SkyMaxx Pro 2.1 beta testers wanted

[sundog]

UPDATE: We've got everyone we need at this point, but keep an eye out for future opportunities!

 

 

 

Hi folks,

 

I'm looking for around 5 more testers to add to our closed-beta testing team. If the following describes you:

 

• You currently own a licensed version of SkyMaxx Pro
• You have enough free time to fly X-Plane at least on a weekly basis
• You understand beta software is by definition not fully tested, and it may make things worse instead of better for you
• You understand that if you find a a problem with a closed beta version, you should report it to our beta tester discussion group (not post video of the problems to all of your social media accounts and forums before we have a chance to fix it)
• You are 18 or older (for legal reasons)
• You understand that your only reward is getting access to new stuff before everyone else, and helping make X-Plane a little bit better.

 

Then, please reply below with your OS version and video card make and model! Once we have enough testers with sufficiently diverse systems, I'll say so on this thread and PM our new testers with further instructions.

 

If you're curious, here's the current list of changes in SkyMaxx Pro 2.1 that we'll be testing.

 

• Cloud reflections supported in low water reflection settings
• Cloud shadows won't spin every 5 seconds
• Small efficiency improvements (eliminated unnecessary callbacks)
• Added reset button to config
• Reduced memory footprint
• Use new dataref in 10.30 to disable default clouds (saves VRAM)
• Changed cloud visibility distance computation
• Cumulus clouds get darker with coverage
• Smoother cloud lighting
• Less cloud popping
• Faster weather update handling
• Cloud shadows no longer interfere with other shadows
• Cloud shadows applied more consistently in HDR
• Default settings on MacOS are more friendly to 512MB video cards

 

Thanks!

-Frank

Edited October 7, 2014 by sundog

[czoog]

Hi Frank, I'd be happy to beta test. Windows 8.1, Nvidia GTX 780 6GB vram.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk

[pipergiallo]

You put your bigger upgrade to version 2 at no charge, so, If I could be of any help, I'm ready to beta test!

MAC OSX MAvericks, 2.66 GHz Intel Core i5 16GB 1067 MHz DDR3, ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB

Edited October 6, 2014 by pipergiallo

[Jose Almeida]

Hi Frank,

 

I am ready to beta test; I own a licensed version of Skymaxx pro and I run x-plane 10.30 on a Macbook pro with osx Mavericks. My computer has NVIDIA GeForce GT 650 M with 1 GB vram.

 

Best regards,

José

[mmerelles]

I will be happy to be a beta tester as well

 

IMAC 27" 3.5Ghz OSX 10.9.5 NVIDIA GTX 780 4GB DDR5

[mat18590]

hello I do not know if you remember me but I think I would be much help as a beta tester.

would be a great pleasure for me

I have windows 7 sp1, i5 3570k and a radeon r9 290 4 gb vram

Edited October 6, 2014 by mat18590

[Push_IT_Up]

Frank;

I would be honored to assist in the SMP-2.1 beta testing, my system specs are:

Windows 7 Home; Intel: I5 3.5Ghz, System memory 16GB; EVGA GTX570 1.2GB.

[sqrt(-1)]

Sure, sign me up!  Config in my sig.

[sundog]

I do not know if you remember me

 

Oh, I remember you alright.

[mat18590]

Oh, I remember you alright.

I am one of the two creators of Real Terra Haze Edited October 6, 2014 by mat18590

[trevg]

Have a I7 3770k oc to 4.5  Nvidia GTX 680 2GB  SSD for X-Plane and 32GB Kingston ram.

Only fly every day    Any use to you, am willing to test for you. Win 7 64 bit.

Cheers

Edited October 6, 2014 by trevg

[sundog]

Thanks for the responses! Although we have more than enough already here, in the interest of fairness to all time zones I'll leave this open for at least 24 hours - then pick randomly until I've got 5 with a good mix of systems.

 

What I'd really love to see is some intrepid soul who's running with a MacOS Yosemite preview...

[SouthPawPaul]

Happy to beta test.

 

Windows 7 Pro

Intel i5 750

Gigabyte GTX770 4Gb

[MercuryMat]

Ready to go if you want.

Two systems to test with, one is a pro glider sim i'm developing...with two pc linked: i7 4790k @4.8, titan black both, windows 8.1, ssd drive etc etc. no smp installed now, cause i have no more activation for two machines)

The other machine i use quite often, once a day or once every two days:

i7 3770k @ 4.7, gtx680 4gb, windows 8.1, ssd drive

Sent from Mad iPad's Tapatalk

Edited October 6, 2014 by Mad Mat

[AngeloM]

What I'd really love to see is some intrepid soul who's running with a MacOS Yosemite preview...

 

I'm on Yosemite since beta1 on one of the systems which I use almost daily to fly X-Plane, but I'm not an SMP owner so I'll pass.

[mat18590]

• Cloud reflections supported in low water reflection settings
• Cloud shadows won't spin every 5 seconds
• Small efficiency improvements (eliminated unnecessary callbacks)
• Added reset button to config
• Reduced memory footprint
• Use new dataref in 10.30 to disable default clouds (saves VRAM)
• Changed cloud visibility distance computation
• Cumulus clouds get darker with coverage
• Smoother cloud lighting
• Less cloud popping
• Faster weather update handling
• Cloud shadows no longer interfere with other shadows
• Cloud shadows applied more consistently in HDR
• Default settings on MacOS are more friendly to 512MB video cards

Thanks!

-Frank

This changelog is very very interesting!!

SMP with this version may be one of the best addon ever

[sundog]

In all we had 10 people volunteer (thank you! And it's great to see people who I have considered to be our biggest critics step up and offer to help refine SkyMaxx Pro as part of this process.)

 

I used http://primaryschoolict.com/random-name-selector/ as a fun way to select 5 people at random from this list. The first five it gave me actually offered a very diverse range of systems.

 

PushITUP, czoog, Jose, pipergallo, and sqrt-1 - check your PM's shortly for more information. Everyone else - thanks again, and there will be future opportunities to participate.

[Tom Knudsen]

Disable default clouds, now that could be an int. Feature

[scotchegg]

Will we get to see other cloud types? Currently I only see cumulus and cirrus.

[Cameron]

Disable default clouds, now that could be an int. Feature

 

We were technically doing this before, but not with the new "official" way. Laminar was kind enough to work with us on this prior to 10.3.

[Tom Knudsen]

nice

[chris k]

Although the selection is closed - I'll throw in that I'm a reg. Apple developer and have Yosemite GM2 OSX if you need a dev box.

 

3 installs of XP10 in various Vanilla, Demo, and full-on flavours.

 

- Ck.

[sundog]

Will we get to see other cloud types? Currently I only see cumulus and cirrus.

 

What kinds of clouds would you like to see? We're mostly limited by the weather information we receive, but in some cases we might be able to infer when certain types might be present.

 

Right now SkyMaxx Pro can represent stratus, cumulus congestus, towering cumulus, cumulonimbus, and cirrus fibratus clouds.

[mmerelles]

Do you have any statement, timing or feedback from LR when they will (if they) provide you a better sdk or whatever is required so you can:

 

1. get full overcast (not ground visibility from above the layer)

2. avoid clouds being appearing from nowhere around the plane

 

thanks!

Edited October 8, 2014 by mmerelles

[sundog]

No. We've asked but ultimately it's their roadmap and we don't have any more visibility into it than anyone else.