A new update has been released for World Editor, the tool used to create scenery for default Gateway airports and segments of custom airports.

Version 2.2 went into beta in December and has today been declared final, according to an edited post on the x-plane.org forum.

The main highlight of the update is the ability to pan facades around to give users the ability to view scenery at different angles, as shown in the GIF image below.

"Note the editing/selection of items is always based on the ground-level footprint," wrote its developer Michael Minnhaar. "So it might be confusing at first to modify the scenery while the map shows the tilted view - but it greatly helps with vertically stacked terminal kit facades and terminal window/jetway alignment. The example here shows - I should have coded up this feature before I reworked KSEA recently ..."

As of X-Plane 11.40, 'endcaps' for taxiway lines can now be previewed, although no library - including default - contains the art assets to make use of it.

Further to this, start-up time and zoom in delays with complex airports have been reduced by 2.5 times; the number of undo operations has been increased from 20 to 100; and side panels that can be popped open upon mouse hover.

A full list of changes is shown below. For further information, see the source post at x-plane.org.

WED is available to download from Laminar Research's developer blog.

WED 2.2.0r2 2/3/20

  Bug Fix:

• Fix crash when .agp specifying non-existent annotations are visible in the map
• Fix some underground scenery parts becoming visible when map is tilted

WED 2.2.0r1 1/16/20

  Features:

• Add searchable column for ICAO/FAA/Local codes in gateway import dialog
• Add cmdline debugging option for gateway testing

   Bug Fixes:

• Fix (Windows only) scenery window changing size when dragged, can't be resized via frame

WED 2.2.0b2 1/03/20

   Features:

• For library designers - support #object_wed/#obj_wed commands in .agp/.fac definitions
• Fine tune map detail - show aircraft footprints at lower map scale, add lines to ATC mode
• Add ability for Library/Property panes to auto open/close, when set narrow enough
• Map drawing w/large amounts of .agp (e.g. KATL parking lots - 13k cars !!) 5x faster
• Bug Fixes:
• Fix wall for type 1 facades not displayed using specific names, if available
• Fix tall objects, e.g. towers, not centered in library preview window
• WED-1252: fix severe distortions in all windows when previewing certain .agp
• Fix WED not respecting 2nd of two directly successive SCENERY_PACKS_DISABLED
• WED-1253: subdue facade structural lines - let tilted previews do the talking
• WED-1254: fix runways of zero length not caught by runway minimum size validation

WED 2.2.0b1 17/12/19

  Bug Fixes:

• WED-1225: show apts with only declined submissions in gateway import dialog
• WED-1235: fix crash when processing OOB indices in bad .agp definitions
• Try harder to keep 1:1 pixel mapping when splitting orthophoto's into tiles
• Fix LineSelector GUI not popping up when style 'None' is selected
• Allow runways with T suffix naming to match either true or grid north heading
• WED-1248: fix crash when libray.txt rpath includes trailing non-ASCII characters

  Features:

• Add 'birds eye views' for map window
• Startup time and zoom-in delays with more complex airports reduced by 2.5x
• Tighten ATC freq. validation to VHF airband & 200+ MHz, allow AWOS on VOR's
• Increase undo buffer from 20 to 100 operations
• WED-1232: Support OBJ_DELTA in .agp previews
• Improve marking of facade 1st segment and ground reference point
• WED-1217: show new 11.35 endcaps for lines in on-map previews
• XSG-8722: report airport location to gateway server upon submission
• Option to create .png (rather than .dds) during orthophoto export
• WED-1244: Combine exclusion zones upon import
• WED-1240: Better visibility for UI mode tabs, ATC route segments
• Visualize ramp start sizes in all modes when zoomed in sufficiently
• "Convert To" for lines now translates styles to resource paths and vice versa