best looking Simulator - the new REFLEX 5 !!!

[Kraeuterbutter]

the Reflex4 already is known for having the best helicopter-physik-engine..

here now the grafix of the new Version 5 !!!

http://www.rcsim.de/screenshots_reflex_xtr.htm

scroolt mal ein wenig runter..
http://www.rcsim.de/berichte/reflex_5/Shot4.jpg
http://www.rcsim.de/berichte/reflex_5/50.jpg

http://www.rcsim.de/berichte/reflex_5/Shot1.jpg

WAHNSINN

the sim should be available on the reflex-homepage about feb 2004

[Kraeuterbutter]

oh: people who have already had the chance to testfly it, said that it is not only looking better than everything, the flying itself feels also better than on any sim before..

[t_predator90]

W-O-W!!!

[wsn]

http://www.rcsim.de/berichte/reflex_5/9_kl.jpg
http://www.rcsim.de/berichte/reflex_5/Shot1.jpg

Yepp - we will be ready to update the existing version to XTR in spring next year. XTR features a new technology (patent pending) that allows the usage of REAL AIRFIELD PICTURES as seen in the screenshots. Well, not only airfields but your living room, under the bridge, on the aircraft carrier - whatever you like. Together with our models designed with photos - the new version is neXt To Reality!

That ad is published in german mags these days and basically describes the update philosophy here in europe. It may be different in some areas but in general, we will deliver the update for the existing 4.0x users free of charge. You may test it and pay whatever you feel it is worth to you. I have no idea how this can be done in the US or in Japan but we still have some time to find a solution.

XTR will be introduced to the mass market in February 2004 during Nuremberg Toyshow. We intend to send out the updates after the show. This will NOT be available as a download (>600 MB!) so we will have a standard ordering process using our webshop.

I will publish more news in December and January.

Cheers - wolfgang

[t_predator90]

I can't wait to hear more about it! It looks FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! WOW! Will there be a demo version?

[wsn]

I don't think so. It's a question of download size. Even with few models and one scenery we are talking about 150 MB ...

Still - nothing is decided yet - maybe we can invest some developing time to cut sizes and reduce resoltions - but please let us finish XTR first.

Cheers - wolfgang

[t_predator90]

Man, bummer....... Will REFLEX 5 be available as a stand-alone simulator? I.E, it would be sold on it's own, and you don't have to buy REFLEX 4 and then upgrade.

[wsn]

If XTR is ready we won't sell 4.0 anymore. Still, for those with less advanced computers, XTR will have a "4.0 compatability mode" that allows to run XTR with the standard 4.0 scenery on less advanced computers.

XTR will have a higher price than the current version. 4.0 is sold at a constant price since 2000 now - the jump in technology justifies an increase. So buying 4.0 now would even be some kind of bargain.

Cheers - wolfgang

[t_predator90]

Cool. Do you know where I could buy it in Israel?

Also, what are the sys-reqs for XTR?

[wsn]

I have no rep in Israel till now but there are lot's of international vendors in the UK or in Germany.

SysReq's are not 100% final but roughly we are talking about a 1200 MHz P4, 128-256 MB RAM and a 32 MB 3D ADVANCED video card - NO MX cards please - TI would do. 64 MB would be better - I am running a 128 MB card on my notebook and I can let it run at 1600x1280x32 at 150 FPS ...

Cheers - wolfgang

[t_predator90]

Wow, those are some pretty big reqs....

[wsn]

The average 900$ computer sold here in germany these days is a 2.5 GHz P4 with 512 MB RAM and 128 MB video card - I bet it will be something better during christmas sales. Our sysreq's refer to computers which are 2-3 years old ...

Cheers - wolfgang

[Kraeuterbutter]

have modified my first post (removed that with download)

for requiements:
you also have to think that Reflex5 will be here for 2-3 years ? until Reflex6 ;) will come..

and in 2-3 years we will have 5000Mhz-CPUs, so 1200Mhz is realy not too big..

you can get a 1200Mhz-PC with the wanted requiements (ram, grafix-card) for less than 300US$ now..

