I have some thoughts regarding planet textures. Maybe we have to include the default planet textures (from the Orbiter 2016 official zip-archive) into the Orbiter 2024 release in order not to require Orbiter 2016 installation and write a path for the "PlanetTexDir" option in "Orbiter_NG.cfg". Just so that Orbiter users could install/unzip the Orbiter 2024 release and use it "out of the box".
Also, maybe
Minor bodies could be include into the 2024 release. It's only ~261 Mb.
And also, there're some additional modifications for the highy-detailed textures for Mercury, Mars and Titan.
Here and
here. But maybe we can't include these modifications into the 2024 release, since they may be incompatible with the default ones. I think these aspects must be studied in order to make the 2024 installation as easy as possible, namely optimize this all for the 2024 version.
I support that sentiment.
I think it's important to keep in mind that most of the people who we might seek to inspire towards a career in aerospace or aviation through exposure to Orbiter are very unlikely to simultaneously be software engineers, pilots, and physicists. They're also likely to be younger.
Very few people in the younger generation are familiar with the level of file manipulation that Orbiter often requires. They've grown up installing apps. That's unfortunate, but it's a fact. This should not preclude them from experiencing the wonder of flight and space. So, the lower the barrier to entry, the better.
I don't think Orbiter should ever compromise its focus on realism and fidelity within the simulation itself. If that makes it difficult to master, so be it. Space is hard.
KSP, Re-Entry, and others can serve as easier on-ramps to the complexity of Orbiter if someone needs that.
However, it does sometimes feel like we lose sight of the forest through all the trees: It shouldn't be difficult to install and run.
There's an incredibly talented team of people donating their valuable time to work on APIs for cargo, EVAs, new vehicles, new systems, better performance, etc.
These are all incredibly important things, but I think it may be worth devoting a little of that time to the less glamorous task of bringing the installation and management of Orbiter's files and configurations within a reasonable distance of what one would expect from any modern application. Perhaps just a post-install tool like CKAN to automate the discovery, installation, and uninstallation of mods. But ideally an executable installer with selection options for texture packs to install automatically as well.
Right now, I think we can all agree that the installation process is nowhere close to any other modern simulator; even ones that support extensive modding. If we want this community to sustain and grow, I think that should be high on the list of priorities for an update.
