434 replies to this topic

[Sasa]

Will there be fuel depots available (An important part of operating the Twin Otter in Antarctica)?

Yes, of course! Although I wouldn't be too sure there are all of them covered. Getting a complete list of fuel depots from every country setting them up down there is next to impossible. You can fly for example in a triangle between the Concordia, Mario Zuchelli and Dumont D'Urville bases using the Twotter where on each leg half way there is a fuel depot next to a small skiway.

Bests,
Sascha

[simmerhead]

Absolutley perfect! Thanks Sascha!

[thokle]

@Sascha
Please, can you show us more preview pictures?!

[Sasa]

@Sascha
Please, can you show us more preview pictures?!

Very busy on the final development stages right now but maybe Nick will have some time for a few more screenshots during the next 2 weeks (no promise).

Bests,
Sascha

[Nick C]

Yup, virtual camera at the ready.

[Sasa]

@Sascha
Please, can you show us more preview pictures?!

Just seen that the Flight! Magazine released their August's preview article and screenshots for free:
http://www.flightm.c...-x-die-preview/

[thokle]

Thanks

[Sasa]

Just a quick peek from McMurdo to its annual Sea Ice Runway.

Bests,
Sascha

Attached thumbnail(s)

• 

[Nick C]

I'll be there too shortly, hope there's a bar!

[Sasa]

I'll be there too shortly, hope there's a bar!

There's more than one...

[Sasa]

Today that I finished most of McMurdo's files I used to opportunity to take an A319 on a flight to McMurdo (this type of aircraft is actually flying there). Please keep in mind that I'm not even close as good as Nick in taking screenshots.


Southeast of Terra Nova Bay...


...Mount Erebus in the background.


Mount Erebus is a volcano that has one of only three open lava lakes on earth - the other two being in Congo and Ethopia.


Passing Mount Erebus. Note that all the screenshots you have seen up to here show Antarctica X in "default". The complete continent is covered in this quality while there are a few areas (mainly around the bases) that are done in even higher quality.


Overflight of McMurdo's Sea Ice Runway


Touching down (as seen from the Tower)


Taxiing along "Fuels".


Note the large engine heaters that are used down here warm up the engines before startup


Parking brakes set, engines turned off. A passenger is disembarking from the Hercules in front of us. Note the snow animated blower clearing the apron of snow

Just a little tour but I hope you like it.

Bests,
Sascha

[Capnsully]

Wow. That's all I can say,

[Markoz]

WOW! This is a must have for me!

I have done some "Qantas to Antarctica" flights (following the real world Qantas flights) in the PMDG 744 and in the Captain Sim 762. This is going to change all that! I also fly the other aircraft from either Australia or New Zealand to Antarctica. The FSX default Antarctica is boring and dull, nothing like in the real world. This is going to change all that!

Am I right in believing that you guys have fixed up the navigational problems down there? It's been terrible in my experience. GPS says I'm going north when I'm really going east. That sort of thing.

Mark

[ManuelL]

Nice shots - and the scenery looks fantastic!
With that tower shot you can participate in this month's screenshot competition and win a free Aerosoft download.

[Sasa]

Am I right in believing that you guys have fixed up the navigational problems down there? It's been terrible in my experience. GPS says I'm going north when I'm really going east. That sort of thing.

That's a VERY good point. No, of course we weren't able to fix that because we just can't fix FSX believing the magnetic poles being the real poles also (sad but true).
We are currently compiling a list for the manual containing navigation programs that can help you out down there. I think FS Commander might be one of a few options.

Bests,
Sascha

[Markoz]

That's a VERY good point. No, of course we weren't able to fix that because we just can't fix FSX believing the magnetic poles being the real poles also (sad but true).
We are currently compiling a list for the manual containing navigation programs that can help you out down there. I think FS Commander might be one of a few options.

Bests,
Sascha

Thanks Sascha.

I guess I must have thought I had read it. Luckily for me, I own FS Commander 9 so I'll be able to find out if it does help with navigation down there.

I think it is time for me to fly down there one last time, before Antarctica X gets released, so I refresh my memory on how bad the default Antarctica is in FSX.

Mark

[Sasa]

I think it is time for me to fly down there one last time, before Antarctica X gets released, so I refresh my memory on how bad the default Antarctica is in FSX.

Just got a mail from the FS Commander devs telling me that they inserted a special feature for the pole regions some time ago already. As soon as you pass a latitude of about +/-82° it will switch to true bearings.

Bests,
Sascha

[Daniel (CSR)]

@ Sasa: There's a new version of the A319 Livery available, the old one looks so bad ... it's embarassing

[Manuel Bigot]

Very good scenery release some time ... great job again

Euhhhh ... do you previous the European Belgian station "Princess Elisabeth" in this scenery ???

If you want see pictures for make it, that's easy ... not big airport, just a big station an little runway ...
write : "station princess elisabeth" in google ...

• Position: 71°57' Sud & 23°20' Est, on the rock Utsteinen, Nord from Nunatak d'Utsteinen, Terre de la Reine Maud, Antarctique.
• Altitude: 1300 m
• Distance from see : 190 km
• http://www.antarcticstation.org/fr/

[Sasa]

Ok, to answer all questions about if "base XY" is in the package, here's a complete list I just compiled yesterday (the final list in the manual will have a few more details like runway dimensions, headings, frequencies etc...).

