The new visualizations are cool, but they aren't easy to enable. In fact, some very interesting visualization tools have been there all along if you knew where to look. BTW - I'm not sure Asobo realizes that 99.9% of their users are hardcore nerds, and we are ALL interested in these tools - not just aircraft developers. 

 

Here's how you enable the CFD model display and other airframe physics visualizations:

Step 1: Start a flight with the C172

Step 2: Enable Developer Mode (its under General Options, Developers - but you know that already because you are a nerd and you clicked on this forum topic)

Step 3: Select "New project" under the "[DevMode]" drop down in the top menu

Step 4: Give the project a name, any name

Step 5: You can cancel out of the project wizard at this point since we're not creating anything

All of the option under the "tools" menu should now be enabled - this is why we started a project

Step 6: Select "Aircraft Editor from the "Tools" drop down

The airframe visualizations are under the "Debug" menu in the aircraft editor window. There are many available in SU8. To see the CFD visualization in SU9:

Step 7: Select "CFD" under the debug menu in the aircraft editor

Step 8: Go to an external view, and check off any of the visualization options near the top of the CFD window

Step 9: Play around with all of the debug options! Enjoy your nerdy variables and physics visualizations! 

 

It's possible there's an easier way to do this, but I haven't found one - if you have, please share. I also haven't found out how to enable the atmosphere visualizations, which are the ones I'm most interested in - things like updrafts, down drafts, etc...The visualization that was shown during the dev Q&A, with the breeze wafting over the airframe in a fluid, chaotic fashion was mesmerizing. I could honestly watch that for hours. Does anyone know if these are in the sim somewhere and how to enable them?

Parting thought: the most interesting visualizations should be included as options in the external view camera menu under an advanced section - similar to the smart cam targets. The "science" of simulators and the educational value of seeing the physics model in action is something that should be exposed to as many users as possible. If you capture the imagination of just a few kids (and adults!)- it's well worth the effort!

 

The enhanced atmospheric airflow simulation is there in SU9 but the visualizations of it will only come in SU10 I believe.

Edited April 2, 20224 yr by lwt1971

By the way - make sure you enable CFD the visualization in the air - not just on the ground. The modeling of the chaotic turbulence behind the airframe is amazing - especially since it's emergent behavior - a phenomenon that arises as a result of the model, rather than some basic "random number generator x lateral force" factor. It's hard for my mind to process how far we've come since the days of the original Flight Simulator - both in terms of software modeling and hardware capabilities. 

20 minutes ago, lwt1971 said:

The enhanced airflow simulation is there in SU9 but the visualizations of it will only come in SU10 I believe.

Why don't you believe that when he just posted a detailed explanation on how to do it?

9 minutes ago, espent said:

Why don't you believe that when he just posted a detailed explanation on how to do it?

Ummm I was talking about his "It's possible there's an easier way to do this, but I haven't found one - if you have, please share. I also haven't found out how to enable the atmosphere visualizations, which are the ones I'm most interested in - things like updrafts, down drafts, etc" question, not about CFD. Sorry should've been clearer :), will edit

Edited April 2, 20224 yr by lwt1971

12 minutes ago, lwt1971 said:

Ummm I was talking about his "It's possible there's an easier way to do this, but I haven't found one - if you have, please share. I also haven't found out how to enable the atmosphere visualizations, which are the ones I'm most interested in - things like updrafts, down drafts, etc" question, not about CFD. Sorry should've been clearer :), will edit

Correct - I was referring to the visualizations that showed the airflow over terrain across a large distance - like the flow of air over a mountain. They exist, since they demonstrated them in the dev Q&A, but they might not be available in SU9.

The only visualizations I've found so far are limited to the small distance around the airframe - which are still VERY VERY cool and you should definitely check them out! I have been flying around with the CFD visualization enabled for the past hour, and I'm having a hard time turning it off. I think I've been hypnotized. 

So are there wind gusts and other new atmospheric air flow in the Beta? I've been missing wind gusts of any kind for far too long!

I think this must be the most underrated thread re. SU9 beta, and I am most grateful to enright for his insight 😀

I would like to add to his instructions:

"Step 7: Select "CFD" under the debug menu in the aircraft editor"

and enlarge that Debug Aircraft CFD window, just pull down the side scroll bar, otherwise you won't be able to access the Airflow check boxes. like so;

You can display CFD visualisation not only for the default C172SP-G1000, but for any non-encrypted aircraft, i.e. none that you bought from the MSFS store and none of the aircraft from the Premium MSFS edition, any other should work, like Citation, KingAir, B747, A320, C152 and any other 3rd party aircraft not purchased from the MSFS store.

Edited April 2, 20224 yr by turbomax