Tuesday, December 20, 2016

F-35 LIGHTNING II AVIONICS UPDATE TO VERSION 3.21 (P3D ONLY) *UPDATE*


* UPDATE *
****
I have identified a small bug in v3.20 so that the right MFD was not completely functional. Also, power up sequence of the MFD restored to left first, right second. Patch files updated to v3.21
****

As some of you are aware of, some months ago I lost all the source files of my flight simulation projects - this makes very difficult for me to update them as frequently as I would like to - but still I am doing my best in order to fix as many bugs as possible, and increase the overall quality of my projects.

Specifically, for the F-35 I am (slowly) rebuilding the cockpit models  - so that I can make some significant improvements to the VC enviroment. I have no firm schedule for this, as the Eurofighter Project has the priority. Still, I am not abandoning the F-35 and here is another update to the avionics.

As for the previous avionics updates, this is for P3D only. I will try to find the time to apply some of these changes to the FSX version too - although it is not officially supported as you know.

CHANGE LOG

Version 3.21
- Fixed bug in version 3.20 which prevented the right MFD to work as intended
- Restores MFD power up sequence: left first, right second.
- Fixed minor bug in the MFD Power up sequence

Version 3.20 (from version 3.16)
- Fixed a bug in all previous version that made it so that Air-to-air track no.3 was rendered in a wrong position on the radar screen
- As reported by user Ariel, changed the power up order of the MFD screens. Now the RIGHT MFD will power up first (on Battery power only) and the LEFT MFD will power up second (on generator power).
- Changed ENG page so that FF, HYD1 and HYD2 are reported as digits rather than "bars" - this should be the same as real life (reported by user Ariel)
- Changed FUEL page so that fuel quantities in tanks are reported in pounds rather than in gallons - again this should be the way it works in real life (reported by user Ariel)

Other changes already present in version 3.16 (with comparison to version 3.11)
- Fixed minor bug in FCS code
- Solved minor graphic flaw when the Function Access Buttons are SWAPped
- Restored "virtual speed brakes" indication in FCS page
- Implemented FAB-fuel function - fuel quantity, is now reported as magenta bars in the FAB section, Joker and Bingo are reported as white lines.
- Fixed position of transfer pumps in the FUEL page
- IPP switch now also drives engine starter (in reality, the switch has three positions: OFF-AUTO-START and should be spring loaded to the AUTO, in the sim it is just OFF or START)
- Left half of the MFD works on battery power only, Right half does not (as in reality) - when the generator is not working, the right MFD will turn off
- Increased startup time for both halves of the MFD to 15 seconds (as in reality)
- TFLIR and DAS now require generator power to run
- A/S and Tacpack radars will not work unless engine is running

You can download the update from Google Drive from the side bar on this blog or by clicking HERE.
The patch must be manually installed - to do so, simply drag and drop the folders in the zip file(namely F-35_MFD, FCS an Tactical) into the F-35A\panel folder.
Note that this must be done only in the F-35A folder BUT will affect also the -B and -C variants: the avionic code is aliased from the -A version for all the variants.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

F-35 Avionics Update to version 3.16 (PREPAR3D ONLY)




* UPDATE *
A FURTHER UPDATE TO VERSION 3.20 IS AVAILABLE

Following user feedback I have been working on small updates to the F-35 project. As some of you are aware of, the source files have been lost, so - while I am slowly rebuilding them - some of the cahnges requested cannot be implemented.
I will not have much time to work on the F-35 for a little while, so here is a small .zip file that contains some minor improvements to the F-35 avionics:

F-35 AVIONICS UPDATE v3.20
***************************

Installation: the .zip file contains two folders (F-35_MFD and Tactical) - copy and paste these folders included in the .zip file into the F-35A\panel folder and allow the existing files to be overwritten
The typical location is C:\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\SimObjects\Airplanes\F-35A\Panel\

NOTES: THIS UPDATE APPLIES ONLY TO THE PAYWARE F-35 VERSION FOR P3D - Do not use it on other versions, or in FSX!

