AUGUST 10TH, 2023 DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Posted by: Microsoft Flight Simulator Team

This week’s Screenshot Challenge winner is Forum user Parorng. If you’re interested in participating in our weekly Screenshot Challenges, check out the details in the Community section below!

Yesterday, we released the first public test build for Sim Update 13 (1.34.10.0) to those players who have opted in to receive beta builds. You can read the release notes for this pre-release build on our forums here. If you are not enrolled in the beta and would like to help test the next major release of Microsoft Flight Simulator, you can find instructions on how to enroll here. The beta is available to players on PC (MS Store and Steam) and Xbox Series X|S.

Earlier today, we released updated versions of three aircraft in the Local Legends and Famous Flyers series: Ford 4-AT Trimotor, Latécoère 631, and Boeing 307 Stratoliner. You can read the release notes for these three updated planes here. You can download the updates from the in-sim Content Manager.

– MSFS Team

 

FEEDBACK SNAPSHOT

Click here for the web-friendly version of the Feedback Snapshot.

DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP

Click here for the web-friendly version of the Development Roadmap.

MARKETPLACE BACKLOG

Current Backlog: 407 Total

BACKLOG: NEW PRODUCTS

	Testing Status
Content Type	Initial Processing and Validation by MS	Handed off to 3P for Functional Testing	Functional Testing in Progress by 3P	Functional Testing Signed off by 3P	Total
Aircraft	32	8	3	0	43
Mission	14	20	8	0	42
Scenery	43	1	3	0	47
Livery	26	9	2	8	45
Airport	46	5	5	2	58
Other	26	18	4	2	50
Total	187	61	25	12	285

BACKLOG: UPDATED PRODUCTS

	Testing Status
Content Type	Initial Processing and Validation by MS	Handed off to 3P for Functional Testing	Functional Testing in Progress by 3P	Functional Testing Signed off by 3P	Total
Aircraft	14	8	1	6	29
Mission	0	0	0	0	0
Scenery	9	1	1	2	13
Livery	28	2	1	4	35
Airport	18	9	13	0	40
Other	2	0	0	3	5
Total	71	20	16	15	122

 

SDK UPDATE

ASOBO

• The Sim Update 13 SDK is not available at this time but will be coming soon. Check the DevSupport forums for the latest information.
• Added use_intake_density_on_mixture, density_to_boost_table, mixture_lever_to_ratio_table, mixture_ratio_to_engine_efficiency_table, use_volumetric_fuel_flow, and rpm_on_volumetric_efficiency parameters to piston engine cfg to address turbo, mixture, and fuel flow issues
• Added support for helicopter engine trim control via RPN code. See SDK for details.
• Slew mode cannot be activated anymore through SimConnect or JS when playing an activity.
• Fixed changing runway number not updating runway taxi paths.
• Blender plugin added to Core SDK.
• Fixed GDI+ FillPath filling the whole framebuffer instead of the provided path.
• Fixed crash when opening Debug Sim Forces.
• User Lights debug : fixed light emitter permitted range.
• Update of the glTF schemas.

• DevMode
  • Fixed typos in CFD Debug window.
  • Fixed potential corruption upon saving a project that uses special characters.
  • Packages & Publishing Groups metadata directories are now deleted upon using the Clean All command.
  • Fixed the behaviour of the Remove buttons in the Asset Groups section of the Package Inspector.
  • Added a meaningful warning message instead of a misleading error message when an empty filename is given as an Extra file.
  • Fixed package building issues when using path names with special characters.
  • Added a way to communicate between JS and Wasm. (A Coherent listener for Java, and the “CommBus API” for WASM).
  • “FastWasmCompilation” option has been renamed to “Wasm Debug Mode”.
  • Fixed incorrect console position in devmode default layout.
  • Fixed Material Editorcrash when opening several time projects with material libraries.
  • Lights are not removed in Scenery Editor when switching to a non lighted type.
  • Fixed an issue that show a white dot when using the mouse to move the camera in game while focusing another window.

• SimConnect
  • Jetway API has been fixed:
    • PBH should now have correct values.
    • If an error occurred while listing jetway, the wrong one will be ignored.
  • SimConnect_EnumerateControllers has been added. Using this function, it is now possible to have more information about hardware devices.
  • SimConnect_AddFacilityDataDefinitionFilter and SimConnect_ClearAllFacilityDataDefinitionFilters have been added. Using those functions, it is now possible to add filter to the NavData API in order to reduce the number of messages sent by the server.
  • Requesting some data using the NavData API shouldn’t freeze the sim anymore.
  • SimConnect_ExecuteAction, SimConnect_EnumerateInputEvents, SimConnect_GetInputEvent, SimConnect_SetInputEvent, SimConnect_SubscribeInputEvent, SimConnect_UnsubscribeInputEvent and SimConnect_EnumerateInputEventParams have been added to handle input events using SimConnect. See documentation for more information.

