Sailors of the Sky Gold Demo 5.13 file

Sailors of the Sky Gold - Demo
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This is a demo, execution will be terminated after 5 minutes. You can't join online, although the rest of funtionalities are included. Not all sceneries are either included nor the documentation to keep this download small. However new very impressive Central Spain scenery can be downloaded from our site.

Gold version is a little bit more hardware demanding so you have to play with the parameters in the configuration window to get the best results and increase your frame rate. For example lower the horizon distance to its minimum value and texture size to a lower value. You can also reduce the resolution supported by your graphic card, for example in my Voodoo 5500 I get a very good results at 640x480x32 and antialising on.

Please read patch details and keyboard configuration below.

If you are an old user of SotS you will have to send to me your new UserId in order I can generate the serial number for Gold version.

Aknowledge:

Thank you very much to all SotS funs, especially those of the SotS forum. Thank you very much too to the beta team, to Victor Egorov (Russia) for his planes (Air-7, Su-26, Camel, Albatros, Grob Twin2, Pawnee Pa25, Spitfire, Me109), to Richard SantaColoma (USA) for his GeeBeeR1, and to Jeroem van Bemmel for his Sion scenery.

www.sailorsofthesky.com

Version history and details:

Patch 5.11 - 22th October 2005
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In patch 5 I have fixed some problems with the "on-line session" window to make multiplay easier. I have included some death zone for bank control, above all with motor planes (shooting is easier now). I have reduced to a minimum some graphic artifacts, making terrain rendering very smooth. I have fixed some problems with the results window. Improved stalls. Streched cloud field out to the horizon. Fixed some problems with the F8 and F9 padlock options. Real road maps can be used now (without distortion). Included webcam device. Included an option for fast qualifcation for those impatient users. And some other small points I don't remember now.

Really the webcam is a funny feature. I have included it to get the idea of what can be to use your head to move your view. At the beginning I had some pain in my neck :) and was easy to become sick.... but eventually it really gives your flight a more real feeling. Another serious problem is that is much more difficult to control your speed, so I use the automatic speed control (press Shift+A). Press F1 to center the view.

I have included a death zone parameter in the webcam configuration box. I set it to 3. You can use your mouse to adjust the height if you move it slowly. One way can be to use it with your left hand. You can press the "8" key in the keypad to move up or down. You can able/disable webcam pressing Ctrl+W.

Patch 5.0 - 18th October 2005
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1. Improve terrain algorithm
2. Solved some problems with F8 and F9 keys
3. Fixed some problems with clouds
4. Include webcam device to control panning (see the configuration window)
5. Fixed some problems with the results
6. Included an option for fast qualification for those impatience users
.......

Patch 4.63 - 14th July 2005
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1. Bending wings
2. New weather model:
2.1 A weather pattern can be defined for a specific area (e.g. lows move from West to East crossing England .... ). See new Weather option in the menu bar of the map. In club mode you can modify or create any new pattern.
2.2 Moving clouds
2.3 Cloud dissipation
2.4 Stratus layer over fronts. You have to be close to a front to see it.
3. A picture of the map can now be used in SotS, you only have to call it map.bmp and include in the scenery
4. IGC-records import/export option from the map screen. Current flight can be saved as in IGC format and later resumed.
5. New Map 3D view. Any recorded flight can be replay in 3D view.
6. New "Configuration" options:
6.1 Flight Difficulty: Real, Medium, Easy
6.2 Movie entrance on/off
6.3 Photo textures size. Some old cards have difficulties handling textures with a size out of the standards terribly affecting frame rate. Play with this parameter for better results.
6.4 "use weather model" on/off. If the weather is defined, see weather option in the map menu bar, wind and clouds will be computed from that. Set it off if you want to take the wind defined in the task file.
6.5 From the configuration window you can select your mouse wheel to be used as a gas throttle.
7. Revised multiplayer algorithm. The limit of players have been increased a lot.
8. Optimized code for faster rendering
9. Resizable menu window
10. Real polars, they have to be called Discus.pla, for example, and included in the Polars folder
11. New keys
11.1 sequence F5-F2 for a fix position
11.2 Ctrl+Z zoom in internal view
11.3 Shift+Z zoom out internal view
12. Changeble vision angle for internal view (use Shift+Z and Ctrl+Z)
13. New sound messages (thank you very much Mrs. Beetham).
14. Fixed labels bug ("L" key)
15. New texturazing method, not artifact can be found now
16. LOD (ROAM) model included. The level of details changes with distance and terrain.
17. Improved thermaling
18. Force Feedback joystick implemented
19. Registration number and colour on the planes can be modified from the pilot list now (right-click after having selected a plane).
20. Popup instruments at the bottom of the screen (press "i" to cycle them)
21. New planes: Grob Twin 2, PA25 Pawnee, Spitfire, Me109 (go to BoB scenery).

