Fake Smile

Can you tell the difference between a real or fake smile?

An interesting test on the BBC science and nature site. I only got half of them correct.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/index.shtml

3DS Max 9.0 and FS X

Yesterday my 3DS Max 9.0 upgrade arrived. I decided to check out the FS X 3DS Max 7/8 plugins from the FS X SDK and of course they do NOT work in 3DS Max 9.0. Autodesk updated the 3DS Max SDK this time around thus requiring all plugins to be re-compiled for Max 9.0 as there are now both 32 and 64 bit versions of 3DS Max 9.0.

I mention this as I notice people in various FS forums talking about moving from Gmax to the full product. They won't be able to use 3DS Max 9.0 for FS X development until when and if ACES update the SDK 3DS Max plugins. When and if ACES do so, hopefully they will remember to create plugins that work with both 32 & 64 bit versions of 3DS Max.

Oxygino-Aviation Art

Another very interesting site I stumbled on today, especially if you like 3D aviation art is Gino Marcomini's 'Oxygino-Aviation Art'. If you frequent the art pages of the Luft '46 web site you will already be familiar with some of Gino's work.

In addition to downloadable wallpaper the site features tutorials, photoshop swatches. roundels and downloadable 3DS Max meshes.

Well worth a look.

http://www.oxygino.com/htmls/oxygino_menu.html

IL-2 Sturmovik 1946

Ubisoft and 1C:Maddox Games have announced IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 for release in November 2006.

Here's an extract of the announcement from the Pacific Fighters web site.

STURMOVIK™: 1946 offers new campaigns, missions and aircraft as well as many exclusive features. Pilots can fly the skies and fight enemies over the Russian front, German occupied Europe, the Far East and the Pacific. STURMOVIK™: 1946 also includes all of previous Il-2 series content, thus bringing the most respected anthology flight simulator to an astonishing 229 flyable aircraft and over 300 total aircraft.

http://www.pacific-fighters.com/en/home.php

This will be interesting. I guess this is to fill the gap until Storm of War: Battle of Britain is released. Of course these guys are not the only people producing 1946 'what if' aircraft.
http://biff-diaries.blogspot.com/

Revamped FSInsider Web Site

Just stopped by FSInsider.com and noticed that their new site has gone live. Certainly worth checking out.

http://www.fsinsider.com/

Blog Focus & Biff Diaries

From now on most of my FS dev & 3D creation posts will be in my other blog The Biff Diaries which has greatly expanded from its initial concept of modeling a Bristol F2B 'Biff' for CFS3 to creation of content for CFS3, FS2004 and, once the full SDK is available, FS X. That blog will be a diary of my efforts, trials & tribulations & experiments in creating aircraft for Microsoft Simulators

In the Wing Fell Off I will still post general news on flight simulation, my experiences of and perhaps the occasional tip on FS X, my own news, computer graphics & associated technology. Maybe the occasional general interst article too.

I am currently working on a website too.