FireFighter X in P3D V4.4: Issue notice

[Lorby_SI 2,036]

Hello @ll,

Edit: This issue has been "fixed" (rather: worked around) in FireFighterX 1.86, which as been released today.

it looks like P3D version 4.4 changed the sequence in which the 3D models are processed that are attached to each other. This causes the blue/red disc in the helicopter buckets to lag behind - leaving a gap between the disc and the bucket. This gap increases with the speed at which your aircraft travels. This does not happen in P3D 4.3 with the identical FFX version.

I have posted this issue on the P3D forums, but since I am not a member of their beta/3rd party developer inner group, I have no hopes that this will be addressed.

The whole rendering of SimObjects seems to have changed in the last P3D versions. For example, the "flickering" of AI aircraft in unlimited FPS has become continuously worse from 4.0 to 4.4. And SimObjects are removed from the visual simulation far too eagerly when they are not in view, causing a reload when you look back at them (= black textures, gaps in particle effects, etc). That last one is not much of an issue when you always look straight ahead or only have fixed views. But with TrackIR or in VR it is very annoying when you look away for a second and a 1000ft smoke column is just gone and the effect starts again from scratch.

Best regards

Edited February 17, 2019 by Lorby_SI

[Lorby_SI 2,036]

Hello @ll,

if previous owners would be willing to help test a possible fix, that would be much appreciated. Please send an email with proof of purchase to the address on the last page of the users manual if you would like to help out. This test is not only about P3D 4.4, it would also be important to know if the fix works for earlier versions of the sim too.

Many thanks and best regards

[glider1 90]

Thanks Oliver. It is a challenge no doubt to develop on a changing platform. P3D should eventually settle down once they settle down on how objects are handled. They would have to since P3D is aimed at military like applications where simobjects of all kinds are more important than it would be if it were purely an aviation simulator.

All I can say is keep plugging away eventually when something is repeated often enough it gets noticed. Those two graphic shots above would capture my attention if I were the head developer of P3D! It is possible that these issues will eventually get solved because of VR not despite of it with the commitment P3D is making to it.

Frustrating meanwhile though. Hope it doesn't affect sales. You could validly say to customers that if they want the best experience, don't use the latest version of P3D!

Cheers

[Lorby_SI 2,036]

26 minutes ago, glider1 said:

Thanks Oliver. It is a challenge no doubt to develop on a changing platform. P3D should eventually settle down once they settle down on how objects are handled. They would have to since P3D is aimed at military like applications where simobjects of all kinds are more important than it would be if it were purely an aviation simulator.

All I can say is keep plugging away eventually when something is repeated often enough it gets noticed. Those two graphic shots above would capture my attention if I were the head developer of P3D! It is possible that these issues will eventually get solved because of VR not despite of it with the commitment P3D is making to it.

Frustrating meanwhile though. Hope it doesn't affect sales. You could validly say to customers that if they want the best experience, don't use the latest version of P3D!

Cheers

While this is a minor issue (I could just remove those disks…), it worries me that P3D is somehow going in a strange direction; more geared towards the hobby simmer with airliners than seriously out-of-the-box applications. The professional Lorby products may have to be locked to a specific P3D version.
Things seemed to go so well with Versions 4.0 / 4.1, but then several issues started creeping in:

• Objects are removed too eagerly when you don’t look at them, making the FFX particle effects disappear and start again if you just look away for a split second
• AI objects are rendered in a different pass or something. I have increasing issues with stuttering in my network and binary recording protocols
• Plus, objects are suddenly overlapping each other that shouldn’t.
• Now the issue with the attachments, which is really bad – why have a method to attach objects when they aren’t really attached?

A few of these issues feel like memory saving features, which should be obsolete now in 64bit. Others seem to be attempts at boosting performance or multithreading.

Sales: that is hardly a concern. A small developer like me is lucky to make $3000-$5000 in a good year. I guess that I may have reached the point now where continuing this kind of operation is beyond pointless.

Best regards

Edited February 12, 2019 by Lorby_SI

[glider1 90]

Fingers crossed that the platform behaves predictably enough for you to continue developing and enjoy what you are doing. Your work is high value to the community.

I'm willing to help but at the moment am stuck on 4.4 because VR in P3D really is born as a better performing thing in 4.3 which is exactly when you start noticing the object code performance degrading!

Cheers

[FireRx 18]

hi Oliver, 

you know I will still help beta test with ya😀