@Wolfgang: have i understand that right, that it would be possible to fly at my OWN flying-field ? http://www.rclineforum.de/forum/images/smilies/lil.gif

that allows the usage of REAL AIRFIELD PICTURES as seen in the screenshots. Well, not only airfields but your living room, under the bridge, on the aircraft carrier - whatever you like. Together with our models designed with photos - the new version is neXt To Reality!


hmm... iam very anxious about how it works...
the possition where you stand will be fixed than ? (so: pilots-positoin = camera-position) ???

i have asked that in another forum too:
will parallele-Schnittstelle (with W98) be supported or only USB ?

[wsn]

Your own fyling filed? Yes and No ...

YES because it is possible and rather easy, NO because it might be a question of equipment and experience ...

We currently work on new sceneries in order to get a feeling how to do them. There will be a scenery designer available later in 2004 but the limiting factor is the way the pics are done. We will produce more sceneries in 2004 and we may offer the picture service externally for those who want their own airfields immediately. Don't ask me about prices and conditions as that still is far ahead for now.

Camera = pilot - yes. But with every scenery, some different pilot and model positions will be available.

Cheers - wolfgang

[Kraeuterbutter]

cool...
thanx..

whats the difficulty with making the images ?
are panormas needed ?
or a special kind of lense so it looks "unverzerrt" ?

well.. as i said: the main thing is that the physiks are ok...
the Reflex4 is still the best on that for helis, so i bet the Reflex5 would not be worse ;)

[daveWCO]

Kraeuterbutter:

Will the new version be available for Macintosh users?

Thanks!

Dave

[thazy2]

mac would be nice ..............we're always getting left out..........

who sales this sim older version, looks pretty interesting.

[gigawatt]

Hi looks good ( for an RC SIM :_)!

A few questions:

- is the tall gras moving in the wind?
- are these clouds sky bitmaps
or particle clouds?
- are the clouds moving?
- the trees are they bitmaps or 3D?
- the bushes and vegetation far away,
are they billboard sprites or real ( virtual)
vegetation?



thanks,

Gigawatt

[wsn]

Hi Gigawatt,

Hardcore questions! I will spread more news next month. So much for now: Clouds and grass is NOT moving! It's a panarama picture - BUT whatever you see can collide or you can be used for landing ...

In general it is a new technology (patent pending). More will be available latest in February during the world premiere ...

Cheers - wolfgang

[Hawker]

Can someone post the pics of Reflex 5 in this thread? My internet connection has certain types of websites blocked and the www.rc-sim.de won't work for me. I'm most likely going to order it though because I LOVE the demo. What a wonderful physics engine!

Thx

[wsn]

http://www.rcsim.de/berichte/reflex_5/9_kl.jpg

http://www.rcsim.de/berichte/reflex_5/Shot4.jpg

http://www.rcsim.de/berichte/reflex_5/Shot1.jpg

[Omita]

How many photo's does one need to make a field? 36? one every 10 degress? Will the program have a stiching program built in where we have to tweak the stiching information? I used to have to place little helper dots when stiching photos together. Will I need a digital camera or can I scan normal 35mm photo's?

Lots of questions. :)

-Omita

[wsn]

It's too early to tell the whole story. We need 5 pics only with a Pro14n and a fisheye or 28 with a Dimage 7Hi at max wide. That would be easy - the complex part really is stitching and scenery construction. A seperate software will be available late in 2004 only as this is another hard task. XTR will come with 5-6 fields and we tour around in 2004 to make more.

Cheers - wolfgang

[Omita]

What if I don't have a 28mm lens i can get a field into the game. :) Most consumer digital camera's seem to have a 50mm or so.

Wolfgang, does that mean we can't add custom fields until late 2004. Or does that mean you need the equipment above to get custom fields into XTR?

[wsn]

I only have limited developing resources AND we talk about a brand new technology. Please let me do one stept at a time: let's get XTR to the market first. Once this is done let us have some time to make out designer tool end-user friendly. But please don't ask me to make my technology compatible with just anything because that can't be done. I need a certain image quality which can be achieved - but not just using anything.

