Ideas for the Quickstart scenario to improve the experience for new players

[RocketHog55]

I'm just getting back into Orbiter after a loooooong time and forgot the controls, so I played the Quickstart scenario to relearn them. Did it, achieved orbit, good to be back. While I was doing the scenario though, I found myself exiting Orbiter to read the next part of the Quickstart scenario text in the launcher, then reenter the Current state scenario. One thing, it would reset to the start of the text, so I had to scroll back down to where I was, which was slightly annoying. This would be better if it didn't reset on exit, but stayed at the last scroll position for easier reading. Also, I just found you can open the help window and click the Scenario button to bring up the current scenario's help text. This would've been even better if I knew this at first, I could've simply referred to the scenario text in-game and do the next part without exiting, reading the text, and relaunching Orbiter.

Two ideas, one, inform the player of the help window (Alt-F1, or the help button on the top menu) and Scenario button to bring up the current scenario's text in game, at the start of the Quickstart scenario in the "First things first" section. Maybe even have the Quickstart scenario automatically bring up the help window with the scenario text displayed, and maybe hide the left column to give the Quickstart text more room in the help window so it is more readable and you don't need to scroll as much. Two, move the Quickstart.scn file to the root of the Scenarios folder so it appears at the top of the window and is the first thing a new player will see.

Also, start the scenario in the external camera view, as the Scenario text says you are in external view, but it actually starts in the 3D cockpit view. And a couple of nits about the text itself, delete the text "Pressing Ctrl ↓ twice will bring up the lower panel with brake and gear controls. For now, switch back to the main panel with Ctrl ↑." as the DG doesn't seem to have a bottom panel anymore and the gear and brake controls are now on the main panel. Also, the text "Orbiter saves the current simulation status in the "(Current status)" scenario" in the "First things first" section should be updated to say "(Current state)".

 

[Eddie C.]

Welcome back!
In the (main) folder, Orbiter 2016, it is a sub-folder named Doc. In it there is a pdf named Orbiter.pdf. This is the sim's manual with lots of info, tips and tricks, useful even for advanced players. It is a good start to refresh the past knowledge. You can put the pdf on a tablet/smartphone, extract some handwritten notes, print needed pages, etc.
As example and in reference to one of your proposals, at section 5 (page 25) in the manual:



Of course, nothing is perfect, parts of the manual are just from the older versions, things can get a bit annoying here and there, but ultimately, in space, even when simulated, it is all about ... discovery.
So, check the available documentation, look around the forum, as many issues and problems can be found solved here, or just ask around when stuck.