From our Lab

August 3, 2002 - Modifications reserved

New complete Sail Simulator 4.2.2 for CD-ROM and download in August 2002
Based on the experience with 4.2i, a very complete Sail Simulator 4.2 cd-version will be released in August. First cd's will be sold on the boats show in Rotterdam, IJmuiden, and Friedrichshaven.

New options compared to the first 4.2i download version:

  • Strongly improved multiplayer, now the server runs with standard 56 kb modems (4.2.1i update)
  • Variable start time for multiplayer racing
  • No more crashing if the number of sound samples reaches a maximum, when your soundcard driver is not fully DX compatible. This is important for stable multiplayer sessions.
  • Included is the demo of the Scenery Designer Toolkit for creating small sailing areas from maps. The full version is optional and also handles most Internet DEM files for bigger areas.
  • A Scenery Manager is included for installing sailing areas made by other users.
  • New "Puffs and Lulls" (time and space dependent windstructure) for more interesting multiplayer racing sessions.
  • Bodensee (Germany) and St.Martin (Sponsored by ALEX/Dexia bank, for the Heineken regatta). You can add extra objects with our new Scenery Designer Toolkit.
  • Tornado Cat rudder and centre board control

The complete 4.2.2 cd-rom version includes 11 boats and 5 sailing areas, 8 languages, Boat Style Editor, Scenery Designer Light (=demo), Scenery Manager, English, Dutch and German manual.

The Sail Simulator 4.2 Pro cd version also contains the full Scenery Designer Toolkit.

New DX8 Simulation Technology for 2003
In April our team started up the the development of a simulation engine using Microsofts DirectX 8.1 technology. Compared to the DX7 simulation engine of Sail Simulator 4.2, there the new engine has been set-up as simple as possible and more object orientated.

As a first step, a start was made to transform SS4.2 (DX7a) to a DX8 SS5.0 alpha (in house) version, which is now almost finished. Some interesting points to mention:

  • All 2D DirectDraw instruments are redesigned using Direct3D. A new cool look is given and transperancy is used to see through them and keep a look at boat and scenery. The hardest work was the navigation map, which is alsmost ready now.
  • Reduction of the number of threads to 2 strongly reduces future developing/debugging time. This strongly reduces the start-up time of the simulation and makes it possible to see direct the effect in the simulation of preferences and environmental conditions.
  • Splitting the Server and Client program into 2 separate programs, making the way open to develop a (internet) server-server program like Game Spy to start and join multiplayer sessions direct from Sail Simulator.
  • A genaker and the Olympic 49-er is almost ready for use in Sail Simulator 5
  • The DX8 triple buffering technique was implemented which realy uses the speed of fast PC's
  • A cooperation was started with Virtual Passages from www.virtualsail.com to use its world daily weather data files for scenery conditions (wind, wave, clouds, temperature and stream).
  • The control interface structure is redesigned to make it more flexible and easier to maintain. This allows for example control by keyboard arrows and mouse together. In automatic mode one button will start up the process of hoisting the sails. Perfect for lazy and new users.

Using this new engine the development of our new 2003 programs like Motorboat Simulator 1.0 (Hiswa), Sail Simulator 5, and Bird Flight Simulator 1.0 will be faster. The programs them self will be more stable, faster, more beautiful and easier to learn and control.

DEM Builder interpolation strongly improved
The interpolation routine of the DEM builder of the scenery toolkit could take quite a while, sometimes days for complex and large sailing areas. This routine is now 2 to 3 times faster. Also it uses 30% less RAM, which is important for the speed as well. The progress bar has been set from 10 to 1% accuracy. The improved toolkit will soon be available as download.

3D Object Editor for Scenery Designer
The Scenery Designer Toolkit supports only a (very) limited implementation of the VRML standard.

A 3D-Object Editor will be released in September to build some native Sail Simulator 3D models such as *.s3d and *.buo (buoys). The 3D Object editor will also enable you to add collision detection to your 3D Models so it's possible to create objects which can be placed in the water and the boat won't sail right through them.

The 3D Object Editor will only support the VRML file format as an import format because this is a highly supported file format in 3D Modeling Applications (3DSMax, TrueSpace, Blender) and and very well documented. All the necessary parts of the VRML standard will be fully supported in the 3D Object Editor.