Looks like the vas issue has been found and will be fixed in the next patch.

 

Re: v3.3, what about the VAS?

 

That's really good news. Both problems that caused so many people screaming will be solved with one patch. I am happy that LM listens to their customers.

 

Looks like the vas issue has been found and will be fixed in the next patch.

 

Re: v3.3, what about the VAS?

•  

Postby Adam Breed » Wed Jun 08, 2016 9:09 pm

abd40110a,

 

Thank you again for the deep dive on this. We believe we have discovered an issue and we will be releasing a v3.3 hotfix to address it. It is related to viewtopic.php?f=6312&t=119544&start=75#p137391

 

Regards,

Adam

 

 

So much for the few that were claiming the VAS issue was the fault of the person having it.  

Would you be open to sharing your settings, that eliminate this problem?

 

P3D v3.2 on Win 7 64, i7 3770k @ 4.2, Asus Strix GTX 980Ti running 368.22

 

In Nivida Inspector - All default settings except AA mode - Enhance, Transparency Supersampling - 4x Sparse Grid, Power Management - Maximum

 

In P3D - Image and Texture Quality , FSAA - Off, MSAA - 4 Samples, Texture Filtering Anisotropic 4x, Texture Resolution - High, Vsync - Off, Frame Rate - Unlimited, Tessellation - Enabled

Who else still uses Nvidia Inspector? I thought it was of little/no use since P3Dv2?

 

As much as I love the constant updates, you have to constantly keep your eye on the P3D ball. Go away for a few months and everything has changed by the time you come back. Always a learning curve to reset the optimum condition.

Okay, I did it, and moved from 3.2 to 3.3 by udpating CLIENT and CONTENT. Just had to re-intall my REX textures, autogen files, and moon replacement textures.

 

Everthing (EZDOK, TrackIR, MCE; aircrafts, sceneries) seems to work as before, which is good. ASN and FSUIPC v4.555 updated as well.

 

My subjective findings so far with medium settings (without going into detail):

 

- Visually, I cannot detect any difference to the previous version. Autogen loading is quick.

- The sim feels smooth, maybe a little smoother as before, but this is subjective.

- Performance in cloudy conditions seems to be improved.

 

- AA is bad as before (with 1440p monitor). Still at least 2xSGSS in NI is required to avoid shimmering.

- Cloud shadow re-positioning on ground and VC at specific sun angles / time when panning around is still there, and that bug is not solved in the new version.

- VAS at UK2000 EGLL / Aerosoft London City with PMDG 777 was 700MB remaining when doing traffic patterns.

 

I see no reason not to upgrade to 3.3 as the most important issues are fixed with P3D v.3.3.5

So much for the few that were claiming the VAS issue was the fault of the person having it.  

 

That's pretty much standard for P3D. It was the same with the shadow issues during 2.x.

 

The timeline of a bug in P3D:

1. A beta is released to closed beta testers

2. Beta testers fail to notice obvious, major bug

3. The version is released to public, still with the major bug

4. A user notices the bug and posts about it

5. Everyone blames the user, claiming user error of incorrect configuration

6. More and more people report the issue

7. LM finally admit that it's an actual bug and release a hotfix

That's pretty much standard for P3D. It was the same with the shadow issues during 2.x.

 

The timeline of a bug in P3D:

1. A beta is released to closed beta testers

2. Beta testers fail to notice obvious, major bug

3. The version is released to public, still with the major bug

4. A user notices the bug and posts about it

5. Everyone blames the user, claiming user error of incorrect configuration

6. More and more people report the issue

7. LM finally admit that it's an actual bug and release a hotfix

 

 

Which is why I believe the real beta testing comes after the update is released when large numbers of users ( I call them beta testers too) fly with the latest version and all their add ons, and discover the problems that may still exist. I find many of these issues are very quickly reported on the Facebook P3D 2.5-3.0 Group, sometimes within hours of an update being released. Very little of the "blaming the installer" attitude seems to exist on the Facebook group which I like.  

5. Everyone blames the user, claiming user error of incorrect configuration

 

This drives me nuts, the I don't notice it so its your fault crowd. I think I may have been one the first to document the spinning clouds in v2 but was shouted down by all sorts of nonsense, such as you're using too wide a field of view, to blaming REX and all manner of other gibberish, even from some LM testers. I finally fixed it for myself.  Eventually LM came around to putting it right, but it took a crazy long time, and they have only just added a tweak to change the facing method.

