Developer Diary 294 - Discussion

[afluth]

Wow! They look great! Can't wait to see them in action

[Avyx]

Thanks God, new clouds 

[J2_Bidu]

Fantastic job! They look amazing.

[JG27_Mainz]

Better graphics for clouds with no impact to performance? Sounds like a solid win all around.

[No.23_Gaylion]

Well God damn. Those shots look amazing. Great job!

[LeLv30_Redwing-]

Looks amazing...and also great to see Devs joining forces with talented community members, way to go! Congrats rowdyb00t ?

[ColoniaLibre]

Absolutely great pictures and a fantastic work. Localized rain showers are also a wonderful feature. ?

Will be there also localized snowing possible on winter maps?

 

It would be cool if there would be slight turbulence while flying through the clouds.

 

Are there any further graphic updates planned in the future? I would like to see more of that. ?

[sevenless]

With local rain showers. Fantastic!

 

[RNAS10_Mitchell]

Very cool. ?

[Falcon41]

My first reaction was WOW.  Thanks team for all your hard and satisfying work.  KUDOS

[[DBS]TH0R]

Looking good! ?

[Mysticpuma]

Thanks for a great update.
Can I ask a question please?
Is this a complete new cloud system? My biggest issue with the current cloud system is that when the clouds are overcast and the light is at a low angle, significant lines can be seen in the clouds.

 

 

I know not everyone sees it but I do. Simply asking is this a new technology that will mean this no longer happens?

Thanks in advance and appreciate your work on this ?

[Jade_Monkey]

Looking spiffy!

 

I really admire the ability to work with talented individuals from the community. I think past collaborations turned out great (thinking of 4K cockpits and PWCG among many others).

 

Some questions/thoughts:

• I read a lot of RAF operational reports and often they had to turn back once they reached the continent because clouds were 10/10 over the target. Can the cloud templates for the Normandy map have something like that where the weather in the UK is different than over continental Europe?
• Is it correct to conclude from some pictures that the rain is getting a revision? the canopy drops look great but the external view might need a bit of an update.
• Will there be movnig fronts? or are they static?

[7.GShAP/Silas]

Great work made even more remarkable because of the limited resources at your disposal, very much looking forward to it.

[Yo-Yo_Kirby]

IL-2 now joins a trend of sims with updated graphics. This drastic change to graphical fidelity began with FS2020. War Thunder got a massive overhaul three months later, but that depends if you count that as a sim. DCS joined it on May 2021 in the stable beta. Those others may have performed for better or worse. Now IL-2, which is considered by some to be the best air combat simulation that strikes a balance between fidelity and accessibility, joins this new era of high graphical fidelity. Flight simulation is really making a resurgence these days, and these new clouds will be part of the driving force behind attracting more people in.

IL-2 now joins a trend of sims with updated graphics. This drastic change to graphical fidelity began with FS2020. War Thunder got a massive overhaul three months later, but that depends if you count that as a sim. DCS joined it on May 2021 in the stable beta. Those others may have performed for better or worse. Now IL-2, which is considered by some to be the best air combat simulation that strikes a balance between fidelity and accessibility, joins this new era of high graphical fidelity. Flight simulation is really making a resurgence these days, and these new clouds will be part of the driving force behind attracting more people in.

[G_Schwarz]

congrats rowdyb00t amazing work

 

Edited September 23, 2021 by HBG-G_Schwarz

[JLean]

☁️⛅?️

? Great work. Looks really good improvement. 

 

 JLean

[Missionbug]

Those screens are excellent.

 

I am glad to see rowdyb00t will be working with your team on this, his work is excellent, sadly for me using his mod reduces my FPS to around 40 which is no good for gameplay so to have the same fidelity but with my machine able to use them would be awesome.

 

Currently I just use the existing stock clouds which are still superb but it will be great to have some variety, hopefully you will also be able to get rid of some of the existing ugly effects already mentioned and all is good.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Wishing you all the very best, Pete.

[Elem]

Do any of them have a Silver lining?

