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Products Support => GSX Support FSX/P3D => Topic started by: saveriomangione on October 04, 2015, 07:29:51 pm

Title: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: saveriomangione on October 04, 2015, 07:29:51 pm
Hi, I've been experiencing some strange issues with the follow-me car. When it arrives it suddenly changes its direction and then comes back again or simply uses another taxi-way or runway at a very high speed and it is absoulutely impossible to follow owing to the high speeds she runs. I changed the options by reducing its speed at minimum but that issue persists. Any suggestion for me?
Thanks and regards
Saverio
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: jimble on October 05, 2015, 06:12:19 am
Not sure if you would like me to open a different thread, but i am having exactly the same problem as the above poster. The follow me car simply doesn't work any more both default and add on airports.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 05, 2015, 08:39:17 am
The problem doesn't happen and it's not possible the FollowMe would run at such high speed that would be "impossible to follow it", unless you used Time Acceleration, so that's normal.

Some users mistakenly think the Follow Me inverted his direction, because it now checks for your position and, if YOU drive too close to it, it will try to "escape", making a 180 to turn around your plane. This is not obviously a bug, but it's a new feature, and you simply must be sure you are following it from a safer distance.

If you think this wasn't the case, and you were well behind it when it happened, it's usually a problem of the scenery AFCAD but, in order for us to check it, you must always include ALL the following informations:

- The scenery used. If it's not default, clearly identify the scenery used. It would be best if you could provide such report with a default scenery or an FSDT scenery.

- The airplane used.

- Your approximate position when you called the Follow Me

- Your chosen destination

- Your approximate position when the problem happened
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: jimble on October 05, 2015, 09:35:32 pm
Thanks for your reply.
  It doesn't really make sense for the follow me car to turn around and then drive at the plane that is too close to it, surely it would simply speed up in a forward direction. Also, it doesn't explain why it drives olf at high speed and disappears. You simply can't follow it. It occurs at any airport, add on or default. The follow me car was working fine before, so it must be one of the updates.
   Regards.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 06, 2015, 02:05:38 am
It doesn't really make sense for the follow me car to turn around and then drive at the plane that is too close to it, surely it would simply speed up in a forward direction.

Since the Follow me cannot obviously compete in speed with your airplane, it doesn't make any sense if it tried, so the one and only solution that will always work, is the one we use now, which is turning around you when you get too close to it.

The program is not so dumb to consider "just" your distance. It takes into account your speed and acceleration, to estimate if you will end up crashing into it, in the next few seconds. So it's not just the distance, it's also how constant and smooth is your acceleration.

Sorry, but I just completed a PERFECT Follow me with the (heavy) PMDG 777, not even using a joystick/pedals (just with the keyboard), and there are no problems whatsoever following it.

Quote
Also, it doesn't explain why it drives off at high speed and disappears.

What you call "high speed", it's the normal speed for the car. The speed when the you are following it, it's slower and you can slow it down with the GSX preferences, because it's the only one that matters to you.

Quote
You simply can't follow it.

You are NOT supposed to Follow it during its escape route, and it will eventually disappear, because its service is considered to be terminated.

Quote
The follow me car was working fine before, so it must be one of the updates.

The Follow me car is working correctly now, it's you that are following too closely, and are triggering the escape routine.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: jimble on October 06, 2015, 06:30:36 am
Ok i'll work on it. Thanks for your help.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: Raphael on October 12, 2015, 07:30:17 am
Im having the same issue (P3DV3)...

The Follow me car arrives, makes the normal turn to continue in aircraft direction, attemps to accelerate  BUT..... then stops completely in front of the aircraft, then turns 180 degrees towards the aircraft, and in general i would say that goes crazy driving in wrong direction i would say, its pretty obvious there is something wrong  :D

At the end, the service is terminated for "Safety Reasons" or because i just revoke the services.....   

Sometimes happen when using sceneries like Latin VFR, but i have also tested in FSDT sceneries, and, not sure if happening in all of them, but ive been flying from/to FSDT sceneries and i noticed that GSX Follow me car is not a guidance i can really trust...

Tomorrow i will test more in deep specifically in FSDT sceneries and let you know...

