Future of X-plane

[thepitts 30]

You do have to wonder about the future of humanity when so much heat can be generated over computer software !!

Mutual respect, the ability to take and receive constructive criticism, understanding people can have different opinions, and highlighting areas of agreement.....seem to be disappearing arts.

Tim

[Biology 1,347]

20 minutes ago, jcomm said:

Well, I have to confess that I have long lost interest on even the best add-ons for the fsx and derived platforms. They can appear to offer the right numbers if you're flying without paying attention to details like prop effects, pitching moments due to thrust, asymmetric thrust, weather-induced effects, etc etc etc.

Indeed it comes down to preference. Just like how most of the Prepar3D airliners fly by the performance numbers (range, fuel consumption, acceleration rate, airframe drag etc.) while not accurately depicting many effects which happen in real flight and outside normal envelope, most of the X-Plane airliners have realistic systems for normal operation, while there are many missing items when it comes to abnormals, which can be easily noticed if you are a systems nerd. For me systems accuracy is more important than flight dynamics, so I mostly use P3D these days. Of course I'd prefer both systems accuracy and realistic flight dynamics, but right now there's no offering for that.

I also did the mistake of getting Flight Factor A320 instead of ToLiSS Airbuses, and I still regret it so badly. There are so many missing items when it comes to non-normals and even normals sometimes. ToLiSS seems to be a lot better in that regard.

Edited January 31, 2021 by BiologicalNanobot

[Janov 2,383]

3 minutes ago, thepitts said:

understanding people can have different opinions

Hehe, one of my favourite sayings is: "I would love to agree with you, but then we would both be wrong!" 🤣

[jcomm 5,890]

10 minutes ago, BiologicalNanobot said:

Indeed it comes down to preference. Just like how most of the Prepar3D airliners fly by the performance numbers (range, fuel consumption, acceleration rate, airframe drag etc.) while not accurately depicting many effects which happen in real flight and outside normal envelope, most of the X-Plane airliners have realistic systems for normal operation, while there are many missing items when it comes to abnormals, which can be easily noticed if you are a systems nerd. For me systems accuracy is more important than flight dynamics, so I mostly use P3D these days. Of course I'd prefer both systems accuracy and realistic flight dynamics, but right now there's no offering for that.

I also did the mistake of getting Flight Factor A320 instead of ToLiSS Airbuses, and I still regret it so badly. There are so many missing items when it comes to non-normals and even normals sometimes. ToLiSS seems to be a lot better in that regard.

BTW, Toliss A319 latest update, probably applies also to the A321 variants, now adds a few more "abnormals"...

One example is a feature I had long requested, because otherwise the Toliss was already doing very well regarding engine-out simulation, manual or automatic flight, but it missed the "beta-target" in the PFD. FSLabs has had it for a while, but then it handles so out of sync with reality under such scenarios that it isn't doing anything worth there 😕  Ah! FF A320 doesn't model it at all, and does an even worst job under asymmetric thrust situations than the other two...

Edited January 31, 2021 by jcomm

[Biology 1,347]

9 minutes ago, Janov said:

Hehe, one of my favourite sayings is: "I would love to agree with you, but then we would both be wrong!" 🤣

 

[Biology 1,347]

5 minutes ago, jcomm said:

BTW, Toliss A319 latest update, probably applies also to the A321 variants, now adds a few more "abnormals"...

One example is a feature I had long requested, because otherwise the Toliss was already doing very well regarding engine-out simulation, manual or automatic flight, but it missed the "beta-target" in the PFD. FSLabs has had it for a while, but then it handles so out of sync with reality under such scenarios that it isn't doing anything worth there 😕  Ah! FF A320 doesn't model it at all, and does an even worst job under asymmetric thrust situations than the other two...

Pretty much this. All I want is to find the holy grail: Both realistic flight model and complete systems. Thankfully ToLiSS is improving quite fast with their developers quickly adding requested features and hopefully FSLabs A320 for MSFS will use MSFS' improved flight dynamics.

Meanwhile FF A320 doesn't even have holds, fix info and other goodies ToLiSS has. Which is sad, because it had a huge potential.

