TouchingCloud - Microsoft Flight Simulator!

Good news everyone!

We are ready to introduce next update of our DG808S community mod. You will find in new version a lot of visual improvements, better flight model and some useful features. Check this video for details:

Short list of changes:

• animated pilot model (toggleable by click on seat)
• additional liveries
• cockpit reflection for canopy
• custom attitude indicator
• flight track for nav map
• precise aerodynamics
• panel light
• improved textures and materials

Have a great flights, feel free to report issues, and keep an eye on future updates!

With latest MSFS update, our programs started to cause crash to desktop on loading screen. This time ASOBO developers changed initialization process somehow (probably optimized), but forget to add safe check for SimConnect – if some requests sent that moment, game crashing.

We have tried to avoid such issue, leave a comment or contact us on Discord if you still experience any problems with it. You can get latest versions of the apps on Kinetic Assistant and ALBATROSS pages.

After months of the development and adjustments, we are finally close to the end of the process. Most features work smooth, the user interface is simple and logical.

Several things still should be improved – like ghost recording, and maybe new thing will be added soon – it has experimental status right now, if will work well – could be passed to our testing team soon.

New tow option was added in this version – ground crew push. It is really helpful for gliders and navy pilots, so you can park your aircraft, or move to the runway/catapult, by yourself.

In-game panel now included – you can see and control zoom of navigation screen inside of the game (works in VR!). No tutorials on it yet, but it’s enough just enable the “Kinetic Panel” option in settings (scroll down available options first), and click on Install link – drag and drop archive content into Community folder and you will see a new panel option with glider picture.

ALBATROSS updated as well, check out our new gliding competition – Race175 Oloron-Herrere! Don’t forget to get France add-on to have the ultimate level of scenery quality. We are all here for breathtaking sight viewing, right? =)

Another week of hard work and we are getting closer to the next public version. A lot of visual issues fixed – missing polygons, poorly looking textures and materials, VR problem.

Attempt to add water ballast dump visual effect can’t be named successful – current FX system very limited and does not provide much instruments. So it looks a bit weird, but better than nothing.

Next week missing sounds will be added, so cockpit, finally, will get ultimate immersion. Wish to thank everyone who helps us with issues tracking and advice, really glad it became truly community project!

This week we have decided to spent some time on one personal freeware add-on – Air Creation 582SL. This trike was originally a convert of FSX aircraft (developed by Microsoft), but now it became completely native MSFS plane! So you will get working VR, clickable switches (well, not much in this case) and shiny materials (a lot of shininess!). It still uses same low poly model and simple textures (even after AI upscale) but even so it looks great in the beautiful MSFS environment.

Not much flight model improvements, but maybe next time it will get weight shift controls simulation so you can experience total immersion.

Get it for free and ready to take off!

This weekend we propose to join our new gliding competition – Race 133 MONACO. 133 kilometers route in-between Italy and France with beautiful views and salt breeze. Use ridge lift and hot spots wisely to make the best time!

New ALBATROSS version was released as well. This time we introduce competitors’ ghosts – if someone has already completed a task, you can choose up to three records so they will start the race along you. This feature is still in development, so you can experience various issues – like rough animation, unstable glider speed, or even losing connection with the game. To solve the last one try to set a lower frequency moving green slider to the left.

Mostly minor Kinetic issues are fixed – vertical wind indication improved, hotkeys works again, thermal circle no longer disappear when you just reached it.

Tow plane issue when it does not gain altitude during take off still happen, as it related with AI trying to control ghost plane. As workaround, program “teleport” towplane higher so it starting to lift after that.

Some limitations added into ALBATROSS – you are no longer able to change sim rate (time acceleration/deceleration) or change ballast weight during race. However, you still can do it in training mode.

New updates available for our programs – Kinetic Assistant (0.9.1) and ALBATROSS (0.5). Most improvements in replay functionality was made this time. Now you can use manually created track files for the tow plane, so no more weird AI behavior. More various routes will be added soon. You still can enable ATC controlled tow plane in options, but prepare for troubles as it does not work properly on many airfields.

If competition contain tow plane track (currently Race 100 LOIJ and Race 159 EDFY), to start towing process just open Aerotow tab, press AI TOW button and prepare for takeoff.

You can test out recording/replay functionality, but it is very unfinished at the moment – you can’t perform some aerobatics and expect the program to play it properly. Further improvements will be applied soon, but our first goal – to make the plane follow proper route – is reached.

We are ready to introduce new gliding competition  – short range race in the skies of Central Eastern Alps. Home airfield – LOIJ Sankt Johann Airport based in Austria, well-known glider airfield nestles in an open valley basin in the Kitzbühel Alps.

100 kilometers long route, 10 knots S-E wind, lower clouds layer at 8000ft. Wonderful views and perfect weather will make this trip truly enjoyable. Unfortunately, we haven’t finished all planned ALBATROSS features, but a new version will be released tomorrow anyway.

See you in the air!