I believe we really need to thank Rob for acting as the 'community ambassador' (again)...

 

+1

I think we're really lucky to have someone who can raise some of the community's requests in a level-headed manner with the P3D team,

 

+1

 

 

In P3D 2.4, it only happens when both cloud and terrain shadows are enabled, where as in 2.3 it happens even with just terrain shadows enabled.

 

 

 

Can you do a quick test in a hilly area, preferably in the summer at around noon?

 

After some testing I was able to duplicate the terrain shadow issue with both cloud shadows and terrain shadows but ONLY in certain regions ... for example I could NOT duplicate it at Zurich (lots of mountains there, should be easy to spot) but I could duplicate it at KCCR (Concord CA rolling hills, Mt. Diablo).

 

Warning, images below are very large (3840 x 2160):

 

Terrain Shadows OFF - Cloud Shadows ON - Zurich

 

 

 

 

Terrain Shadows ON, Cloud Shadows ON - Zurich

 

 

 

Terrain Shadows OFF Cloud Shadows ON - KCCR

 

 

Terrain Shadows ON - Cloud Shadows ON - KCCR 

 

 

I'll pass this testing along to LM.  As far as how easy it will be to finding a fix, I have no idea.  

 

What I do know is that the Bridge Extrusion issue has been fixed but not in the current v2.5 Beta build I have, will come in a later Beta build.  Hopefully LM can replicate this last screen shot here as that will be required in order to be able to fix the issue.

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

 

Also a complete re-install often cures issues people have encountered.

 

I'm inclined to agree - but if complete re-installs are needed for every update, as it seems they might be, then I think I'm going to run a very lean install from now on.  Which actually might not be such a bad thing, now that I think about it.  Maybe time to take my cardiologist's advice about diet and apply it to P3D...  B)

I think I'm going to run a very lean install from now on.  Which actually might not be such a bad thing, now that I think about it.  Maybe time to take my cardiologist's advice about diet and apply it to P3D...  B)

 

I'm inclined to agree. I'd settle for FTX Global/Vector, Orbx NA with airports, ASN, REX, and my A2A GA aircraft. Not too much of a hassle really.

 

 

but if complete re-installs are needed for every update

 

I didn't say for "every update" ... I just said for v2.5 there will be no patch.  

 

It does appear LM are moving configuration items around (SimObject for example now has it's own .cfg and isn't part of the Prepar3d.cfg, effects folder shaderHSLS.cfg and more) and making for a more modular future where they can update independently of 3rd party ... however, it's a two way street, 3rd party will have build their products to be less version dependent also ... but this seems to be the direction LM are moving and it'll benefit 3rd party also but they will need to make some adjustments. 

 

Cheers, Rob.

I'm guessing here but since it is a point release, I'd suspect you could do an in place update. That said - it is always better to clean house, so to speak, and do a fresh install.

 

 

I avoid "fresh installs" whenever I can, now that I know that LM only allows a certain number of them.  Once the limit is reached, you have to get with them and get their blessing to re-install P3D, probably prove to them you paid for it, yada, yada.  I don't need the hassle.

I'm inclined to agree. I'd settle for FTX Global/Vector, Orbx NA with airports, ASN, REX, and my A2A GA aircraft. Not too much of a hassle really.

 

That's about how I'm coming out, except am not sure about the Orbx regions - I usually wind up back on the US east coast so Global is fine.  Add Manfred's C-47 and Henrik Nielsen's AI ships to your list and I should be good to go. 

 

 

I didn't say for "every update" ... I just said for v2.5 there will be no patch.  

 

Understood, and thanks for the clarification.  Still... the full-install requirement seems to be feeding my own separate desire for a simpler flightsim life.  So even if it's not an absolute necessity, thinning out the add-ons seems like a way to live better, for me at least.  

Except for 2.4, I always do full install....so no biggie. However, I'll do a full install only once I know all my faves work with 2.5. Either way, love the effort from LM. I'm pretty sure some of those nebulous fixes already stated are important to 3rd party work going on. So can't wait to see the fruits...

After some testing I was able to duplicate the terrain shadow issue with both cloud shadows and terrain shadows but ONLY in certain regions ... for example I could NOT duplicate it at Zurich (lots of mountains there, should be easy to spot) but I could duplicate it at KCCR (Concord CA rolling hills, Mt. Diablo).

 

I'll pass this testing along to LM.  As far as how easy it will be to finding a fix, I have no idea.  

 

What I do know is that the Bridge Extrusion issue has been fixed but not in the current v2.5 Beta build I have, will come in a later Beta build.  Hopefully LM can replicate this last screen shot here as that will be required in order to be able to fix the issue.

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

Yes the issue is most apparent over gently rolling hills. I was flying a lot in OrbX Norcal when I tried out P3D v2 the last time, where there are a lot of rolling hills. It looked so bad that I simply uninstalled the sim and haven't touched it in the past 6-8 months, just waiting for a fix.

 

It also looks much worse at noon than at afternoon, when shadows are stretched and more defined.

 

Here's another example:

It should be easy to fix, as the devs already knew what was wrong back when the issue first appeared in v 2.3.

 

I'm kind of shocked at their lousy beta testing/feedback routines. Apparently the devs have been under the impression that the issue was fixed in 2.4? Even though it was common knowledge in all the forums that cloud+terrain shadows didn't work together.

Just got word the Terrain shadows have been fixed ... new beta build will arrive shortly.  If all tests go well, I'll publish a video (sometime later this week or weekend).

 

Cheers, Rob. 

Just got word the Terrain shadows have been fixed ... new build beta build will arrive shortly.  If all tests go well, I'll publish a video.

 

Cheers, Rob. 

 

With both bridges and terrain shadows fixed, this will make for a nice update.  :smile2:

+1 on the bridges.

 

 

I'm kind of shocked at their lousy beta testing/feedback routines.

 

Why?  Like you said and I just demonstrated, I didn't notice the issue until I loaded up in Orbx NCA region with both Terrain and Cloud -- the issue didn't present itself in Zurich so it appears to be location related at least in how it surfaces.  

 

Are you bidding for Beta work?  If so, good luck trying to emulation 100,000 combinations of settings and 3rd party products and locations within 4-5 weeks and 5-6 builds with regression testing -- keeping in mind that many of the 3rd party product (like FSUIPC, ObjectFlow.dll will not work with beta and RC).  You would obviously be a far superior tester than I, LM, or any other Beta tester.

 

 

 

It looked so bad that I simply uninstalled the sim and haven't touched it in the past 6-8 months

 

Wow, seems rather extreme for just one setting -- I assume you never use FSX, FSX:SE, XP10 either then?

 

Cheers, Rob.

come on already ....give us a transparent ATC screen ok...

 

 

Understood, and thanks for the clarification. Still... the full-install requirement seems to be feeding my own separate desire for a simpler flightsim life. So even if it's not an absolute necessity, thinning out the add-ons seems like a way to live better, for me at least.

 

I so agree, at my age I'm so tired of trying to figure out all the tweaks, and mods to make things work right. Went through that with FSX. So now that I've installed P3D v2.4 I think I will keep my addons to a minimum, REX, ORBX, Milviz, RealAir, A2A and FSGRW ...those I can install without to much effort after a full-install. Ugh! But I'm looking forward to the continued development by LM of this platform, it will only get better!

 

Cheers

Martin