Russian Beauty

[Sid2008]

Although, not exactly what you might be thinking, this is an Antonov 72 with VC from Samdim now avaialable as freeware on simviation.
Enjoy.

[Warrant]

Great news! Have not heard from SAMDIM in a long time.
Is it a native FSX bird?

[Ferry_vO]

Looks like it's an update of his old Fs2002/2004 model..

[Daube]

The file is only 614 Kb ?
And it's in FS9 or FS2002 format, not FSX native. I didn't know this bird had a virtual cockpit...

[warchild]

Wellllll, she's using dds textures so that tells me its fsx native, but i gotta admit, that 615 mb size makes me wonder.....

[lucas81]

You have to open the mdl file in the notepad to see if the model is native or not. There are "native" addons which are using bmps and vice versa. However, the dds textures are helpful and they allow to save few fps in a portover, if you will convert it's default bmp's to the dds.
Lucas

[falcon409]

I won't even load this one to look at it. The textures are 512x512, hence the small download size. The person who loaded this also states that the textures are saved as DDS DXT1(no aplha), or DXT3, and that the original 32 bit textures can be downloaded from the Samdim website? Hmmmm.

No thanks!:salute:

[samdim]

I never made any update to this model since it was released 8 years ago ! I wasn't aware someone "added" a VC to it and made another set of textures (I even doubt it's possible)

Dimitri

[falcon409]

I never made any update to this model since it was released 8 years ago ! I wasn't aware someone "added" a VC to it and made another set of textures (I even doubt it's possible)
Dimitri
That's good to know Dimitri. I never did install it, but from the sounds of it, I don't think they did you any favors by releasing it with such poor textures and a makeshift VC.:salute:

[Cag40Navy]

Too bad there isnt any good FSX 72's or the AWACS 72.

[bipon]

I never made any update to this model since it was released 8 years ago ! I wasn't aware someone "added" a VC to it and made another set of textures (I even doubt it's possible)

Dimitri

The original FS2002 model available at samdimdesign.free.fr contains decent VC.
Only the gauges were unusable in FSX, so I used stock FSX gauges instead. It gives fictional,
but fully functional and believable virtual cockpit.

As regards textures, these needed some alpha channel treatment to display properly in FSX.

All in all, your old Antonov 72 is a masterpiece and I really enjoy it in FSX

Brano

[bipon]

That's good to know Dimitri. I never did install it, but from the sounds of it, I don't think they did you any favors by releasing it with such poor textures and a makeshift VC.:salute:

It is really amazing that you know the textures are poor without even seeing them.

The textures are exactly the same (apart of DXT compression) as Dimitri released in 2003
and to my eye they look pretty damn good!

[warchild]

Personally, what i'd really love seeing done for fsx ( since Dimitri is here :) ( unabashed request here )) is an updated TU-124 with a VC.. i loved that plane..

[warchild]

It is really amazing that you know the textures are poor without even seeing them.

The textures are exactly the same (apart of DXT compression) as Dimitri released in 2003
and to my eye they look pretty damn good!

Well, 512 x 512 bitmaps will display fine in a 1024x768 but even then, you font have the latitude available for doing serious detailing. Added to that, most people are using a minimum of 1280X720 sized screens and many of us are using something quite a bit larger, and thats where the smaller 512x512 sized bitmaps fail to perform well.. I think maybe thats what Falcon was referring too..

[bipon]

The package is adaptation of old FS2002 Samdim Design Antonov An-72.

The aircraft model works flawlessly in FSX. Control surfaces, wheels, thrust reversers,
cargo bay, doors, flaps etc are all animated and functional.

The original textures needed some alpha channel treatment to display,
and at that occasion they were converted to FSX DDS format using DXT compression.
This reduced the file size and improved framerate.
To my eye, they look very good, even by todays standards.

Original FS2002 gauges in VC could not be revived in FSX and were replaced by
stock FSX glass gauges. This makes the VC not authentic, but it is fully functional.

Flight model is in my opinion excellent, reflecting STOL capability of the aircraft.

