Modern PC flight sim.

[SpaceMouse]

Thought I would drop this thought here. I'm a big fan of flight sims. I've been playing X-Plane for the last decade or so, of many various versions but, I can't help but feel even XP11 is quite.... dated. It's awfully hard to get a consistently good framerate, especially in VR. Other programs easily simulate more now at significantly higher framerates. I kinda get the feeling except for some tweaks the graphics engine hasn't been updated in a good decade or so. I'm curious if anyone might be aware of a more up to date one, that might have slipped through the cracks of my searching. Seems Simmers are a awfully niche market.  

Maybe Cloud Imperium (Star Citizen) will release a ultra-lightweight version of there engine in 70 years or so? 

Edited October 24, 2018 by SpaceMouse

[p1t1o]

You know about DCS?

[KerbolExplorer]

theres one that will reléase on EA son...

https://store.steampowered.com/app/771800/Deadstick__Bush_Flight_Simulator/

It looks good but its only going to be Bush flying and on a limited map

[SpaceMouse]

4 hours ago, p1t1o said:

You know about DCS?

Appears to be a good deal older than XP11 and even Flightgear.

3 hours ago, KerbolExplorer said:

theres one that will reléase on EA son...

https://store.steampowered.com/app/771800/Deadstick__Bush_Flight_Simulator/

It looks good but its only going to be Bush flying and on a limited map

This looks promising, i prefer GA so I'll have to follow this.

[p1t1o]

15 hours ago, SpaceMouse said:

Appears to be a good deal older than XP11 and even Flightgear.

Are you sure...I dont think so...both are still in active development.

If you mean the starting core engine code, maybe, but what matters is "does it do what you are looking for?"

What is it that you are looking for? Just smoother framerates? Higher detail?

 

On 10/24/2018 at 1:51 AM, SpaceMouse said:

Seems Simmers are a awfully niche market.  

I think less "niche" than we are "demanding"

 

Edited October 25, 2018 by p1t1o

[YNM]

On 10/24/2018 at 7:51 AM, SpaceMouse said:

Simmers are a awfully niche market.  

You're competing with the commercial and enterprise market, really. For example SCS Software has geared some of the development on their truck driving simulator engines for actual truck driving license lessons and tests.

[SpaceMouse]

1 hour ago, p1t1o said:

Are you sure...I dont think so...both are still in active development.

If you mean the starting core engine code, maybe, but what matters is "does it do what you are looking for?"

What is it that you are looking for? Just smoother framerates? Higher detail?

 

I think less "niche" than we are "demanding"

 

I might be wrong on DCS. I suspect XP's code hasn't significantly changed since XP 8 or 9. Well over 10 years ago. I think it might be time for them to move to a modern engine.

A little of all actually. I feel like in 2018 a Flight sim should look at least as good as NMS or perhaps Space Engine.

42 minutes ago, YNM said:

You're competing with the commercial and enterprise market, really. For example SCS Software has geared some of the development on their truck driving simulator engines for actual truck driving license lessons and tests.

ETS and ATS are really good too. There's a version of X-Plane that's actually FAA certified. I think part of the issue is simmers seem to love their ortho photo scenery. Ortho photo scenery is generally pretty terrible everywhere. Unless maybe everything is 50k res.....

[p1t1o]

11 minutes ago, SpaceMouse said:

I might be wrong on DCS. I suspect XP's code hasn't significantly changed since XP 8 or 9. Well over 10 years ago. I think it might be time for them to move to a modern engine.

A little of all actually. I feel like in 2018 a Flight sim should look at least as good as NMS or perhaps Space Engine.

ETS and ATS are really good too. There's a version of X-Plane that's actually FAA certified. I think part of the issue is simmers seem to love their ortho photo scenery. Ortho photo scenery is generally pretty terrible everywhere. Unless maybe everything is 50k res.....

I think it comes down to resources and priorities. For a hardcore flight sim, a great deal of coding is required to simulate the realistic avionics and flight model, which takes time (and obviously, money) away from developing graphics or terrain. This is not the case with space sims or other non-real-world titles, where the "avionics" and "flight model" are, comparatively, extremely rudimentary.

Having said that, DCS has released some new terrains, but I havnt got them so dont know exactly where they come on a quality scale (other than they are at least as good as default DCS terrain, probably a bit uprated)

I'll go on record to say that the actual aircraft in DCS, are the highest quality graphical objects I have seen in ANY game, but then I am a bit of a DCS fanboy

 

Edited October 25, 2018 by p1t1o

[YNM]

31 minutes ago, p1t1o said:

For a hardcore flight sim, a great deal of coding is required to simulate the realistic avionics and flight model, which takes time (and obviously, money) away from developing graphics or terrain.

Not to mention copyrights.

42 minutes ago, SpaceMouse said:

I think part of the issue is simmers seem to love their ortho photo scenery. Ortho photo scenery is generally pretty terrible everywhere. Unless maybe everything is 50k res...

Actually, simulations geared towards real-life emulations tend to not use the maximum graphics (because human eyesight can deteriorate and focus can go awry); what is needed is a realistic mechanism and physics. If you've ever seen an airplane simulator (the real deal moving cockpit ones) they don't have an amazing texturing work but they simulate the critical phases very accurately as it should be in real life.

It's partly why SCS has to up their game on H-shifters and force feedback now, to ensure a realistic enough simulation.

Edited October 25, 2018 by YNM

[RocketSimplicity]

8 hours ago, SpaceMouse said:

I might be wrong on DCS. I suspect XP's code hasn't significantly changed since XP 8 or 9. Well over 10 years ago. I think it might be time for them to move to a modern engine.

A little of all actually. I feel like in 2018 a Flight sim should look at least as good as NMS or perhaps Space Engine.

ETS and ATS are really good too. There's a version of X-Plane that's actually FAA certified. I think part of the issue is simmers seem to love their ortho photo scenery. Ortho photo scenery is generally pretty terrible everywhere. Unless maybe everything is 50k res.....

DCS recently released World 2.5. They have pretty active updates keeping the game up to date.