Feature requests

[mukava]

I wanted to open this thread is for feature requests for VS NG. I am glad Ilan is continuing the development of the maritime aspect. VS has always been the best(and only) ship simulator software that is easily moddable.

For starting my request coming from complexity of MSFS I would like to see more ship functions modelled related to Integrated Bridge Systems(IBS) and Electronic Chart Display and Information System(ECDIS). These systems are the backbone of modern ships.

Nowdays there is a plenty of material over internet how these systems work. For example:
https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle ... anual.pdf (The english bridge manual of ferry Finnfellow starts on page 21)

Users manual for Wärtsilä ECDIS:
http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/stm-s ... rtsila.pdf

Few specific requests from these documents:

• ECDIS is always based on some kind of nautical chart. I would hope that we would get possibility to have moddable S-57/C-Map colors and symbols in VS map overlay.

• The actual heading and bow heading should be show with separate vectors in map overlay.

• The turning radius and speed for each coming autopilot checkpoint should be able to be set by user.

[mukava]

Continuing this thread after watching the black box bridge recording of collision of Costa Concordia. (The collision happens at 5m03s):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csZzD-HfX8E#t=3m42

I have two requests based on the video.

The collision triggers many primary and secondary bridge system alarms very well audible in video. I think it would bring some intensity and consequence to players to have some of these alarms included. Currently there is just a soft shoving sound when ramming rocks regardless of the ship size.

For basic prototypical operation of different alarms I think there should be sound files and reset buttons for:

- General alarm
- Fire alarm

- Ship off course alarm
- Power loss alarm
- Steering gear failure
- Propulsion failure
- Engine room alarm
- Gyro compass failure
- Depth alarm
- Bilge alarm
- Watertight door alarm

Second thing observable from the video on the right side of the screen is that the big ship rudders are not immediately turning to the selected heading as Captain Schettino is trying to make his mind. For this I think there should be customizable delay parameter between the selected helm course and the actual rudder angle.

[mukava]

This time continuing with basic ship handling. I checked the default boat specifications in VS and there is no mention of rotation of the propellers. The rotation direction of the propeller leads to transverse thrust, eg you can turn the ship only by using the engine.

This video demonstrates the effect:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7-tUlxr_no

Second thing I think is not implemented is the bank effect which lead to bizarre grounding of Ever Given on straight section of Suez channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXxF9kMzOk0

[mukava]

Without any real background in maritime affairs I went to look at different radars and found radar manual of Furuno FAR-2807. It seems this kind of radar system is commonly used on many maritime ships.

http://brimrun.is/wp-content/uploads/20 ... 4-8-11.pdf

The system consists of X and S-band transmitter/receivers(because of this there are two rotating radar antenna on typical vessel). X-band is more commonly used and offers better resolution while S-band is used for longer distance detection and seeing through poor weather. It would be cool if we had these two radar systems in VS also.

Currently we have some kind of all seeing mode(could be dubbed as AIS?) in map mode but radar screen lacks any tracking or tracing capability of other vessels. The trace of moving radar targets for example during last 30 seconds would be a nice addition to realism. The real radar has automatical target tracking(TT) feature that tells many useful information of other vessels such as:

CPA: Closest Point of Approach of target to own ship
BCR: Bow crossing range of target
BCT: Bow crossing time of target

Based on many videos and the manual there seems to be the issue of ship structure itself(funnel etc.) giving radar shadow. This usually means that radar visibility to some angles and distances is always poor. Here it would be realistic not to see what is directly behind the astern if the radar mast is located in bow. This would bring some challenge to docking in reverse.

(I cannot answer to any PM's sent to me yet since there is a minimum limit of posts before the possibility to send PM?)

[VesselCap]

Hi all, very good suggestions I want to suggest also one of the most important things of a navigation simulator: Magnetic Declination with True Course and Magnetic Course to bring a very truly realistic navigation experience on the simulator.

[Anthony96]

Add more cruise ships

[Garepilla]

It would be interesting to add red lights in the cabin to navigate at night. In addition, you could add controls for catamarans with waterjets and the effects in the water that they do. Finally, improving the collision of the ship with the port would give more realism when hitting the bumpers.

[axevon]

This time continuing with basic ship handling. I checked the default boat specifications in VS and there is no mention of rotation of the propellers. The rotation direction of the propeller leads to transverse thrust, eg you can turn the ship only by using the engine.

This video demonstrates the effect:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7-tUlxr_no

Second thing I think is not implemented is the bank effect which lead to bizarre grounding of Ever Given on straight section of Suez channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXxF9kMzOk0

Hi Mukava, good ideas! The function for ship to swing on astern actually exist already called "Prop_walk" or something like that.

What i'd really like to see is a rudder handling makeover when going astern, today the ship steers the same on ahead and astern(Like a car), irl a ship is almost impossible to steer with the rudder when making speed astern, the prop walk is almost always dominant over the rudder when going astern. (On single screw ships) In VS, the propwash is not accounted for, only speed through water. On real ships the rudder is mainly affective due to prop wash and very little the speed flow, and because of this the rudder do very little effect when making speed astern, however, if you make say 5 knots astern in a straight line, go full ahead and set rudder hard to starbord the ship will start turn to starboard while still making speed astern (A so called kick) But in VS now the ship will follow the rudder ending up turning the bow to port while making speed astern and then start turn starboard first when the speed is above 0 kts ahead (Like a car). This is my main concern regarding ship handling in VS rn.

Regarding the radar im totally on your side, Furuno X-band FAR-2117 is the most common radar in the world!