Prepar3D v6.0 Features and Enhancements

[robpol471]

Prepar3D v6.0 Features and Enhancements

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Release Notes

The next evolution of the Prepar3D simulation platform is here with Prepar3D v6. An all new custom atmospherics system brings next level realism with highly detailed volumetric clouds, atmospheric scattering, and weather conditions. New rendering features including screen space ambient occlusion (SSAO) and temporal anti-aliasing (TAA) enhance fidelity bringing higher graphics detail to objects and shadows. Environments react to weather conditions with precipitation accumulation including rain and snow on surfaces and objects which also support reflections. An all new lighting model built from the ground up with realistic physical and camera properties bring an accurate representation of the world around you. The entire globe has been updated with new data spanning across airports, cities, building placements, bridges, land classes, and more. Airport fidelity has been improved with the addition of detailed models updating lights, taxiway signs, surfaces, and more. Updates and patches are automatically checked and installed within the application allowing for quick updates and eliminating the need to manually uninstall components when updating.
 

Prepar3D v6 - Next Level Training. World class simulation. Be ahead of ready with Prepar3D v6.
 

To install Prepar3D v6.0 run Setup_Prepar3D.exe. To install future updates to Prepar3D v6 follow the instructions in the application if automatic update notifications are enabled. Additionally future patches will also be available in the downloads page. Update files can be ran without requiring Prepar3D v6 to be uninstalled beforehand. Simply run the Prepar3D_v6_VERSION_Patch.msp file to seamlessly update Prepar3D v6 to the latest version. Refer to the Prepar3D v6 Download and Installation Instructions for more information.

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General Platform Updates

New Features

• Updated volumetric clouds and atmospherics system improving visuals, performance, and support for multiple weather stations.
• Updated physically based and HDR lighting system supporting greater dynamic range, bounce lighting, and improved lighting visuals.
• Overhauled update process including automatic update notifications and installation as well as update patch support. Updating Prepar3D v6 will no longer require any components to be uninstalled before updating.
• New graphics features including:
  • Improved edge blending with temporal antialiasing (TAA).
  • Improved shadow detail with screen space ambient occlusion (SSAO).
  • Support for planar reflections on wet surfaces.
• Cameras now support physical properties including aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings.
• Enhanced Flight Planner screen supporting the addition of SIDS and STARS to flight plans.
• Precipitation accumulation and evaporation is now supported.
• Custom weather themes can now be saved and loaded in the Weather Settings UI.
• Improved layout of cloud settings in Weather Settings UI.
• ISimObjects now support loadout changes made in the Payload UI.
• SimDirector camera can now rotate around selected objects.
• Replaced SpeedTree with custom solution supporting wind effects.
• Improved primitive drawing object visuals including material support. Added pyramid and cone objects.
• Updated SimDirector UI theme.
• Added DebriefAction to add debrief messages to scenarios.
• Added debrief and goals display to Flight Analysis screen. Scenario debrief information can also be saved to a file.
• Added precipitation pooling and ripple effects.
• Clouds support dynamic lighting including light from lightning strikes.
• Added custom tone mapping option to fine tune light and dark areas of scene.
• Added views menu option to manually position camera. Previously referred to as Cinematographer mode.
• New and updated default content including:
  • Updated global airport data and airport backgrounds.
  • Improved land class terrain texture detail.
  • Added precipitation effects to airport surfaces, airport objects, autogen buildings, bridges, and fences.
  • Buildings now support attached rooftop objects.
  • Improved hangar texture layout.
  • Updated parking space textures.
  • Improved runway and taxiway textures and reflectance.
  • Added geometry and lights to hangar models.
  • Added hazard lights to corners of tall generic buildings.
  • Walled roofs are now generated on tall generic buildings.
  • Fixed visual issue with F-16 landing gear texture.
  • Updated various airport vehicle models and textures.
  • Updated default weather themes.
  • Added light fixture models to airport lights.
  • Added wingtip pylons to interior F-16 models.
  • Improved landing and taxi lights for C-130 and F-16 models.
  • Updated global buildings to PBR textures.
  • Updated additional vehicles to PBR textures including Mooney Bravo, Maule, Piper Cub, CRJ 700, and various AI objects.
  • Updated weapon and pylon models to PBR textures.
  • Improved global building layout and density.
  • Updated windsock models and animations.
  • Updated land class textures.
  • Updated global water data.
  • Updated global park data.
  • Updated global bridge data and bridge lighting.
  • Updated global helipad data.
  • Fixed various model issues in the Washington DC area.
  • Updated star and galaxy visuals.

