***Updated Screenshot !!***

[RobbieHe 0]

It just looks like a very wet morning or afternoon where the rain is coming down so quickly that it has not has time to drain and/or evaporate.Compared to what we get around here (Atlanta, GA USA) after a heavy summer rain, I'd have to say the picture is actually slightly under-reflective.Again, though, the detail on the tarmac is super. The water reflectons are great as well. I hope the runways are similar in detail. I'd like to see the grass on the sides of the runway too, what it looks light now, compared to FS9. I am sure there are similar improvements all around. I bet the highly detailed airports are going to knock our socks off. I get the feeling that's one of the things they are working on now. I bet when you combine tarmac detail that we see, with the new and improved 3D airport details, we will really be able to get a better perspective of how fast we are moving on the taxiway or runway. What do you guys think?RH

[MD83 1]

The wet runway effects are good. I've seen the sun shining through the clouds so brightly that it looks like that :)Good effort, FS Team :)---------------------------------------"If it doesn't have a VC, I won't be flying it http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/DarrenA300/smug.gif" ... hang on a minute .... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/DarrenA300/unsure.gif ... that is too restrictive! Most flight simulator planes don't have a fully functional VC .... I'm happy to fly non-VC planes such as the brilliant iFDG range, Samdim's fantastic aircraft, POSKY's wonderful planes, and many many others! I'm the richer for it :).

[Guest tmloser]

Oh man, oh man, oh man... These shots are AWESOME!!! And I have to wait till the end of the year!!!I'm DEFINITELY will start to save ALL my money for a new computer because I REALLY want to see FS X in all it's glory!!! (BTW I will wait with buying a new computer until Vista and FS X are released so I can really bye the hottest and fastest computer available!)

[Guest pixelpoke_from_MSFT]

>I remember an AVSIM article covering Microsft's presentation>at the AVSIM conference last year. In that article there was a>small movie showing off very nice specular and "sun glow">effects. One scene showed an asphalt runway with "puddles" of>water on it. There was no such shot for icing conditions but,>obviously, they've got the technique to do it. >>The movie also introduced a new kind of good looking sun>reflections from bodies of water (creeks, rivers etc) in the>terrain. As I fly in real life, seeing the sun "wander the>watery surfaces" below is one thing I really enjoy as it>contributes to the sensation of speed. The fact that none of>these effects have been presented in the "official>announcements" of January, makes me a bit worried they've>decided to drop it for whatever reason (performance?).>>I looked around for the article in the AVSIM archive but I>couldn't find it. Did anyone do a "save as..." ?I did the visuals seen at the AVSIM conference... :)What you've seen in the screens released are the same effects. The only thing that has changed since those screens is the resolution of the normal map, which has been increased, as everyone thought it looked like an orange peel.We've never had puddles. Cheers,Jason

[moggel 0]

>We've never had puddles. I just re-checked "puddle" in my dictionary and it seems I used the wrong word (I'm Swedish btw :-wave). When I say puddles I just mean there was a shot of a very dark runway (I think it must've been asphalt) with wet parts. I'm positive the whole surface was NOT reflective. Do I remember it wrong? Is that video (or those screenies) still available somewhere?

[Guest Rayed]

Well, I am for one very happy with the screens - great job!I fully understand that for this FS generation it would be rather hard to deal with real time ambient occlusions, final gathering, lots of bounced lights and glossy/occluded reflections - because this is basically what is needed to get realistic ligthing in conditions presented on the screen (overcast with rain). Lots of that can be faked and I am sure FS team did what they could, but I don't expect unrealistic things.

[Guest Fjorko]

I think people ( me included ) are just expecting too much of this release... and I fear we are in for a surprise, but that is just my opinion.I also think that MS wants us to look forward to this release, but at the same time guide us into not "expecting" too much this time around ( but again this is just my opinion and I may be wrong ).I'm sure they are working hard at this release and I'm also confident that there will be many improvements over FS9, but from what I can interpret from comments and replies from Mike and Jason, it appears that our expectations are kind of "dampened" (for the lack of a better word) as if they are trying to tell us to not get our hopes up TOO high...We'll just have to wait and see guys/girls !!

[moggel 0]

>I think people ( me included ) are just expecting too much of>this release... and I fear we are in for a surprise, but that>is just my opinion.>Well, the problem with any forum is that most statements, when presented in pure text, may appear alot more "pronounced" than the author intended. In fact, even having read a few of my own posts, I've been struck with how crude some of them mustv'e appeared to others. We also have to realise alot of us doesn't speak English fluently which is another reason for failed nuances in posts.I certainly don't expect the next version to bring me heaven (hey, it's just a hobby) and I'll buy it, day 1, just from what's apparent in the official screenies so far. I believe the fact most of us are asking questions is because we're simply excited there will even be a new version, and we have something to look forward too. I count on the fact TDragger and Pixelpoke are seasoned forum buffs who're able to read our posts for what they are and without being put off.Cheers

[Guest PC509]

It looks a lot better without the direct light to it. It looks great. I, too, am from the great Pacific Northwest (Columbia River Gorge). It rains less here that Seattle, and it still rains a lot! Even with an overcast, the wet roads can shine. With direct sunlight, it's almost blinding with the right reflection! I love going to PDX (Portland, Oregon) to watch the planes take off and land. I remember (before I was married and had kids...) waking up laying on the top of a friends car in the employee parking area close to the end of the runway with a 747 taking off. Hangover and all, it was pretty cool.

[Guest jboweruk]

I'm drooling already, if on my compy it looks anywhere close to those screenies I'll be happy I think. I'm certainly planning my next computer and even if I have to spend