Introducing P3D SpacePort - spaceflight module for P3D

[P3D SpacePort Team]

Hi everyone!

We have put together a short new promotional video for P3D SpacePort, showcasing the latest features.

Please check it out at our YouTube Channel, and don't forget to tell us what you think in the comment section!

Cheers,

Mitch
P3D SpacePort Team

[dafyddp3d]

Hi
I also had a problem running the demo (way back!), and haven't tried again, but seeing the comments on using the TACPAK and maybe other addons, I think it's time to try again, having watched the promotional video!

However, before I do, can you confirm that this addon can be run on a 4K triple monitor system using view-groups? Can't see why not since the view-group facility is integral to the P3D application, but it would be nice to have confirmation that there are no known barriers to using view-groups.

If it's possible it should look truly spectacular on my rig!

Thanks

[P3D SpacePort Team]

Hi
I also had a problem running the demo (way back!), and haven't tried again, but seeing the comments on using the TACPAK and maybe other addons, I think it's time to try again, having watched the promotional video!

However, before I do, can you confirm that this addon can be run on a 4K triple monitor system using view-groups? Can't see why not since the view-group facility is integral to the P3D application, but it would be nice to have confirmation that there are no known barriers to using view-groups.

If it's possible it should look truly spectacular on my rig!

Thanks

Hi Dave,

We have no idea if view groups would interfere with SpacePort, but we don't see why they would. SpacePort uses nothing but SimConnect, and should be seen by P3D as any other add on. The main problem is as we stated - some add-ons interfere with "spawned" AI objects and render SpacePort unusable. Therefore it is necessary to disable all 3rd party add ons, to be sure none are interfering. This will be the feature of the next demo update - an installer option to disable all addons (which can later be easily enabled through UI). So - you must first disable all addons and THEN run SpacePort. We are mainly testing on P3D v4, but we tried P3D v5 and SpacePort was running well, except the look of some emissive objects (glowing flame) changed - LM must have changed shaders or something... Anyway, it would be awesome to see how it looks on triple 4K monitor setup. Please note that there is no EVA in the current demo. And, please reach out if things are not working, we can probably debug it. (We noticed that sometimes P3D V5 loads the SpacePort scenario in pause mode, for whatever reason)

Cheers,
Mitch
P3D SpacePort Team

[dafyddp3d]

... Anyway, it would be awesome to see how it looks on triple 4K monitor setup. Please note that there is no EVA in the current demo. And, please reach out if things are not working, we can probably debug it. (We noticed that sometimes P3D V5 loads the SpacePort scenario in pause mode, for whatever reason)

Cheers,
Mitch
P3D SpacePort Team

Hi Mitch, thanks for the reply. Ok, I'll give it another try and let you know. I'll need to back up my system first in case it goes belly-up! (You learn by your mistakes!)
Kind Regards

[dafyddp3d]

Hi Mitch
Windows 10 21H2.19044.1682
Display driver 512.59
P3D v5.3.17.28160

I installed the KSC scenery no problem
When I attempted to install the demo I got as far as as the info page below, and got the following error shown in the image below. I tried running the installer with and without admin privileges, re-booting in between.
Prior to running the installer I had disabled the TACPAK via the TAKPAK Manager, though I don't think it would have made any difference to installation.
There was an "App-Model Runtime" error in event viewer which stated ...

"Failed with 0x57 retrieving AppModel Runtime status for package NonImmersivePackage"

I don't know if this has any relevance or not, but all other event viewer entries were Windows based as far as I could see. So had to give up I'm afraid. If you have any ideas I'm willing to try again!

[P3D SpacePort Team]

Thanks, Dave!

Ok, I have never seen this before. It seems the failure is due to an invalid index in the installer code. I'll go over the code and de-bug it and see if I can find anything.

For the system error, I did a quick search, and this came up:

https://ugetfix.com/ask/failed-with-0x5 ... ow-to-fix/

I don't think this is related to the installer.

I am on the same Win version except my build is a bit older: 19044.1645. Let me check a few things and see if I can get the same error.

