Orbiter Live Missions: a new project for the real time Orbiter missions channel

[fausto]

Hi orbinauts.
OLM, the live channel for orbiter real time missions, has been in sleeping mode for a long time. The problem with this project was the limited range of people involved in live transmissions. They were me and Vittorio (robitallie_fan on OF). When I was not able to fly my simulated missions anymore, the channel broadcast was aborted.
It is clear that as long as the channel remains exclusive part of FOI community, it can just die.. Sad to say but this is the truth.
The proposal is to extend the crew of live broadcasters to the international orbiter forum community.
Live broadcast is not so difficult as it seems. I can write a tutorial on how fly live missions at the best. No need to speak or do complicated missions like we did.
The channel works like a forum with an admin and members and few rules. You just have to sign in and fly your mission following some basic rules. I imagine OFSS or other community projects flying live on OLM with orbiter 2016..

This is just an idea to bring OLM to its original concept.. My question is: there are orbinauts interested in this project?

We want OLM live again..

 

[IronRain]

Definitely interested! With the upcoming Orbiter 2016, I think it's great to do this again.
I wouldn't be surprised if we launch another OFSS in the new Orbiter, it would be great to show this real-life!

Will the streaming platform still be the old one (forgot the name)?

 

[fausto]

Definitely interested! With the upcoming Orbiter 2016, I think it's great to do this again.
I wouldn't be surprised if we launch another OFSS in the new Orbiter, it would be great to show this real-life!

Will the streaming platform still be the old one (forgot the name)?

The channel and the platform (livestream) should be the same one. It would be a good idea to mantain it because it's still well knowed in Facebook FOI page and (most important) i know how to handle it.

 

[indy91]

What I would like to see (maybe not so much doing completely by myself) is a full Apollo mission with NASSP. That's something that has been on my mind for quite a while. There is basically always something to do in the spacecraft and not only coasting around 99% of the time. Maybe as a celebration of the upcoming 7.0 release (which in an optimistic estimate happens at a Tuesday near the end of the year) a complete Apollo 8 mission would be fun to stream. I don't know about the logistics of OLM, but if it is somehow possible, people could take turns flying the mission? Otherwise it would be quite a busy week to fly the complete Apollo 8. :lol:

I guess this is a topic I can bring up to the people at the MSC forums, when we are closer to the release. I'm sure there would be some interest in a streamed, real-time Apollo 8 (maybe even 7) mission.

 

[garyw]

O-F Staff Note: Thread locked pending review.

 

[dbeachy1]

O-F Staff Note: Thread re-opened after staff review and cleanup. Let's please stay on-topic and civil.

 

[Face]

I don't know about the logistics of OLM, but if it is somehow possible, people could take turns flying the mission? Otherwise it would be quite a busy week to fly the complete Apollo 8. :lol:

Given that most people are working during the weekdays, I think you won't get many "actors" or even watchers, if you fly the whole mission end-to-end in real time that way. Something like ~7 weekend "episodes" might be better for coverage. But then again I don't know how complete missions have to be or what the "basic rules" are.

Also, what about tutorials or presentations... is that also in the scope of OLM?

 

[fausto]

Ok, I try to explain.. (Sorry for my bad english).

1. Orbiter Live Mission is just a channel name. No problem if you want to create a total new channel with another name. The important thing is to mantain the livestream platform which is the one I tested at Its best performances with Orbiter Simulator. In my opinion we should maintain OLM because some people know it already.. And we can start with an amount of viewers. (Many viewers come from FOI Facebook page with 2800 fans). Obviusly this would not be a FOI channel with FOI exclusive banner anymore but an international project.

2. I think about the following simple roules for broadcasters:t

A) you must set a date and time for your mission and respect it. If you plan a mission for day x and you're not live that day.. Channel admin just bans you.

B) you must have a mission plan and declare it in advance and no random Space travel (no need for realistic vessels. You can take deltaglider and fly to mars in 2 days! This is Orbiter!)

These are the most important rules. But not the last ones. By this way we will gave a sort of "TV program" mentioned by Face. Another important thing is event promotion (Facebook, of, other forums) to gain viewers. This would not be a rule but a very important advice.

3. OMP and OLM could share their purpuses. This is a good idea. A live transmission during multi player simulation is very interesting. Why not?

4. When i said that live broadcasting during Orbiter simulation was simple.. I mean "if you know how to do it". During 2 years of OLM broadcast I found a good way to perform enjoyable live events without serious problems.
I can write a tutorial/manual on how to set and prepare a good and enjoyable live transmission with Orbiter and speakers (they are not mandatory but they are important to entertain viewers during simulation "dead moments".

4. If you want to fly Apollo 8 mission a live broadcast is very different from YouTube videos.. First of all OLM has a live and free chat where viewers can interact with broadcasters and with each other. And most important the mission is live and all maneuvers and Orbiter views are avaiable in real time. The suspence for next mission step.. It is a SHOW for entertainment and not just a video..

5. During our FOI missions we created mission plans and calculated orbits in order to have top events in "prime time" or on free evenings.. We were crazy.. No need for you to do this you can choise top events for Apollo 8 mission (launch, LOI, genesys during earthrise, re entry etc) and plan date and time for each event.. And broadcast it without having the mission live 24/7..

 

[Face]

Ok, I try to explain..

Thanks for the details, this helps to get a clearer picture of what you meant.

1. Orbiter Live Mission is just a channel name. No problem if you want to create a total new channel with another name. The important thing is to mantain the livestream platform which is the one I tested at Its best performances with Orbiter Simulator. In my opinion we should maintain OLM because some people know it already.. And we can start with an amount of viewers. (Many viewers come from FOI Facebook page with 2800 fans). Obviusly this would not be a FOI channel with FOI exclusive banner anymore but an international project.

