P3D v 6.1 is now available

[jkeye 152]

From the P3d website:

 

The wait is over! The latest version of Prepar3D is finally here! Get your hands on the most advanced flight simulation software available – Prepar3D version 6.1. Upgrade now to enjoy the latest features and enhancements. Don’t wait! Take your virtual flying experience to new heights with Prepar3D v6.1! If you are using the auto updater to update to v6.1, make sure that version 6.0.36 is installed, otherwise a manual update to v6.1 will be required.

Prepar3D’s latest release, version 6.1, offers several exciting new features and enhancements to improve the simulation platform’s overall experience. With support for Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) and FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR2), this version enables better graphics performance. Moreover, this version includes several new anti-aliasing features such as Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing (DLAA), improved Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA), and Contrast Adaptive Sharpening (CAS) that will significantly enhance image quality and clarity. To create a more realistic environment, Screen Space Reflections (SSR) have been introduced to improve reflective surfaces’ detail and realism. This version also includes high-detail 3D models for many tree models that support both wind and precipitation effects, making the simulation more immersive. The Prepar3D Development Team have also made various performance improvements across different systems, including rendering and vegetation, to better support higher-fidelity training scenarios. Furthermore, this version’s patch installation speed has been improved, making it easier and quicker to download and install updates.
 

General Platform Updates

New Features

• Added support for FSR2 and DLSS/DLAA. Note: DLSS/DLAA is only available with Nvidia 2000 series cards or above.
• Added Resolution Scaling support for image upsampling and supersampling.
• Added screen space reflections (SSR).
• Added Contrast Adaptive Sharpening (CAS).
• Current flight plan is now saved and loaded with flight recordings.
• Updated various tree models to highly detailed 3D versions with wind support.
• Added LoadFlightPlanAction to SimDirector allowing for flight plan to be loaded for ownship or player objects.
• Added two-sided thin shading model allowing for greater detail in tree rendering.
• Rotor wash is now supported on vegetation.
• Precipitation effects are now supported on vegetation.
• Improved performance for autogen vegetation including LOD support.
• Added additional terrain detail textures.
• Glide path angle is now calculated and available through GPS system.
• Added runway transition support to arrivals.
• Updated navdata from the FAA’s Coded Instrument Flight Procedures (CIFP).

Fixes and Improvements

• Improved night vision sensor effect visuals.
• Additional airport fixes and airport surface improvements.
• Various updates to global scenery, helipads, and airport building textures.
• Fixed terrain spike in French southern Antarctic.
• Fixed several terminal building and parking issues at KDTW and KOAK.
• Added 2D panel windows for F-16 LMFD, RMFD, and DED panels.
• Various updates to scenery models in major global cities.
• Fixed windshield effect for various default aircraft.
• Fixed flattening polygon issue in Australia and KTEX, and Telluride.
• Golden gate bridge is now PBR.
• Improved patch installation times.
• Fixed detail texture sampling issues when camera is far away from its initial starting point.
• Added Prepar3D.cfg option to disable blacking out 3D views when entering the UI.
• Fixed issue where calculating flight plan would override user cruising altitude values.
• Fixed issue where restoring bypassed legs in flight plan would not reconnect flight plan points.
• Fixed issue where multiple direct-to calls on procedure points would not set the active waypoint correctly.
• Improved TAA performance.
• Opening the Fuel and Payload screen no longer pauses the simulation.
• Navigation log now updates procedure points.
• Fixed issue where navigation log wouldn’t update on scenario load.
• Fixed cases where parts of SIDs and STARS were being skipped with certain transition IDs.
• Scenery Library layers can now be modified using a numeric text box.
• Improved Scenery Library drag and drop layer changing performance.
• Fixed bug preventing runway transitions flagged as both would not load.
• Fixed bug where runway fix would not load for some approaches.
• Improved shader compilation handling at runtime.
• Fixed issue where adding new objects in SimDirector could cause visualization graph to rearrange nodes when automatic graph layout was disabled.
• Fixed blend mode issue that could cause certain materials to become overly bright.
• Fixed issue where invalid waypoints in flight plan could prevent remaining valid points from connecting properly.
• Fixed issue that could cause layering issues with certain add-on airports.
• Fixed timing issues with Select Airport screen that could cause incorrect airport from being selected in some cases.
• Improved rendering performance of virtual cockpit only views.
• Tuned PAPI light intensities.
• Improvements to bloom appearance when using TAA.
• Fixed emissive script behavior for legacy PBR materials that could lead to washed out textures at night.
• Various fixes to ATG radar system including issues with beam heading and FOV settings.

Fixes and Improvements (Professional Plus Only)

• Additional updates to better support Varjo mixed reality headset features.
• Fixed issue with effects not drawing on multiple displays connected to the same multichannel client.