Changes are as follows:

Version 3.20
- Fixed a bug in all previous version that made it so that Air-to-air track no.3 was rendered in a wrong position on the radar screen
- As reported by user Ariel, changed the power up order of the MFD screens. Now the RIGHT MFD will power up first (on Battery power only) and the LEFT MFD will power up second (on generator power).
- Changed ENG page so that FF, HYD1 and HYD2 are reported as digits rather than "bars" - this should be the same as real life (reported by user Ariel)
- Changed FUEL page so that fuel quantities in tanks are reported in pounds rather than in gallons - again this should be the way it works in real life (reported by user Ariel)

Version 3.16
- Fixed a bug in version 3.15 which prevented the air-to-air radar functions to work as intended in Tacpack
- Fixed minor bug in FCS code

Version 3.15
Oct-2016

- Solved minor graphic flaw when the Function Access Buttons are SWAPped
- Restored "virtual speed brakes" indication in FCS page
- Implemented FAB-fuel function - fuel quantity, is now reported as magenta bars in the FAB section, Joker and Bingo are reported as white lines.
- Fixed position of transfer pumps in the FUEL page
- IPP switch now also drives engine starter (in reality, the switch has three positions: OFF-AUTO-START and should be spring loaded to the AUTO, in the sim it is just OFF or START)
- Left half of the MFD works on battery power only, Right half does not (as in reality) - when the generator is not working, the right MFD will turn off
- Increased startup time for both halves of the MFD to 15 seconds (as in reality)
- TFLIR and DAS now require generator power to run
- A/S and Tacpack radars will not work unless engine is running

You can download the .zip file by clicking HERE

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Virtual Reality at home... Impressions after one week with the HTC Vive...


I have been playing with the HTC Vive for a week now, and I really like it... so I thought it may be useful to give my impression on this whole Virtual Reality hype, especially for those who may be considering to purchase it.

First, it is not cheap. You need a good computer to run it, and my 3770k with a GTX970 is barely considered sufficient. Then the headset... in Italy it is 599€ for the Oculus Rift and 849€ for the Vive, plus taxes and shipment.
The two headsets have similar resolution and characteristics, but while the Oculus ships with an XBox 360 controller, the Vive comes with two "motion tracking" controllers... which are really nice and work well - but at first they look quite strange. The other big difference is that the Vive supports full "room-scale" VR, which means that you can actually stand up and walk through your room - up to 5m x 5m.
The last big difference (maybe not that big for us simmers) is the software availability - while both can work with software distributed in other ways, the Oculus has its own store, while the Vive relies on Steam (which also has a VR mode). The Oculus at the moment has more games and in general a better support - and its content is (supposed to be) locked, so you cannot play it with the Vive...although of course you can find hacks on the internet for this.
Reason why I picked the Vive over the Oculus is simply that, apart from being a simmer, I am also a technology enthusiast and a gamer... and I really liked the idea of room-scale VR. If you plan to use your helmet only, or mostly, for simulations (that means for "seated" experiences), the Oculus is perfectly fine and significantly cheaper.

The only word of warning on the Vive is that if you want to use it a room-scale, you need to have 2.0mx1.5m minimum free space, although some applications require 2.4x2.4 or more - I had to move some furnitures to make room for it - by the way there is a safety "chaperon" feature that will prevent you from hitting the walls by projecting virtual walls when you are getting too close to the real ones...very well implemented IMHO.
You will also need to drill some holes in your bookshelves or walls to fasten the two motion sensors.
Then...after the setup (which takes one hour or more)....here comes the magic. You are literally transported in the virtual world. You can walk, kneel, jump look around and you really "feel" you are there. The biggest drawbacks are:

- the resolution is not great: 1080x1200 per eye...not enough to read some instruments.

- if there are "judders" (which may be due to both the software implementation and/or the hardware) you may feel a little dizzy...this can become motion sickness if you use it for too long.

- Anything less than 60-90 frames per second may induce motion sickness... which happens (of course) more often in softwares like flight simulators. You may want to avoid too much acrobatic flying at 15-20 frames per second...

Here is what I tried, in no particular order:

PREPAR3D v3.4

The latest version of Prepar3d has native support for the HTC Vive, along with the Oculus. Unfortunately, the implementation is not great - apparently there is no Asynchronous Time Warp nor any other technique to prevent judders... so the experience is shaky and a little unpleasant.
On the good side image is well filtered looks good... let's hope that P3Dv3.5 has a better implementation.


PREPAR3D v3.4 with FlyInside P3D

Now, there is this nice software called FlyInside, available for both P3D and FSX, which not only renders the simulation with Asynchronous Time Warp, but also provides a number of functions and shortcuts to operate the simulator within the virtual environment. Albeit the image quality is a little more jaggy than the default P3D support, the difference is day and night. The experience is much smoother and you can actually enjoy flying in the virtual cockpit with an unprecedented level of immersion. Also, you can use it in Avatar mode too... and walk around your aicraft (albeit this mode is a little buggy especially if you hop-on, hop-off the aicraft a couple of time).

