Captains,
Happy Friday and welcome to the weekend!
To kick things off properly, we have a few things for you today.
PMDG 737-700 for MSFS Update to 3.00.0024
This week's update for the 737 includes a significant amount of "behind the panel" work to prepare it for rollout of our new lateral flight path model. We are very close to turning that new feature on for you, but there are some other pieces and bits that need adjusting so that has been the main thrust of work leading up to this update.
We have also spent an enormous amount of time investigating laggy animation problems. This involved testing across a range of machines and visual settings in order to induce lag in the animations by loading up the processor and the gpu to see what effect our adjustments and changes were having. It is a painstakingly slow process, but we think we have made good progress in stabilizing some of the laggier items such as the control columns and throttles. We also put quite a bit of time into correcting the trim wheel animation and sound model.
One item still in the research pool is the windshield wipers. We made a small amount of improvement here, but we are finding that the wipers move so fast (even at their slow setting) that they simply don't render smoothly and we are still working to see if we cannot devise a way to make that work more effectively. Stay tuned for more there.
In this process of cleaning up animations, we have found that some of the techniques we used well on other platforms don't work well in the MSFS environment across the entire spectrum of performance capabilities. There are a range of techniques we use, so apparently there is still a bit of learning to do here and we are mapping out a sweep through the cockpit animation to be sure we clean up laggers and improve smoothness in as many places as possible. This will take place over a couple of update cycles.
Other changes are encapsulated in the change list here:
0011475: [Main Panel - General/Unsure] Removing non working Color changing options from FMC (abashkatov)
0011474: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Screw on upper display unit floating in space (vscimone)
0011468: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] Landing Gear lever animation missing through the OFF position (hvanrensburg)
0011320: [General - Suggested/Missing Features] ARPT_RWY.dat size is zero, ie empty on some customers (abashkatov)
0011330: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Typos on flight kit stowage placards (vscimone)
0011345: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] Transponder Scroll issue (abashkatov)
0011374: [Systems - Fire Protection] Fire Bottle Discharge lights do not come on for almost 20 seconds after discharge (rsrandazzo)
0011376: [FREEZES - All Types] RTA waypoint sequencing or deletion provisions (emvaos)
0011381: [External Model - Geometry] Belly light bleed through cabin (jbrown)
0011382: [General - Documentation] aircraft.cfg text - use of coma error (rsrandazzo)
0011384: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Poly clipping on ceiling (vscimone)
0011391: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] VC gap, outiside eviroment visible (vscimone)
0011393: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Main Panel indicator housing needs more detail (vscimone)
0011395: [External Model - Geometry] Wet touchdown Water Spray from Main wheels is reversed Left/Right (jbrown)
0011399: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Throttle Screw texture alignment off (vscimone)
0011411: [Systems - Flight Controls] LE Flaps and Slats retract with B system off after Alternate Flap Extension (rsrandazzo)
0011413: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Glareshield geometry wrongly changed on latest update (vscimone)
0011417: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] F/O side window cable clipping (vscimone)
0011419: [External Model - Geometry] BBJ Texture flickering on left side beneath the cockpit (jbrown)
0011422: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Stab trim cutout switched texture needs a touch up (vscimone)
0011389: [General - Documentation] Tutorial Typo Errors (hvanrensburg)
0011392: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Front window serial Number sticker shows only when there is a solid object in front of the plane (vscimone)
0011397: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] Bank Angle selector no longer works with Mouse Wheel and cannot be rolled to the right except from the FO side. (hvanrensburg)
0011429: [External Model - Geometry] Cabin windows have a rainbow effect applied (jbrown)
0011431: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] HGS panel on pedestal is not back-lit (hvanrensburg)
0011444: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] Many switches and knobs animate instantly and should be slowed down (hvanrensburg)
0011473: [Systems - Flight Controls] throttle animation requires algorithmic improvement to animation function (rsrandazzo)
0011472: [Systems - Flight Controls] Control column/yoke animation requires algorithmic improvement to animation function (rsrandazzo)
0011471: [Systems - Flight Controls] Trim Wheel Animation incorrect and not working as expected (rsrandazzo)
0011443: [Sounds - Internal/Cockpit] Trim sounds not working (rsrandazzo)
0011445: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Overhead GEN panel texture updates and improvements (vscimone)
0011449: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] HGS Display on FO Main panel does not protrude enough (vscimone)
0011460: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Various text spacing issues on CB panels (vscimone)
0011461: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Erroneous space on smoke hood placard (vscimone)
0011459: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Window stickers disappear with sky in background (vscimone)
0011457: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Text missing on captain's emergency rope hatch (vscimone)
0010424: [Systems - Fire Protection] Extinguisher TEST Switch and Fault/Inop and Overheat/Fire TEST Switch should be spring-loaded to center. (hvanrensburg)
0011387: [General - Unsure] Popup key commands should be added to documentation (hvanrensburg)
0011451: [External Model - Geometry] COMM/EXT Power panel issues (jbrown)
How to Update:
You can get the latest update simply by running the PMDG Operations Center and pulling down the AIRCRAFT AND LIVERIES tab, then selecting PRODUCT UPDATES. If you don't see an update notification already, press the CHECK NOW button (top left) and that will get you going in the right direction.
