ActiveSky Update

[Damian Clark 1,102]

Hi everyone...Just a quick note to keep you up to date on the development of ActiveSky.The next version will be called "ActiveSky wxRE", and will be a brand new add-on based on ActiveSky 2002's core technology (wxRE means Weather Realism Engine). Lots of new features are already done and many more are still going in. Some of the new features include:- Smooth, intelligent visual cloud transitions - finally working!- Offline/cycle file use- Wake turbulence effect- Intelligent turbulence and icing- Microburst and windshear effects- Weather briefing interface- TAF awareness- Automatic changing of weather according to live TAF forecast information or preset/cycle TAF files. This ensures that you will never fly with 'stale' weather even if the METAR reports are old!- Internal FS Module control interface of ActiveSky's main runtime options. Also permits getting weather updates from ActiveSky while in-sim- Improved winds aloft simulation for areas outside of FD report coverage- Automatic control of FSUIPC's options for better realism effects including smooth wind, pressure and visibility transitions- Improved display routines for better cloud type selection, ground fog cloud layers and overall visual effectsOver 1/2 of these new features are already working and being tested. This is truly going to be an exciting add-on thanks to the supporters of ActiveSky who shared their input and made quality suggestions. ActiveSky is an ongoing project that will continue to get more sophisticated and realistic, according to the user base's wishes! If you have any suggestions you would like to make, now or in the future, please do not hesitate to ask! ActiveSky wxRE is looking like it will release around December 1, 2002.Thanks again to all the supporters of ActiveSky and to AVSIM for hosting the Project: ActiveSky site and providing these great discussion forums and file libraries.Stay tuned for more information at the Project: ActiveSky website (http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky). A big announcement and screenshots will be released very soon.Thanks everyone!Damian ClarkHifi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSky, the next-generation weather environment simulation for FS! http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky

[Guest Simicro]

you are incredible !congrats and thanks for the good work !tony

[Bill A 68]

Man, that sounds great!Bill

[Ken Pryor 0]

You are awesome Damian! Thanks! :)KP

[Guest]

Damian.............the offline option will be very welcome to those of us with a dial-up connection and only one phoneline.........keep up the good work............alan d kerr

[Guest]

Damian,Is there any features your add on will have that might actually superceed FS Meteo?troy

[Johan_Dees 84]

A suggestion to your Weather briefing interface:Can you make it also one can print (or to file) a real alike Metar report for an entered ICAO.So one can with planning have some papers with the expected weather at destination and or enroute.Johan[A HREF=http://www.phoenix-simulation.co.uk]Phoenix Simulation Software[/A]-----http://www.people.zeelandnet.nl/johdUnofficial PSS Website

[Guest]

Wake turbulence effectReally looking forward to this feature.Kilstorm

[Guest tcable]

Thans Damian. I've relly been enjoying Activesky so far and am looking forward to the new version.BTW, I'm very pleased with the FD Simulation that you are using right now. it at least feels right :)Tim

[Guest GabrielR]

Thanx Damian, this one is a "must have" Add on!New great features!!Please, trry to keep it as a low frame rate impact program!

[Damian Clark 1,102]

Hi Troy,The answer to your question is: ActiveSky wxRE will be more advanced than any existing weather product out there. New technologies in display, processing and intelligent environment simulation haven't yet been done before. I think it's safe to say that wxRE will raise the bar and be the best weather program available, which will force the competition to make their products better. Hard to say exactly what will happen long term but I am determined to continue development of ActiveSky and make it the most advanced, realistic and challenging weather environment possible. FWIW, design and planning has already been in progress for FS2004's new weather technology... So basically the short answer to your question is YES. :)-Damian

[Guest Josve]

Sounds great!!Johnny"I'LL BE BACK"[div align=center]http://www.avsim.com/hangar/fly/josve/fly2/vas.gif ][/div

[Guest]

another good idea would be to have a weather diagram so on can do route planning properly rather than second guessing .I don't know if that's possible with FS2002 but it's something I always thought would be great too see because it would make flight planning not only more realistic but easier to plan around weather ahead as in real life. keep up the great work Richard Dillon KPDKSr First Officer www.jetstarairlines.com"Bill Grabowski's"ERJ-145 panel Beta TeamMD-11 panel Beta TeamPAI beta tester ____________________________"Lets Roll" 9/11 Specs AMD 1600 XP MSI KT 266t pro2 512MB DDR 2100GF3 ti 200 64MB SBliveCh Products Yoke and Pedals(usb)Windows 2000 Serivce Pack 3

[Damian Clark 1,102]

Hi Johan,Check it out: The new Weather Briefing interface works like this:You enter your departure, destination, alternate, and enroute stations you'd like to use (this can be autocalculated and/or imported from FS or FSNAV). You also enter your cruise altitude, departure time and ETE.ActiveSky wxRE will then create an intuitive report including:SynopsisDeparture weatherDestination weatherAlternate weatherEnroute weatherDeparture forecastDestination forecastAlternate forecastEnroute / Area forecastWinds aloft forecastsLinks for actual detailed briefing info (Airmets/Sigmets, NOTAMS, etc) are also provided.This will all be printable (now that you made the suggestion!) and you will get a report very similar to what yould get from an FSS briefer.Upon generation of the report, destination force will automatically set and you're ready for your flight (if you decide to go!)During your flight, you'll be able to get a weather update, INSIDE the sim by hotkey, based on your initial briefing. Pretty cool huh?-Damian

[Damian Clark 1,102]

Hi Bill,Great suggestion. I've thought about this at times and have come to the conculsion that the only way to make this happen is to create FSNAVIGATOR integration/compatibility so that weather info/objects can be read by FSNAV and displayed on the world map. This could include cloud coverage icons, IFR/VFR status icons, surface wind icons, precipitation areas, etc...The reason for needing FSNAV is that the world display engine they use is a HUGE WHEEL that they've already invented.. It could take years to develop something that good that would work independantly in ActiveSky.I have attempted to contact FSNAV developers concerning this in hopes that they will support this kind of technology in a future version. I am already building in support for this when/if it becomes available. Haven't heard back from them yet though...It might help if some of you would e-mail FSNAV folks asking for this!Damian ClarkHifi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSky, the next-generation weather environment simulation for FS2002! http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky