Friday update - August 23rd 2013.....trust us, it's a good one ;)

[Mysticpuma]

Well guys here's a "thanks for your patience" Friday update.

We have been working really hard to get some enhanced features into the Simulation and as it stands, it looks like we have so-far succeeded but we still have so much more to do.

We know the community is impatient for the patch and we really want to get it out to you, but if you can stick with us a little longer as we finalise beta testing (and still squash more bugs!! Pesky things!) then it will be worth the wait.

Today we are showcasing the new clouds and some of the improved lighting effects. Please note every skin used in this footage is 0% weathered and so will look factory fresh and newly lacquered...but it highlights the lighting so much, it would have been criminal not to do so

There are a few more bits and pieces shown in the footage and maybe you'll pick them out...but mainly it's for the new clouds (wait until you see the comparison footage) and lighting effects (again the 109 at dawn...wow!).

The next few updates will showcase other features in video presentations. The idea was to have one large promo reel (and will probably still occur using clips from these updates....maybe ) but there is so much to show, it's probably going to e easier to do it this way...time will tell! Maybe there could be multiple Friday updates....who knows!

Anyway, one of the images captured from this video has already been posted in a screenshot thread, so keep your eyes open for it as you see what it looks like in full video glory

Looking forward to your feedback, almost there now, almost there

Cheers, TF

Watch the footage here:



https://vimeo.com/72842778

[III./ZG76_Saipan]

cant wait....thanks guys

[9./JG52 Ziegler]

Brillient MP and all of Team Fusion. A huge thanks for your work.

I know that everyone is chompin at the bit the patch by I, for one, would rather wait till the team feels it is ready for prime time. It avoids mini's and fixes later.

[SoW Reddog]

Looks great.

I have one question though, the new clouds, do they render in the same place on each machine now? Its already an issue that I think I'm in a cloud because I am on my machine but everyone else sees me in the clear, if we increase the number of clouds and it's the same that issue's going to get worse?

[Continu0]

Niiiiiiiice!

[trooph]

awesome!!!

[Manoxerox]

AWESOME!! Guess I must go downtown to buy a hat and learn how to bow properly!!

[Erminas]

Looks amazing!!!
Keep up the good work

Can't wait to try new patch out and by then i hope my internet will get better so i can hop on TS too.

[DUI]

With the new patch I will be so much in need of a new graphic card. At least if the server missions somehow match the amounts of clouds shown in the video.

[92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)]

With the new patch I will be so much in need of a new graphic card. At least if the server missions somehow match the amounts of clouds shown in the video.

Cloud numbers have gone up, FPS has also gone up.
There might be more clouds, but it is less taxing on your graphics card.

Mattias posted some screenshots a few weeks ago showing this.

[DUI]

I had in mind that the performance increase was more about effects (explosions, fire, smoke) and not about clouds.
But you are right the last pair of before/after screenshots is mainly about clouds ans shows an impressive FPS boost.
We will see about the final results soon.

[ATAG_Freya]

Looks great.

I have one question though, the new clouds, do they render in the same place on each machine now? Its already an issue that I think I'm in a cloud because I am on my machine but everyone else sees me in the clear, if we increase the number of clouds and it's the same that issue's going to get worse?

Is this true? About the clouds rendering differently on other machines? Most often to me, when flying with a wingman, the clouds are same for both of us and used to describe stuff ie: "contact under the big cloud to our 2'oclock" etc... But then I was flying a ju-88 the other day, was attacked, went into the clouds for cover, even changed course and alt to throw them off but the spit came up and shot me to bits as if it were no big deal! Right inside a cloud the whole time!!! I've never heard this about clouds and before Reddog's post, never even thought of it. ??? Great update and great work TF !! You guys rock!

Cheers,
Freya

[FAE_Cazador]

... But then I was flying a ju-88 the other day, was attacked, went into the clouds for cover, even changed course and alt to throw them off but the spit came up and shot me to bits as if it were no big deal! Right inside a cloud the whole time!!! I've never heard this about clouds and before Reddog's post, never even thought of it. ???....

Was the Spit human or AI? AI unfortunatley can track you down inside clouds, I believe...

[Kling]

With the new patch I will be so much in need of a new graphic card. At least if the server missions somehow match the amounts of clouds shown in the video.

Beta patch actually runs smooth as silk at the moment..im running a gtx580 1.5gig.
Personally i see no drops in FPS with new clouds.

[FAE_Cazador]

Good to know, Kling , I have the same card! And which CPU+RAM you have? Mine is a rather outgraded CoreDuo 2.66 MHz + 4G RAM, awaiting replacement when economy improves...

Very good news and video, BTW, we are all awaiting the final release....

[Meaks]

Brilliant,absolutely stunning guys,thank you very much for the video,I like many others would prefer to wait............we know it'll be worth it in the long run

BTW those clouds are superb!!!!,the sim just gets better and better and this is all thanks to you fantastic chaps

[Klunker]

The work in progress does appear more real, but the current shots comparisons were clearer in my system. The current shots appear brighter and therefore stuff easier to see for me. I don't know if it's just my impression, but there appear to be more shadows in the work in progress. I would think that shadows that reduce the light on the target may exacerbate some already difficult vision issues. Am I wrong?

