Hi Everyone:I am considering purchasing Real Environment Xtreme v2. I use active Sky and love it. My questions are:Which is which is better? Are the graphics really as good as they look in the videos for Real Environment Xtreme? Is it good to use them in conjunction with one another? Which graphics are better - Real Environment Xtreme or the ones that I use with the Ground Environment that came with Active Sky? In other words, which one will give me more realistic clouds and water? Are there a lot of frame rate hits with Real Environment Xtreme v2? Are there any reviews of Real Environment Xtreme out there?Any help you can all give wold be most appreciated!Thanks,Chris catalano

Hi Everyone:I am considering purchasing Real Environment Xtreme v2. I use active Sky and love it. My questions are:Which is which is better? Are the graphics really as good as they look in the videos for Real Environment Xtreme? Is it good to use them in conjunction with one another? Which graphics are better - Real Environment Xtreme or the ones that I use with the Ground Environment that came with Active Sky? In other words, which one will give me more realistic clouds and water? Are there a lot of frame rate hits with Real Environment Xtreme v2? Chris, for myself, REX2 Extreme in conjunction of usage with Active Sky Evolution gave the best sky performance I have seen to date with my enjoying FSX. Those two programs working together, will drop you on your butt! :(

Hey Chris; The Active Sky varaiants - ASv6/ASX/ASA/ASE - have no graphics whatsoever: they are weather programs which manipulate the textures in FSX. There are a number of addons that will provide different textures, and they will all look better/worse than the default. REX is one of those programs - except - that REX also has a weather program built in. Yes you can - and a lot of folks do - use REX textures with ActivSkyX/A/E. You simply launch REX, create a theme, install it into FSX and then close REX. Done. Now launch ASE and FSX. You will now be using the ASE engine to create the weather, but the actual clouds, rain, lightning, water, etc - will be the REX textures which you installed at the beginning. Frame hits? Given the same weather - REX is easier on frames and looks 1000% better.

Hey Chris; The Active Sky varaiants - ASv6/ASX/ASA/ASE - have no graphics whatsoever: they are weather programs which manipulate the textures in FSX. There are a number of addons that will provide different textures, and they will all look better/worse than the default. REX is one of those programs - except - that REX also has a weather program built in. Yes you can - and a lot of folks do - use REX textures with ActivSkyX/A/E. You simply launch REX, create a theme, install it into FSX and then close REX. Done. Now launch ASE and FSX. You will now be using the ASE engine to create the weather, but the actual clouds, rain, lightning, water, etc - will be the REX textures which you installed at the beginning. Frame hits? Given the same weather - REX is easier on frames and looks 1000% better.

Active Sky has an "XGraphics package". The question now becomes, is it better, worse or equal to the REX graphics? I currently have only ASA.

Active Sky has an "XGraphics package". The question now becomes, is it better, worse or equal to the REX graphics? I currently have only ASA.

Which one is the newest? ASE? How does ASE handle weather for airports that have changed airport codes. For example, I live 3 miles from KGPI. In FSX, the old airport code for that airport is KFCA. REX currently doesn't inject weather properly because it doesn't recognize the KFCA code.

Active Sky has an "XGraphics package". The question now becomes, is it better, worse or equal to the REX graphics? I currently have only ASA.

REX is superior to XGraphics: the latter is old and outdated. Right now the best buy is REX, period. FEX is also nice (I own it too) but if I had to choose now I think I'd go for REX, also because REX is still alive and FEX is dead. The fact that REX also has a weather engine isn't of any importance. Go get REX and let ASE work with the REX textures and your virtual world will never be the same again. :(

REX is superior to XGraphics: the latter is old and outdated. Right now the best buy is REX, period. FEX is also nice (I own it too) but if I had to choose now I think I'd go for REX, also because REX is still alive and FEX is dead. The fact that REX also has a weather engine isn't of any importance. Go get REX and let ASE work with the REX textures and your virtual world will never be the same again. :(

Not quite so - FEX just released version 2 and it's quite good so it's a long way from dead.ASE for weather and FEX "or" REX for clouds is a winner.

A question is there any impact on FPS when using ASE for the weather??I am using rex2 textures and weather, would like to try ASE.Thanks

Not quite so - FEX just released version 2 and it's quite good so it's a long way from dead.ASE for weather and FEX "or" REX for clouds is a winner.

Hm... FEX version 2 isn't a real version 2: they added the '2' to make it clear that Flight1 itself has taken over FEX. The only things that have changed are:1. The product has been restructured so it installs quicker and takes up less disk space. About 2GB of disk space is required.2. All updates have been consolodated into a single installer. The SHD version is included in this version. DO NOT download the separate SHD update.3. The login system has been modified so it flows a little better, and should be less confusing.4. Non-functional buttons have been removed. No promises, but we will make the weather button reappear should we be able to provide a solution here. We are looking at it still!Not exactly the same step as REX 1 to REX 2... :( But okay, I have to say it IS nice that Flight1 is doing something with FEX right now. But still, if I had to choose now, I'd go for REX: the future of FEX is still unsure...

ChrisI'd just like to say that - whatever its future - FEX is a VERY good product, and will transform your sea and skyscapes. I find it subtly realistic, and also capable of some wonderfully dramatic sunsets - even without volcanic ash! :( And you also have the bonus of Flight1's return policy, so you can give it a proper go before committing..Ian

ChrisI'd just like to say that - whatever its future - FEX is a VERY good product, and will transform your sea and skyscapes. I find it subtly realistic, and also capable of some wonderfully dramatic sunsets - even without volcanic ash! :( And you also have the bonus of Flight1's return policy, so you can give it a proper go before committing..Ian

FEX costs MORE than REX but offers LESS... :( and as I already said, the devs of REX are still working on it while the devs of FEX have left the building... Seems a very easy choice to me... But as I also said, I own both and I am glad I do, because I actually use textures of both! But (I keep repeating myself :( ) if I had to choose today, I'd get REX.

FEX costs MORE than REX but offers LESS... :( and as I already said, the devs of REX are still working on it while the devs of FEX have left the building... Seems a very easy choice to me... But as I also said, I own both and I am glad I do, because I actually use textures of both! But (I keep repeating myself :( ) if I had to choose today, I'd get REX.

Still wrong - the ORIGINAL developers are no longer supporting FEX but Flight1 *IS* and they plan to continue development, so please stop spreading half truths about FEX. OK, I get it - you prefer REX - well guess what - *I* prefer FEX - I find their clouds superior and with less of a framerate hit. I also prefer 1024 textures to 4096 by either REX or FEX. Since I beta test ASE, I will not comment on REX weather engine.To the OP - bottom line - it is PURELY a subjective opinion - if you can afford both - get both and make your own decision. What I see as beautiful, J van E might not see and vice versa - we are both right.Vic

Still wrong - the ORIGINAL developers are no longer supporting FEX but Flight1 *IS* and they plan to continue development, so please stop spreading half truths about FEX. OK, I get it - you prefer REX - well guess what - *I* prefer FEX - I find their clouds superior and with less of a framerate hit. I also prefer 1024 textures to 4096 by either REX or FEX. Since I beta test ASE, I will not comment on REX weather engine.To the OP - bottom line - it is PURELY a subjective opinion - if you can afford both - get both and make your own decision. What I see as beautiful, J van E might not see and vice versa - we are both right.Vic

See my post in the other topic. And btw I also prefer 1024 textures AND FEX clouds AND FEX waters. And I also own ASE. So it's nothing 'personal'! We are indeed both right and, guess what, we seem to like the same things too! :( But even then I think that REX offers more bang for the buck if one has to choose NOW. :(