Patch 2.87 - 1st February 2004
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1. On-line multiplayer server. When you host or if you want to enter a contest in the future your session will be published and accesible to everybody.
2. Better plane shadows.
3. Full compatibility with Design3D tool last version.
4. Fixed hangglider bug
5. Fighters can shoot now (look for Albatros and Camel biplanes for relaxing times :)
6. Stereo sound effects included.
7. Cockpit wind volume can be modified ("4", Shift+"4"), uses it in case high distortion.

Patch 2.77 - 24th November 2003
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1. Ilan Papini's planes integration (see xFiles\Readme.txt)
2. New keymap ("1", "2" for engine when no joystick available,...)
3. Tow bug fixed (tow don't go to the mountains)
4. Engine aircraft can be flown now
5. Red and black visions included
6. Joystick sensitivity specific for every plane included
7. Online multiplayer improved. Messages size reduced to half.
8. Host set up the no AI-planes visualization now.
9. Plane crash detection one againts each other is working now.
10.Tow aircraft model and circuit revised and improved.
11.New instruments (ADF, Horizon, rpm, fuel, clock).
12.Included handicaps as a new possibility to count points for the results.
13.Panel shadow (switch on/off in the configuration window).
14. Waypoint list can be used in the map to compose your task (Club option).
......

Patch 2.18 - 11th July 2003
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1. New texturazing alghorithm. Transitions are not required now.
2. Levers colors changed: trim-green; flaps-black.
3. Improved landing (ground effect included).
4. Unexpected crash produced when strong wind defined was fixed.

Patch 2.17 - 1st July 2003
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1. Thermal lift over clouds fixed
2. Tree distance configuration bug fixed
3. Gliders keep bank
4. Multiplayer results and time bug fixed (no compatible with previous versions)
5. Multiplayer pilot list bug fixed
6. Longitude bug in NMEA output fixed
7. New !w NMEA message
8. New RAVEN output (for his simulator)
9. HOTAS is working now!

Patch 2.16 - 22nd May 2003
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1. Fixes Landscape distance bug on patch 2.15
2. Sounds bug
3. Speed to fly in imperial units fixed

Patch 2.15 - 12th May 2003
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1.Imperial Units in computer
2. Altimeter will show AGL and MSL now
3. Remove 150 km/h limit when calculating polars (for effective use in computer they have to be recalculated).
4. Dez's baby take off now.
5. Improve transitions for Kufstein scenery
6. Time limit message to inform unregistered users.
7. Fix bug for sceneries with a size higher than 400 km

Patch 2.14 - 4th April 2003
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1. Remove players if they are disconnected more than 1 minute
2. Improved padlock when distances are closed
3. Increase horizon distance up to 30 kms
4. New vario sound, control volume (E,Shift+E), limits (see "Configuration")
5. Proportional flaps control
6. "i" key removes track from the map too
7. Improved tree layout
8. Wheel drag included
9. Negative flaps
10. Dez's baby can be shown in the "Glider" option of the menu.
11. If Imperial units are selected, the Variometer and Airspeed indicator display in knots and the altimeter will display in feet.