I can write a tutorial/manual on how to set and prepare a good and enjoyable live transmission with Orbiter and speakers (they are not mandatory but they are important to entertain viewers during simulation "dead moments".

These two things are important prerequisites IMHO. First, if you want to attract potential broadcasters, you have to clearly show why they should prefer your channel over their own. Presenting it as an international platform with an already established audience (n>>1 ) would be a great start. Second, offering material on how starters can join, organize and work through their ideas (aka tutorials) will also increase attraction.
I think nobody else but you (and your crew?) is currently in the position to deliver that work.

A) you must set a date and time for your mission and respect it. If you plan a mission for day x and you're not live that day.. Channel admin just bans you.

Banning them for skipped broadcasts is a bit harsh. There can be all kinds of RL events that can derange the schedule of even the most on-time person. It could well be that potential content providers feel appalled by such rules. I'd suggest to relax that a bit. Or do you mean that the slot occupied by the user will be forcibly reassigned?

3. OMP and OLM could share their purpuses. This is a good idea. A live transmission during multi player simulation is very interesting. Why not?

Yeah, that was on my mind. I was just not sure if that kind of content is welcome. Multiplayer sessions are mostly not simulated missions, and if the OMP team would broadcast, it would be more like a presentation of the system.

4. If you want to fly Apollo 8 mission a live broadcast is very different from YouTube videos.. First of all OLM has a live and free chat where viewers can interact with broadcasters and with each other. And most important the mission is live and all maneuvers and Orbiter views are avaiable in real time. The suspence for next mission step.. It is a SHOW for entertainment and not just a video..

I've thought about another argument against videos here. The storage vs. bandwidth aspect. If you are streaming e.g. the first Apollo HOURS, you don't have to fit all of that into your hard drive as with a video, as it will be produced and consumed with little buffer in between.


In a way, this remembers me of orbiter-radio.com. That service also started off nicely, but as of now it is practically dead IMHO. Perhaps you could contact the people involved there to learn about good and bad things regarding broadcasting services in the Orbiter community?

 

[Lucy]

In a way, this remembers me of orbiter-radio.com. That service also started off nicely, but as of now it is practically dead IMHO. Perhaps you could contact the people involved there to learn about good and bad things regarding broadcasting services in the Orbiter community?

Well, that died mostly with me because of a general lack of available time. When I became a father of more and more children, it became much more difficult to commit to things which benefit greatly from a quiet home. A lack of perceived interest from my side subsequently translated into a general apathy about it, and it kinda faded out.

The service itself actually still operates with autoDJ, and it remains something I would like to pick up, but the situation has not really changed to permit it for me. (Yeah, I know, pity me and my life).

I found that routine and schedules worked for some of the contributors, but put others off who had hoped for a more ad-hoc approach to broadcasting. It is very difficult to obtain commitment from people and you must accept that, in all things, real life has to come first. Also, in my case, I had to think about licencing and the legality of broadcasting music I didn't hold copyright for. I solved this problem by choosing to completely ignore it.

Edit: Also, I moved the domain some time back for reasons of cost, so the active URI is now radio.orbiter-radio.co.uk.

 

[fausto]

User banning is an extreme option to avoid timewasters. We can obviously use a more gentile infraction system. For example after two or three scheduled broadcast missed the user is suspended. I know about real life setbacks.. If broadcaster warns viewers some Hours in advance he gets no infraction.

I knew about Orbiter radio but i have to read the linked thread because i don't know details.

 

[Face]

When I became a father of more and more children, it became much more difficult to commit to things which benefit greatly from a quiet home.

Sounds very familiar .

 

[STS]

Does Orbiter Live Missions run on Livestream or Twitch?

I think it would be interesting and possible to broadcast my group´s broadcasts both on our channel ( https://www.twitch.tv/orbisondas/profile/highlights ) and on yours at the same time, but I need to know in wich service you provide streams.

 

[fausto]

It works on livestream! If you want to broadcast on OLM you have to perform a "broadcast of the broadcast". So you need two devices or two different people..

I didn't know your channel, very similar to OLM! But i can't see anything at the link you posted..

 

[STS]

It works on livestream! If you want to broadcast on OLM you have to perform a "broadcast of the broadcast". So you need two devices or two different people..

I didn't know your channel, very similar to OLM! But i can't see anything at the link you posted..

Yeah, I posted our Highlights section, wich are parts from the past broadcasts we made, so you can see what we did in the past.

Now the channel is offline, because there is anything live.

We can try in some weeks to make a test broadcast on both Livestream and Twitch!

 

[fausto]

Ok we can do some test sometimes. I don't see any problem but the image quality loss.. But this is not pay per view..

I'm gonna write some instructions about best broadcasting in the next week..

 

[fred18]

If I can tell my idea here's what I really dream of:

1) One computer playing the simulation in realtime 24h

2) Datas broadcasted and received to others computers via livestream and via orbconnectweb by Kamaz

3) everybody can access the data screens and check telemetry and positions in realtime

4) a bunch of people designated time by time can also interact through the web pages, as in a real mission control.

Full control team will be required only during very topic moments (for examples launch I guess or moon landing), the rest will require only the relevant controller to act. Thanks to orbconnectweb the control pages will be easy to build for a good php programmer. You'll have the full involvement and an amusing sense of team playing with just one computer running and broadcasting the simulation. In time, with addons designed or modified to work with the system it will become really really close to feel the real mission. And since it will be web based everybody will be able to access control or data even from their smartphones... And if failures or issues will be simulated as well, well you'll have also the thrill.

That's my dream in a drawer about orbiter.