Latest AS2004 Release Status

[Damian Clark 1,126]

Greetings Pilots!We are getting really close to release now. I'd say assuming no major problems crop up, we're looking at releasing with 24 hours.I just wanted to point out a few notes about the release process and our policies, as well as answer some common questions we've been receiving lately.First, during release we are planning for the worst and expecting that our server and associated ecommerce vendors will be "torqued" during the first couple days of release. Fortunately the download size is about 10MB, not really enough to cause major problems with the amount of bandwidth at our disposal, but we want to prepare everyone in advance that there may be some issues with slow or failed downloads at release time. We'll be on top of it and get any issues sorted out as they come up.Pricing is announced as follows:New users are offered ActiveSky2004 with ActiveRadar for 29.95 EUR.Existing wxRE users will be offered a special discount price (this is NOT an upgrade) of 19.95 EUR for ActiveSky2004 and ActiveRadar.wxRE users who will be taking advantage of this offer, please be aware that there are 2 different options depending on which e-commerce vendor you purchased wxRE from. Those who purchased from SimMarket will be able to use an automatic online order verification and will receive the full version download. Those who purchase from E-metrix or Regnow will need to purchase a different version, which will check for wxRE at install-time. Therefore, Regnow and Emetrix customers will NEED TO HAVE wxRE installed in order to purchase this special version. If you have uninstalled wxRE and misplaced your download file, please contact the e-commerce vendor (Emetrix or Regnow) and request a new link. Please do this before AS2004 releases to make sure your order, download and installation process go as smoothly as possible.Frequently Asked Questions:Is AS2004 compatible with FS2002?No, it is not. AS2004 is compatible with FS2004 ONLY, due to the new station-based structure of the AS2004 weather engine.Can I run AS2004 on WideFS?Yes, AS2004 can run via WideFS on another computer other than your FS computer. The ActiveRadar module, however, must run on the FS system. An ActiveRadar Connector program is made available to point ActiveRadar to your second (AS2004) computer and properly read AS2004 weather data.Does AS2004 completely solve all FS2004 weather issues?No. It does work-around many of these issues, however, and provides a much better overall experience. That was the entire design goal of AS2004. Features like route-based wind smoothing, station-based horizontal visibility smoothing, extended destination wind force, local range suppression and update suppression will help keep your wind, visibility and cloud transitions smoother and more realistic under a wider range of circumstances.Does AS2004 affect performance?AS2004 by itself does not generally cause a noticeable performance hit. Certain unavoidable hits, such as doing actual FS weather writes, are intelligently handled via efficient write processes and update suppression to keep stutters away during critical phases of your flight. ActiveRadar, the internal FS module, CAN cause a performance hit depending on your selected radar detail options. ActiveRadar has many detail and performance-related options that can help you fine-tune the best balance of performance and radar resolution for your system.Do I need the registered version of FSUIPC? Will it help me at all?You do not need the registered version. AS2004 and ActiveRadar are fully accredited for use with unregistered or registered FSUIPC. Registered FSUIPC features including baro smoothing, graduated visibility and occasional high cirrus-layer can compliment and work together with AS2004's own variations of such features, but they are not required. We do however always recommend the registered version for those who are serious about their simming. It is a great add-on that provides many benefits in addition to complimenting AS2004.How do I purchase AS2004?Upon release, an announcement will be made here in the forum and on our website homepage (make sure to refresh your browsers!). SimMarket will be handling the e-commerce distribution. They accept credit card, mail and phone orders.I own wxRE. Will I get a discount to upgrade to AS2004?AS2004 is not an upgrade. It is a completely new product designed from the ground-up for FS2004. We are offering a special discount offer, however, as a way of saying thanks to our loyal past customers. The discount price is 19.95 EUR (9.95 EUR or 33% off the price to new users).I didn't know AS2004 was being released, and I just purchase wxRE. Will I get AS2004 for free?No. AS2004 has been publicly in development for almost a year. We have posted numerous press releases here on the forum, at our website, and on various simulation community sites. AS2004 is a completely new product with a new set of costs involved in providing it, including an expensive private server system. Your purchase of AS2004 is also your subscription to use this private server system. For being a past HiFi customer, you will receive a special 33% discount off the purchase of AS2004. Thank you everyone! Stay tuned for the big news!Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyhttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004betateam.jpg

[Guest Bill Kingsford]

Ummmmm....$45 US dollars for AS2004 but it won't fix all of FS9's goofy weather problems, especially wind smoothing, just kinda may em less noticable......Another $20 bucks to register FSUIPC if we want visiblity smoothing....AS2004 Weather radar that kills FPS in high detail yet when RealityXP is fixing to release a super realistic one with minimal FPS hit......Well, let me think about it a second.....No thank you :)

[Damian Clark 1,126]

