FlightGear Newsletter December 2015: Difference between revisions

From FlightGear wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Start cleanup for publishing)
Line 44: Line 44:


=== Scenemodels and TerraSync host moved ===
=== Scenemodels and TerraSync host moved ===
{{FGCquote
Recently, the scenery models (scenemodels) database and the TerraSync repository were moved to a new, temporary host. Some things may not work, or have issues, but work is underway to get it working properly. When a more permanent host is found, the scenemodels database and TerraSync repositories will probably be moved again.
|1= New status: * Good news - The scenemodels database and web frontend is up and running on it's new (temporary) host at my home. - The terrasync SVN repository is up and running ot it's new (temporary) host at my home * Bad news - Scenemodels is not yet accesible at it's original URL scenemodels.flightgear.org - The reverse proxies/scenery cache servers still point to the original SVN server at Martin's host - The Scenery-Exporter does not run correctly, I am currently working on this. - The backup system is not yet working Next steps (in exactly that order) - get the exporter running - get the backup working - change the DNS Entries - Point the reverse proxies/scenery cache servers to the new URL
|2= {{cite web
  | url    = http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34711237/
  | title  = <nowiki>Re: [Flightgear-devel] Scenemodels and TerraScenery maintenance and
degraded service</nowiki>
  | author = <nowiki>Torsten Dreyer</nowiki>
  | date  = Dec 21st, 2015
  }}
}}


{{FGCquote
''From {{cite web
|1= Hi everybody our scenemodels database and web interface will move to a new host next week. Please expect some service outages, periods of read-only access or other unpleasant experiences starting Monday, Dec. 14th 2015 It's probably best, to check in everything by Sunday (today) and just keep away from scenemodels during next week. Keep your fingers crossed that everything works as expected and we should be online again soon. Terrascenery may have some serious hickups, too.
|url  = http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34711237/
|2= {{cite web
|title = <nowiki>Re: [Flightgear-devel] Scenemodels and TerraScenery maintenance and degraded service</nowiki>
  | url   = http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34690967/
|author = Torsten Dreyer
  | title = <nowiki>[Flightgear-devel] Scenemodels and TerraScenery maintenance and
|date = Dec 21st, 2015
degraded service</nowiki>
  | author = <nowiki>Torsten Dreyer</nowiki>
  | date  = Dec 13th, 2015
  }}
}}
 
{{FGCquote
|1= Just a little update on the status: - The database for scenemodels is currently in read-only mode. - The database exports have been created by Martin and were rsync'ed to my machine. - The import of the data is in progress as I type. - The terrsascenery SVN repository (140GB) is still traveling around the globe, rsync still running I expect a few more days of work before we get online again. Sorry for the delay. Please stay tuned for the next status update.
|2= {{cite web
  | url    = http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34708407/
  | title = <nowiki>Re: [Flightgear-devel] Scenemodels and TerraScenery maintenance and
degraded service</nowiki>
  | author = <nowiki>Torsten Dreyer</nowiki>
  | date   = Dec 19th, 2015
  | added  = Dec 19th, 2015
  | script_version = 0.23
  }}
}}
 
By the end of this year (2015), the FlightGear Project's hosting for the [http://scenemodels.flightgear.org/ scenemodels] database and website and the [[TerraSync]] repository will no longer be available. As a result, the FlightGear Project is searching for a replacement, even just a temporary one. The technical requirements are roughly these:
* A [http://www.postgresql.org/ PostgreSQL] database (with the [http://postgis.net/ PostGIS] extension) of approximately 40 GB, with capacity to expand (this is for the scenemodels database).
* An Apache webserver, PHP, access to the database and the usual toolkit for hosting the scenemodels website
* An SVN server with 140+ GB for the TerraSync repository.
* Enough bandwith to serve the data.
* One or more reverse proxies serving TerraSync requests (not much storage required, just bandwidth).
If you can provide the above, are able to provide help, or have any serious ideas for a replacement, please get in touch via the [http://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?p=263629#p263629 forum topic] or the [http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34605975/ mailing list topic]
 
