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X-Plane 8.00 (11/6/04)

This is the initial version available on DVD.

  • First version to read X-Plane DSF files and use the new library system and packaging.
  • OBJ7 cockpit texture commands added for 3-d cockpit objects with working panels.

X-Plane 8.01 (11/10/04)

This is a demo download of X-Plane 8.00.

  • Checkbox added to disable DSF loading, so users can use ENV or DSF scenery without moving files.

X-Plane 8.03 (12/30/04)

This is the first major bug-fix update to the original X-Plane. Besides a number of enhancements to the scenery system to improve the look of the new scenery, it also fixes a number of big performance-killing bugs. Note: this build was originally called X-Plane 8.02 but was accidentally released without a beta label. It has been renamed to 8.03 to prevent confusion about what build is most recent.

  • On two texture unit machines, X-Plane will load only the base layer of composite terrain types when there is a border texture. Previously borders would not be visible because X-Plane would run out of texture units, so this change effectively prefers borders to composite textures.
  • Object Version 2 support restored to the sim. This is a legacy format and not recommended for new development, but is supported by 802 for scenery migration.
  • Libraries may reference multiple objects or facades for one virtual path, providing for variation on an object to be provided by an add-on library.
  • Facades can have night lighting textures via the TEXTURE_LIT command.
  • Facades can have real textured roofs instead of a solid color.
  • Composite textures may be used in any terrain, not just terrain that was composite in the default artwork.
  • BUMPY and WET commands added to the terrain type file format to allow for customized terrain surfaces.

X-Plane 8.04 – 8.06 (2/2/05)

This is an additonal bug-fix release that also integrates a number of systems changes.

  • Load order preference has changed: in 8.04 ENV files in the custom scenery folder are preferred to DSFs in the default scenery folder.

X-Plane 8.10-8.11 (3/19/05)

This feature release mostly focuses on systems features but also has a few scenery features to support global scenery.

  • The sim/require_object property is recognized to force objects in a DSF to be shown at low rendering details.
  • Terrain files can control clamping vs. wrapping and other properties.

X-Plane 8.15 (6/19/05)

This feature release also focuses on systems, but does have a few fixes to ENV handling.

  • ENVs draw taxiway lines.
  • Bug Fix: ENV water-land physics properties now match V7.
  • Bug Fix: Tall objects with hard surfaces now track correctly.
  • Bug Fix: No more occasional “NaN” errors with ENVs.

X-Plane 8.20 (11/15/05)

This feature release provides a bunch of new scenery features and the new OBJ8-based object engine.

  • New .ter file commands for more control of projection, wrapping and composite borders.
  • New .net command to keep the number of texture repetitions even – useful for bridges.
  • New .net command for more carefully controlling polygon offset – also useful for bridges.
  • New .bch file format for beach textures around waterboddies.
  • New OBJ8 file format with animation, per vertex normals, blending control.
  • Bug fixes to the OBJ8 engine: poylgon offset and materials now work correctly.
  • Scenery Engine Improvements: async texture loading, faster ENV processing, compressed textures, better rendering of road network intersections.

X-Plane 8.30 (1/15/06)

This is mainly a performance-tuning relase, but with a few new scenery features–overlays are the important one.

  • Sim support for Overlay DSFs.
  • Datarefs allow a plugin to tell which object is being drawn.
  • Asynchronous 3-d clutter instantiation.
  • Bug fixes for culling and speed improvements.

X-Plane 8.40 (4/13/06)

The main purpose of this release was to get X-Plane working on the Intel Macintoshes.

  • Library system regionalization added.
  • Object-location datarefs allow for animating multiple instances of one object.

X-Plane 8.50 (7/18/06)

This release features the new apt.dat system as well as other OBJ extensions.

  • New apt.dat 850 file format support.
  • New DSF polygon types for draped polygons, painted lines and strings of lights.
  • OBJ8 supports control over blending, hard surfaces and draw order.
  • New show/hide OBJ8 animation commands.
  • OBJ8 supports a new light system.
  • .net road files support cars and hard pavement.
  • Facades support hard surfaces and blending control.
  • Default ships and other default scenery re-implemented as library objects.
  • Library regions may be defined with PNG files.

X-Plane 8.60 (11/28/06)

A few new features for custom scenery packages, and some bug fixes.

  • .pol overlay polygons can have texture coordinates, for overlay orthophotos.
  • .pol files can have clamped textures using new commands.
  • .For files can prevent trees from being placed over water.
  • New EXPORT_BACKUP library command lets DSFs use objects from other packages optionally.
  • Better memory management for overlays in long flights.
  • Bug fix: Facade walls are now randomized.

X-Plane 8.64 (11/1/07)

  • Various low-level bug fixes for the scenery system.
  • Better alignment of OBJs.

X-Plane 9.00 (11/24/07)

New major version, which supports all v8 scenery features plus new ones. The rendering engine no longer pauses on scenery load, uses shaders more heavily, and has increased forest capacity.

  • OBJ file format supports key frames.
  • New OBJ command to use part of the panel texture for VRAM savings.
  • Road .net files extended to support trains.
  • Road networks are legal in DSF overlays.
  • New .ter commands to hide terrain repetition using pixel shaders.
  • Improvements to .pol placement in overlays
  • Improved forest exclusion zones
  • It is possible to fly under hard surfaces.

X-Plane 9.20 (10/4/08)

Feature Release with internationalization support, new aircraft and systems code.

  • OBJ supports manipulators.
  • Texture Paging Implemented for .ter and .pol files.
  • Texture engine heavily threaded.

X-Plane 9.30 (Beta 1 2/4/09)

New OBJ features.

  • OBJ supports variable LIT texture, no draw, solid walls.
  • OBJ hard surfaces can be animated.
  • Draped orthophotos with bezier curves now work.
  • DSFs can contain multiple LOD patches.

X-Plane 9.40 (12/4/09)

New OBJ features, better multi-thread support

  • Most 3-d Scenery Processes run on up to 8 or more cores
  • Normal/Specular maps
  • Parameterized Lights

X-Plane 9.50 (4/15/09)

Performance improvements for large orthophoto sceneries.

  • Parameterized light list extended to cover all aspects of airplanes.

Meta

Topic:

  • Scenery

Article type:

  • Reference