What was once known as the 737 Ultimate project has now been handed over to Threshold to develop. Now branded as the LevelUp series, the project will bring the Boeing 737-600 to the -900 & -900ER to X-Plane 11. The development project is being worked on with both Zibo and Laminar Research to bring the freeware package to simulator users.
In a post on the Threshold forums, it was said that the core developers of the Ultimate project spent a few days negotiating to transfer the project over to the product development arm of Threshold. A new team, lead by Peter Tram and Magnus Lorvik, has been put together to push out the product which will include a range of new functionality and features.
The exterior modelling will be completely done to enhance the product as well as redoing the texturing to take full advantage of X-Plane 11’s PBR. Alongside that, the team will include a new LevelUp UI built into a tablet system right in the aircraft. In addition, an automatic save state system will be included, improved performance and also dedicated flight performance.
Threshold is known for their X-Plane and Microsoft Flight Simulator news and review coverage, as well as their store, so this appears to be a new arm in their numerous business activities. It’s also worth noting that the name LevelUp was chosen to reflect the fact the team can expand beyond the 737.
You can follow the new development arm of Threshold (LevelUp) on Facebook or join the LevelUp Discord to stay updated.
Thanks to Fish Birb and KriZ for the heads-up.
Feature List:
- Redeveloped exterior: The -600, -700, -900, -900ER has all been redone inside and out, with all of the visual changes adapted to the -800.
- Redeveloped textures: Based on the default 737 textures, reauthored to take further advantage of X-Plane 11’s PBR
- Retextured cabin interior: Supersampled in 4K
- Runs on ZiboMod: The entire lineup is still powered by the ZiboMod you know and love, currently being rewritten for better optimisation in C++. We’re working with Zibo on this project, as we have previously.
- Brand new LevelUp UI: Redeveloped Tablet interface that brings added accessibility and clarity, with Threshold news and media right at your virtual cockpit.
- Integrated Real Display Mod: Developed by Max Smith, the new 737 series comes with realistic PFD displays out of the box
- Modular Visual Architecture: Common components such as the entire cockpit, wings, engines, gears, and tails are used for all 737s; animated into position to adapt to different fuselage lengths.
- Redeveloped Cockpit Textures: Based on the default textures, super sampled to 4K, all with PBR work done by FSEnhancer’s Enrico Del Bono
- Redeveloped Flightmodels: Each variant has its own dedicated flight model, completely redeveloped to behave as is in real life, continually cross-referenced with simulators and pilot input.
- Automated Load & Save: Load and Save is removed entirely in favour of an automated system that remembers your last configuration and settings
- Eyebrow Windows: toggleable eyebrow windows, accessible through the Tablet.
- Performance Improvement Package: toggleable visual changes with the installation of PiPs: shorter engine exhausts, reshaped strobe housing, and louvred belly vents.
- Remodelled wingtips: reshaped blended winglets, new scimitars, and completely remodelled standard wingtip.
- Animated aft-exit for -900ER: Users flying the -900ER has the option to toggle the aft exit: either plug the aft exit (in less dense configurations), or leave the aft-exit there for single class high density configurations
- Optimised for efficiency: file size and performance
- System assets commonality: The entire fleet of 737 NGs sit in one folder, using the same system code, enabling faster ZiboMod feature updates.
