An Interesting Future for Outerra

[Humpty 751]

Heck the demo does not contain an aircraft ? 

[MikeT707 1,181]

 

 

This has the potential to be the world sim so many of us wants. 

I wish it did.  The visuals are stunning and second to none, but unfortunately, it is a 32 bit application.

 

If anyone ever added the basic components for a flight simulation platform, Outerra would OOM constantly.  I have followed Outerra for a few years and honestly do not see it getting out of alpha for two or three more years unless something changes drastically.  I would, however, be very excited if they did pursue a 64-bit path, but I just do not see that happening.

[HiFlyer 9,359]

Heck the demo does not contain an aircraft ? 

 

Tech demo

 

This alpha release features: 

• A complete, real scale planet Earth that can be explored
• Created from real elevation data with resolution 90m where available, 1km resolution for oceans; data are dynamically downloaded as you go
• Further refined by fractal-based procedural techniques down to centimeter-level details
• Vector-based road system that integrates with the procedurally generated terrain
• Adjustable lighting and environment parameters
• Oculus Rift support

The demo comes with the whole planet Earth that can be explored in a free-camera (UFO) mode or in a testing vehicle (8-wheeler truck). There's also a first person walking mode.

 

Full version

 

After upgrading to the full version (alpha, $15, access to all further versions), the following additional features become available:

• Road and runway editor
• Editor for placing static objects
• Additional vehicles - aircraft driven by the JSBSim flight dynamics engine
• Model importer for static objects, ground vehicles and aircraft
• Ability to export and share mods with others
• Dynamic terrain deformation (craters)

[Humpty 751]

 

Tech demo

 

This alpha release features: 

• A complete, real scale planet Earth that can be explored
• Created from real elevation data with resolution 90m where available, 1km resolution for oceans; data are dynamically downloaded as you go
• Further refined by fractal-based procedural techniques down to centimeter-level details
• Vector-based road system that integrates with the procedurally generated terrain
• Adjustable lighting and environment parameters
• Oculus Rift support

The demo comes with the whole planet Earth that can be explored in a free-camera (UFO) mode or in a testing vehicle (8-wheeler truck). There's also a first person walking mode.

 

 

 

 

 

Hey thanks, worth the 15$ but only after I get my F33A 

[HiFlyer 9,359]

I wish it did.  The visuals are stunning and second to none, but unfortunately, it is a 32 bit application.

 

If anyone ever added the basic components for a flight simulation platform, Outerra would OOM constantly.  I have followed Outerra for a few years and honestly do not see it getting out of alpha for two or three more years unless something changes drastically.  I would, however, be very excited if they did pursue a 64-bit path, but I just do not see that happening.

Well, for what its worth, here is their response to those types of questions.

 

Yes, we are planning to move to 64 bits. Should be relatively easy, our own stuff is mostly prepared but there are some external libraries that need to be handled.

However, biomes and weather and similar rendering stuff actually do not need 64 bits; they need to be handled on the GPU side where the limits are lower, and we need clever management of GPU memory anyway.

 

But you are right, 64 bits will be needed soon when the number of unique objects become too large. At least on the CPU side it will make things simpler.

My take is that it should actually be simpler for them to accomplish this than traditional engines since they also have less legacy stuff to hold them back.

 

On the other hand if that switch finally occurs, I expect that other things will be brought up. The Outerra guys have mentioned kind of repeatedly that the Flight sim community is very demanding, and I agree. Sometimes I get the impression they are a bit afraid of us, and I think unfortunately they might have good reason.

 

As long as nobody starts demanding an FSX equivalent by say.... the day after tomorrow, things can still work out. 

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

Well, for what its worth, here is their response to those types of questions.

 

That response is amazing, with 64-bit, Outerra is going to have plenty of headroom to simulate tons of things. When it also starts supporting newer OpenGL versions, we're going to have an amazing foundation.

[MikeT707 1,181]

Well, for what its worth, here is their response to those types of questions.

 

My take is that it should actually be simpler for them to accomplish this than traditional engines since they also have less legacy stuff to hold them back.

 

On the other hand if that switch finally occurs, I expect that other things will be brought up. The Outerra guys have mentioned kind of repeatedly that the Flight sim community is very demanding, and I agree. Sometimes I get the impression they are a bit afraid of us, and I think unfortunately they might have good reason.

 

As long as nobody starts demanding an FSX equivalent by say.... the day after tomorrow, things can still work out. 

Well, that is certainly good news and I sure hope they move forward with that.  If they do, then they really do have promise to be a viable platform.  By the way, can you please provide the link to that response.  I am assuming it came from the Outerra forum from Cameni.

[wolke85 150]

 

 

Well, that is certainly good news and I sure hope they move forward with that. If they do, then they really do have promise to be a viable platform. By the way, can you please provide the link to that response. I am assuming it came from the Outerra forum from Cameni.

+1

[HiFlyer 9,359]

Well, that is certainly good news and I sure hope they move forward with that.  If they do, then they really do have promise to be a viable platform.  By the way, can you please provide the link to that response.  I am assuming it came from the Outerra forum from Cameni.

 

Srry, was out shoveling nearly hip-deep snow and battling excited doggies that think flying shovelfuls of snow is all for their amusement.

 

http://forum.outerra.com/index.php?topic=1369.0

 

This also addresses some of the question regarding a possible time-frame?

 

http://forum.outerra.com/index.php?topic=2479.msg26127#msg26127

[HughesMDflyer4 470]

Don't forget aeroflyFS. The next version is coming out later this year, and it sounds quite promising.

 

It is? I didn't know they had even announced anything about when it was coming yet. That's good to hear.

[Humpty 751]

I am planning also on downloading ogre3d and world machine. Lets see what they have to offer.

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

It is? I didn't know they had even announced anything about when it was coming yet. That's good to hear.

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/429962-for-2014/

[HiFlyer 9,359]

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/429962-for-2014/

I remember that post. :-)

It's funny; whenever I go into that sub forum, I always feel like I am exploring an empty, unlit basement. It will be good when some light and movement returns.

[Murmur 3,941]

Only thing I am really not that fond of is that Outerra seems to use at least a subset of Blade Element Theory for its planes, and I was never a huge fan of the weird plane-on-a-pivot point feeling that can sometimes give in X-plane, or the "big" torque effects. Right now, flying in Outerra is trim, trim and more trim.

 

Currently, Outerra aircrafts use JSBSim, that is a "table look-up" flight model, exactly like that of FSX/P3D, but potentially more capable and versatile. So GIGO applies here.

 

A Blade Element Theory flight model will not necessarily give twitchiness/torque bug "per se", it all depends on how accurately it is modeled. As you know, there are plenty of 3rd party aircrafts for X-Plane that have a stable, less twitchy flight model, so as often is the case, most depends on the ability of the aircraft designer (as is the case with FSX as well).

[HiFlyer 9,359]

Currently, Outerra aircrafts use JSBSim, that is a "table look-up" flight model, exactly like that of FSX/P3D, but potentially more capable and versatile. So GIGO applies here.

 

Ouch.

 

Yep, I keep confusing the Flightgear YASim vs JSBSim (looking at threads discussing how to convert models for use in Outerra) sorry.

 

Regardless, I asked them about options for selectively dampening down the constant need to trim (gets annoying after a while and there is no autopilot) and they said they are looking into it as an option.

 

In the meantime I'm messing with the settings of an XML that makes things a bit less annoying.

 

I sometimes wonder how people create some of these things without going crosseyed.