Patch 2.13 - 24th March 2003
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1. Fixed register bug

Patch 2.12 - March 2003
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1. Fixed register bug
2. Added beep sounds in the players window to notice that a player has joined the game.

Patch 2.11 -March 2003
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1. Fixed in-fligth computer letter size bug
2. New Mafikeng's transition textures
3. Fixed ballast influence on the model
4. New option to visualize polar without watter (see "Gliders" option in main menu).
5. Fixed "ERROR Different type" wrong message in multiplayer option.
6. Speed up option (x20) keep the the glider flying at the same course now
(no automatic flight).

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Keymap as of V5.11 October 23th, 2005
-------------------------------------
(See patch notes above)

Throttle lever- trimmer lever (set forward at start in tow)/Speed Brakes

ESC Exit
F1 Front view
F2 Lock/unlock padlock plane
F3 External view
F4 Chase view
F5 Fly-by view (F5-F2 for a fix position)
F6 Chase-2 view
F7 External view from padlock plane
F8 Padlock closest plane
F9 Next closest plane
F10 Padlock from base cycling forwards
F11 Automatic rotating views

Shift+F1 Padlock base
Shift+F2 Padlock waypoint
Shift+F8 Padlock closest plane or bird
Shift+F9 Padlock Next closest plane or bird
Shift+F10 Padlock from base cycling backwards
Ctrl+F1 Padlock next base
Ctrl+F2 Padlock next waypoint
Ctrl+F3 Padlock back waypoint
Ctrl+F8 Padlock closest faster plane

8 (Keypad) Front-up view
5 (Keypad) Front view
4 (Keypad) Left view
6 (Keypad) Right view

N Cycle planes
Shift+N Cycle planes (backwards)
Ctrl+N Cycle planes by ten
V Cycle birds
A Automatic fly On/Off
Shift+A Automatic fly; Automatic rudder; Automatic Speed

L Labels (RED is computer flying, BLUE is a human (only multiplayer)
K Hide computer-airplanes on/off. Show only BLUE labels.
O Multiplayer connections information
R Player ready to start XC (restart in multiplayer games or if damaged)
S Accelerated time by 20 (only in competitions)
F Flaps down
Shift+F Flaps up
B Air brakes out/in
G Gear down/up
Q Discharge water, use "C"omputer + PageDown for showing remaining ballast.
H Cable hook release\gun trigger
C Computer (Cycle using PageUp and PageDwn - GPS, Final-Glide, Waypoints, Water, Calculations, Wind)
T Compass on/off (shows true North with a blue arrow)
D Set up new compass reference (will make the blue arrow shift)
Y Padlock Peripheral View
U Artificial horizon
E Vario beep volume up
Shift+E Vario beep volume down
Ctrl+E Engine on/off
4 Wind sound volume up
Shift+4 Wind sound volume down
X Rudder right
Z Rudder left
Shift+Z Increase view angle in internal view
Ctrl+Z Decrease view angle
2 Forward trimmer lever (if engine on: throttle forward)
1 Backward trimmer lever (if engine on: throttle backward)
J Keep speed On/Off

Tab Broadcast message (Enter-send)
Space Wheel brakes
P Pause

Ctrl+P PrintScreen (make many pictures, they are saved to \Results\screen*.bmp)
PageUp Move gliderpilot seat forward (also cycle trough "C"omputer screens)
PageDown Move gliderpilot seat backward (also cycle trough "C"omputer screens)
Insert Rise seat of gliderpilot
Delete Lower seat of gliderpilot
End Reset seat of gliderpilot
-NumPad Move to Closer-up view (mouse wheel if available)
+NumPad Move to Further-off view (mouse wheel if available)
W Frame rate (cycles per sec)
I Flight info (Thermal circle not in competitions)
Shift+I Imperial Units/IS (kmh/kts feet/meters)
Return Padlock plane close to central view
Ctrl+W Webcam on/off

Left and Right Arrows- Roll left and right.