P3DV5.1 out

[TiAr]

Good news.

https://www.prepar3d.com/news/2020/10/117270/

Changelog

Prepar3D Client

General Platform Updates

New Features

• Enhanced Atmospherics is now enabled by default and no longer in beta.
• Gauges and panels as well as scenario object content can be built using HTML5 and JavaScript.
• Multiplayer host can now run in headless mode disabling any rendering on the host machine.
• Added auto exposure to HDR and the ability to disable if desired.

Fixes and Improvements

• Sky and cloud PBR reflections now supported in Enhanced Atmospherics.
• Improved Enhanced Atmospherics performance, rendering smoothness, and interpolation.
• Improved Enhanced Atmospherics lighting and shadows.
• Enhanced Atmospherics now supports sensor views.
• Enhanced Atmospherics now supports precipitation in multiple views.
• Added VolumetricClouds.cfg to control various Enhanced Atmospherics cloud parameters.
• Fixed issue preventing cloud heights from matching UI settings with Enhanced Atmospherics.
• Fixed issue causing rain to appear inside the cockpit when using Enhanced Atmospherics.
• Fixed issues with transparent object and effect blending with Enhanced Atmospherics.
• Top down views now support Enhanced Atmospherics.
• Fixed crashes found when removing .AIR file as well as aero and engine related entries from helicopter CFG file.
• Multiplayer observer role can now be selected through command line.
• Resolution of Varjo headsets can now be changed in settings.
• Fixed issue preventing waypoint complete actions from firing.
• SimDirector property descriptions no longer cause UI content to resize when selecting different items.
• View groups now support single-pass rendering mode to increase performance.
• Improved VR performance with Varjo headsets.
• Failures can now be triggered on player and entity objects.
• Fixed several issues that could potentially lead to Kernelbase.dll exceptions.
• Fixed shutdown crash issue leading to a program freeze in some cases.
• Fixed issue where shared cockpit clients would not receive updates from multiplayer server in some cases.
• Monitoring properties now shows list of current vehicle failures.
• Added portal visualization mode, emulated pass-through camera, and support for tracking-only mode in OpenVR.
• Added ability to load in custom models to be used as portals.
• Various improvements to mixed reality portal usability including creation at tracked controller location and cycling origin modes via tracked controller.
• Fixed OpenVR issues with pass through cameras causing jitter and VRAM usage spikes in some cases.
• Waypoint lists can now be assigned to the ownship updating the GPS system and not controlling the vehicle.
• Various improvements to SimDirector UI improving usability on small screens and touch-enabled devices including button to collapse all property windows and icon size options.
• Fixed visual artifacts seen in taxiway sign geometry.
• Fixed issue preventing GroundVehicleAI from serializing correctly.
• Multiplayer scenarios can now start paused if specified in scenario fxml and host pausing is enabled.
• Fixed issue causing striped patterns in autogen in some cases.
• SetGaugeVariableActions can now be set on player objects.
• Map can now be viewed while simulation is running in multiplayer and when in the ATC tower.
• Radio system now simulates at a higher rate.
• Fixed bug where freezing vehicle position during recording would cause positional issues during playback.
• Improved road traffic performance.
• Fixed issue where bad altitude values would be calculated when launching from a carrier.
• Fixed issue where slewing on a carrier deck would sometimes result in a crash.
• Replaced Scaleform ATC window, SimConnect window, and menu prompt window with HTML5.
• Custom instance-based properties are now supported by the recording system.
• Improved HDR appearance.
• Fixed issue that would cause DialogActions to incorrectly fire more than once in some cases.
• Improved smoothness for player objects in multiplayer.
• Fixed issue causing jitter on player objects and AI when flying close formation.
• Added additional control over distant object appearance through advanced configuration settings.
• HDR is now always active when using Enhanced Atmospherics.
• Fixed issue causing AI states to change incorrectly when flying over platforms.
• Fixed issue causing user object textures to reload when not needed in some cases.
• Added option for human-readable recording file format.