Fixes and Improvements

• Improved overall rendering system performance.
• Improved terrain rendering performance.
• Improved threading performance and CPU core usage.
• Improved network traffic handling and multiplayer performance.
• Improved terrain height resolution and lighting detail.
• Improved layout and usability for multiple user interface screens.
• Legacy models now more closely match lighting of PBR models.
• Updated core and shader compilers.
• Added support for shader model 6.
• Improved post process effects including IR, sensor modes, and signal noise.
• Improved airport lighting visuals and loading performance.
• Improved auto exposure lighting values.
• Improved fog visuals and lighting.
• Fixed crash that could occur when using the map UI.
• Windshield effects are now always enabled if supported on the vehicle.
• Fixed issue where changing precipitation type or rate would not trigger windshield effects to reload.
• Improved taxiway line resolution.
• Improved handling of ambient and directional lighting on materials.
• Fixed issues with airport incorrectly loading season changes in some cases.
• Cloud density and scatter can now be set per layer.
• Fixed issue preventing surface wind blend from working after saving and loading a scenario.
• Changing location will no longer trigger terrain reloading in some cases.
• Improved building elevation handling.
• Improved airport system handling of weather changes.
• Improved performance of panel only views.
• Texture streaming setting is now always enabled by default.
• Improved texture streaming performance and memory usage.
• Fixed bug where dead-end taxiways would have incorrect corner ratios.
• Fixed issue where route calculation could occur multiple times when loading flight plans or changing destination airports.
• Fixed issue causing white borders around tail number text in some cases.
• Fixed issue that could cause startup screen to lag when changing time in some cases.
• Improved roof variation with autogen buildings.
• ActivateWaypointAction can now reference player objects.
• Engine is no longer stopped when deactivating waypoint list actions.
• Improved hazard light implementation.
• Added RECORDABLE flag to effects created from SimConnect so they'll play in flight recordings.
• Improved message window position in VR.
• DialogActions can now have separate text displayed on screen vs. what is read to user.
• Added VR setting for auto-restore tracked origin.
• ATC panel now ignores numeric input if modifier keys are held down.
• SimDirector camera can now zoom further out.
• Improved terrain to apron transitions at sloped airports.
• Fixed visual issues that could occur when turning volumetric clouds on and off.
• SimProperty UIs now sort based on order defined in xml.
• Fixed various cases where certain buildings would be placed slightly above the ground.
• Discontinuities are now generated on manual sequence waypoints.
• Modified various panel placements in VR.
• Editable text fields in SimDirector now have borders.
• SimDirector visualization graph nodes can now be manually positioned.
• Fixed bug in SimDirector causing context menu to immediately close when right clicking logic nodes.
• Scenario changes are now preserved when restarting after crashing vehicle.
• Improved depth precision reducing z-fighting in distant objects.
• Improved bloom effect.
• Fixed bug causing track and position to not be updated in GPS gauge when initially loaded.
• Ground speed can now be viewed in info text.
• Fixed bug causing objects attached to aircraft carriers to cull too early.
• Clicking facility in map view will no longer pause simulation.
• All gated aircraft that have ground vehicles servicing them now have white safety and vehicle restriction/clearance lines.
• Fixed issue preventing material scripts from executing if scenario started paused.
• Fixed issue causing elevator directions to be reversed in TTA aircraft as well as other minor visual bugs.

