MilViz DX11 Night Lighting Demo

**MenendezDiego** · August 11th, 2013, 03:30

Hello all,

Thought I would share this demo showcasing our new Night Lighting technology:

The possibilities to say the least are endless.

As of now, it is available in our 737-200 as an option (as not everyone has upgraded from WindowsXP, nor have a DX11 compatible video card).

We're very excited, and hope you enjoy it.

Regards, Diego

**stiz** · August 11th, 2013, 03:36

so whats so DX11 about it? you can do it just by loading a brighter set of textures with each click of the gauge, nothing special

**TheGrunt** · August 11th, 2013, 04:16

Looks fabulous

! I like especially how instrument lights gently reflect light to the cockpit panels when brightness is increased. Looks like dynamic lighting effect, but I believe that is not possible in FSX/P3D. Really good job. Although I'm not a huge fan of jetliners, it seems I have to get this one.

**kdfw** · August 11th, 2013, 07:00

nice lighting. this effect is available when fsx is running in dx9 (not dx10 preview)?

I guess we can expect same lighting on upcoming b407, ka350, and ah1w?

**n4gix** · August 11th, 2013, 08:20

Originally Posted by stiz

so whats so DX11 about it? you can do it just by loading a brighter set of textures with each click of the gauge, nothing special

Certainly you can do that, as that is precisely how it is done in the released version.

However, using DX11 shaders to do the work on the video card directly is faster, smoother, and much better blended, but more to the point greatly reduces the load on the sim engine since the CPU is no longer having to perform this task.

Note also that this is totally independent of the sim's configuration for DX9 or DX10 Preview mode.

**jetstreamsky** · August 11th, 2013, 09:35

It's exactly these kind of innovations that keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible in FSX and will make whatever eventually follows FSX that much harder to be a step up.

the Milviz product range has become a must have set of models for me on many different fronts regardless of the choice of aircraft and I congratulate them for their efforts.

cheers

Allan

**GrinningJester** · August 11th, 2013, 09:59

Originally Posted by stiz

so whats so DX11 about it? you can do it just by loading a brighter set of textures with each click of the gauge, nothing special

What an incredibly ignorant statement; almost to the point of infuriating.

**hairyspin** · August 11th, 2013, 10:58

Having now watched the video through, I can only hazard a guess at how many texture sets you'd need to do this in DX9 or 10: probably a gigabyte or more of files and a colossal headache for the painter to avoid showing the joins. Hugely impressive use of DX11, MD!

Prepar3D only I presume, or am I a meringue?

Am ah richt or am ah wrang? ... Yer a meringue... :-)

**MenendezDiego** · August 11th, 2013, 11:32

This was filmed in FSX

**Dain Arns** · August 11th, 2013, 12:38

Where is this available?
Sorry, I don't see any links on the product page or listed in the Milviz forums.
Just re-download the installer?
(I am in between two 12 hour shifts, so the brain is a little mushy yet when I posted this, probably missed the obvious...)

**MenendezDiego** · August 11th, 2013, 13:00

Originally Posted by Dain Arns

Where is this available?
Sorry, I don't see any links on the product page or listed in the Milviz forums.
Just re-download the installer?
(I am in between two 12 hour shifts, so the brain is a little mushy yet when I posted this, probably missed the obvious...)

There is a link in the video description which will take you to the files.

I know all about those shifts...hang in there and remember to eat.

**warchild** · August 11th, 2013, 13:20

Actually it only needs one texture set. lighting is controlled directly by a shader and its intensity is controlled by making chages to the shaders control variables. It therefore causes lower overhead on the draw calls, faster loading and smoother performance, but there is a draw on th cpu power. how much depends on the game and the shader settings.

**Spikehughes** · August 11th, 2013, 21:29

Originally Posted by warchild

Actually it only needs one texture set. lighting is controlled directly by a shader and its intensity is controlled by making chages to the shaders control variables. It therefore causes lower overhead on the draw calls, faster loading and smoother performance, but there is a draw on th cpu power. how much depends on the game and the shader settings.

I thought has just occurred to me and no doubt many others reading this.
If you can do this for the lighting effects .. why not DX11 the whole aircraft texture .. I mean is this possible?

