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Ok, after we've had our fun with our April Fool's joke on the Saab, it's time to bring you all up to speed with what is happening...including Citation progress. As Cameron already mentioned, systems are complete on the Saab (they have been for a little while) and all we have left is adding the custom sounds. I'm still working on the manual, however, Theo and Jim had nothing to do on the Saab, so we all decided to get started on the Citation until we get a new build of Gizmo. So here's a couple of snaps of the Citation as it is for the moment.

Okay, now that April Fool's is over, it's time to show off some more shots! Today we're announcing a new variant of the Saab 340A: Cargo! This variant will be included free of charge with the base package for all Saab 340A customers! It includes the cargo interior as well as a few liveries. We have a few more surprises in store on this project too, so stay tuned there! Programming on this product for all the systems has come to an end. We have been internally beta testing the Saab, and will soon move onto sounds once some final items are put in place with the Gizmo core. At that point we'll be expanding our beta to a few Saab 340 pilots (real world), after which it's release time. All this said, we still have a lot to show you ahead, and we're really excited about it! Enjoy the Cargo variant previews!

Okay, you guys were tough to crack on April 1, but now I got ya. April Fools! Enjoy the new previews!

If that doesn't make you want to punch babies in joy then I don't know what will...

So here's what's happening. The Saab is still being worked on. Quite a bit of work in the programming department has already been done on it, as well as re-modeling and re-texturing some of the cockpit that was done in the 2nd half of last year. I'll post screenshots soon. DC-3 update is in the works. Mainly updates in code. Flight model has had a few changes made along with a few cosmetic changes and bug fixes The 747-200 and -400 are still moving forward but they are long term projects and a lot has been happening on those in recent months. Don't want to elaborate on that just yet. I really want to, and plan on finishing the Hawker 4000, but it will need quite a lot of programming and an FMC. I was almost prepared to just add some kind of basic FMC, but after talking to Cameron and Theo about it, we all agreed it needs to be done properly. So the Hawker 4000 is just on hold until we can get it programmed properly. So, after making a bunch of prop aircraft, and while Theo was busy texturing the DC-3, I had very little to do, so I started work on a Cessna Citation II sometime in November last year. It's quite far along now and shouldn't take much longer to finish.

We do not have a concrete date set, but at current progress maybe early summer! Getting around to testing out liveries.

Hey guys! Edit: filled-up all the beta-tester places

Yes, both the terrain and the streets, railroads, lakes, forests, positions and types of autogen are based on OSM. From time to time, in XP updates also the OSM data will be updated. If you want to know how autogen works internally, I suggest reading this extremly informative article: http://xsimreviews.com/2011/12/10/developer-interview-andras-fabian-mr-x-terrain/ With night textures I mean the lightning of the buildings at night.

HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!! Very nice Cameron!

I am just getting serious for XP. I've had versions from 5 to current release. And so glad to stumble over what could have been a heartbreak of flightsim news. This hobby will send you to your death if you let it. I appreciate the dedication of all developers.

Cargooo ..

Hey! Post more photos/videos, You almost kill me with that two posts! hahahah BTW My credit card is prepared!

Well. I was actually thinking: "Might this second post be just another trap?" but came to the conclusion: "No. Such jokes can be really bad for marketing" (as seen in the past, when website gog.com said they would close down). Then you got me.

It needed you second post to get me, but. … still a nice one

This looks saaaweeeeeet! So excited, guys!

LOL. Sorry dude, but that's stretchin' our skills! Thanks for the compliments!

WHAT?? hahaha. You guys had me completely fooled Cameron. For some reason this one felt more real than what the dozens of others that x-planers tried yesterday.

LOL this was an april fools joke

Some more impressions of the groundtraffic at LPMA for the next release. It is only the traffic for one plane - traffic for more planes still to come.

Afternoon flight overlooking the Harry L. Englebright Lake in the steep and rugged Yuba River canyon of the Sierra Nevada foothills. The Englebright dam is in the foreground with Lake Wildwood in the distance to the right.

Some new impressions of the next update (W.I.P.) - a lot of consecutive screenshots :

That is amazing. I need to get V10. Now

Totally Chris, I couldn't agree more, 3rd party development drives innovation within X-Plane......That is what I like about the platform. Well I got the info out there and now it is time to finish this product.... Here is another one at dusk showing how normal maps help with shadows. The new normals are more subtle but have more of an impact then you may realize.... And for Tom, I have cut down the color saturation in the glacier textures and cut down the intensity of the normal maps. The textures now follow the slope of the mountain as well.....I love it, still different from the surrounding textures but it seems more in context with the overall scene....THANKS! And under the right lighting conditions the glaciers still maintain an "icy" appearance.... WinterMAXX is really starting to become more than I imagined it could be....super duper excited about it

You might be on to something there, but colors in glaciers are not all the visible from the air but rather light dependant during the course of daylight. I have walk several times on glacier here in Norway, and I can honestly say that it is not many times I have seen coloring except from underneath the galcier it self (tunneling) But anyway, in game I think you are allmost there, purhaps a slight less saturation on the cyan?

Last one for tonight:

Did you ever fly BELOW a runway (will be possible in the next update - still some things to fix)?

Hi Goran, saw one of these flying when I was staying Melbourne, Aussie....loud small and fast! If Just Planes releases anything from their catalogue like they are intending to with the 800x then maybe they might get the Connie converted as well?? Slainte, Andy NZCH