The world of good flight simulation videogames is pretty limited, as the bar is quite high for those who want to join the club. X-Plane 12 is a newcomer to the stage of full-fledged flight sims, but the game has a long road ahead to attain the same level of realism as the competition.
The good news is fans of the genre can take the journey together, as Laminar Research, the studio behind X-Plane 12, announced the game will be released in Early Access in December. Although we won’t be getting the full version next month, at least we’ll be able to get a glimpse of what’s to come.
As per the developer’s statement, X-Plane 12 is supposed to bring flight simulation realism to the next level. The latest trailer shows off some of the features of the upcoming game, all based on real physics. More importantly, Laminar Research announced X-Plane 12 includes 18 unique aircraft models and detailed 3D scenery for more than 17,000 airports around the world.
The airports in the game have been designed with new ground textures, towers, and pavement effects specifically to enhance realism. Here is what to expect from X-Plane 12 when the game launches on PC, Mac, and Linux in December:
Volumetric 3D Clouds
Physics-Based Photometric Lighting Model
18 Aircraft – from the Piper Cub to Airbus A330
Worldwide 3D Water
Rewritten AI Air Traffic Control System
Global 3D Forests
Seasonal Textures and Weather Effects
Revamped Real Weather Data and Rendering
It’s nice to know that Laminar Research is trying to make X-Plane 12 “the most realistic and powerful flight simulator with real-world physics, accurate aircraft systems and an immersive simulation of the world,” but it remains to be seen whether it succeeds or not. Check out the new trailer below and add X-Plane 12 to your wishlist on Steam if this is something that fits your gaming taste.
Google News