Prepar3D v4 – Available Now for Purchase and Download!
Prepar3D v4 is now available for purchase and digital download directly at the Prepar3D Store!
The Prepar3D v4 release brings many exciting changes and enhancements to the platform. This new release completely changes the simulation landscape with a comprehensive baseline update to a 64-bit architecture. Higher resolution visuals, more objects, increased data precision, larger scenarios, and improved performance are now all possible at levels never seen before in the product’s history. The sky’s not the limit!
Additionally, the Prepar3D v4 release brings dynamic lighting, rain/snow particles, global 3D trees, increased autogen draw distances, a fully reworked software development kit (SDK), new default vehicles, and an extensive list of other features and improvements.
Prepar3D v4 continues the tradition of being the most affordable high-fidelity visual simulation platform on the market. The detailed list of exciting new features and capabilities can be found below!
What do you need to know before considering purchasing Prepar3D v4?
The minimum and recommended Prepar3D v4 system requirements can be found here.
What are the license options and pricing for Prepar3D v4?
To see which version of Prepar3D is right for you, please reference the License Options page.
Acceptable uses of Prepar3D include simulation, learning, and training.
As provided in our End User License Agreement, the Prepar3D application is not to be used, offered, sold or distributed through markets or channels for use as a personal/consumer entertainment product.
You can see pricing directly on our Prepar3D Store.
Is Prepar3D v4 still backwards compatible with legacy content?
Yes in many cases. Most aircraft and scenery add-ons will be compatible with Prepar3D v4, but in some cases developers will need to update their products due to the conversion from 32-bit to 64-bit. For any questions on third party compatibility, please check with the developer of that add-on content.
Are any new vehicles included in Prepar3D v4?
Yes! Please see the Vehicle Library for complete details.
Will previous version of Prepar3D still be available for purchase?
Yes. While development will no longer continue on legacy versions, we will still offer those version for purchase. Many platforms have been developed using legacy versions and we want to ensure that there is no concern or interruption to those companies or efforts.
I have a previous version of Prepar3D, do I get an upgrade or a discount for Prepar3D v4?
Prepar3D v4 is considered a new product release.
If you have purchased a previous version of Prepar3D within 60 days, you can request a refund and then purchase the desired license of Prepar3D v4. Please see the refund policy for more information.
There are no exchanges, upgrades, or discounts available.
I have a developer’s license for a previous version of Prepar3D. How do I update to Prepar3D v4?
If you are a monthly subscriber, you can cancel your current subscription and purchase a new Prepar3D v4 developer subscription. If you wish to keep your previous monthly subscription you can keep renewing it and purchase a new Prepar3D v4 developer subscription. All major versions can be concurrently installed on the same machine. If you have purchased a pre-paid developer subscription and wish to change it out to a v4 developer subscription, please email licensing@prepar3d.com with your request.
Prepar3D v4 New Features
General Platform Updates
- 64-bit simulation architecture
- Unicode compatible
- Modernized User Interface (UI) design for quick navigation and customization
- Updated native virtual reality (VR) support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive
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Updated vector data (coastlines, lakes, rivers, roads, rails, parks, streams and utility lines) for:
- Africa
- Middle East (Israel, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and more)
- Southeast Europe (Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Black Sea, and more)
- Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and more)
- Updated custom 3D model placement in Athens, Egypt, Israel, Dubai and Hong Kong
- Hundreds of new updated generic 3D model buildings in Tel Aviv and Hong Kong
- Updated Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 90m digital elevation for Southeast Asia and Middle East regions
- Updated native mission gauges to Scaleform
- Views and panels can now be docked into any undocked view
- Updated multiplayer voice chat codec – higher quality chat audio
- Expanded ribbon drawing capabilities in the Navigation Visuals screen including drawing based on vehicle type and the ability to change color per category
- Added video recording capability. Can be assigned to a key event in the UI.
- Control Tower can now be selected in the Select Airport screen
- Custom cameras can now be saved on a scenario or global level
- Material temperatures – IR sensor views now react accordingly
- 3D trees (SpeedTree) integrated into autogen system. This feature can be toggled on and off in the UI under Options – World (Dynamic 3D Autogen Vegetation).
- New 3D rain/snow system. This feature can be toggled on and off in the UI under Options – Weather (Detailed Precipitation).
- Dynamic lighting support
- Support for local SpeedTree wind effects
- Support for higher resolution ground textures
- Autogen visibility range can now be configured
- Updated various textures including runways, taxiways, hangars, and terminals
- Added SceneryLodOrigin and TerrainLodOrigin fields to camera definitions preventing terrain paging issues when switching between certain views.
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New and updated default vehicles:
- F-22 Raptor (Updated)
- F-35A Lightning II (Updated)
- F-16A
- F-16AM
- F-16C
- Lockheed Electra 10A
- Milviz P-38L
- Sikorsky MH-60K (Updated)
- Sikorsky S-70A (Updated)
- Sikorsky UH-60A (Updated)
- Sikorsky UH-60L (Updated)
- Sikorsky UH-60M (Updated)
- Sikorsky UH-60Q (Updated)
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New default avatars:
- Army Infantry
- Navy Male Blue Camouflage
- Rebel Male (1/2)
- Soldier Desert
- Soldier Jungle
- Soldier Spec Ops
- Soldier Swat
- Soldier Winter
- Arab Male Casual (1/2/3)
- Steering Set controls can now be set in the UI
- Added new white smoke marker particle effect
Professional Plus Only
- F-16 aircraft has weapons and countermeasures
- Specific avatars have weapons
- New defensive flare countermeasure
- Additional advanced graphics features for low latency training devices
SDK and SimConnect
- Compiler and SDK updated to Visual Studio 2015
- Scripting capabilities (Scenery/Model/Material)
- Added PDK functions to draw primitive objects
- Reorganized and updated SDK Documentation and samples
- Support for loading managed dll add-ons
- Avatar object collision can now be configured
- Added temperature value and scripting to materials
- Specific cameras can be configured to not output sound when active
- Custom materials now supported for runways, taxiways, and aprons
- Added PDK service for reporting plugin errors
- Added IsSelectableVehicle override to Aircraft and Sim configs allowing vehicle to bypass the category based selection filter
- Precipitation rate now exposed through ISimObject, Simulation, and Object variables
- Added rope visual effect support to SDK
- Added detail texture material scripting support including offset, rotation, blend weight, blend mode, and alpha channel support
- The PDK is now accessible through the Panels SDK
- Panel API now available through the PDK
- Added Environment Force Service to PDK
- Added IgnorePostProcess entry to camera definition to disable HDR or FXAA on a per camera basis
- Added interfaces to play sounds in xml gauges using Lua
- Added second UV channel in model exports and files
- Exposed Final Alpha Blend material property to material scripts
- Weather information now available through RPN and Lua scripts
- Added UV offset property to material scripts and shaders
- Update materials to support additional Detail Alpha Flags
- Updated Material Scripting to support second UV Channel and new Detail Properties
- Friendly names can now be added to control events