FlightGear Newsletter September 2010: Difference between revisions

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FlightGear Newsletter September 2010 (view source)

Revision as of 17:01, 13 September 2010

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== FlightGear events ==
== FlightGear events ==
== Development news ==
== Development news ==
===Water shader improvements===
[[File:Water shader Ju 52.jpg|300px|left|[[Junkers Ju 52]] flying over a lake in the French custom scenery.]]
Our all-time favourite shader-artist, Gral, picked up yet another project. This time it is something that covers over 70% of the entire scenery: water.


===Local Weather v0.85===
===Local Weather v0.85===
The [http://www.phy.duke.edu/~trenk/files/local_weather_fgfs2.0.0_v0.85.tgz version 0.85] (also on GIT) of the Local Weather package is out - with new cloud types and textures and most importantly a significant performance gain over previous versions. There is a new menu to allow the user at runtime to specify cloud visual ranges, so that the impact on framerate can be adjusted to the situation.
The [http://www.phy.duke.edu/~trenk/files/local_weather_fgfs2.0.0_v0.85.tgz version 0.85] (also on GIT) of the Local Weather package is out - with new cloud types and textures and most importantly a significant performance gain over previous versions. There is a new menu to allow the user at runtime to specify cloud visual ranges, so that the impact on framerate can be adjusted to the situation.


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A small feature gallery:
A small feature gallery:
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:local_weather_0.85_01.jpg|150px| Cumulus and Cirrocumulus clouds (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_01.jpg| Cumulus and Cirrocumulus clouds (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_02.jpg|150px| Cirrus and Cirrostratus clouds heralding a warmfront (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_02.jpg| Cirrus and Cirrostratus clouds heralding a warmfront (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_03.jpg|150px| 45 km cloud visibility range (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_03.jpg| 45 km cloud visibility range (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_04.jpg|150px| Realistic cloud bottoms (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_04.jpg| Realistic cloud bottoms (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_05.jpg|150px| Cumulus and Altocumulus clouds (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_05.jpg| Cumulus and Altocumulus clouds (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_06.jpg|150px| Multiple 3d layered clouds (Local Weather v0.85)
Image:local_weather_0.85_06.jpg| Multiple 3d layered clouds (Local Weather v0.85)
</gallery>
</gallery>
===Water shader improvements===
[[File:Water shader Ju 52.jpg|300px|left|[[Junkers Ju 52]] flying over a lake in the French custom scenery.]]
Our all-time favourite shader-artist, Gral, picked up yet another project. This time it is something that covers over 70% of the entire scenery and is thus of great importance in a flight simulator: water. The new shader includes more realistic wave movements and much nicer sun "reflections". The extreme goal is to have real-time reflective water, which is still a long way to go, but with Gral's latest improvements we've at least made a step into the right direction. Transatlantic or Carribean flights have never been so exiting in FlightGear!


=== Weather supporting core code ===
=== Weather supporting core code ===
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A Wingman can be formated on a Wingman to build larger formations.
A Wingman can be formated on a Wingman to build larger formations.
[http://www.youtube.com/v/YaBghBIZZWI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB[B29 12 Ship Formation]]
[http://www.youtube.com/v/YaBghBIZZWI B29 12 Ship Formation]


With careful choice of options and locations frame rates can be kept at a reasonable level. Analysis has shown that the tall pole in the tent is the code which measures Altitude Above Ground Level. This is known to be  code that is heavy on framerate and which is used extensively in the AI code. It might be possible to get a cheaper, simpler version of this function which would improve the impact on framerate. Hopefully, this will be the next stage of development.
With careful choice of options and locations frame rates can be kept at a reasonable level. Analysis has shown that the tall pole in the tent is the code which measures Altitude Above Ground Level. This is known to be  code that is heavy on framerate and which is used extensively in the AI code. It might be possible to get a cheaper, simpler version of this function which would improve the impact on framerate. Hopefully, this will be the next stage of development.
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===UK Football Stadiums===
===UK Football Stadiums===
[[File:Emiratesstadium.jpg|thumb|Emirates Stadium in Flightgear]]
[[File:Emiratesstadium.jpg|thumb|Emirates Stadium in Flightgear]]
Andyramone has completed and submitted three football stadiums to the scenery database. These include Carrow Road (Norwich), Emirates Stadium (Arsenal) and Stamford Bridge (Chelsea.) Portman Road (Ipswich) and White Hart Lane (Tottenham) are complete and will be submitted to the scenery database this month. The project will continue later this year with more London stadiums including Wembley on the to do list.  
Andyramone has completed and submitted three football stadiums to the scenery database. These include Carrow Road (Norwich), Emirates Stadium (Arsenal) and Stamford Bridge (Chelsea.) Portman Road (Ipswich) and White Hart Lane (Tottenham) are complete and will be submitted to the scenery database this month. The project will continue later this year with more London stadiums including Wembley on the to do list.  


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