Fixes and Improvements (Professional Plus Only)

• Improved DIS dead reckoning behavior.
• Fixed ground reaction and friction for countermeasure simulation.
• Updated Varjo SDK including setting to use previous version.
• Added support for up to 8 GPUs.

Prepar3D SDK

New Features

• Added custom event support and control mappings for PDK plugins.
• Added ColorWriteDisable RenderFlag for alpha only masks that can fade over time.
• Helipads now support SceneryObject elements for model placements at airports.
• Added EmissiveColor to SimProp PBR material.
• Adding premultiply final alpha support to camera system and PDK.
• PDK plugins can now create their own materials.
• PBR materials are now supported in 3ds Max preview views.

Fixes and Improvements

• Updated SDK to Visual Studio 2022.
• PBR metallic and smoothness variables can now be used concurrently.
• Updated emissive color alpha as day intensity controller.
• Emissive values are now used even if a texture is not provided.
• Added EVENTTYPE to custom PDK input events. This allows for keyboard, axis, and POV assignments.
• Custom PDK input events can load mappings from controls XML.
• Updated Custom PDK Objects sample to demonstrate how to register custom message events and control input events.
• Missed approach segments can now have their own color set in map gauges.
• Discontinuities can now be set in GPS gauges.
• Additional functionality added to VR Service.
• Custom packets can now be flagged guaranteed/not guaranteed in PDK.
• Texture axis flipping is now supported for RTT texture elements in xml.
• Renamed suneffect.cfg to sky.cfg and added various atmospherics configuration values.
• Fixed issue where Visual FX Tool would load cached effect data instead of actual file data and improved UI layout.

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[craigeaglefire]

OK Orbx,

 

the obvious first question is about any Orbx products compatibility with P3Dv6?
 

hope we learn some Orbx official information over the next little while…

[Ken Q]

Also, does it fix the mess at Bulkhead City KIFP?

[Rodger Pettichord]

Anyone know if it keeps the same setup home interface?

[Iain Emms]

Well that's a lot to take in for sure. 

cheers 

Iain 

[W2DR]

IMNSHO, just more friggin' eye-candy.

[Rob Ainscough]

So far all the Orbx products I have working in V5 are working in V6, pretty easy to get them setup using reference to existing V5 library.  For those developers using the Add-On process established back in V4 release, it's pretty easy to move that to V6.

 

Most of the aircraft I've tested are compatible with V6 (A2A, PMDG, MJC, Carenado, etc.), but those that rely on HiFi for weather radar info will need to wait for HiFi to release their version for V6 (which is in the works).  I believe Umberto has a working GSX update for V6.  FSUPIC is also available for P3D V6.  Haven't tested AIG yet, there were some AI changes.

 

I have not tried ChasePlane but nothing significant has changed with the camera system so I don't think there is much of a challenge here for an update, if we get an update from //42.

 

I was going to provide a bunch of videos prior to release but they still had some bugs on the last RC run like a missing C-130 so I was VERY surprised they released "as is" ... maybe I shouldn't be surprised, hotfix pending I guess.

 

You will not see some of the rain/snow FX that accumulate over time and dissipate over time like rain puddles that will dry over time, rain drops, etc. on surfaces not flagged for support (you'll only see this on default airports/surface).  Adding the dynamic rain/snow support is relatively simple.  Everything in the default world has PBR support. 

 

Clouds depiction is all new and IMHO the best weather/cloud system I've seen with layer overlapping, multiple visibility layers for better blending and rain lit with aircraft lights.  Cloud control provides for density and scatter (very important).

 

Clouds also support dynamic lighting so aircraft lights will light up the clouds as you fly over, thru, around them:

 

 

 

Lighting model is very different and is not "global" now, but sourced (sun/moon) more like "volumetric".  AutoExposure ... I'm still on the fence with this feature.  You can manage tone maps via UI to get the specific look and feel you like.

 

Automatic update support is provide but is "optional".

