To Lockheed Martin, about [lights]

[tonaz]

Good evening dear LM staff,

have you ever noticed that the [lights] section of an aircraft.cfg is limited to 18 lights effects, including the "0" tagged one?
Why in ages of development this has never been fixed?

P.S.: I know the [smokesystem] section trick, but effects in that tag only shows with engines running.
P.P.S.: I know effects can be attached to the MDL itself, but only extremely simple effects work, not even light emitters.

Back on topic, i would not even complain about this for FSX couse it is completely abandoned (oh yes, the "SE" version... Yeah watherver...), but thinking about P3D, still in a very strong and active and good development, is there any particular reason about this 18 lights limitation, or it is just a bug left there for ages 'couse nobody at LM has never taken it in consideration?
If you fix this, you would help A LOT addons developers.

[Beau Hollis]

Oddly enough, I don't recall getting this specific request before. I think we would get more requests like this if developers weren't still releasing content for both FSX and P3Dv1-2. Many developers tend to work within the limitations of legacy versions to streamline development. We do often get requests for more control and customization of airport and carrier lighting, and for a more general approach to dynamic lights. We will add this to our list of considerations to take into account when planning any future updates to lighting in the engine. Thank you for your feedback.

[lkalam]

Beau,

this limitation is specifically what FSLSpotlights tries to solve. I spoke to Adam about this awhile ago - let me know if you want the topic revisited...

[tonaz]

Thank you for your kind answer Beau.

I really would like to see that limitation fixed.
You say that developers works within the limitations, and ofcourse the result are addons extremely poor in terms of graphics and effects, and visual care generally.
For example logo lights in every aircraft usually are just two dots, put on the ailerons (sometimes not even those...). And the effect that lights up the logo is a fake night texture switch, enabled by the VC instrument light switch... Not the logo switch. Same for wing lights, and many other stuff.
It is much more cool to add some real radial lights, bounded to the correct switch in the VC.
I hope you get what i'm trying to mean (i'm not english).

This is what i am doing with my addon, and in order to make it really good looking i would need more lights slots.

About FSLSpotlights, lkalam, yes it is a nice addon (and i bought and use it) but trust me, if a developer start to work in a correct and good way from the beginning, there is no need of FSLSpotlights.
Texturing the 3D model in the proper way, and putting radial VC lights if there were more slots, with a bit of care and passion, would bring the same result as FSL. Even better, 'couse VC night texture can be additive, that means a gentle fade from day to night.
That is what i am doing.

Thanks for your interest!