For such an advanced plane, why does the rain not hit the windshield during bad weather? 

 

This flaw / inaccuracy destroys flying in bad weather and makes the windshield wipers completely redundant. Also, I couldn't give a d*** about animations such as red brakes on the 777 when there is no wind shield rain effect.

 

So, can you please implement this feature in the next patch?

Edited July 27, 201411 yr by firehawk44
Remove inappropriate language

I believe implementing that in a way that wouldn't hurt performance too much would be very difficult on a big jet. 

Blame Microsoft, they could have put that feature into FSX. 

 

Regards,

 

Joona L

I believe there is a limit to the number of animations available, so most developers choose to animate the levers and switches rather than add the cockpit rain effect. I agree with you that the rain effect is more important to me than various small switches/levers being fully animated, but I don't know what kind of performance impact or how difficult the rain effect would be to include so I assume there is a reason the big developers choose not to implement it.

Biggest problem I see is the rain would have to be very realistic for this to happen, especially when landing. Something like this real cockpit footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEz3H02PrJw

 

At least to where it's not just a nice effect but obstructs view.

 

Now...Dovetail has a decent rain and snow effect. But I doubt they will add it to FSX. Maybe their new product.

I believe there is a limit to the number of animations available, so most developers choose to animate the levers and switches rather than add the cockpit rain effect. I agree with you that the rain effect is more important to me than various small switches/levers being fully animated, but I don't know what kind of performance impact or how difficult the rain effect would be to include so I assume there is a reason the big developers choose not to implement it.

Some high quality addons for FSX have rain effects and they perform just fine.

If I were serious about this request, I'd post it in the developer's/PMDG forum!  

 

And even more seriously:

Brake temp soaking and wheel well heating is closer to high-fidelity system simulation than any animation on the windshield.   B)

This has been discussed ad nauseam in many other threads and the conclusion is always the same; developers tend not to do it in airliners because of the performance hit. PMDG implemented the effect in the Jetstream 41 and decided the cons outweighed the pros, hence it not being included in in the NGX or T7.

 

 

Some high quality addons for FSX have rain effects and they perform just fine.

 

How many of them are airliners with loads of complex systems modeled? 

 

Regards,

 

Joona L

Just to put this issue of "VC Rain" into better perspective, understand that the "FS9 VC Rain" feature uses "Chained Animations" meaning that there are a total of thirty-two (32) textures that must be sequentially displayed whenever it is "raining" in the sim. This "feature" is not officially supported in FSX, but it can be enabled only if the developer cripples their project by compiling an FS9 model rather than a true FSX model.

 

There is a set of sixteen textures for a parked aircraft, and another set of sixteen for a moving aircraft.

 

Each of the textures have to be assigned to a separate set of "window polys" and each set is shown/hidden as required while the animation chain is playing. This means thirty-two sets of the "window polygons" in addition to the "no-rain" "window polygons."

 

In a large aircraft where there are many "windows" this can rapidly spin out of control and increase the number of polygons in an interior model to the point where the model itself cannot even be compiled without sacrificing some other, much more essential objects in the model. Also, since they would be limited to using the FS9 exporter/compiler, many of the FSX exclusive new features would no longer be available!

 

Now there is a way to implement something similar to the FS9 "chained animation system" and be allowed to use the FSX exporter/compiler, but it would require the developer to code their own, unique system, which frankly is a massive PITA.

 

This folks is the simple and bare truth of the matter, and why developers make the decision not to include this very expensive (in terms of performance) "feature..." B)

One way of doing animated rain in FSX:

 

Just a one-time, model-specific affair though. Doesn't look quite convincing, especially on side windows and was a P*** to set up.

 

I only use a static "rain drop" bitmap on the windows now and it works well enough without requiring too much effort on my part.

The best thing is that it doesn't require much magic with FSX-specific materials and thus it can also be used in FS9 models.

 

 

 

 

 

It is, of course, not changeable by the end user (save for the rain drop bitmap) or transferrable to other models.

Edited July 29, 201411 yr by Daveo
Inappropriate language

Like others already stated this question has been discussed lots of times and always with the same answer which I guess we simply must accept looking at the limited resources in FSX but I do agree with the OP flying through severe rain with not a single drop on the cockpit windows does feel very weird and unrealistic.

People who are desperate for an animated rain effect on their FSX windscreens should purchase PMDG's Jetstream 41 :rolleyes: It's got windscreen and leading edge icing too! (although I had to disabled it on my system as it led to graphic artifacts)

 

Seriously, the PMDG J41 is fantastic fun to fly and it separates the men from the boys in a way the 777 just can't.

I have lots of hours in the J41 and I fully agree, it's a great aircraft in many ways!

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This folks is the simple and bare truth of the matter, and why developers make the decision not to include this very expensive (in terms of performance) "feature..."

 

Thanks for that very informative and detailed post.  Neat info!