Fixes and Improvements (Professional Plus Only)

• Multiple SimOperators can now join and control the same multiplayer session.
• Fixed issue where SimOperator would spawn an ownship vehicle for the host in unstructured scenarios.
• Fixed issue where aircraft title could be overwritten in SimOperator unstructured scenarios.
• Monitoring properties on player objects is now available in SimOperator.
• Fixed issue where gun system trigger would not disengage when attacker behavior was deactivated.
• Fixed issue where SimOperator would overwrite multiplayer host settings with options that were currently disabled.
• Fixed issue where AI behaviors would incorrectly reactivate in some cases.
• Fixed issue preventing DIS packets from being received in some cases.
• Added unicast support to DIS.
• Fixed crash that could occur on shutdown when running SimOperator through command line.
• Fixed DIS issue where articulated part value would be placed into the wrong PDU field.
• Fixed issue where DIS aircraft would not process canopy state.
• Fixed issue preventing mouse rect clicks from working on AI objects.
• Fixed issue preventing view changes from occurring properly in VR single pass in some cases.
• Fixed issue where PlayFlightRecordingAction would interfere with the user’s FlightSegment playback.

Prepar3D Content

New Content

• Added F-35A and F-16C mixed reality variants.

Fixes and Improvements

• Various fixes to F-35C improving carrier launch/landing including fixed launch assist and tailhook attachpoints and improvements to wheel contact points.
• Improved crash detection on aircraft carriers.
• Fixed issue preventing F-16 panels from syncing in Multichannel in some cases.

Prepar3D Scenery

Fixes and Improvements

• Updates to various city areas including Shanghai, Beijing, Detroit, and San Diego with improved bridge/building placements and custom model fixes.
• Updated various airport parking and building data at several locations including LFPO, LEMD, EKCH, FAOR, LPPT, KATL, KSNA, KPSP, KTUL, KLHQ, KLCK, KCMH, 7TS3, KSUS, CYDL, LOWW, KBDL, KSWF, KBAF, KPOU, ZSSS, PATK, and HAAB.
• Fixed minor positional issues with aircraft carrier routes.

Prepar3D SDK

New Features

• Panels can now be created using HTML5.
• The ATC, Menu System, and InfoGen support third-party skinning through the HTML5 SDK
• Added PDK RecordingService and RecordAndPlaybackPlugin sample.
• Added human readable recording format.
• Added PDK functions to control object draw distance and pixel size overrides.

Fixes and Improvements

• Shared cockpit can now be requested during session.
• An active single player session can now be triggered to host a multiplayer session.
• Updates to PDK model placement including flags to let models render in the VC, to disable collision, and to disable object movement.
• Traffic toolbox now shows ETA and ETD for ships and ferries.
• Updated several rendering samples in the SDK.

[YoYo]

Its surprise !

[pilto von pilto]

On paper it looks the goods. Going to start the download now so perhaps 2021 I'll get it running !? ( blatant dig at internet speeds in Oz is blatant ).

Personally looking forward to optimisation of the main sim ( currently it is pretty much a slide-show on my 4 year old beast! ) and the addition of HTML5 is something that is going to help us less high falutin' coders out there. Going to delve into the SDK while I wait for the download.

[TiAr]

On paper it looks the goods. Going to start the download now so perhaps 2021 I'll get it running !? ( blatant dig at internet speeds in Oz is blatant ).

Same here by me in Germany - out of fast internet-speed.

Anyway - it seems betas of HIFI don´t work - but I am sure, the next days they will go ahead.

Thomas

[jeansy]

On paper it looks the goods. Going to start the download now so perhaps 2021 I'll get it running !? ( blatant dig at internet speeds in Oz is blatant ).

I dont know about you but I live in a remote regional center and get on average 93mb p/s

[noddy]

Many thanks for the heads up.

[YoYo]

I'll install Today, just Im waiting for Active Sky P3D patch for this.

This is very good news for me:

• Added auto exposure to HDR and the ability to disable if desired.

It was awuful option what we have in v5 from beginning, see this: https://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=137359 .

[UnknownGuest12]

Downloaded and installed just for the sake of it...wonder if I´ll ever use it again since I got MSFS 2020...
Stay Safe

[bazzar]

That will depend on how long you are prepared to wait for new add-ons for MSFS. The SDK for that sim is still incomplete and the processes are way over-complicated. The burning issue for devs will be whether they can survive long enough on any dwindling P3D sales to bridge the gap. What this update does do is create some opportunity to make even better, more sophisticated product for P3D. Maybe that will return some to the fold. Who knows. Whatever happens, devs will need to make some pretty heavy choices in order to survive the coming year.

[YoYo]

Looks like this update has a weather problem, so no Active Sky P3D patch yet :

https://forums.hifisimtech.com/threa...-status.13199/ .

I stay with v5 HT2 till AS will work with new P3D version.

