Alpha India Group Lead Developer Kai P. Kamjunke has posted today on the AIG forums the first insights on the upcoming AIG Traffic Controller tool. This utility, announced in June 2019, aims at correcting all the flaws of the Prepar3D AI engine. The current AI engine of Prepar3D v4 is very similar to the one introduced in the ESP engine when FS2002 was released in October 2001. The overhaul of this engine is a feature that has been awaited for a long time by pilots who prefer to use AI traffic rather than flying online.
The new engine will use SimConnect in order to inject the new traffic into Prepar3D. For the moment, the utility is target at FSX and Prepar3D but should also be compatible with FS9. Kai is also working with other unnamed developers regarding realistic AI traffic separation and SID/STARs following.
The AI traffic will now be able to follow a specific flightplan. As an example, Kai showcased a flightplan used by the SOFIA Boeing 747SP, that will be reproducible in the Prepar3D world.
AI helicopters will now also be able to take-off and land vertically anywhere in the world.
AIG being a freeware group, the AIGTC is expected to be freeware. The API will be open so that other developers can contribute the new utility. Stay tuned on FSElite for further information about the new AIG Traffic Controller.
Features
- Flaps : the internal AI Engine of Prepar3D sets flaps shortly before takeoff. AIGTC will set the flaps shortly after pushback for all AI aircraft.
- Exits : some AI Models are featuring open exits when parked at airports. These animations are often coded in the XML based on different variables. AIGTC offers a new way for exit opening/closing. If a Door Animation is connected to the exit-open/close command of Prepar3D this exit will be controlled by AIGTC directly.
- Routing : traffic injected based on BGL files is always flying directly from A to B. Using the new AIGPLN file format AI traffic will follow waypoints on the route between A and B. This means that AI traffic will now be able to perform flights that follow airways, sightseeing flights and patrol flights.
- Helicopter : a brand new AI Engine for helicopter traffic. Helicopters added by AIGTC will perform vertical takeoffs and landing at any point of the world (if the FDE of the SimObject allows that). Helicopter spots at airports will by dynamically managed by AIGTC.
