May 22nd 2025 - Development Update
Happy Thursday (or Friday), everyone! It’s time for yet another develpment update, and as promised, this post features in-game screenshots and a preview of our custom Wwise sounds for the upcoming MBB Bo 105 CBS-5 for MSFS!
Quick disclaimer before we dive in, everything you’re about to see is a work-in-progress. I have delayed sharing these screenshots on several ocassions as I didn’t feel some textures and models quite met our standards. Nevertheless, they are finally at a state where I am excited to show them off. Watching this helicopter come alive with textures and animations has been incredibly fulfilling, and I would love to hear your thoughts. That being said, if you notice any errors or have feedback, please do give me a shout on our Discord server. Earlier this week, I finalised the list of liveries that will be included in the release. Additionally, phase one testers have been contacted on Discord. More testing phases will follow soon, so if you’re interested in being a part of the testing team please fill out this application. Regarding MSFS 2024, we haven’t yet had the opportunity to fully explore the new simulator or its development environment. We’ll provide a clearer roadmap shortly after the release for MSFS 2020.
Lastly, on a personal note, I am currently in the middle of moving homes. I may be sounding like a broken record for those of you who are active on our Discord, but as a solo developer juggling university, an upcoming internship, and life’s unpredictability, it can be a challenge to balance everything. That said, I still feel confident about hitting our target date of June 5th for project completion, with a release to follow later in the month. Weekly updates will continue, and as always, feel free to ask questions on Discord.
Thank you all for your continued support, encouragement, and enthusiasm. Now, without further ado...
IN-GAME SCREENSHOTS
All the textures you're about to see have been reworked since our last showcase in March. Both the exterior and interior textures are now complete, with the exception of decals, which are still in progress.
Might have been more appropriate to take this screenshot at a German airport!
Texturing the rotor has been challenging. A great deal of effort has gone into giving it a realistic, worn-in appearance, while still keeping it in flyable condition. The goal has been to strike a balance: showcasing the age and character of the airframe, while reflecting the well-maintained state from an operational helicopter.
Notice the details on the registration plate!
We're now moving into the interior detailing. The cyclic stick was a particularly fun challenge, and in my opinion, it's the most accurately textured component so far, right down to the scratches, wear marks, and even a touch of rust on the screws.
The absence of decals does make the center console feel a bit bare at the moment. However, I hope you can appreciate the underlying foundational textures will truly come to life once decals are added, which is planned for showcase next week!
The animation code for the gauges hasn’t been fully implemented yet, so you may notice some unusual or incorrect readings in the screenshot.
SOUNDS PREVIEW
Unfortunately, the previously mentioned collaboration with an experienced Wwise developer has not gone smoothly. Progress is still being made, here’s a short YouTube video showcasing some of what we have so far:
It’s still a work in progress and far from final. We’re continuing to refine the sound package, and are optimistic that we’ll have a polished, high-quality result in the coming weeks.
NEXT UP
As noted alongside the screenshots, interior decals have not yet been implemented. The decal textures are nearly complete, and I expect they’ll be implemented in time for our next update. We’re now moving into the phase of integrating systems with animations, a major milestone that should be wrapped up by June 5th - especially with the help of a real-world Bo 105 pilot.
In the next update on May 31st, you can look forward to seeing:
Fully decalled interiors
Animated gauges
Animated flight controls
By June 5th, we’ll have a much clearer picture of the project’s overall progress and how close we are to release. See you soon!