Well Hi Bill thanks!But Where do you get $45 from? It's $37 last time I checked.Why would you want to register FSUIPC for visibility smoothing when AS2004 already includes it?Would it be better to NOT offer high detail options, or let you use them on higher-end systems?Perhaps you missed the other features that AS2004 does offer?But thanks for letting us all know that you have no idea what AS2004 is! Perhaps I shall need to work on the product info texts...-Damian

[russellj 2]

Damien,Just ignore posts like this. Most of us appreciate the work you have done and are doing. Your pricing sits fine with me.Looking forward to the release.RegardsRussell Jourdain (NZL007/ZK-RHJ)

[mackintosh 0]

My thoughts exactly. Damian, don't worry about it. I've been a loyal FSMeteo user, but AS2004 got my attention, I'm quite anxious to get my hands on it :)

[kaydub 3]

HiFi: Wish I would have known you can ask emetrix to reestablish your link. I lost mine and repurchased WXre. My first purchase was at the low $14.95 US price. Keith Whyte

[russellj 2]

You mention that if we purchased from Emetrix or Regnow then we have to get a different version. Do we have to get these from where we originally purchased or will all vendors have both versions?RegardsRussell Jourdain (NZL007/ZK-RHJ)

[Guest darrent]

Oh,I have had just enough of this fs default weather, one minute flying imc and the next scattered cloud.Cant wait for the release of activesky 2004.Regards,Darren

[JSkorna 137]

Russell,Please go back to the original e-commerce vendor. They are the only ones who have your purchase information.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Support

[drayton_k 7]

Hi Damian,You mention that those existing users that ordered via emetrix MUST have WXRE installed to get the update.If I ever have to reinstall FS9 and AS2004 for any reason, do I have to load WXRE on first and then run the update? I hope I have made myself clear.ThanksKeith

[Guest Dkoy]

Just one little question. Will AS2004 fix this problem.When I take off from an airport where I have fog and 2 miles visibility, - then when I lift the aircraft 200 feet up, then I suddenly can see through this dense fog? Also if I have a broken or overcast layer - then just when I fly over it, - I am able to see down through this layer.I will buy AS2004 just to get rid of these "see through" problems.Hope you understand the discription of my problem.BrSteen P

[Bob_D 38]

>Existing wxRE users will be offered a special discount price> (this is NOT an upgrade) of $19.95 EUR for ActiveSky2004 and>ActiveRadar.So as it turns out it works out to be almost the same price as before all the hub-bub. 19.95 Euro = 24.74997 US Dollar 19.95 US Dollar (USD) = 16.08093 Euro (EUR) As of last check..Which is fine with me, even in the early details it certainly seemed worth the money even to this uber cheapskate. Didn't I also notice a "fsmeteo" like current condtions display window for using in the cockpit? If so, that really great as a convert from Fs_Meteo to WxRE under FS2k2, I did really miss that current conditions display from Fs_Meteo. Even though some may not call it a realistic cockpit instrument. I certainly found it enjoyable.Been waiting since its announcement for this program! Heck even the mention of its intimmate release has awoken me from my 90-day no post deletion into a re-register. :-)This is the final piece to the FS2k4 puzzle for me. Still haven't flown any logged flights yet.. :( I just couldn't stomach seeing fs2k4 nice weather engine in action without something to help it along a bit more. And since WxRE wasn't designed for Fs2k4, it really wasn't much of a help.>>Frequently Asked Questions:>>special discount offer, however, as a way of saying things to>our loyal past customers. The discount price is $19.95 EUR> ($9.95 EUR or 33% off the price to new users).> Think you mean Thanks not things, up above.. ;)Can't wait.. Will be one of the first in line! Though it does look like some boring weather across the US next few days.. Figures!AS2004 Will install into a seperate directory or on top of WxRE if it happens to find it? In which case it will have to since I bought WxRE from Emetrix will need WxRE installed in order to into AS2004. If it doesn't install over top of old WxRE and just needs it for verifing purposes I can then uninstall WxRE with no worries that future AS2004 updates may require the same type of install?Thanks for all your hard work Damian! :-beerchugEdit: Edit out bad grammar. :-)

[Guest Mark McG]

Bob,the Active Radar Module that is included with AS2004 combines a working weather radar and a facility to view weather reports.This is a good feature - you do not need to leave the sim to view AS to see what the forecast is.

[Guest bpcass]

Bob DOn the question of grammar, don't you mean 'imminent' and not 'intimmate (sic)'.A score draw I think.:-)

[Guest sitzkrieg]

Sounds great! My credit card is ready. More than a fair deal on the price.I have one question. Are the framerates in heavy clouds better with ActiveSky2004 than the default FS2004 weather? I'm using the FSW clouds, which help immensely, and have noticed wxRE gives much better framerates than FS2004 default weather. Really noticable when flying the PMDG 737 where every frame counts. Just curious if this still holds true now that weather isn't global. Wondering if Damian or one of the beta testers could chime in on this.Keith