Got a question for Lockheed?

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

This weekend at Lelystad it was clear that almost everybody who tried Prepar3D v3 think it's the best thing since sliced bread. We all love the fact it's stable, fast and looks fantastic. It's the king of sims right now. What was also clear is that many people have questions. About the license, the technique, the developments etc etc. 

So I asked Adam Breed, software manager and technical lead Prepar3D at Lockheed Martin if he would be willing to answer some questions our customers have. And guess what, he said yes! So if there is anything you like to know and think it could be something that interest all of us, post your question here and I'll send Adam a list when it looks complete.
Let me start.

1) The development of flight simulators has always been more than just work for the people involved. Starting with Bruce Artwick and later at Microsoft the people involved always shown an honest love for what they did. Many had PPL's or even flew bigger aircraft. We see the same in the add-on industry, where a lot of people work who started out as die hard simmers (and many still are). Do you see the same  in the people who now work on Prepar3D?

[Tom A320 4915]

With the latest version Prepar3D v3 LM did a fantastic job on the memory management. In my personal opinion the need for a 64bit version of the simulator is not that huge anymore. Anyway, what is LM thinking about the future of Prepar3D? Will it become a 64bit simulator and if so, are there plans to include add-on manufacturers into the development process, to help them getting their add-ons as early as possible compatible?

[sydney1962 35]

what I should like te know if there are intension, to improve the scenery , landclass and vectors from default to level that scenery makers like orbx make, I like to pay with pleasure some extra bucks for a simulator that has from scratch already have corrected scenery.

now replacing immediately after install P3D the default one for 3 party software.

 

[S_D 40]

I'm wondering if there are any plans to update the default AIRAC included in the sim. I know there are third party tools around that do it, but it would be nice if it was natively updated, and even better updatable by users. I believe the existing one is from 2006 or so?

[Farlis 155]

Now that the engine seems to be pretty much stable, I wonder whether we can see some improvements in the fields that have been basically handed over to the free- and payware community in the last 10 years since FSX came out?

 

In particular I'm thinking of

1.) updated default batch of airports to include

- the current layouts 

- new airports that have not yet been part of the database (e.g. the new Quito airport, the new Doha airport etc...)

- deletion of decommisioned airports

2.) an updated navdata worldwide with an easier way to add or delete to the database. Doing away with the hardcoded element it is now.

3.) the development of a new, more precise ATC engine and AI routines. (e.g. better seperation on final, better ground handling to avoid queues, crossing runways active, metric airspace where used in reality, correct transition levels and altitudes, lack of coverage in remote areas forcing one to fly without ATC, AI that fly correct procedures and routes)

4.) further improvements in the weather engine that allow for low visibility to be a local phenomenon. Right now it's depicted globally when you overfly a station with low vis. (example: Say you have fog and low vis reported in Zurich while there is none in Friedrichshafen. If you overfly Zurich at cruising altitude you will see a low visibility layer added that extends as far as the eye can see, reaching well across Friedrichshafen instead of one that is just confined to the local area. When you fly into the Friedrichshafen area where the weather station comes into effect the low vis clears as reported and you will even see Zurich again, despite there being fog present at Zurich.)

 

[Endyamon 53]

Will be sometimes implemented Rayleigh scattering ? I asked long time ago directly on LM forum but without reply.. 

 

Thanks

 

Best regards J.Compel

[Chok 49]

Hello, fantastic initiative. 

Is there currently any plans to improve the following over the next couple of years?

• An update to AA to reduce shimmering in airports and performance in clouds.
• An updated Nav database or compatibility with 3rd party navdata such as Navigraph or Navdatapro.
• Updated/upgraded default airports with sloped runways.

Best regards Frederik.

Looking forward to any answer given to any question in this entire thread.

[Fabian Boulegue 403]

Hehe even i have some questions :-)

> Does "you" (LM) really want to let "Simmers" use P3D, (based on your model you are not allowed but beside this) is this something you would like to change (if you could)?

> Are you currently or in the future looking into other sales methodes / payment methodes? In countrys like germany creditcards are still not used as often as they should be so there is no way to buy P3D for "these people". Paypal? Other Shops?

[johannes de jong 0]

dear sir 

my question is 1:wat is the recommended configuration for a computer with  prepare 3D V3 ,and Question 2: can y install it on a different ssd harddisc when i have installed the FSX on the basic Harddisc C ,or is it better on the same ,Question 3:is a academic license sufficient ,looking forward to answers

greetings :Johannes de Jong

[Prayog 42]

Hi LM, as mentioned on release notes of V3, all future developments will be done on this new version. So this is a new software baseline. Could we have some glimpse (only a list) on what has been planned as part of these enhancements ? (Apart from routine of bug-fixes).