Hope this can help....  8)

Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 12, 2015, 08:39:09 am
The Follow me car arrives, makes the normal turn to continue in aircraft direction, attemps to accelerate  BUT..... then stops completely in front of the aircraft, then turns 180 degrees towards the aircraft, and in general i would say that goes crazy driving in wrong direction i would say, its pretty obvious there is something wrong  :D

At the end, the service is terminated for "Safety Reasons" or because i just revoke the services.....   

The appearance message saying the service terminated for safety reason, clearly indicates the problem was you were driving too close and/or accelerating too fast, so the program estimated you would risk crashing into it in a short time.

As I've said, the program is not so dumb to consider "just" your distance. It takes into account your speed and acceleration, to estimate if you will end up crashing into it, in the next few seconds. So it's not just the distance, it's also how constant and smooth is your acceleration.

Just follow the car from a little bit further away, and it will never abort the service.

And, as I've said too (but nobody seems to be able to come up with the requested information so far ), it you still think this wasn't the case, and you were well behind it when it happened, it's usually a problem of the scenery AFCAD but, in order for us to check it, you must always include ALL the following informations:

- The scenery used. If it's not default, clearly identify the scenery used. It would be best if you could provide such report with a default scenery or an FSDT scenery.

- The airplane used.

- Your approximate position when you called the Follow Me

- Your chosen destination

- Your approximate position when the problem happened
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: Raphael on October 12, 2015, 08:47:38 pm
Hello,

Sorry to bother about this problem.  I´ve been GSX user from long time ago, since FSX, bought all your sceneries(Almost all) and i have never seen this behavior before.   I think its something to consider...  

Okay, ive made some test, and here the problem and some images:

- The scenery used: LATIN VFR KMIA (Still not P3D fully compatible - Used migration)
- The airplane used: PMDG 772
- Your approximate position when you called the Follow Me:  Arriving from RW08R in direction to Terminal D(Parallel to RW08R(Very near i would say).    I made sure to wait the FM car completelly stopped.
- Your approximate position when the problem happened:   Same position vacating RW, completelly stopped.   I made sure not to accelerate too mutch(Below 10 knots in this case), and let the FM go ahead...
- Images:

http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800961.jpg (http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800961.jpg)
http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800972.jpg (http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800972.jpg)
http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800983.jpg (http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800983.jpg)


Another test:

- The scenery used: FSDT KJFK Last update of course... P3D V3
- The airplane used: PMDG 772
- Your approximate position when you called the Follow Me:  Arriving from RW31R in direction to AA Terminal.  I made sure to wait the FM car completelly stopped.
- Your approximate position when the problem happened:   Same position vacating RW, completelly stopped.   I made sure not to accelerate too mutch(Below 9 knots in this case), and let the FM go ahead...
- Images:

http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800994.jpg (http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800994.jpg)
http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94801005.jpg (http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94801005.jpg)
http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94801026.jpg (http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94801026.jpg)
http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94801037.jpg (http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94801037.jpg)
http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800958.jpg (http://www.subirimagenes.com/imagedata.php?url=http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/94800958.jpg)
 :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D

Ive been testing other sceneries as well during my P3D V3 discovery, and its the same...   i dont really trust the FM car....

If there is something i can try, please let me know....  As i said, ive been using the GSX from the very begining, and i havent ever seen this behavior, feels like buggy thing around....


OTHER PROBLEM I HAVE:    pushing car is not working sometimes (Happened at KMIA-LTVFR, FSDT KIAH, FSDT KLAX).   I got to say it worked at FJFK and PHNL, but happen while i perform my PMDG B772 flights, not exactly testing GSX, if push car is not working, i just ignored it and continue manually.   So far im testing my PMDG B772/3 on my P3D V3.   So its something ive noticed...

Thanks in advance,
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 13, 2015, 11:41:53 am
- The scenery used: LATIN VFR KMIA (Still not P3D fully compatible - Used migration)

We'll just skip this.

Quote
Another test:

- The scenery used: FSDT KJFK Last update of course... P3D V3
- The airplane used: PMDG 772
- Your approximate position when you called the Follow Me:  Arriving from RW31R in direction to AA Terminal.  I made sure to wait the FM car completely stopped.
- Your approximate position when the problem happened:   Same position vacating RW, completely stopped.   I made sure not to accelerate too much(Below 9 knots in this case), and let the FM go ahead...
Quote

By saying "I made sure not to accelerate too much (Below 9 knots in this case)", it seems you are maybe confusing speed with acceleration.  As I've said, your speed is not really relevant, only acceleration is.