[9./JG52 Ziegler]

The work in progress does appear more real, but the current shots comparisons were clearer in my system. The current shots appear brighter and therefore stuff easier to see for me. I don't know if it's just my impression, but there appear to be more shadows in the work in progress. I would think that shadows that reduce the light on the target may exacerbate some already difficult vision issues. Am I wrong?

Yes I think so since one of the main targets of this patch is the LOD/visibility issues. Take a look at the 1:22 of the video and stop it around there and check out the planes in the distance. It's ace!

[-Sven-]

Holy shite that looks good! Really like the clouds and their shadows on the ground.

Excellent work TF!

[Kling]

Good to know, Kling , I have the same card! And which CPU+RAM you have? Mine is a rather outgraded CoreDuo 2.66 MHz + 4G RAM, awaiting replacement when economy improves...

Very good news and video, BTW, we are all awaiting the final release....

Im running a I5 760 overclocked to 4ghz...

[Mysticpuma]

Hi guys.
Just for reference all the footage in the WIP was captured 'realtime', so no pre-recorded trk file, I just played a single mission, started recording a .trk file (to make comparison shots with old version) and then recorded as I flew with FRAPS.
FRAPS does affect FPS slightly but depending on where I was in the clouds I.never dropped below 30-fps.

I always fly with vsync on so I get no graphical tearing and record at 30-fps. The graphics lighting is such an advance it brings a smile to my face every time I load ot up!
My system isn't a beast, just average specification (now), but I have no problem flying in these conditions with 3x more clouds and no popping into view of them, they blend into view now beautifully.
All footage was captured at 1920x1200, vsync on, 2xAA (in-game), no sweet fx installed, this is all as it appears in a patched v4.00 beta.
The main details of my system are:
Core i7 950 @ stock 3.06ghz
6Gb Corsair Ram
Nvidia GTX 670 4Gb

gameplay is incredibly smooth.

Re. question about smoke and other particle updates.

As we prepare to release the patch more videos will appear including comparisons of particle effects updates, LoD improvements for spotting aircraft....which new Beta testers have claimed is a true gamechanger and much, much more.

Keep the faith, lots of good stuff is coming

Cheers, TF

[FAE_Cazador]

Im running a I5 760 overclocked to 4ghz...

Wow! , thank you, I'll have to wait ...

[1/3_vszd_Tazar]

I am not quite sure this is the rigth path. It looks like a color filter on the camera. A grey color filter. But gents a human eyes does not work this way. The human eyes able to adopt to the light conditions. So, in open air basicly you have clear visibility during the day, and you see almost nothing at night. There is a little transition between the two stages, but it is not too long. We call this phases dawn and gloaming, when the sun is below the horizon. But when the sun is up the human eyes can see clearly, because the iris of the eye can expand or narrow.

So, basicly you can use color filters on your camera, because in this way you can make beautiful pictures what the human eyes never see. So I am afraid, this artistic pictures are against visibility. And visibility is the key in a simulator. And real visibility is the key in a simulator, not the artistic one. A simulator is not a comics or a photo album.

[Archie]

Looks fantastic to me!

[Pitti]

Looks sweet!

One question:
Currently the weathering is only applied when the markings are activated (it works in the plane selection menu but not in-game), is this issue fixed or, if not, can this be fixed?

I'm worried that all these nice custom made skins that have their markings and weathering directly painted will always look factory fresh and shiny like in the video.

[ATAG_Snapper]

The Work In Progress looks stunning!

[ATAG_Colander]

Looks great.

I have one question though, the new clouds, do they render in the same place on each machine now? Its already an issue that I think I'm in a cloud because I am on my machine but everyone else sees me in the clear, if we increase the number of clouds and it's the same that issue's going to get worse?

Since a pic is better than 1000 words....

Screenshots from two different machines at (almost) the same location:
Untitled.gif

[Ohms]

Looks more like the England I was raised in. The colours are much more realistic than the colours we have now which look more like western canada / eastern europe.

[DUI]

I am not quite sure this is the rigth path. It looks like a color filter on the camera. A grey color filter.

Besides the clouds the change in colours is what I recognised first. I am also not sure if the desaturation of the colours - resulting in a darker, greyer sky, water and landscape - is the most realistic approach.

I am also wondering about the Spitfire at 0:46 min: Why should the red paint in such a close viewing distance not be displayed as bright red but as pale-red (the same for the other colours)? Another example is at 1:55 min. where you can't even see the yellow nose of the Bf 109 passing close-by.

Well, ten people, eight different views on colours.

Maybe there could be multiple Friday updates...

Danger of information overflow! Better split the information to make it Friday, Monday and Wednesday updates!

[nacy]

Re. question about smoke and other particle updates.

As we prepare to release the patch more videos will appear including comparisons of particle effects updates, LoD improvements for spotting aircraft....which new Beta testers have claimed is a true gamechanger and much, much more.

Keep the faith, lots of good stuff is coming

Cheers, TF

http://vimeo.com/72842778
http://vimeo.com/65968983

the patch takes into account the two video is even more?