I hope the PMDG devs can follow the lead of LotusSim with their newly released L39."Real" landing lights that illuminate the ground and other objects instead of just washing them out. VC raindrops and icing! see this post for more informationhttp://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=256438&st=0Maybe in the NGX? How about it PMDG?

I hope the PMDG devs can follow the lead of LotusSim with their newly released L39."Real" landing lights that illuminate the ground and other objects instead of just washing them out. VC raindrops and icing! see this post for more informationhttp://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=256438&st=0Maybe in the NGX? How about it PMDG?

I understand that your question is valid but underground their is alrady some stirring going on so we should let this one rest. PMDG put smudges on the gauges , thats never been done. What Lotus did with the L39 is a direct result of his years and years of game development and artistic ability. I would not compare the 2 as Lotus has stated that they are not going to be competing in the airline department. The plane was built simply out of passion for the aircraft with no Ultimate goal. Lotus even stated that if it did not take so much time and the economy was in the sinker he would have released the aircraft for free. I would just take this with a grain of salt and enjoy the great products for FSX that seem to keep on comin. I mean if we are this far into FSX and we have the talent and the innovation that has been seen in multiple aircraft by multiple developers it sure makes me anxious for 10 years from now.

It certainly looks like a BIG step above ANYTHING that ANYONE is offering at present. Simply incredible!Edit: whoa!!! Just watched the video and this guy even has the strobe light flashes showing on the ground!!! I'd asked about that before and was told it couldn't be done. Amazing!!! I think I'm gonna have to buy this product and anything from anyone else can wait until next year!!!

In all fairness to PMDG, modelling the systems is a little easier than modelling those of a 737 or 747, MD-11, etc

In all fairness to PMDG, modelling the systems is a little easier than modelling those of a 737 or 747, MD-11, etc

Yes, naturally the PMDG systems are more complex. Im talking about whether PMDG will implement the same type lighting, VC rain and icing. LotusSim have proven it is possible so IMHO PMDG need to do this for the NGX to keep it at the leading edge of FSX aircraft.

If Lotus can do this (icing visuals, VC rain effects, lights flashing on the ground, landing lights on not thru objects) for a military jet with one guy working on the project who is fairly new at this, surely PMDG is capable of including the same features in their products from the J41 onwards...

If Lotus can do this (icing visuals, VC rain effects, lights flashing on the ground, landing lights on not thru objects) for a military jet with one guy working on the project who is fairly new at this, surely PMDG is capable of including the same features in their products from the J41 onwards...

Innovation is good for the community guys. The lotus developer obviously raised the bar in some areas. I am sure that at some point in time PMDG will look at what he is done and attempt the same thing if they feel it can add to the aircraft they are developing. Honestly though, I am more concerned with system modeling and flight dynamic accuracy than I am with raindrops on the canopy. VERY cool features indeed and I am VERY impressed with what he has done, but not the number one priority in my book when I look at 3rd party addons for FSX.

Honestly though, I am more concerned with system modeling and flight dynamic accuracy than I am with raindrops on the canopy.

Correct, L-29 is a completely different craft, fairly simplistic in terms of systems/avionics so any extra eye candy may add to its appeal. Lets not put all aircraft in the same basket, J-41 or even 737NG are in a completely different league in terms of overall complexity. Not every developer must dance to the same tune.

With a company rapidly growing like PMDG, Why can't we have both ?

Why do you keep comparing both aircraft? Nobody is trying to place one aircraft in some other aircraft

Honestly though, I am more concerned with system modeling and flight dynamic accuracy than I am with raindrops on the canopy. VERY cool features indeed and I am VERY impressed with what he has done, but not the number one priority in my book when I look at 3rd party addons for FSX.

Systems modeling.. well that's a tough one. Even though I'm very demanding when it comes to addon planes, I could not care less if the light test button logic, FMS maintenance page or backup hydraulic pump failure consequence is not 100% accurate if I could trade that for something really bar-raising, useful and adaptive such as the features listed on the mentioned L-39.Let that be my "vote" then :( -Kyle

Honestly though, I am more concerned with system modeling and flight dynamic accuracy than I am with raindrops on the canopy.

The Lotus L-39 was developed mainly to simulate the real L-39 in all possible areas. The flight dynamics were developed through personal experience in the aircraft, and also tested by a real L-39 pilot with many hours in both the real aircraft as well as years of Flight Sim experience. Most all of the systems on the real L-39 have also been recreated in FSX even down to the ram air turbine and working fail switched in the rear cockpit.All aside though, PMDG does do excellent coding work, and no doubt put a lot of heart into their products and it shows. Something I really respect in Flight Sim developers.

...wauw...this is one of the main thing I have been missing in the sim for years... Will PMDG be able to copy this impressive feature ? ... (especially the landing/taxi light)

We've got the icing, I don't know that we'll be able to do lights and stuff though, it's pretty involved... We know how Lotus did it (it's a pretty ingenious technique), but we're in the home stretch of development on the J41, so I'm not sure we'll have time. It involves adding quite a lot of geometry to the model and code to control it.

We've got the icing, I don't know that we'll be able to do lights and stuff though, it's pretty involved...

RyanHaving flipped through the JS4100 manual now, I din't find any mention if the icing effects are only visual, or do they have actually effect on the simulation in form of loss of lift and such?