We have posted our interview of Ben Supnik and the questions that he has answered from the earlier submission by the X-Plane community here. Here is a short intro:

 

Why don't you address the common complaints that prevent X-Plane from being the next sim of choice for everyone? For example, the lack of airport buildings.

The lack of actual 3-d airport buildings has been a gaping hole in X-Plane for a very long time; it’s important to us not only because we hear about it immediately from FSX converts, but also from users who are entirely new to flight simulation. As we increase the detail in all parts of the scenery, the lack of airports becomes more of a glaring hole.

(Of course, experienced flight simulation enthusiasts know to get airports from freeware and payware vendors, and it’s not unusual for me to see an X-Plane log report from a user with over 2000 scenery packs installed! But the first impression and demo impression of X-Plane are very important, so world-wide airports that come with the simulator are really important.)

 

 

Your can read the rest this large interview here.

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For me the big one is seasons, and this sounds very interesting:

 

"Our ideas on snow and ice involve shaders and dynamic effects; we tend to look at the first-person-shooter games (and not FSX) for inspiration as to what is possible now."

 

Dynamic snow build up would be amazing, if it does indeed get in to the XP10 cycle. Presumably they'll still have to go through the pain of getting alternative texture sets and autogen changes, but it sounds like they're gently winking at 3PD to take that task on?

No mention of wet pavement (runways, taxiways, aprons, etc. - visually depicted) ...an ooooooold FSX feature... :Waiting:

Yeah.

Good news: "Once we can get IFR flight working without problems, then we’ll look at adding in additional types of flight (e.g. pattern work, cross-country VFR, non-towered airports), improving the depth of the simulation experience, and opening up the ATC system to third parties."

 

Bad news: "We do have some ideas about how to improve X-Plane’s sound interface, but unfortunately they’re not on the short list; we have other feature work that is higher priority."

It looks like we will get an upgraded GPS in 2014 !!!

 

I didn't like his answer on the left turning tendencies. I though Austin was working on a fix ?

 

 

I didn't like his answer on the left turning tendencies. I though Austin was working on a fix ?

How should he answer such a question if it isn't fixed already?

Have they really found a better solution? Will this fix be really ready for 10.30 ?

There is a difference between working on a problem and having a solution.

I dont understand his answer to multiple windows for multiple monitors.

 

     Graphics cards have enough power to do multiple monitors, I do it, others do it.  I do it on plane.   Just drag the window across all screens or set the resolution to your eyefinity resolution.   There is no mystery to this and the cards can handle it.

 

     It's like he is making out it's a big deal for the hardware, its not.   All I want to be able to do is take my gps or whatever, undock it and move it to my touchscreen.   Lot's of people want to do this and he answered it like he doesn't understand the question.

Ok, we're getting a revisited IFR ATC, and a good, I believe, GPS - those are, for me, the strong / good aspects of Ben's answers....

I have to regret that Ben couldn't address the scope of all of the questions - couldn't he have asked Austin? Wouldn't it be better to forward some of the questions to Austin for him to answer? Well...

I dont understand his answer to multiple windows for multiple monitors.

 

     Graphics cards have enough power to do multiple monitors, I do it, others do it.  I do it on plane.   Just drag the window across all screens or set the resolution to your eyefinity resolution.   There is no mystery to this and the cards can handle it.

 

     It's like he is making out it's a big deal for the hardware, its not.   All I want to be able to do is take my gps or whatever, undock it and move it to my touchscreen.   Lot's of people want to do this and he answered it like he doesn't understand the question.

I agree. The way XP10 addresses multimonitors is funky and WAY over complicated at best. It could be made much more simple with todays GPU's.