G4 first impressions

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int2str

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Got my G4 today, so I figure I'll start posting some info for those who don't want/have it yet...

First impressions

G4 comes in a nicely styled box, not unlike G3. On the inside, the controller and CD is wrapped in styrofoam and comes with a selection of trainer cables. The 4 CD's (why not DVD?) come in a nice DVD sized case. The CD labels look almost like G3's.

InterLink Elite

The Interlink Elite looks pretty nice. Feels solid and has some "chrome looking" bling plastics around the sticks that make it look less drab than the "old" one. Digital trims as advertised, throttle hold in the "wrong" place (as we knew) and various buttons in the bottom. "Reset", "Menu/Select", "Cancel" and "Up/Down" are present. Unlike the previous Interlink controller, this one doesn't have an LED.

The throttle ratched is pretty "stiff". So my first order of business was opening up the controller (4 easy screws) and removing the throttle spring. Feels better now (heli pilot, what can I say...).

From the looks of it, it's not going to be a straight up swap, but I think that moving the throttle hold to the corner seems possible. Both switches (knob and throttle hold sw.) use 2 wires, so electrically there's no problem moving them. I'm sure somebody will post an HOWTO soon.

Installation

Installation was easy enough (asides from the CD changing...) and it looks like it only takes about 2+ GB instead of the "required" 3 GB.



More to come...
 
... more ...

First update

After installation, first order of business (for me) was using the RF Launcher to register and check for updates. Wouldn't you know it, there's already an update - good to know KE is staying on top of things. Quick download and off we go...

First launch

G4 greats you with a slightly updated splash screen and then proceeds loading the default airport "Evergreen airport" and the default plane "Extra 300 L". The loading screens have been updated as well and look very nice.

Gave it a quick spin and immediately proceeded to launch a new photo field with a lake (I think there's only one). Quick spin with a float plane there and off to a 3D field with a lake (there's more).

Graphics

My notebook is pretty taxed, so I turned down some graphics. It runs, but it's still jerky. I'll have to fine tune the graphics later to give a better update. First impression is "nice". Not much perceivable difference between G3.5 on this notebook, but the true test will be on my desktop at home, which is much more qualified to run this game :D.

Water

First impressions about the water: Bouncy!
I've never flown in water before, but it feels very "bouncy". The wave effects make the plane wobble when sitting still, but when taking off, it seems not to move the plane at all. When you land a little "hot", the plane "bounces" off the water quite springy... The float fliers here can probably tell a bit better if that's true to life.

The look of the water is a little "mercury", but the scenery reflections seem nicely done Crashing on the water is fun :D. The water grabs the plane pretty good if your angle of attack is wrong :).


Please keep in mind I've played all but 5 minutes so far just to quickly check it out. I've not even loaded a Heli yet :D. The real test will be at home...
 
Thanks for your impressions!
Could you have a look at the editors and see if/how they are enhanced compared to G3.5. E.g. does the scenery editor alloy any kind of additional editing? How is water defined in the scenery editor?
I'd also like to know if the 3D fields are generally improved or if the ground textures are still as blurred as in G3?
 
More random thoughts...

Controller buttons

It's really a nice improvement that one can change the plane / airport from the controller now. It uses the default airport/plane browsers, which is not perfect, but works.

What I'd like to see down the road would be the ability to change the wind speed on the controller as well!

Helicopter flying

Only 1 float heli??? :( How disappointing. I'm sure there'll be plenty custom made ones down the road, but it's still a bit weak, given that water is one of the major new features.

The float heli is fun though and water landings are pretty neat. There's no downwash in the water, but I please don't take this as an "feature doesn't exist" - I have my effects and graphics turned down quite a bit so I can run G4 on my laptop.

Overall, heli's seem a little more responsive than in G3.5. For me (beginner pretty much), that's not a great thing, but I'll probably get used to it pretty quickly.

Landing gear

Are the "springy landing gear" effects not available for the heli models? Seems like they are still pretty rigid - and hard to break.

Lake photo field

I can't help but think that the lake photo field was a little rushed maybe? The 3D perspective seems a bit off and makes you hit the water a lot earlier than one think you would (maybe that's just me). Plus flying behind some objects (bushes etc.) shows some clipping that's not done as well as on the other photo fields. It's very beautiful and fun to fly at, though.


Alright, I really should get back to work.

Can't wait to try it at home on the "big rig" :D
 
0xdeadbeef said:
Thanks for your impressions!
Could you have a look at the editors and see if/how they are enhanced compared to G3.5. E.g. does the scenery editor alloy any kind of additional editing? How is water defined in the scenery editor?
Click to expand...

