Runway Lights

[Terblanche 118]

For a while now I wanted to ask the question on different forums - what is going on the last couple of years with the (shimmering/fainted/white) runway lights that we see everywhere? I've flown for many years as CPL pilot in different countries in Africa and mostly in South Africa and nowhere the runways lights are this blobs of white, shimmering out of focus until on short finals.

Must say, the (old) GAP airports' runway lights are much much more realistic that what we now see in the Flightsim World. Maybe there is a reason for it ... although I've already raised this question on the SODE and APC forums but there is no reply.

If you look at photographs of runway lights at Europe airports, you will see what I mean.

Attached are a few screenshots of EDDR and just look how clear it is from a distance and IMHO much more realistic.

#justsaying

Terblanche

 

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[OPabst 2091]

Hi Terblanche,

 

as you are the first one, who see this issue and difference of the runway lights in several Airport Addons of German Airports Team, Simwings and other Aerosoft Airport Addons, I want to explain the source of the difference:

 

I have developed this runwaylights for those products since 2010, based on the BGLC Codebase and the enhancments of Intelliscene for FS9 and FSX.

This technique is calculating the color and intensitiy of each lamp row on runtime, based on distance and angle of eyepoint of the user.

So it was possible to dim down the lights, when you see the lamps from the side and in a small angle, like when your aircraft is on the runway.

 

Here some screen for Frankfurt with the different form Runwaylight it has in past:

 

Here the FSX default airport with the default AFCAD based Runwaylights of the FSX (klick on Image for full size):

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As you see, the default runway lights will be dimmed too by remove some rows, to prevent the "glow" effect.

 

Here the lights included with MA Frankfurt in the old Version 1.05, which used the new technique with calculated Lights, as you see it in EDDR:

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The lights itself was related to the HALO.BMP you use, so maybe addons like Active Sky replaced it and so it maybe looks different in you installation.

 

Based on the situation we have now, that we have now to Support FSX:SE and P3D beside FS9 and FSX, we have the problem, that Intelliscene is not availabe for this sims and we need a new approach for this lights.

 

With the newer releases of the German Airport and Simwings (like Balearen EVO), the Lights changed to the new technique, like here in MA Frankfurt V2.11:

 

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As I agree to your statement, that this lights are to white and intensive, I make some test now, how to get them more realistic in this points:

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It's maybe not perfect, but it comes nearer to the old Version used before. What do you think?

 

[Terblanche 118]

Thank you Oliver -

Over the years I've collected and created the best HALO.BMP for runway lights that looks good at default airports and the 'older' airports.

If you look at this beautiful video of a B744 landing at EDDF you will see what I mean.

 

[OPabst 2091]

Nice Video and I think I am near by that real view.

We can't use the "halo" based lights anymore, as the command to generate them is not correct supported in P3D.

The alternativ to use effects for the lights (using the halo.bmp) is not usable with 1000ends of Lamps the Runways needs, then you can forget any framerate.

So we must used a way that comes it as near as possible, by no frame impact and no other negativ sideeffects.

[Terblanche 118]

I beg that they'll restore the "command to generate them" from the halo.bmp and then we can tweak this file until it is more realistic, because this approach and runway lights are not only unrealistic, but all the shimmering is very annoying.

 

Maybe @Mathijs Kok could shred some light on this.

 

[Terblanche 118]

PS: May I just add that EDDF is one of the best and the runway lights do not flicker/shimmer on my setup. LSZH is horrific, and then the list starts. LIMC is also better than the rest. It seems, since scenery was created for P3D too, the lights look awful in both FSX and P3D.

I for one do not like the lights in P3D at all. Maybe LM will fix it in upcoming updates. It just simmers all the way. I've taken it up with ORBX and they assured me that it is out of their hands because that is just the way P3D handles lights. Shame that FSX has to suffer under this shortcoming (pun intended)