An Interesting Future for Outerra

[tttocs 301]

 

 

It would be nice if the accumulated experience of this community was of greater assistance, but I think they have reached their critical juncture, and somebody will step up to the table no matter what happens at this point.

 

My impression, from this blog statement, is that they ARE getting interest from our community and perhaps even assistance.  Yes, it's a somewhat ambiguous statement, but I'm not sure why you assume the negative.

 

Practically speaking, only a small segment of this or ANY community of users (as opposed to communities more focused on enabling technologies) is going to express major interest in something that's still well out into the future.  But interest is certainly there in this community as has been demonstrated again and again when the topic comes up.

 

Scott

[Novation 534]

Who is using going to Outerra  for a flight simulator - Prepar3D, X-Plane, FlightGear or who else?

 

 

Orbx could in terms of talent imo... I think someone asked John about it some time back, but at the time things had not moved on in Outerra for some time, so it was dismissed.

 

I have tried it a couple of times over the years, but it was pretty basic back then... it looks to have come a long way since.

[HiFlyer 9,359]

My impression, from this blog statement, is that they ARE getting interest from our community and perhaps even assistance.  Yes, it's a somewhat ambiguous statement, but I'm not sure why you assume the negative.

 

Practically speaking, only a small segment of this or ANY community of users (as opposed to communities more focused on enabling technologies) is going to express major interest in something that's still well out into the future.  But interest is certainly there in this community as has been demonstrated again and again when the topic comes up.

 

Scott

 

Not exactly assuming the negative, only watching the various "public" reactions over time. Users are pretty enthusiastic, in some instances maybe even too much so. But from mainstream developers in the existing community (who have made comments) I very rarely see much more than guarded interest. In fact as far as I know, only one developer has gone even so far as to openly create anything to test within the program.

 

As far as support, Outerra seems to notice the general lack so far as well. Just recently one of the Admins wrote:

 

There's lots of interest from military circles to use OT, which may lead to a specialized product. But in the consumer space it's a relatively niche area, just like in all other simulator areas - the user base is relatively small yet quite demanding, which is why it's not a crowded space.

 

We at Outerra are leaning towards realism and simulators and various niche areas, but of course we have to look to keep ourselves in the business first.

Often I see things like this: http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?265696-Beyond-FSX-(Outerra)-why-are-people-sleep-on-this

 

Outerra has a ways to go, and similarly we have a lot of inertia to overcome.

[tttocs 301]

 

 

As far as support, Outerra seems to notice the general lack so far. Just recently one of the Admins wrote: ...

 

The statements you've quoted don't really address "support" so much as market size and realities.  It's a small market segment compared to the general game market, and a less lucrative one than commercial/military.  And them, as they say, is the facts, ma'am.  And yet, in the blog post they note the highest level of interest being in a general simulation platform and in particular flight simulation.  Hmmm...  Still lots of possibilities here for how this could spin out for simmers.

 

Scott

[n4gix 4,947]

I believe that Outerra will succeed if they progress to the point where they have surpassed the "plausible world" paradigm of X-Plane, and the semi-immutable world paradigm of FS or P3D.

 

With well-developed and robust API's so that the entire world can be populated with accurate roads, railroad tracks, vegetation and other such features, and fairly accurate cities, towns and villages...

 

...this would supply the requisite "world platform" on top of which other parties could develop their own modules for aviation, ships, car and truck driving, and so-forth.

[mgh 89]

That's going to quite simple then for Outerra to develop all those features - even for a company with an registered capital of 5000 EU (US $7000)

[HiFlyer 9,359]

The statements you've quoted don't really address "support" so much as market size and realities.  It's a small market segment compared to the general game market, and a less lucrative one than commercial/military.  And them, as they say, is the facts, ma'am.  And yet, in the blog post they note the highest level of interest being in a general simulation platform and in particular flight simulation.  Hmmm...  Still lots of possibilities here for how this could spin out for simmers.

 

Scott

 

I would say the interest by a small segment is pretty balanced by lack of exposure and open skepticism that persists, despite the fact that the engine keeps moving forwards past the boundary's of what its supposed to be capable of.

 

Possibility's? Absolutely. But like most start-ups, they need exposure; They need more people to know about and see the potential of the tech. They need to generate interest and money. Small market? What other tech do we know of that could just as easily tap into the Train sim, Boat sim, Racing sim, Shooter game, and MMO, market as well as flight sims?

 

(Forgot submarines, since Outerra does underwater as well)

 

The potential is actually enormous. If they feel inclined to tackle flight first in a kick-starter, I would offer them every bit of encouragement and help. What is there to lose? Twenty dollars, maybe?  :ph34r:

That's going to quite simple then for Outerra to develop all those features - even for a company with an registered capital of 5000 EU (US $7000)

 

I wonder what the capital of Microsoft and Apple were at first...........?

 

Not saying that these guys have that potential...... but on the other hand, Mighty oaks, from little acorns grow.

 

Who really knows? Things could go either way, and these guys don't seem like small thinkers or quitters. In fact for essentially two guys, what they have accomplished already is astonishing.

