Hi,i've recently purchased new Piper from Carenado but i'm having very irritating problem - VC in Archer is very dark compared to other views ( such as spot view or 2D panel ). I've e-mailed Carenado's support and i have recived answer that this dark VC is the problem of my video card ( GF4 TI4200 on 30.82 ) and my monitor... <- i don't think so becouse in other FSDS planes ( such as freeware Zlin 142 from M. Lisner ) there is no dark VC. Also my friends who also purchased Archer reported VC as dark. I've included some screenshots to compare Archer and Zlin - diffrence is clearly seen. So i've question to you :Archer is using windows textures - is there is some way of editing this bmp to have bright VC ? texture is named windows2.bmp ( over 5 mb in size ) 1024x1024 , have alpha channel and 11 mip-mapsregardsEricson

Where's that 'clear' difference between the Archer and the Zlin?The VC is markedly darker in both of them.

I see what you're talking about in the second shot, but I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for Carenado to fix it. Their "video card" answer is bogus....Many aircraft designs simulate the "window" between the cockpit and the outside world by shading it. That's what I see in the screenshots you show. I hate this myself. From the inside looking out, it just does not look real. From the outside, it does add a sense of "presence" to the windows... What I think happens is that designers simply clone the part to include in the VC without thought. If it were a real aircraft and a real lightly tinted window, it wouldn't be an issue. But the effect just doesn't work right in FS 2k2....Another aircraft where you can see this is the freeware GForce 150H....-John

I know this probably isn't it, but it has happened before: Is the panel light on?

nope - turning panel light or other lights doesn't change anything... :-(

Eryk:To prove or disprove what I discuss, when in VC mode, shift/enter and shift/backspace will move you forward and backward in the V/C (I believe shift/enter is for moving forward). Try it in the V/C. As you move forward and "slide" through the windshield, the view should brighten. It's a good way of knowing whether it's an aircraft part like a windshield, vs. the suspect bogus answer you were given about your video card....

>As you move forward and >"slide" through the windshield, the view should brighten. >It's a good way of knowing whether it's an aircraft part >like a windshield, vs. the suspect bogus answer you were >given about your video card.... yep - i've slided through the windshiled and... the cowling was white not grey - it is aircraft part as you said...regardsEricson

hi,i 've menaged to get VC less dark - you can see this on screen attched. if you are interested in new VC bmp just e-mail me and i will send you it...regardsEricson

Turn your lighting effects up...