[03MAR15] PMDG's First Product for XPlane...

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Captains-

 

Tonight I am going to solve two mysteries with one forum post... 

 

For the past couple of years, we have mentioned that we are working on our first product for XPlane, but that the product was being developed slowly, as a sandbox exercise so that PMDG's Xplane Development Team could learn to work with, and adapt our existing capabilities to make them function well in the popular Xplane flight simulator by Laminar Research.  We have told you repeatedly that we were going to "keep this one in close hold" while we worked through the development and learning process, so as to give the development team the freedom they need to really dig deep and learn what is an entirely new platform to us in nearly all regards.

 

During the same period of time, we have been rather mum on the progress forward after our January 2012 announcement regarding the DC-6 for FSX...

 

So tonight, I would like to share with you the very latest on the PMDG Classics DC-6B by showing you images of this fine new classic airliner simulation in a platform for which PMDG has never previously shown a product:  Xplane, by Laminar Research!

 

 

 

Amazingly- in spite of the fact that I have deflected a few hundred requests for information on both projects, it apparently wasn't easy to put together 3+3 and came up with DC-6 for Xplane...  (Which really is astounding given how many really whacked out conjecture theories there are out there about PMDG...  one of the latest being that we apparently control AVSim?  Yeah...  Right...  Has **anyone** in this forum ever tried to tell Tom Allensworth what to do?  As we used to say at my line:  "Good Luck with that.")

 

Okay- back to the point of this evening's post....  :ph34r:

 

To start with tonight, I would like to share with you some highly detailed preview preview images of the new PMDG Classics DC-6B for Xplane!

 

 

 

The PMDG Classics DC-6B is the lead off product in a new breed of products for PMDG that will bring some "old school" aviation to our product lines for Xplane, FSX and Prepar3D.  This product will drop for XPlane first- but shortly after will release for FSX and Prepar3D as well- making it the first PMDG product to appear on three different simulation platforms.  (We count FSX and FSX-SE as a single platform...)

 

 

 

With a couple of years in development, we have succeeded in bringing together a simulation of this magnificent and beautiful airplane that will satisfy even the most detail oriented classic airliner nut.  From an exquisitely detailed exterior model, accurate sounds recorded using a live DC-6, a meticulously scaled and created virtual cockpit, authentic aircraft system simulation down to the finest and grittiest details- we think this simulation is going to give pure joy to anyone looking for something a bit different than the standard "Gear Up LNAV-VNAV" of modern airliners.

 

 

 

Take a moment to soak in how much "stuff" us contained in this one panel view...

 

In typical PMDG style- all of this works... and all of it works correctly and realistically.

 

The fuel system in this simulation includes accurately modeled tanks, fuel scuppers, cross-feed and engine/fuel sourcing management...   Engine behaviors will depend upon correct use of engine mixtures, temperature controls and throttles.  Fuel consumption matches book values and the longevity and usefulness of those four powerplants will depend very much on your correct application of power, mixture and RPM!  This is a sophisticated airliner poised with one foot in the golden era and another at the doorstep of the jet age...   And she will make you earn her respect!

 

 

Everything you see here is modeled...  As usual, we haven't just mapped some switch movements to default actions within Xplane (and FSX and P3D) we have created a living, breathing simulation of the airplane in which actions and non actions have consequences.  Our simulation of this classic airliner will teach you to listen to what your airplane is telling you- but from an audio experience, but also visually....

 

Is there a sudden, slight vibration rippling through the panel?  You may want to figure out why- and get the situation back into conformity before the airplane decides she needs to teach you a costly lesson in inattentive airmanship!  (Because she will!)

 

 

As with our modern airliner series, the PMDG Classics DC-6B for Xplane will come to you with a complete and accurate aircraft operating manual, complete with tips, tricks and techniques recommended to real world DC-6 captains by Douglas Aircraft in order to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the airplane.

 

Rather than simply model a "from an old manual" DC-6, however, we sent a crew to Namibia to do our engineering survey, photo mapping and sound recording with the operation of one of the worlds finest passenger carrying DC-6s still in active operation.  As such, ours comes with a "modern" stack of radios (okay... if you call the 80s modern....) and a WAAS capable Garmin GPS to help you navigate the complex airspace of modern VATSIM and IVAO...   (I'm lost without GPS... I'll admit it... :unsure: )

 

Once again, everything you see here works...  Emergency and backup systems.. annunciators, indicators, needles, handles, lights...  it is all there...

 

The needles providing you indication are modeled to accurately reflect the motion of their real world counterparts- which gives the cockpit a true sense of living- and can really give you something to work for if one of those big radials starts belching and backfiring and shaking the airplane like a tin can full of pebbles!

 

 

The PMDG Classics DC-6B for Xplane will have something we have not yet put into any previous PMDG product to date:  Circuit breaker level functionality accessible to pilots.  (In FSX/P3D putting this many click spots into the airplane takes about 20fps... so we simply haven't bothered...  Xplane, however- has no such resource connection to the click spots- and it has given us the freedom to give you the opportunity to really mess up your afternoon!)

