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FlightGear Newsletter April 2010: Difference between revisions
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===Weather development very active=== | ===Weather development very active=== | ||
In the end of March and start of April, lots of developers have released, [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7358 in the forum], local weather | In the end of March and start of April, lots of developers have released, [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7358 in the forum], contributions to a local weather system. | ||
The aim of a local weather system is to simulate weather phenomena tied to specific locations. Examples for this are a thunderstorm, a rainfront or thermal development. In the case of the thunderstorm, severe rain and turbulence occur in a location a few kilometers in scale, i.e. one can easily view it 'from outside' or fly in and out of this region. Similarly, the development of thermal convection clouds is strongly tied to features of the terrain - thermal development does not occur easily over open water or snow, but it is strong over rock or similar surfaces which heat in the sun. Finally, a rainfront is a phenomenon like a thunderstorm that divides the sky into two regions - one with essentially good visibility and clear sky, the other with severe clouds and rain, and both are visible at the same time. | |||
This is in contrast to the current standard weather system of Flightgear where weather changes affect the weather everywhere in the simulated world and are (with few exceptions) not tied to specific locations. In such a system, it is impossible to observe e.g. the approach of a rainfront while flying in sunshine. In contrast, the local weather system allows for visual impressions such as the following: | |||
<center> | |||
[[File:Clouds-nimbostratus.jpg|500px]] | |||
</center> | |||
The [http://www.phy.duke.edu/~trenk/files/local_weather_fgfs2.0.0_v0.51.tgz current release v0.51] is still limited to simulating weather in a 40x40 km tile, but supports placement of regions in which visibility, rain, snow and thermal lift are set, as well as interpolation of visibility, pressure, temperature and dewpoint between preset weather stations. The system also automatically creates thermals below convective clouds which can be utilized by gliders using a CVS patch, thus providing greatly enhanced soaring capability. More details in the forum or in the Wiki article [[A local weather system]]. | |||
===New dogfighting scenarios available!=== | ===New dogfighting scenarios available!=== | ||
Develpers been interested in developing dogfighting scenarios over the month. Some baloon experiments have been released too. | Develpers been interested in developing dogfighting scenarios over the month. Some baloon experiments have been released too. | ||