Prepar3D SDK

New Features

• Day/Night, Sun/Moon, Exposure, and Emissive interpolant values are now accessible through the PDK.
• Added depth of field support through camera configuration and PDK.
• Added “Camera Facing Normals” flag to PBR material.
• Added “Has Pixel Movement” flag to PBR material.
• Added additional GPS variables including:
  • FlightPlanWaypointApproachAltitude2
  • FlightPlanWaypointArrivalAltitude2
  • FlightPlanWaypointDepartureAltitude2
  • FlightPlanWaypointApproachAltitudeDesc
  • FlightPlanWaypointArrivalAltitudeDesc
  • FlightPlanWaypointDepartureAltitudeDesc
  • FlightPlanWaypointApproachGlidePathAngle
  • FlightPlanWaypointArrivalGlidePathAngle
  • FlightPlanWaypointDepartureGlidePathAngle
  • FlightPlanWaypointMagneticVariation
  • FlightPlanApproachWaypointMagneticVariation
  • FlightPlanArrivalWaypointMagneticVariation
  • FlightPlanDepartureWaypointMagneticVariation
  • FlightPlanApproachRemoveLegIndex
  • FlightPlanArrivalRemoveLegIndex
  • FlightPlanDepartureRemoveLegIndex
  • FlightPlanApproachDirectToLegIndex
  • FlightPlanArrivalDirectToLegIndex
  • FlightPlanDepartureDirectToLegIndex
  • FlightPlanApproachDirectFromLegIndex
  • FlightPlanArrivalDirectFromLegIndex
  • FlightPlanDepartureDirectFromLegIndex

Fixes and Improvements

• Adjusted Weather Radar sample scale of precipitation in volume cloud to better align weather radar values between volume clouds and legacy clouds
• Fixed several typos in Learning Center CIGI, SimConnect, and window plugin documentation.
• Moved several post processes from core to SDK as samples.

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by jkeye

[ppo 67]

This is a very important update. Dawn Dusk is corrected. But the most interesting aspect is for us to discover: many graphic adjustments to play with.

Have fun, I know I am now.

Cheers,

[jlohrenz 133]

Impressive set of updates.  Excited to see what it looks like.

[JamesIL 16]

36 GB download in case anyone is curious. I do like the auto update feature.

[Damian Clark 1,262]

FYI, ASP6 open beta update with v6.1 compatibility has been posted....

[ppo 67]

Thank you Damian, I was waiting for that

 

[CO2Neutral 278]

FSR2 and scaling working extremely well, no need for using any AA mode (MSAA or FXAA) ... anyone try DLSS option yet?  SSR too ... nice.

Still some issues with visibility layers ... wonder if ASP6 update can fix that?

 

[Juliett Alfa Romeo 540]

It's a shame about the lack of support for this simulator.

[newtie 533]

I was waiting for someone to say that.

[CO2Neutral 278]

Agree, more support would be nice, but without the ROI not sure that will ever happen.  On the positive side HiFi ASP6 supports 6.1 and so does ChasePlane ... just have to live with the existing content for now. 

We need an automated way to apply; Diffuse/Albedo, Metallic, Ambient occlusion, Roughness, Normal map, and Displacement materials to legacy content to get desired PBR look.  Make some file check while loading object textures ... if these same file name maps existing with some key filename designator (R_tmap, AO_tmap, D_tmap) then use them to provide in memory representation of the object.  Even if the original legacy textures are not correct we can still apply incorrect tmaps to get the desired PBR look.  

[DavidP 1,413]

52 minutes ago, Juliett Alfa Romeo said:

It's a shame about the lack of support for this simulator.

+1

[Joseph29 225]

I would update to v6.1 right now but the lack of developers supporting the sim is stopping me from upgrading. (I am still on v5.4)

[G-RFRY 1,712]

8 minutes ago, Joseph29 said:

I would update to v6.1 right now but the lack of developers supporting the sim is stopping me from upgrading. (I am still on v5.4)

I fly both.

[dave2013 1,130]

I would make the switch, probably when 6.3 comes out, but what is and will really hold me back is that Airport Design Editor doesn't work with v6 very well.

Unfortunately the ADE developer has retired and as far as I know no one has taken up the mantle to update it for v6.

Dave

[jlohrenz 133]

1 hour ago, dave2013 said:

I would make the switch, probably when 6.3 comes out, but what is and will really hold me back is that Airport Design Editor doesn't work with v6 very well.

Unfortunately the ADE developer has retired and as far as I know no one has taken up the mantle to update it for v6.

Dave

It works fine with V6 if you apply the registry entries that make it think V5 is installed along with the symlinks to V5 directories.