Sudden clouds disappearances

[asquel 2]

Hi, DamianI posted this afternoon about the subject of sudden nearby cloud disappearance. I succeeded in catching such an event, and trying to give you as much info as possible.Flight plan is : LFML-TRETS-LUC-STP-LERMA-OMARD-MERLU-SODRI-BTA-DOKAR-KISTO-LIRSThe event occurred between SODRI and BTA. The nearest weather station was LFKB, and the wx file is 100950Z (from past saturday) Five files are joined : the fsuipc.ini and as2004.ini, the fsuipc.log including the event, and two pics showing the clouds before and after the event.Hope all this can help to pinpoint the problemRegards Alain

[asquel 2]

Just forgot to mention : fsuipc.log is actually a .zip file.The cloud pop-out events occur when AS2004 writes data to FSUIPC/fs9.I tried with TAF processing ON and OFF, and I got the same results...Let me add also that except this problem, I'm very satisfied with AS2004 : the visuals are stunning, and the weather landscape corresponds exactly with the METAR messages (at least before the pop-outs). I believe AS2004 has big potential : only a few glitches to correct, and that is the objective of this post : help to correct one of them !AlainLFFBBuno-Bonnevaux (not in FS2004)

[Gridley 257]

Can you try the flight with local update supression disabled? I have seen this recently too (first time) on a flight from burlinton, VT to la guardia, and it looks to me like the clouds that disappear do so within the radius defined as the local update supression limit. Give it a try and let me know if you see the same thing...? Maybe there's a problem with local supression doing more than it should...?Thanks,sg

[Damian Clark 1,273]

Hi Scott,Thanks for the info...I flew about 10 test flights last night trying to duplicate this... For once I did!!! In my case it was related to mountainous terrain and had nothing to do with anything external to FS9.. it appears to simply be FS9's way of drawing when there is variable elevation terrain with intersecting clouds and/or too much trying to be displayed.The issue with cloud shifts when resources are taxed is known (reduce any detail sliders and frame rate lock setting to improve), and we all know about FSUIPC's requirement of 100% 3d clouds to avoid potential cloud flicker/shifts, but this mountainous area issue is a new one....Can anyone confirm? FWIW I have significantly tested the local update suppression feature, it appears to be working perfectly as designed, but it may in fact be related... if FS9 for some reason, for example, decides that because the local suppression radius hasn't been updated in a while (while the area outside has), save resources and stop displaying clouds in such older-data areas when resources are low and/or mountains are intersecting the clouds. If this turns out to be the issue, the solution is simple, write a change to the local area (maybe change the vis by .01) but never change cloud formations.Testing continues...Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyhttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004betateam.jpg

[Mats_J 2]

Damian>The issue with cloud shifts when resources are taxed is known (reduce any detail sliders and frame rate lock setting to improve), and we all know about FSUIPC's >requirement of 100% 3d clouds to avoid potential cloud flicker/shifts, but this mountainous area issue is a new one....>>Can anyone confirm? Yep affirmative! I was doing a flight over the rockies from KSEA to CYEG yesterday with the PMDG NG and got the same clouds updates as described above. Will try to reduce some of my settings to see if this improves clouds behaviour.Would be nice with a FS WX SDK wouldn't it? :-)>Testing continues...Sure does! ;-)Cheers,

[Gridley 257]

For my situation, I had been flying over the mountainous terrain of Vermont without a problem. When I reached the less-mountainous terrain near albany, the clouds disappeared. However, using FSGenesis mesh in the area, resources could have been taxed. I have also had issues south of Albany before (near the ATHOS intersection), so there might be something strange going on there. I have set fs to unlimited frames, and was getting over 20 fps which is average on my system. I did have a ton of cloud cover though, all of which was considerably higher than the terrain (no intersection). I like the idea of writing something insignificant to the local area just to keep it new.Best,sg

[Damian Clark 1,273]

Hi Alain,Thanks for the detailed info...Please see my other post in this thread...-Damian

[Guest bhdo]

Hi,Please, please tell us the truth.Do you honestly manage the dynamic smooth change of cloud in AS2004 (at least as FS2004 correctly does).I have been testing AS for a week.Has anybody ever seen clouds smoothly appears when weather is updated in AS2004 ? (I can't believe nobody noticed that!). Of course, when AS checks the server and datas hasn't change, nothing happens in FS and everything is OK. But when datas change, the result is mostly crazy and totally unreal -> because everything suddenly change). Every 15 minutes in FS2004, clouds slowly change (it's possible to see it if you are a bit patient and a good observer).It's so sad AS2004 don't seem to do the same. It's sad because on numerous other points, this software is absolutely great (very nice clouds with numerous layers (as far as everything is static).When I installed FS2004 on my computer, it took one minute to make the smooth change work correctly. Why is it so difficult in AS2004.I'm really tired and I hope so much that the next release will fix that major problem.Regards.