— ''{{cite web
|url    = http://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?p=263629#p263629
|title  = Scenemodels and terrasync are going down
|author = Torsten
|date  = Nov 9th, 2015
}}''
}}''
{{FGCquote
|1= I download the latest planet and run osm2pgsql - here are a few numbers:
The complete planet dump file is approx. 30GB. download yours here (pick the pbf).
The import into a postgresql database takes something between one day (hexacore, 64GB RAM, 4 disks RAID10 7200RPM 4TB Array) to one week (average quad core, 8GB, single consumer market HD) and explodes to several hundret GB for the database (depends a lot on filesystem params).
I would not recommend this procedure for the average user.
For the brave, the excellent howto is here: https://switch2osm.org/serving-tiles/manually-building-a-tile-server-14-04/
|2= {{cite web
  | url    = http://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?p=267920#p267920
  | title  = <nowiki>Re: OSM, the death of scene models?</nowiki>
  | author = <nowiki>Torsten</nowiki>
  | date  = Dec 9th, 2015
  | added  = Dec 9th, 2015
  | script_version = 0.23
  }}
}}


=== Animated Jetways revamped ===
=== Animated Jetways revamped ===

Revision as of 16:49, 3 January 2016

This newsletter is a draft.

Please feel free to add content you think will be of interest to the FlightGear community. You can read the latest newsletter at FlightGear Newsletter November 2015.


Magagazine.png
Enjoy reading the latest edition!
Please help us write the coming edition!
December 2015

Development news
Update on HLA development
New scenemodels and TerraSync hosting needed
Animated Jetways
In the hangar
EchoAir Aircraft
Drivable vehicle
DHC-6 Twin Otter development

Scenery Corner
Project Venezuela
Sierra de la Libertad - Chagual SPGL
Festival Development
New regional textures
Dubai Custom scenery
Community News

Contributing
Translators required
FlightGear logos
Screenshots
Screenshot of the Month

Development news

Update on HLA development

Screenshot showing HLA prototype at LOWI

As of December 29th, Stuart has split out the AI Manager so that it is a separate federate. This enables AI scenarios to be run outside of FlightGear itself, but viewed within FlightGear. His next step will be to flesh out the data model to provide equivalent functionality to an external AI Manager running as a separate federate.

From Stuart Buchanan (Dec 29th, 2015). [Flightgear-devel] HLA Update.

Learn more at High-Level Architecture …

Scenemodels and TerraSync host moved

Recently, the scenery models (scenemodels) database and the TerraSync repository were moved to a new, temporary host. Some things may not work, or have issues, but work is underway to get it working properly. When a more permanent host is found, the scenemodels database and TerraSync repositories will probably be moved again.

From Torsten Dreyer (Dec 21st, 2015). Re: [Flightgear-devel] Scenemodels and TerraScenery maintenance and degraded service.

Animated Jetways revamped

Cquote1.png I don't know if anyone remembers the Nasal-based animated jetway code I wrote a few years ago, but I'd like to rewrite it as a clean-sheet C++ subsystem. I want to eliminate the truly atrocious Nasal hacks I used in the initial implementation and make the whole thing faster and more reliable. My objectives as of now are, 1) Implement a new FGJetwayManager subsystem to replace the existing code in jetways.nas. (I have not yet decided what to do with jetways_edit.nas - it might be fixed up instead of outright replaced.) 2) Streamline the jetway model files in fgdata. I want to do away with the generic.airline.<XYZ>.xml files because they're unnecessary clutter. The C++ code can deal with these cases. 3) As for the jetway definition files themselves (<airport>.jetways.xml), the only change I'd like to make is deprecating the "elevation-m" property for each jetway, which is currently relative to the surrounding scenery, including buildings and AI craft (due to the Nasal API). Instead, I propose fixing all jetways to the ground. Rationale: The current method is unreliable (see sunken jetways at KSFO) and I can't imagine a situation when you would need a floating jetway. 4) Performance optimiations - much of this would come from plain superior code, but I also plan to introduce a user preference for "jetway density." That is, you can choose to spawn between 0 to 100% of all jetways defined for an airport. This allows the user to reduce the overhead from rendering and animating all those jetway objects (which is probably the biggest bottleneck besides the current Nasal implementation). This is what FSX does. 5) Potential idea - integration with AI traffic. So that when AI airliners park at their gates, jetways will extend to meet them. The current Nasal code makes an attempt at this, but it's very hacky and unreliable. While I think this is a cool idea, I don't want to interfere with anyone's work on the AI subsystem. I would greatly appreciate any ideas and comments on my proposal, as well as some pointers and tips on getting started with core development. :-)
— Ryan A Young (Dec 29th, 2015). [Flightgear-devel] Animated jet bridges redux.
(powered by Instant-Cquotes)
 Cquote2.png

In the hangar

EchoAir Aircraft

3 new fictional EchoAir aircraft in D-ECHO's hangar:

GTA V Declasse Voodoo

Drivable vehicle

Ausdkunst (Kerdigargae) has released GTA V Declasse Voodoo for flightgear:

DHC-6 Twin Otter development

Twin Otter secured and being refueled at LXGB

The DHC-6 Twin Otter recieved some updates during the past few months, which are now available in FGAddon:

  • Components to secure the aircraft like wheel chocks, tiedowns, etc. have been added
  • Some work on the cockpit, now including among others a radar altimeter, a turn coordinator and an ELT
  • Added support for environmental sounds (thunder, rain)
  • A custom 2D panel
  • Walker support
  • Fuel truck
  • and many more...