***Daube*** · August 12th, 2013, 03:44

Thanks for that video, the rendering is quite impressive, and I was not aware that DX11 would allow such "hacking" of the graphic engine.

So the real question that logically comes to my mind is: how many other graphical effects would be possible to add to the sim, using similar techniques ?

I mean, with DX9 we had the ENB-style modules which were adding cool stuff to the picture produced by the sim. In DX10 we had the mdified shaders which were also adding some other effects. What new things would DX11 allow then ?

**Dain Arns** · August 12th, 2013, 11:40

Originally Posted by MenendezDiego

There is a link in the video description which will take you to the files.

I know all about those shifts...hang in there and remember to eat.

Thanks for pointing that out to me, I'll try it today.

Yeah 12 hours, overnight, plus commuting what should be 30 -35 minutes normally, has been closer to an hour thanks to unbelievable amount of road construction all along my route for the past few months.
It has taken it's toll on me lately.

Thankfully they've reopened 3 bridges this week, now if they can get the interstate finished in the next three weeks it'll be back to normal travel time.
With the bridges re-opened, I got home so early today the dog was still sleeping.

***Roger*** · August 12th, 2013, 12:20

Love the idea and it looks great

but can FsX aircraft use Dx11 effects when only Dx10 is supported by FsX?

**Dain Arns** · August 12th, 2013, 12:35

Well, reason I'm not seeing these links is I was never added to the 737 support forum. :isadizzy:
Email was sent. Guess I'll try it later in the week now.

**hairyspin** · August 12th, 2013, 12:59

Originally Posted by Roger

Love the idea and it looks great

but can FsX aircraft use Dx11 effects when only Dx10 is supported by FsX?

Apparently they can when the coding is built into the model/gauges/SimConnect. I don't know the nuts and bolts but I now know who did it and I think some sophisticated coding is involved, almost certainly C++ so it's beyond me for now.

***Roger*** · August 12th, 2013, 13:13

Originally Posted by hairyspin

Apparently they can when the coding is built into the model/gauges/SimConnect. I don't know the nuts and bolts but I now know who did it and I think some sophisticated coding is involved, almost certainly C++ so it's beyond me for now.

Interesting! So P3D V.2 could take advantage of Dx11.........hmmmmmmm.

**Skyhawk_310R** · August 12th, 2013, 14:57

Originally Posted by stiz

so whats so DX11 about it? you can do it just by loading a brighter set of textures with each click of the gauge, nothing special

I wouldn't have gone quite as negative as another responder did to you. But, to conclude your rhetorical question with the sharp conclusion of "nothing special" prior to even seeking insight into what was done, strikes me frankly as mean-spirited.

Don't see the need for it. Don't see the purpose of it. Don't see the justification.

Since absolutely everything presented on your computer monitor is strictly a series of commands to change the YBG settings of monitor pixels, seems to me how this is done has consumed a whole lot of intellect among computer experts for a long time, with many people earning recognition, honors, and bonuses for innovative means of doing it. I can't see any of that fairly being termed "nothing special."

Ken

**MenendezDiego** · August 12th, 2013, 21:23

Originally Posted by Roger

Love the idea and it looks great

but can FsX aircraft use Dx11 effects when only Dx10 is supported by FsX?

It's not whether FSX can do DX11, it's all about the GPU. This stuff is outside FSX limitations and all about your graphics card

**StormILM** · August 12th, 2013, 22:29

What's special about it? Having tested it I can attest to the fact it adds tone & depth the likes of which I've never seen in VC night lighting before. What it adds makes me feel more like I am actually in the cockpit. Roughly half of my RW flying experience is at night under various lighting conditions. The DX11 NL is on the money IMO.

**heywooood** · August 13th, 2013, 08:21

Originally Posted by StormILM

What's special about it? Having tested it I can attest to the fact it adds tone & depth the likes of which I've never seen in VC night lighting before. What it adds makes me feel more like I am actually in the cockpit. Roughly half of my RW flying experience is at night under various lighting conditions. The DX11 NL is on the money IMO.

I am a night flyer also - and this would be a huge jump forward in FSX

Can it be applied globally? IE: could the coding be used to enhance star shine? moonlight? reflected light on the water? ground lighting? such that a light glow could be created over large cities?

So many possibilities...unless there aren't...so I ask

I would buy such a utility for FSX in a heartbeat