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Introducing SkyShare - Shared Cockpit Controls for MSFS


Haidro
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Have you ever seen your friends with a new addon and wondered to yourself how it handles? Have you ever wanted to fly with your friends or take control of their aircraft during VFR while they are AFK? 

SkyShare is a shared cockpit controls addon developed for Microsoft Flight Simulator. 

(Update, August 13, 2020: Pricing released -- SkyShare will be available for $12.99 USD)

SkyShare allows you to connect to your partner and take controls of their yoke and throttle. Fly any addon / aircraft! You don't even need Microsoft Flight Simulator installed... just have the SkyShare window up and you're ready to go!

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"How does it work? Can you give us an example?"

Let me give you an example. Bob has MSFS installed and Doug has a laptop with just Windows installed, and a joystick. Doug opens SkyShare Server, plugs in his joystick, and clicks "Connect". Bob opens SkyShare Client + MSFS, and clicks "Connect". Now, Doug has full control over Bob's flight controls. When Bob loads into an aircraft in MSFS, all Doug has to do is move his joystick / throttle and he instantly controls Bob's aircraft. Note - Doug doesn't even have MSFS installed and he is controlling Bob's aircraft! 

"What are the technologies behind it?" 

We use a TCP server to stream your joystick controls over the internet over to your partner's PC, where a client receives the control movements and reflects those movements to MSFS. Our technology has next to zero latency, tested with locations as far as from Canada to Australia, from Canada to United Kingdom, and of course, Canada to the United States. 

"How is this different from <insert remote desktop program name>?" 

SkyShare's TCP server is blazing fast, and this is one of the very few that allow joystick passthrough. I developed this out of frustration that the solutions currently available were all too laggy or the latency was too much, or that they simply didn't support USB devices. Though I am a commercial member of the flight sim community, I am also a simmer, and at the end of the day, all I wanted was to connect to my friend's airplane with my joystick so I could "feel" how that particular type handled. SkyShare's technology allows me to accurately do so, with next to zero latency / lag. We've tested, and it works really really well. I'm excited to show you as soon as our MSFS NDA for videos is lifted (we can only post screenshots). 

"Are there any requirements?"

For the person controlling the aircraft, you only need your joystick plugged into your computer, with just SkyShare installed. You don't even need a copy of MSFS installed on your computer. The only requirement we have is: you must have a form of screensharing tool with your partner so you can see their aircraft, as only 1 person needs MSFS installed (Discord, Skype, Teamviewer, any other screensharing program etc.). We have built a primary flight display in the server window so the partner without the sim installed (who is controlling the aircraft) can see their flight control movements; screensharing is recommended to actually see the big picture. 

"What is supported?"

SkyShare currently only supports joysticks. A big reason is because I don't have a yoke or any hardware throttles, so I can't test and get the values of the axis. However, if you have one and would like to contribute to the project (with perks, of course!), please get in touch with us and we can schedule you a time to work directly with me to get your yoke supported.

Closing Thoughts: 

I hope you enjoy this addon as much as we all have enjoyed making it. Thanks for stopping by Forest Studio; we are humbled by your support for our new startup. 

Sincerely,

Henry + the 5 of us at Forest Studio

 

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Henry C.

CEO & Code Team Lead

Forest Studio Co., a division of Enrych Media Ltd. 

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