Maddog X 1.3b351 with PBR out and 83-88 tomorrow

[Bob Scott 7,704]

39 minutes ago, molleh said:

Is there a way to buy the Maddog X at a discount if I purchased the original version from Leonardo directly in 2012?

I don't think so.  The only discount I am aware of is if you want to buy it for a second platform (e.g. you bought the new version for FSX and also want the P3D version).

Regards

[Dreamflight767 310]

1 hour ago, Lenny777 said:

Ok, I did not use simsounds, FSCrew and changed WXRadar on setup back to HiFi and all is good. I'm going to try the WXRadar again later and see if that was the problem. It's not UUWW. I've flown the updated patch with MD-82 before the new expansion and wasn't the SODE jetway.

Just a suggestion, sometimes after installing a new add-on, I rebuild the sims. config file.  Just something to help you try.

[Guest]

This is their external variant of AA provided by Leonardo with PBR and DR turned up.

Cheers, Rob.

[David Roch 1,953]

What prog are you using for external views Rob?
It is very smooth!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, David Roch said:

What prog are you using for external views Rob?

ChasePlane

Cheers, Rob.

[Wanthuyr Filho 83]

2 hours ago, Rob Ainscough said:

This is their external variant of AA provided by Leonardo with PBR and DR turned up.

Cheers, Rob.

I noticed that PBR is independent of Dynamic Reflections, which had been a doubt for me for some time.

But I also noticed that DR creates a kind of "aura" around the skin of the aircraft that makes it too lit for my taste, yet the reflection effect is cool, but it also reduces frame rate (not sure whether or not it reduces whilst in the virtual cockpit though).

And the worst, IMHO, PBR capability made the whole aircraft too much lit and it killed the capability of enhancing the contrast by the ways of PTA/Tomato, i.e., making the sunlit parts brighter and the shadowed parts darker.

Edited December 24, 2018 by Wanthuyr Filho

[Guest]

51 minutes ago, Wanthuyr Filho said:

But I also noticed that DR creates a kind of "aura" around the skin

I haven't noticed that?  Are you down-scaling the image, that "might" cause that "aura" effect.  I don't use external shaders, in theory PBR shouldn't need them and any controlling of levels can be accomplished via the UI graphic HDR sliders.  You also have to be careful with replacing sky textures as they can also introduce that "aura" effect along with a PBR materials surface not done well ... to do PBR materials it's best to start with a zero base in simulator and use PBR specific software tools like Substance Designer (which should be calibrated for PBR).

Unfortunately LM are stuck supporting non-PBR and PBR so have to provide some compromises to allow the two to work reasonably well in the virtual world.

Yes, DR (especially at ultra setting) will have an FPS impact pending your GPU (it's a full view multi-pass process) ... as you can see even the clouds in the sky, road vehicles, ground surface, terrain, AI aircraft, are being reflected on any/all surfaces that support DR.

Cheers, Rob.

Edited December 24, 2018 by Guest

[Wanthuyr Filho 83]

1 hour ago, Rob Ainscough said:

I haven't noticed that?  Are you down-scaling the image, that "might" cause that "aura" effect.  I don't use external shaders, in theory PBR shouldn't need them and any controlling of levels can be accomplished via the UI graphic HDR sliders.  You also have to be careful with replacing sky textures as they can also introduce that "aura" effect along with a PBR materials surface not done well ... to do PBR materials it's best to start with a zero base in simulator and use PBR specific software tools like Substance Designer (which should be calibrated for PBR).

Unfortunately LM are stuck supporting non-PBR and PBR so have to provide some compromises to allow the two to work reasonably well in the virtual world.

Yes, DR (especially at ultra setting) will have an FPS impact pending your GPU (it's a full view multi-pass process) ... as you can see even the clouds in the sky, road vehicles, ground surface, terrain, AI aircraft, are being reflected on any/all surfaces that support DR.

Cheers, Rob.

No down-scaling here, using 4k resolution in a 55" screen. Just to make sure what I was seeing I took 2 screenshots, one for each case (DR on and off). It seems to be really something related to reflection, with DR activate it might "reflect" the surrounding environment and thus creating this "brightness" around the fuselage. And it's more visible in the edges of the fuselage in the boundaries of the view.

But the main issue to me seems to be the PBR itself, as it made the airplane too bright to my taste (I've only tested this old AA livery so far), something the HDR sliders won't help because it's more related to the contrast between sunlit areas and shadowed areas (I like a bump of more contrast particularly). And yes, I'm aware sky textures make a huge difference in the overall appearance of the whole simulator, it's complicated! In the end it's really a matter of compromise, until maybe the graphics engine is revamped from scratch.

 

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Wanthuyr Filho said:

Just to make sure what I was seeing I took 2 screenshots, one for each case (DR on and off).

Any chance you can share those screenshots?  Is this without using any shader products like PTA and/or others?

Cheers, Rob.

[Wanthuyr Filho 83]

Sure, I had deleted them, but recovered just in time. First one DR enabled (first notch) and the second one DR disabled.

 

https://ibb.co/VwF6Fz4

https://ibb.co/PDZwpGj

 

It's using PTA in order to create this stronger contrast effect I've mentioned earlier.

In the next post I will put comparisons between PBR enabled and PBR disabled.

Edited December 24, 2018 by Wanthuyr Filho
Bad Links

[Wanthuyr Filho 83]

There goes a sequence of 8 pictures being 4 with PBR enabled and another 4 with PBR disabled. It shows clearly what I've mentioned earlier, in which when PBR is enabled the aircraft appearance seems to be too much washed out. IMHO with PBR disabled the contrast looks much more natural.

 

https://ibb.co/TqZT3rJ
https://ibb.co/hs0D7mY

 

https://ibb.co/51hznrj
https://ibb.co/VpvRshL

 

https://ibb.co/xFRDcdD
https://ibb.co/NnHfnbv

 

https://ibb.co/xGSZNJM
https://ibb.co/tmHy6t9

 

Edited December 24, 2018 by Wanthuyr Filho
Bad Links

[Wanthuyr Filho 83]

Links fixed, sorry.

[David Roch 1,953]

13 hours ago, Rob Ainscough said:

ChasePlane

Cheers, Rob.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

[David Roch 1,953]

How did I miss this jewel for so long?
I am discovering the Maddog X just now, and I am speechless.
What a beautiful piece of software. How much work and passion one must involve to reach this level of perfection!
Kudos to Leonardo and his team and thank you!

 

[SolRayz 392]

25 minutes ago, David Roch said:

How did I miss this jewel for so long?
I am discovering the Maddog X just now, and I am speechless.
What a beautiful piece of software. How much work and passion one must involve to reach this level of perfection!
Kudos to Leonardo and his team and thank you!

 

Agreed, I'm also late to the party and glad I finally joined.