Please don't forget that one of the little quirks about C++/WASM projects within MSFS is that the first time after installation or after a major product update, when you run the the 737 and select an aiframe MSFS does an entire recompilation process to get the airplane ready for your use. How long this takes depends upon both your processor speed, but also upon how much memory you have installed. It is just something the sim needs to do for C++/WASM projects, so select your airplane before running out for a snack or something. (And bring us some, we're hungry!)
What is Next for 737?:
This coming week is going to figure heavily on control axis related issues. I am preparing a short video to offer some recommendations on getting your controls configured correctly for proper control feel, and we will be working on seeing if we cannot get the rudder axis to play nicely with twist-for-steer sticks and game controllers. Hopefully we will be able to make some progress here.
There is quite a bit of work going on elsewhere in the airplane preparing it for the new lateral flight path, for rollout of the 737-600, and also integration of the tablet is coming along swimmingly. Oh- and there are rumors of a very good looking 737-800 being spotted around the PMDG test flight area...
Oh- I nearly forgot: Why did the 737 jump from build 20 to build 24? You will notice that the build numbers will move in steps, but not all of them will get released to public. This is normal as we build out beta versions of the 700 for testing, and also add the 600 and 800 airplanes to the development cycle. Anything that gets handed to you or to the testing team gets a build number so that we can keep track of them.
Stay tuned for more info on all of these things, and more.
Happy Friday and welcome to the weekend!
To kick things off properly, we have a few things for you today.
PMDG 737-700 for MSFS Update to 3.00.0024
This week's update for the 737 includes a significant amount of "behind the panel" work to prepare it for rollout of our new lateral flight path model. We are very close to turning that new feature on for you, but there are some other pieces and bits that need adjusting so that has been the main thrust of work leading up to this update.
We have also spent an enormous amount of time investigating laggy animation problems. This involved testing across a range of machines and visual settings in order to induce lag in the animations by loading up the processor and the gpu to see what effect our adjustments and changes were having. It is a painstakingly slow process, but we think we have made good progress in stabilizing some of the laggier items such as the control columns and throttles. We also put quite a bit of time into correcting the trim wheel animation and sound model.
One item still in the research pool is the windshield wipers. We made a small amount of improvement here, but we are finding that the wipers move so fast (even at their slow setting) that they simply don't render smoothly and we are still working to see if we cannot devise a way to make that work more effectively. Stay tuned for more there.
In this process of cleaning up animations, we have found that some of the techniques we used well on other platforms don't work well in the MSFS environment across the entire spectrum of performance capabilities. There are a range of techniques we use, so apparently there is still a bit of learning to do here and we are mapping out a sweep through the cockpit animation to be sure we clean up laggers and improve smoothness in as many places as possible. This will take place over a couple of update cycles.