If the Follow Me is driving at 15 knots and you are driving at 15 knots or less, there are no problems, unless you were ALREADY too close to the follow me.

If, instead, the follow me is driving at, for example, 9 knots, and you are driving at 4 knots, but your are accelerating in a way that YOU WILL BE over the Follow Me in the next seconds (GSX cannot obviously foresee if you will brake and/or how fast you and your airplane will be able to brake), the situation will be considered dangerous, and you will see that message.

So, it's not your speed you must be concerned with, it's the smoothness of your acceleration.

And of course, the closer you are to the follow me car, the easier is to get into trouble. If you follow it from a bit behind, it would be more difficult to trigger what is considered to be dangerous, and you'll be free to accelerate faster.

From all your screenshot, you are fairly CLOSE to the Follow me. As I've said, try to follow it from a bit farther.

Of course, we can always tweak GSX and lower the "level of difficulty", if you find this is too difficult. As I've said, I tried it, and I managed to follow it PERFECTLY, with the 777, and I don't even have a joystick or a throttle...
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: Raphael on October 13, 2015, 04:44:06 pm
Thanks for reply,


Same behavior at PHNL, yesterday i tested it, i have the pictures, its the same....   Is not that im following it to close, its not that i arrived to the FM at high speed(In fact i stop the AC), its not that my speed is to high (18 FM vs 10-12 my AC)....   

This is not normal at all.  ???   

No matter how hard i try(And i know this is not that complicated because my lived experience with GSX in the past),  the car goes crazy...  :-[


Gee
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 13, 2015, 04:49:05 pm
Is not that im following it to close, its not that

You were too close in the screenshot you posted.

Quote
i arrived to the FM at high speed(In fact i stop the AC), its not that my speed is to high (18 FM vs 10-12 my AC).... 

Again, the speed doesn't matter. Only the acceleration.

Quote
No matter how hard i try(And i know this is not that complicated because my lived experience with GSX in the past),  the car goes

The previous version didn't had this feature so, it's normal it would accept anything you did.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: bobsk8 on October 14, 2015, 02:10:58 pm
These things happen to me on about 1/2 the flights in P3D. Ther Follow me car, will meet the aircraft, and start to head for the ramp. At some point it will stop. I stop, a good distance behind the car, and wait, and it will not move. Finally I slowly creep up to the car, and as I get closer, it starts to roll forward, then makes a sharp turn in one direction, then reverses and goes the other way, and then goes behind me and disappears. It usually heads in a direction away from the assigned ramp.  This happens at different airports, like KBOS, KATL, KDCA, etc, all default airports, no payware airports at all. This started happening with the latest update. I have just learned to find the ramp where the GSX crew is waiting, by myself in those cases. Other people on Facebook have reported the exact same behavior. I also started a thread weeks ago about the same issue, sent in a BGL of one of the problem airports with a detailed description, and never got any feedback.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 14, 2015, 02:37:34 pm
This happens at different airports, like KBOS, KATL, KDCA, etc, all default airports, no payware airports at all.

Quote
also started a thread weeks ago about the same issue, sent in a BGL of one of the problem airports with a detailed description, and never got any feedback.

You said you use default airports, but you sent an AFCAD for MyTraffic. If the MyTraffic AFCAD is used, the airport is not default anymore. GSX takes its information ONLY from the AFCAD so, regardless if the visual scenery is default, when the AFCAD is not default, the scenery cannot be considered default anymore.

In any case, you have sent only the AFCAD, with none of the requested informations:

 -Your approximate position when you called the Follow Me

- Your approximate position when the problem happened

Do not send anything else. Just a reply to these two questions.  Since you sent the file by email, I expect to get the information related to it by email too.

And, it would be useful if you could indicate a reproducible step (with ALL the requested informations), on a default scenery using a default AFCAD.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: bobsk8 on October 14, 2015, 05:38:33 pm
The main issue, and I don't know how to stress this enough, is that this never ever happened before the latest update.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 14, 2015, 06:45:16 pm
The main issue, and I don't know how to stress this enough, is that this never ever happened before the latest update.