 

Other improvements to graphics fidelity:

 

TAA support

SSAO support (this is very significant)

Cube Map Reflections

Planar Reflections

 

I suggest going to the developers for accurate information on their level of current and future support.  I've already seen a lot of mis-information being tossed around various websites/forums/chats.

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Rob Ainscough

[craigeaglefire]

23 minutes ago, Rob Ainscough said:

So far all the Orbx products I have working in V5 are working in V6, pretty easy to get them setup using reference to existing V5 library

Thanks, Rob

 

do you have any observations of CPU & GPU optimisations in v6 as compared with P3Dv5?

 

Cheers,

Craig

[John Heaton]

It looks as if from Rob's summation - that I would be able to fly all my old aircraft in this new one - then it might be worth spending

a few bucks on the new sim

I really miss aircraft like the Navajo - Saratoga - A2A fleet I had - etc - and even the Comanche despite the new one coming this month

My other big question would be - Orbx True Earth where I had the full bottle offered

 

PS - forget the A2a aircraft - I have just read elsewhere that A2A will not support V6 and dont think that their aircraft for V4/5 will 

work in V6 correctly 

Edited July 4, 2023 by John Heaton

[Steve Ruiz]

2 hours ago, Rob Ainscough said:

 

Most of the aircraft I've tested are compatible with V6 (A2A, PMDG, MJC, Carenado, etc.)

 

Curious what have done to make PMDG aircraft work considering Robert said they don't.

[rod55]

Dear Rob and All

 

I have a favour to ask:

 

So please tell me in simple step by step wording how this twit, me, can "move" i.e. install all my Orbx scenery, working beautifully and atmospherically (previous P3D v5.4) into the P3D v6.

 

Many thanks. 

 

Rod

 

PS "John Heaton, I feel your pain ....... the one and only plus was that several beers went down the hatch in the early hours of this morning vainly trying to figure out how to dig myself out this hole and impasse 

[demio]

2 hours ago, John Heaton said:

PS - forget the A2a aircraft - I have just read elsewhere that A2A will not support V6 and dont think that their aircraft for V4/5 will 

work in V6 correctly

 

Rob A. just stated he had (most of) them working...?

[John Heaton]

16 minutes ago, rod321 said:

Dear Rob and All

 

I have a favour to ask:

 

So please tell me in simple step by step wording how this twit, me, can "move" i.e. install all my Orbx scenery, working beautifully and atmospherically (previous P3D v5.4) into the P3D v6.

 

Many thanks. 

 

Rod

 

PS "John Heaton, I feel your pain ....... the one and only plus was that several beers went down the hatch in the early hours of this morning vainly trying to figure out how to dig myself out this hole and impasse 

As simple as I can get it - RE-INSTALL ALL

 

 - following the topic in Avsim - seems most will work - if they don't - then I won't bother since it was Orbx that made the sim for me

[rod55]

Hi John, Rob and All

 

thanks for getting back so quick; now I don't feel so abandoned in my coracle out in the middle of the ill-tempered North Sea.

 

Still even simpler please. Not deliberately wanting to be a pain.

 

In your message above, are you advising me: to re-install P3D V5.4 AND re-install all the Orbx and A2A addons AND abandon ship by uninstalling/discarding my newly bought P3D v6; OR are you advising me to try again to re-install Orbx and A2A into P3D v6 (leaving P3D V5.4 already fully uninstalled)

 

Thank you, again

 

Rod

 

PS playfully, and why do people head bang? Cos it feels great when you stop, of course)

[John Dow]

1 hour ago, rod321 said:

Hi John, Rob and All

 

thanks for getting back so quick; now I don't feel so abandoned in my coracle out in the middle of the ill-tempered North Sea.

 

Still even simpler please. Not deliberately wanting to be a pain.

 

In your message above, are you advising me: to re-install P3D V5.4 AND re-install all the Orbx and A2A addons AND abandon ship by uninstalling/discarding my newly bought P3D v6; OR are you advising me to try again to re-install Orbx and A2A into P3D v6 (leaving P3D V5.4 already fully uninstalled)

 

Thank you, again

 

Rod

 

PS playfully, and why do people head bang? Cos it feels great when you stop, of course)

 

I'm not sure but I think he was suggesting you use the Scenery Library function in P3DV6 to point to the scenery that is already on your computer for V5, thus avoiding duplication of downloads/files.