[tttocs 301]

Relative to funding and whether there is interest by other developers, I probably should have just included the last part from the blog post I quoted earlier.  They go on to say:

 

"This would mean a dedicated development team working closely with the core, and in cooperation with content makers working on scenery, aircraft, simulation cores for flight and other types of vehicles.

In any case, a project of this scale would require a sufficient funding, and so we are currently discussing the development of a prototype usable for launching a Kickstarter funding campaign with several interested developers."

 

Again, I view these comments as being quite positive.  These guys have a long ways to go yet, but they've also done some amazing work and with a bit of help could go far.  As Devon says, they don't seem like small thinkers or quitters and I wish them much success.

 

Scott

[twiggys 41]

They got my attention back in 2005, but back then I couldn't betray MSFS, today; 9yrs later that love affair is over.

There comes a time when one have to look to the future.

Not saying OT is that future, but; one have to let go of the pass so our sim community can move forward, as hard as it may sounds, just like when the doctor tells you you're going to feel worst, before you feel better.

 

I think a better sim is ahead, not sure which one, but let's "make it so; number one "

[HiFlyer 9,359]

I think a better sim is ahead, not sure which one, but let's "make it so; number one "

 

I feel that way too. Outerra could eventually turn out to be unsuitable in some way, but much as it might seem otherwise, my enthusiasm is not so much about Outerra itself (though I like it a lot!) as it is in the underlying technology behind it. These engines are becoming more and more common, and I sense a huge leap forwards coming.

 

I've watched not only Outerra evolving and solving its issues one by one, but also similar engines with slightly different focuses/approaches. (usually in complete fantasy worlds with weird terrain)

 

In aggregate, a lot of the issues raised about such engines have been addressed, and it seems just short of certain that one day an Outerra style engine (if not necessarily Outerra itself) will step forwards as part of a shift that will leave the old ways of doing this sort of sim in the dust.

 

One of the things I have been wondering about with Outerra was how the engine would eventually handle lighting and weather, but later, bumping into implementations like the shadertoy video below, I feel once again that groundbreaking solutions are well within range. And  speaking of resources, interestingly enough, last I knew the author was running his demos on an Nvidia 260.........  :blink:

 

This technology is approaching critical mass, and is just too powerful to languish.

 

[HawkDsl 50]

"Interested parties."..

 

Least we forget, the ACE's team formed their own simulation company.. and may be one of the "collaborators".

[HiFlyer 9,359]

I believe that Outerra will succeed if they progress to the point where they have surpassed the "plausible world" paradigm of X-Plane, and the semi-immutable world paradigm of FS or P3D.

 

With well-developed and robust API's so that the entire world can be populated with accurate roads, railroad tracks, vegetation and other such features, and fairly accurate cities, towns and villages...

 

...this would supply the requisite "world platform" on top of which other parties could develop their own modules for aviation, ships, car and truck driving, and so-forth.

 

And that's what I mean by critical mass. There was an old PBS show I used to love (pretty eye opening for a kid) called "connections" that followed how sometimes seemingly unrelated developments could come together at critical moments to change... everything.

 

If you keep an eye out for whats happening in procedural generation as far as terrain and building creation, as well as the rapid expansion of world databases like OSM, (X-plane 10 is just a precursor) you can see a tightening circle of convergence. It all drives me to that moment of anticipation when I see tangentially related developments about collide at the center.

 

I think there's a better than good chance that Outerra is one of the companies/groups that is going to be fortunate enough to be at just the right place at maybe just the right time. There's Just an awful lot of things happening in the background of procedural city generation that will make the old painstaking work of designing content for things like Outerra look like dinosaur-days.

 

Stuff that might have taken months of work, happening in hours.......

 

I don't want to get too far from the OP's post, but just think how quickly the buildings in the world of X-plane could be filled out (with regionally correct structures!) with tools like this: or how quickly Outerra could match the plausible world with a library of unique buildings. (By the way, Houdini buildings can automatically adjust to hills.....)

 

Tanks vs Horses....... equals paradigm change.

[HiFlyer 9,359]

OuterraPlane-X Home cockpit?   

An Interesting conversation on the Outerra forums.

http://forum.outerra.com/index.php?topic=1378.0

[Noel 4,501]

 

 

...this would supply the requisite "world platform" on top of which other parties could develop their own modules for aviation, ships, car and truck driving, and so-forth.

 

This initiative has so much potential it's mind boggling.  Even in the flight simulator alone work.  But one unified platform w/ standards for development--the applications and market seem very big to me.

[wolke85 150]

OuterraPlane-X Home cockpit?   

 

An Interesting conversation on the Outerra forums.

 

http://forum.outerra.com/index.php?topic=1378.0

 

 

This initiative has so much potential it's mind boggling.  Even in the flight simulator alone work.  But one unified platform w/ standards for development--the applications and market seem very big to me.

 

... all that sounds really cool indeed (although i must admit that i don't understand all the detailed tech-talks going on in the outlined thread at the OT forums here), but pragmatically speaking:

Let's do our best to get the announced OT-kickstarter become a huge success and look forward then for a great simming platform for all of us virtual pilots - and all that in a future hopefully not to far away!