Many thanks to Dimitri (Samdim Design) for this beauty. I really enjoy it in FSX.
However, I hope to see native FSX An-72 by samdim one day.

Brano

[bipon]

Personally, what i'd really love seeing done for fsx ( since Dimitri is here :) ( unabashed request here )) is an updated TU-124 with a VC.. i loved that plane..

Yes, I would love that too! Only the lack of VC prevented my from trying to convert it
for FSX :)

[falcon409]

It is really amazing that you know the textures are poor without even seeing them.
That's because by todays standards an aircraft livery done with 512x512 textures (despite being saved as DDS) will not display a high level of detail which most simmers have become accustomed to. I don't have to look at the aircraft "in-sim" to know that. . . .I've been doing this long enough to know.


The textures are exactly the same (apart of DXT compression) as Dimitri released in 2003, and to my eye they look pretty damn good!
That's fine bipon. Remember now, this is 2011 and a lot has changed in the past 8 years. We've actually come a long way from 512x512 "low-res" textures. If they look good to your eye, then, by all means, enjoy flying the airplane.:salute:

[bipon]

Well, 512 x 512 bitmaps will display fine in a 1024x768 but even then, you font have the latitude available for doing serious detailing. Added to that, most people are using a minimum of 1280X720 sized screens and many of us are using something quite a bit larger, and thats where the smaller 512x512 sized bitmaps fail to perform well.. I think maybe thats what Falcon was referring too..

I see your point. However, original textures are 512x512 and it is beyond my capability
to change that (if it is possible at all)

I am using 1280X720 I believe and the textures are still looking rather good to me.
On the other hand, my screen is not that big.

[bipon]

That's because by todays standards an aircraft livery done with 512x512 textures (despite being saved as DDS) will not display a high level of detail which most simmers have become accustomed to. I don't have to look at the aircraft "in-sim" to know that. . . .I've been doing this long enough to know.

I can only agree to that.



That's fine bipon. Remember now, this is 2011 and a lot has changed in the past 8 years. We've actually come a long way from 512x512 "low-res" textures. If they look good to your eye, then, by all means, enjoy flying the airplane.:salute:

Yes, I also wish the textures were "hi-res", but we have what we have until Dimitri releases
native hi-res model (if ever). Maybe you should give it a try, maybe you will find the textures good enough to your eye :)

[mjahn]

I see your point. However, original textures are 512x512 and it is beyond my capability
to change that (if it is possible at all)



Course it is and yes you can. Simply double or even quadruple their size and they will display just fine. MS got that right. Then add the detail you are missing ... like 100k rivets.

[Hurricane91]

I converted Sandim's FS2002 An-72 to FSX a year or so ago and did pretty much what Mr. Jansik has done. A few textures were converted to .dds and Vlad Zhyhulskiy's An-12 instruments installed in the VC. As Brano says, everything works and the aircraft is fun to fly.

I learned something from Manfred Jahn today about enlarging textue images. Thank you sir.

[bipon]

Course it is and yes you can. Simply double or even quadruple their size and they will display just fine. MS got that right. Then add the detail you are missing ... like 100k rivets.

Thank you for information!

[bipon]

I converted Sandim's FS2002 An-72 to FSX a year or so ago and did pretty much what Mr. Jansik has done. A few textures were converted to .dds and Vlad Zhyhulskiy's An-12 instruments installed in the VC. As Brano says, everything works and the aircraft is fun to fly.

I would very much like to see your work on the VC.
You may consider to release at least your panel directory. I am sure it would integrate well to
the FSX Package and it would provide alternative - more traditional/realistic VC environment.

[Hurricane91]

I would very much like to see your work on the VC.
You may consider to release at least your panel directory. I am sure it would integrate well to
the FSX Package and it would provide alternative - more traditional/realistic VC environment.

I agree that the Russian analog gauges add a lot to the An-72 VC. However, my current configuration is a bit different from my original modifications and some of the changes would not be considered realistic.

Such an upgrade would certainly be worth pursuing provided there is specific approval from Dimitry Sandim and Vlad Zhyhulskiy.