FlightGear Newsletter January 2012: Difference between revisions

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FlightGear Newsletter January 2012 (view source)

Revision as of 11:59, 21 January 2012

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=== Experiment: A new bounty system ===
=== Experiment: A new bounty system ===
If somebody would like a specific feature implemented, it will be posted in the wiki (because there is no forum). Then if somebody wants to take on the development, they can start it and if they feel they have fulfilled the requirements, they submit the project to the person who is offering the bounty.
If somebody would like a specific feature implemented, it will be posted in the wiki. Then if somebody wants to take on the development, they can start it and if they feel they have fulfilled the requirements, they submit the project to the person who is offering the bounty.


If it is a feature that many people want, quite often more people are adding to the bounty and then each person decides individually if the result fits their ideas and if they want to pay the bounty.
If it is a feature that many people want, quite often more people are adding to the bounty and then each person decides individually if the result fits their ideas and if they want to pay the bounty.
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== Lightfield shaders ==
== Lightfield shaders ==
As part of the ongoing efforts to make the skydome scattering [[shader]] blend seamlessly into the terrain under all conditions, substantial work on getting sunrise and sunset conditions right has been done.


As part of the ongoing efforts to make the skydome scattering shader blend seamlessly into the terrain under all conditions, substantial work on getting sunrise and sunset conditions right has been done.
The eventual solution to the problems are lightfield shaders - the shader doesn not assume a single light source for the whole scene, but computes the incident light intensity and hue for each point of the scene dependent on position and altitude. This turns out particularly tricky for the fog, as the visible fog color is really a line integral along points with very different lighting - which is too slow to do real-time, so a good approximation scheme has to be used. The development effort for the lightfield shaders is easily five times the effort for the original terrain haze shader which handles everything during daytime - which illustrates a bit how complex problems sunrises are.
 
The eventual solution to the problems are lightfield shaders - the shader doesn not assume a single light source for the whole scene, but computes the incident light intensity and hue for each point of the scene dependent on position and altitude. This turns out particularly tricky for the fog, as the visible fog color is really a line integral along points with very different lighting - which is too slow to do real-time, so a good approximation scheme has to be used. The development effort for the lightfield shaders is easily 5 times the effort for the original terrain haze shader which handles everything during daytime - which illustrates a bit how complex problems sunrises are.


The shaders handle a variety of conditions and generate spectacular scenes, from the first glow of the predawn sky, via high altitude clouds lighting up before the terrain to full daylight.
The shaders handle a variety of conditions and generate spectacular scenes, from the first glow of the predawn sky, via high altitude clouds lighting up before the terrain to full daylight.
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All these effects do not currently mesh with other shaders. While eventually an integration with other projects is discussed, the lightfield shader code will hopefully make its appearance on GIT soon as an optional feature.
All these effects do not currently mesh with other shaders. While eventually an integration with other projects is discussed, the lightfield shader code will hopefully make its appearance on Git soon as an optional feature.


As a preview, here's what may come next - a mode detailed light attenuation model in which the darker hue of the fog beneath clouds is really prominent.
As a preview, here's what may come next - a mode detailed light attenuation model in which the darker hue of the fog beneath clouds is really prominent.


[[File:Lightfield_shader_next.jpg|200px|thumb|left|More detailed attenuation model]]
{|
|[[File:Lightfield_shader_next.jpg|200px|thumb|More detailed attenuation model]]
|}


== Interview with a contributor (Durk Talsma) ==
== Interview with a contributor (Durk Talsma) ==
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=== Updated aircraft ===
=== Updated aircraft ===
'''Douglas DC-3 C47 : '''
==== Douglas DC-3 C47 ====
The [[Douglas DC-3-C47|Douglas DC-3 C47]] has been updated by the PAF team. The improvements have mainly been made ​​in the cockpit because that is where the pilots spend most of their time (hopefully!), but many other details have been given around.
The [[Douglas DC-3-C47|Douglas DC-3 C47]] has been updated by the PAF team. The improvements have mainly been made ​​in the cockpit because that is where the pilots spend most of their time (hopefully!), but many other details have been given around.


Download link : http://equipe-flightgear.forumactif.com/t835-hangar-de-la-paf
* [http://equipe-flightgear.forumactif.com/t835-hangar-de-la-paf Download]
* [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13629 Forum topic]


Forum link : http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13629
=== Liveries ===
All liveries that were not available as downloads have been removed from the [[livery database]]. Most of those got lost when the former server suddenly quit (all the way back in December 2009). As we were able to save the list of liveries, they ended up in the database eventough the files got lost.


=== Liveries ===
To save liveries from future server failures, backups are nowadays made on a regularly basis.


== Scenery corner ==
== Scenery corner ==
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|}(Or watch all the episodes in [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbB5Sn_ag-A&list=PL569D227E5E767F3D a playlist])
|}(Or watch all the episodes in [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbB5Sn_ag-A&list=PL569D227E5E767F3D a playlist])


[http://www.youtube.com/user/FlyTristarairlines?feature=watch Trez] started a new video series Final Approach:
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/FlyTristarairlines?feature=watch Trez] started a new video series Final Approach:
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au6eS6Y6sYY&list=PL60A11F004175486E&index=1&feature=plcp episode 1]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au6eS6Y6sYY&list=PL60A11F004175486E&index=1&feature=plcp episode 1]
* Dave shared a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VInCXCTi6OA nice approach to El Dorado International Airport] (SKBO)


=== New tutorials and screencasts ===
=== New tutorials and screencasts ===
Retrieved from "https://wiki.flightgear.org/Special:MobileDiff/39511"

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