Fixed Sparkling Taxiway Lights in P3Dv2.5

[garrettprs]

As I was testing the trial version of KLAX in P3Dv2 earlier tonight, I came across an issue that seems to have been raised here at least a couple of times: the sparkling/flickering taxiway centerline lights. As this bothered me too--and as the ever studious scenery troubleshooter--I figured out how to turn the bloom off for just the centerline lights.

I'm happy that I was able to figure this out since it's a great rendition of KLAX that, aside from the taxiway light bloom, is otherwise totally compatible with P3Dv2.5 and comparably easy on frames and VAS (I've gone back-and-forth on KDFW and simply can't pull the trigger).

Umberto: that all being said, let me know if you want me to send you the updated files and maybe you can issue a formal patch or updated installer for P3Dv2 or if I ought to just provide a tutorial for the folks that may be interested. I think the former would be far easier since adjusting the texture attributes can be a bit daunting to the uninitiated.

Fantastic job on KLAX and this edit really makes this airport a top U.S. destination in P3Dv2.

[virtuali]

Umberto: that all being said, let me know if you want me to send you the updated files and maybe you can issue a formal patch or updated installer for P3Dv2 or if I ought to just provide a tutorial for the folks that may be interested. I think the former would be far easier since adjusting the texture attributes can be a bit daunting to the uninitiated.

There's no need to change any files.

Thanks to the flexibility of our system, we can probably create an in-game menu so you can change the preferences, and we already made changes on the fly to the materials, depending if the scenery runs under P3D or FSX, which saves you from running a separate installer with configuration options.

Some users might like the bloom and, in fact, I find it to be more realistic and somewhat more in tune with KLAX, since due of the heavy light pollution in the area (a nightmare for an amateur astrophile like me....), we might imagine the airport would set the runway lights to their maximum intensity, but perhaps a choice menu might be nice for those that don't like it.

Just to be clear, there was no bug: the lights were intentionally designed to look like that...

[garrettprs]

Got it, thanks Umberto.

But I think the issue comes down to P3D's inherently bad antialiasing. If the lights simply just "bloomed," then great (but they don't really seem to in P3D). But in P3D there are so many shimmering objects (I get them a lot with some of ORBX's objects) where that's really all we wind up seeing. So I'm sure it was a good idea that worked in FSX but in the latest version of P3D, we're all sparkling and no bloom. Again, though, I do just need to make clear that we're only talking about the taxiway centerline lights. The runway lights still looks great.

Regardless, KLAX is great and it's now on the list.