I'll have to do that later tonight...
Need to work to pay for my hobby, ya' know :D

I'd also like to know if the 3D fields are generally improved or if the ground textures are still as blurred as in G3?
Click to expand...

I can't really comment on that judging it on my notebook. I had to crank the graphics detail down quite a bit to make it run smoothly. So judging graphics based on the current settings would hardly be fair. I'd be like road testing a Ferrari inside a gym :D
 
Could you have a look at the editors and see if/how they are enhanced compared to G3.5. E.g. does the scenery editor alloy any kind of additional editing? How is water defined in the scenery editor?
I'd also like to know if the 3D fields are generally improved or if the ground textures are still as blurred as in G3?
Click to expand...
The airport editor has 5 settings for water. They can be changed to any values at any airport:
Water Enabled -- enables the physical water
Render Water -- off at our photofield so that the photo water shows through
Water Height -- one global water height
Water Color -- color of water before reflection/refraction
Water visibility -- how murky it is

The ground textures have been greatly improved. You'll notice a difference I'm sure.
 
Thanks for the quick answer.
I just wonder how the water surface is defined in the editor. I mean, is there any kind of polygon editing for this or is there just a predefined water shape like e.g. the 3d grass object in G3?
And how is the shore defined? I mean, the waterside has to be higher than the water surface to allow landing on the shore. In G3 however, the ground was always flat, so this wouldn't really work.
It's hard to imagine for me how custom photofields with water should be defined by the community without polygon editing support.
 
I think you just create your ground (with slopes etc). And then simply set a water level. Everything on the map below water level will be water, everything above, dry :D.

You can tell that also when you try to submerge a heli partially :D. If the water is shallow enough it can stand on the ground. But move a bit over away from shore and blub..... Hobby shop time :D
 
If it's really possible to edit the ground level now, I'm sold.
Any pictures of the editor that would show how this works?
 
The shore in the Lake Douglas photofield appears to be defined by depth buffers.
 

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0xdeadbeef said:
If it's really possible to edit the ground level now, I'm sold.
Click to expand...

I hate to disappoint but there is no such feature in G4. PhotoFields have to use depth buffers, just as in G3.5.

Jim
 
Hm, a depth buffer is always needed. I hoped that it was finally possible to edit the depth buffer freely by e.g. polygon editing. Indeed the photofield editor of Reflex XTR shows how to do this properly (including alpha blending for semi transparent surfaces like fences and so on).
At least I hoped that the shape of the water surface /or the shape of the shore) was editable. Looking at Greg's picture and considering Jim's answer, I fear that the shore line is a fixed 3d object though. Thus it would be impossible to create proper custom water sceneries.
This is really a BIG disappointment.
I somewhat hoped that at least some of the editor improvement suggestions I made over the last year would make it into G4.
 
0xdeadbeef said:
I hoped that it was finally possible to edit the depth buffer freely by e.g. polygon editing.
Click to expand...

We didn't have time for that but we did add undo/redo and a bunch of other little features and bug fixes to the airport editor.

Jim
 
Any chances that this and/or import of custom 3D objects will make it into G4.x later or will I have to wait for G5 then?
 
0xdeadbeef said:
Any chances that this and/or import of custom 3D objects will make it into G4.x later or will I have to wait for G5 then?
Click to expand...

We never discuss future projects in public. There are a lot of reasons.

You'll just have to wait to see what the future holds.

G4 is a pretty strong step forward in a lot of areas and you'll notice that many of the features (like the console for example) are clear first steps toward a larger goal. That's really all I can offer right now.

Jim
 
We didn't have time for that but we did add undo/redo and a bunch of other little features and bug fixes to the airport editor.

Jim
Click to expand...

:eek: Oh no you have me nervous now......a deadline is never a good thing with the "creative" process!! I'm assuming Great Planes had the deadline? Otherwise why would a software company want to release something that could have been done different / possibly better?

That was just more of question then anything......I'll find out soon enough when my G4 arrives!!! I'm 99.9% sure I'll be happy with it....though! :)
 
The 3D perspective seems a bit off and makes you hit the water a lot earlier than one think you would
Click to expand...
You can turn on water shadows in Simulation>Settings>Graphics>Quality>Water Shadow Quality.
 
pplace said:
:eek: Oh no you have me nervous now......a deadline is never a good thing with the "creative" process!! I'm assuming Great Planes had the deadline? Otherwise why would a software company want to release something that could have been done different / possibly better?
Click to expand...

Perhaps the commercial realities of the Christmas season when most people spend cash and have time off to think about buying toys.

All I can say is: Bah Humbug.
 
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