NZFF

Just in case there are any Prepar3d pilots left besides me , here's a recent interview with project leader Adam Breed

https://pcflight.net/episode-13-lockheed-martin-prepar3ds-adam-breed/

Prepar3d4.3 will be released in June, LM has no intentions to cancel the Academic version, the Prepar3d code while orginally licensed from MS belongs to LM now (that's what I understood, probably things are a bit more tricky), and version 5 will get a new graphics engine (DX12-based, I suppose). There's also some interesting info on the history of Prepar3d.

Kind regards, Michael

"Just in case there are any Prepar3d pilots left besides me" I am sometimes Michael ...among other things.
Interesting link ...thank you.

If I could drag up the enthusiasm I would be in P3D since I own nothing else. But since I got to ChCh, tried VR, and stopped flying IRL (little as I did) so I have kind of lost the impetus...

I hadn't heard this podcast before, although it does cover similar questions to the FSElite interview at Vegas. Some interesting points for a developer like me, but also one relevant point relating to the general malaise which seems to surround simming, especially here in NZ in mid winter. He's asked if LM intend to scrap the Academic license, now that FSW is dead, which seems to be a wide-spread community concern. I assume because people would prefer to see a good old entertainment license, which MS always supplied, and would carry on if FSW hadn't been killed off prematurely. People have always been inordinately confused and wary of LM licensing, which would be a major concern to any sim maker except LM, as I think it really affects the takeup of Prepar3d. Personally I don't see the problem, if LM are happy to sell a cheap version without having to 'prove' your validity, then I'm all for it. However a lot of people seem to baulk* at this.

I do wonder what I'd do if I didn't have the developer license -- would I pay NZ$300 for a simulator? Sure, but if I was made of money, otherwise I'd be happy to be a 'learner' for the rest of my life.

Some freely given mention of PBR (physically based rendering) as an option in v5 -- this is the sort of thing which we see in games using Unreal Engine and Unity, and would certainly give a real boost to graphics in Prepar3d. On the other hand, I'd certainly like to see work in other areas, such as a brand-new autogen system, a 'smart' AI, and a more reality-based 'AFCAD' system. And not to forget that FSW used PBR, plus TruSKY, and the community reacted with a huge... ho hum.


*as always, I'll stick with my spelling for words which my current spell checker insist are wrong -- like 'baulk' instead of 'balk'.

toprob wrote:I do wonder what I'd do if I didn't have the developer license -- would I pay NZ$300 for a simulator? Sure, but if I was made of money, otherwise I'd be happy to be a 'learner' for the rest of my life.

I paid that amount (in €) for every major version since. I think I am in the "simulation" branch then. Otherwise I didn't care for those licensing discussions. If LM wouldn't like me to use P3D they could take actions, which they don't. The same applies to the Academic users.

Kind regards, Michael