Edited January 31, 2021 by BiologicalNanobot

[peroni 541]

3 hours ago, GoranM said:

They're game developers.  Not engineers or pilots.  DO they love flight simming?  I don't see how they would.

I have the utmost respect for you and your work on the TBM, just want to point out their CEO and one of the main developer is a pilot, a very recent one but a pilot nonetheless, he posted a pic of his PPL/A on Twitter a few months ago.

Going back to what this topic is about, so far rumours shared here are for an PS5 port, ray marching or ray tracing, east european developer studio working on next gen art assets. Any more I might have missed?

[Ianrivaldosmith 5,317]

9 minutes ago, peroni said:

PS5 port

For X-plane? I though it was supposed to be, and I quote, a ‘serious sim’ and not some game? 😉

[Janov 2,383]

5 minutes ago, peroni said:

Going back to what this topic is about, so far rumours shared here are for an PS5 port, ray marching or ray tracing, east european developer studio working on next gen art assets. Any more I might have missed?

Of the top of my head (hinted at or confirmed):

• Better weather system (both fidelity and visual depiction)
• Better lighting engine
• Better multiplayer
• Better scenery (both art assets and mesh/landclass)

My personal wishes:

• Better orbital mechanics (rocket engines, etc.)
• Procedural snow (with more realistic friction)
• Greater variety of objects for airport building

What I think is not true:

• PS5 port
• Eastern Europe developer studio

Cheers, Jan

 

[GoranM 3,762]

3 minutes ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

For X-plane? I though it was supposed to be, and I quote, a ‘serious sim’ and not some game? 😉

Does that mean MSFS is "some game", because it's designed for XBOX?  😉

And speaking for myself, I haven't heard of any PS5 port for X-Plane.  It has been, and always will be, designed for Linux, Mac and Windows.  

Edited January 31, 2021 by GoranM

[Biology 1,347]

6 minutes ago, Janov said:

Of the top of my head (hinted at or confirmed):

• Better weather system (both fidelity and visual depiction)
• Better lighting engine
• Better multiplayer
• Better scenery (both art assets and mesh/landclass)

My personal wishes:

• Better orbital mechanics (rocket engines, etc.)
• Procedural snow (with more realistic friction)
• Greater variety of objects for airport building

What I think is not true:

• PS5 port
• Eastern Europe developer studio

Cheers, Jan

Given that Eastern Europe developer studio is probably not true, is Laminar Research planning to hire more developers? I would like to help for lighting and visual depiction of weather 😛

Edited January 31, 2021 by BiologicalNanobot

[GoranM 3,762]

Just now, BiologicalNanobot said:

Given that Eastern Europe developer studio is probably not true, does Laminar Research need more developers? I would like to help for lighting and visual depiction of weather 😛

Doesn't hurt to ask.  Present your case and tell them why they should hire you.  

[Biology 1,347]

3 minutes ago, GoranM said:

tell them why they should hire you

That's the issue - even I don't know why they should hire me 😛

[Janov 2,383]

6 minutes ago, BiologicalNanobot said:

is Laminar Research planning to hire more developers?

I think they probably would like to hire more developers - the biggest problem for them is to find someone with the right skillset...and that you can´t just throw twice as many devs onto one problem to halve the time. One of Ben´s favourite sayings is "nine women can´t have one baby in one month".

However, if someone is already very familiar with the code and inner workings of X-Plane and packs the correct skillset to work with it - why not shoot Ben an email?

[akita 429]

49 minutes ago, peroni said:

ray marching, east european developer studio working on next gen art assets. Any more I might have missed?

From what I can tell, both are not rumors. 

a) ben did say they are probably going towards ray-marching, this is also what most games including msfs does, just like everybody has PBR, so really no surprise here if this is the direction.

b) as for the new artists, listened to a couple interviews that I've found a while before, I apologize for not providing the links. Austin clearly is talking about artists "from one of the most unexpected places" "they've been working BTS", and that they are from eastern europe.

it's not a guarantee for quality as we don't know those mysterious artists and it remains to be seen, but eastern european artists are pretty much well known to be top quality, this region is sort of the silicon valley of 3d art and can be blamed for many of the art we see in AAA games.

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by akita