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Earlier this year I checked through all the libs I have used to create gizmo and am confident that all of them will work when compiled as 64bit. Now that laminar have begun releasing 64bit builds I finally have a real reason to install v10 so that I can build and test against it.

Gentlemen and Ladies, With the exeption of VERY tiny adjustments, the MU2 1.5 update work has been completed and we are rolling into packaging and some marketing stuffs, the logistics of which can take a while. Here's a list of 'major' what's new since V 1.1.1. There are numbers minor adjustments for the sake of reliability and usability. To remind everyone, this is for version 10 only, free for existing customers....and taking advantage of the latest goodies and bug fixes V10 has. This is the last "major overhaul" for the Version 1.0 run. New 3D instruments and higher resolution graphics New Attitude Indicator with mechanical flight director bars New altimeter and higher resolution texture for more legibility New clock More refined altitude set action with rolling digits New Garmin GTX 330 transponder simulation New ADF with 3-tier setting knobs audio switches for com/nav/adf/mkr/dme working Independent use of CoPilot HSI, coupled to Nav 2 [*]Fire warning systems and suppression implemented [*]Several new liveries added [*]New Custom master caution annunciator system implemented [*]New fuel management system with accurate transfer and engine/fuel cut off mechanisms [*]Convenient pre-set initializations so you can just almost just "get in and go" for starting with engines running [*]All new night lighting for immersive experience [*]Animated windshield wipers (actuate with overhead switch) [*]VS and IAS autopilot modes implemented along with others [*]Autopilot disconnect switch on the yoke works [*]Animated trim switch on yoke to conincide with trim commands...you'll see this when you actuate your joystick trim [*]More refined electrical simulation. [*]Almost all overhead switches wired up correctly (no fasten seat belt or no smoking dings) but anti-ice implemented [*]In HDR rendering mode, new 3D lighting for wing ice light, gear warning lights and real wingtip taxi lighting. [*]New installation and easy, painless activation system. A special thanks goes out to Jan (litjan) of the IXEG 737 team for beta testing...he's a 1-man beta testing wrecking crew and if there's somthing to be found, he'll find it. Another special thanks to Ben Russell and his Gizmo middleware scripting language. It's introduction has had a few bumps but its power and ease of use holds great promise. It's changing the face of simulation abilities for x-plane and we will all see this soon. And here's a picture of about a 99.5% final result look...in the daytime. (A bit more texture adjustments still) More screenshots will follow at release.

This will be a running thread to keep people informed of my update work on the MU-2. I haven't done this before because frankly, the tools and methods to change the MU-2 was intense enough that I haven't been ready to address it for almost a year now. Well with another year of experiences, trials and errors, enormous help from other individuals like Ben Russell, I'm about ready to begin the MU-2 update process on the road to version 2.0. Does this mean I'm going to skip a 1.2 update? possibly. If I think I can redo the whole cockpit quick enough..yes I'll skip right over 1.2 and go for a heavily revamped version 2.0. "Redo the whole cockpit...did i hear that right?". Yes you did. Nils wonderful BK-117 helicopter..available at x-plane.org has demonstrated just how cool a fully 3D pit can be. The MU-2 only used a few true 3D instruments like the HSI because over half of it was already completed in Version 8, 2D type of technology. I always wanted to make fully 3D gauges with clearer numbers and better interaction. The interior lighting model isn't accurate, the fuses aren't even there. Well the tech to revamp all this stuff and bring it "up to par" is in place in x-plane and thanks to Mr. Russell, I have some tools I need to tackle the task. So then, I'm going to rebuild the cockpit, add some more features, clean up the plug-in and then release an update..and here's where you can read about the work. First order of business is to prepare the 3D instrumentation to build the panel. I began with a true mechanical attitude indicator to replace the "lazy" EFIS unit that's in there now. I had wanted to do this originally, but time constraints and lack of resources kept me from it...no more. Do keep in mind that I'm working on 3 projects for 2010 in addition to some contract work. This revamp will start a bit slow, but will build steam rather quickly. Since I'll be reusing so much artwork from the original MU-2, things should progress quite quickly.....so I'll post here simply for folks curiosity as well as my occasional need to just do something other than model stuff.

I would be absolutely amazed if Gizmo doesn't work with 64-bit. It's a very important element to all X-A's products, including the IXEG737.

More work today.....very satisfied with everything so. I'm well past the "stalling point" I found myself in a year ago and have the Moo in beta testing with Jan, the IXEG 737 tech advisor. He's already found a few things and there are yet a few things left to implement, but nothing near as serious as what I dealt with a year ago. Once the update goes out, I'll keep an eye out for the obvious bugs that need to be squashed but once it seems robust and reliable, I'll call the version 1 run over and work on new 3D for version 2.0. No time frame on that of course. Tom K