Scenery corner

Project Venezuela

Legoboyvdlp has been working with WED to create several new airports for Project Venezuela. D-ECHO has kindly generated these airports.

Maiquetia now features animated jetways for most gates.

SVCS now has shared models. They are also in TerraSync.

Sierra de la Libertad - Chagual SPGL

Gochapita Airfield
In Peru high up in the Sierra de la Libertad there are some airfields to found. One of the most popular is Chagual Airport. But there are some more beautiful places in the middle of the Andes. Not far from Chagual Airport there is Gochapita Airfield at an altitude of about 12.000 feet. For most of the year clouds covering the airfield in dense mist. Another difficult airport is Pias Airport. The final approach is a little complicated and risky because of the high mountainous terrain of the Coordillera and a descend rate of approx 2.000 feet per minute.
This Scenery is now available for Download with airport data and layouts, airport buildings, villages and more. See Chagual Airport#Scenery for details on how to obtain this Scenery.

We wish you happy flying!

Festival Development

A team is working rapidly on Japanese scenery!

New regional textures

More development has been made to the New Regional Textures project. Among the new additions we have:

  • New textures and material definitions for California
  • New textures and material definitions for Mexico
  • New material definitions for Central America
  • New textures and material definitions for Southern Europe (Mediterranean region: Portugal, Spain, south of Italy, Greece, coast of Balkans)
  • New airport grass texture (global)
  • New airport grass texture for Latin America
  • New American town texture (global)
  • Small improvement to grass blade textures (to better fit the airport grass texture)

California scenery New airport grass New American town texture Sicily scenery

Dubai (OMDB) Custom scenery

Community news

Contributing

Translators required

En.gif The FlightGear Wiki still needs help for translating it into various languages. If you are interested in making the FlightGear Wiki multilingual, start at Help:Translate.
Fr.gif Le wiki de FlightGear a toujours besoin d'aide pour être traduit en différentes langues. Si vous êtes intéressé par le rendre multilingue, commencez par lire Help:Traduire.
De.gif Das FlightGear Wiki benötigt immer noch Hilfe bei der Übersetzung in verschiedene Sprachen. Wenn Du Interesse daran hast, das FlightGear Wiki Mehrsprachig zu machen, dann fang doch mit Help:Übersetzen an.
Nl.gif De FlightGear Wiki kan nog steed hulp gebruiken bij het vertalen van artikelen. Als je interesse hebt om de wiki meertalig te maken, raden we je aan om een kijkje te nemen bij Help:Vertalen.
Es.gif La wiki de FlightGear todavía necesita ayuda para traducirla a varios lenguajes. Si estás interesado en hacer la FlightGear wiki multilingüe, entonces comienza en Help:Traducir.
Cat.gif La wiki de FlightGear encara necessita ajuda per traduir-la a diverses llengües. Si esteu interessat en fer la wiki de FlightGear multilingüe, llavors comenceu a Help:Traduir.
Pt.gif A wiki de FlightGear ainda necessita de ajuda para traduzi-la em vários idiomas. Se estás interessado em tornar a wiki de FlightGear multi-lingual, por favor começa em Help: Traduzir.

FlightGear logos

If you want some graphic elements for your FlightGear-related site (such as a hangar or YouTube channel), please feel free to visit FlightGear logos for a repository of logos. And if you have some art skills, please don't hesitate to contribute with your own design creations.

Screenshots

The FlightGear project always needs screenshots, which show features that were added since the last release. These should be of good quality, especially in content and technical image properties. It is therefore recommended to use the best viable filter settings (anti-aliasing, texture sharpening, etc.). More info at Howto:Make nice screenshots.

Screenshot of the Month

FlightGears best Screenshot of December 2015 is Showing the climbing abilities of the Twin Otter by Jonathan S. (DG-505)

DHC-6 Twin Otter in steep climb.jpg
Retrieved from "https://wiki.flightgear.org/w/index.php?title=FlightGear_Newsletter_December_2015&oldid=91268"