NOTE - FLYINSIDE P3D has some issues with  Tacpack experimental features (HMD and TFLIR imaging)... the HMD will not work as intended, and TFLIR sometimes works and sometimes not. It may be better to turn those features off.


FLIGHT SIMULATOR STEAM EDITION with FlyInside FSX

The magic of FlyInside works very well with FSX too... and it is even more valuable given that FSX does not support Virtual Reality natively. Also, the performance is really good and is smoother than P3D - although P3D has better shadows that result in a more realistic image rendering...

AEROFLY FS 2

As per my previous post, I also tried AEROFLY FS 2... And I was not super-happy as I thought. Sure the frame rates are stellar, and there is native support of the Vive... but, at least on my configuration, the head tracking suffers from occasional judders... resulting in a little discomfort in some flights. Still, cockpits are amazing - and so is the scenery. 


 ASSETTO CORSA

Assetto Corsa does not support the Vive, but, as I said, there is a hack on the Internet which allows you to use Oculus compatible games with the Vive. It works great...and you can even walk out of the car and be amazed by the level of detail of the modeling. No judders - very smooth performance and amazing immersion. 


THE LAB

We simmers have an headstart with respect to the rest of the "gaming" population... we have been building virtual cockpit for years, and it is awesome to finally "feel" there. But Virtual Reality has a huge potential for games and education. The Lab (directly from Valve) is a collection of mini-games / experiences that will make you fully appreciate the potential of these devices. Some of the games are really funny... but the whole interaction with The Lab is amazing. Really cool - try it (it's free)!


STAR WARS: TRIAL ON TATOOINE

Yes, there is a official free minigame of Star Wars. Yes you can wield a lightsaber (cool!)...but the game is disappointingly short. Just few minutes and it's done - and not much of a challenge. It is free, but I unistalled it immediately.

QUANERO

Another free game, Quanero is a cool experiment in storytelling... basically you are a CSI guy in a futuristic bar in which a bomb exploded and a guy has been killed. You can rewind the time and look around and your scope is to find who has done what. Really cool and quite well done... it suffers a little from the fact that it is an indie games and so some 3D assets are not top-notch... but don't get me wrong, it is well done and a very interesting experiment.

UNREAL ENGINE
I made a quick test just to see how difficult it would be to develop virtual reality experiences... and a look at the Unreal Engine VR support. It is quite good - and it would be possible to create something in a reasonable time...unfortunately, there is my real life job...

SO, SHOULD YOU BUY IT?

Well... it is a lot of money, and a pretty cool technology. Strictly speaking of flight simulation it offers an unparalleled level of immersion. For the first time in my life a computer program made me feel into the cockpit. It is great...unless you do a lot of IFR, then the resolution is a problem. Also, if you plan to use it with FSX/P3D you will have to face the poor frame rates - even with the magic of FlyInside you may feel a little uncomfortable.

The best things is to try before you buy. Don't get me wrong...it IS AMAZING. But it is also very expensive and my guess is that, in a couple of yearsm these devices will have better resolution and cost less.

In any case, Virtual Reality is probably the next big thing in home entertainment.

Saturday, October 8, 2016

AeroflyFS 2 - First impressions


Yesterday I invested some money into an HTC Vive... Yes I am one of the early adopters which pay a lot of money for a new technology that will be outdated, or cost half that money, in a year or so. Fact is that I believe that, at this point, flight simulation developers should really start looking into virtual reality. The helmet will arrive in a few days and I cannot wait to test it.

Now, given that I know in advance that I will be disappointed by FSX/Prepar3D due to the insufficient frame rate, I have also decided to buy Aerofly FS 2 - as it should deliver a convincing VR experience.
For the few that may not know it, Aerofly FS 2 is the new version of a simple flight simulator developed by a Swiss company named IPACS.
In this new version, you can fly over a photoreal scenery that depicts a large portion of the south-western United Stated (mostly California, Nevada and Arizona) in a variety of aicrafts - from the classic C172 to the Boeing 747.

As I have read some enthusiastic reviews saying this is "awesome", "the next big thing in flight simulation" and "way better than FSX/P3D" here are my two cents for people that may be considering buying this.

General thoughs

First and foremost, this "simulator" is clearly meant to give you the "illusion" of flight, rather than simulate an aicraft in a complete and realistic fashion.
The "illusion" of flight is the weak spot of FSX for one big reason, IMHO... and it is frame rate. With just a few good addons, FSX and P3D can easily fall below 25-30 frames per second... and you can say goodbye to the illusion of flying. We got used to it - and we still use it for its fantastic add-ons and its the flexibility... but let's face it. In terms of frames per second, it is rarely as good as you want it.

