[ATC] - Add toggle for planes to automatically perform takeoff

World of Airports Gameplay Suggestions
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  • UI – for user interface suggestions
  • ATC – for aircraft control and movement features
  • Economy – for changes to income, payouts, or cost structures
  • Cargo – for anything related to cargo operations
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:bullseye: What is your suggestion?
Add a toggle in the settings menu to allow for planes to automatically take off, like it was already the case in previous versions.

:hammer_and_wrench: How would it work in the game?
If the new setting is turned on you can tell planes to line up and instead of having to give a separate „take off“ command they will automatically start as soon as the runway is clear, just like it was before the last major update. The feature should be relatively easy to implement, as it was already part of the game in earlier versions and all necessary „checks“ (e.g. runway clearance) are already in the game.

:balance_scale: Why is this a good idea?
It would give more options to fit the gameplay to the player. There are players that prefer the new addition of the additional step, as it obviously adds realism to the ATC part of the game. Other players, however may prefer a more „simple“ approach to the ATC or might feel like this extra step can interrupt the flow of handling planes as more micro managing for small tasks is needed.

:camera_with_flash: Optional: Image or reference

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IMG_47402532×1170 168 KB

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Hi SabNik3001.

If the [Automatic Takeoff] or [Automatic allow takeoff] toggle button were to be introduced, this means it would further reduce human interaction?

Adding auto takeoff would remove that last step of direct interaction. In practice, this would push gameplay even more toward passive supervision rather than active airport control.

From a design point of view, this raises a question about what “Tower” function is meant to be. If it is intended to simulate airport management where the player still has an active role as a controller or supervisor, then removing more interaction may slowly shift the experience from “managing an airport” to “watching the airport run itself.”

In my own understanding, the concern is not about functionality, but about how much player involvement is intended in the departure process.

Related Forum/s:
[ATC] - Take off clearance when runway clear
[ATC] - Rolling Takeoff

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Hey AeroLink!

Thanks for your comment regarding my suggestion. I do have to say that yes, you are obviously right in the sense that, if the feature is enabled the game would become much more passive. That’s why I think making this feature optional and up to the players choice is extremely important. I know many in this community love the ATC part and are a fan of the included extra step.

I personally am of different opinion. For me the most enjoyable part of WoA has always been the levelling up of airports and building up fleets of my own planes and tinkering to get the best contracts. For me the ATC part often felt like a feature that was aimed less at my interests as a player - again, I know many love the ATC simulation and that I may even be in a minority here, but I just have different preferences and views for what I like in WoA, I guess.

In my opinion WoA is a game with a very broad appeal for many different kinds of people with an interest in aviation. As the managing part of the actual airport and airlines is much more up my alley, I find myself quite annoyed at having to wait to take the extra step of telling my planes to take off, as I don’t really gain any fun from it. The time I spend waiting for the plane to line up I would much prefer to spend designing a new livery, or think about what gates to upgrade next.

So, in the end what I want to achieve with this change is not to let anyone feel bad, excluded or like they play the game „in a wrong way“ - I want to make the game more approachable for a more diverse set of players who might have other interests than ATC.

I hope this message is understandable, as English isn’t my first language. Thank you for reading this far and I hope you have a good day :slight_smile:

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I appreciate the response and enjoyed reading your perspective.

For me, commenting is about sharing my understanding and reasoning while also staying open to new perspectives.

I can see how the ATC part might feel like an extra step if your focus is more on the management and progression side of the game. It makes sense that you’d want to spend more time on the parts you enjoy most.

I also appreciate that you’re not trying to take anything away from other players, but instead make the game more accessible for different playstyles. That’s a fair point.

And your English is perfectly clear, no worries at all. I understand where you’re coming from now :slightly_smiling_face: