Hi, -Active Sky generate the weather. -Active Graphics are texture, include superior clouds, sky, moon, sun rain etc.Both are related to weather for the weather generation and the visual.Ultimate Terrain will remain like before, since AS AND ASG are not related with the terrain. ThanksChris Willishttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6...development.jpg http://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6-banner-proud.jpghttp://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6-banner-beta.jpg

>I am not sure why you get both programs in one install? do>these programs work together at the same time or do you run>one or the other? I am not sure what the graphics one is>supposed to do. I know ActiveSky changes your weather around>and puts in new looking clouds, etc... but what is the Active>Graphics all about?>>I don't know if I need to be running both programs or not, but>Active Graphics when I opened it up said something about>backing up all my FS9 textures, not sure what that means>because I thought textures had to do with scenery. And I>already am running the Ultimate Terrain add-on scenery so I>don't want some other product to override that.>>Thanks for clearing this up.>Yes you need to have both programs installed. ASG backs up the default files from FS9 and installs AS6 weather files which makes it realistic.AS6 is an active program which connects to a server to download the latest weather. If you're offline or the net is down from your location, you can use ASG to set weathers. There is also an option to set weather in AS6 too.ASG doesn't constantly update the weather as AS6 does as it gets the latest and changing data.The Ultimate Terrain add-on scenery does not have anything to do with the weather so it's safe to go ahead and install the ASG & AS6, and to back up the default weather files.There are many textures used in FS9. There's textures for aircraft paint, ground, airports, buildings, people, cars, trucks, land, etc the list goes on.First run the ASG and back up the default files, then if you want live weather, run AS6 in the background. ASG isn't needed unless you want to modify clouds or settings or do a offline mode.

okay so I ran ASG just ONE time, it backed up my FS9 textures and I then closed the program, didn't choose any other options or anything.Then I ran AS6 to download the weather. In FS9 for my flight I choose a weather theme of "light clouds" or something like that, I DID NOT choose to download the weather every 15 minutes as I usually do.Now do I EVER have to run ASG again since I always am online? What would be different if I ran AS6 but NEVER ran ASG that first time?Do you need AS6 open and running to see the new textures that ASG makes for you? or even if you are NOT running AS6 you will see the new clouds, etc? I guess it's just confusing having two seperate programs, it seems they should be just one program you run that updates the weather and all the weather related textures..

Hi,1. Do not choose anything in FS04. ASV will do everything.2. Do you ever want to change your environmental textures? If No, then you never need to run ASG again. Nothing would be different.3. No, you could run ASG before starting FS04 and submit textures and FS04 would use these textures.4. You can, using the Auto Submit option in ASV under the Graphics portion, by browsing to the wx Influenced themes and selecting them.Hope this helps,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6...development.jpg http://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6-banner-proud.jpg

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okay still I find it overly confusing from a user standpoint. I am a software engineer myself and see no reason to have two seperate programs here... but who knows... all I can say is that when running AS6 it kills my frame rates bringing them into the low teens, so I don't think I will be using this add-on much..and the whole point of making a flight plan in AS6 before starting FS9 then when you are in FS9 you can make another (different) flight plan, well again I don't see the point in all of this. AS6 should be smart enough to just start up, have the user do nothing, start a flight in FS9 using all of the FS9 config screens, then AS6 will just adjust the weather accordingly, I don't see why you have to set up flight plans in AS6 seperatly. But again, this is a moot point because I really can't use the program without killing my frame rates.Thanks for trying to clear some of this up for me.

Hi,Without knowing your system specs and FS04 settings I can't say anything about your framerates. If you are using 512 clouds set to 80 miles on a mid to low system, yes you will see a FPS hit. Can you tell us a bit more here? There are plenty of options to help out!A flightplan or at least your departing airport is needed only if you want wx Influenced textures. The flightplan can be as simple as the departing and destination airport, the general altitude, and the general speed.ASv6 is smart enough to do this without using any FS9 config screens. Not sure what you mean by this!Hope this helps,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6...development.jpg http://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6-banner-proud.jpg

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HI squale,You can use ASV with a single click for everything, without you go to ASG interface, or use a flight plan. In asv option, select enable auto submit, browse to random all for both, (these will copy the the texture without you open ASG) everything you start ASV.For performance, Fs2004 is a know thing that's weather reduce frame rate, unlike Fs2004, ASV offer you to increase performance, in the option you can limit the clouds layer to 2 or 3..In asg option button you can select 256x256 32 clouds or 256x256 DXT clouds, these last setting will remain for ever until you change them later.In fs2004 display weather slider:Clouds draw distance should be set to the complete leftClouds % to the maxSight Distant to 60 mile.Performance-The performance will depend on the metar, if the metar is dense, the performance will be lower.-In ASV option, you can limit the clouds layers to 3.-Closing ASG interface before start Fs2004 can help.-On some system using 64x64 32bits the performance are slower then 256x256 32bits.. I recommend to test 256x256 32bits first, then 512x512256x256 DXT. You have to test with your system. Some can have better performance with DXT clouds, but you need to enable render to texture in fs2004 display option, the problem with this is, the real function for render to texutre option in fs2004 is explaned below. -The RenderToTexture option in the display settings is used to control how the cloud impostors are generated. If the setting is on, then FlightSim will use the GPU to generate the impostors (if possible). If it

