今朝、開発元からメールが届き、X-Plane 10.50の新機能について紹介があったので、簡単にご紹介しよう。

空港のスタティック機体について リアリティは向上するが、時には進行方向を遮ったり、もう少しスマートさが欲しいところだ。 そこでバージョンアップ後は、空港開発者がスタティック機体を個別に配置する必要はなくなる。 設定するだけで、あとはシステムがすべて処理してくれる。

例えば、エプロンにどの機体型号を配置するか、空港の最大収容機数はいくつか、どの航空会社の機体を置くかなどを設定できる。 ユナイテッド航空のコード「UAL」を書き込めば、X-Planeシステムがそこにアメリカン航空の機体を配置することは決してない。

これで、空港上の航空機と空を飛ぶAI機体はシステム制御下で統合され、フライトシミュレーションのリアリティが大幅に向上する。

We’re hard at work on the next big feature release. X-Plane 10.50 will have multiple improvements, including a change to make airports feel more inhabited.

Better Static and AI Aircraft at Airports

Static aircraft enhance the appearance of airports by making them look more populated even if you don’t have a ton of AI aircraft enabled. But those aircraft objects sometimes get in the way, and neither you nor X-Plane have any control over them. X-Plane 10.50 will include multiple airport changes that will improve the randomization of aircraft.

The biggest change is that airport designers will no longer need to place static parked aircraft objects. Instead, X-Plane will automatically add static aircraft to existing ramp starts. Designers will be able to provide extremely specific guidelines as to what type of aircraft equipment can use the ramp, the maximum allowable aircraft size, and even what airlines can be parked there. Have a gate ramp start that only United Airlines uses? It can be tagged with its official 3-letter airline code (UAL) and X-Plane will never place an American Airlines plane there.

X-Plane will use all of this information to place the most appropriate static and AI aircraft there. All these changes are great for adding dynamism to airport scenery–now every time you visit an airport, the parked aircraft can change in multiple ways. You’ll also have your pick of all the ramp starts, and will never have to fight static aircraft for your gate.