Peter's A380 Reviewed

[Simmo W]

sorry, this must look like spam! I can only get to the pc at certain times of the week (yay, weekend here), hence the flurry of updates.

Last one for the weekend, I found this enlightening as I've been too scared to fork out for this expensive but apparently very complex simulation. A forerunner of the many pending study sims maybe?

http://xplane10.wordpress.com/x-plane-aircraft-reviews/peters-a380-reviewed/

[Cameron]

Simon,

Interesting review, indeed.

There are some things I'd like to have you guys clarify as someone who has not purchased this aircraft. Perhaps Chip would know the answers:

1. Does this aircraft use any form of plug-in, or is it simply relying on the already available generics with modified bitmaps? This would be interesting to know, since there seems to be an emphasis on the complexity of the systems.

2. At the end of the article Chip stated: "Peter’s Airbus series have the BEST COCKPIT LIGHTING available in X-Plane." I'd be curious to know what others think of this comment when compared to 3D cockpits utilizing the 3D lighting available to developers. Something like Nils' BK117 in comparison. I would *think* the results of true 3D cockpits would be more immersive than that of a 2D panel using LIT textures like the A380.

Again, I don't own the product, so I'm genuinely curious to know any info on the above.

Thanks for sharing the review!

[Simmo W]

will do Cameron.

Yes, it's a bit hard to definitely say it's the best lighting in all of xplanedom, but those spectacular screens do look good, even in 2d. I haven't seen it in real life yet either. better be good compared to Nils amazing 117 or my real favourite for night textures, Javier's Javelin. turn down it's lighting and you get a small 1/10th hint of what the crj might be like....

[nrhh]

I havent´t written the review but since I have the A380 maybe I can comment on this:

1) A plugin is used but mostly for throttle logic and some indicators. Most systems are generics. That said, the level of systems integration is very good. While not all systems are functioning a lot has been done. Peter really stretched the envelope of what can be done with generics. Airbus PFD, ND, Thrust Logic and Thrust Indicators, Fuel and Electrical Systems, Engine Startup Logic, etc. are all working. Even the Airbus Autopilot Logic has been done pretty well. The most important thing thats missing though is a custom mcdu (fms), but at least it´s UFMC compatible. Whats missing either are some (not all) ECAM pages (as told on Peters Website).

In a nutshell I think the complexity rivals other aircrafts that are using plugins (e.g. the x737). Will upcoming x-plane airliners have better systems modeling? Some of them probably yes, but then again none has been released yet.

You definitely need to read the manual before you can start flying, so if you are looking for an aircraft for casual flying you might want to look elsewhere.

2) COCKPIT Night Lightning - i don´t have Nils BK117, but I have the Falco. I think the night lightning is on a comparable level IMHO. If you prefer one or the other is a personal choice - or in other words I think if you prefer 2D Pits you probably like the lightning on the A380 more if you prefer 3D pits it´s the other way round.

[cw7]

While working through this review I talked with Peter about a few of these issues, and he shared the beta of his latest plug-in driven FBW enhancements with me. I don't want to steal his thunder but I get the impression he has a very important upgrade in the works. It's my understanding that he has to date used a combination of generic PlaneMaker software structures and at least one custom plug-in; I'm guessing what he has coming up is going to replace many systems that are currently handled by generic plug-ins. Improvements to the reality of the SIM, e.g., to both procedures and the feel of the SIM should be dramatic. Stay tuned. We'll have an update on this soon.

About the "Best Lighting in X-Plane" comment. That's my opinion, obviously, and simply that. I have both Falco and the MU-2, and love them. I do, however, love "heavy metal" - and that simply reflects my own bias. But, every time I open the 380 and set the night lighting it simply takes my breath away. That's MY reaction, and I hope people don't take it the wrong way... I'm not saying that it should take YOUR breath away. But this reaction made me feel the statement warranted. Nothing else so far makes ME react quite the same way.

About one statement here: I enjoy beautiful engineering and functional elegance, whether in 2D or 3D. And I appreciate the amount of hard work that goes into making these creations spring to life.

And I have an open mind: I know when the CRJ comes out that the X-Plane axis is going to tilt wildly out of control. We'll all be amazed, and I can't wait! And Goran with the 74/2! Tom and the King Air...

Really, if you think about it, years of innovation and hard work are set to yield huge improvements to the X-P environment. The next year should be amazing.

Anyway. Hope our 380 review was helpful.

chipsim7

[Pituca]

Hi Guys,

I took the opportunity to register here, in order to offer you a more direct wire, and to respond to the one or other point visibly to all.

For sure I'm glad and proud of Chip's review. When he says things like "the best in x.plane...", I am a bit surprised, since I have seen excellent work from others, in particular some new upcomimg projects, which look breathtaking. And most of the planes published I don't even know. So for my part I can't tell where realization of which feature is the best and in which model. But if Chip feels this way, I am happy and the last to correct him...

However I don't think one should compare the interior lighting of a 3D panel with the one of a 2D panel. They are very much different in construction and appearance, as well as in the optical impression and the "feel" they generate.

Responding to Cameron I want to clarify one technical detail: LIT-textures are not in use anymore in the actual 2D panel lighting system, though the old technique is still supported, if installed. I only use daylight textures, which get their shading by a shadow layer, and their luminosity by the ambient light and/or light sources. XP supports up to 3 indipendantly adjustable lighting layers, also defined by mask layers, each covering the entire panel. These are the means by which I created the illumination effects, not using a single LIT-texture. - Another thing is construction of light emitting objects, mostly instruments, but also backlit labels and luminiscent light reflections, in particular those above the monitor displays. They have GLASS (instrument) lighting assigned, in rare cases I assign ADDITIVE lighting to old, non-generic instruments, which permits usage of one LIT layer in combination with the others, which acts almost like GLASS. I even am dispensing with the BACKLIT lighting mode for generecs, which also uses a LIT texture, in favor of an additional GLASS item showing the emitted light. Those light emitting objects can be individually assigned to a knob which does the dimming from zero to max. 24 such knobs are available. I used just a few. So you can adjust brightness of each display unit, instrument or group of instruments individually. - Combination of a light emmiting generic object (e.g. a reading light) with a lighting layer, allows to build your brilliant light source (lamp) independantly from it's "shine", which puts a spot on the panel and slightly lightens the entire cockpit a bit. Put the 2 control knobs one above the other, only one visible, and you get the light source and it's emitted light dimmed together.

Since the mainstream is focusing on 3D panels, I think this very powerful, new 2D lighting system has not been noticed by many aircraft authors.

[Simmo W]

thanks so much for replying Peter! my head has just imploded...

I'll copy this text to the Blog, really interesting and underlines how much work goes into such apparently simple things.

simon

[Oliver]

Wonderful Review! Bought the plane the first day it came out and been loving it ever since