New Features

• Oculus Rift runtime 1.7 support
• HTC Vive support
• Navigation Visuals UI showing facility, airspace, user, and AI overlays in the 3D world
• Scaleform gauges now support multitouch
• Avatar now supports weapons and designators including the ability to fire and aim guns
• Scaleform overlays can now be assigned to cameras
• Added Cinematographer control mode enabling high fidelity camera control
• Added new control events to rotate cameras without snapping back to original orientation when released and to linearly zoom cameras
• Control input method can now be switched between Raw Input and Direct Input

Fixes and Improvements

• Fixed issue that prevented gauges from handling quick successive mouse clicks
• ATC panel is now always on top of other open panels
• Mission timer panel now supports negative numbers
• Fixed issue where scenery items added through new add-on process could prevent layer ordering of other items in the Scenery Library UI
• Expanded .fxml documentation in Learning Center
• Added key commands to set the ADF standby frequency
• Increased max zoom level for Observer cameras
• Added more robust error messages for errors encountered during startup
• Fixed crash that could occur when clicking docked views repeatedly
• Fixed bug that prevented airport scenery added using an add-on.xml from correctly loading
• Scenery added using an add-on.xml now defaults to the top layer
• Fixed bug where scenery added using an add-on.xml would be removed when making changes in the Scenery Library
• Fixed bug where default map layers would not appear when initially opened
• Fixed bug where switching between different avatars would not update available cameras
• Controller trigger can now be mapped to fire guns
• Scaleform panels no longer pass key events to main application when focused and keyboard interactivity is enabled
• Better control support for throttle and rudder based devices
• Camera rotation speed adjusts based on zoom level when using avatar
• Selected view group is now persisted
• Fixed issue where weapons and pylons could cause a memory leak if configured incorrectly
• Fixed bug where drag-selecting multiple weather stations modified global weather settings
• Fixed crash that could occur when closing a child window while using view groups
• Fixed issue that would cause the avatar to still render when HideUserAvatar was set in the camera
• Fixed bugs with menu where incorrect items could be activated or focused when using the keyboard
• Fixed input issues seen with X-Grip devices
• Fixed bug in the Fuel and Payload UI where the center of gravity would be displayed in the wrong location when using certain aircraft
• Fixed inconsistencies with zoom values and object visibility when using custom fields of view
• Undocked panels now always stay on top of other views by default
• Fixed typos in various UI screens
• Fixed startup crash that would occur if the ShadersHLSL path is invalid
• Child views within view groups can now be closed
• The ATC window no longer processes key input when the menu bar is focused
• Fixed bug that could prevent certain UI screens from displaying properly when reading corrupt .xml files
• The Scaleform Menu Window (used for ATC, SimConnect, and Multiple Choice windows) now supports DPI settings
• Fixed bug that prevented the Scaleform Menu Window from being resized on the right side of the window
• The Scaleform Menu Window now shows when additional menu items are available but not shown due to the window’s size
• Fixed bug where ATC menu items could continue to be activated when holding keys down
• Added Binocular and Compass avatar views
• Added new camera categories for First Person, Third Person, and Equipment views
• Fixed bug that prevented gauges from handling right mouse button double click events
• Fixed bug where vehicle could receive mouse yoke values when using mouse look mode
• Fixed bug where advanced weather settings would not be applied to stations in certain cases
• Fixed crash that would occur when setting APU Fire failures on certain aircraft
• Updated framework to .NET 4.6

Rendering and Performance Updates New Features

• Screenshots can now be saved out in multiple formats including: bmp, png, jpeg, and tiff
• Added built-in network video streaming
• Support for alpha blending for custom zbias layering

Fixes and Improvements

• Fixed issue where changing texture resolution did not cause textures to reload
• Fixed bug that caused add-on scenery to appear washed out at certain times of the day
• Fixed minor precision errors in certain LLA conversions
• Fixed visual and performance issues with the aircraft skid mark effect
• Fixed bug that caused runway lights to flicker in dynamic reflections
• Fixed bug where certain bloom properties were still being applied with HDR disabled
• Fixed bug that could prevent beacon sprites from rendering
• Axis indicator is now red to be seen easier at different times of day
• Improved stability when using ultra water
• Added OpenCL support to ultra water increasing performance on AMD cards