I don't understand why you keep repeating this: OF COURSE it never happened (and no, it hasn't even happened with the "latest" update, because the latest update didn't had anything to do with the Follow Me, maybe you mean the Couatl 3 update ?), the previous version didn't had this FEATURE (it's not a bug!!!) that correctly checks for an upcoming possible crash into the Follow me so it's obvious you never saw that message, since it wasn't even there to begin with.

So, again, as I've said in my previous message, it would be more useful if you provided me with a reply to my two questions. And possibly, a reproducible case on a *default* scenery using a *default* AFCAD.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: saveriomangione on October 14, 2015, 07:56:46 pm
Both users and developers keep on stressing their own reasons .... But my question to the developer is: if so many people are reporting this strange behavior why not thoroughly considering their reasons? I've been trying to understand your replies to all users' concern since this thread was started but the main issue is that that car is still behaving strangely. Before this issue appeared i followed that car from close distance, far distance, accelerating and decelerating but it always drove me to my final parking area. Now this is not happening anymore and it's sad news becouse I do really appreciate your adds-on. Would it be possible to make it less realistic but at least more reliable? Thanks
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: bobsk8 on October 14, 2015, 09:14:43 pm
Both users and developers keep on stressing their own reasons .... But my question to the developer is: if so many people are reporting this strange behavior why not thoroughly considering their reasons? I've been trying to understand your replies to all users' concern since this thread was started but the main issue is that that car is still behaving strangely. Before this issue appeared i followed that car from close distance, far distance, accelerating and decelerating but it always drove me to my final parking area. Now this is not happening anymore and it's sad news becouse I do really appreciate your adds-on. Would it be possible to make it less realistic but at least more reliable? Thanks

I just realized that I have the original installer that I got before this update. I think I will uninstall the update version, install the original version, and these problems that look as if the follow me driver has consumed a few bottles of wine while waiting for aircraft to land, should disappear.  ;) 
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 14, 2015, 10:51:47 pm
But my question to the developer is: if so many people are reporting this strange behavior why not thoroughly considering their reasons?

So far, nobody has produced any evidence the behavior is not as designed.

With "evidence", I mean:

- A reproducible case of something that looks like a problem, on a default scenery using a default AFCAD

- The approximate position when the Follow Me was called

- The approximate position when the problem happened

Nobody so far has been able to provide this informations, which makes for us very difficult to verify if there's really a problem with the program, or it's just not following the car correctly.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 14, 2015, 10:55:14 pm
I just realized that I have the original installer that I got before this update. I think I will uninstall the update version, install the original version, and these problems that look as if the follow me driver has consumed a few bottles of wine while waiting for aircraft to land, should disappear.  ;) 

Wrong. Because if you do this, IF there is a problem, there wouldn't be any chance to get it fixed. Assuming there is one. Which is what I'm trying to assess, but I can't, if you don't supply all the information I asked:

A reproducible case of something that looks like a problem, on a default scenery using a default AFCAD, indicating the approximate position when the Follow Me was called and the approximate position when the problem happened.

The file you sent by email wasn't default, and your email didn't contained any description of the problem any way so, even if I tried to use it, I wouldn't know where to start reproducing what you did.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 14, 2015, 11:46:26 pm
And besides, do you know you can DISABLE the "Flee" function ? This option was there since the August 17th Live Update, see the Live Update release notes:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/couatl_liveupdate_notes.html

Quote
The FollowMe "flee" function can be disabled by setting the followme_disable_flee = 1 line in the [GSX] section of the %APPDATA%\Virtuali\Couatladdons.ini

And it was discussed on the forum too, here:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,12316.0.html
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: bobsk8 on October 15, 2015, 03:19:45 pm
And besides, do you know you can DISABLE the "Flee" function ? This option was there since the August 17th Live Update, see the Live Update release notes:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/couatl_liveupdate_notes.html

Quote
The FollowMe "flee" function can be disabled by setting the followme_disable_flee = 1 line in the [GSX] section of the %APPDATA%\Virtuali\Couatladdons.ini

And it was discussed on the forum too, here:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,12316.0.html

I read the entire thread about disabling the flee function. Apparently, according to the thread,  it only works when you get the message about an unsafe condition, which I never have gotten. I inserted the line in there anyway, but don't have much hope that it will solve the problem that I and other users have been having since the last update. The next time it happens, I will record all the details and send you an email. I have gotten to the point now, that when I land, if the ramp is fairly close to where I am, I don't even bother with the follow me car, I just taxi there myself.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 15, 2015, 03:55:41 pm
I read the entire thread about disabling the flee function. Apparently, according to the thread,  it only works when you get the message about an unsafe condition, which I never have gotten.