[Gridley 257]

The truth - with the exception of a recent event over albany, I have never seen clouds appear or disappear using AS2004. When the weather is updated, all changes to cloud formations should occur OUTSIDE the local supression range, and thus be invisible to you. Clouds should not appear or disappear smoothly per se, but should appear or disappear outside the visible draw distance, assuming you have local supression on, and the radius defined to a value greater than the cloud draw distance set in FS9.Here's an idea - disable all of as2004's updating -taf processing, supression, online updates, etc, everything. just use it to download a snapshot of the weather from damian's server. That alone produces an experience far better than default FS9 real-weather. Tell me what you think. Maybe just leave on wind and visibility smoothing. And?

[asquel 2]

Hello, Damian and sgI did the same flight this evening, with the same weather, but with local suppression to OFF. And I had the same cloud pop-outs. I think they were even more frequent than with local suppression to ON : there were pop-outs at every weather update (only 2 pop-outs with 6 updates with local suppression to ON).I verified also that the cloud that popped-out were not intersecting mountains.To come back to sg's question, my cloud draw distance is at 50 NM, and the local suppression range at 80 NM. Therefore, all the visible clouds are inside the local suppression radius, and this radius is consequently not visible.Maybe it's interesting to note that I have such problems in European flights almost every time. Would it be linked to the average distance between wx stations ?Thanks for your suggestionsAlain

[Guest bhdo]

Yes, it works better when most of option is disabled.But everything is static now.I mean : what's happening and what's the benefits of having AS2004 if I never do trips more than 80 miles in FS2004 ?This is the case of a lot of simmers who are also real novice pilots like me and try to reproduce their real flights in FS (often from their favorite club to the closer airport).AS2004 seems to be made only for continental trips with heavy planes.I undestand why certain users complain about AS.As you seemed to propose on your web site, those users expected an add-on which could give at least what FS2004 gives. AS2004 is great, but unfortunatelly, I'm afraid it will never be interesting, in its actual version, for users who fly in a very short area.I hope I'm wrong because it's so realistic in static mode (if only clouds could change (I almost dream about it)).Regards.

[555_HH 1]

hi,changed my settings as follows:-local supression: 80-cloud draw distance: 60nm-visibility limit in FSUIPC: 5000 (clear) 2000 (cloudy) 1500 (oc) 1000 (rain)all other settings as defaultstill no change with cloud pop ups or sudden weather changes (see below). did a flight yesterday from SBGR to SBGL - again sudden vis changes after takeoff and climb (is there really nothing we can do against?) - shortly before getting descent instruction all clouds disappeared around the aircraft whereas distant clouds remained - flew into those clouds minutes later which presented themselves as a light thunderstorm (very nice rendered!)- out of a sudden, all thunderstorms were gone (no more thunder.wavs) and saw again at the distance the weather for SBGL - no further problems then.i have to mention, that the visibility transition into the clouds during descent is much more real and smooth compared during climb.This feature is really very good implemented - i wish this could be achieved also during the climb.hope, we find a solution!cheers,harald heidinger/loww

[Gridley 257]

I rarely fly more than 80 miles. Without updates the weather is static in the sense that upon departure, the weather is defined at your destination. If you takeoff from your home field which is reporting snow and fly to a field 50 miles away that is reporting clear skies, this is reflected accurately by AS2k4, and the weather will be accurately depicted in that flight...Also, in "static mode" as you call it, clouds change - if there is a strong wind and a few scattered clouds, they will move across the screen. Also, they will change as you fly according to what each station is reporting... Is this what you see?As an aside, I usually fly only short flights of about 100 miles, ofter less like 45 miles due to time limits. I find the weather that AS2004 generates *VERY* dynamic and challenging even within these short distances, FWIW.Best,sg

[JSkorna 137]

Alain,Over the next few days I want to see if we can solve this with you. I want to do this here so others can see what we are doing. I hope this is OK with everyone. In science (which I teach) it is important to keep conditions the same and just change one thing at a time and then check it out. So we start with a clean start: In FS double check Dynamic weather=none. Now, cut and paste FSUIPC.dll AND FSUIPC.ini out of your FS/Modules folder and save them elsewhere. Next, download and install the free version of FSUIPC. Fire up FS, use Weather minimums in FSUIPC and fly your flight. I have an idea, but I need your machine to test it out on.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Support

[bakerman 31]

JimI have also a situation with cloud disappearence on a flight from LSZH to LMML. I can reproduce the situation to 100%. I own also the registered FSUIPC latest version !After trying just everything, i must say it happens every time when the LMML station is going to be active, just a little "bang" an no more clouds in front of the plane.If you need any more details to reproduce it just tell me.ThanksBruno