Simmo W

Really enjoying getting more into blender! Does that mean I'm getting sick? or sicker as some might say? I never thought I'd admit it, but the Blender interface is starting to grow on me, very quick once you get the hang of it! What I really like about the program is that it's so deep yet integrated, so once you learn one aspect, it's applicable to another area later. So the learning curve, while steep, evens out a bit later.

Ha, this is entertaining. Now our blog gets some preview shots too. As long time supporters, it was very nice to receive these. Great times for xplane, its devs and promoters. X-Aviation planes will look sweet in this new world! Actually, anything will. http://xplane10.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/the-news-heard-round-the-ramps-for-28-october-2011/

Rhydian, that is insane! Very nice. Can u make me an F16 version? :-)

Haven't flown anything for days! Just Forum hopping!

OMG Tom. That is ridiculous. Yeah, I've been surprised at the relative lack of celebration and talk at what should be an Xplane hub. Oh well. I'll go over and have a look.

Nice Ola! You can certainly see the difference in those planes, that little GA really battled with the crosswinds, and the jet...looked as fast as...a jet. That's one very good lens there.

Arti, I use the mouse for slow camera movements, it can move very gradually except at extreme zooms. You can use pilot view to set up a Dolly for panning shots. I've watched that video 4 times now! It'll do me for now.

Ha, well it's in a prominent position! That tower needs decoration, ugly.

Arti you are too picky, too early. I found the video incredible, for what it revealed. A really plausible skyline, and oh, the roads and houses, marvelous. Yes the fps was choppy and yes the camerawork was truly awful (me thinks it was Austin, engineers are like that, just the facts!). But I'm ecstatic he's able to show parts of the puzzle coming together already. Plenty of time to optimize. I didn't mind the camera work really, coz it showed what is happening. Ooh, just wait for a dusk scene with dynamic lighting!! I gotta calm down.. Simon

good one Nicola! Hadn't thought of that. What about a swap, a couple of hardly used Collins Class diesel powered submarines (just don't ask why they'rehardly used), for your F35s. Still, it'd take us 5 yrs to recruit and train enough pilots, only to have them all poached by the airlines

'Crash 8', very funny Andy! Ken over at the FSN posted a great list of aircraft nicknames, I think I found it here, it's a major laugh! Mu-2 is appropriate - 'Widow Maker, Hiroshima Screamer, Rice Rocket, Kill You - 2' Back to topic, flew Conex's great new R22 over Oahu, it's a great heli and I'm getting used to it surprisingly well.

Wikipedia says only 13 f35s have been built for testing. Aren't those Superhornets the stop-gap before Oz gets our F35s? Ha, I hear they'll be awhile coming, so by then you'll be able to buy hundreds of these on EBay (PayPal preferred) http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_Avenger

That was funny. So our 20 Super Hornets can invade you and take revenge on NZ for our Rugby World Cup loss? I always guffaw when I see the stats on the US airforce/navy/marines. Thousands of one type, for each branch of the armed forces.

Just saw this on twitter, wow, one is loud enough, but 20! Over Brisbane. Here to protect the latest iphone imports. Seriously, this probably is the majority of our airforce capacity right now. Not that it matters, the order for the 20,000 mini-drones will come in time.

I like your pics Luis! What's that big one in the first and last pic?

That mustve been a great flight!

Chip just posted a corker of an R22 montage in Part 2 of the coverage of this bird at our blog. Thought it was worth sharing! [

very funny! So the wind's fairly strong over there?

Woah, nice! Excellent reflections. Lots more please, since I won't be playing it! Here's what I played today, on our new iPhone 4S. Real Racing 2, runs very nicely. Amazing, borderline PS2 quality and I know this was released awhile ago for the 'old' 4. All this on a phone? Crazy. Better damage effects than GT5

Forza looks awesome, coming from a ps fanboy that's sayin something! If MS made an Xbox mini I'd get one tomorrow just for that game.

Yes Ben, there are a few videos, the best are available from the Sketchup site (funny about that). But I found decent texturing tutes to be almost non-existent, just one quick french one from what I recall. Kaphias - you didn't just do that in the last hr?! I bet Tom will say the door is too detailed though.. I always had to be brutal with Chip's designs, the eraser tool was my friend

Sketchup is easy to learn, moderate to become proficient. Try my 2 tutorials, if u can understand my accent.. http://xplane10.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/scenery-tutorial-sketchup-is-too-easy/

That's the one Ola, you'd be good at that. Ha, it's worse than I remember- one of the most distinctive in the world. Built in time for the Sydney Olympics.

Tom, all our KMMH was built with sketchup, check that out. Chip built all the structures, I edited to simplify (you'll see what I mean when he sends you his other files..) and then I textured (the default su texture method does not use one single file). My textures were far too high res, but I wanted to explore limits.. I like the idea re. Top 50 towers! With the Lego approach, such an idea will make each major distinctive. Luckily the YSSY Sydney tower looks a B#%*+ to do, so Goran might do that for his home airport. If he thinks he has the skills.. :-) or maybe just Camden, that's a top 50?