[musterpilot]

I just copied my simobjects effects and gauges folders over to v6 from v5.4 everything work perfect also also got my old ausx scenery on as well not problems

[rod55]

Many thanks John for your attention to my pickle. 

 

But even now I'm guessing, reading between the lines and inventing actions.

 

So my guess is that you are suggesting that I reinstall P3D V5.4 (currently completely uninstaleed/deleted) and then use Orbx Central to reinstall all the Orbx scenery (global, regional and airports). (You see I'm guessing that I've already deleted all of this scenery.)

Then I'm guessing that you are suggesting that I then also Install P3D v6. Then i might be able to use the Scenery Library function in P3D v6 to point to the scenery in v5. At this stage, I'm afraid to admit that i dont know where i will find that. John could you also help me and tell me where i point to all the scenery files.

 

Please let me know if I've guessed right. I really appreciate being corrected and told simply what steps to take.

 

Rod

[musterpilot]

8 minutes ago, rod321 said:

Many thanks John for your attention to my pickle. 

 

But even now I'm guessing, reading between the lines and inventing actions.

 

So my guess is that you are suggesting that I reinstall P3D V5.4 (currently completely uninstaleed/deleted) and then use Orbx Central to reinstall all the Orbx scenery (global, regional and airports). (You see I'm guessing that I've already deleted all of this scenery.)

Then I'm guessing that you are suggesting that I then also Install P3D v6. Then i might be able to use the Scenery Library function in P3D v6 to point to the scenery in v5. At this stage, I'm afraid to admit that i dont know where i will find that. John could you also help me and tell me where i point to all the scenery files.

 

Please let me know if I've guessed right. I really appreciate being corrected and told simply what steps to take.

 

Rod

I think we have to wait untill Orbx Central allows v6 on there site I tried but it will not let my scenery from v5.4 into v6 the only scenery that I have installed is my addon scenery that I had in v5.4 which was the old OZX scenery no problems with that I have not tried to point my v5.4 scenery over to v6 yet give me half a hour and I will get back to you on this

[musterpilot]

I have to re download v5.4 again so it is going to take 2 and a half hours I have to reactivate v5.4 and I just downloaded a new windows install on my new PC but I kept the ssd that I had v5.4 on

Edited July 4, 2023 by musterpilot

[DaiG]

After reading Rob's missive above and after studying the new SDK and after testing PILOT's B-314 (as the developer) and other existing third-party addons, I have the following, hopefully useful, additional information for you: most P3Dv5 addons do appear to work with P3Dv6. As regards all of the new PBR stuff; to take advantage of it P3Dv5 SimObjects need to be reworked but it is not necessary to do so to run most existing SimObjects in P3Dv6. There may be a very few SimObjects that do not translate across, but it is most likely that these are doing something beyond the P3Dv5 base sim.

 

99% of my addons are from Orbx and none of them have thrown a wobbly (yet? 😄)

 

-Dai (PILOT'S developer / Dragonflight Design)

[robpol471]

I installed P3D V6 and my first impressions after transferring several scenarios from P3D 5.4 are as follows:

 

the Aerosoft scenarios (EDDF-EGLL-LSZH-LIMC-LIRN) gave no problems.

 

Flightbeam (KDEN-KIAD-KMSP) O.K while KSFO on the runways and buildings I experienced constant flickering.

 

Orbx apts not loading OBJECTFLOW, have problems especially on runways.

 

To me the AI traffic I had on P3D 5.4 works fine on P3D V6.

 

Improved the light of the scenarios and, if not completely resolved, improved the anti-asialing.

 

QW787 does not work while the old King Air 350 works fine.

 

My, for now, negative note are the textures of P3D V6 and I hope that Orbx fixes the compatibility of FTX Global Base otherwise we reverted to the awful vanilla textures of previous versions.