SimDirector Updates New Features

• Virtual Instructor now records gauge variables set via user interactions
• Camera objects and the user’s virtual cockpit can now be previewed while editing
• Added PlacementObject, an object with position and orientation that is capable of advanced waypoint following
• Added SetObjectPlacementAction, an object that can reposition an object’s position and orientation to another position and orientation
• Added ChangeObjectPlacementAction, an action which allows objects to change position relative to other objects
• Added context menu and ribbon item to Activate/Deactivate all selected objects
• Added ability to fire actions when an object reaches a waypoint or finishes a waypoint list
• Added new mappable events to position and reposition objects
• Added ability to set Prepar3D’s default scenario to the scenario that’s being edited

Fixes and Improvements

• Fixed bug where CylinderPathArea joints could be misaligned when attached to scenery objects
• Fixed bug where key commands could be sent to Prepar3D when typing in text fields
• Fixed bug where certain objects would rotate when moved if attached to other objects
• Fixed bug where new panels would be created during validation when using Scaleform panels and never destroyed
• Fixed memory leaks that could occur when using Scaleform Objects, Camera Objects, or Focal Points
• Fixed bug where selected panel object’s ID would reset to 0 when switching modes
• Fixed bug where camera direction would change when saving after rotating the camera
• Fixed bug where changing the display unit type would register as an undo edit
• Fixed bug where camera object would rotate when using certain move operations
• Objects can now be dragged to a group and added
• Fixed bug with translation gizmo that would prevent moving object if origin was not in view
• Attached objects can now be positioned and oriented relative to their attached object
• Fixed “Fatal Error Occurred” crash on startup that was occurring on certain configurations
• Renamed Descr property to Object Name
• Improved SimDirector load time
• Fixed crash that would occur when changing a waypoint’s elevation with a waypoint list selected
• Fixed bug where waypoints will not move when their waypoint list is selected
• Fixed bug where the waypoint model draws in the wrong location when switching AltitudeIsAGL on or off
• Fixed bug where changing the elevation of waypoint objects does not work correctly when altitude is set to AGL
• Fixed bug where updating a waypoint list’s attached object would incorrectly update waypoint positions when waypoint altitude was set to AGL
• Added more robust error reporting
• Fixed bug where a camera object set to picture-in-picture would sometimes not open on scenario load
• Camera object’s origin can now be set to render the Virtual Cockpit
• Improved rendering of waypoint lists
• Fixed bug where unselected focal points would render in Virtual Instructor
• Open undocked panels now close when entering SimDirector
• Fixed bug where Preview Action Only would still fire OnCompleteActions
• Improved performance with scenarios containing large numbers of objects
• Waypoint Lists can now be referenced as object references making them easier to integrate into existing objects
• Fixed cases where scenery objects would incorrectly return AGL altitude
• Fixed bug where if you modified a waypoint while the object it was attached to was selected, the waypoint modification would be ignored and it would snap back to the original location
• Fixed bug where moving an object with attached waypoints would make waypoints continuously calculate new offsets causing them to move away from the attached object
• Fixed bug where waypoint lists could have AGL set independently of contained waypoints
• Fixed bug where drag/dropping to add a reference in the visualization would add two undo edits if the source object was already referencing a different object
• Fixed bug where OnScreenText would appear in the incorrect location with the wrong background color in certain cases
• Fixed bug where OnCompleteActions could not be added or modified in VI sessions using the property grid or visualization
• Fixed bug where holding shift in other applications when SimDirector was open would cause the zoom ribbon button to change states
• Fixed bug where player objects would not render when loading a scenario or copying existing objects
• Fixed bug where canceling out of the multiplayer UI when entering SimOperator would cause undefined behavior
• Focal points drawing is more smooth and is also drawn when the mouse is dragged
• Fixed bug where objects could be incorrectly loaded when opening scenarios in Preview Mode
• Fixed bug where Virtual Instructor reset mode was not respected when loading a new scenario
• Updated Waypoint speed property setting to be more clear
• Added Staging Mode button in home tab in SimOperator
• Reposition Object disabled when in non-staging mode in SimOperator
• Fixed crash that could occur in SimOperator when modifying certain objects
• Fixed bug where Center On object would snap to incorrect altitudes
• Fixed bug where player staging objects would show on SimOperator clients
• Fixed bug that could cause SimDirector scenario loading errors in some cases
• Fixed bug where staging objects could appear when clients join SimOperator sessions
• Fixed bug that prevented scenery models from loading when importing .sxml files

Multiplayer Updates New Features

• Avatar can now attach to scenario entities in multiplayer structured scenarios
• Avatars can be damaged by weapons in multiplayer

