HU: INDIAFOXTECHO - F-35 LIGHTNING II PACKAGE P3D released

[Christoph_T]

Dino has released his newest version of the F-35 today!!!

Some infos:
"
As the F-35 program progresses, a lot of infomation has been made available on the real aicraft - so it was possible to design a better, more realistic simulation of the F-35...and this package is an attempt to significantly improve the existing freeware version, bringing it to the next level of accuracy. Unfortunately, the development costs have been really high - therefore this package cannot be released for free. Features:

• Improved pilot inteface and avionics, and based on the most recent videos of actual simulators used for pilot training
• New, high detail visual models based on professionally made meshes
• High detail texture sets, based on real aicrafts, for U.S.A.F., U.S.Marine Corps, U.S.Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Netherlands Air Force, Italian Air Force and Norwegian Air Force
• Improved modeling and texturing of the Virtual Cockpit
• Improved MFD functionality, including Air To Surface radar (ASR), Distributed Aperture System (DAS) imagery, Targeting and Forward Looking Infra-Red (TFLIR Imaging)
• Improved HMD graphics and functionalities
• Improved flight model based on latest pireps and pilot interviews
• BONUS: Custom F-35 pilot figures for Avatar Mode are included as bonus feature for Prepar3Dv3

"

Link:
http://secure.simmarket.com/indiafox..._9787%29.phtml

Looking for some feetback

Christoph

[Dino Cattaneo]

Well... it is a great package :-) !
Just joking - feedback (and constructive criticism) is much welcome from my side too (developer) - it is a complex model with "heavy" avionics, so fps performance may not be great on some machines.
I hope you will like it.

[Christoph_T]

Well... it is a great package :-) !
Just joking - feedback (and constructive criticism) is much welcome from my side too (developer) - it is a complex model with "heavy" avionics, so fps performance may not be great on some machines.
I hope you will like it.

Yes I am sure that your newest creation is worth every cent. Till now I have flown every version of your F-35. If I remember correctly I have bought your first payware-version on day one and I havn't regret it!!
Problem is, that I have to think twice before spending my money at the moment.
But who knows. Chistmas is coming...

[Dino Cattaneo]

Well... the biggest differences are two:
- The external models are much better and more detailed, and the VC has sharper textures
- The MFD has been significantly reworked (and now ASR, DAS and TFLIR are finally integrated)

I've tweaked the flight model...but it mostly guesswork, so it may not be a real improvement...
Pretty much everything else is similar to the freeware version, so there are no "big" differences.
If you are happy with the freeware one, and can live without the improved graphics and additional functionalities, well... I'd save my money.

[DaveWG]

Looks great Dino. I'm definitely going to get this, but I'm afraid I'm going to wait until TacPack is available for v3 first.

[Christoph_T]

Well... the biggest differences are two:
- The external models are much better and more detailed, and the VC has sharper textures
- The MFD has been significantly reworked (and now ASR, DAS and TFLIR are finally integrated)

I've tweaked the flight model...but it mostly guesswork, so it may not be a real improvement...
Pretty much everything else is similar to the freeware version, so there are no "big" differences.
If you are happy with the freeware one, and can live without the improved graphics and additional functionalities, well... I'd save my money.

Thanks for this honest statement

Well the main factors for me that lead to a purchase for me are:
- is the value of the adon worth the money
- who is the developer
- is it repaintable;-)

Don't take it as a "kiss aXX". But you have given so much to the sim community. That alone is an important reason for me to buy this one!!!!!!!!!!!
Sharp textures in combination with a better model a always welcome.
Keeping the screenshots in mind, it seem to be a very obvious for me to build a paintkit with it (Same as I have done with your Viking).
I just have to wait a little bit.

Christoph

[UnknownGuest12]

Pretty much everything else is similar to the freeware version, so there are no "big" differences.
If you are happy with the freeware one, and can live without the improved graphics and additional functionalities, well... I'd save my money.