Cheers,
Mitch
P3D SpacePort Team

[P3D SpacePort Team]

UPDATE: OK, I found the bug. This happens when you choose NOT to have a default SpacePort flight at startup. Can you please verify this by leaving this option as a default, just like in the screenshot below?



Thanks!
Mitch
P3D SpacePort Team

[dafyddp3d]

Hi Mitch
Yes that's almost definitely it, I chose the other option both times! Didn't think to change it!
I'll try again and let you know
Cheers

[dafyddp3d]

Hi Mitch
The good news is
I managed to install the demo and the scenery OK this time, so that confirms the bug, and got to the scenario screen OK as well. Eventually I was able to run all three scenarios with view-groups active, and it looks great! I took a few photos of my setup to show how it looks, but to get them I had to move way back from the normal eyepoint, so they don't really do it justice. Here's a link to the photos ...

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArxUWthJJ1Cwhd16lzf ... w?e=ANn5La

The bad news is
1) I had no sound (not sure whether I should have)
2) When loading the launch scenario for the very first time, the screen froze with, it seems, various objects misplaced, and then about 10 secs later a CTD. This happened with or without view-groups active. There was nothing in event viewer. I managed to get a pic of the screen before the CTD, here's a link if it's of interest

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArxUWthJJ1Cwhd15hn2 ... Q?e=CudNS5

I carried on and tried the other scenarios (re-entry and docking), which loaded and ran, no problem! I then tried the launch scenario again and that was successful also! No idea why.

So I can confirm, ignoring the initial hiccup, that Spaceport runs OK under view-groups, and I can switch between single and triple monitor display. Also panning works OK in triple monitor mode as expected. Looks fantastic!
Kind Regards

[P3D SpacePort Team]

Hi Dave!

Glad to hear you got it running! As for the problems - sometimes the P3D v5 (NOT v4) loads the situation in pause mode... makes everything except Orion capsule not load until the sim is un-paused. And yes, we have seen an odd event of objects all over the place. It is hard to reproduce it so we haven't been able to determine what the problem is. We are guessing that it is because demo has only FSX-compatible flight files (FLT), which seem to be still compatible with both versions of P3D, but it could be that once in a while things get out of order. For the next demo, we will have those situation files saved in P3D format (.fxml), so perhaps, hopefully, that gets resolved. (If you save the situation flight right now, it won't save all the extra SpacePort stuff, but we have that functionality in now, so for the next demo, saving to proper format will work)

Looks GREAT on 3 monitors! For the next demo release, we have a full joystick support for both spacecraft and EVA, so that should be even more enjoyable!

I'm sending you a quick PM.

Cheers,
Mitch
P3D SpacePort Team

[dafyddp3d]

Hi Mitch
I sent you a PM in reply, but it seems to be stuck in my outbox, though it is marked as having been sent. Did you receive it? If not, the answer is yes to both queries!
Cheers

[P3D SpacePort Team]

Hi Dave,

No worries, I got it, thanks! Re: sounds, we are seeing the same thing and investigating. Thanks!

Mitch
P3D SpacePort Team

[P3D SpacePort Team]

Many thanks to one of our users who posted pics of P3D SpacePort deployed on three 4K monitors set up. It truly looks spectacular!
(we are reposting these from our server that allows image display)






Mitch
P3D SpacePort Team

[SpaceFlightNut]

That 3-screen setup looks simply stunning! Did you guys try it in VR? I wonder how/if it would work.

BTW, I remember I had the same problem with the installer (selecting the option that crashes the installer) but the next time around I chose the "valid" option and everything worked well. I should have reported the problem when I noticed it, it may have saved folks time and grief!

SpaceFlightNut

[P3D SpacePort Team]

Hi,

Thanks! No, we haven't tested VR on P3D SpacePort, but again, just as with 3-monitor setup, we don't see a reason it wouldn't work, as P3D spacePort is fully SimConnect/SDK compliant.

Cheers,
Mitch
P3D SpacePort Team