Cloud illumination by landing lights.

[Iain]

Hi all.

I searched but could not find a reference to this "bug" I'm having.

When flying through clouds at night, I noticed that the clouds are illuminated by the left hand runway turn off light only. All the other lights have no effect?  Is that correct?

I love this effect though, doing plenty of flights to US east coast from Scotland via the Azores and approaches through clouds are great, as long as you remember to switch on that light!  It also doesn't matter if the gear is retracted or not. 

Cheers

Iain

 

 

 

[Litjan]

Hi Ian,

I think there is some limitation regarding the light sources for this effect. Not sure, but maybe X-Plane only allows one light to illuminate the clouds (are you using default or some third party?)

The turnoff lights are actually in the wingroots, so gear status should have no effect on them.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Iain]

Hi

Using default lights.  Ok, wingroots makes sense then

Maybe it's possible to allocate this illumination to one of the landing lights.  But's it's no big deal.

Cheers

Iain

[Litjan]

Yeah, I agree, landing light would be better. We will see what we can do ;-)

Jan

 

[Iain]

Jan, sorry to dig up an old bug, but I see the cloud illumination is still made by one of the turn off lights, I think the left one.  Not sure if it's possible to change this to one of the inboard landing lights.

I know this only works in SMP, doesn't work in xEnviro at all, but I am going to try SMP again as I want the rain effects back).  No big deal if you can't manage this.

 

One other thing, I like the windscreen wiper effect, I am sure the sound is modeled on the real thing, but it sounds very rough, like grinding stone against each other.  What do you think, just like the real thing or maybe there is a plan for a new version, or maybe there is a way to reduce the volume for this effect?

[Litjan]

Yeah, we never got around to changing that - if I recall the internal discussion it wasn´t as easy to change as I thought it would be.

I am actually very happy with the windshield wiper sound - look at this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36DxYzNTFI4

It is a very loud and crude device.

Our (well, especially mine) goal is to make the 737 as realistic as possible - including the not so convenient aspects. I was already overruled and we added a volume slider for the aircondition, don´t expect my help to nerf the windshield wiper sound .

Cheers, Jan

 

[Iain]

Hi Jan

The wiper sound in that video sounds good, (I could only find NG version which are quieter) sounds like an electric motor with a bit of mechanical noise mixed in.  I find the simulation much more mechanical and grinding sound.  Good example in your video at 4:21.

No big deal though, but now I heard the real version, I would prefer that!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXpk6u_A1MA

Air con noise volume is a good idea, I have it pretty loud.  I think volume adjustment can be a good idea as it depends on speak type, headphones and how good your hearing is.  I like the aircon in this video at 5:40, very clear to hear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7qlWIFmXQ8

 

 

Edited December 19, 2017 by Iain

[Litjan]

The real cockpit is a deafening place. There is a reason we are forced (by rule) to wear noise-compensating headsets or hearing protection. It is common practice to lower the volume in the Level 4 simulators to 50%, just so the students and instructor can talk with each other (not over the intercomm).

I don´t expect our users to play at realistic sound levels (what would the families and neighbours say?), but I think the sound is a good portion of the experience of what it is to fly in a 737 cockpit, a loud, rattling, shaking, dusty, warn and  too cold or too hot place, stained with sweat and coffee .

Cheers, Jan

 

[Vespa]

On 20/12/2017 at 8:20 AM, Litjan said:

 but I think the sound is a good portion of the experience of what it is to fly in a 737 cockpit, a loud, rattling, shaking, dusty, warn and  too cold or too hot place, stained with sweat and coffee .

 

 

Totally agree Jan...I love IXEG 737 for its great sound experience and I really hope you keep it as realistic as possible...

[Litjan]

Coming back to the landing-lights issue:

I tried to verify this in XP11.20vr1, but there is NO landing light illumination of the clouds at all. Verifying with Ben Supnik shows that this effect does not exist in default X-Plane.

Sky Maxx Pro may add this (Kudos for that!) but I don´t have SMP and if they "poll" the wrong light to trigger the effect, I would ask you to take it up with them to change that - my suggestion would be to poll ALL external light, to have an effect not only for one light, but for all lights that are likely to light up the clouds.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Iain]

Hi Jan

Thanks for bringing this topic back up and the additional feedback.  I moved away from SMP and tried various other things before settling on the "ultimate mod" weather.  I also see this effect only on SMP so your findings are dead on.  I don't know if I will push for coding changes from the WX developers, maybe when/if Active sky comes along.  Thanks for your support with these open topics though

 

 

 

[Litjan]

Yeah - I added a "feature request" for landing lights to light up clouds with LR, but of course they are aware of this. I doubt that much development will go into the weather engine at this point, though. I hope for a big "remake" just like everyone else, but probably not in the XP11 run. But I am just as clueless as the next person on their plans.

If a weather-addon adds this effect - kudos to them. But polling the correct (better yet ALL external lights) is in their court, then.

Cheers, Jan