• SimVars
  • Fixed ROTOR_LATERAL_TRIM_SET and ROTOR_LONGITUDINAL_TRIM_SET events: now they can also take negative value.
  • Added a new simvar for the Helicopter’s Master Throttle Position.
  • Added a new simvar to detect that every water ballast valve in the aircraft is open.

• SimvarWatcher
  • Fixed SimvarWatcher writing to user simobject instead of selected one.

• Aircraft Editor
  • Increased the number of lines that can be set as InputOnlyLines or OutputOnlyLines from 3 to 10 in the modular fuel system.
  • Added missing engine_type value.
  • Added TCAS parameter in Radios section.
  • Added new engine parameters.
  • Added Loading section in Aircraft.cfg.
  • Changed n1_to_shaft_torque_table from 5 to 10.
  • Made display size adaptable to system scale.
  • Removed obsolete parameters.
  • made gizmo window match current parameter unit.
  • Fixed stringlist type parameters.
  • Fixed power_absorbed_cf parameter.

• WASM
  • Added a “Vfx API” in WASM to spawn and control Visual Effect.

WORKING TITLE / MSFS AVIONICS FRAMEWORK

• No update this week.

THIRD PARTY UPDATE

• As of 08/07, we have now approved 234 (+10) third parties into the in-sim marketplace and – so far 196 (+0) have released 2,504 products on PC (+32) and 2,216 on Xbox (+32).
• In total, 3,463 products(+42) have already been released in 3^rd party stores and the in-sim marketplace. Beyond that, another 716 products (-19) from 3^rd party developers are in production (356 announced, 360 unannounced). In total, over 4,179 3^rd party products (+26) have either been released or are in development.
• Airports:
  • 2,072airports (+13) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 1,842 airports (+17) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 1,316 airports (+14) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 124 airports (-1) beyond the released airports have been announced.
    • 106 airports (-3) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an airport is in production.
• Aircraft:
  • 636 aircraft (+2) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 273 aircraft (+3) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 210 aircraft (+5) have been released in the in-sim PC marketplace.
    • 193 aircraft (+7) have been released in the in-sim Xbox marketplace.
    • 210 aircraft (+2) beyond the released aircraft have been announced.
    • 153 aircraft (-4) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an aircraft is in production.
• Scenery:
  • 945 scenery packs (+0) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 916 scenery packs (+2) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 475 scenery packs (+3) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 21 scenery packs (+0) beyond the released scenery have been announced.
    • 8 scenery packs (-2) are not announced but the dev let us know that scenery is in production
• Mission Packs:
  • 196 mission packs (+4) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 178 mission packs (+2) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 117 mission packs (+2) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 0 mission packs (+0) beyond the released missions have been announced.
    • 18 mission packs (-1) are not announced, but the dev let us know that they are in production.
• Livery Packs:
  • 295 livery packs (+7) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 228 livery packs (+17) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 223 livery packs (+18) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 1 livery pack (+0) beyond the released scenery has been announced.
    • 66 livery packs (-10) are not announced, but the dev let us know that scenery is in production.
• Ships & Watercraft:
  • 35 ships & watercraft (+0) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 26 ships & watercraft (+1) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 19 ships & watercraft (+0) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 0 ships & watercraft (-1) beyond the released scenery have been announced.
    • 9 ships & watercraft (+0) are not announced, but dev let us know that scenery is in production

 

COMMUNITY FLY-IN

August 12 is World Elephant Day! This event, celebrated annually since 2012, “was launched to bring attention to the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants. The elephant is loved, revered and respected by people and cultures around the world, yet we balance on the brink of seeing the last of this magnificent creature.”

For our Fly-In this week, we’ll be going on an elephant safari in Ethiopia! Our route will take us past a few different locations where herds of these amazing animals can be seen in Microsoft Flight Simulator while also enjoying the beautiful scenery of this East African nation. If we look carefully, we may also spot some giraffes along the route!

Event details are available here. All are welcome to participate!

COMMUNITY VIDEO

It’s Throwback Thursday! In this video from YouTuber fs10inator, we see lots of vintage footage recorded in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight. Look how far our hobby has come in 20 years! Updated versions of many of the aircraft featured in this video — including the Wright Flyer, Curtiss Jenny, Spirit of St. Louis, Ford Trimotor, and Douglas DC-3 — are available in the current Microsoft Flight Simulator! If watching this video makes you feel nostalgic, why not start a flight in one of these classic planes?

 

SCREENSHOT CHALLENGE

You can submit your screenshot via Twitter with #MSFSchallenge or the Weekly Forum Post! This week’s screenshot challenge: Wildlife Photography

This past week’s Screenshot Challenge was “Circles, Squares, and Triangles“!

