Model Matching

[Mike Monk]

It seems much more than 12 months since we lost modelmatching on the VATSIM network.

I have tried to keep my original FLAI modelmatching functioning but it is very difficult to keep it updated for my self and the few pilots that I regularly fly with mainly because I do not fully understand the methodology. The biggest difficulty, however, is finding compatible livery files for existing and new aircraft.

What would help very much, however, is if payware developers (in particular but also freeware developers if they can) were to create freely available FLAI compatible models and liveries of their aircraft.

These models would cost very little if anything for the developers to produce if done alongside the development of their full products. It would however make a great difference, and be a boon, to the enjoyment and fulfilment that we get from our hobby.

By writing this on the VATSIM forum I hope that it will be seen, and taken onboard, by developers large and small.

Thank you

[Evan Reiter]

It's an interesting thought, but I doubt we'll see any uptake. It's not as simple as re-releasing the model; effective models for model matching have to be "low poly" so they don't have a significant frame impact. I believe that would require developers to create separate models for VATSIM purposes, and remember these are developers who have typically moved resources toward MSFS development these days. Then there are the liveries; I assume those also would have to be converted. And you're expecting all this work to be done for free.

Plus, even if every participating P3D developer was to come on board, we wouldn't have 100% coverage of aircraft, and someone would have to tie that all together into a model matching package with rules, etc. 

I think some of the changes Ross is proposing for vPilot may improve model matching, but ultimately unless you have a bunch of low-poly models, your results will be limited. 

Of course, perhaps with the exception of the other creators, probably nobody is more upset with the loss of FLAi than I am. 

Have you tried exploring the two other "solutions" that have been suggested for (I assume you use) P3D? They are using this freeware project from AIG: https://www.alpha-india.net/2021/01/15/aigaim-oci-for-vatsim-prepar3d-v4-and-v5-only/. Or buying this package from JustFlight: https://www.justflight.com/product/traffic-global-p3d-fsx. 

[Mike Monk]

Hello Evan,

Thank you for your response.

From what I can see AIGAIM is more of an AI programme (which is not what I want) whereas all I am after is a simple (?) modelmatching application that serves the same function as the old FLAI application. 

Am I wrong in that assessment?

Regards

Mike

[Evan Reiter]

Supposedly there is a way to use the AIG AIM to download models and liveries without using the AI piece. I haven't done that myself so I'm not exactly sure how that's done.