The only time I would ever use the NGX for another pilot on vatsim is if were sitting at the gate and I want to get a screenshot of us on the ground. The other 99 percent of the time FSINN is using my Ultimate Traffic II models for VATSIM traffic and you can see a 737-800 UTII AI a long long way off.

You use FSInn, then? How do you get the WOAI traffic to work with it so you don't get the crappy default models?

Anyone going to answer my question on what the actual issue here is? Is it really people trying to use the NGX model as AI?

I think the OP was asking more of a general question regarding any aircraft used on VATSIM....well that's what it sounds like to me.Not really the correct forum but whatever. As explained, the whole lights and stuff is something that is always a challenge for VATSIM/IVAO. You can't really get accurate lighting in their current iterations.As you said, using the NGX as an AI model in FSINN/SB is ridiculous. Get a AI package either through WofAI or some of the payware offerings. Either that or people are running this stuff on super-computers.I myself am using the UT2 models assigned through FSINN, in addition to a couple freeware models for some more ambiguous types. The way the lighting seems to work is everything on or everything off. Pretty simple but it works online and offline pretty well.

Guys,The original post (which was accurate by the way, and answers Ryan's question albeit in a round about way) seems to have been lost. I'm pretty sure I addressed most all the related issues raised by follow on posts. One I did not address is the frame rate issue, and to answer that I'll say that while there is a moderate frame rate hit at an airport where other NGXs are, our concern (speaking for quite a few guys here) is seeing aircraft at night while airborne. Also, we've noticed for ATI users who load ATI Tray Tools tweaks compatible with their system (each system is different, so ATI Tray Tool settings are different for each system), we don't get any notable lag as we did with ATI's CCC. I can't speak for NVIDIA cards, and I really can't recommend the ATI Tray Tool settings for anyone else as they're highly personalized and even subjective settings.Whether someone enjoys VATSIM or not, there are many who do (makes you wonder why someone would even post about whether they like VATSIM or not in this topic). A group of those who do fly on VATSIM are simply asking for the increased lighting - we're not asking for or even suggesting a modification for everyone (this was made abundantly clear in the initial post). If someone doesn't wish or need to use it, do they really need to debate and/or argue the point? You can trust me that we, and in this I, know what the technical issues are, understand the lighting issue and why it occurs, and know what we/I are asking for - from the developers. Lesson learned, I should have privately asked the developers.Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.

Ya going through it I see what you're asking.So you are using the NGX model in your VATSIM client as other aircraft?Like Ryan said, that's pretty tough on a system.The only way I could see the other NGX's lighting and stuff being visible and accurate on your end would be some sort of separate P2P connection between you and the other NGX fliers around you. What you are really asking is for a new multiplayer client that expands upon much of what is available. A fair request, but I don't think you'll see anything in terms of a response from PMDG on that matter.Reading your post further I see what you are asking as well... Basically you need the lights to show up at a greater distance right? I wonder if that is something that can be played with in the configs and such.

VATSIM is terrbile, there is never any pilots nor controllers online to provide a good flight unless you do events.

I can not agree with you. I fly VATSIM and others simmers comunity and I sure to talk that VATSIM is the most professional team to fly on line. I am talking about Pilots and Controlers!I recomend you SERVINFO (Free aplication to look trafic online in several communities around the world). VATSIM present huge traffic in USA!!Enjoy it!!

You use FSInn, then? How do you get the WOAI traffic to work with it so you don't get the crappy default models?

FSINN will use any models that are in your airplanes folder as long as you setup FSINN correctly.In Settings - General - Various I have mine setup this way for the following options on the right side.Resolve to Exact model priority - UncheckedOnly use Low Res models - UncheckedUse VIP models in resolving - UncheckedDon't send exact model description - UncheckedResolve Airline paint in priority to aircraft UncheckedThe thing most people do not realize is that they have to setup their current aircraft to correctly display on VATSIM or otherwise they won't show up as they are supposed to.With FSINN running but NOT connected to VATSIM do the following.Click on the advanced tab at the bottom of INN Control Panel and the menu will change. Click on PLA (Short for Plane) at the top which brings up the Inn Plane Menu. Click on the Config Tab and at the bottom click on Edit Current Used Plane.This brings up a box called Inn Plane Config. Under the Green user box you should type in the following info.Acft ICAO: B738 (Other examples. B763, B744, MD11)Aline ICAO: UAL (Your 3 letter Airline ICAO)Acft Type: L2J (Examples: L2J = 2 Jet Engines, L3J = 3 jet engines, L4J = 4 jet engines) or for Props use a P.Acft Wake: M (Use Medium for the 737 and H for Heavy Aircraft)Acft Res: N (Use your perferance - Low, Normal, High)When done click apply, and and close the boxes. On Inn control panel click on Basic at the bottom to get back to the original menu. Now you can connect to VATSIM. Keep in mind if your flying a plane model that other users do not have, then of course they are not going to see you correctl0y. So it's important to have a good selection of AI planes. Ultimate Traffic II does a great job of giving you a large variety of aircraft for FSINN to use.To the original OP I just do not see the point of going to all the trouble to reconfigure the NGX lights cause 99 percent of people out there are not going to use PMDG planes for AI (Examples NGX, MD-11, 747-400) because this will bring most systems to a crawl. Need a good example? Go to Heathrow during a busy period and by default FSINN will start with High Res Aircraft over AI. Since I have the PMDG 737, MD11 and 747-400 those are going to show up as AI and that will bring my system to it's knees. So in this situation I would manually change any high res aircraft to AI aircraft to increase my frame rates.Finally the other reason not to use your Flyable Aircraft as AI. Because FSINN will model the other traffic of the same type aircraft exactly as your current aircraft is configured at the time. Example: Your sitting on the ground at the Gate in your NGX with the Door Open, Airstair Deployed and only your Nav and Beacon lights on. Now that looks ridiculous when you switch views to watch another NGX land because it's going to be flying in with the door open, airstair down and no strobes or landing lights on. :(

You use FSInn, then? How do you get the WOAI traffic to work with it so you don't get the crappy default models?

In addition to Pauls post, there are a couple of tools that will scan your installed planes and automatically configure FSInn to use those planes for traffic. The one I use is called FSArf, you can download it from http://code.google.com/p/fsarf/

Ok - now that I know that you actually are trying to use the NGX as AI the answer is most probably no. Doing what you want would require rebuilding the models to use default FSX lights - the whole reason we did the custom 3D ones is to get rid of the unrealistic orbs, sheets of "washout texture" on the ground etc that the default lights use. Sorry, but that's a non-trivial amount of work. I'd recommend just finding and installing some good AI NG models - there's no way you're going to be able to tell the difference at night in the air.

Sounds to me that the requested results of brighter Night-time aircarft lighting, could be obtained by Installing the Shockwave lights (or similar), on the AI aircraft. ( whatever AI substitution system you are usingg).Not a trivial task to add the lighting to an AI set, but a task that only would need to be done once by someone, if they are prepared to shave the configuration.Bear in mind, that Night Lighting is FSX is very poorly simulated. P3D have much improved the night lighting -- so it probably could have been done for FSX :)

Bear in mind, that Night Lighting is FSX is very poorly simulated. P3D have much improved the night lighting -- so it probably could have been done for FSX :)

I agree! It seems like add on scenery for airports fixes this problem. The streets are so lighted up, it's unrealistic.