Multiplayer – Multiple shared worlds? Aircraft conflicts?

The official multiplayer video shows this for the Multiplayer mode descriptions:

 

Live Players

"Other players will be visible if they have also set their Multiplayer settings to Live Players and they share the same Air Traffic settings"

 

There are three Air Traffic settings (non-player air traffic):

 

1.       Live (assume this is based on FlightAware data)

2.       AI (assume this is based on some generic flight plan data ie. an “offline mode”)

3.       Off

 

Hence the Live Players mode description implies three “shared worlds” for Live Players:

 

1.       Live Players with Air Traffic setting: Live

2.       Live Players with Air Traffic setting: AI

3.       Live Players with Air Traffic setting: Off

 

All Players

"All players will be visible regardless of their settings unless they have set Multiplayer to Group Only"

 

The above descriptions for the Live Players and All Players modes imply two things:

 

1. Live Players do not see All Players

 

2. All Players do see Live Players

 

If this is correct, this implies some significant aircraft collisions/conflicts for the All Players mode.

 

For example, if I’m using the All Players mode, then Live Players, who cannot see both me and other All Players, may:

 

- Taxi through my aircraft and other All Players aircraft

- Park at the same gate/ramp as me/other All Players

- Line up on the runway when I or other All Players are on late final etc

 

If this is the case, what are possible solutions?

 

1. Us serious simmers to just use Live Players mode? Seems plausible however that mode requires real-time. There will be many occasions when real-time is not desirable if, for example, where you want to fly is currently night time and you want to do a day time flight (to see the amazing scenery) (or vice versa) or want to fly at dawn/dusk (to see the amazing lighting).

 

2. Not use multiplayer? Again possible, but miss out on a major new feature.

 

Additionally, while using All Players mode, further air conflict/collisions are implied, for example:

I’m using All Players mode with non-player Air Traffic on either the Live or AI setting. I’m seeing Live Players and other All Players who may have a different Air Traffic setting than me and therefore they do not see the Air Traffic that I am seeing. Hence they may park/taxi/line-up etc through the Air Traffic that I see.

 

Additionally, in the All Players mode, how will the built-in ATC handle all of this in regards to traffic separation (ground, tower, approach etc)?

 

1.       Live Players who can’t see the All Players

2.       Live Players and other All Players who can have 3 different Air Traffic settings

 

If the above understandings are correct, perhaps one thing that might partially help is if the All Players mode only see other All Players and do not see Live Players?

 

Interesting to think about the practical functioning of multiplayer.