[Ala13_UnopaUno_VR]

I adore This DD, this week there have been changes that fall in love, I do not doubt that Battle of Normandy is going to be one of the best approaches and it is seen that they are making an effort.As for the Virtual Reality guys, will we notice changes with respect to the monitor? Are you considering a review of the SkyDomes as well? Sun, moon and stars, rain drops and snow drops?Good job everyone!

Edited September 23, 2021 by Ala13_UnopaUno_VR

[ShamrockOneFive]

35 minutes ago, Mysticpuma said:

Thanks for a great update.
Can I ask a question please?
Is this a complete new cloud system? My biggest issue with the current cloud system is that when the clouds are overcast and the light is at a low angle, significant lines can be seen in the clouds.

 

 

I know not everyone sees it but I do. Simply asking is this a new technology that will mean this no longer happens?

Thanks in advance and appreciate your work on this ?

 

Everyone should be able to see that. It's pretty clear.

 

The overcast cloud technology is different from the rest of the cloud technology that's currently in the sim. It does stand out as being not quite as good as the rest. I'm betting that the new system will entirely replace everything including overcast. Here's hoping anyways!

[IRRE_Axurit]

Very very good job, this simulator will really have a different aspect with its clouds.
I hope there will be some big, powerful thunderstorm clouds that are best avoided.

 

 

[ZachariasX]

Beautiful and surely a huge step forward. I surely made no secret of how much I value a plausible evironment and I must say I am very impressed how this sim world is progressing.

 

I don't know how much current tech allows a more "solid" looks of clouds as it was mentioned above, clouds actually should cast shadows on themselves and aircraft can cast shadows on clouds. This much improves the 3D landscape clouds can provide. But as said, this is really looking nice.

 

Great job and thanks to both the team and @rowdyb00t for the continuing work.

[Noisemaker]

36 minutes ago, Yo-Yo_Kirby said:

IL-2 now joins a trend of sims with updated graphics. This drastic change to graphical fidelity began with FS2020. War Thunder got a massive overhaul three months later, but that depends if you count that as a sim. DCS joined it on May 2021 in the stable beta. Those others may have performed for better or worse. Now IL-2, which is considered by some to be the best air combat simulation that strikes a balance between fidelity and accessibility, joins this new era of high graphical fidelity. Flight simulation is really making a resurgence these days, and these new clouds will be part of the driving force behind attracting more people in.

IL-2 now joins a trend of sims with updated graphics. This drastic change to graphical fidelity began with FS2020. War Thunder got a massive overhaul three months later, but that depends if you count that as a sim. DCS joined it on May 2021 in the stable beta. Those others may have performed for better or worse. Now IL-2, which is considered by some to be the best air combat simulation that strikes a balance between fidelity and accessibility, joins this new era of high graphical fidelity. Flight simulation is really making a resurgence these days, and these new clouds will be part of the driving force behind attracting more people in.

You can say that again!

27 minutes ago, Elem said:

Do any of them have a Silver lining?

The ones with the P-38s, P-47s, and P-51s diving out of them?

 

[Avimimus]

2 hours ago, [CPT]Crunch said:

Any chance of low level fog banks and ground blizzards with blowing snow in windy conditions?

 

I love blowing snow near the ground IRL... but the fact is that it only happens in exposed areas (and at the tops of drifts)... so it'd have to interact with the terrain bumps in a way that understands flow patterns to look realistic. IMHO, this sim already has the most convincing winter landscapes and lighting (although after one of the recent updates, the snow is too deep sometimes - it'd be neat of have a transitional early spring with partly open rivers and shallow or missing snow on one map someday). But as I said - from the perspective of a Canadian, the winters are best done by Russians and this team does a better job than most Russians.  They're pretty perfect already.

 

 

 

 

21 minutes ago, ZachariasX said:

I don't know how much current tech allows a more "solid" looks of clouds as it was mentioned above, clouds actually should cast shadows on themselves and aircraft can cast shadows on clouds. This much improves the 3D landscape clouds can provide. But as said, this is really looking nice.

