Most Hot Keys do nothing?

[taz.in.bc]

Is it just me? I completed one short voyage with the starter boat (Folkboat) then found myself floating, sails stowed. I tried and tried to select the main halyard to raise the main, but nothing works. Clicking on it doesn't work; and the key allegedly bound to that selection does nothing. I went through all the hotkeys and assigned them (using Record button). Some of them do things (mostly camera changes), but none of the "alpha 1, 2, 3..." series work at all. I set my mode to Advanced (I am a real sailor, as it so happens) thinking perhaps the additional lines are not available in lower level modes, but although I get a "helpful hint" saying that I should raise the main, I can find no way to do so.

I tried the "winch icon" to get the game to set sail correctly, and it said it was "setting main halyard to 100 percent" but again, nothing actually happened! I know this is an early release etc, but it's kind of discouraging when you can't even raise sail :-)


OSX El Capitan 10.11.6

[Graubart]

The Folkeboat has only the main sheet operable. To raise sails you need to "lift anchor" through the menu at the top-center of the window. Just choose one of the first three options.
The other boats have more or all lines operating. There you can use the keyboard shortcuts.

[taz.in.bc]

Well that is a shame, as the Folkboat is a bloody fine boat which deserves better implementation. My own Contessa 32 is a direct descendant of the Folkboat, so I take this rather personally!

But thanks for the hint, I will sadly switch up to a larger boat to get more functional gear... but dear devs pleeeeeze, make the Folkboat fully functional, and provide perhaps a simplified 12 ft dinghy instead as the "starter boat"? One that realistically dumps you in the drink if you abuse it? :-) best way to learn!

Will community-contrib boats be supported one day? It would be grand to have a couple of J's and a Martin or two. Not to mention a few classic old dogs like a WetSnail, a Tahiti ketch, etc. And (boat of my dreams which I will never own) an Annapolis 44 (or any similar Luders)... now that would be sheer wish fulfillment.

[Graubart]

I can fully understand you, as the folkeboat is also one of my favourites. It was implemented as simple start boat, to get used to steering. I'd love to see it improved as well. This boat has a soul ...

[taz.in.bc]

I have stepped up to the 38 ft cruiser which is far more functional -- yippee, really sailing at last -- but alas it is a wheel steered boat (no fun) and so generic. So, yeah, I stand by my request for a Fully Functional Folkboat! So much prettier than the modern fantastic plastic. But if community contrib boats become possible, we will have a huge fleet to choose from in short order, as sailboatdata.com will make it pretty straightforward to specify characteristics...

[Sharkbait AU]

Thing you have to remember with community contrib is that unless everyone downloads it it wont show on their client. You can't go forcing every client to update because mr x wants a new boat.

[taz.in.bc]

Argh, I forgot how MP this sim is. I am just playing it SP for now. Same issue in XPLANE10; if you want your buddy's plane to show up in your world, you have to have a copy of that plane yourself. It's not a big deal for XP10 because the planes are just files, no update of the game engine is required. You can collect as many planes as you want without changing your game engine (well, OK, some planes do work only with certain versions -- but most are not version specific). XP10 MP players have huge fly-ins :-)

[cornus]

Its definitely not as easy as it may be in xplane.

You need a lopoly 3d-boat-model, which has a lot of details and lots of animated, moving and deforming parts. And you need all the according physics. This is not done with a few clicks.

But Im sure the devs "will look at it".

[Graubart]

It is exactly as easy or complicated as in XPlane. If you fly online in XPlane you install a set of very simplistic plane models (reduced to the optical appearance) which just display the other planes in your sim. Exactly the same would be possible with sailaway.
Only for boats you want to enter (either as guest or as captain) you'd need the full physics model. Still, a modding interface is a big step and unlikely to be seen in the near future. There are more important construction areas atm, either.

Anyway, although I'd also love to see a modding interface (boats, scenery, instrumentation, etc) for sailaway, the request made here is to upgrade the Folkeboat a notch or two, not to have a modding mechanism for boats.