 

Of course I only did quick apt shifts and will try other scenarios and other planes to see compatibility with previous versions.

[robpol471]

Lorby addon organizer released "Prototype with P3D V6 compatibility".

 

The executable addonorganizer_1_60_b01.zip free can be downloaded from the site.

[gronden]

Hi,

someone was able to install PMDG 737NGXU on V6?

I tried, bu I'm only able to see the aircraft: no initialization, no gear, no Cockpit, 2Dpanelsare shown only as gray box.

Thanks and KR

Joe

 

 

 

[wain71]

I tried one of my favourite from JF, the TBE10/20 sadly all I could get was the pilot, some lights and the engine sounds, I pointed like did with Carenado in v5....early days but I am guessing most devs will not assist us as they have all gone, I would like to think though if it was just an installer issue that could be sorted, but then again XP12 is still waiting....Majestic Dash installed fine and looks good, not had time to fly it yet but at least that has an installer for v6...

 

v6 itself seems to run fine, a few more choices in the graphics that I have had to google, even though the ground textures are not Orbx I think they are better in places....lighting out of the box is better....

 

waiting game now, 

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,
I don't (yet) have P3D v6 but skeletal aircraft in the past have mostly been the result of 

missing licences and anti-piracy measures.
It may well be that these can be made to work, unless the cause is the failure to display textures.
In general and not directed at you, it is very early days to be making pronouncements of fact
about something that has only been released for a few hours.
 

[wain71]

44 minutes ago, Nick Cooper said:

Hello,
I don't (yet) have P3D v6 but skeletal aircraft in the past have mostly been the result of 

missing licences and anti-piracy measures.
It may well be that these can be made to work, unless the cause is the failure to display textures.
In general and not directed at you, it is very early days to be making pronouncements of fact
about something that has only been released for a few hours.
 

Yeah we at the issue once whilst testing the JF planes for XP11 but things like that are expected in early BETAs...

 

I agree wholeheartedly regarding the waiting thing, I'll use the Dash for sure as that comes with an installer but everything else I'll just wait and see, I mean I have v5, XP12 and MSFS on PC and Xbox so there's always something I can fly...

[Rob Ainscough]

6 hours ago, John Dow said:

I'm not sure but I think he was suggesting you use the Scenery Library function in P3DV6 to point to the scenery that is already on your computer for V5, thus avoiding duplication of downloads/files.

 

Exactly, I have a batch file that I used since I'm frequently deleting P3D V6 Beta installs and restarted from scratch.

 

59 minutes ago, gronden said:

someone was able to install PMDG 737NGXU on V6?

 

I can't go into details here, it was involved and no weather radar support.  Same for iFly 737 Max ... they "work" just not as intended.  A2A was relatively easy (and Lewis indicated we're free to move products over to V6).  As for others, I would need to get permission to discuss how it's done and it would be NOT SUPPORTED and some of the aircraft/products will not look as good as they could (don't PM me).

 

How some folk interpret vendors comments about P3D V6 is a little odd ... for example A2A:

Quote

All of our resources are currently focused on developing Accu-Sim 2.0 for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and we are not currently planning to update any of our existing products for Prepar3D v6.

 

"not currently planning" somehow equals "never" ... 3 years working on Accu-Sim 2.0 for MSFS ... one could say "never" there also   ... but that is not what was written.

 

From iFly:

Quote

We do plan to make the NG and MAX compatible with P3D v6, but MSFS 2020 takes precedence.

 

Completely understandable, that's where the money is to support the development work.  BUT again, support will happen, just not immediately.

 

From PMDG:

Quote

Earliest re-evaluation of this decision will take place after the 747-400 release in MSFS, which is the same time we will evaluate whether we will conduct further updates of our P3D products based upon the market conditions that exist at that time.

 

Again, somehow this gets interpreted as "never" which is clearly NOT what Robert wrote.

