Sudden changes in cloud display.

[Guest JimBrown]

I've read many posts regarding sudden changes in the displayed clouds. I'm not sure if I understand it all though.On a number of occasions, I'll be flying along at FL300 and the displayed clouds way down below will suddenly and drastically change. On other occasions, I'm at 10,000 asl and again, the clouds around me will suddenly and drastically change. Is this normal? I'm sure I read somewhere that changes like this were supposed to be gradual.I should mention that I'm currently flying in the eastern area of Africa. However, I've also seen this effect while flying in eastern Ontario, Canada, the US and in Europe.I'm using the b163 build of AS.Here's my AS config file://AS2004.5 configuration file B163[General]WindowPosX = 23820WindowPosY = 765DefaultWeatherFolder = G:FltSimModulesActiveSky2004SuppressionCeiling = 3000SurfaceWindLimit = 50CloudLayerLimit = 5LocalSuppressionRange = 70MinimumVisibility = 0MaximumVisibility = 59IncreasedWake = FalseDisableWindsAloft = FalseForceTstormsWithCB = FalseAutoConvertPlanFiles = TrueDisableVisGraduation = FalseForceDestinationWeatherZone = TruePreventIcing = TrueOnlineUpdates = FalseExtendedDestinationWindsForce = FalseGlobalWrites = FalseDepictFS9HazeLayer = FalseExtendTstormLayers = TrueDisableDirectWindControl = FalseVoicePlayback = TrueLocalSuppression = TrueStartupSound = FalseDisableGroundUpdates = TrueUseProxyServer = FalseFogLayerGeneration = TrueUpdateSuppression = TrueOvercastEnhancement = TrueIgnoreFSReadyStatus = FalseFSUIPCWindSmoothing = TrueLimitSurfaceWinds = FalseLimitCloudLayers = TrueAutoGlobalWriteToggle = TrueRainWithTS = TrueDisableUpperLayerGeneration = FalseVisibilitySmoothing = TrueDisableMessages = TrueAutoTimeZoneDetection = TrueUpdateInterval = 10VATSIMData = FalseZuluConversion = -5AloftPredictability = 100WindDriftRate = 0TAFProcessing = TrueEnforceVisibilityLimits = TrueWakeTurb = FalseStartPaused = TrueUseSystemTime = FalseDisableCAVOKClouds = FalseProxyAddress = NONEFS9 settings are:Sight distance: 60Cloud draw distance: 603D cloud percentage: 100Detailed Clouds: MaximumRender to Texture: OnTarget frame rate: 20Thanks for any assistance, or just a note that that's the way it works. :-)Regards,...jim

[JSkorna 137]

Hi,No doesn't sound right. Does it happen throughout the flight or just one time per flight?Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

[Guest JimBrown]

Hi Jim,It can happen several times during the flight.I'll see if I can grab a couple of screen shots to illustrate the problem. Not sure how successful I'll be at that, as there is no warning prior to the sudden change.Any other thoughts would be appreciated.Thanks,...jim

[JSkorna 137]

OK, see if it is happening right after AS does a refresh or you can trigger a manual refresh and then see.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

[Guest JimBrown]

Got lucky on a flight today. It happened right around the time AS was doing a refresh. I saw the cloud formations change instantly, and just happened to notice that AS was changing its closest WX station and refreshing.Still trying to get some screen captures that show how much the cloud formations change.I did manage to get these though.This is the before shot:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/104591.jpgAnd this is the after shot:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/104592.jpgThe captures were taken 10 seconds apart. However, the change occured instantly a second or two before the second capture.Regards,...jim

[JSkorna 137]

Hi Jim,I want you to try two things:Set your Supression Range to 100 and try a flight.Set your Supression Rnage to 150 and try a flight.Please let me know!Set your Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

[Guest Darren Howie]

Hi JimI have also seen the sudden cloud changes when flying with saved weather.I did a flight from Rome to Dubai and saw this on at least two occassions where it went from sct cloud to overcast in less than two seconds and the reverse about two hours later.I also had a small problem with the ATIS at Dubai.The ATI was stating a 300' base with 18nm vis in severe thunderstorms.Thie vis underneath was only about 300m though.I checked the atis after landing and it was still saying 18nm yet vis was less than 500m.//AS2004.5 configuration file B163[General]WindowPosX = 8235WindowPosY = 8940DefaultWeatherFolder = C:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesFlight Simulator 9ModulesActiveSky2004WeatherSuppressionCeiling = 4000SurfaceWindLimit = 35CloudLayerLimit = 5LocalSuppressionRange = 25MinimumVisibility = 0MaximumVisibility = 59LastPlanFolder = C:Documents and SettingsuserMy DocumentsFlight Simulator FilesIncreasedWake = FalseDisableWindsAloft = FalseForceTstormsWithCB = FalseAutoConvertPlanFiles = TrueDisableVisGraduation = FalseForceDestinationWeatherZone = TruePreventIcing = TrueOnlineUpdates = FalseExtendedDestinationWindsForce = FalseGlobalWrites = TrueDepictFS9HazeLayer = FalseExtendTstormLayers = TrueDisableDirectWindControl = FalseVoicePlayback = TrueLocalSuppression = TrueStartupSound = FalseDisableGroundUpdates = FalseUseProxyServer = FalseFogLayerGeneration = TrueUpdateSuppression = TrueOvercastEnhancement = TrueIgnoreFSReadyStatus = FalseFSUIPCWindSmoothing = TrueLimitSurfaceWinds = TrueLimitCloudLayers = TrueAutoGlobalWriteToggle = TrueRainWithTS = TrueDisableUpperLayerGeneration = FalseVisibilitySmoothing = TrueDisableMessages = TrueAutoTimeZoneDetection = TrueUpdateInterval = 10VATSIMData = FalseZuluConversion = 11AloftPredictability = 80WindDriftRate = 0TAFProcessing = TrueEnforceVisibilityLimits = TrueWakeTurb = FalseStartPaused = FalseUseSystemTime = FalseDisableCAVOKClouds = FalseProxyAddress = NONEThanks

