How is the Ariane BBJ?

[Guest mruane]

Hi StaffanThere was a comment in an earlier response about the VC not being fully "clickable", can you enter details into say the FMC or on the glareshield or main panel whilst in 3D mode or do those items revert to 2Di mode for data entry (eg as in your first image)? For example the LDS767 FMC has to revert to 2D mode for data entry, how does this work in this model?Great screen shots by the way, I am wavering myself...

[Guest]

Thanks for the comments. Yes if you could please post a list of what isnt clickable in the VC that would be good.So is it correct they charge about 30 pound for each update?? Are there any updates due soon? Also do they charge extra for repaints?John.

[n4gix 4,947]

That's nothing "fancier" than simple popup windows in the VC view. Nothing to get excited about...

[Dillon 2,197]

Everything is clickable in the VC except for the FMC... The VC FMC has a click spot on the screen that brings up the 2D FMC window.I forgot to mention above that the sound set Ariane packages with the BBJ is terrible... You will want to get Des Braban's sounds for the 737 (not his 737 PMDG version) located here in Avsim's sound library.As far as the cockpit textures go, Clay had a great tip for the resolution of the VC as what ships with the add-on is quite low. The only two draw backs to this add-on overall are the sounds and default VC resolution. Everything else it top notch... :-)

[Staffan 12]

I think you got it all wrong BIll.The popup windows (IRS and FMC) are not 2Di. Only the main panel views (captain and first officer).:-hahAnd yes, that is something to really get excited about, since noone else has come up with the idea to combine the 3D panel with 2D gauges, for smooth and stutterfree gauges, with excellent framerates as a result. ;-)http://www.scandicair.com/images/as_banner.jpg

[Guest Toni Rauch]

As this thread contains many posts about 'does this work?', and 'what exactly does that mean?', shouldn't these questions be discussed in the Ariane Support Forum, which is definately opening in September 2005 (according to Ariane)?Toni.

[zfehr 1]

Hi Staffan,I have enjoyed your posts regarding the Ariane BBJ and especially the screenshots. Curious if you or some of the others would have an opinion on how well this BBJ would run on my Athlon 2400 with 1 gig ram and 128 meg GeForce 6600GT. I think I saw a post with the user running it on a 2.8 P4. I can run the Feelthere ERJ145 and Flight1 ATR without real problems, the CS707 is a little harder on my system. The only aircraft I have purchased that I really can't use on my desktop is Eaglesoft's Cirrus which fortunately runs fine on my laptop... that is OK cause that's the one with the sidestick anyway ;). I've used the DF 737 with Peter McLeland's merge in the past but you can't use ASV or FS-Meteo with it. Your opinion(s) would be appreciated.

[Staffan 12]

>As this thread contains many posts about 'does this work?',>and 'what exactly does that mean?', shouldn't these questions>be discussed in the Ariane Support Forum, which is definately>opening in September 2005 (according to Ariane)?>>Toni.Well,..until their forum opens, (a bit delayed due to upcomming releases) they will answer all questions by support E-mail.The longest I had to wait for an answer from them was 10 hours. :-)My opinion is that Ariane gives much better support than many developers with forums. ;-)Fly safe,Staffanhttp://www.scandicair.com/images/as_banner.jpg

[Staffan 12]

>Hi Staffan,>>I have enjoyed your posts regarding the Ariane BBJ and>especially the screenshots. Curious if you or some of the>others would have an opinion on how well this BBJ would run on>my Athlon 2400 with 1 gig ram and 128 meg GeForce 6600GT. I>think I saw a post with the user running it on a 2.8 P4. I>can run the Feelthere ERJ145 and Flight1 ATR without real>problems, the CS707 is a little harder on my system. The only>aircraft I have purchased that I really can't use on my>desktop is Eaglesoft's Cirrus which fortunately runs fine on>my laptop... that is OK cause that's the one with the>sidestick anyway ;). I've used the DF 737 with Peter>McLeland's merge in the past but you can't use ASV or FS-Meteo>with it. Your opinion(s) would be appreciated.Hi Zane,Well let me try to give an easy explanation about the framerates with some comparisons.On Miegs airfield with almost all sliders maxed out and clear skies. Framerate limit set to 30 FPS.Ariane 737 BBJ: 2Di = 30 fps, 3D = 26 fpsLDS B767: 2D = 28 fps, 3D = 27 fpsDF B727: 2D = 29 fps, 3D = 28 fpsPMDG B737 NG: 2D = 26 fps, 3D = 24 fpsPMDG B744: 2D = 28 fps, 3D 25 fpsCS B707: 2D = 26 fps, 3D = 23 fpsAnd I just have to include AeroSim L-1011: 2D = 30 fps, 3D = 30 fps. :-hahNot a very scientific test, but you get some indications of the differences.Fly safe,Staffanhttp://www.scandicair.com/images/as_banner.jpgMy specs are:Dell Dimension 4600 P4/3.0 Ghz1024 Mb DDR333 Dual channel memory (2x256,1x512)128 Mb ATI Radeon 9800 ProOmega 2.5.58DirectX 9.0cW XP Home with SP1E171FPb Flat panel monitor 17"240Gb (2x120) 7200rpm HD