Weekly Screenshot Challenge Winner: Parorng (Forum)

Screenshot by AvionChibi (Twitter)

Screenshot by B16M4NN (Forum)

Screenshot by CpuGeta486 (Twitter)

Screenshot by Crowobarr1 (Forum)

Screenshot by EejayX (Forum)

Screenshot by FlyingSubset2 (Forum)

Screenshot by HeKa48 (Forum)

Screenshot by Ikulin09 (Twitter)

Screenshot by Stanty16 (Forum)

Screenshot by pommes_l (Twitter)

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NEXT DEVELOPMENT BLOG UPDATE – August 17th, 2023

Sincerely,

Microsoft Flight Simulator Team

Edited August 10, 20232 yr by David Mills

Many good memories with the FS9 video, this simulator became one of the most loved by simmers, and personally it was where I got addicted to payware addons.
Thanks for bringing us this week's update.

Finally some of the most annoying and immersion breaking bugs made their way on the lifetime bug list, what a relief 🙂 

1 hour ago, AnkH said:

Finally some of the most annoying and immersion breaking bugs made their way on the lifetime bug list, what a relief 🙂 

Yes, some. That's good.  Apparently the horizon line through mountains is better, although I haven't checked it myself yet.

But does it mention the missing airport tiles in DX12, and the tile swapping mess in general?  Or have I missed it.  These are probably the two most annoying visual bugs for me.

Edited August 11, 20232 yr by bobcat999

Yeah, where is the dx12 ground bleed texture bug on this list? To few votes?

i don’t use dx12 until it’s fixed, it looks horrible.

9 hours ago, bobcat999 said:

But does it mention the missing airport tiles in DX12, and the tile swapping mess in general?  Or have I missed it.  These are probably the two most annoying visual bugs for me.

Agreed! These are really the two bugs that annoy me to no end. And, it seems to be getting worse. 

10 hours ago, bobcat999 said:

Yes, some. That's good.  Apparently the horizon line through mountains is better, although I haven't checked it myself yet.

But does it mention the missing airport tiles in DX12, and the tile swapping mess in general?  Or have I missed it.  These are probably the two most annoying visual bugs for me.

I don’t use DX12. I’ve read many comments about “tile swapping”, but I have never seen it, and I often fly in external view looking for it. Is there a specific geographic location where it happens with regularity?

19 minutes ago, JRBarrett said:

I don’t use DX12. I’ve read many comments about “tile swapping”, but I have never seen it, and I often fly in external view looking for it. Is there a specific geographic location where it happens with regularity?

I saw it in France, notably the Lourdes-Tarbes area months ago. It stopped halfway on a flight to Toulouse and Toulouse was clean.

Rechecking after SU13beta this area seems to be clean now. I made a few patterns around LFBT and it was gone. Thus, maybe they have done something.

I read, it was terrible in Southern Europe in general (I recall Corsica mentioned) but that's an area where I rarely fly and thus can't confirm/deny myself.

Kind regards, Michael

36 minutes ago, JRBarrett said:

I don’t use DX12. I’ve read many comments about “tile swapping”, but I have never seen it, and I often fly in external view looking for it. Is there a specific geographic location where it happens with regularity?

I have seen it just about every airport, and most recently, yesterday, at KCOS Colorado Springs. It was very bad there, about 1/3 of airport scenery tiles were being swapped out with generic satellite imagery. 

14 hours ago, JRBarrett said:

I don’t use DX12. I’ve read many comments about “tile swapping”, but I have never seen it, and I often fly in external view looking for it. Is there a specific geographic location where it happens with regularity?

Hiya Jim.  To me they are two separate things. 
The basic tile swapping comes and goes in DX11 for me, and it can look really bad at times.  It happens in a set radius around the aircraft and can be really distracting.
Whereas specific to DX12 is the missing tiles issue.  It seems to happen more at the ends of runways and it looks like a basic ground tile instead of the runway.  Looks like a tile from FS2004 - it is that bad!  

17 hours ago, JRBarrett said:

I’ve read many comments about “tile swapping”, but I have never seen it, and I often fly in external view looking for it. Is there a specific geographic location where it happens with regularity?

Just go to Corsica and you‘ll inevitably see it. You also see it when zooming in and out in the world map. 

Edited August 12, 20232 yr by Shack95

4 hours ago, bobcat999 said:

Hiya Jim.  To me they are two separate things. 
The basic tile swapping comes and goes in DX11 for me, and it can look really bad at times.  It happens in a set radius around the aircraft and can be really distracting.
Whereas specific to DX12 is the missing tiles issue.  It seems to happen more at the ends of runways and it looks like a basic ground tile instead of the runway.  Looks like a tile from FS2004 - it is that bad!  

I have not seen it happen in DX11. I recently saw a video of how it looks when it happens. I fly mostly in the US - will try Europe. It kind of sounds like a scenery streaming issue.

Edited August 12, 20232 yr by JRBarrett