2020 LTS Keflavik news post draft: Difference between revisions

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* Carrier, and supersonic fighter improvements: [http://wiki.flightgear.org/File:SOTM_2018-07_Grim_reapers_take_off_by_massima.jpg f14]
* Carrier, and supersonic fighter improvements: [http://wiki.flightgear.org/File:SOTM_2018-07_Grim_reapers_take_off_by_massima.jpg f14]
* A320: [http://wiki.flightgear.org/File:SOTM_2020-03_Winter_Evening_Departure_by_legoboyvdlp_(A320).jpg 1] - could use newer cockpit screenshot?
* A320: [http://wiki.flightgear.org/File:SOTM_2020-03_Winter_Evening_Departure_by_legoboyvdlp_(A320).jpg 1] - could use newer cockpit screenshot?
* If there's a need to mention FG's range of craft from ground effect vehicles, to lighter than air/parachutes/skydivers/human powered aircraft (DASH), to flapping wing, etc. : Pterosaur JSBSim FDM based on papers: [http://wiki.flightgear.org/File:Pterosaur,_Hawaii_(Flightgear_2019.x)_02.jpg 1] or [http://wiki.flightgear.org/File:Pterosaur_over_Mount_Waialeale_on_the_Island_of_Kauai,_Hawaii_(_Flightgear_2019.x_)_01.jpg 2].
* If there's a need to mention FG's range of craft from ground effect vehicles, to lighter than air/parachutes/skydivers/human powered aircraft ([http://wiki.flightgear.org/Dead_Simple_Human_Powered_Airplane DASH] also FG is used to train operators), to flapping wing, etc. : Pterosaur JSBSim FDM based on papers: [http://wiki.flightgear.org/File:Pterosaur,_Hawaii_(Flightgear_2019.x)_02.jpg 1] or [http://wiki.flightgear.org/File:Pterosaur_over_Mount_Waialeale_on_the_Island_of_Kauai,_Hawaii_(_Flightgear_2019.x_)_01.jpg 2].
* WiP Compositor if we aren't trying to keep it low profile: [http://wiki.flightgear.org/File:WiP_Compositor_shadows_May_2020_-_Norway,_WiP_Aircrane_05.jpg 1]
* [ [[:Category:Screenshots at high settings|See high settings screenshots category]] ]
* [See tour post below with an into to Kevlavik and Iceland for more Keflavik/Iceland screenshots]
* [See tour post below with an into to Kevlavik and Iceland for more Keflavik/Iceland screenshots]
* [ [[:Category:Screenshots at high settings|See high settings screenshots category]] ]





Revision as of 15:36, 4 November 2020

This is a draft post where descriptions of improvements since FG 2018.3 LTS to aircraft and other features by developers is collected - along with suitable screenshots.

These descriptions of improvements are planned to be released as regular news updates on the flightgear.org homepage. The news updates are planned to be released a week apart.

If you are a developer, you can just hit the edit button, create a section for an aircraft or feature, and type or edit a description. Knowledge of wiki syntax isn't needed for a simple draft.

The most important things are the points about what to write, and some screenshots. Don't worry if wording or English is not perfect, it can be adjusted later. URLs to screenshots can simply be pasted if you don't know how to upload, along with a note giving CC-BY-SA-4.0 permission.

James has said he is willing to review and update the homepage if material is submitted to the wiki, or otherwise handed over.

Screenshot sources:

Feel free to upload to the wiki, or just add the imgur link with a note saying permission is given for use under CC-BY-SA-4.0 for now.
Some of these screenshots may end up being used on flightsim.com (the editor has apparently reached out about trying to cover the last 2-3 years of FG)
  • High settings screenshot collection - The Screenshots at high settings category is a collection of existing /vaguely/ high settings screenshots made since 2017 already available on the wiki.
  • Forum SOTM section - There may be some suitable screenshots in the SOTM section of the forum that have not been uploaded to the wiki yet.
  • Taking new screenshots - It's possible to pause and turn up settings, if you normally have settings lower on an older laptop or similar.

Release post

Volcanic plume and Alouette III screenshot by Thorsten

Intro:

[ Mention there is 2 years worth of improvements and updates which are too many for any one post? Mention lots updates over the last 2 years since the last LTS? Mention the person who normally does the updates got busy and a lot of progress missed receiving updates? Add sentence at end mentioning there will/may be upcoming dedicated posts about individual aircraft/features? ]

[ Intro screenshot: Screenshot of shuttle cockpit ]

Welcome to Keflavik and Iceland

Flightgear's 2020.3 LTS will move to the world's newest country, geologically speaking, Iceland.

