Read on another "pay" website that the upcoming version of Combat Simulator 3 will have 3D "voluminous" clouds. It goes on to say that they will be important to game play.Bodes well for FS2004, I suppose.Chris

Hi, It was said before in interview at avsim , clouds are more "volumetric" the clouds don't turn sprite like fs2k2 but you will not able to customize your weather like , fs2k, fs2k2 etc.. Now we have to see if they are like (X-plane and fly) "volumetric" or True volumetric clouds when you enter them since it eat frame rate..But it's better than sprite anyways...Weather system It's already in the project fs team for fs2004, they will have to challenge for the frame rate.ThanksChris Willis[link:fsw.simflight.com/FSWMenuFsSim.html]Clouds And Addons For MsFshttp://fsw.simflight.com/fsw.jpg

Certainly interesting....Given the way clouds are rendered in FS2002, it would take just a minor bit of refinement to "simulate" true 3-d clouds. FS2000 actually seemed to do this to some degree--with FS2002, the technology was set back and entry into/out of a cloud is like going through a piece of paper.Can't wait to see what results....

Hi, In fs2002 the problem is on only when the clouds turn and stay off and appears like paper, when you are a front the clouds and there is text on the screen or you press the brake keys, you can pass trought the clouds, I think this will be the "volumetric" effect in cfs3, fixed the clouds rotation and paper thin on the side. You can see it on the video (increase your monitor brightness to see more)Combat Flight Simulator 3 Movie 1http://gamespot.com/gamespot/filters/produ...,556046,00.htmlThanksChris Willis[link:fsw.simflight.com/FSWMenuFsSim.html]Clouds And Addons For MsFshttp://fsw.simflight.com/fsw.jpg

Chris, Unless this came from the lips of Tucker Hadfield I'd be fairly sceptical. I think lots of people have jumped to the conclusion that they are volumetric simply because the clouds in the screenshots look so good. But 2D clouds can look very good, provided they are implemented well, witness IL-2. In contrast the clouds in FS2002 are poorly implemented, with the infamous text bug thrown in for good measure. In one CFS3 screenshot I saw an artifact that, although subtle, indicates the clouds are 2D. Others have come to the same conclusion. I've no objection to 2D clouds if they are well done, because they can be very realistic and are certainly frame rate-friendly. Remember those amazing broken clouds in the original Fly? It shows what can be done with 2D clouds. By the way, the other clouds in the original Fly! were genuinely volumetric - and they were pretty useless! Best regards, Chris Wright