Fixes and Improvements

• First person avatar animation states now update in multiplayer
• Fixed crash that could occur when using weapons over multiplayer
• Multiplayer options now saved out where applicable
• Aircraft carrier elevators now work in multiplayer
• Fixed bug where vehicle control would not transfer correctly when the master player detached from a vehicle shared by three or more players
• Fixed bug where multiplayer cameras would not be removed from the camera list when exiting multiplayer when attached to another player’s vehicle

SDK and SimConnect Updates Note: Some of these features will require installing the v3.4 SDK New Features

• Exposed world space based ray tracing through the PDK
• Screenshots can be captured through SimConnect
• Added new Event Service to the PDK enabling generic callbacks to be registered to chain events
• Added new Custom Object Rendering Service to PDK
• Added PDK sample showing custom light rendering capability
• Added base multiplayer and SimOperator sample scenario
• Visibility scripts can now be executed on non-sim objects
• Network video streaming of views through SimConnect
• Lua scripting now supported in Modeldef.xml

Fixes and Improvements

• Fixed bug where SimConnect would return the wrong application version
• New rendering and window control functionality added to PDK.
• Added program variables for camera pitch, bank, and heading
• Added program variables for the lat, lon, alt, and distance of point targeted by camera (center of screen)
• Fixed bug where setting a camera’s horizontal or vertical fov independently would distort the view
• Fixed bug where incorrect camera field of view was returned by RequestCameraFoV function
• Content error reporting added for missing Scaleform files in gauges
• 3dsMax 2017 now supported
• Fixed various typos in documentation
• Updated ISimObject documentation with list of provided samples
• Updated Scaleform keyboard support to include punctuation and modifier keys (ctrl, alt, shift)
• Fixed bug where releasing POV hat would not return -1 when using the SimConnect_MapInputEventToClientEvent function
• Fixed bug that would cause Render to Texture views to activate when using the SetCameraDefinition PDK function
• Updated pertinent samples to .NET 4.6

Multichannel Updates Fixes and Improvements

• Fixed crash that could occur in Multichannel with remote entity attachments
• Fixed crash in Multichannel when joining a multiplayer session with an aircraft with a single COM radio
• Fixed crash that would occur when changing view groups on Multichannel child views
• Fixed issue where the Multichannel master would be set to zero airspeed when joining a multiplayer session
• Aircraft carrier elevators now work in Multichannel
• Fixed bug where user would respawn at the location of a crash when running Multichannel in multiplayer
• Fixed bug that could cause the Multichannel host to start at 90% throttle when vehicle was on the ground
• Fixed bug where the active view group’s field of view was being saved out into the scenario file
• Fixed issue that could cause remote multiplayer clients to display incorrectly on slave machines
• Added more robust error messages when configuring MultiChannel
• Moved configuration files to %ProgramData%
• Fixed synchronization issues with avatar visibility and animation state in Multichannel over multiplayer

DIS Updates New Features

• Added multiplayer support within DIS
• Added DIS support for avatar, gun based munitions, AI traffic, Electromagnetic Emissions, designators, and transmitters
• Added ability to transmit navigation aids through Transmitter PDU in DIS including VOR, DME, TACAN, ILS Glideslope, and ILS Localizer
• Added DIS voice communication support
• DIS munition fire and detonation effects can now be configure in the UI
• Added toggle key event to connect and disconnect from DIS sessions

Fixes and Improvements

• Added new camera category for DIS entities
• Improved DIS configuration UI
• Dead reckoning, entity appearance, and articulated parts can be disabled in DIS
• Fixed issues with DIS using Multichannel that prevented certain states from serializing correctly
• Ground, surface, and life form types can now be forced to pull to ground in DIS
• Entity positions now based on center of bounding box for DIS
• Fixed DIS issue that could cause objects to start dead reckoning when nearly stationary
• Several DIS settings can now be modified while connected
• Fixed bug which caused camera to shake when viewing remote DIS entities in Multichannel
• Fixed bug which prevented multiplayer entities from showing on DIS clients

Prepar3D Content Fixes and Improvements

• Fixed issue with dialog action in Foul Weather scenario
• Removed unused ATC entries from The Deep scenario
• Added red and green marker smoke effects
• Added white phosphorus smoke effect

Prepar3D Scenery Fixes and Improvements

• Updates to Twentynine Palms, Randolf AFB, and Iwakuni airports
• Fixed terrain crack and spike in northern Alaska

Thank you for your continued support for Prepar3D.

We hope you find that Prepar3D v3.4 continues to be the most immersive learning, simulation, and training platform available.