Screenshot of Earthview over Iceland

Keflavík International Airport (BIKF) is the featured airport for the LTS. Buildings, roads, and objects such as pylons are available as a separate download [and will/may be added to Terrasync later?].

[Screenshot of shuttle landing here e.g. this or this, preferably with current keep and showing new airport]

[ Screenshot of Keflavik: e.g. this ]

A land of fire, smoke, and ice Flightgear models several volcanoes with multiple levels of activity: Eyjafjallajökull which disrupted aviation in 2010, Surtsey, and the brooding, powerful, Katla. There are new regional definitions for Iceland - try turning on overlays to see very high resolution ground detail.

[ Screenshot of terrain detail with overlays enabled ]

There is a lot to discover. You can try the C172p, J3Cub (with G1000), or Twin Otter which include float variants to explore the fjords of the north west, ski variants to land on one of the many ice caps in the south west, or bush tire variants in your adventures.

Few highlights here

Few highlights for which there are really nice screenshots:

[e.g. C172p, list craft with FG1000, new A320 as the glass cockpit airliner in FGAddon with the most detailed systems, Space Shuttle, is the compositor appropriate or is it too low profile right now?, carrier and supersonic jet improvements
Mention new or improved JSBSim aircraft with CFD or windtunnel data]

Flightgear adds tides covering and uncovering littoral areas like tidal flats (mudflats). You can see tides as the day progresses - there are two highs and two lows per day.

Tidal flats at low tide

Screenshot of Morecambe Bay at low tide

Water covers the tidal flats at high tide - only the environmental clock is changed. The clouds are the same as the weather simulation is run by the physics clock - you can see how the light is scattered by various types of clouds and hazes depending on sun angle.

Screenshot of Morecambe Bay at high tide

Possible screenshots to accompany highlights:

  • C172p: 1 or, 2 without the labels
  • Helicopters:
1st screenshot: 1 - EC135 now supports ALS rotor wash on grass where individual grass blades sway in the local windfield.
2nd screenshot if needed: 2 - also covers mention of turbulence near active volcanoes. Alternatively 3, or 3.1 - without label referring to Bell-412 to reduce support requests wondering where it is.
  • Carrier, and supersonic fighter improvements: f14
  • A320: 1 - could use newer cockpit screenshot?
  • If there's a need to mention FG's range of craft from ground effect vehicles, to lighter than air/parachutes/skydivers/human powered aircraft (DASH also FG is used to train operators), to flapping wing, etc. : Pterosaur JSBSim FDM based on papers: 1 or 2.
  • WiP Compositor if we aren't trying to keep it low profile: 1
  • [ See high settings screenshots category ]
  • [See tour post below with an into to Kevlavik and Iceland for more Keflavik/Iceland screenshots]


Closing line and screenshot(s): [e.g. say LTS is launching with this screenshot and/or say "coming in hot to your platform" with this screenshot - GinGin suggests doing both.]

Longer tour section post: Keflavik, Iceland intro, FG settings for Iceland

LTS default airport announcement, introduction to Iceland, configuring FG settings for Iceland

After release: Current release philosophy

Currently placeholder text. For publishing a longer time after the improvement posts.

As of 2018.3 LTS, Flightgear has transitioned two release types:

  1. Long Term Stable (LTS) releases suitable for most users with a new featured airport
  2. Development preview releases

There will be point releases containing bugfixes and minor updates for both release types. For example, 2018.3.6 was the 6th bugfix point release for the 2018.3 LTS - it was released in August 2020.

LTS releases will have bugfixes ported and the build maintained for longer. Development preview builds will be less stable, receive less testing, and are a bit more of a construction site where large structural changes are made to lay the foundations for the future. Some aircraft may not work on development releases. Power users can run multiple installs of Flightgear in parallel.

There are minor improvements planned to the launcher UI in 2020.3 point releases. There are a lot of big changes already underway and planned after 2020.3 LTS, so if you are curious keep an eye on future development previews leading to the next LTS.

After release: Project status

More appropriate for another post a while after the release. This should provide a situation report for people that may be interested in contributing.

Items: WS 3.0, Compositor, OSM2City world build/tech improvements, in-sim UI replacement work, infrastructure for regular world builds, Australia shapefile revamp etc. etc.

Aircraft posts


Developers please add descriptions & screenshots here. These should be for a dedicated newspost with a bunch of high settings screenshots.

It's possible to collect a bunch of aircraft with smaller improvements in one post - for instance if there are high settings screenshots available, making it convenient.

