PMDG J4100 has VC raindrops

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

Title says it all - why is this done on this aircraft - why cant it be done on others ? - just asking

[kdfw__ 542]

simple, performance vs. visuals. ra tduke also has vc rain drops as well.

[Slayer 190]

(abbreviated version)

 

It is done on others like Realair Duke. The problem is that the old way is basically a slide show animation and not supported in FSX , it's a holdover from FS9 and will work with aircraft from that sim in FSX with a utility.

 

FSX native models can't use that stock effect from FS9 and MS never made a stock effect for FSX. No one wanted to spend any development time on window effects because it had to be coded into the model. 

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

(abbreviated version)

 

It is done on others like Realair Duke.

 

Thanks didnt realize its hard coded in the model - well that explains it - to bad looks awesome forgot how much immersion it adds - its a shame its not implemented anymore

 

Didnt know that about the duke - no wonder so many really like it 

[hopskip 253]

It's a virtual cockpit animation which I believe actually chews up several movements.

 

PMDG 737 and 777 are at the maximum VC animations.

 

Virtual Cockpit animations are not the same as external model animations. You could remove the external model's ability to animate flaps, and still not gain anything in the Virtual Cockpit.

 

In the 737, the HUD does some strange things to the window too, so it was literally "HUD or Rain effects, can't have both".

 

The 777 is at maximum VC animations, so it's to the point of "Which buttons don't you want to animate?"
Each button in the 777 is animated with several motions. Have a good look when you press an overhead (black) button. The button indents, and the indicator light cover slides open or shut during the process of indenting..

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

In the 737, the HUD does some strange things to the window too, so it was literally "HUD or Rain effects, can't have both".

 

 

 

I would opt for vc rain over hud - never use it

 

Good info on the workings in the VC - thanks - just happen to bump into a youtube video of the J4100 and boy the vc rain looked good - I actually bought it but never got to use it as most my time was spent in NGX

[William J.S.S 173]

That is one plane I hope of all hopes that PMDG releases a model for P3D....I would pay $100 for my JS4100 to function in P3Dv2....

 

One can wish right

?

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

That is one plane I hope of all hopes that PMDG releases a model for P3D....I would pay $100 for my JS4100 to function in P3Dv2....

 

One can wish right

?

 

Yah Bill I wouldn't put money on that one as you will be a bit poorer - think about it (NGX - T777 - new 747) top priorities and Their top money makers - so you might just want to take that money to the casino your chances would be better

 

[Avantime 81]

It seems unfortunate that PMDG would model animations for switches we seldom touch  (e.g. TAC switch on the 777, the oxygen regulator etc) but not things that would add much more immersion in normal operation, such as VC rain effects. Inoperative side windows also irks me a bit.

 

A lot of times I don't even know if it's raining in FSX because there are no windscreen rain effects, and it happens a lot at night. I would definitely pay extra if such an effect is made possible in FSX.

[~Craig~ 10]

Yes this is an area where the latest version of Train Simulator (2014) puts FSX and P3D to shame. Rain effects in TS2014 are stunning.    

 

Hard to believe that MS "back stepped" and removed rain effects from FSX, when they were present in FS9.

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

Yes this is an area where the latest version of Train Simulator (2014) puts FSX and P3D to shame. Rain effects in TS2014 are stunning.    

 

Hard to believe that MS "back stepped" and removed rain effects from FSX, when they were present in FS9.

 

Tonight I am going to throw a bucket of water on my screen see if that helps    

[ckyliu 1,749]

It's because Jetstream 41 pilots are just better than other pilots, so we get better effects

 

In all seriousness, this has been discussed ad nauseam in many other threads and the conclusion is always the same; developers tend not to do it in airliners because of the performance hit. PMDG implemented the effect in the Jetstream 41 and decided the cons outweighed the pros, hence it not being included in in the NGX or T7.

 

If you want to know the detailed reasons behind the exclusion of the rain effect on subsequent models, I would strongly recommend reading this post: http://forum.avsim.net/topic/447856-pmdg-no-rain-effect-on-windshield/#entry3044048

 

It seems unfortunate that PMDG would model animations for switches we seldom touch  (e.g. TAC switch on the 777, the oxygen regulator etc) but not...  VC rain effects.

Unfortunately it's 32 polys per window to get the rain effect (see above link), so you'd have to lose quite a few details/animations. And that's before you consider the performance penalties.

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

Thanks for link

[~Craig~ 10]

Tonight I am going to throw a bucket of water on my screen see if that helps    

 

Perhaps an expensive test, Richard! 

[n4gix 4,947]

Unfortunately it's 32 polys per window to get the rain effect (see above link), so you'd have to lose quite a few details/animations. And that's before you consider the performance penalties.

The number of polygons that are required for each window could range anywhere from one (assuming a flat, rectangular 'glass') to "very many" if the 'glass' is curved, and the corners are rounded...

 

As an extreme example of "very many" the most complex bit of 'glass' I've ever created was the windscreen for an SR22 and consisted of 236 polygons! That would have meant 7,778 polygons for a full-court "vc rain" just for the forward windscreen, never mind the four side windows and the rear window...

 

The actual set for the FS9 version that did include "VC Rain" came to: (32 + 1) x 1002 = 33,066 polygons, nearly one fourth of the entire model's budgeted polygon count.