Back to AeroflyFS 2, I should also say in advance it is the "Early Access" stage - which means you can buy it although it is still being developed. Now, even if the developers claim that, over time, the simulation will be as complex as FSX/P3D or XPlane, at the moment it is not. Actually it is far away from them... but you may not care (let me explain why below!).

Installation and Setup
The biggest hassle of the installation process is the download... 30Gb for the base software and another 65Gb for an optional, free upgrade that will enhance the texture resolution away from the airports.
Once the download is finished... you just need to setup you joystick (extremely easy) and you are good to go. May be you need to spend another 30 seconds looking through the options.
The interface is very simple, although it is inherited from the tablet version of Aerofly 2 and this shows... all in all if you are frustrated by the difficulty of configuring FSX or P3D, this is a much pleasant thing (...this also means you do not have much control over the sim of course)

Aircrafts
In general, the 3D modeling is good - both for cockpits and external views. It is fair to say that it is significantly better than the default FSX aicrafts... but do not believe people that claim it is on pair with the best FSX/P3D addons.
Flight models are very basic - definitely not good if you want realism... but they are very easy and forgiving so beginners, or people who just want to fly around, may like it.
System modeling also is pretty basic but varies a lot from aicraft to aircraft. However if you compare the best of these with "out-of-the-box" default FSX aircrafts, they are not that bad.

In terms of modern military planes, there are two: the F/A-18 Hornet and the Airmacchi MB-339.

The Hornet looks good, although the VC has its weak spots... does not handle in a very realistic fashion IMHO, but I guess it will be OK for people just wanting to buzz the tower... The most disappointing aspect are the cockpit systems: HUD works, and so do the steam gauges... but apart from that there is a basic HSI and an even more basic moving map. Pretty much everything else does not work.

The MB.339 is modeled very well (but no Frecce Tricolori livery!!!! WHY?), and flight model is easy and forgiving. Systems are pretty basic too...but the aicraft has no complex avionics, so most people will not notice it.

Scenery
Unlike FSX or P3D the main scenery is photoreal. No vectors, no landclass...just a big photoreal scenery covering California, Nevada and Arizona. The imagery is VERY sharp.
Some areas, like San Francisco and Las Vegas, do feature buildings and some vegetation... but coverage is limited. Same thing applies to airports... some are quite detailed, and some others are not. It is still WIP... so let's see. But at the moment, it is much like if you use BlueSky scenery with FSX.

....by the way, the water is a "still picture" (no waves or reflections) and there is no traffic. Also, the night lighting is limited to airports and the custom buildings... the photoreal base is "day only".

Graphic engine and performance
Unlike most other games, the graphic engine is based on OpenGL. And the initial impression is that the performance is AMAZING - on my machine (3770k and 970) it easily and constatly exceeds 100 frames per second - and maybe even much more. Flying is super smooth and the scenery looks incredibly sharp. NO BLURRIES and incredibly crisp textures. Good job.
...so it is waaaaay better than P3Dv3, for example? Well...it is not a like-for-like comparision. P3Dv3 has a more sophisticated shadow engine (e.g. no cloud shadows here!), water features, traffic, complex avionics etc. etc.
To make a like for like comparision, you should take P3Dv3, take off all shadows except cockpit and aicraft, use only BlueSky or Megascenery add-on and turn off any traffic and any other addon...and then use a simple aicraft, like my own MB.326. Which I did.
In this case, on my machine, the frame rates is between 40-70 (as usual varies a little) - while Aerofly was definitely much smoother - and with sharper textures.

Conclusions
I understand why some people like this. No installation or setup issues. Solid and exceptionally smooth frame rate. No thinkering with configuration and dozens options. No need to worry about flight manuals, procedures, systems, traffic or anything. Just jump into a plane and fly.
If that is what you always wanted from FSX I think you will like this a lot.

You will also like it if you are looking for a nice VR experience - in this case, as you will not be able to operate complex systems anyway, some of its shortcomings become negligible - and the smooth performance is a major plus.

...but, if you are looking for a highly realistic and complex simulation - look elsewhere (or wait). In its current state delivers a visually appealing and smooth flight "experience", but nothing close to what other simulator can deliver in terms of realism and fidelity.

Long story short: the simplicity and the amazingly smooth performance are the strong points of this simulation. If you are looking for those, you'll like AFS2.


MB339 cockpit is modeled very well...definitely the best 3D cockpit for this aicraft around.

MB339 over the Sierras.... external model is pretty good, but there is no Frecce Tricolori livery!

