Scenery System Version History

This page contains information about changes to the simulator's scenery system.

X-Plane 8.00 (11/6/04)
This is the initial version available on DVD.


 * First version to read X-Plane DSF files and use the new library system and packaging.
 * OBJ7 cockpit texture commands added for 3-d cockpit objects with working panels.

X-Plane 8.01 (11/10/04)
This is a demo download of X-Plane 8.00.


 * Checkbox added to disable DSF loading, so users can use ENV or DSF scenery without moving files.

X-Plane 8.03 (12/30/04)
This is the first major bug-fix update to the original X-Plane. Besides a number of enhancements to the scenery system to improve the look of the new scenery, it also fixes a number of big performance-killing bugs. Note: this build was originally called X-Plane 8.02 but was accidentally released without a beta label. It has been renamed to 8.03 to prevent confusion about what build is most recent.
 * On two texture unit machines, X-Plane will load only the base layer of composite terrain types when there is a border texture. Previously borders would not be visible because X-Plane would run out of texture units, so this change effectively prefers borders to composite textures.
 * Object Version 2 support restored to the sim. This is a legacy format and not recommended for new development, but is supported by 802 for scenery migration.
 * Libraries may reference multiple objects or facades for one virtual path, providing for variation on an object to be provided by an add-on library.
 * Facades can have night lighting textures via the TEXTURE_LIT command.
 * Facades can have real textured roofs instead of a solid color.
 * Composite textures may be used in any terrain, not just terrain that was composite in the default artwork.
 * BUMPY and WET commands added to the terrain type file format to allow for customized terrain surfaces.

X-Plane 8.04 - 8.06 (2/2/05)
This is an additonal bug-fix release that also integrates a number of systems changes.
 * Load order preference has changed: in 8.04 ENV files in the custom scenery folder are preferred to DSFs in the default scenery folder.

X-Plane 8.10-8.11 (3/19/05)
This feature release mostly focuses on systems features but also has a few scenery features to support global scenery.
 * The sim/require_object property is recognized to force objects in a DSF to be shown at low rendering details.
 * Terrain files can control clamping vs. wrapping and other properties.

X-Plane 8.15 (6/19/05)
This feature release also focuses on systems, but does have a few fixes to ENV handling.
 * ENVs draw taxiway lines.
 * Bug Fix: ENV water-land physics properties now match V7.
 * Bug Fix: Tall objects with hard surfaces now track correctly.
 * Bug Fix: No more occasional "NaN" errors with ENVs.

X-Plane 8.20 (11/15/05)
This feature release provides a bunch of new scenery features and the new OBJ8-based object engine.
 * New .ter file commands for more control of projection, wrapping and composite borders.
 * New .net command to keep the number of texture repetitions even - useful for bridges.
 * New .net command for more carefully controlling polygon offset - also useful for bridges.
 * New .bch file format for beach textures around waterboddies.
 * New OBJ8 file format with animation, per vertex normals, blending control.
 * Bug fixes to the OBJ8 engine: poylgon offset and materials now work correctly.
 * Scenery Engine Improvements: async texture loading, faster ENV processing, compressed textures, better rendering of road network intersections.

X-Plane 8.30 (1/15/06)
This is mainly a performance-tuning relase, but with a few new scenery features--overlays are the important one.
 * Sim support for Overlay DSFs.
 * Datarefs allow a plugin to tell which object is being drawn.
 * Asynchronous 3-d clutter instantiation.
 * Bug fixes for culling and speed improvements.

X-Plane 8.40 (4/13/06)
The main purpose of this release was to get X-Plane working on the Intel Macintoshes.
 * Library system regionalization added.
 * Object-location datarefs allow for animating multiple instances of one object.

X-Plane 8.50 (7/18/06)
This release features the new apt.dat system as well as other OBJ extensions.
 * New apt.dat 850 file format support.
 * New DSF polygon types for draped polygons, painted lines and strings of lights.
 * OBJ8 supports control over blending, hard surfaces and draw order.
 * New show/hide OBJ8 animation commands.
 * OBJ8 supports a new light system.
 * .net road files support cars and hard pavement.
 * Facades support hard surfaces and blending control.
 * Default ships and other default scenery re-implemented as library objects.
 * Library regions may be defined with PNG files.

X-Plane 8.60 (11/28/06)
A few new features for custom scenery packages, and some bug fixes.
 * .pol overlay polygons can have texture coordinates, for overlay orthophotos.
 * .pol files can have clamped textures using new commands.
 * .For files can prevent trees from being placed over water.
 * New EXPORT_BACKUP library command lets DSFs use objects from other packages optionally.
 * Better memory management for overlays in long flights.
 * Bug fix: Facade walls are now randomized.

X-Plane 8.64 (11/1/07)

 * Various low-level bug fixes for the scenery system.
 * Better alignment of OBJs.

X-Plane 9.00 (11/24/07)
New major version, which supports all v8 scenery features plus new ones. The rendering engine no longer pauses on scenery load, uses shaders more heavily, and has increased forest capacity.
 * OBJ file format supports key frames.
 * New OBJ command to use part of the panel texture for VRAM savings.
 * Road .net files extended to support trains.
 * Road networks are legal in DSF overlays.
 * New .ter commands to hide terrain repetition using pixel shaders.
 * Improvements to .pol placement in overlays
 * Improved forest exclusion zones
 * It is possible to fly under hard surfaces.

X-Plane 9.20 (10/4/08)
Feature Release with internationalization support, new aircraft and systems code.
 * OBJ supports manipulators.
 * Texture Paging Implemented for .ter and .pol files.
 * Texture engine heavily threaded.

X-Plane 9.30 (Beta 1 2/4/09)
New OBJ features.
 * OBJ supports variable LIT texture, no draw, solid walls.
 * OBJ hard surfaces can be animated.
 * Draped orthophotos with bezier curves now work.
 * DSFs can contain multiple LOD patches.

X-Plane 9.40 (12/4/09)
New OBJ features, better multi-thread support
 * Most 3-d Scenery Processes run on up to 8 or more cores
 * Normal/Specular maps
 * Parameterized Lights

X-Plane 9.50 (4/15/09)
Performance improvements for large orthophoto sceneries.
 * Parameterized light list extended to cover all aspects of airplanes.