You can mention an entry is <ready> if there's nothing more to be added and screenshots are also linked.

Flightgear 2020.3 Changelog - lot of possible posts.

Space Shuttle

[Screenshot of STS 1 Launch with White Cumulus in background]

Space Shuttle has been in development for almost 5 years now, and "she" is still under work in progress to make her always more realistic and close to the real thing. A lot of official documentations, and performance manuals are still used to benchmark and upgrade what was already very nicely done. Last Shutte Stable release was end of the year 2019, next one might be for the end of the present year.

Meanwhile, the dev branch is fully usable and will be compatible with the 2020.3, with some really nice improvements. Some of the new things are detailled below. For a more extensive review and explanations of the differents points below, you can have a look there: Space Shuttle-Release and Dev Change Log


[Global view of the Cape at Sunrise]

Vertical view of the Cape


  • Hubble Rendez Vous // Payload Grapple and Retrieval

Hubble

  • Eileen (Famous Shuttle Commander) is here now to assist us in Station Keeping task while working on RMS operations or messing around

[CoPilot Assistance for Station Keeping]


  • Performance improvements on SSME and Launch Autopilot

Even closer to datas, when real profile is flown.

[Stage 1 ( before Boosters separation) in FG] [Stage 1 SCOM]

[Stage 2 ( Booster Separation to Orbit Insertion) in FG] [Stage 2 SCOM]


  • New systems

Helium Subsytem for the Space Shuttle Main Engines

Main Propulsion System Helium Subsystem


Caution and Warning system improvements

[CWS Diagram summary]

Caution and Warning System guide

Deeper fault messages logic and new display with differences between PASS and BFS software Fault summary display


  • Better Plasma during Entry

Plasma during entry with Aurora in the background Hot shield and Moon


  • Interior visual improvements for Glass Cockpit displays (Font / fidelity with the real thing)

Most of the work is sum up here: Space Shuttle-Display adjustments (PFD,HUD,MEDS,DPS...). Already a lot of those are available on the Space Shuttle dev Branch

By the end of the year, a new layer of immersion should be available with the completion of that interior display rework

[Night Launch Cockpit view] [Orbit Cockpit View]

A320

New to the 2020.3 release is an updated and improved version of the Airbus A320. First flown in 1987, the A320 is the most produced airliner ever, with over 9,500 built to date. It was one of the first airliners to use fully digital flight controls / fly by wire, and a fully glass cockpit.

This aircraft has been recreated by a team of developers over many years, and is now distributed in FGAddon. Among other features, it has a working MCDU (Multi-Function Control Display Unit), which makes it one of the first aircraft in FGAddon to allow proper operation of a modern airliner's avionics. It also has some unique features such as allowing pilots to fetch their flight plans from Simbrief, or to request weather and digital ATIS in the MCDU. [Screenshot of MCDU F-PLN page in flight]

In terms of systems, it is one of the most detailed aircraft in FlightGear, as it accurately represents the behaviours of the real Airbus; for instance, each switch, valve, and actuator has its own power supply, and will only operate if it is powered. Thousands of logic diagrams and system schematics have been used to accurately represent the Airbus and to allow for some limited failure modelling. Some indication of the detail might be given by looking at the ELEC page on the System Display, and observing how the frequency of the generators changes as you adjust engine power. [Screenshot of one of the ECAM SD pages]

The A320 also features a ECAM system which monitors the systems of the aircraft, presents failures to the crew, and suggests steps to remedy them. Most of the important failures have their own checklist, for instance the ALL ENG FAIL checklist shown here. [Screenshot of the ECAM system in action]

In the future the A320 will be receiving a fantastic new 3D model and a new flight dynamics package -- keep an eye out for the update! [Screenshot of the new model]

C172p

Add more here

Feature posts


FG1000

Earthview

Earthview is a fantastic piece of code that allows us to transition from an Aviation Sim towards a Space Sim with [Vostok], the UFO or [the Space Shuttle].

Already developped for some years now, it had a nice upgrade this year. More informations are available on the wiki page [Earthview wiki] or the forum thread Earthview FG forum.

Amongst others: better normal maps (feeling of ground deepness), bugs fixed, up to 16K textures depending on the season: Earthview world and clouds tiles

Some shots below about that dreamcatcher tool:

[Sunset and diffraction ] [Black knight UFO Shuttle] [500Nm above the World] [South Pole and lighting game] [Good night World] [California Fly By] [Lonely External Tank] [Ready for Orbital Operations Commander]





Add more here