Benchmark Sims has released Falcon BMS 4.38, a free update to its community-driven mod for Falcon 4.0. According to Benchmark Sims, this version introduces a brand new terrain engine, improved atmospheric rendering, PBR cockpit upgrades for the F-16C and F-15C, and an expanded library of aircraft and weapon assets.
The new terrain engine is said to offer procedural textures, volumetric grass and shrubs, seasonal vegetation support (excluding winter), and special polygons for refined elevation and vegetation zones, drastically improving the dated map engine. Benchmark Sims also reports a fully overhauled sky shader with Rayleigh scattering, improved lighting and render optimisations intended to boost performance
Cockpit upgrades include PBR textures for the F-16C and F-15C, delivering more realistic materials and wear effects. Many other aircraft, ranging from the MiG-29 to the AN-2, J-11/15/16 families, KF-21, MD-500 and CH-47, have also received updated external models and textures.
Falcon BMS 4.38 also introduces new weapons racks and updated air-to-ground stores such as the AGM-88 HARM and GBU-62 JDAM-ER, alongside community-provided assets. A new 4K texture converter tool allows on-the-fly downscaling for VRAM savings.
Benchmark Sims states the launcher and user interface have been redesigned for clarity and ease of use. Tools such as RTTRemote and BMSFlightData have been updated to the new SharedMemoryArea2 format, although many legacy utilities and pre-4.38 assets are no longer compatible.
You can download Falcon BMS 4.38 for free from the official Falcon BMS website.
A valid Falcon 4.0 license is required.
Changelog
COCKPITS
- General F-16 Cockpit update (PBR):
- F-16C-32 ROKAF
- F-16C-50 PXII
- F-16C-52 PXIII
- F-16C-52 ROKAF
- F-16C-52+ PXIV
- F-16CM-40
- F-16CM-42
- F-16CM-50
- F-16CM-52
- F-16CM-52 TB
- F-15C Cockpit Update (PBR)
MODELS
- New / Updated Aircraft Models:
- Multiple updates to F-16 AM / 32 / 40 / 42 / 50 / 52 families
- MiG-29A
- MiG-29S
- AN-2
- J-11
- J-16
- J-15
- Su-30 SM2
- Su-30 MKK
- Su-30 MKM
- Su-33
- Su-27
- KF-21
- Saetbyol-9 UAV
- MD-500
- CH-47 Update
- New / Updated Weapons & Racks:
- New external B-52 racks
- AGM-88
- AGM-84E
- GBU-62
- Spice 2000
- F-16 fuel tanks (300 / 600)
- Multiple PBR F-16 racks (LAU)
- Multiple PBR AGM-65 models
- Multiple PBR Chinese racks
- Multiple PBR Soviet racks
- Multiple PBR Russian weapons (community provided)
- PL-15
- PL-17
- YJ-12
- F-16 pods: AAQ-13 / AAQ-14 / AAQ-28
- Python 4/5
- AIM-9X / L / P
- KAB-250LG-E
- UPAB-1500B
- MK-82
- MK-84
- CBU-87
- CBU-103
TERRAIN / MAP
Custom Objectives
- Airbases (with custom objects & shelters and dynamic lights)
- Airstrips
- SAM sites
- Ports
- Factories
New Terrain
- Hi-resolution height maps
- Water maps
- Forest maps
- 4K ground tiles (16K available upon download)
- 4K night tiles
New Campaigns / Training / Missions
- 4 campaigns (legacy-based, revamped unit placement and scenarios)
- Revamped trainings (F-16 / F-15)
- Revamped missions (F-16 / F-15)
UI
- New UI: complete revamp with fresh look
OTHERS
- New 4K converter tool (for VRAM saving)
- RTTRemote & BMSFlightData updated to FalconSharedMemoryArea2 v21
TERRAIN
- New Terrain Implementation:
- Procedural textures
- Bushes and grass
- Seasonal support (trees except winter)
- Special polygons for elevation refinement
- Special polygons for shrub and grass exclusion zones
- Custom tree placement
- Reduced shrubs for airbases
- Magnetic deviation support (by year)
- New Atmosphere Engine:
- Rayleigh scattering calculations for sky
- Render optimisations for CPU performance
- Complete migration to DX11 (no DX9 calls)
- New VR Implementation:
- Dynamic switch between full stereo and mono rendering for distant objects
ATC / AWACS
- Added ATIS to the DTC presets frequencies
- Support for specific ATC runway numbers
- New AWACS / GCI alert codes
WEATHER
- Weather system refactoring with new interface
GRAPHICS
- New tone mapping (ACES by default)
- Integrated CFT data into models (no separate ACDATA files)
- Refactored environment mapping
UI / COMMS
- New ring comms menu
- New “DROP STORES” commands
- Right-click menu options to add flight, team, donor to File B
- Falcon Editor DPI support
CAMPAIGN ENGINE
- New 2D ground AI routing between objectives
- Mission evaluation logic refactored for HAVCAP, BARCAP, TARCAP, RESCORT, AMBUSHCAP
SYSTEMS (F-16)
- Added ADI side slip and turn rate DOFs
- New airframe damage: collisions with planes/objects
- System failures linked to specific hitboxes
- Split implementation of FDL and MIDS LVT-3
- Updated XMIT power logic, ICP and range logic
- Fixed HSD cursor movement when SOI is on and on ground
SYSTEMS (F-15)
- Expanded Link-16 cues on SIT
- New symbology for Link-16 tracks on SIT
- Link-16 track filtering logic specific to F-15C
- Fixed BBR not updating on SIT with VSD acquisition movement
- Added declutter and SIT callbacks for Castle AFT and Castle double press/push
- Added Tactical and JTIDS options on SIT
- Fixed TTA to appear at Raero instead of Ropt (F-16 specific)
- Added post-launch AIM-120 and AIM-7 TTI/TTA info, fixed pre-launch AIM-7 TTI
- Added AIM-120 pre-launch HUD TTA/TTI info
- Added AIM-120 pre-launch VSD TTA/TTI info
AI (AIR / GROUND)
- AI Airplane Optimisations:
- Prevent AI timeouts on distant ground attacks
- Ensure AI can disengage targets when instructed
- Fix flare usage for RWR contacts
- Improved runway crossing logic
- New ground avoidance to prevent collisions
- Enhanced DF AI with turn-rate-based engagement strategy
- New AAA Code Support:
- Multi-gun support for ZSU
- Simultaneous IR missile and gun firing
- New SAM Code Support:
- Engage smaller threats based on RCS
- Improved protection logic against a wider range of weapons
