FlightGear history: Difference between revisions

In 2008, version 1.9.0 of FlightGear included a major change from [[PLIB]] to [[OSG]], which caused the temporarily loss of some features like 3D clouds and shadows, while newly added features, such as particles, imparted another degree of realism to the simulation.  

   

[[File:FG SUNHALO.JPG|thumb|270px|March 18, 1999: one of the oldest surviving screenshots of FlightGear. Back then, FlightGear was the only PC based flight simulator rendering the [[Moon|sun, moon, and celestial]] objects at the correct position, and under the correct lighting conditions, in the sky. ]]

Rather than start entirely from scratch, FlightGear developers made use of the LaRCsim flight model from NASA, with OpenGL for 3D graphic code, and freely available elevation data. First working binaries came out in 1997, with an intense updating of newer versions for several years resulting in progressively more stable and advanced programs.  

By 2001, the team was releasing new beta versions regularly (0.7.x, 0.8.0, over 2001-2003) and with 0.9.xx (2003-2006). Later in the decade, the rate of final public releases slowed, but had larger amounts of content (0.9.10, 1.0.0 etc.). The maturity of software by 2005 lead to more widespread reviews, and increased popularity.  

The use of version numbers slowed dramatically after the late 2002 release of version 0.9.0. Versions 0.9.9 (2005) and 0.9.10 (2006) had about 8 all-new or redone [[aircraft]] adding to a total of 70-90 aircraft. FlightGear 0.9.10 won Softpedia's "Pick" award (5 out of 5 stars) on June 3, 2006 as well as the "100% CLEAN" Softpedia award.

[[File:FG-A-10.jpg|thumb|270px|3D Cockpit panel for [[A-10]] in version 1.0.0 in 2008]]

The version number marked a formal transition out of beta development since the software's first release in 1997, ten years prior.

At the time version 1.9.0 was released FlightGear switched from [[PLIB]] to [[OSG]], which caused the temporary loss of some of the features like 3D clouds and shadows. On the contrary new features such as particles add another degree of realism to the simulation. Most aircraft developed for OSG do not work with older versions. The user is able to choose from 230 aircraft provided with 1.9.0, altough only a few are included in the base package.

Version 1.9.1, released shortly afterwards, was a bug fix release.

FlightGear 2.0.0 reflects the maturation of the OpenSceneGraph port that started with the previous 1.9.0 release. In addition to many internal code improvements, FlightGear 2.0.0 marks the introduction of many new exciting improvements in the graphics and sound system, as well as improved usability of key features, and improved behavior of exsisting features. Highlights of this new version include: Dramatic new 3D clouds, dramatic lighting conditions, improved support for custom scenery, and many many new and detailed aircraft models.  

Starting with version 2.4.0, the FlightGear team adopted a [[release plan]]. From then on, a new version is released every February and August.

Final build code release dates by year.  

|-

|February 17, 2000 || 0.7.2 (Development)

|}

|width="500" |

! Date

! Version

|-

|July 20, 2000 || 0.7.4

|}

* [http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.flightgear.org/ Internet Archive: Wayback Machine for http://www.flightgear.org/ ]

* [http://web.archive.org/web/19981212014011/http://flightgear.org/ Old website on December 5, 1998]

* [http://web.archive.org/web/19990209082206/http://www.flightgear.org/Gallery/tucson.jpg link] ("A view from the ground near Tucson, AZ (KTUS)", old FlightGear screenshot)

* [http://web.archive.org/web/19990209050729/http://www.flightgear.org/Gallery/texture2.jpg link] ("Here's one of the Grand Canyon with a rock face texture. I know this looks funny, but I'm just experimenting here.", old FlightGear screenshot)

[[Category:FlightGear]]