Also I would like to close that subject here. I don't even have XTR on the market and we are already discussing extremes. Wait and see.

Cheers - wolfgang

[starflyer]

If you own Reflex 4 will you be able to get a free upgrade or do you have tp pay all over again for Reflex 5?

[wsn]

EU customer policy: order the update for free and pay whatever you want.

As there is a distribution change in the US from april that issue is not discussed yet but it is my wish to find a similar way for my US customers.

Cheers - wolfgang

[starflyer]

Wolfgan,

I am in the UK. So when does the version 5 come out?

[wsn]

Most probably February if nothing goes wrong.

heers - wolfgang

[starflyer]

OK Thanks

[Hawker]

I ordered Reflex from Tower Hobbies and can't wait to try out version 5! It's a great sim!

Great work Wolfgang. :D

[Arthur_GA]

Where can I find the Reflex demo???

[wsn]

Demo (http://www.reflex-sim.dyndns.org/reflex-sim/shop/catalog/default.php?cPath=23&sort=2a&page=1&language=en)

[daveWCO]

Still no reply regarding a Mac version....I guess that means no.

Dave

[wsn]

The MAC subject had already been discussed here and in other BB's as well. The short answer: Sorry, but no! The long answer: If we look at the typical model hobby entheusiast - these are very few anyway. If we go any further and search this group for computer abilities and acceptance, that number is getting far smaller. If we search this mini group for MAC users, it's getting sad. Please no discussion about Mac pro/cons - just talk facts: the number of Mac users IS very smal, no matter why. I can't change that but directing developing resources into that VERY small community bears a lot of commercial risk. I'm afraid I can't calculate any return of investment in that field.

Cheers - wolfgang

[Arthur_GA]

I'd like to see a demo for Version 5 or at least hi-res photos... :)

[wsn]

April earliest. Our focus is to get the update and commercial version up and running. A demo will be another task and not an easy one because of the real large amount of data.

Cheers - wolfgang

[Arthur_GA]

I downloaded the demo but the trainer and the F-16 are not showing up entirely. The trainer is missing the empennage and the F-16 has only the fuselage (makes it go faster??). Why is that? The demo runs just fine at great frame rates...

[wsn]

That's what the demo is for ...

Please do the following: START - EXECUTE - type DXDIAG and press ENTER. Wait a moment and safe the report to a TXT file. Please email me that data to support@reflex-sim.de

Most probably a driver or DirectX problem, worst case you are having a voodoo card.

Cheers - wolfgang

[Arthur_GA]

Data sent. Thanks Wolfgang!

[HankF]

Hey Wolfgang, when are you going to change from DX to OGL and port this thing to Linux? Then I could get rid of M$.

Hank

[wsn]

Sorry - but no. As long as 99% of my potential customers are running Windows, OpenGL is a dead end road. It seems the coming windows version will not support OpenGL anymore. AeroFly is using OpenGL - maybe they could provide a Linux version.

Cheers - wolfgang

[HankF]

I hate to break the news to you, Wolfgang, but all the high end Unix graphics and rendering packages use OGL. The Windows versions of the same packages also are in OGL. OGL isn't likely to go away any time soon.

Hank

[Hawker]

Can someone please upload some high res pics of Reflex 5 to this website? I'm unable to view them on the www.reflex-sim.de site from here in Iraq.

Thanks

[wsn]

@HankF: 100% with you, BUT Microsoft announced the features of the next Windows version following XP (200x ...) and is was clearly mentioned that OpenGL will not be supported anymore.

PLEASE - I can't judge or evaluate that information, BUT as I have to get my biz running, I can't justify a major redirecting of resources to a 3D engine that is supposed to be canceled in my major target group. I will immediately change that if someone can proof that the future end user system will be Linux or Unix but at the moment I am a Windows slave - if I like it or not. The market is dictating that so I have to go with it. If Billy-Boy starts offering XP/2 and it comes without OpenGL, I am lost.