Other changes are encapsulated in the change list here:
0011475: [Main Panel - General/Unsure] Removing non working Color changing options from FMC (abashkatov)
0011474: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Screw on upper display unit floating in space (vscimone)
0011468: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] Landing Gear lever animation missing through the OFF position (hvanrensburg)
0011320: [General - Suggested/Missing Features] ARPT_RWY.dat size is zero, ie empty on some customers (abashkatov)
0011330: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Typos on flight kit stowage placards (vscimone)
0011345: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] Transponder Scroll issue (abashkatov)
0011374: [Systems - Fire Protection] Fire Bottle Discharge lights do not come on for almost 20 seconds after discharge (rsrandazzo)
0011376: [FREEZES - All Types] RTA waypoint sequencing or deletion provisions (emvaos)
0011381: [External Model - Geometry] Belly light bleed through cabin (jbrown)
0011382: [General - Documentation] aircraft.cfg text - use of coma error (rsrandazzo)
0011384: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Poly clipping on ceiling (vscimone)
0011391: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] VC gap, outiside eviroment visible (vscimone)
0011393: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Main Panel indicator housing needs more detail (vscimone)
0011395: [External Model - Geometry] Wet touchdown Water Spray from Main wheels is reversed Left/Right (jbrown)
0011399: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Throttle Screw texture alignment off (vscimone)
0011411: [Systems - Flight Controls] LE Flaps and Slats retract with B system off after Alternate Flap Extension (rsrandazzo)
0011413: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Glareshield geometry wrongly changed on latest update (vscimone)
0011417: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] F/O side window cable clipping (vscimone)
0011419: [External Model - Geometry] BBJ Texture flickering on left side beneath the cockpit (jbrown)
0011422: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Stab trim cutout switched texture needs a touch up (vscimone)
0011389: [General - Documentation] Tutorial Typo Errors (hvanrensburg)
0011392: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Front window serial Number sticker shows only when there is a solid object in front of the plane (vscimone)
0011397: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] Bank Angle selector no longer works with Mouse Wheel and cannot be rolled to the right except from the FO side. (hvanrensburg)
0011429: [External Model - Geometry] Cabin windows have a rainbow effect applied (jbrown)
0011431: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] HGS panel on pedestal is not back-lit (hvanrensburg)
0011444: [Virtual Cockpit - Functionality/Click-Spots] Many switches and knobs animate instantly and should be slowed down (hvanrensburg)
0011473: [Systems - Flight Controls] throttle animation requires algorithmic improvement to animation function (rsrandazzo)
0011472: [Systems - Flight Controls] Control column/yoke animation requires algorithmic improvement to animation function (rsrandazzo)
0011471: [Systems - Flight Controls] Trim Wheel Animation incorrect and not working as expected (rsrandazzo)
0011443: [Sounds - Internal/Cockpit] Trim sounds not working (rsrandazzo)
0011445: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Overhead GEN panel texture updates and improvements (vscimone)
0011449: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] HGS Display on FO Main panel does not protrude enough (vscimone)
0011460: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Various text spacing issues on CB panels (vscimone)
0011461: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Erroneous space on smoke hood placard (vscimone)
0011459: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Window stickers disappear with sky in background (vscimone)
0011457: [Virtual Cockpit - Geometry/Textures] Text missing on captain's emergency rope hatch (vscimone)
0010424: [Systems - Fire Protection] Extinguisher TEST Switch and Fault/Inop and Overheat/Fire TEST Switch should be spring-loaded to center. (hvanrensburg)
0011387: [General - Unsure] Popup key commands should be added to documentation (hvanrensburg)
0011451: [External Model - Geometry] COMM/EXT Power panel issues (jbrown)
How to Update:
You can get the latest update simply by running the PMDG Operations Center and pulling down the AIRCRAFT AND LIVERIES tab, then selecting PRODUCT UPDATES. If you don't see an update notification already, press the CHECK NOW button (top left) and that will get you going in the right direction.
Please don't forget that one of the little quirks about C++/WASM projects within MSFS is that the first time after installation or after a major product update, when you run the the 737 and select an aiframe MSFS does an entire recompilation process to get the airplane ready for your use. How long this takes depends upon both your processor speed, but also upon how much memory you have installed. It is just something the sim needs to do for C++/WASM projects, so select your airplane before running out for a snack or something. (And bring us some, we're hungry!)
What is Next for 737?:
This coming week is going to figure heavily on control axis related issues. I am preparing a short video to offer some recommendations on getting your controls configured correctly for proper control feel, and we will be working on seeing if we cannot get the rudder axis to play nicely with twist-for-steer sticks and game controllers. Hopefully we will be able to make some progress here.
There is quite a bit of work going on elsewhere in the airplane preparing it for the new lateral flight path, for rollout of the 737-600, and also integration of the tablet is coming along swimmingly. Oh- and there are rumors of a very good looking 737-800 being spotted around the PMDG test flight area...
Oh- I nearly forgot: Why did the 737 jump from build 20 to build 24? You will notice that the build numbers will move in steps, but not all of them will get released to public. This is normal as we build out beta versions of the 700 for testing, and also add the 600 and 800 airplanes to the development cycle. Anything that gets handed to you or to the testing team gets a build number so that we can keep track of them.
Stay tuned for more info on all of these things, and more.
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