[a350pilot 1]

Hello at LM, did you plan the Update of the BuiltIn FRA Airport? I miss the new Nothwest Runway and the Terminal A-West.

Thanks for your Answer.

Joachim

[Nuno Pinto 247]

I am interested in knowing about GPU support in the future. Do they intend to keep working in the graphics engine, slowly migrating it to new implementations or if are they considering a complete rewrite, using the latest techniques available.

[Der Merowinger 162]

A fast and properly working SLI-profile would be very nice, even options to adjust things ingame. I think, CPU-development by Intel doesn't make this improvements in the future like it did in the past. So the part of the GPU becomes more and more important, I think too.

 

Kai

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

Let's not get too technical okay? Questions about a single airport make no real sense for a sim that covers the world.

 

[Drehstuhlpilot 189]

How about rain drop effects for the VC?

[Bender39 0]

vor 6 Stunden , Farlis sagte:

1.) updated default batch of airports...

2.) an updated navdata worldwide...

3.) the development of a new, more precise ATC engine and AI routines...

4.) further improvements in the weather engine....

Hi, i'm interested in the same points which already asked by Farlis.

AI is the most interesting point for me.

[simMechanic 8]

Hi there. I am curious if LM will recognize that P3D is clearly highly popular among the flight sim enthusiast and will they better cater to us in the future re: licensing. Due to the nature of the way LM is selling P3D we have to be enrolled in a qualifying institution or pay a premium for the pro license. I'd like to know if you plan on offering an entertainment or enthusiast license with similar limitations as the academic license? Lastly how big of a peice of the pie are we the common individual to P3D. Clearly we are not corporate giants or national militaries but are us little guys of any significance to your development of the product? 

Also thanks for making a great product and helping me keep my love of aviation and knowledge going.

[mason-dom 11]

Still many issues with hardware. I bought P3DV3 and... gave it up since my CH products rudder is not recognized.

and oh, a question : can you fix that or do you consider this is up to the hardware manufacturer ?

Dom Mason

 

[Henri Lehtinen 5]

I'm still looking after 64bit version, V3 solved most of VAS problems (and much more) but still with heavy addon AC + big scenery and even some AI/online-planes, you might get into trouble. And it seems that nowadays planes and sceneries are getting nicer and better, so the VAS usage most probably will remain the same.

The actual question is, is there still a 64bit version planned at some point? It would basicly crush VAS-problems once and for all.

 

Best regards

Henri Lehtinen

[jcorstjens 1]

Having a PPL/SEP license and also really like flying the P3D simulator I believe that the most important improvement from a pilot's perspective is to introduce sloping runways that integrate seamlessly with the environment and simulate the real airport runways in every way.

 

With best regards,

Jan

[Guest]

Hi All i wanted To ask whether there will be a DVD version of P3D.

best Regards Massimiliano 

[GSalden 43]

Will there be a Distortion Fix to correct the stretched side views when using a triple monitor NVSurround setup ?

[ShrekFSX 6]

Still on FSX Disk Edition.

Does your licence for P3D allow you to release a 64BIT Program ?

[emisary 0]

On 13-11-2015 07:05:16, simMechanic said:

Hi there. I am curious if LM will recognize that P3D is clearly highly popular among the flight sim enthusiast and will they better cater to us in the future re: licensing. Due to the nature of the way LM is selling P3D we have to be enrolled in a qualifying institution or pay a premium for the pro license. I'd like to know if you plan on offering an entertainment or enthusiast license with similar limitations as the academic license? Lastly how big of a peice of the pie are we the common individual to P3D. Clearly we are not corporate giants or national militaries but are us little guys of any significance to your development of the product? 

Also thanks for making a great product and helping me keep my love of aviation and knowledge going.

Apart from what we like (green, red, yellow etc), the question about the licence comes up everytime.
I think that the serious simmer, and I do not mean the gamer, is somewhere in between. The gamer is more interested in a couple of games, and that is it. And probably does not care if the correct procedures  are  followed. The Simmer, wants to mimic reallife, as good as possible.
For some flying a sim is the closest thing in their life next to a PPL or better. I really wonder how LM, goes about them.
I for instance am such a person, and take flying pretty serious. Not like a casual game.
 

[Adamski_NZ 19]

My request is a long-standing one - that has been studiously ignored in the LM forum:

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE re-work the cloud shader maths to get rid of those *awful* iterative, "pop-corn" distant clouds (that also tend to have unrealistic looking dark bottoms. Near clouds (and fog etc.) are fine.

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They really do let down an outstanding sim.

Adam.