Most airports are quite basic, but some offer a decent amount of 3D detail.

Some of the largest cities have the major building modeled in 3D as well as some 3D detail (like the trees in the picture) - Las Vegas depicted.

C90 King Air cockpit - in general the quality of the cockpits is high. You may argue that some systems are missing, but really if you compare AFS2 aircrafts with default FSX aircraft there is not much difference.

Pitts over the Grand Canyon - the photoreal textures are much more "crisp" than in FSX, and NO BLURRIES. The Grand Canyon is a spectacle to behold.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

F-35 V3.11 VIRTUAL COCKPIT MODIFICATION


SPECIAL VIRTUAL COCKPIT BUILD FOR INDIAFOXTECHO PAYWARE F-35 V3.11
******************************************************************
As some of you are aware of, some months ago my computer has been infected by a nasty ransomware causing the loss of all the source files of my projects, including backups.
Therefore some of the improvements I planned to do to for my projects are basically lost.
I experimented a little with Model Converter X but rebuilding the files takes way too long for me to do, so I just made some tweaks that you may like.
This package contains a special build of the F-35A, -B and -C virtual cockpits modified as follows:

- Brighter MFD graphics (much better reading on most pages in many visibility conditions... however, in some cases TFLIR and DAS are saturated)
- Added reflection effects to all the geometry resulting in a more realistic look.

HOWEVER, BEFORE INSTALLING, PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING DRAWBACKS (these are due to MCX limitations):
- MOUSE CLICK AREAS ARE LOST. MFD touchscreen will work, but switches and levers will not...so you should assign custom keypress
- Weapons visibility is lost in the internal view, meaning you won't see weapons hanging below the wings
- These cockpits are a little worse for FPS performance... beware
So...pros and cons, your choice.
This modification is not "official" by any mean and it is not supported.

TO INSTALL THIS MOD:
Drag and drop everything in the SimObject folders as usual. The files will add a visual model in the MODEL subfolder of each aicraft and replace the model.cfg files.
It also include an harmless mod to the HMD to fix a visibility issue.
You may want to backup the model.cfg files for an easy unistallation.
The file will not add any entry to the registry.

TO UNISTALL:
Open the model.cfg file with a text editor for any of the aicraft you want to restore and edit it following the comments
...OR simply reinstall the package....OR restore the model.cfg files if you have made a backup.
Also, although it might work in FSX, it is designed to work with P3Dv3.
Using it in FSX may lead to higher memory consumption and...well, they will look too shiny in my opinion (P3Dv3 and FSX engine differ in the reflection intensity).
NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND IS PROVIDED FOR THIS MOD!

DOWNLOAD THE MOD FROM GOOGLE DRIVE FROM THE LINK BELOW:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1VJtKJlye7FNGtaYXpkSTVSRWs

Sunday, July 10, 2016

F-35 Project Version 3.11


I have recently uploaded F-35 version 3.11 to the distibutors - which hopefully will get rid of the installation issues experienced by some users in v3.11

WHAT IS NEW IN VERSION 3.11
***************************
FIXED - Installation issue in v3.10 causing MFD1 and MFD2 not being independant
FIXED - Installation issue in v3.10 FSX Compatibility Patch preventing HMD to show properly in some intsances
FIXED - Installation issue in v3.10 FSX Compatibility Patch leaving an unintended temporary file in the FSX folder

WHAT IS NEW IN VERSION 3.10
***************************
ADDED - VX-23 Salty Dogs livery to the F-35C
ADDED - Warlords VM-01 livery to the F-35B
ADDED - Israeli Air Force livery to the F-35A
ADDED - Aural cues to ICAWS system
FIXED - Minor texturing issues in Virtual Cockpit, all models
FIXED - Bug in RWR system which preventer track 0 to appear on some instances
CHANGED - RWR system now supports up to 16 tracks (previously was 8)
CHANGED - JSOWs can now also be loaded in the internal bays
FIXED - Minor bug preventing canopy open/close switch to work
CHANGED - In flight refuel fuel flow rate is now higher following users feedback
CHANGED - STOVL flight model for better realism (by Rob Barendregt)
ADDED - Auto-takeoff feature to the F-35B (by Rob Barendregt)
FIXED - Resolved bug preventing laser guided weapons to hit their target (note: this was actually a Tacpack bug - tacpack 1.4.3.0 or higher is required to fix the bug)
FIXED - Resolved bug preventing GPS coordinates being correctly loaded to GPS guided weapons in some instances.
ADDED - CNI keypad is now operational
ADDED - Autopilot keypad is now operational
ADDED - Keyboard shortcuts now are active also in external views
FIXED - Bug in HUD page preventing TFLIR page to show
ADDED - Provided models with no geometry for cockpit builders