Thank you Dino. Bought first payware version but you see, for me there's no need for a complex systems version. Not going tackpack. Just want to fly around and see the views. Will never use or know how to use all those systems . So, version 2.41 is quite enough for me.
IMHO developers should design simpler and less costly versions (not saying yours is very expensive read about the work needed to create a good product)), but planes are getting more and more complex to operate, wonder if there's a need for that (old question), and prices, because of work involved, are going up. Have to be very "choosy"
Regards and many thanks for your work.

[Dino Cattaneo]

@Beaufighter

I see you point... and I'd say that it depends a lot on the specific aicraft. Having functionalities like TFLIR, DAS and ASR imaging, let alone the HMD, are very distinctive of the F-35 - basically the new, integrated avionics is one of its selling point (and I mean the real aicraft)... so a decent model needed it.

But from the development perspective, the work on the MFD and avionics has been huge... and although I am working on a Eurofighter now, I am considering to put the project on hold...and do something with less programming and complex avionics.

[Dino Cattaneo]

NOTAM - There is an identified bug in the F-35 avionics code that prevents guided weapons from working properly. I am working on a fix. For the moment, the only reliable method for air-to-surface ordnance delivery is CCIP with dumb bombs. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[Stickshaker]

Beaufighter, I can also see your point, but I hope I am not the only one who wants aircraft to be as realistic as possible. I will be buying P3D just to enjoy the new features in Dino's JSF. Perhaps developers should follow the policy of A2A and put complex systems in a separate add-on. In Dino's case, it is nice to have a good-quality freeware model, but I will definitely go for the payware version.

Dino, I hope you are not too serious about putting the Eurofighter on hold..... although I understand and respect your hesitation about completing such a complex project.

[Dino Cattaneo]

The Typhoon was put "on hold" during the F-35 development (which started as a regular update to the F-35....and turned to be the full-blown payware version). I am reviewing my projects and priorities...and the Typhoon is on the top of my list.

[Daube]

I have bought the JF one not so long ago. It was mistake.
It looks very good (external model) but the flight model is pure crap and the global realism (avionics and such) is quite low.

If you manage to build a nice Eurofighter with good graphics, good flight model and interesting avionics, I will definitely be a customer.

[Stickshaker]

That looks gooood, Dino!
Just bought P3D so that I can enjoy all the bells and whistles of your F-35 once I get it all installed.

[Dino Cattaneo]

@Stickshaker

Cool. But please remember that the F-35 does require both P3D and Tacpack to work at its best - specifically, Tacpack (apart from weapons systems) drives TFLIR, DAS and HMD functions.

[Stickshaker]

Very considerate of you, Dino, thank you. I know; I have TacPac for FSX and will buy it for P3D once it is released for V3 (I understand that this is not the case yet).

[flaviossa]

I can confirm, the plane is fantastic. Thanks Dino for the new model

For now, i have only half of the plane in both sims but i think in the future i´ll get this covered:
- In P3DV3 but without tackpack.
- In FSX with tackpack but without the new features of the plane.

Hope tackpack comes to v3 soon. I have another problem because i have p3dv3 pro and not academic. Someone said that tackpack would not install in the v3 pro version.

[Stickshaker]

I remember seeing on the P3D website that both versions have the same functionality. So you might be in the winning side, Flaviossa. But I am not entirely sure...

[Dino Cattaneo]

As for Tacpack licensing, I suggest you go and check the VRS Forums.
P3D Academic and P3D Pro have the same functions and assets, however it is possible for external software to tell the difference. My understanding is that Tacpack for V3 will have different prices between Academic and Pro.
The F-35 will work fine in both.

[DennyA]

NOTAM - There is an identified bug in the F-35 avionics code that prevents guided weapons from working properly. I am working on a fix. For the moment, the only reliable method for air-to-surface ordnance delivery is CCIP with dumb bombs. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Dino's simulation is so realistic that he's emulating the software development troubles that the real F-35 program has encountered.

[Stickshaker]

I hope it does not take Dino realistic times to correct bugs... Better buy the plane now, in a few years it will cost twice as much.

[Dino Cattaneo]

...well, in my case the GPS ordnance bug has been solved (although a somewhat erratic behavior of the LGBs is still there).
Users should have received a link for the updated installers - or can download the patch from my blog.