Also attached is a Google Earth file that shows you the locations of all airports and helipads done.

Attached File(s)

•  AntarcticaX.kmz   20.01K   266 Number of downloads

[Daniel (CSR)]

A funny screenshot only possible in Antarctica
A penguin's dream becomes true! First flight in his life
Boarding now, fasten seatbelt and lay back!

[Manuel Bigot]

Thank you for the list ... That's great an complete <

[CoolP]

Thanks for the list and the GE file. Very impressive amount of work there. Looking forward to the release.

[Sasa]

Hiho again!
Dexter11929, in my opinion one of the guys with the very best FSX videos around on YouTube, just released a very short teaser featuring Rothera. More to come!

[CoolP]

Great video. I think the next item I'll focus on will be the price of the product.
Seeing the work and quality, I actually expect it to be higher but I'm also very ok with it. However, would be nice to get some 'planning value' soon.

[Capnsully]

Aw, that IS a teaser! Just a tiny glimpse of the ice.

[Richy]

Ooooh a whole continent. Looks good keep up the work.

Rich

[mhlarsen]

The first two pictures of Terra Nova Bay looks simply stunning with ice floating around in the bay.

I hope Antarctica X is released before Christmas as it will be one of the most exciting sceneries this year and I am looking forward to explore it.

[Sasa]

Great video. I think the next item I'll focus on will be the price of the product.
Seeing the work and quality, I actually expect it to be higher but I'm also very ok with it. However, would be nice to get some 'planning value' soon.

We didn't intend to make it a Switzerland Professional in pricing but it was never planned to be a 20 EUR budget product neither. In the end we settled on a price that is VERY low considering the quality and content. I was actually surprised to see it in the shop already, but here it is - ready to be pre-ordered as a box:
http://en.shop.aerosoft.com/eshop.php?action=article_list&shopfilter_category=Flight%20Simulation&s_design=DEFAULT
I guess the download will come a few days earlier and owners of the Twin Otter package will get a discount as promised earlier in this thread. I'm sure Mathijs can tell you more about it when he's back in office from Lelystad.

Bests,
Sascha

[Sasa]

Here's yet another bunch of screenshots. This time I focused on some rather "special" perspectives of the McMurdo and Scott bases but I'm sure Nick will come up with some "real" screenshots soon.


Byrd Memorial


Watching the Sea Ice Runway in the distance


Derelict Junction Bus Stop


Who bought it?


Hazardous Waste Facility


Explosives Storage


Waste Management


Entering T-Site


Supermarket


Urgent business


KBA Office


On the way to Willy Field...


They have everything...


Kiwi Hazard

[SGTMAJOR]

Simply wonderful!!!!!!!!!! Looking forward to the release.

Cheers,

[Jigsaw]

Looks great! And a great price, true. I would have expected it to cost more. Color me pleasantly surprised.

[Skkuda]

Im eagerly thinking what kind of real operations/missions can be performed here!
some real rescues under bad (Really bad) weather, personal transport to no accesible places, etc.

Really awaiting to buy & dl.
Cheers

[CoolP]

Amazing screenshots, showing a lot of detail and love that went into the product.

Thanks for your answer on the pricing. If that's the final price it's very reasonable in my eyes. Others may hate me, but I'd even state that I've expected a higher one in regard to the work explained in this very thread.
Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the release.

One side note. I may have missed the humour, but the 'Kiwi crossing' sign doesn't show a kiwi but a roo.

[RobdeVries]

Hi there, will the summer/winter season be depicted somehow with the ice melting and growing? Antartica does look vert different in summer or winter.

Will the penguins and seals be depicted?

[Sasa]

Hi there, will the summer/winter season be depicted somehow with the ice melting and growing? Antartica does look vert different in summer or winter.

Of course it does look very different then. As for now only "summer" is represented in two seasons (late and early). As most of Antarctica is pitch black for most of the winter it wouldn't make a lot of sense to do it as an extra season. Not mentioning that collecting the necessary data from the various sources and getting the respective permissions alone took 2 years. Data in that detail for the winter season is just not available. In the end it would have turned out that for the winter alone there would be a completely different scenery required = twice the work for a minimal value. And I bet no one wants for wait for another 3 years of development etc. for an extra season that is barely ever visible.

BUT: We have added a little tool that enables you to switch between late and early season in the McMurdo and Terra Nova Bay areas where the airports are move further inland in the late season (in the early season you won't see the icebreaker coming to McMurdo and the ice channel would be covered by ice).

There are a few animals here and there in the scenery but no compete colonies. But this is something on our list for a big update which will come into development if we see the product to be a big success (in sales). Before going any further we have to see how much people are interested in this special place. Still we have gone A LOT further in detail than commercially justified.

Let me tell you there was a well-known developer group (I won't mention names) planning an Antarctica scenery that dropped it once we announced "Antarctica X". But they were never planning to go that far in detail and that low in price on initial release.

Bests,
Sascha

[CoolP]

I'm pretty happy to see you and Aerosoft going for such a project, Sascha.
I can only hope for a big success, but I don't have much doubts that the excitement on flying a new continent will spread when there's so much to explore.
As said, the pricing looks more than reasonable to me.

[Nick C]

I've been out and about around McMurdo, here are a selection of the shots from the trip.

[Markoz]

WOW! Great shots Nick!
I can hardly wait to get my hands on this product.

Mark

[thokle]

Release it, please!!!