Perhaps I can help.Think of ASv6 as the weather engine. Its main function is to determine what the weather conditions are, and to then set those conditions within FS9.Think of ASG as the texture engine. Its main function is to set the textures that FS9 will use when displaying weather.If AS6 is set to auto-submit textures, it requires ASG, as it uses that program to do the texture submission.An important point to remember is that most of the textures that FS9 uses to diplay weather can NOT be changed while FS9 is running (the exception is cirrus textures.)As the end user, you have several ways of using these two programs.If you want specific textures that never change, no matter what the weather conditions are, then you only need to run ASG once, select your textures and submit them to FS9 (while FS9 is not running.) In ASG, you then uncheck (turn off) "Auto-submit". You can then load AS6, load FS9 and go fly. AS6 will still modify the weather conditions, but FS9 will always use the same textures to display that weather.If you want textures that are influenced by the weather conditions, then you do not need to run ASG (except once to select "Options", such as texture size, DXT on or off.) Instead, you will need to run AS6 first, load the weather that you want and load a flight plan so that AS6 knows where you will be flying. If the "Auto-submit" option is checked, and the themes selected are "WX-Influenced", then AS6 will submit new textures to FS9 that have been selected based on the weather conditions at your departure point. This has to be done before loading FS9 due to FS9 preventing texture changes while it is running. Once that initial submit/refresh is done, you can then load FS9 and go fly. AS6 will monitor your location and modify the weather conditions as needed, with the extra bit that it can submit (automatically, via ASG) changed cirrus textures as well.Using Random textures is similar to using WX-Influenced textures. The process is the same.With a bit of text file editing, it is possible to set up themes that use textures that are partially weather influenced, partially random and partially static or a combination of those. The manual hints at how to do this, but does not get into a lot of detail....jim

Note, in the above bit about using weather influenced textures, it should be mentioned that AS6 runs ASG in the background to submit the textures that AS6 has selected....jim

okay so you are saying, I just start ASG 1 time and 1 time only, then use ASv6 for everything else? cause I already ran ASG just once and it replaced the textures and backed up the default textures, then I never ran it again. I just start ASv6 first before FS2004 and then once FS9 is running I start flying like I always have. Are you saying that ASv6 is automatically replacing the textures for me in the background without ASG even open? If that's the case, again what is the point of having two seperate programs, just overly confusing I think... should just be one program, you start ASv6 only and it does everything, replaces the textures, sets the weather, etc... and you are good to go..it's too complicated to understand the interaction of the 2 program and when you need to run each one... I guess I have just gotten to the point of frustration where I don't care to use either one anymore, and I really don't notice any difference in the weather, just notice slower frame rates..

The two programs are there because they do two different things.There are some people who love to play around with manually selecting different textures. For them, ASG is important.For others who just want AS6 to do everything, ASG is not so important. However, it is still needed because AS6 uses ASG (if auto-submit is turned on.)As for your frame rate hit, it's not actually AS6 that is causing the lower frame rates, it's what AS6 is telling FS9 to display. AS6 may tell FS9 to display a lot more clouds than FS9 normally would. This can cause frame rates to go down. Have you gone into ASG, selected "Options" and tried the different resolutions? The lower the number the better the frame rates. Have you gone into AS6 Options and lowered some of the settings there? (Check the manual for what each option does.) One of the options that can have a large affect is the number of cloud layers.I really do recommend that you get as familiar as you can with this program. Read the manual thoroughly. Try different settings. If you can get the settings right for your system, it really does improve the top half of the screen view. :-)Regards,...jim

Hi,Your points about confusion of 2 separate programs were noted. Thanks for your feedback.FWIW ASv6 and ASG are written in completely different languages thus the main requirement for 2 separate programs. This is because ASG requires new technology available in the .NET environment to perform its image manipulation tasks (as well as enable the kind of interface provided). We are working on bringing the AS engine into the new .NET environment as well, so one day in the future the need for 2 separate programs will be eliminated.Anyhow, in update SU1G, now posted at top of forum, we have somewhat integrated the operation of these two programs. By default ASG will always stay loaded in the system tray during auto-submits, and essentially the second program will be mostly transparent to the user.As Jim mentioned, the programs do have different functions. ASv6 being the wx engine and ASG being the texture upgrade add-on. Hope some of the confusion is made more straight forward and that you will be able to enjoy using these programs. About frames... Question: Do you get better performance using FS real weather?Best,

yes FS real weather produces better frames for meso it sounds like in the future your product will really be called ASG only since that's the only app that you will need to run?

Hi,Then it has nothing to do with textures, since with default real weather the same textures you last used (from ASG).It sounds like your system can't handle the number of cloud layers then (AS will produce more than FS real weather by default in some circumstances). You can reduce the max cloud layers as well as perhaps reduce max cloud thickness. There are many options to help improve performance.Would be happy to help you through this..... If you can isolate why the frames go down (certain aspect of AS running, certain process, certain weather conditions, etc.) it would help us know where to focus. I don't understand your question about future products... But let me elaborate.. ASG will be incorporated into the main AS weather engine interface program when they are both on the same language and do not need to be separated. ASG will always be a separate "component", however, as it relates to textures/graphics only and not the weather.Best,

now im confused, i ran asg once and selected the texture size. i only run asv6 i have online updates selected, i just want to get the weather at my departure, onroute and destination airport, i just want to fly with the weather as near as possible to the real world, should i have auto submit selected or not thanks, jim