@Hawker: please try this (http://www.rcsim.de/sreenshots_xtr.htm) or this. (http://www.rc-sim.com/sreenshots_xtr.htm)

[Hawker]

Wolfgang,

Thanks! Those links both worked for me. I cannot wait to fly that! Keep up the great work. I've been spreading the word about Reflex for over a year now based on the demo alone. I finally got around to ordering it a couple weeks ago.

[HankF]

Of course you're right, Wolfgang. Market share is important especially for a small operation. As I understand it, Apple has about 3% of the desktop, Linux about 5% and rising and M$ has all the rest.

Now all the big graphic studios use software such as that offered by Autocad (Renderman?) and Lightwave as examples which run under OGL in Windows as well as Unix. Can you imagine M$ cutting these people off by not supporting OGL? Then there are the game developers like ID and Valve which offer OGL as an alternative and can be run under Linux. Of course these are large operations.

It just would be nice to see more developers supporting Linux, so we could have more choices, that's all.

Hank

[wsn]

As far as LightWave/Renderman/AutoCad/SolidWorks ... are concerned - delicat matter. I just got 2 updates already offering a DirectX interface. The PC-based versions are all having DirectX interfaces or they are comming up with a something.

Still, this is big-scale biz. Let's be happy with waht we get.

Cheers - wolfgang

[wsn]

XTR - taking orders now. (http://www.reflex-sim.dyndns.org/reflex-sim/shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=76&language=en)

Cheers - wolfgang

[cactus]

So if we order the current version at TowerHobbies.com here is the states, we can get the XTR upgrade for free?

[gregw]

Originally posted by cactus
So if we order the current version at TowerHobbies.com here is the states, we can get the XTR upgrade for free?

You get it for free, then after you've played with it, decide what you want to donate to Reflex for the upgrade. Isn't this COOL? :D

[Mikael Pedersen]

Hi.
On the page it states that shipping will be free, but when checking out, it adds 16.50 Euro for shipping.
Is that an error, or is the free shipping only within Germany?

I do think it is fair if you don't want to ship international orders for free, but then I get a little lost when I reach the payment page. I can't find any credit card options anywhere, but then again, I might have misread something. Reading german isn't my strong side :rolleyes:
I can't be the only one with that problem. What did the rest of you do?

[starflyer]

16.50 is expensive shipping for such a tiny object !!!

[gregw]

OK... I ordered the XTR upgrade as well, and had the same question, then I read Wolfgang's very very long description on the upgrade page...

One paragraph reads:
"We ship XTR free of charge. The update comes to you in a letter. If you like it we would be happy to receive an amount you feel justified. Just see this section for payment the usual ways. In case you prefer the traditional way, this update is available against payment as well. Basically we are happy with any amount. The big advantage of this system is the ability to pay what you can afford. Everybody to his abilities. The student a small amout, the well situated may spend a little more."

So, I would say that shipping for the XTR upgrade is FREE!! Thanks Wolfgang! :D

I think Wolfgang probably received many hundreds of emails regarding this though because everyone is too lazy to read through the whole thing. :p

[Mikael Pedersen]

I've read that as well, but reading it doesn't change the fact that the ordering system still automatically adds postage to the order. I was just wondering how I should proceed.

If it is completely free, what should I choose then? Prepaid or cash-on-delivery?

[wsn]

Sorry folks - this shop lead me into a trap. Solved by now so NOW it is free. I just had to include a dummy download to make that FOC thing work.

Cheers - wolfgang

[Hawker]

Thanks Wolfgang. Just placed my order.

[wsn]

Comming next on XTR:

http://www.reflex-sim.de/images/calep1.jpg

Cheers - wolfgang

[gregw]

Wolfgang... Is that a Hornet?? :p

[A Monell]

I'm posting the same question here as in the thread on the new version of FMS. does air movement/wind follow the contour of the landscape as in SLOPE lift or does a wind blow right thru a hill or mountainside.

[wsn]

It's the new Caliber EP M24.

@A Monell: Certainly!

Cheers - wolfgang

[wsn]

@A Monell: just to clarify, the Reflex is NOT FMS or any part of FMS!

Cheers - wolfgang