 

There are still things amiss but I can't be bothered anymore and try to ignore them, or fix them myself

This drives me nuts, the I don't notice it so its your fault crowd. I think I may have been one the first to document the spinning clouds in v2 but was shouted down by all sorts of nonsense, such as you're using too wide a field of view, to blaming REX and all manner of other gibberish, even from some LM testers. I finally fixed it for myself.  Eventually LM came around to putting it right, but it took a crazy long time, and they have only just added a tweak to change the facing method.

 

There are still things amiss but I can't be bothered anymore and try to ignore them, or fix them myself

Not to go off topic, but how did you fix it? I haven't flown in a couple of weeks but recall seeing spinning clouds in 3.2. I can't stand it.

how did you fix it? I haven't flown in a couple of weeks but recall seeing spinning clouds in 3.2. I can't stand it.

 

I found that reducing the float blendDistance to 800 (or so) in the cloud.fx shader brought the distance the clouds spin to face the viewpoint closer. It does not elimiminate it, but does improve it. With 2D sprites you cannot get rid of it altogether and you will get some barn dooring, as they swing around the ac.

 

float blendDistance = 800;  // Clouds will be fully volumize from 3000 meters, reducing to 0 at 6000

 

You can now tweak this value in PTA.

And here in the real world not this fantasy world some live in:

 

1.  It's rare Beta testers can even test 3rd party products because they are bound to P3D exe/dlls (ASN, Virtuali, Orbx, FSUIPC, etc. etc.) so we can't test existing 3rd party content, only the original developer "might" be able to "if" they don't rely on another developer to provide the necessary working DLL (SODE, ObjectFlow, etc.).

2.  The time between each new Beta build is 1-2 weeks, there are often 4 or more Beta builds which means (ASN, Virtuali, Orbx, FSUIPC, etc. etc.) have to come up with a new DLL for each Beta build every week and they are under NO obligation to share those to the other Beta members.

3.  Many 3rd party devs that are bound to exe/dll wait until final release (see #2, it's time consuming for them to keep updating because THEY CHOSE to bind).

4.  Some compatibility breaks are intentional in order to improve performance -- I'm taking at 10-12% FPS hit because LM went back and "fixed" (allow for) FS2002 SDK.

5.  Making assumptions that released bugs we NOT reported, how do you know they weren't reported?  You don't.  Bugs get reported, if LM can't replicate, they can't fix, often replication requires a working 3rd party product (see #1).

 

So, you can tell the Orbx, ASN, FSUIPC devs to stop going outside the SDK and stop binding to key DLLs/EXEs so that Beta testers can test their products and hence remove some of what makes ASN, Orbx, FSUIPC as good as they are?  I think those 3rd party devs would disagree with that.

 

But this passive/aggressive blame the Beta Tester is rather silly, does it make you feel better?  If so, great, keep on doing it.  But all you do is expose a level of ignorance and assumptions that help no one.

 

If you see a problem with a 3rd party product in P3D, report it to the 3rd party dev first.  If you see a problem with base P3D, report it to LM.  If the 3rd party product is an FSX only product, then you're on your own.

 

Cloud rotation issues are still present and will always be present, that's the compromise we live with based on hardware limitations ... LM have tried to reduce them within the confines of the basic design, but they are still present.

 

Cheers, Rob.

Just because memories can be short at time - to all those who are/have been bashing LM for this, that and anything elase except global warming - I ask a simple question - 

 

When was the last time you saw this much open dialogue with MS?

 

LM is listening and they are responding.

 

Just sayin.......

 

Vic

+1 So true Vic!

 

P3D 3.3 would have been FS2025 at the rate MS worked!!!

 

CK

A few questions if you will indulge me as this will be my first P3D upgrade!

 

1. So 3.3 is good to go now with respect to the ground scenery flickering no longer happening?

2. To get all the upates/bug fixes one just needs the client correct? Or do you need the Content as well?

3. With the Client only you don't need to reinstall anything as far as stuff like FTX Global textures, Vector, OpenLC, 3rd party airports, etc... right? What about if update Content as well?

I've had no reinstalls needed after updating both client and content. There might be an odd addon or two that might pop up but nothing major.

 

Scenery is the one that takes a bit of work.

 

Vic

Gotcha, thanks Vic.