You are not the only one that posted here. And several users that posted here said they HAD the message about the Follow Me aborted for safety reasons. One of them even posted a screenshot with the message.

So, to the benefit of others, I included the reminder about the ability to disable that feature.

If you haven't got any message, it's the other case of evasive maneuvers , the one when you simply get too close to the car. This cannot be disabled, because it doesn't interrupt the service.

But of course, if you think you are not in either of the two cases, we can check with the information you said you are going to provide.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: saveriomangione on October 16, 2015, 09:50:56 pm
Well, I finally made it!!!  :) I've just landed in Instambul and the follow me car took me safe and sound to my parking area ... As I was used to be doing before all this mess ... Now it seems to be working again ... Any adjustment to the programme? I hope it's fixed now.  :)
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 17, 2015, 03:13:10 pm
it seems to be working again ... Any adjustment to the programme? I hope it's fixed now.  :)

We haven't changed anything to the FollowMe, you just followed it better now.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: bobsk8 on October 19, 2015, 03:16:18 am
Well what I have discovered, is that the follow me car, seems to frequently stop, usually where the taxi lines go in different directions. I then very slowly go closer while it is stopped, until it starts to move again. I think I am much too close to the car at this point, but if I creep up at a couple of miles per hour,  eventually it starts moving again and then eventually accelerates to normal speed. So far , in doing this, it has led me to the ramp each time.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: Raphael on October 20, 2015, 09:48:48 pm
Well,


Im starting to fly again and lest test it, i heard about another update and read some users with positive feedback. 

Virtuali, when you said i was too close, remember im waiting the car stopped and as soon as i push the throtles to advance, the vehicle stops and goes crazy, some tomes it does, sometimes it doesnt.   I can not control how close the FM Car arrives to my position, and neiter the strange behavior when it returns 180 degrees and goes back even when my arcft is barely moving...   This happens as soon as it arrives, i have no chance to leave it go forward ahead.....   

Anyway, as adviced, i will try waiting for a longer distance before throtle up to follow the car and see what happens(Of course, if the FM Car doesnt stop in front of me right away).         Will try some things after the new update and let you know...


Thanks...
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: bobsk8 on October 22, 2015, 03:41:31 pm
Well,


Im starting to fly again and lest test it, i heard about another update and read some users with positive feedback. 

Virtuali, when you said i was too close, remember im waiting the car stopped and as soon as i push the throtles to advance, the vehicle stops and goes crazy, some tomes it does, sometimes it doesnt.   I can not control how close the FM Car arrives to my position, and neiter the strange behavior when it returns 180 degrees and goes back even when my arcft is barely moving...   This happens as soon as it arrives, i have no chance to leave it go forward ahead.....   

Anyway, as adviced, i will try waiting for a longer distance before throtle up to follow the car and see what happens(Of course, if the FM Car doesnt stop in front of me right away).         Will try some things after the new update and let you know...


Thanks...

Sometimes when the follow me car pulls up to my Q400 which is a small aircraft, it stops about 30 feet away, then just sits there until I start to move towards it. The trick is to move maybe a foot or two and see if the car moves, before going further. Very small movements of throttle and dragging the brakes seems to work, until the follow me car gets up to speed.
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: bobsk8 on October 23, 2015, 11:27:30 pm
Update on the follow me car issue. Since I have been using my new method, I have zero problems with the follow me car.

1. When the car pulls up to your aircraft, it may be very close, as it makes a you turn to lead you, and then it will stop. It is waiting for your aircraft to start moving toward it before it begins it's trip to the ramp. When you start your aircraft, go very , very slowly until the follow me car starts rolling. If it slows town at a turn or intersection, make sure you slow way down too, so you don't run too close to it. As long as you keep your distance, once the car is rolling, it will lead you to the ramp each and every time.    :)
Title: Re: GSX Ground Services - Follow-me car
Post by: virtuali on October 24, 2015, 11:33:53 am
As long as you keep your distance, once the car is rolling, it will lead you to the ramp each and every time. 

Thank you for the report.