 

As with all information, the onus is on the reader not the writer.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[Rodger Pettichord]

Thanks to all whole have jumped in and shared their experiences with the new version 6. Lots to think about for this old version 4 guy.

[Rob Ainscough]

12 hours ago, craigeaglefire said:

do you have any observations of CPU & GPU optimisations in v6 as compared with P3Dv5?

 

Same as V5 ... still primarily forward rendering so Dynamic Lights will introduce a performance hit especially if you enable DL for clouds.  Settings are everything as always, you can max out the GPU or you can max out the CPU so finding the balance will be much the same as before (as in my images above).  I was provided a tweak for DL clouds to improve quality but comes at a big performance cost.

 

Most of my performance testing was done of 4 computers (none of them OC):

 

AMD 7950X - AMD 7900XTX

AMD 5950X - nVidia 3090

Intel 9900K - nVidia Titan XP

Intel 7900X - nVidia 3060

 

If you use high settings for reflections, SSAO, MSAA, Dynamic Lights, and high detail clouds then that will hit your GPU harder (especially at 4K).

 

I have not tested on my main FS PC yet (AMD 7950X3D OC 6Ghz, nVidia 4090 OC).

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

 

[gronden]

For now could be enough if PMDG could change the installer

[robpol471]

I did another test involving Orbx.

 

I renamed P3D v6 to P3D v5 both in folders and on Regedit and Orbx Central installed regularly Orbx Library, FTX Global Base and FTX Global Openlc EU.

 

However, the installation of ObjectFlow was blocked by P3D.

 

After reverting everything to P3D v6, FTX Global Base textures are displayed regularly as in previous versions while ObjectFlow not installed causes problems for Orbx apt scenarios.

 

Obviously I could be wrong because I did a quick check of the installed but it seems that for Orbx the only problem should be ObjecFlow while for the other scenarios it should be enough to redirect the installations to P3D V6.

[Driver170]

I’m not touching Orbx until something official comes out

[gronden]

At the moment I'm using all my add-ons sceneries (also Orbx) and other tools (like GSX, AIG, RAAS, etc) simply copying the scenery.cfg and addon.xml files into V6 folders. Everything seems going well, but for sure I have to check more (for example also the effects are taken from V5 and do not need to be copied in V6?)

 

I have used the regedit trick to finally see PMDG aircrafts properly running in V6 (consider that before you have to uninstall them from V5).

[Larry_R]

Hi guys,

 

It’s very easy to allow P3D v6 to use your existing P3D v5 installation.  No modification to the root sim directory is needed. Specifically, you do not make any modifications to the files in the Autogen folder. I have used this procedure seemingly endless times doing clean installs of v6 and it’s quite fast.

 

The following works only if your Orbx products are installed in an external library.  I’d highly recommend doing so if you are currently still installing in the root sim.

Make sure your Orbx libraries are up to date. Ed has told that the Orbx libs have been modified very slightly to accommodate P3D v6, but if that is not the case, here’s what to do:

go to [your install path]\Orbx P3D Library\p3dv5\Orbx Libraries\Orbx\Scripts\custom.gb_base

Rename AutogenDescriptions.spb to AutogenDescriptions original.spb

Make a copy of AutogenDescriptions_Legacy.spb and rename it to AutogenDescriptions.spb

 

Assuming that the Orbx libs have already been adjusted to accommodate v6, do these two steps:

 

1:  In C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v6, open the  add-ons.cfg  in Notepad. Also open the same file for  P3D v5. Copy all your Orbx entries from the v5 file and paste them into the v6 file.  Now fix the numbering so that it is sequential. All this does is point v6 to the location of your Orbx scenery entries. 

 

Alternatively, you can simply replace the v6 add-ons.cfg file with a copy of the file for v5. This will enable all the addons in v6 that were in the v5 file. Some may work, some may not, or perhaps some may be incompatible and might crash the sim. So go slow if you have a huge number of addons.

 

2: in the same location, make a copy of the existing terrain.cfg (306 kb, then replace the original with the same file from P3D v5.  The size should be 905 kb.

