P-38L Lightning for MSFS - Released 9-30-21

[UnknownGuest12]

Couple of things with the update. The prop discs seem very dark now and they flicker alot, especially at low RPM. Not to my liking, not very realistic. The engine audio is also very poor. Sounds like a badly tuned Cessna 150 now. It's like layers of the audio files are missing. I'll try a re-install, but this is not working for me.

Entirely agree about prop discs and the flickering. Sometimes they even stop. They look very bad at low rpm. Don´t know about real sound but there´s a kind of rattling in exterior views, most noticeable at low rpm that sounds odd to me. But perhaps it´s right. When starting engines got effects on both (exhaust flame and smoke) at same time although #2 is not running, or no effects at all. When flying outside, default pilot disappears when you close in. Not with WWII.
Happened a few times that when trying to take-off plane with parking brakes off won´t move, just "kneel" a little. Lots of stutter sometimes, they stop when I change to some other plane.
Regards

[ftl818]

Couple of things with the update. The prop discs seem very dark now and they flicker alot, especially at low RPM. Not to my liking, not very realistic. The engine audio is also very poor. Sounds like a badly tuned Cessna 150 now. It's like layers of the audio files are missing. I'll try a re-install, but this is not working for me.

I adjusted the transparency of the slow and fast running prop textures. So much better. The textures are available on request.


Paul

[UnknownGuest12]

I adjusted the transparency of the slow and fast running prop textures. So much better. The textures are available on request.


Paul

Tried those and think they are a big improvement. Thanks Paul
Noticed those red-hot turbo compressors glowing specially in the night? Think they are a bit overdone...

[dvj]

I adjusted the transparency of the slow and fast running prop textures. So much better. The textures are available on request.Paul

Great you did that. Maybe put them out on FS.to? I think a lot of folks would want it. -d

[dvj]

I reached out to the developer highlighting my 3 issues. They are not in agreement. I can live with the prop discs, but the audio is just wrong. Here are 3 airshow examples. While I don't expect perfection in a simulation, it is possible to reproduce the essense of the beast with a little more work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLc1...?v=LslZPGAFfKY

[dcc]

Tried those and think they are a big improvement. Thanks Paul
Noticed those red-hot turbo compressors glowing specially in the night? Think they are a bit overdone...

agreed, fortunately they're handled by an effects file so you can go into the file and changed the intensity and color to your liking.

- dcc

[dcc]

I adjusted the transparency of the slow and fast running prop textures. So much better. The textures are available on request.


Paul

hehe that was one of the first things I did too after installing the update

I think these things are a matter of preference. I see why they did it, but it was making me a bit dizzy.

- dcc

[UnknownGuest12]

agreed, fortunately they're handled by an effects file so you can go into the file and changed the intensity and color to your liking.

- dcc

Hi P-38 nut. It was just a comment. So do you think that color is right? I´m one of tens of thousands that buy products and know how to use them and add a few itens and do some repairs, not changing anything like this. And the colour of my liking will be the real one, and I simply don´t know what will be. So I have to rely in experts like you, Sir. Will you be so kind and teach me if that colour in that situation is right and, if not, how to change it? Thanks

[PRB]

For the most part I like the new version. The low RPM prop animation kicks in suddenly at some point. That's kind of weird, but in general I like the effect. Those big props turning in opposite directions so close to my head is cool. I like the new sounds. The startup sound is beautiful. In general, I still like dcc's sounds, but these are ok.

[ZsoltB]

I reached out to the developer highlighting my 3 issues. They are not in agreement. I can live with the prop discs, but the audio is just wrong. Here are 3 airshow examples. While I don't expect perfection in a simulation, it is possible to reproduce the essense of the beast with a little more work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLc1...?v=LslZPGAFfKY

Good video and great painting!

[dcc]

Hi P-38 nut. It was just a comment. So do you think that color is right? I´m one of tens of thousands that buy products and know how to use them and add a few itens and do some repairs, not changing anything like this. And the colour of my liking will be the real one, and I simply don´t know what will be. So I have to rely in experts like you, Sir. Will you be so kind and teach me if that colour in that situation is right and, if not, how to change it? Thanks

I think the color is pretty good (I've never seen the P-38s turbos glowing irl but I've seen glowing turbos on automotive engines), I just think it's a bit bright.


Their implementation is quite clever. They're using the sim's 'logo' light feature (tail logo light on airliners, etc.). They put two invisible 'lights' hovering over each turbos that are always on shining down on the turbos. The dimmer values change with power setting (or something related to temperature, not sure...). pretty clever.


If you go to the parent folder (flyingiron-p38l) you'll find a subfolder called Effects. In that are two files called LIGHT_FIS_GlowingMetalRed.fx and LIGHT_FIS_GlowingMetalYellow.fx. If you want to edit these to change the brightness make backups first and then open each up and change the setting near the very bottom called Intensity.


I set the red one to 0.05 and the yellow one to 0.15 for now.


I have only minimal references for how it looks on the real plane. It's mentioned a time or two in P-38 books, but I did ask a P-38 pilot about this during an interview I did some 20 years ago when I was working on my FS P-38s. (I implemented this feature, albeit rather crudely, on my FS9 P-38s.) That pilot told me he recalled seeing the glow only in low light and only at pretty high power. I think FlyingIron did quite well in that regard, but I could see it a bit too much in daylight so I decided to tone it down a bit. My settings above may be too dim. I haven't had much time to play around with it yet.


- dcc

[Browncoat]

I picked up the Lightning during the Black Friday sale today. So far so good. The engine sounds don't seem quite up to par with what I'm used to (I'm spoiled by DCC's P-38 sounds), but it seems to be a fine ship.

Now, I do notice that I have to put in right rudder trim to keep the wings level with both engine running. Not something I expected. I also noticed that the autopilot altitude selector doesn't work, or rather the P-38 won't go for and capture the altitudes I select in the auto pilot tab of the tablet like the 109 and Spitfire do.