Cruachan

Now, I admit that this doesn't necessarily infer that the 64bit version is on its way, but maybe, just maybe its release should be anticipated by reserving space now on the AVSIM servers to accommodate the daddy of all threads as we all indulge our mixed emotions coming to terms with what just happened. My guess is that by this time next year, if not before, Prepar3D will be available in 32bit and 64bit versions. As with hardware, it is likely that the sim will continue to grow in performance, content and complexity making the transition to 64bit inevitable if not mandatory. Better not to delay than risk becoming sidelined by older technology. In time, Prepar3D could evolve into being the definitive affordable flight simulation adopted by all who are serious about the vicarious experience of realistic human flight. Pretentious rubbish? Perhaps. Place your bets now! Mike

Hi, Don't you think it's interesting that P3D 32bit is still being updated with enthusiasm and apparent unchecked momentum when we all suspect that the 64bit version will soon appear? The assumption is that the latter is intended to replace its mature progenitor, but perhaps instead the plan Is to allow development of both versions to continue in parallel, at least for a while, to facilitate a gradual and stress-limited transition. This would seem to me to be eminently sensible and would be enormously helpful by allowing sufficient time for their commercial clientele, 3rd party developers and, of course, us to refocus on the new platform. Many of us, myself included, have not been affected significantly by the VAS constraints imposed by 32bit and are likely to be happy to stay with v.3.x for some time to come. It may be that we might decide to install the 64bit version alongside v3.x and move over gradually as 3rd party compatibilities and finances permit. I imagine that at first the 64bit version's appearance and performance will be not dissimilar to its predecessor so, if you are happy with what you have now, there will be no compelling reason to rush to make the change but would prefer rather to adopt the less dramatic unhurried approach. It could be a win-win prospect for everyone! Mike

Hi Ryan, Ah, right, so it's a known issue. Seems odd that this appears to be associated with the sun. Thanks, Mike

I'm speculating that this may have something to do with the configuration of the aircraft's headlights/spotlights. The 'artifact' is not seen with other aircraft I've tested nor is it seen when the outside view is selected, only in the VC of the Legacy. All views are of the sun looking east after dawn. KBGE: KVPS: Mike

Hi Bjarne, Looks like the full uninstall/reinstall has broken links between the sim and your various Addons. Like you, I decided yesterday to update to 3.3.5 and on first run Prepar3D crashed without getting as far as the activation window. Fortunately there was enough info provided to point me in the direction of FSLabs Spotlights. Disabling the entries in DLL.XML got me going and subsequently a visit to their website for a compatible update got the module working again. I would uninstall all the affected Addons, check for any updates and then reinstall each one at a time checking all is well as you progress. Much quicker in the long run than trying to troubleshoot this issue. However, the fact that they are all affected suggests there may be a common cause. That may simply be incompatibility with version 3.3.5. This version has been out for some time now so it is likely all your affected Addons will have updates available for download by now. BTW, I only updated the 'Client' and 'Content' components of the 3.3.5 update from LM. Nothing was updated in the 'Scenery' component so was not required. So, problems can and do arise using either method. Regards, Mike

I agree whole heartedly. As my installation has evolved I've lost count of the number of times I have deleted this folder and allowed the sim to rebuild. Does no harm whatsoever. Just remember, and it's been said umpteen times, DO NOT delete the ShadersHLSL folder in P3D root otherwise you will find yourself up the proverbial creek without a paddle......unless, of course, you have remembered to create that backup before launching yourself into the unknown..lol Also, while you are at it, I suggest you check the content of your SceneryIndexes folder. You will find it in the same folder as Scenery.cfg. Corruption of the numbering sequence can and does occur, I know, it's happened to me twice and I still haven't identified the culprit. The indexes should be in an orderly sequence to match the content of your Scenery.cfg. If you see any deviations then simply delete the entire content of that folder (SceneryIndexes) and P3D will rebuild at next run. Mike