Here is a further explainations of some of the new features:

NEW STOVL DYNAMICS AND AUTO-TAKEOFF
********************************************
The F-35B features new STOVL dynamics courtesy of Rob Barendregt.
The new dynamics should offer a more realistic performance in most conditions, and a new handling scheme which, as far as we know, is closer to the real thing.
The new STOVL dynamics also introduce the "auto-takeoff" feature, in which the aircraft takes off automatically in the shortest possible distance.
To activate this mode, when the a/c is on the ground or on the deck and still:
- Select STOVL mode (AUTO T/O appears in RED in the FCS page=
- Apply full brakes  (AUTO T/O turns blue)
- Select AUTO T/O (turns white)
- Release the brakes and enjoy the show

CNI AND AUTOPILOT KEYPAD
****************************
Keypads are now active and can be used to program the CNI and the Autopilot. Note however that the BACK and ENT functions are not implemented - just enter as many digit as needed and retry if need be.

Example 1 - SET NAV RADIO TO 113.00
- Select CNI PAGE
- Click on the NAV 1 SWAP digits
- Enter 1-1-3-0-0
- Click on NAV 1 SWAP to swap frequencies

Example 2 - Change Heading to 188°
- Select Autopilot Page
- Click on HDG
- Enter 1-8-8

MODELS WITH NO VIRTUAL COCKPIT GEOMETRY FOR COCKPIT BUILDERS
***********************************************************************
Model folders now contain models without cockpit geometry, intended for use by cockpit builders.
To activate this feature open the MODEL folder of the aicraft you wish to convert and open the model.cfg with a text editor and follow the instructions inside the file.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Recovery of the Eurofighter Project...


As promised here is a status report of the Eurofighter project after the "ransomware" incident that wiped out all of my source files. Basically you can indeed use ModelConverterX by Aron (great tool...THANK YOU ARNO) to open the .mdl files and convert them into .3DS format, and then reimport it into 3DS Max or Gmax (or other applications....3DS is a very popular format). In principle you loose the animations, smoothing, the materials and the XML taggin but preserve the geometry and the texturing coordinates - as side effect, the geometry is not super-clean nor flawless.
Unfortunately, in the case of the Typhoon, a number of minor details were lost in the process - such as the landing gears, some engine details and the pilot helmet.
So... the external model is recoverable...but will require several weeks of work - not good, but could have been much worse.
Unfortunately, most of the Virtual Cockpit is garbage. A lot of the geometry of the switches and levers is lost or corrupt and require more work than I expected.

Here is the status:

LOST:

- 3D source models (both external and VC and custom weapons)
- Source texture sheets and paintkit (layered PSD)
- Part of the XML code
- My standard templates for things such as HMD projection etc.

INTACT:
- External .mdl was almost finished (maybe I can use it as it is...)
- Incomplete virtual cockpit (is missing the ejection seat and some other details)
- Latest avionics code (HUD almost complete)

RECOVERED
 - (Partial) geometry and texture coordinates. Need to redo part of the geometry, animation etc.

 Long story short... I need to evaluate my options carefully. One possibility is to use the external .mdl as is (missing a number of eye-candy features, and the custom weapons) and redo the missing parts of the VC.
More news soon.


Thursday, May 5, 2016

Ransomware infection update

 

First, THANK YOU ALL for the oustanding support and encouragement I have received - the flight simulation community has always been very kind and positive to me and my projects and it is awesome to know I have such a loyal and appreciative user base.
I have thought a lot on what to do next - and what would be the best thing for me. My final decision is as follows:

- The ransom WILL NOT be paid. It is not a question of the money per se - I am lucky enough so that 500 USD would not make a big difference for my bank account. It is just that I do not like giving money to criminals.

- The hard disk with my source 3D models has been segregated and kept in a safe place. Hopefully, sooner or later, a decryption tool with a key database will pop up. This was the case for similar malwares in the past few years - so there is a small hope. Very small. But it is defintely worth preserving the encrypted data.

- My system has been formatted and it is being rebuilt (with a much needed switch to a SDD). I have already installed Win 8.1, P3D, Tacpack and the P3D SDK. I will restart with a pristine system.

- Once the system is restored and all my design tools are in place, I will see what to do next.

