Anyone know if RealH2O is worth a buy? I'm using Rex now and while the waters are okay, is H2O that much better?

I've never tried Real H20, but I do use REX and these are my favorite water textures of all time, and they're right here at AVSIM. I can't recommend them enough. I used to install these over the REX textures until I became old and lazy. << http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fs2004util&DLID=147311 >>

I used REX water for along time, but I was never really happy with the colors. I basically wanted something that would instantly give me realistic colors, and didn't see REX do that. So, I caved in after reading all the posts about Zintertek's water addon, and bought it. I've never been so pleased with the colors of the water. I think it's infinitely mroe realistic than what REX offers. Concerning the wave animation, I think they are both about the same level. Only FSX seems to pull that off well... I only wish I could get rid of Zinterteks water color for at night. I really dislike that one, but I have no idea how to swap it out with something better.

OK it seems that nobody that answers has it. I have installed this and have been using the earlier package from the same developer as well called Real Sky Pro. Those who use Real Sky Pro know well that Sandon Lyon is a niche developer who spends years on his textures and his Real Sky Pro package was awesome. But this is not for the masses who rave over REX. This is not for those who want color over color and a cartoon world straight from the Simpsons. This is for those who like realism and how the world really looks.The Real Sky Pro package had awesome sky effects and some of the best FS9 screenshot makers - notably Fengz - uses this. The old package also had a water texture set which I have been using as the color was very close to reality for the areas where I fly. It was more like a greyish tone and not the so caribbean blue. Just perfect for wintertime in Europe. The color of rivers really depends on the sky above and the sky's reflection and around here it is most often some tone of grey during the winter.This new package concentrates more on water but also has a matching sky package. It has 3 water texture set and several Oceanheightfield.bmp-s for the waves animation. It has a sun and an envmap.bmp as well. All in all every element of the package has been designed to work together so in order to have the bext water effect you are the best off to try it with Sandon's skyset as well. I have not yet made up my mind on whether I like this one better or the earlier release. The wave affect and the water colours are perfect and the sun is the best I have seen in FS yet. On the other hand the new set does not seem to work as well with my old ENB series setting and I am not in the mood to start playing with that again after I tweaked it to perfection using my Real Sky Pro skies and water. The H2O package just becomes a tiny bit too dark but once again this is only valid for my own bloom settings on my monitor. All in all those who are aware of the Real Sky Pro package and its merits they will know that the developer will not issues anything that is not quality. It has a different colour tone to the Real Sky package but it is just as awesome. Your bloom setting might not work with it without some extra tweaking notably reducing the daytime darkening amount a bit.Those who are in for less color and more reality are advised to try either package and they cannot go wrong. Those who think that REX and its vibrant colour palette are the pinnacle of reality might better stay away.Alex

OK, then my question becomes the same one I had when I saw these on Simmarket and tooka pass: at what point do I stop spending money and truly evaluate the WHOLE FS9 package I already have installed? I mean, think about it. After you install these, then the sky textures add on, and the sun, what am I paying 50 bucks for on REX?? As I said I used those almost perfect freeware water textures for a while before I realized that the REX textures were reall very, very good, and the return on (time) investment was negligible.

OK, then my question becomes the same one I had when I saw these on Simmarket and tooka pass: at what point do I stop spending money and truly evaluate the WHOLE FS9 package I already have installed? I mean, think about it. After you install these, then the sky textures add on, and the sun, what am I paying 50 bucks for on REX?? As I said I used those almost perfect freeware water textures for a while before I realized that the REX textures were reall very, very good, and the return on (time) investment was negligible.

