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FlightGear Newsletter May 2021: Difference between revisions
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As of the end of May, preparations are underway for the 2020.3.9 LTS point release. This follows the 2020.3.8 release which added 3d models of buildings, roads, other objects for the whole world based on OpenStreetMap data, as well as other improvements - see the [[FlightGear Newsletter April 2021#2020.3.8 LTS released - OSM2City world-build release|April]] newsletter for details and tips on settings/performance. | As of the end of May, preparations are underway for the 2020.3.9 LTS point release. This follows the 2020.3.8 release which added 3d models of buildings, roads, other objects for the whole world based on OpenStreetMap data, as well as other improvements - see the [[FlightGear Newsletter April 2021#2020.3.8 LTS released - OSM2City world-build release|April]] newsletter for details and tips on settings/performance. | ||
2020.3.9 release candidates | 2020.3.9 release candidates should be available soon at [http://download.flightgear.org/builds/rc/ download.flightgear.org] (Mac and Linux versions are already available). Please test and report bugs or issues via the Sourceforge [https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/codetickets/ ticket] system or the "[https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/codetickets/ fg-devel]" mailing-list. | ||
=== The road ahead === | === The road ahead === | ||
''See [[FlightGear Newsletter February 2021#Help%20Wanted|'''Help Wanted''']].'' | ''See [[FlightGear Newsletter February 2021#Help%20Wanted|'''Help Wanted''']].'' | ||
There are a lot of big projects that are currently under way - see the [[FlightGear Newsletter January 2021#The%20road%20ahead|January newsletter]] for details for some of these projects. A lot of work (but not all) is already on the next branch (i.e. nightly builds). | There are a lot of big projects that are currently under way - see the [[FlightGear Newsletter January 2021#The%20road%20ahead|January newsletter]] for details for some of these projects. A lot of work (but not all) is already on the next branch (i.e. nightly builds). See the [[FlightGear Newsletter April 2021|April newsletter]] for info on an experimental rendering pipeline that is not yet on the next branch. There is a lot to check out if you are curious - power users can run [[$FG HOME#Parallel%20installs%20of%20FlightGear|multiple installs]] of FlightGear in parallel. To contribute to any aspect of these projects, get in touch via the "[[Mailing lists|fg-devel]]" mailing list. | ||
Nightly builds with some of the big changes are available at [http://download.flightgear.org/builds/nightly/ download.flightgear.org] as usual. | Nightly builds with some of the big changes are available at [http://download.flightgear.org/builds/nightly/ download.flightgear.org] as usual. | ||
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Please report bugs and issues via the sourceforge [https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/codetickets/ tickets] system if you come across any on the next branch, or LTS. | Please report bugs and issues via the sourceforge [https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/codetickets/ tickets] system if you come across any on the next branch, or LTS. | ||
==== Web installer for Windows ==== | |||
Slawek and James are working on a new FlightGear Windows installer that will download most of the content from the web in compressed form - e.g. Sourceforge. This installer has the ability to download more than 2GB of compressed content, and avoids the 2GB limit of the current innosetup installer configuration. The plan is to also allow in-place updating when a new point release is published of the LTS - the idea is to download only the changed files (incremental updates). Downloading only changed files is faster, and hugely reduces bandwidth demands placed on sourceforge. Recent installers (e.g. 2020.3.8 LTS) will also look for updates and notify users. This means that a lot of people will get bug fixes very quickly, and it should be convenient to have frequent releases with one or a few fixes as they become available. | |||
The current plan is to make the installer available for the 2020.3.x LTS when it is finished and tested - maybe for an upcoming 2020.3.9/10 release. | |||
==== Text animations and OSG 3.6 ==== | ==== Text animations and OSG 3.6 ==== | ||
Fernando pushed two commits to simgear and fgdata that should hopefully fix the [[OSGText Issues|white osgText issue under OSG 3.6]]. Apparently assigning an Effect to the geode containing the osgText was enough to get it working. He thought it would conflict with OSG internal shaders, but it didn't. This might not be the case with the core profile, but has got a few tricks which should force our shaders to prevail over OSG's. | Fernando pushed two commits to simgear and fgdata that should hopefully fix the [[OSGText Issues|white osgText issue under OSG 3.6]]. Apparently assigning an Effect to the geode containing the osgText was enough to get it working. He thought it would conflict with OSG internal shaders, but it didn't. This might not be the case with the core profile, but has got a few tricks which should force our shaders to prevail over OSG's. | ||
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https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=39066 | https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=39066 | ||
=== Scenery releases === | |||
pb321 is working on, or has released custom sceneries for parts of the USA: | |||
* Central Wisconsin Upper Peninsula of Michigan. KOSH (Oshkosh, WI, home of the E.A.A.), KATW (Appleton, WI), KGRB (Green Bay, Wi) etc. The package includes rebuilt elevation data based and landclass data, as well as an OSM2City build for the region. There are custom materials and textures, as well as some optional orthophotos. See [https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=39264 forum thread] for more info, screenshots, and download. | |||
* Champaign/Bloomington, Illinois to Chicago and Milwaukee scenery. Includes rebuilt terrain with updated landcover data. See [https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=39209 forum thread] for more info, screenshots, and download/ | |||
lomar is working on a project creating updated terrain, airports, and regional definitions for Brazil. He has released some scenery and airports as parts of his test runs - see the last few pages of his [https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29182&start=45 forum thread] for info, downloads, and screenshots. | |||
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