Aerofly FS 2: Scenery Geoconvert Tool Coming Soon

[tonywob 4,769]

I'm also curious how autogen will work and if it will be possible to create a W2XP like tool for Aerofly

[Chock 17,769]

5 hours ago, KavindaJD said:

You can never get enough can you?

It's not so much that, it was a response to the comment that AeroFly intends to be a serious contender, which is an assertion I would question given what we have seen in the past 12 months of development...

AeroFly FS2 is the second iteration of the AeroFly name and was in development for some time before it was released to early access in May of 2016, so the devs are certainly not newcomers to producing a product.

EA release was just over a year ago. Now I know software development can slip and delays can creep in and I understand that completely, so I would not hold the developers to hard toward their statement that: 'The exact date for coming out of Early Access will depend on feedback but we estimate sometime in the third or fourth quarter of 2016', but they are nevertheless past that by quite a bit. The date in itself is not what concerns me with AeroFly FS2, it is that all we have really seen is scenery DLC come out for it in that time, no real indication that ATC, AI or more complex avionics are on the way. Moreover, if the aforementioned tool on this thread really does make creating scenery relatively easy, then what have the developers been working on for the sim besides that DLC scenery?

Since AeroFly FS2 does feature airliners, such missing features are not merely a case of 'it would be nice to have them', they are necessary for simulating the way craft such as that operate. Even a lowly Cessna 150 on a VFR pleasure flight has to usually get on the radio and announce it is taking off in order to warn other aircraft of its intent, and when you can't even do that after a year of the program being available, I am really starting to question if you ever will be able to. I level the same criticism at X-Plane, which similarly features airliners, yet does not have decent buit-in ATC nor a decent IFR flight planning tool to allow one to operate those airliners as one should, so this is not a criticism solely leveled at AeroFly. Laminar are similarly in need of doing something about that, especially since their product is released and costs 60 quid.

These are simulators, and I've bought them in order to support them and encourage them to develop, but a simulator should simulate more than pretty terrain below the aircraft, for if it does not, one might as well whizz around in Google Earth.

I should like to see AeroFly succeed and there is much in it which impresses me, especially the broad selection of aircraft and nobody could fail to be impressed by the frame rates, but it needs to progress beyond simply knocking out more pretty terrain and those planes need their intruments to be more than mere eye candy if it is to be a contender in the wider sense.

I'll end with another quote from the developers: 'We invite the community to follow our progress in details and share their thoughts and suggestions on the progress of the game'

Well since they asked those who've bought it to comment, and that includes me since I bought it, that is my suggestion.

[KavindaJD 31]

Don't worry Chock. I'll all come with time. It can only get better.

[Guest]

I agree with Chock that things are going too slow. I posted about this on the IPACS forum and was called impatient. With a smiley, of course. But still, things simply are going too slow. Aerofly is the only sim I use right now but I am already keeping a close eye on P3D v4 to get some more serious action again. V4 seems to have full native VR support which is one of the things I like about Aerofly. Obviously v4 also still has ugly landclass scenery but well, things are pixelated anyway in VR and empty photoreal also isn't the best.

My problem is that the isn't a single sim that has it all. 

[HiFlyer 9,358]

4 hours ago, J van E said:

Things will become REALLY interesting (for me) when IPACS find an easy way to add autogen to the scenery.

You don't think the autogen tool will also be made available eventually.........?

[HiFlyer 9,358]

2 hours ago, Chock said:

Well since they asked those who've bought it to comment, and that includes me since I bought it, that is my suggestion.

In case you were unaware:

[Official] Aerofly FS 2 further roadmap 2017

Dear Aerofly users,

As we begin to move into more of the advanced features,
that you are all looking forward to, we wanted to give you
an insight to what you can expect in the coming months.

We can assure you that we are quite busy here at IPACS studio,
working on some new exciting big features that are going to
take some time to get just right for you, so please be patient.

One of those new features is of course ATC, probably the most asked
feature so far. To understand why we need time for this,
please keep in mind that we want to do it right and that it
is also a very complex thing to implement, to say the least.
Due to the complexity of this topic we will split it up into
different sub projects. If possible we will try to let you
have a sneak preview on ATC, whenever we reach a milestone
that can be published without breaking any existing program
functionality. So stay tuned, we will keep you updated on ATC
as development progresses.

But don't worry, expect to see some smaller updates and new
and free content as well soon, like new airplanes, more regions
and of course more features.

We will also publish a new version of our SDK, that allows you
to create your own liveries for our stock aircraft. Anybody
with a good drawing program can then create her/his own repaint.

We thank you for your continued support while we work hard
to raise the bar for Aerofly FS 2 in 2017.

[Guest]

55 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

You don't think the autogen tool will also be made available eventually.........?

I don't have the impression that will be the case...?

35 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

In case you were unaware:

[Official] Aerofly FS 2 further roadmap 2017

Dear Aerofly users,

As we begin to move into more of the advanced features,
that you are all looking forward to, we wanted to give you
an insight to what you can expect in the coming months.

