Solid overcast and more cloud coverage?

[BimmerCop 332]

Hello all,I've been using ASX for quite some time now and have always wondered why I hardly get any SOLID OVERCAST conditions on FSX with it. The other day we had solid overcast conditions in my area and I noticed that using ASX, I was able to see blue sky within FSX and it did not resemble anything of what was really going on outside that day.So, I decided to use FSX's built-in weather and after retrieving the weather, I was shocked at what I saw! The sim suddenly turned darker and I was seeing a thick overcast cloud cover! No blue skies whatsoever! I decided to take the plane to the skies and when I entered the "soup", it was IFR conditions for a good couple thousand feet and once I broke above the overcast, I could only see THICK clouds and NO ground textures whatsoever.I can NEVER achieve this with ASX. I have tried increasing the ASX cloud layers to the max of 20 to no avail. Does FSX's weather engine render clouds in a much different way that ASX does? I am quite surprised at the huge discrepancy between how FSX and ASX render overcast conditions.If someone has figured out a way to configure ASX to render an overcast layer like FSX's built-in weather does, then please share your knowledge! :(

[NeilC 3]

Ah, someone else has noticed too.I have this problem with FS9 as well.OVC should mean OVC, with absolutely no sky visible in all directions.In fact BKN normally means the same as well (normally a couple of BKN layers giving the same effect which the layman would call OVC).I haven't tried the FS9 internal engine (haven't been near it for years ever since the brilliant blokes at HiFi realeased the first AS). I might give it a go.I think/hope that Jim and his colleagues are working on it as we speak :(

[JSkorna 137]

Hi Guys,Here is what we are up against! I used ASA to find an airport with an OVC condition.I close ASA and start ASX and then FSX.The airport is CYCY and the METAR is 21032Z AUTO 32022KT 3/8SM -SN OVC003 M20/M23 A2990Here is what I get in FSX:A nice single layer of OVC!I don't have a modern system.I do use X Graphics.I do have cloud layers set at 20.I usually don't even lock my FPS in FSX.I am not questioning your experiences at all. What I am trying to show is that when we try and duplicate these things, we can't seem to do it.I could post my settings, but I am not sure if those would do anything.

[NeilC 3]

Thanks Jim,I appreciate that you are finding it hard to replicate (especially as I am a luddite who uses FS9)I did a couple of test which might or might not help.Below are pictures of certain conditions entered manually.The LEFT pictures are using the FS9 WX engine, the RIGHT pictures are using ASA's WX config option (writing to a global area).First - a low OVC layer using Cumulus cloud.Second - a low OVC layer using Stratus cloud.Finally 2 low BKN layers (1500-3000 and 3000-5500ft) Cumulus cloudNot much to chose between them (although I think there is a tad more cloud coverage with the FS engine - especially from above).This seems to prove that ASA can depict the cloud as needed. It seems that the problem lies with the interpolating of the Weather station data. Could it be that ASA struggles when there are lots of WX stations near each other/or when not writing a global area?If so, could you add in an option to make the Departure/Destination airport's weather force an area of say 40nm?ThanksNeil

[NeilC 3]

OK, to try and clarify.I went to EDDT just now.METAR EDDT 231620Z 02008KT 10SM SCT009 BKN014 BKN018 M01/M03 A2923Here is what ASA showedI was very disappointed by the amount by the amount of blue sky visible given 2 layers of BKN cloudI then went to the WX config screen and gave in exactly the same cloud manually (same vis, 3 layers of cloud, 1 scattered, 2 broken). I basically gave in the same metar manually.Here is what ASA showed in manual (WX Config) modeThis is exactly what I would expect to see. BRILLIANT!!!!Now why does it no show this in online mode???? The weather in both cases was EXACTLY the same.Do you agree there is a problem here?ThanksNeil

[JSkorna 137]

Hi,I also see rain where there is not rain in the METAR. I wonder if FS had a chance to process the new data?Here is EDDT now:EDDT 232120Z 30012KT 9999 FEW012 BKN038 03/00 Q0992 NOSIGHere is what I get in FS04Not trying to prove or disprove anything. Just showing what I am getting!Thanks,

[clum 2]

I'm also having this very same problem and while I love ASA it's getting to the point where I'm going to stop using it as living in a part of the world thats often covered in OVC conditions it is very unrealistic to fly with so much blue sky all the time.Is there any work around that anyone has found to fix this issue?Thanks

[NeilC 3]

The only way I have found of changing this is to set up the weather manually.Look at the METAR for wherever you are flying, and then go into the WX Config page in ASA and set it manually.This does however defeat the whole point of ASA!Neil C