DAMAGE ASSESSMENT:

Apart from my personal files (pictures, savegames etc.) I lost access to ALL my 3D source files and all master texture sheets. This includes pretty much 95% of my past work in terms of work hours. The files installed in the simulator were not affected (the ransomware did not touch the Program folder) so my latest flight version of the flight models and XML/avionics code are still available. Current situation is as follows:

AVATAR PACKAGE (payware) - Losing the source files for this project is quite saddening in particular the animation/bone system I created. I planned to update the current version and expand it with additional models, or create a "civilian" package. But given the small user base, and the amount of work needed decision is to TERMINATE the project and any further update. Sales will continue with current distributors 

F-35 LIGHTNING II (payware) - I was working on a significant upgrade with would include some bug fixings and some new functionalities. Lucklily the modeling work was finished, and the compiled models are safe - and so are the latest avionic files. Therefore the decision is to CONTINUE the development of the update.

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON (payware) - This is probably the biggest loss. I will try to recover the geometry by decompiling the current .mdl and see what can be reused and what not. For the moment this project is ON HOLD.

T-45C GOSHAWK (freeware) - I don't know if I could add anything to this project - but it has always been by test bed and loosing it has more a sentimental value than anything. But there is not place for sentimentalism in the modern world so this project will be TERMINATED - version 2.83 is be the final version.

MB.326 (freeware) - An update was in the works with minor bug fixings...The update is CANCELED and the project will be TERMINATED.

S-3B VIKING (freeware) - An update which would have included some minor bug fixing, addition of TFLIR functionalites and a AI-Tanker model was in the works. I'll try to salvage the tanker model, but I cannot guarantee anything. Apart from that, the update is CANCELED and the project will be TERMINATED.

F-14D Super Tomcat (freeware) - There was actually a plan to develop a new, better payware version of this project. Maybe I'll pursue that in the future. As for this freeware rendition, any further update is CANCELED and the project will be TERMINATED.

Also, preliminary work on Aermacchi MB.339 is lost,
there is some undisclosed work done on the E-2/C-2 project in cooperation with another developer which - for a pure chance this is safe.

FUTURE PROJECTS:

It is still unclear to me if I have the time and will right now to embark on new projects - at least for the moment. I am looking into some very small, very quick projects to develop - just to check that everything is working. I have some ideas... but they are just ideas for now.

That is it for the moment. THANK YOU AGAIN for your support.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Ransomware infection


Unfortunately, my Flight Simulation computer has been infected with Cerber Ransomware - which is basically a malware that sneaks into your system and encrypts all your data and then asks for a ransom to get a software to decrypt them. More information here:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/the-cerber-ransomware-not-only-encrypts-your-data-but-also-speaks-to-you/

After a full night getting documentation and trying any possibility I could read of, it is my understanding that, at the moment, there are no known solution for my case but paying the ransom - which right now I am not willing to do. I may change my mind when I'll be more calm.

Currently, after running several recovery softwares, it seems that all the critical files (mostly source 3D models, animations and textures) are compromised and I cannot access them anymore. The only exception being the files that were actually already installed in the simulator, which have not been touched - that basically means the F-35 update I have been working on.

Therefore, as of today, I have no choice but suspend ALL my projects indefinitely with possible exception of the F-35B update.

I am evaluating all the options I have - in the very worst case, all my current project may be canceled.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

T-45 Goshawk version 2.83


As much as I'd like to abandon the T-45C, some minor and annoying inaccuracies pop-up... hence here we go again with a new release... in this case, I was notified that the MFD-ADI sky/ground colors were reversed (due a wrong interpetation on my side of the NATOPS graphics). Cockpit videos show the real thing very clearly - so here we go again - sorry for the inconvenience.

VERSION 2.83
- Fixed ADI graphics (light area = sky, dark area = ground)

Download link on the side bar as usual.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

T-45C Goshawk version 2.82 release - sorry for the inconvenience!

 
Following a report from an user, a significant bug has been identified on the latest release of the Goshawk - basically the latest Virtual Cockpit was built with the wrong ModelDef.XML file (which is the file that governs the associations between the 3D model and variables, click spots and visibiliyu conditions during MDL compilation...I have several for the various aircrafts). As result the Data Entry Panel was mostly unusable. It was not my intention to released yet another update to the Goshawk but this is a show-stopping issue to me and I felt it needed to be fixed.
Here is a new version that should fix the problem. Download link on the side bar. Once it is confirmed to work it will be uploaded to Avsim and Flightsim.
Sorry for the inconvenience!