Yes, but unfortunately after this introduction they don't really say what we can expect...  The 'insight' they give doesn't tell me anything substantial at all. It is the usual 'we are working hard and stay tuned' talk. In fact, they might as well have said nothing. It is a pity imho that the actual devs themselves stay silent completely. Of course the advantage is that they won't lose time on forum talk but still... 

[KavindaJD 31]

8 minutes ago, J van E said:

I don't have the impression that will be the case...?

IPACS are working on Autogen with OrbX. If you look at post number #84 by Jarrad here, they have been working on new vegetation with a completely new autogen system. In order to populate user created scenery, you would need a tool similar to that of the Autogen Annotator in the ESP SDK.

16 minutes ago, J van E said:

Yes, but unfortunately after this introduction they don't really say what we can expect

That's for you to find out when the update is launched

[edpatino 1,964]

3 hours ago, J van E said:

Aerofly is the only sim I use right now but I am already keeping a close eye on P3D v4 to get some more serious action again

The best you can do. I like AFS2 very much and value its high potential. I use it together with my flights in P3Dv3.4, to complement it mainly for VFR flying, but the fact that there are very few planes and scenery to fly in, AFS2 is still a platform in progress, and it will be such for some time more. Add to the equation the amount of add-ons that will eventually come into play, it's easy to find that all this will take time. In this regard, P3Dv3 and even v4, have a significant advantage.

Cheers, Ed

 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, KavindaJD said:

IPACS are working on Autogen with OrbX. If you look at post number #84 by Jarrad here, they have been working on new vegetation with a completely new autogen system. In order to populate user created scenery, you would need a tool similar to that of the Autogen Annotator in the ESP SDK.

That's for you to find out when the update is launched

I know about the autogen, which btw was at first only communicated by Orbx and not IPACS (which proves my point about IPACS not really shining in the communication department) but I was talking about an autogen tool we users could use. Afaik nothing has been said about that up to now.

[HiFlyer 9,358]

34 minutes ago, J van E said:

I know about the autogen, which btw was at first only communicated by Orbx and not IPACS (which proves my point about IPACS not really shining in the communication department) but I was talking about an autogen tool we users could use. Afaik nothing has been said about that up to now.

Heres what I think: (subject to the arrival of countervailing information)

Reading further Into Jarrad Marshall's remarks, (Post 92) he identifies the new autogen as part of the core of Aeroflys development engine, available to developers like himself. (and I believe others) To me, that means it will almost by definition have to eventually become part of the SDK, and that SDK to date has been extremely public.

Coupled with the release of the Geoconvert tool, it seems to me that Ipacs has in mind to make scenery and Aircraft creation a very very available option to anyone wishing to do so, including us lowly enthusiasts.......

Quote

 

Hi guys, to explain further; IPACS have been working on the generic vegetation and (new) building system, and ORBX have been utilising this new system to create detailed autogen at LOWI.

The core system from IPACS is not the final output content, ie don't expect ultra-HD quality building placements to appear around the entire AF2 world with this update, but rather it is the ability for developers such as myself to create that final content.

To use an analogy; IPACS have just invented lego bricks, it's now up to developers to build houses with them. I can't speak for any intentions IPACS has for integrating this new tech into their own DLC; I can only speak of the plans ORBX has in relation to our content for the sim.

The ability to create generic autogen buildings and different types of vegetation has not been possibly in AF2 until now - this is a major new feature for the core engine and bodes well for future content from the ORBX side.

 

By the way, JV just posted today, regarding Innsbruck/Aerofly and beyond.

Quote

Glad you like guys like it. We have lots of exciting plans for AFS2 in the coming year. 

Some of the large area regional projects we are working on for AeroflyFS2 are going to blow your minds and elevate the sim to a new level.

We have new tech incoming which will massively streamline production of vast photoreal areas so there's going to be a whole new 200fps world to discover.

2017 is going to be epic!

 

[Guest]

Ok, I did read the first part of JV's post but not the second one... this sounds promising! It sounds even better than that converting tool! 

EDIT

I presume JV is talking about the geconvert tool which they will use to create high end scenery with. And I suppose they will know by then how to add autogen etc. I rather have them making high end detailed scenery and me paying for it than creating things on my own so this is good news.

If Orbx can pull this off and IPACS can deliver at least one aircraft with deep systems things are progressing to my liking.  Add some good weather and clouds and I am happy.

[torium 207]

I welcome - "large area regional projects". Hope they really are large. 

[MikeT707 1,181]

On 5/25/2017 at 11:33 AM, HiFlyer said:

Coupled with the release of the Geoconvert tool

Do you know what sort of resolution one can obtain from this tool?

[HiFlyer 9,358]

1 hour ago, MikeT707 said:

Do you know what sort of resolution one can obtain from this tool?

Down to about 0.5 meters per pixel.......