 

I suspect that might be a universal limitation based on how rendering is done... no one seems to have more solid clouds. But clouds vary a lot in real life.

 

Honestly, if I were questing after improvements - it might be:

...three layers of clouds

...more types of clouds or the inclusion of a cumulonimbus cloud that goes from low altitude to higher than you can fly - a kind-of continuous bank (with possibly a few openings on the inside and internal lightning that never reaches the ground). It'd be pretty intimidating to see a storm front approaching which simply blocks off medium to high altitudes!

 

Of course we should be quite satisfied with even our existing clouds... I remember the days when the only sim that had clouds was Red Baron I... and this cloud update will likely be even more impressive in videos than it is in still images!

Edited September 23, 2021 by Avimimus

[PatrickAWlson]

33 minutes ago, IRRE_Axurit said:

Very very good job, this simulator will really have a different aspect with its clouds.
I hope there will be some big, powerful thunderstorm clouds that are best avoided.

 

 

 

That would be a pretty impressive sight out on the steppes of Russia.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

I'm most curious about interactions with AI and icons. Will the clouds, between player and adversary, hide icons and mask the player from AI pilots and AI gunners?

 

[Hanu]

Localized rain showers?!? Most excellent!!! THAT is really great and needed stuff!!!

[352ndOscar]

1 minute ago, II/JG17_HerrMurf said:

I'm most curious about interactions with AI and icons. Will the clouds, between player and adversary, hide icons and mask the player from AI pilots and AI gunners?

 

What’s an “icon”?  
Existing and cloud mod hides the AI as well as non-AI.  I’ve chased and been chased by quite a few AI into the clouds and back out again.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

13 minutes ago, 352ndOscar said:

What’s an “icon”?  
Existing and cloud mod hides the AI as well as non-AI.  I’ve chased and been chased by quite a few AI into the clouds and back out again.

 

Right now, on Normal Servers, icons can been seen through the clouds even if the AC is hidden by them. AAA can "see" through clouds and fire on an aircraft that should be obscured by the cloud. 

[oc2209]

27 minutes ago, II/JG17_HerrMurf said:

AAA can "see" through clouds and fire on an aircraft that should be obscured by the cloud. 

 

I learned this the hard way, once, in single player. I haven't yet been fired on by AI planes while in a cloud, though.

 

Also, the new clouds look sublime. It should be quite a dramatic change for immersion quality.

[JG1_Vonrd]

Nice! I especially like the localized rain showers.

If (when?) we get a Pacific map will there be typhoons maybe?  ?

[XQ_Lothar29]

For me, the work you do, with the team, be it bigger or smaller, I think it's great.
These Clouds and the climate system will be a spectacular job, like everything in this simulator.
Others will have more resources, but they will never have a community like this.
Where the team is part of the community and the community, of the team.
A Virtual Pilot who is Proud of this simulator and of the friends of the community.

[catchthefoxes]

YESSS!!!! Devs are now so much closer if not already recreated the clouds in their box art!!  ?

 

 

[migmadmarine]

42 minutes ago, II/JG17_HerrMurf said:

 

Right now, on Normal Servers, icons can been seen through the clouds even if the AC is hidden by them. AAA can "see" through clouds and fire on an aircraft that should be obscured by the cloud. 

Wasn't that just fixed in the last patch? Would have sworn it was in the patch notes.

[Motherbrain]

Wow! Those look fantastic. Major improvement.

[kendo]

35. Restored the cloud cover target obscuring for AI fighter pilots;

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

3 minutes ago, kendo said:

35. Restored the cloud cover target obscuring for AI fighter pilots;

 

Is this air to air or just air to ground? AAA still sees through clouds as of last week - ground to air. Icons can still be seen through clouds on Normal servers.

[E69_Qpassa_VR]

They look great, good job team and modders

[Picchio]

Clouds themselves look really nice. I'm sincerely hoping that some work is planned on the overall lighting as well.