Slope Soaring in RealFlight G3

[surfimp]

OK, so I just got clued in that Knife Edge has included slope soaring in RealFlight G3. I own G2, but as I fly slope 99.9% of the time it's mostly only useful for when I want to goof around with helis or aerobatic planes. However, if G3 has slope capabilities, I'd like to know about them.

So, for those of you who own G3 and are familiar with slope soaring, how does G3 measure? If you've used SSS (Slope Soaring Simulator), how does it match up to that? For the record, I'm quite pleased with SSS, and it's totally free, so G3 would have to be at least as good in this regard as SSS to make it a worthwhile upgrade.

Steve

[jbourke]

Here is a video of the slope soaring in G3: http://12.156.2.54/videos/Mistral%20at%20Buena%20Vista.wmv

Jim

[surfimp]

Jim, that is a great video and an excellent demo of the software! A few questions:

1) Does the camera automatically zoom out for pumps, or does the user have to make it do so?

2) Also, can you "walk" around the site, to choose different launching locations?

3) Can you make custom slope soaring sites?

This is looking extremely promising so far, thanks for that awesome link.

Steve

[jbourke]

1) Does the camera automatically zoom out for pumps, or does the user have to make it do so?


The default camera mode does that.


2) Also, can you "walk" around the site, to choose different launching locations?


Yes, you can walk or fly around the world. We have a huge mountainous terrain dataset with G3.

The regular first-person-shooter commands work for walking, which means that at any time you can move around using W,A,S, and D for left, forward, backward, and right respectively. While in walk mode the mouse allows you to change the direction of the camera.

Push escape or click the mouse button to exit the walk mode. Push "C" to look back at the airplane.

While in "walk" mode you can switch to "fly" mode by pushing "Q". Use the shift key to walk/fly quickly.


3) Can you make custom slope soaring sites?


Absolutely. You can move around using the walk keys to anywhere in the world and then choose to create a new airport at that location.

Jim

[surfimp]

Absolutely. You can move around using the walk keys to anywhere in the world and then choose to create a new airport at that location.

So from that it sounds like there's no built-in terrain editor per se (i.e. you cannot create your own slope or mountain range) but you can make different flying sites wherever you like in the provided terrains (and since you can elect wind direction you've got a lot of options, I'm sure). Is that pretty much it?

Everything else sounds fantastic, that's the way it should be.

Steve

[surfimp]

Sorry, one other question: are the minimum recommended specs any different if you're primarily concerned with slope soaring versus the other features? I know you've got the tree animations, wind sock, clouds, etc. that might up the requirements as far as graphics goes, and then the processor requirements for calculating wind interaction with the terrain... just guessing that the slope specs might be a bit higher, possibly?

Thanks again,

Steve

[RcAroPlanes]

Hi I don't slop soar that many months out of the year, lack of wind and lack of slopes lol. Any way I have a zagi 3C combat slope plane and as far as I can tell it is really realistic. Also you can slope with a model hawk, that is great!

[jbourke]

So from that it sounds like there's no built-in terrain editor per se (i.e. you cannot create your own slope or mountain range) but you can make different flying sites wherever you like in the provided terrains (and since you can elect wind direction you've got a lot of options, I'm sure). Is that pretty much it?

Correct.

Jim

[jbourke]

Sorry, one other question: are the minimum recommended specs any different if you're primarily concerned with slope soaring versus the other features? I know you've got the tree animations, wind sock, clouds, etc. that might up the requirements as far as graphics goes, and then the processor requirements for calculating wind interaction with the terrain... just guessing that the slope specs might be a bit higher, possibly?


Slope soaring doesn't really take any additional CPU. The wind model is always active and is highly optimized so you are paying a very small penalty whether you are sloping or not.

If you turn on the turbulence system, which I highly recommend for a more realistic slope experience, then there is a bit more processing.

You should get the best graphic card you can afford for the best experience with RealFlight G3.

Jim

[surfimp]

Jim, thanks much for that targetted info. I can tell you've got a somewhat thankless job in this regard (new software rollouts invariably bring out a full range of responses), so I'd just like to say thanks in case you're not hearing it enough ;) The new product seems like a very good and impressive effort, and it's cool to see you taking the time to respond to seemingly each and every person who has questions!

Only issue for me is a hardware one; with a PII 1Ghz, 512MB RAM, 32MB Nvidia GeForce2 MX, and no real plan or need to upgrade the system any time soon (would rather spend the $$$ on airplanes LOL), I'm concerned that even with the graphics and whatnot turned down I probably won't be able to get much out of G3. That said, even if I dumbed G3 down all the way it would probably look better than SSS, though I can get 30 FPS with SSS... decisions, decisions! :)

Oh, and thanks for RCGroups too, by the way... :D

Steve