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About the plane shadows... (Read 1700 times)
Jun 27th, 2006 at 7:53am

Daube   Offline
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Hi all,

Sorry if the question has already been answered, I could not find anything with the search button...

Looking at the videos and screens posted here for FSX, we all noticed the shadows were really enhanced: self-casting shadows, clouds shadows etc...

But I could not se anything about the most important shadow: the shadow of the plane. Of course the plane shadow has always been visible from exterior views (spot and tower), but what FS9 lacks most is the shadow of the plane in VC mode... It is very frustrating not to see my own shadow on the ground, especially when I try to fly at very low altitude...

So does anybody knows anything yet about this feature ?

And bonus question: Those new self-casting shadowss, will they be visible also in VC mode ? I would love to see them on my panel while flying Smiley
 
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Reply #1 - Jun 27th, 2006 at 8:31am

Katahu   Offline
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It's difficult to tell because for one most developers [even payware developers] tend to take out many polygons of the DVC in order to save frame rates and export time. As a result, the DVC looks chopped up on some addons if your viewpoint strays far enough. Only a handful of addon developers like Kirk Olson, Bill Lyons, and others actually take the time to create full-model DVCs.

However, I occasionally fly my P-38 and I do notice my shadow on the ground in FS9. Please note that I fly mainly using the DVC.
 
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Reply #2 - Jun 27th, 2006 at 9:01am

Daube   Offline
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Quote:
However, I occasionally fly my P-38 and I do notice my shadow on the ground in FS9. Please note that I fly mainly using the DVC.


That would mean that some planes would have a shadow on the ground in DVC, and some not ?
I understand perfectly the fact that most DVC are only  part of the plane, and the shadow of such an object would not look like a plane Smiley But I was curious...

BTW, what P-38 are you talking about exactely ?
 
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Reply #3 - Jun 27th, 2006 at 3:27pm

Katahu   Offline
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The one here in SimV. You can download that P-38 over at the Vintage section. It should close to the last several pages.
 
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Reply #4 - Jun 27th, 2006 at 4:58pm
Jakemaster   Ex Member

 
The Carenado 206 casts the wing shadow in the VC, and I believe that its part of the model
 
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Reply #5 - Jul 2nd, 2006 at 7:58pm

Ashton Lawson   Offline
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This actually reminds me of some settings in a .cfg or .xml file which the user could set.  Something like seeing certain things from views, like this:

[shadow_visible]
// 1 = true 0 = false

cockpit=1
virtual_cockpit=0
tower=1
spot_plane=1

I can't remember where or what, but it was somthing like that.
 
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Reply #6 - Jul 3rd, 2006 at 1:52am

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In FSX nobody really knows for shure what will or will not be in it. I hope they have shadows but theres no shure way of knowing untill it comes out  Grin
 
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Reply #7 - Jul 3rd, 2006 at 11:41am

Katahu   Offline
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Quote:
In FSX nobody really knows for shure what will or will not be in it. I hope they have shadows but theres no shure way of knowing untill it comes out  Grin


I can bet my dollar that the DVCs in FSX are gonna be there. However, that's assuming that the developers created full-model DVCs rather than delete polygon to save frame rates.
 
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Reply #8 - Jul 4th, 2006 at 12:09am

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I would have thought that this hinged more on the shadow model being included than what is in the VC.

Many designers don't even know that the shadow model is an option...
 
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Reply #9 - Jul 9th, 2006 at 11:51pm

Ashton Lawson   Offline
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In FS9, i have setup my Saitek X-45 joystick so that I have 3 working hat switches.  The main one to look around (up/down, left/right).  The secondary one (next to the main) to move the camera (left/right, forward/back).  And then one of the hats on the throttle to elevate/lower and tilt the camera.

As I move the camera around,  almost everthing that should be there, isn't.  The default VCs in FS9 only show everything from the default camera postion.  Hopefully, in FSX, they won't delete any polygons, from mjor areas.  Only outside parts.
 
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Reply #10 - Jul 10th, 2006 at 1:27am

Katahu   Offline
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Quote:
Hopefully, in FSX, they won't delete any polygons, from mjor areas.  Only outside parts.


Hopefully. But there is a good chance that M$ would delete most polys for the sake of saving frame rates. Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes
 
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Reply #11 - Jul 12th, 2006 at 6:11am

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Just another question came to my mind, still about plane shadows, but this time self-casting shadows Smiley

It has been said that most likely, there will be retro-compatibility in FSX for FS9 planes... did anybody had some more news about this ?

I ask this because I was wondering if a FS9 model would have self-casting shadows in FSX just like a model made specifically for FSX... that would bring a great improvement to the existing planes, especially to those beautifull payware ones...

Well, I guess the brands making the payware planes will at least supply some free updates for FSX if needed...
 
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Reply #12 - Jul 12th, 2006 at 9:37am

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There's a good chance that payware companies would release free updates to their consumers. But I highly doubt the freeware ones would get the enhancements. In fact, chances are that the dynamics might act differently in FSX than in FS9 because there is also a good chance that FSX might read the dynamics files a little differently for the sake of improvement. FS2002 addons had this problem before when FS2004 came out.
 
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Reply #13 - Jul 13th, 2006 at 8:32am

Ashton Lawson   Offline
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I just hope that the VCs will be really detailed.  My joystick may be setup to look around, but there are also those who use the TrackIR 4 Pro thingy, where detailed, non-poly deleted, cockpits are required for a really good time.

If you look at http://www.edimensional.com/trackir/trackir.php, click on the Flight Simulation side and watch it.  I thinks its a VC in Lock On, or something else.  Really good tho.

