if you like we can try to give you the feedback here or with private mail.
You can send me a save of that mission where you have the grapple problem.
Or send screenshots of external view and RMS control panel.

/Armin
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Richard R on May 14, 2011, 07:38:52 AM
Can't Wait for SSM-2. :)


Richard R
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Andysim212 on July 25, 2011, 07:50:48 AM
the best thing im looking forward to is the Higher Res earth textures  ;D  Having something to look at while im doing a mission.  I found the textures in 2007 just a little on the bland side and you struggle to tell what contries you are flying over without looking at the map.  From the pictures I see posted here thats all going to change!!

Great Stuff
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Admin on July 25, 2011, 07:51:13 PM
the best thing im looking forward to is the Higher Res earth textures  ;D  Having something to look at while im doing a mission.  I found the textures in 2007 just a little on the bland side and you struggle to tell what contries you are flying over without looking at the map.  From the pictures I see posted here thats all going to change!!

Great Stuff

If we manage to do everything we plan for SSMS2, Earth resolution will be the least important item among the list of features ;)

/Admin
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: FAAmecanic on July 25, 2011, 09:41:20 PM
Nats, if you like we can try to give you the feedback here or with private mail.
You can send me a save of that mission where you have the grapple problem.
Or send screenshots of external view and RMS control panel.

/Armin

This is one of the things above ALL that keep me comming back for more.  The helpful community we have here!!

I just loaded the 5.30 FP (after I stopped playing over a year ago) and hope the "drifting" problem I had is fixed.  It seemed no matter what I did..the Shuttle would slowly drift up/down or Left/right when trying to do satellite missions.
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: DenisFerrari on July 26, 2011, 01:47:12 AM
the best thing im looking forward to is the Higher Res earth textures  ;D  Having something to look at while im doing a mission.  I found the textures in 2007 just a little on the bland side and you struggle to tell what contries you are flying over without looking at the map.  From the pictures I see posted here thats all going to change!!

Great Stuff

If we manage to do everything we plan for SSMS2, Earth resolution will be the least important item among the list of features ;)

/Admin

That's great Admin!

...in term of %, any news or cue about where SSMS2 project is in this moment ?

;)

Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: vinny002 on July 26, 2011, 04:20:38 AM
Hi, DenisFerrari!

The SSMS 2 is still In Alpha stage yet and don't expect SSMS 2 to be in Beta stage until September 2011. Thanks!

              Cheers,
          Vincent
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: Admin on July 26, 2011, 09:49:14 AM
Sorry Dennis,

Not able to put a % to this.

/Admin
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: DenisFerrari on July 26, 2011, 12:20:24 PM
Roger all Huston!
Title: Re: I am Jacked for SSM2
Post by: simking on August 03, 2011, 09:20:25 AM
I have to agree with some of what Nat said I tried to start from beginning to end and half way through seems like every mission something gets stuck or step won't proceed example solarmax mission finally got it fixed but now the payload doors will not close I manually closed them but I have tried everything to get the mission to go to the next step cannot move forward.
Its frustrating their are 2 more i had to give up on you cannot for one minute tell me that the RMS does not have pre set settings based on the mission instead of fighting 3-5 hours getting it lined up just right it looks perfectly aligned but nothing.it should have pre set settings to make it a little easier
  I agree their should be some way to FORCE the next step if the payload doors got stuck for real would they just say oh well have a nice life? treat it like a malfunction ok i fixed it lets move on,not well mission abort I don't have the time to spend 20 hours on a mission just to have to restart again.

Don't think I am bashing or do not love all the work involved or the sim I was a member when it was a few guys on a small forum and their was a shitty beta test sim as it was called given to a few to DL  (not my words uri's when this was just an idea and a baby project) now its a work of art but those two things always bugged me i look forward to ssm 2 rock on