 

That’s it. Your v5 installs should all continue to work properly.  

 

My guess is that there will be issues with some Orbx products in v6, however I can tell you that Orbx PNW and all of the Orbx seaplane bases as well as the PNW ferries, and even the wave effects all look very nice in v6, and without issues, at least as of the last beta which I think is identical to the release version. The FSX Beaver works too, as well as the Milviz Turbo Otter with the exception of the GPS and a funny window tint as I remember. 

 

Edited to add:

 

If you have the PNW ferries installed in v5, you have to do one more thing.  Go to 

[your install path]\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v6\Scenery\World\scenery and disable the ferry traffic file by renaming trafficBoats.bgl to trafficBoats.bgl.off.  If you don't do this you will have duplicate ferries. If you uninstall the ferries from v5, reenable the boat traffic file in v6. 

 

Note: all of the above is more or less an unsupported workaround and may become obsolete if v6 ends up officially supported. 

Cheers,

[gaab]

Just a question about ObjectFlow :

 

- it is a PDK dll and the "What's New" shows "Updated SDK to Visual Studio 2022."

 

    <Category>DLL</Category>
    <Path>bin\Orbx_ObjectFlow_v3.dll</Path>
    <DLLType>PDK</DLLType>

 

Is there any reason it won't work in V6 (should not even need to be recompiled) ?

 

Thanks

Gérard

[robpol471]

Thanks, Larry, for your post.

 

In my case I found a difference because in C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v5\ add-ons.cfg was empty.

 

All Orbx files were on :

 

C:\User\Name\AppData\Roaming\Lochkeed Martin\Prepar3D v5\add-ons.cfg.

 

After copying this add-ons.cfg to :

 

C:\User\Name\AppData\Roaming\Lochkeed Martin\Prepar3D v6 I started P3D V6

 

and I verified that the FTX Global Base textures worked the same way in P3D V5 as the Orbx scenarios of:

 

YMML-KBOS-KSAN-ESSA-EFHK-LIEO-LYBE-LEBB.

 

So far I have encountered two problems:

 

in LOWI where compared to P3D v5 there is an artefact between the apt buildings and the river where there is a mound with a helicopter pad on it.

 

Another problem I encountered at KJAC where as you exit the scenario to go to Options, P3D v6 does not respond and then goes to CTD.

The W11 error view only reports that P3D v6 has gone to Hang.

 

I also verified that P3D v6 copied all add-ons.cfg content of C:\User\Name\AppData\Roaming\Lochkeed Martin\Prepar3D v6
in C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v6\ add-ons.

 

Obviously they were quick and not thorough tests, but I found that positively with P3D v6 there is a better display, for the Orbx scenarios, of light, of the textures of the apt buildings and anti-aliasing compared to P3D v5 while negative in general but especially to EFHK, a presence of stutters greater than those found on P3D v5 but which should be a problem of P3D v6.

 

I

 

[robpol471]

MK Studios fix for EFHK - P3D v5 works and solves the stutters issue on P3D v6.

 

https://mkstudios.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/cvx5410.zip

[Larry_R]

2 hours ago, gaab said:

Just a question about ObjectFlow :

 

 

Is there any reason it won't work in V6 (should not even need to be recompiled) ?

 

ObjectFlow works in v6 on my machine at least; should work on yours.

 

Cheers

[robpol471]

12 minutes ago, Larry_R said:

 

ObjectFlow works in v6 on my machine at least; should work on yours.

 

Cheers

 

I confirm that besides ObjectFlow all other Global/Regions/Airports work on P3D v6.

 

All I have left is, as reported in my previous post, the artefact at LOWI and the CTD at KJAC while the MK Studios fix working and solving stutters to EFHK,

 

 

[JimmiG]

2 hours ago, Larry_R said:

 

ObjectFlow works in v6 on my machine at least; should work on yours.

 

Cheers

 

Some say it doesn't work, some say it works. Same with A2A aircraft.

 

Seems best to wait a while for things to clear up.