Thats just basically your call I guess. I really liked the original Real Sky Pro package. I learnt about it from Fengz, tried it and enjoyed it ever since. I stopped right there and never bothered with REX as I bought REX for FSX and XPlane and in each case I was disapointed or rather said in case of REXPlane I felt cheated. So I stopped right there. Since I really enjoyed the work of the developer I bought the H2O textures as well more than anything as a support for the developer not because I was not satisfied with Real Sky Pro. I might actually go back to that and still feel that the developer deserved my money for his work and efforts. BTW this package has water, water animation, sun, sky and water reflection in a single package so no need to buy the older one as well. This works as a whole.Alex

Tempted to try these out myself as I have the old 'Real Sky Pro' and love it. As has been said already, the textures are created to look as real as possible and not some luminous cartoony effect that other sky packages seem to prefer. Perhaps some consider this bland and boring by comparison, but I prefer realism. The water texture within RSP was really good, but I ultimatly stopped using it as I found it was too milky off into the distance, and when viewed from on the ground or very low alt, the surface was a very, very bright shade due to the way the .env bitmaps are painted. This for me ruined the water so I reverted to a combination of Zinertek's ultimate water advanced, with the REX coral textures (which can't be beaten).I'm very tempted to try Real H2O out however, as from the videos on youtube, it looks like this new water might not suffer the same problems that I didn't like about it's predecessor. I doubt the sky textures will be any use to me though, as there's very, very few sky sets which look realistic, have a smooth horizon, and don't hugely oversaturate when visibility drops below 10sm when using the enb bloom configured to my liking. If anybody does buy this, then I'd really appreciate a couple fo shots taken form a runway which borders some water....KJFK for example, as this would allow me to see if the .env's are better in this package.

Well, now I'm really scratchin' my head because the original post was this:

Anyone know if RealH2O is worth a buy? I'm using Rex now and while the waters are okay, is H2O that much better?

If you use REX, you're going to have to reinstall these every time you change your REX configuration. My point was: Keep that in mind and determine if this added expense really enhances your sim that much, and is it worth the extra effort. Believe me, the first time you start to climb to FL330 and realize you forgot to reinstall something you'll start to wonder.

That's not the case at all. you can simply 'uncheck' the water options from within the REX GUI and it will never install any water textures, leaving Real H2O, or whichever other water set you have, intact.

If you do that, it sounds to me like you'd now have to uncheck the water, sun and sky textures in REX, but if you're as anal-retentive as I am (and I suspect as a fellow simmer you are) ** I ** would still want to reinstall, just to be sure, because I wouldn't want to get up to FL330 and realize I forgot SOMEthing (and don't forget you'll have to reinstall "Softhorizon" too!Which takes me back to my earlier post and why am I using REX now anyway?? . . . and, of course the question begs: "BTW, when do I get to fly??" :(

I bought REX for FSX, and have been close to uninstalling it. I've already swapped out the sky textures for Pablo Diaz's set, and IMHO just blows REX out of the sky, literally. That is if you want realism, not hyper-color as alluded to in the previous post. I still use FS9 and am happy with the FE cloud set. But the water is something I've always felt was lacking, and with Sandon Lyon behind this, it's sure to be good.Cheers,Todd

If anybody does buy this, then I'd really appreciate a couple fo shots taken form a runway which borders some water....KJFK for example, as this would allow me to see if the .env's are better in this package.

I do not know how much helpful this is - as monitor, ENB setting, time of the day, etc. varies - but here you go. Still picture does not give it real justice mind you as the real strength here is the Oceanheightfield bmp-s which provide the animation. Alex

Much appreciated Alex, thanks! That looks much better than the version from Real Sky Pro, which would have been a near whiteout at that angle. Think I'll just go ahead and buy it.Cheers

Someone mentioned Real H2O with Bloom effects.  I emailed the author and asked him questions about H2O.  In his reply, he mentioned that the skies in this new product are designed to look realistic without the Bloom effect.  I suppose that is all a matter of personal taste.Regardless, I own Real Sky Pro, and have never considered another package since.  I will be buying H2O, and look forward to seeing what he has done with the water.   Expect more good things in the future from Mr Lyon.  ;-)Ron

Much appreciated Alex, thanks! That looks much better than the version from Real Sky Pro, which would have been a near whiteout at that angle. Think I'll just go ahead and buy it.Cheers

Clum, what's the verdict? Still on the fence on buying.