Changes in the Feb2020 version (Lac07p95) include:
When flying at very high speeds (beyond 380MPH) it has been possible to collide with your own bullets. This didn't happen very often, but it seemed to be a bit more frequent when flying in a straight line. Subsequent testing confirmed that aircraft began colliding with their own bullets at any speed beyond about 375MPH. This has now been fixed. After this change you will find that aircraft can now safely fire their guns and cannons at extremely high speeds without ill effect. This will be especially helpful for fans of the German Me163 "Komet", which can easily exceed 500MPH in combat. This version remains operationally compatible with all versions since Lac07p92.
Changes in the mid December 2019 version (Lac07r94) include:
Improvement in the visual representation of network "jitter". This version remains operationally compatible with all versions since Lac07p90.
Changes in the mid November 2019 version (Lac07r92) include:
Users can now edit the "NetworkMode" field of their LacConfig.txt file to instruct LAC to ignore the presence of Mumble. This will be good for users with computers suffering incompatibilities when trying to use Mumble, or for users wishing to employ some other VOIP application.
Run-time diagnostic reporting was simplified, eliminating several unimportant details and improving framerate when looking to the right, left, up, down, or to the rear from within the cockpit.
LAC's video resolution configuration menu now offers nine standard resolution options instead of just five, making it far less likely that inexperienced users will ever need to manually edit the corresponding resolution fields in their LacConfig.txt file. The vast majority of new users will be able to find an appropriate setting from within LAC's menus.
The flight model of the Nakajima N1K1 fighter was improved with better handling of high-speed compressibility.
LAC's volunteer flight test crew flew meaningful missions, including takeoffs and landings with agressive ACM, in all 54 of the WW2 aircraft and confirmed that all of them fly reasonably without a lot of segmentation errors, and within expected flight performance parameters according to the best available historic and anecdotal records. Top speeds at sea level, climb rates, stall speeds, roll rates, maneuverability, lethality, and durability are all adjusted to our satisfaction. For controlled flight at normal altitudes and speeds, the overall performance and "feel" is entirely reasonable for anybody willing to use a little imagination. (At the extremes of speed and altitude, the flight models are less accurate, but still respectable.) The biggest flight model compromise is evident during takeoffs and landings, which are considerably simplified and easier than in real life, but all of the active principles of flight are modeled in principle; LAC's compromises in takeoff and landing are matters of degree. All of the flight testers are satisfied with the resulting compromises.
Accordingly, we are declaring this release of "classic" Linux Air Combat as DONE, and we are issuing it with a new name:
"LINUX AIR COMBAT R 7.92".
The compiled executable program is now named "lac07r92".
This is the version that will be release for public distribution on 15Nov2019 after more than four years of intense development effort.
Last edit: bbosen 2020-04-19
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Changes in the Feb2020 version (Lac07p95) include:
When flying at very high speeds (beyond 380MPH) it has been possible to collide with your own bullets. This didn't happen very often, but it seemed to be a bit more frequent when flying in a straight line. Subsequent testing confirmed that aircraft began colliding with their own bullets at any speed beyond about 375MPH. This has now been fixed. After this change you will find that aircraft can now safely fire their guns and cannons at extremely high speeds without ill effect. This will be especially helpful for fans of the German Me163 "Komet", which can easily exceed 500MPH in combat. This version remains operationally compatible with all versions since Lac07p92.
Changes in the mid December 2019 version (Lac07r94) include:
Improvement in the visual representation of network "jitter". This version remains operationally compatible with all versions since Lac07p90.
Changes in the mid November 2019 version (Lac07r92) include:
Users can now edit the "NetworkMode" field of their LacConfig.txt file to instruct LAC to ignore the presence of Mumble. This will be good for users with computers suffering incompatibilities when trying to use Mumble, or for users wishing to employ some other VOIP application.
Run-time diagnostic reporting was simplified, eliminating several unimportant details and improving framerate when looking to the right, left, up, down, or to the rear from within the cockpit.
LAC's video resolution configuration menu now offers nine standard resolution options instead of just five, making it far less likely that inexperienced users will ever need to manually edit the corresponding resolution fields in their LacConfig.txt file. The vast majority of new users will be able to find an appropriate setting from within LAC's menus.
The flight model of the Nakajima N1K1 fighter was improved with better handling of high-speed compressibility.
LAC's volunteer flight test crew flew meaningful missions, including takeoffs and landings with agressive ACM, in all 54 of the WW2 aircraft and confirmed that all of them fly reasonably without a lot of segmentation errors, and within expected flight performance parameters according to the best available historic and anecdotal records. Top speeds at sea level, climb rates, stall speeds, roll rates, maneuverability, lethality, and durability are all adjusted to our satisfaction. For controlled flight at normal altitudes and speeds, the overall performance and "feel" is entirely reasonable for anybody willing to use a little imagination. (At the extremes of speed and altitude, the flight models are less accurate, but still respectable.) The biggest flight model compromise is evident during takeoffs and landings, which are considerably simplified and easier than in real life, but all of the active principles of flight are modeled in principle; LAC's compromises in takeoff and landing are matters of degree. All of the flight testers are satisfied with the resulting compromises.
Accordingly, we are declaring this release of "classic" Linux Air Combat as DONE, and we are issuing it with a new name:
"LINUX AIR COMBAT R 7.92".
The compiled executable program is now named "lac07r92".
This is the version that will be release for public distribution on 15Nov2019 after more than four years of intense development effort.
Last edit: bbosen 2020-04-19