[Navy Chief]

Before I download/install, will V5 aircraft work ok with this? NC

[TiAr]

Before I download/install, will V5 aircraft work ok with this? NC

It seems, there are some issues out. E.g. it seems FSLabs is not working, PMDG do. I stay with V5HF2, too.

Thomas

[YoYo]

Looks like this update has a weather problem, so no Active Sky P3D patch yet :

https://forums.hifisimtech.com/threa...-status.13199/ .

I stay with v5 HT2 till AS will work with new P3D version.

Officialy, hotfix incoming http://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewto...art=30#p229388 .

[BendyFlyer]

That will depend on how long you are prepared to wait for new add-ons for MSFS. The SDK for that sim is still incomplete and the processes are way over-complicated. The burning issue for devs will be whether they can survive long enough on any dwindling P3D sales to bridge the gap. What this update does do is create some opportunity to make even better, more sophisticated product for P3D. Maybe that will return some to the fold. Who knows. Whatever happens, devs will need to make some pretty heavy choices in order to survive the coming year.

I was going to ask the question but now it is answered - what a mess. My assessment is that LM will sort out out any lingering issues but as for MSFS - lap of the gods - I've got a bad feeling about where this is heading with MS given the economics around the globe and its impact ( also remember the MS Flight hoohah!). I really feel for you guys, really is a rock and a hard place! These large corporations are effectively making the small players carry the can here. That is really also a function of their decisions to go with the latest technological changes , hardware (Ray tracing video cards, multi-core processors etc) and software (DX12) was always going to be a bit of choke on digesting this and implementing it all - it will be stabilised because LM have a large number of corporate customers to keep happy - they have put a lot of money into simulation and flight training and integrated learning. Then again like a lot of the so called problems it comes down to the user and what they are using it on and the problems with compatibility are always manifest and many. All I know is that I ran FSX for over ten years now smooth and stable but it was always an Intel rig which it seemed to fit with quite ok!

That being said I have put my money where my mouth is and bought P3DV5 Professional today, will load it up when the new PC arrives (Again Intel +Nvidia) and that is where I will stay my internet service is to woeful to ever consider a bandwith chewer like MSFS2020. Quite frankly I am not a fan of cloud distributed processing upon which MS now relies, too internet heavy and given a lot of other stuff is very high risk from my perspective as well, I like the stand alone model and I can live with a few less bells and whistles in the sim environment after all I fly the models not look out at the scenery but other folk have different needs. Rock n a hard place again!

[UnknownGuest12]

That will depend on how long you are prepared to wait for new add-ons for MSFS. The SDK for that sim is still incomplete and the processes are way over-complicated. The burning issue for devs will be whether they can survive long enough on any dwindling P3D sales to bridge the gap. What this update does do is create some opportunity to make even better, more sophisticated product for P3D. Maybe that will return some to the fold. Who knows. Whatever happens, devs will need to make some pretty heavy choices in order to survive the coming year.

I understand what you mean perfectly, Bazzar it will not be easy for devs and hope everybody succeedes . From my side I would say I'm an "easy flyer" do not use that many planes ( have a lot fly just a few) not a systems user no auto pilot no nothing, just compass, gear up and down, flaps, trim. Going sightseeing...take off, see the views, landing, airports, etc. So, for me, and with a good internet connection MSFS is just top. Regarding add-ons, bought the MB339 and will by anothers if they please me and are affordable...
Best of luck

[jmig]

I haven't been able to use P3D V5 for months. One day, out of the blue, I got a graphics card error and P3D will not run. Nobody over at LM bothered to help me. I am not a corporate user and retired military types don't count. Maybe, now it will work?

I do hope so, I find MSFS aircraft to be much more twitchy and unrealistic than P3D.

[ColoKent]

I find MSFS aircraft to be much more twitchy and unrealistic than P3D.

And I thought I was the only one who thought that. The eye-candy in MSFS 2020 is wonderful. Very little else is, IMHO.

Kent

[gaab]

That will depend on how long you are prepared to wait for new add-ons for MSFS.
...
Whatever happens, devs will need to make some pretty heavy choices in order to survive the coming year.

I will stay with P3D - I like landclass and seasons, and "interesting" planes
And will buy - when ready - your new civil models (shall I mention Caravelle ?...).

Gérard

[YoYo]

Active Sky for P3D5.1v is ready from now:
https://forums.hifisimtech.com/threa...-status.13199/ .