[Dillon 2,197]

Toni there's nothing wrong with answering valid questions for people. Your trying to be cynical knowing full well Ariane's forums aren't up yet. Looking through Avsim

[zfehr 1]

Thanks Staffan,That listing gives me a good idea of what to expect, now to take the risk... hmmmm

[Guest JeanLuc_]

I'm sorry but I fail to understand what this is about. All VC panels I know of (except 3d modeled gauges) are 2D gauges (they are all 2D gauges) displayed in a 3D panel (textured over a polygon).So what are you refering to as 3D panel with 2D gauges that no one else came up with? how different it is?I also fail to understand the rest, and maybe a couple questions will help:1) if you cycle the views with the 'S' key, do you get to a 2D panel, then the VC, then Tower then Spot?2) is the "2Di" main view in fact a particular view point/direction in the VC that is adjusted to provide a "perspective"/"field of view of the panel" that ressemble the typical 2D panels, and in fact when you "exit" this main view and start navigating in the VC, you were already in the VC in fact?You got me curious, and I'm sure at least a couple others in this thread!

[Staffan 12]

Hi>So what are you refering to as 3D panel with 2D gauges that no>one else came up with? how different it is?But in some way they get it to work as smooth as in a 2D panel. I think the difference is that the gauges in a 2Di view is placed on a 2D layer for themself. Anyway, it works great. ;-)>1) if you cycle the views with the 'S' key, do you get to a 2D>panel, then the VC, then Tower then Spot?No, the 2Di panel is a part of the 3D panel. But it can only be activated by a preprogrammed keycommand. So when you cycle with "S", you will have a full screen view where the 2D panel should be in another aircraft.>2) is the "2Di" main view in fact a particular view>point/direction in the VC that is adjusted to provide a>"perspective"/"field of view of the panel" that ressemble the>typical 2D panels, and in fact when you "exit" this main view>and start navigating in the VC, you were already in the VC in>fact?Yes, the 2Di view is a particular view. See the pictures above. One 2Di view for the captain, and one for the first officer. :-)>You got me curious, and I'm sure at least a couple others in>this thread!Hope my explanations will clear things up. :-)Staffanhttp://www.scandicair.com/images/as_banner.jpg

[Staffan 12]

>Thanks Staffan,>>That listing gives me a good idea of what to expect, now to>take the risk... hmmmmRemember,..if you go ahead and purchase. Read the manuals thoroughly. The thing I did wrong when I purchased my first Ariane 737 NG, was that I thought it should be like most other FS planes. But how wrong was I?I learned myself that I had to rethink, and keeping an openmind for new thinking in the addon programming.What I did was that I printed the whole manual material (approx 300 pages) in a Jeppesen format, and placed the whole thing in a nice Jeppesen binder.The pdf pages from Ariane already have the correct format for two sided printing.I promise you,..you will have a blast. :-)Happy landings,Staffanhttp://www.scandicair.com/images/as_banner.jpg

[Ricardo41 5,936]

Well, I took the plunge this morning and bought Ariane's BBJ - for a whopping $91.I didn't care much for the purchase process: Apparently, Ariane will only allow you to download the files once, after that they're assuming you are planning to pirate their files. If you lose the files, well, apparently, you are then #### out of luck. I expect this addon to be a pain in the azz to manage; hopefully, I'll be pleasantly surprised. ricardo