Hi Damian/Jim,I was just browsing the MSFS General discussion forum here at avsim and came across this thread http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...id=171034&page= that discusses a manual work around for the FS2004 overcast limitation (ie. that it's see through from above). The work around is to clear the alpha channel on the cirrus overcast bit map and place a one foot layer of this cloud underneath the real overcast layer.If this is possible to do manually, couldn't AS2004 include a feature that automatically inserts such a modified cloud when the METAR indicates an overcast layer at a particular altitude? Such a fix would overcome what I consider to be one of the greatest steps backwards FS2004 made over FS2002. Perhaps this feature could be included in a future maintenance release?Gary

That feature alone would make me buy AS2004, I second that suggestion.Is it possible to implement this on AS2004 Damian?Regards,Carlos.

I have to agree with that one. I would think it would not be too processor hungry either to do this i.e.if weather = overcastcreate cirrus with top = overcastBase and bottom = overcastBase - 10although what do i know. What do you think Damian?

Bump ...Damien - this is the referenced work around for being "on top" of the overcast layer.-michael

Hi Michael,I guess I got the issue confused.. I thought the entire cloud deck was vanishing?Yes, this is something we are working on, although some issues need to be ironed out especially with reference to FSW clouds (current and new ones in development) and actual integration into the METAR-based surface weather environment. Look for this kind of effect in AS2004 soon.If you'd like to increase the density of the the overcast, turn on overcast enhancement and make sure your slider for cloud density in FS9 is full right/100%. I am able to achieve a completely covered deck on my system this way, although I do have some other detail options turned lower (and frame rate slider to 15) to provide more resources for FS9 to draw clouds (you may want to try the same).If the entire deck vanishes, this would mean something entirely different which we are trying to troubleshoot. Although I suspect in your case it was just a lower density overcast depiction and low visibility, and you climbed through both ceilings at the same time... Let me know...Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyhttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004betateam.jpg

>Hi Michael,>>I guess I got the issue confused.. I thought the entire cloud>deck was vanishing?My mistake - I did say "all the clouds disappeared" - what I meant was "the overcast disappeared". >>Yes, this is something we are working on, although some issues>need to be ironed out especially with reference to FSW clouds>(current and new ones in development) and actual integration>into the METAR-based surface weather environment. Look for>this kind of effect in AS2004 soon.Great!!!-michael

Hi guys, John Cillis' work around for the overcast layer 'holes' works very well, it would be great Damian if you could incorporate this in to AS2004.:-hah

hi hereYes it would be a great thing to do, Damian and then solve the pb off IFR approach....and solve an FS bug with AS !thanksJean-Michel