Remember Chris Willis (FS Sky World/FS2002)? He was the first, imho, to produce some decent clouds and sky textures for the Flight Simming community. I can well remember all the enthusiastic and excited posts following each of his releases. http://www.avsim.com/topic/16976-thankyou-chris-willis-awsome/?p=103028 Indeed, I acted as one of his testers for a short period. Mike

Thanks again , Rob. I never thought of the relationship in those terms. Hot fixes applied last night, FTX Unification update applied - all reported as being well so 'first light' later today, hopefully Regards, Mike

Thanks Rob. For some reason I was concerned I might lose the lower resolution options but I see that is not in fact the case. The slider in ASCA can now be moved all the way right from 2048x2048 to 4096x4096. Playtime! DXT or 32-bit? In the past (before ASCA) I've been using 32-bit for REX4 TD Soft Clouds and performance could be slightly better although, to be honest, I was never quite sure. Regards, Mike

Hi, Anyone using the alternative ASCA HD resolution pack? If so, is there a performance impact or is that a rhetorical question? Mike

Hi AnkH, I realised a very long time ago to take such claims with a very large pinch of salt. Not saying we are being deceived as I'm sure those claims are perfectly genuine. However, rarely are we comparing apples with apples as so much depends on what you fly, where you fly, the settings employed and hardware specs. As you can see from the rig specs in my signature area I have a pretty potent build by todays standards. I choose to run with moderately high sim settings and I do use 4xSGSSAA in Nvidia Inspector. Most of the time performance is very good indeed, but still there are times when it can be a struggle to maintain frame rates >30. Unless each frame rate and performance claim is backed up with a full set of parameters then I would regard that claim as being irrelevant to me. In the end you have to be prepared to experiment and find an acceptable balance which is in keeping with the capabilities of your hardware and also covers your requirements, most of the time, as you move between flight situations. As an example, currently I am running some tests by visiting a multitude of airports/airstrips in the amazing Scotflight for Orbx product. I chose to fly around in the default Alabeo Extra as it offers both speed and agility. I have been using a mouse as my flight controller. Performance throughout has been outstanding with rare evidence of any stuttering and frame rates are generally maintained between 40-50, sometimes higher. However, these figures can drop significantly while flying in a very detailed area like Glasgow. Fortunately I can stll keep fairly close to 30fps and so smoothness of frame updating is maintained. It should be said that I run Unlimited with VSync On and my monitor is refreshing at 120Hz. Providing more details would likely be unhelpful as our setups are different but, hopefully, you get the idea. Regards, Mike

Hi Sam, This may not resolve your particular issue, but is certainly worth a try: http://www.avsim.com/topic/489881-latest-orbx-lib-and-blurries/?p=3446847 First make a backup of the SceneryIndexes folder. Just copy and paste it. You will find it in the same folder as your Scenery.cfg file. Check the content and see if there is anything odd, as I discovered, about the numbering sequence. If there are discrepancies then delete everything in the folder and start P3D - it will rebuild the indexes. Now see if anything has changed for the better. I had problems with blurries and slow tile texture loading following the FTX Central 2.1 LC Unification update. The above appears to have resolved as evidenced by extensive testing in ORBX EU Scotland this afternoon. However, there are still some issues which, hopefully, will be resolved by a further update in the not too distant future. Regards, Mike

Hi Stephen, Have you tried signing in using either your Facebook or Google account details? Just tried and it works. However, they do ask you to link your ORBX account with the above so that may be your stumbling block if you can't recall the details. What about Password Recovery? Is there an option available to you when you try to login to ORBX? Regards, Mike

Fixed it! As it turns out EZdok EZCA was the 'culprit'. I adjusted my viewpoint using the arrow keys and Page Up/Down and all is well. I tested with a short flight and, yes, the core display stays centred while the dynamic elements move around with the aircraft. Well, that didn't take long. Surprised I didn't think of the solution before now - must be getting old Edit: Hi Luis, just read your post - you beat me to it..lol Thanks everyone! Mike

Okay, here's another taken immediately after loading: (It's a cropped image in case anyone was wondering.) Mike