VERSION 2.82 - Released on April 2nd 2016

- Previous build was compiled with wrong Modeldef.xml resulting in several Data Entry Panel issues. Rebuilt with correct XML coding.
- Fixed minor bug with DECLUTTER function in DEP
- Fixed minor bug with DEPRESSION function in DEP


Saturday, March 5, 2016

T-45C Goshawk version 2.81


Here is a small update to the T-45C to fix a couple of minor defects that I felt a little annoying... Probably I should not waste my time with such small issues, but if you are not a maniac on small things probably you would not venture in a crazy hobby like this...
The main change is that now, by default, the glass refection effects on HUD and gauges glasses has been removed - this is because with the new dynamic enviromental mapping of P3Dv3.1 they looked odd (they were reflecting the runway, for example)... old model is provided a backup.

VERSION 2.81
- Fixed bug in visual model that caused an attempt to load a non-existent texture sheet.
- Removed dynamic glass refection effect in VC, as it looked weird with P3DV3.1 dynamic environment mapping (old models are supplied as backup)
- Added option VC model with no geaometry (only HUD) for cockpit builders, along with some information on local variables used in the code

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Eurofighter Project (and a couple of notes on DCS and other things)...


 
 
A quick post to officially introduce the new Eurofighter Typhoon project I am working on to people which may not have a Facebook account. The main scope of this project is to create a detailed Eurofighter model for use in FSX / P3DV2 / P3DV3 environment - including support of Tacpack for weapons functionalities. This is not an easy task as most of the data on the Typhoon is still classified. I managed to get my hands on some very detailed avionics documentation, but performance data is hard to find (and will be guesstimated). I also had the chance to test the EADS rapid-deployment simulator of the Typhoon... which was very interesting in terms of handling (although I have no idea on the actual dynamics accuracy as it is a simulator conceived for area familiarization).

Here are the main features I am working on:
- Highly detailed visual models (external and VC)
- Realistic (although guesstimated) flight model and dynamics
- Realistic avionics (at least for HUD and MFDs), and pilot interface including BAe Striker HMD Helmet
- Support for Tacpack weapons (AIM-9L/AIM-120/GBUs)
- Realistic procedures based on real-world checklists

Aside, I'd like to implement also other features...but these are kind of "nice-to-have" things...but I cannot confirm them at the moment:
- Support for IRIS-T and ASRAAM missiles
- PIRATE implementation (most likely for P3Dv2 / v3 only)
- "Naggin'Nora" implementation
- Custom sound package based on real-life audio samples

At the moment, the external model is almost complete...but still unfinished.
I do not think we'll have a Beta before this summer... so release may well be in August/September.
...below are some other screenshots of the latest build.

Now...some other things...

DCS Compatibility:
I have received several emails and messages asking for DCS support and long story short DCS support will not happen, at least in the foreseeable future. For one, I do not have the time. Then DCS does not offer an open, royalty-free and publicly accessible SDK and requires developers to be highly qualified and acceptance of very stringent requirements.
Note that this does NOT mean that you are entitled to try your own conversion and share them. Sure, you can do whatever you want for your personal use, but converting and than sharing the models and artwork or other stuff is not allowed (see the reasons why below...).

Other Simulators...and exporting my models:
I have also received requests to support other simulators (e.g. FlightGear and XPlane)...but again, I lack time and resources. Then there are a number of users that converted the data of my files and want to share them on the Internet. Again... THIS IS NOT ALLOWED - and it is explicitly forbidden in the documentation of my projects.
The main reason for this is not that I am jealous of my work or anything like that...but the fact that most of my project contain data and artwork from a variety of sources: there is a lot of work from yours truly, but there is also stuff from contributors and (most important) vendors. My models or parts of them are often based on commercial data which I paid for and it is quite expensive. You cannot use them in your projects - as it is a copyright infringment. Full stop.

Project updates:
As usual, I am working on updates to all of my projects... I have spotted a minor flaw to the latest T-45C package, and I'll relase an update which will also contain some special files for cockpit builders. The Military Avatars package and the F-35 also need some bug-fixing... although they have very minor flaws, and there are no red-alerts.
Sooner or later I'll also need to release the long-awaited Viking update.

Future projects:
A quick recap of other stuff I'd like to work in future... but God knows when I'll have time to work on it. And then I am an atheist... so this is more a "wish list" than actual projects:

MB.339 - I have an extrenal model 60% ready, but needs textures...and then there is no VC at the moment. On the good side, flight model and sound package could be reused from the MB.326.

E-2 / C-2 Package - I will soon have some news on this project...

F-14D Tomcat 2016 - I am not happy yet...

So...as you can see there is A LOT of stuff going on. Much more than what I can actually handle... So we'll see. For now Eurofighter Typhoon is the top priority.