Changelog 2020.3: Difference between revisions

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== Graphics ==
== Graphics ==
* To provide a developer preview, the [[Compositor]] renderer is included as part of this release.  It provides a fully XML-configurable multi-pass rendering pipeline that is compatible with ALS and includes clustered shading.
* Support for DDS Texture Cache, improving loading times.
* Make star cutoff controllable at runtime
* Use of non-directional point sprites as a fallback for drivers that do not support triangles of point sprites is now supported by setting <code>/rendering/triangle-directional-lights=false</code>.
* A new Tower AGL view has been added.  This is similar to Tower View, except that it keeps both the aircraft and the ground immediately below the aircraft in view, zooming and panning smoothly as the aircraft moves. Good for viewing landings.
* Improved airport grass textures
* Improved airport grass textures
* Updated regional material definitions for California.
* Updated regional material definitions for California, Asia, Iceland, Jan Mayen island.
* Active volcanoes - Katla, Eyjafjallajokull, Surtsey. 
* Instanced-based random and OpenStreetMap buildings, improving performance and graphical quality significantly.
* Improvements to the Wingflex Shader.


== JSBSim ==
== JSBSim ==

Revision as of 15:43, 13 October 2020

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This is a draft.


Available in: English

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The FlightGear development team is delighted to announce the v2020.3 LTS release of FlightGear, the free, open-source flight simulator. This is the second Long Term Support release for FlightGear, since the project changed to offering both Long Term Support releases, and more cutting-edge Preview releases. This release represents the culmination of two years of development effort by a worldwide group of volunteers, brought together by a shared ambition to create the most realistic flight simulator possible that is free to use, modify and distribute. FlightGear is used all over the world by desktop flight simulator enthusiasts, for research in universities and for interactive exhibits in museums.

Major enhancements since the v2018.3 LTS include:

  • a developer preview of the upcoming Compositor graphical rendering framework as a separate pre-built binary,
  • improved aircraft carrier support
  • enhancements to both the JSBSim and YASim flight dynamics models
  • DDS texture caching to reduce load times
  • faster loading and more memory efficient buildings

Additionally 31 completely new aircraft have been added to the official hangar, and a further 525 have received major updates.

Founded in 1997, FlightGear features more than 600 aircraft, a worldwide scenery database, a multiplayer environment, detailed sky modelling, a flexible and open aircraft modelling system, varied networking options, multiple display support, a powerful scripting language, and an open architecture. Best of all, being open-source, the simulator is owned by the community and everyone is encouraged to contribute.

FlightGear - Fly Free!



Launcher

  • Welcome screen
  • Ctrl-F shortcut for Fly!
  • --disable-gui option

Graphics

  • To provide a developer preview, the Compositor renderer is included as part of this release. It provides a fully XML-configurable multi-pass rendering pipeline that is compatible with ALS and includes clustered shading.
  • Support for DDS Texture Cache, improving loading times.
  • Make star cutoff controllable at runtime
  • Use of non-directional point sprites as a fallback for drivers that do not support triangles of point sprites is now supported by setting /rendering/triangle-directional-lights=false.
  • A new Tower AGL view has been added. This is similar to Tower View, except that it keeps both the aircraft and the ground immediately below the aircraft in view, zooming and panning smoothly as the aircraft moves. Good for viewing landings.
  • Improved airport grass textures
  • Updated regional material definitions for California, Asia, Iceland, Jan Mayen island.
  • Active volcanoes - Katla, Eyjafjallajokull, Surtsey.
  • Instanced-based random and OpenStreetMap buildings, improving performance and graphical quality significantly.
  • Improvements to the Wingflex Shader.

JSBSim

YASim

Carriers

AI

  • New AI models for the 737-400 Freighter
  • Updated AI traffic for Turkmenistan Airlines, Volotea, ASL Belgium Cargo, Western Global Cargo, FrenchBee, Pakistsn Intl, Rwandair, Tasman Cargo, QantasLink, Jambojet, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines
  • Updated AI liveries for Turkmenistan Airlines, Volotea, ASL Belgium Cargo, Western Global Cargo, FrenchBee, Pakistsn Intl, Rwandair, Tasman Cargo, QantasLink, Jambojet

Multiplayer

Replay / Flight Recorder

  • Multiplayer recording.

Nasal Scripting

  • Configurable load order for core Nasal modules.
  • Improvements and bug fixes to Emesary, the messaging interface.
  • Improvements to the core libraries.

Canvas

  • FG1000 Glass Panel: user-configurable VFR transponder codes, volume controls, new fascia, UI is now resizeable, support for custom SVG files (e.g. for a G500)

Aircraft

  • Users may enable/disable the pilot model from the View Options dialog.
  • New Aircraft: HU-16A-Albatross, LS8, Embraer-ERJ-145, Cessna 208B Caravan, PZL 104 wilga 2000 Draco, Scheibe Bergfalke, Taurus, f16, Dornier Do 28 Skyservant, Petliakov Pe 8 (Ant 42/DB 7), Grumman F.11 Tiger
  • Major Updates: CRJ700, Dragonfly, Mirage 2000, Jaguar GR1, H4 Hercules, JA37, Supermarine Swift, A320, Cirrus-SR22, Cessna Citation, J3Cub,
  • Other Updates: Harrier-GR3, ME-209-V1, SPAD-VII, Ryan-Navion, De Havilland DHC 1 'Chipmunk', A24 Viking, Boeing P26 "Peashooter", Socata-ST10, an24b, PA28, Diamond DA40

Miscellaneous

  • Configurable cursor key panning of the Map dialog
  • Better GPS wording to link NAV1 to GPS.
  • Updated Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish and Slovak translations.
  • Faster Terrasync: Download a tarball of airport information on first start and only check for updates every 24 hours rather than every simulator run.
  • GPS fly-by mode
  • Sentry.io integration to provide centralized crash reporting.

Updates since 2020.1

Changes since the 2020.1 preview release include:

  • Various launcher improvements including a Welcome screen and a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+F) to Fly!
  • Improved regional definitions for California, and better grass textures
  • New AI model for the 747 Freighter, and numerous AI livery and traffic updates.
  • Updates to the FG1000 glass panel display including configurable VFR transonder codes, volume controls, a new fascia, resizeable UI and support for custom SVG files.
  • A hangar full of new aircraft: HU-16A-Albatross, LS8, Embraer-ERJ-145, Cessna 208B Caravan, PZL 104 wilga 2000 Draco, Scheibe Bergfalke, Taurus, f16, Dornier Do 28 Skyservant, Petliakov Pe 8 (Ant 42/DB 7), Grumman F.11 Tiger
  • Updates to a large number of aircraft including CRJ700, Dragonfly, Mirage 2000, Jaguar GR1, H4 Hercules, JA37, Supermarine Swift, A320, Cirrus-SR22, Cessna Citation, J3Cub
  • Updated Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish and Slovak translations.
  • Faster Terrasync: Download a tarball of airport information on first start and only check for updates every 24 hours rather than every simulator run.
  • GPS fly-by mode
  • Sentry.io integration to provide centralized crash reporting.