 

 

Some of you may know- all of us at PMDG are classic airliner nuts.  We just love the smell of avgas, hot oil and well run radial engines- so it seemed like a great idea to make the DC-6 our first full project for release in the Xplane platform.

 

(Speaking of oil...  your engines will consume oil at realistic rates during flight...so take care of those engines and mind the pressures and temperatures, because abuse causes oil consumption to go up- and you do not want to pay for any more of that stuff than you have to, trust us!)

 

 

Okay- so there you have her...   PMDG's first project for Xplane, and a full update on progress forward with the DC-6B!

 

We are in the process of prepping the Xplane edition for beta testing- which we anticipate taking a bit longer than our normal beta process simply because we are going to be discovering some things with Xplane that I am sure we won't run into with FSX and P3D, since we know those platforms pretty well already.

 

Once we have the Xplane version into beta testing- we will cut the beta team loose to show you as much or as little as they like- but be prepared for some enthusiasm because this old girl is a four-throttled-fist-full-of-fun that brings all new meaning to "don't get behind the airplane!"

 

Okay- let me go see if we can convince henning to bring the flight test ship back from the air-to-air photoshoot....  Another guy you cannot tell what to do.  B)

 

 

[Ryann 0]

Day 1 buy for me. The dc-6b will be my first add on for x-plane ever and i'm probably not the only one.

Thanks for the update.

[brendan19 0]

Nice! hope the xplane users enjoy.

[docdon 4]

WOW!!  What a stunningly beautiful airplane.  It's sad that I don't have XPlane.  (at least the new one).  BUT, , ,i'll be awaiting the FSX version.  Makes my belly tickle. 

[PinkJackal 86]

I'll buy this just for support!!

I will wait for a proper airliner from PMDG, pls make it quick!!

[dgraham1284 92]

Looks like I may actually start using X-Plane.  The level of detail here is, how do I put it... Stunning. 

[wedgantilles 76]

Really looking great. Definitelly going to get it though I'm a bit worried with four engine throttles and mixtures that it might get a bit difficult to get everything setup properly. But I'm sure I'll manage somehow.

 

Hoping to get the PMDG experience on X-plane soon

[Skinna001 0]

#Post edited by myself once i realised how wrong i was#

 

Cheers.

[whoispankaj 51]

whoah

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

I feared this would happen.

 

<removed rest of commentary because it is logically flawed>

 

Cheers.

 

Matt-

 

No- this is not an accurate statement- and your fears are founded in your misunderstanding of what we are doing, not in the reality of how we operate.  I have said all along that we were working on a sandbox project in order to learn how to develop for Xplane.

 

What better sandbox project than to take a project that we are already creating for the love of the airplane, and use that as our learning tool?

 

Just this once give us the benefit of the doubt that we are pretty good at what we do- and we wouldn't invest tens of thousands of developer hours and the costs associated with development in order to "experiment with marketing numbers" on a platform....

 

That would be just plane... erm... plain foolish.

 

Seriously- this isn't our first trip to the Rodeo... We know quite a bit of about the marketplace and where it stands- what we don't (or...didn't) know is how to take OUR core logic and move it into Xplane...

 

and THAT is what this project is all about.

[CaptKornDog 281]

Nicely done so far.

[cteneyck 0]

Holy Cow, I'm freaking out. 

 

A few weeks ago i bought x-plane and today, that purchase confirmed it's value.  

[Skinna001 0]

Matt-

 

No- this is not an accurate statement. I have said all along that we were working on a sandbox project in order to learn how to develop for Xplane.

 

Just this once give us the benefit of the doubt that we are pretty good at what we do- and we wouldn't invest tens of thousands of developer hours and the costs associated with development in order to "experiement with marketing numbers" on a platform....

 

That would be just plane... erm... plain foolish.

 

Seriously- this isn't our first trip to the Rodeo... LOL

I didnt think you were that silly

 

Maybe my memory has sufferd in the last year, (i blame beer) but im more than happy to stand corrected, put my hand up and say i was wrong with my train of though.

 

No doubt you have carefully planned for the future, it just tricky seeing it from this side of the fence.

 

But by poking the bear so to speak, and getting a detailed response, i can get a fair idea what the future holds, and im quite happy about what i see.

 

Thanks for the clarification Boss, and the time and effort spent on a something new that can be nothing but a benefit for the entire flightsim community, much appreciated.

 

 

Cheers

[dm123 19]

Well I guess I need to buy a copy of X-Plane now! I love classic airliners.... so much more character than anything else out there!

 

Since it eats FPS, do you anticipate removing the circuit breakers from the FSX version? Or will it be included in a 2d panel?

[MarioDonick 752]

Very beautiful aircraft and good choice! Will definitely buy it.

 

(But I really wish Laminar would enable reflections on aircraft models, even if they were just fake reflections like in FSX. The outside model of the DC-6 will probably look much more convincing in FSX/P3D than in X-Plane where all aircraft look like plastics)

 

Mario Donick