• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

Possible topics

arno

Administrator
Staff member
FSDevConf team
Resource contributor
Messages
32,858
Country
netherlands
Hi all,

We have been silent recently about the FSDevConf conference, but we are still working on the idea.

We would like to ask your input again. In the survey we asked about which topics should be covered, but that was a bit at a high level like scenery design or aircraft design. We would now like to ask your input again. This time we are collecting ideas (topics) for possible presentations. So each topic should be focused enough that it can be covered in a presentation of 30 to 45 minutes.

Please be aware that at this moment this is just a list of possible topics. For sure we do not have presenters for all of these topcis yet.

Let us know which topics you would like to see covered!

Below is the list as it currently is (I'll update the list based on the suggestions posted here).

Modelling and texturing
  • Modelling and texturing objects
  • Converting 3D objects with ModelConverterX
  • Getting good performance for objects
  • Creating an animated character

Scenery design
  • Overview of different types of scenery and tools used to create them
  • Airport design with ADE
  • Creating terrain scenery with SBuilderX
  • Creating autogen with Annotator
  • Creating autogen with scenProc
  • Creating traffic (e.g. trolleys, trains)
  • Creating photoreal terrain
  • Different techniques for lights (e.g. SCASM, BGL_LIGHT, BGLComp, effects)
  • Placing scenery objects with Simconnect

Aircraft design
  • Creating gauges
  • Flight dynanimcs
  • Sound development
  • DirectX gauges
  • Creating a virtual cockpit

Other
  • SimConnect
  • Overview of other platforms (Prepar3D, X-Plane, FlightGear)
  • How to create a development team
  • Piracy protection
  • Working with distributors / publishing payware
  • Where is the market heading?
  • DirectX 10
 
Last edited:
Messages
757
Country
netherlands
Use of SimConnect in scenery design, as a copyprotection tool and for conditional display.
 
Messages
1,693
Country
unitedstates
best sources for maps and quick demo or explanation how to get them and use them.
could be expansion on photo-real.
 
Messages
144
Country
unitedstates
I really like the animation idea! Perhaps not limiting it to characters, but also vehicles or other, simpler things such as beacons, windmills, etc.

I might be able to present on a topic; let me know!

-Scott
 

cheangjc

Resource contributor
Messages
111
Country
singapore
Limitations of XML Programming and C++ Programming, advantages/disadvantage of XML, Advantage/disadvantage of C++
 

arno

Administrator
Staff member
FSDevConf team
Resource contributor
Messages
32,858
Country
netherlands
Limitations of XML Programming and C++ Programming, advantages/disadvantage of XML, Advantage/disadvantage of C++

All in the context of gauges I assume?
 
Messages
5,214
Hi Arno,

Perhaps one more thing to attract and interest beginners and lower the threshold for them:
Why not a talk, a presentation or a discussion on basics like installing FSX, its SP's and its SDK's correctly, on what else you need to use all of the tools, or ideas on how to run FSX smoothly (or get rid of the FS9 blurries) as examples ( I know it sounds silly for most on this forum but not for the majority of those that frequent other forums).
Maybe you focus too much on people that already know most of it anyway and are rather knowledgeable already? Have a look at the questions posed in other less technical forums and you will know what I mean. There are a lot of potential participants there if you manage to get them interested.
Just a suggestion/thought/hint as I do not know exactly your intentions nor the exact aim of the conference and how it is going to be organized. Will it be on line (and through what medium? Skype?), will there be people that discuss things or answer your questions on line or put you through to the others that do know more about it, or is it just a few that will hold a presentation on topics inherent to their particular field and that is it?

Roby
 

arno

Administrator
Staff member
FSDevConf team
Resource contributor
Messages
32,858
Country
netherlands
Hi Roby,

We will take your suggestions into the discussions we have. The balance between novice and expert is indeed a difficult question. Many of the more regular visitors here would like more advanced topics, so that they can enhance their skills. And I guess for most of the speakers that is also most interesting to talk about.

But on the other hand we also need presentations focused on the novice who is just starting and help them get started.

For the platform we will most likely use Google Hangouts, which can be streamed live to YouTube as well. But we are still discussing how to handle questions from the audience. Skype won't work with so many people.
 
Messages
2,286
Country
us-washington
These topics are great. I would like to see more input using AFX and Insant Scenery. it seems to me Gmax and ADE are pushed as the only tools to ever use. AFX, instant Scenery 2 are avoided.

Gmax and ADE are absolutely wonderful tools but there are other tools people use as well.
Talks about all of these would be great. Bob
 
Messages
2,286
Country
us-washington
Novice and advanced.... good point. When helping someone it is always good to find out 'where' the person is in his or her ability.

example- question about xmls.... answer... Oh.... just open the xml and entire the right code and recompile. The person might not even know what 'code' is or what the right code is!!!!

Step by step instructions. What to teach is important but HOW to teach is perhaps even more so.

first find out the level of understanding in your student then go from there. I would not teach an intermediate or advanced skier - the wedge turn or wedge christie. And I would not teach a beginner pivot turns or dynamic parallels.

find out where your student is at! :) Here endeth my rant! Ha hahahahaha !
Bob
 
Messages
162
Country
italy
Consistency in on-line multiplayer sessions

I'd like to talk about consistency in multiplayer, in a few simple words:
"it is always true that what I see is what my mates see in a on line FSX multiplayer session ?"
Generally speaking no, since all that is drawn is a "local" product depends on the configuration of our system.
Many things can be done without programming, have the same scenarios for example, use the same tools to weather conditions, the same configurations, etc. .. but not all, aircraft model are a separate category, little you can do if you do not design it and develop thinking for the multiplayer.
Since multiplayer fans are a small company in comparison to all users of FSX/P3D, software houses have paid little attention to this area with unsatisfactory results, most of the models produced are not consistent in multiplayer, some examples:
- Most of the local payload does not match with what other mates see
- Often a local animation is cloned on all third person players on the session,
for example there are models where when the local player closes the gear it happens that sees all his mates raising the gear
- Some model cannot be used in multiplayer since they are able to clog the server causing a "timing out" to all players.
The matter concerns the how the server transmits in a multiplayer network informations on the various players, and is a complex matter.
Another important aspect concerns performances on multiplayer enviornment, most of the model on the market are not able to support multiplayer sessions with more than 3-4 players having the same model without suffer of a big FPS and performances drop, furthermore some models are made to be "eye candy" only without taking account a good balance between graphic quality, close to reality and performances.
I would like speak about this topic, i'm just afraid that my poor english will be a serious obstacle, so i would prefere a written presentation.
cheers
Mario Motta
SIM SKUNK WORKS programmer
 
Last edited:
Messages
2,286
Country
us-washington
Mario- Agreed. You know more of this than I ever will, but what you say does make good sense. And BTw- your English is fine. Here's an off topic question- In speaking words like Giovanni, is the gio prnounced like .... gee-o or is it pronounced like Joe... with a soft J? Or are both ways acceptable? Bob I've heard it both ways. Just curious. :) Bob
 
Last edited:

Gaiiden

FSDevConf team
Messages
751
Country
unitedstates
Hey Mario - could you send me an email (gaiiden@blade-edge.com) so we can talk more about the possibilities of a written presentation? Thanks
 
Messages
144
Country
unitedstates
Am I right in assuming that these presentations will be made to a live audience, with question-and-answer sessions, etc?

-Scott
 
Top