You don't have to look at it if you are one of those who do hav TrackIR.
 
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Reply #14 - Jul 13th, 2006 at 11:30am

Daube   Offline
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Quote:
I just hope that the VCs will be really detailed.  My joystick may be setup to look around, but there are also those who use the TrackIR 4 Pro thingy, where detailed, non-poly deleted, cockpits are required for a really good time.

If you look at http://www.edimensional.com/trackir/trackir.php, click on the Flight Simulation side and watch it.  I thinks its a VC in Lock On, or something else.  Really good tho.

You don't have to look at it if you are one of those who do hav TrackIR.


Wow, this video is quite impressive. There was another one made with FS9 for the previous version of the Track IR, impressive as well.

That's what I call realism, definitelly. You really have to look at the correct place for each single button or screen, you get the same vision constraints a the real pilot do, etc... AND you can put you head out of the window for taking of with planes such as Corsairs, Thunderbolts etc...  8)

But there again, as you stated, you need a full VC, not just a cockpit.... we're talking about 1% of the actual planes for FS9 (and 0% of Ito's planes  Cry )
 
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Reply #15 - Jul 13th, 2006 at 9:43pm

Ashton Lawson   Offline
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Quote:
Wow, this video is quite impressive. There was another one made with FS9 for the previous version of the Track IR, impressive as well. 

That's what I call realism, definitelly. You really have to look at the correct place for each single button or screen, you get the same vision constraints a the real pilot do, etc... AND you can put you head out of the window for taking of with planes such as Corsairs, Thunderbolts etc...  8)

But there again, as you stated, you need a full VC, not just a cockpit.... we're talking about 1% of the actual planes for FS9 (and 0% of Ito's planes  Cry )


Yah, its really depressing, giving up that kind of expierience just cuz some modeller wants to save frame rates. Cry

Maybe MS, can make 2 install versions, default (saved frame) virtual cockpits, and Detailed VCs. That would be pretty good.

The first for those with not-so great graphics capabilities, and the latter for those with kick-@$$ graphics capabilities. Wink
 
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Reply #16 - Jul 16th, 2006 at 2:15pm
South   Ex Member

 
A friend of mine has a beta version of FSX.
He comfirmed to me that there WILL be plane shadows, clouds will cast shadows as well. thats all the info i can give Smiley
 
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Reply #17 - Jul 16th, 2006 at 3:37pm

Katahu   Offline
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Quote:
A friend of mine has a beta version of FSX.
He comfirmed to me that there WILL be plane shadows, clouds will cast shadows as well. thats all the info i can give Smiley


The shadow part has been known for a long time. It looks like your friend is a little slow in providing information. [joke] Grin
 
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Reply #18 - Jul 19th, 2006 at 2:19am

Ashton Lawson   Offline
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Dont be mean...

lol
 
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Reply #19 - Jul 19th, 2006 at 7:21am
South   Ex Member

 
HAHA
No hes fine, i am friends with the great Chris palmer of Fly AOA media http://www.flyaoamedia.com
He is VERY respected in the FS comunity, he attended the IFC denver, and sat with Level D's top producers, along with his friend which i am also a friend of: Robert Treat Smiley They are the ones i got the info from, because MS has invited them to beta test the sim.

Cheers!
 
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Reply #20 - Jul 19th, 2006 at 11:54am

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Quote:
...because MS has invited them to beta test the sim.


Lucky them. Wink Grin
 
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Reply #21 - Jul 22nd, 2006 at 2:33am

Ashton Lawson   Offline
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I wish I could go...   Cry

Oh well... Tongue
 
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Reply #22 - Jul 22nd, 2006 at 1:39pm

Katahu   Offline
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Quote:
I wish I could go...   Cry

Oh well... Tongue


You're not alone, my friend. Grin
 
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Reply #23 - Jul 22nd, 2006 at 3:40pm

Ashton Lawson   Offline
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Now that there are new screenies.

It looks like shadows on many objects (aircraft, scenery) will all be self-casting, and multiple casting.  eg airport terminal casting shadow on AI planes.  Engine shadows on Beech Baron etc.

YES! Grin
 
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Reply #24 - Aug 15th, 2006 at 1:06pm

Daube   Offline
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I raise this topic up again to ask some more questions.
Coud anybody with a rig allowing FSX shadows answer the following:
- Do you see the shadow of your aircraft on the ground from your virtual cockpit ?
- Do you see the self casting shadow of your aircraft from the VC ?
- Is there any shadow applied on the VC ?

and finally, one of the most important:
- Do FS9 planes have self casting shadows when imported into FSX (already asked that one, but cannot find the answer back, sorry Tongue )

Thanks Smiley
 
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Reply #25 - Aug 16th, 2006 at 11:03am

Daube   Offline
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UP !
Please, anybody with working self-shadows, tell me if FS9 planes have self-shadowing in FS9, pleeeaaaaasee Smiley
 
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Reply #26 - Aug 16th, 2006 at 11:33am

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No, they will not.  The 'self-shadowing' is a new feature and has several requirements that must be met in a model before it will work...

...among which are that all exterior parts must have a fresnel ramp texture applied in their Material Properties, along with the Diffuse Color, Specular Color and Self-Illumination slots.
 
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Reply #27 - Aug 16th, 2006 at 11:40am

Daube   Offline
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Arf.... well...too bad... anyway, the render of the FS9 planes is much better in FSX than it was in FS9, so overall the experience remains positive Smiley
Thanks for your answer !
 
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