[JSkorna 137]

Hi,Your local supression range is way too low. Try 100. Thanks!Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

[Guest Darren Howie]

Will do thanks mate!Darren

[Guest JimBrown]

Hi Jim,I'm back. (Darned real world got in my way...)I tried your suggestion regarding supression range. Unfortunatly, the problem persists.I did notice that the sudden change in cloud formation appears to occur when AS writes an update to FS. It is as if AS is ignoring the supression range setting.Here's my AS2004.ini file as it looks now://AS2004.5 configuration file B163[General]WindowPosX = 23820WindowPosY = 765DefaultWeatherFolder = G:FltSimModulesActiveSky2004SuppressionCeiling = 3000SurfaceWindLimit = 50CloudLayerLimit = 5LocalSuppressionRange = 150MinimumVisibility = 0MaximumVisibility = 59LastPlanFolder = E:Documents and SettingsjetjockMy DocumentsFlight Simulator FilesIncreasedWake = FalseDisableWindsAloft = FalseForceTstormsWithCB = FalseAutoConvertPlanFiles = TrueDisableVisGraduation = FalseForceDestinationWeatherZone = TruePreventIcing = TrueOnlineUpdates = FalseExtendedDestinationWindsForce = FalseGlobalWrites = FalseDepictFS9HazeLayer = FalseExtendTstormLayers = TrueDisableDirectWindControl = FalseVoicePlayback = TrueLocalSuppression = TrueStartupSound = FalseDisableGroundUpdates = TrueUseProxyServer = FalseFogLayerGeneration = TrueUpdateSuppression = TrueOvercastEnhancement = TrueIgnoreFSReadyStatus = FalseFSUIPCWindSmoothing = TrueLimitSurfaceWinds = FalseLimitCloudLayers = TrueAutoGlobalWriteToggle = TrueRainWithTS = TrueDisableUpperLayerGeneration = FalseVisibilitySmoothing = TrueDisableMessages = TrueAutoTimeZoneDetection = TrueUpdateInterval = 10VATSIMData = FalseZuluConversion = -5AloftPredictability = 100WindDriftRate = 0TAFProcessing = TrueEnforceVisibilityLimits = TrueWakeTurb = FalseStartPaused = TrueUseSystemTime = FalseDisableCAVOKClouds = FalseProxyAddress = NONEAnd here is an example of what I'm seeing. These shots were taken a few seconds apart. However, the change is instantaneous.Before:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/105286.jpgAnd after:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/105287.jpgThanks for your continued assistance.By the way, I still enjoy very much what AS does, other than this little problem.Regards,...jim

[JSkorna 137]

Hi,A few things I wonder about:Are you still locked at 20 FPS? Possibly your system is not able to to draw all the clouds all the time. We have never talked about your system specs! Can you list those?You are in Offline Mode with TAF processing On and I wonder if on that refresh you are changing from METAR to TAF or TAF to METAR. Can you run in Online and see?The cirrus clouds are the randoms that AS is adding. I think you know about those.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

[Damian Clark 1,041]

Hi,It could be normal, please check out our AS2004 FAQ. In areas with very few reporting points, Local suppression is ineffective in preventing cloud changes as FS9 is interpolating conditions from far away. The only solution to prevent changes is to disabled updates and/or use suppression altitude (above you flight altitude) to prevent wx updates. If this is what is going on, hope that explains it.. We are working on new technology to work around this, and the next FS may also improve things here.If on the other hand you're near plenty of wx stations, something is going wrong... make sure you have the latest FSUIPC/wideFS(if used) versions from www.schiratti.com/dowson.html. Make sure you manually clear all wx from FSUIPC before using AS to reset any possible theme that FS has active.Hope that helps!

[Guest JimBrown]

Ok, it's starting to make sense now. :-)The sudden cloud transitions I'm seeing now, even with local suppression set to 150, is because I'm in an area with few WX stations.The sudden cloud transitions I mentioned in my first post occured in areas that had lots of WX stations, but I had my local suppression setting too low.I tried a flight last night from CYOW to KBTV. Lots of cloud formations, and no sudden changes. This was in offline mode with TAF on.Now that I understand how it works, and the limitations of FS9 that AS has to work with, I'm a happy camper once again.Thanks again for your great support.Regards,...jim