"Shade" for FSX

[Kosta 122]

After having seen these screenshots I bought it too.What Preset do you use there ? Looks very good. I am sure the developer reads this : please update the manuel with Preset screenhots and add some more explantion with perhaps some examples.A tutorial with screenshots would be nice.

I set REX to Blue Dawn, Blue Haze and Dry Southwest, theme in Shade is Blue Daze.I don't know if it makes any difference, but:I loaded Blue Daze after I have set/loaded REX.Oh and do note: no ENB.It even looks good at Gatwick having bad weather, totally ominous:

[Novation 534]

I'll quickly try to describe the 'Ten Day' cycle... FSX without REX/FEX has ten sky texture sets, so you get a different sky each day, and for each time of day [FSX uses fourteen 'Time Of Day' [TOD's] textures], this is eliminated in FEX/REX [not sure about Active Sky] as one texture set will be used throughout for each time of day, every day... Shade allows you to create different values for each of those ten days, should you wish to, this would be of more use to those who use FSX default textures rather than FEX/REX users, but you still can if you like. If you don't wish too, then make sure you click 'Clone Day One' after choosing or creating a 'Shade' set, to ensure your seeing your chosen values regardless of the date. Glad you guys are getting to grips with it and seeing the benefit... I'm sure Steve will take note of some of the comments made so far.

[Kosta 122]

I'll quickly try to describe the 'Ten Day' cycle... FSX without REX/FEX has ten sky texture sets, so you get a different sky each day, and for each time of day [FSX uses fourteen 'Time Of Day' [TOD's] textures], this is eliminated in FEX/REX [not sure about Active Sky] as one texture set will be used throughout for each time of day, every day... Shade allows you to create different values for each of those ten days, should you wish to, this would be of more use to those who use FSX default textures rather than FEX/REX users, but you still can if you like. If you don't wish too, then make sure you click 'Clone Day One' after choosing or creating a 'Shade' set, to ensure your seeing your chosen values regardless of the date. Glad you guys are getting to grips with it and seeing the benefit... I'm sure Steve will take note of some of the comments made so far.

And can we know which of the ten days is going to be used on which day or is it completely random?I get it that within REX 10 days concept becomes one.14 TODs, they are kept within REX too, they must be right?

[N1G 88]

Hi, I have looked at all the images and they really look great. I was wondering if anyone is using GEX and would mind posting some shots using this product?I cannot use ORBX at the density level I prefer until I can get a new CPU. For now, I will be using GEX and am just needing to see some images if anyonewould mind. RegardsBob

[Jean-Paul 167]

Bob, I tried Shade with GEX Europe but did not make any screenshots yet because I saw more or less the same thing as when using Shade with Orbx or photoscenery : it looks so much better !And BTW I haven't noticed a framerate hit using Shade

[guenseli 1,591]

Hello, could someone be so kind and post a REX clud set which is a bit more "soft".With shade (which is great) the disadvantage is, that now every single cloud is visible and has relative hard edges.I prefer it more, when the clouds do more blend in each other. would be nice to see some suggestions!thanks

[phoenixphire 50]

A lot of good feedback on this program. I can't use ENB because it results in black screens. I think I will buy this when I get home from work.

[Wynthorpe 51]

Im going to give it a go also later on this eve.

[Randall 82]

I messed with it a little last night. After reading some of the posts here, I probably was not using it to the best of its ability. Nevertheless, it can be quite dramatic.My concern, and it has been mentioned in an earlier post, is that it darkens up the clouds. I notice now that all of the screenshots on the Shade website is with clear skies.Now for stormy skies, it adds dramatic impact no doubt. But I do love white, fluffy clouds. We'll see how it goes. Randall

[76white02 0]

I am finding that if I don't use the enb ini he has included; I get a glitch. When using my own enb files, shade intermittently works and there are two occasions in which it is obvious. When looking straight ahead I don't get an effect. When I pan left all of the sudden it will take effect, pan back right and it disappears. Also when on an outside view, shade only takes effect if I right click and the menu pops up, as soon as I exit the menu shade disappears. When using his included ENB there aren't any problems and it looks great. His ENB has a bit too much blur to it, I can't read my gauges. Definitely worth the $11 price tag I must say.

[N1G 88]

I have read all the posts and am trying to digest the information. It seems there are similarities between what ENB offers and what Shade offers. I am just a little confused on the possible subtle differences between the two because many are using these products together. It would seem to me that shade could be used alone effectively without ENB and provide the same benefit. I only say this based on the images I have seen posted.I am not using shade yet, but by comparing some of the posted images and what I am used to seeing with ENB, there seems to be overlapping effects. I guess what I am getting at is I want to understand what Shade can accomplish that ENB cannot. Bob

[Novation 534]

Re: time of day [TOD's] and when 'day one' would be.... Steve did tell me, but as I now have a new PC I no longer have the relevant email, but I think July 2nd is day one, so the you will get a repeat [day one] every ten days thereafter [sorry I'm too lazy to work forward through the dates to Sept ]. As I write Steve has mailed me and has said he will provide some saves to help people track the cycle... I'm sure most will simply clone 'day one' to keep things simple, an need not worry about it, but the feature is there should you want total control. Re: Darker clouds, yes Shade does have some influence on the clouds as they are tied into the same values that affects the terrain, but as I indicated earlier if you use a lighter morning, noon and afternoon values for the shadow values, as in the image below, your clouds will remain quite light and bright, until the sun position is lower, when clouds naturally darken anyway... Steve has informed me that he is going to add a little freeware app for cloud tinting, which will add even more control over what you see. Screen below show Preset 'Mark's Final, which I think Steve kept in the final build... this gives an idea of what a lighter colour and depth ramp looks like, but note, terrain shadow depth will also be reduced during mid day hours, using these sort of values

[Kosta 122]

I have read all the posts and am trying to digest the information. It seems there are similarities between what ENB offers and what Shade offers. I am just a little confused on the possible subtle differences between the two because many are using these products together. It would seem to me that shade could be used alone effectively without ENB and provide the same benefit. I only say this based on the images I have seen posted.I am not using shade yet, but by comparing some of the posted images and what I am used to seeing with ENB, there seems to be overlapping effects. I guess what I am getting at is I want to understand what Shade can accomplish that ENB cannot. Bob

ENB darkens the ground without any reference to shadows. It's quite a different effect using both.Shade basically tints 3 things: light source, shadow and haze.ENB takes bright parts of the screen and makes them darker. The effect in the end, might in some parts, be very similar.But the two do two different things. Besides, ENB can't tint as Shade can. In Shade you tell it exactly which color it should get, and how dark, and you can specify, if you want, different days and different parts of the day.In ENB you can only specify general screen brightness, and all that with very ominous numbers (yes, I know there is an online manual)... And one huge +1 for Shade for me is, ENB makes the picture blurry and extremely soft (no matter what the setting), while Shade doesn't.ENB has become for me an addon that I activate if I want to, I don't use it on general basis any more. And I only use Bloom from it. What Shade costs, 8,27€ for me, it's definitely a must get.

[76white02 0]

I have read all the posts and am trying to digest the information. It seems there are similarities between what ENB offers and what Shade offers. I am just a little confused on the possible subtle differences between the two because many are using these products together. It would seem to me that shade could be used alone effectively without ENB and provide the same benefit. I only say this based on the images I have seen posted.I am not using shade yet, but by comparing some of the posted images and what I am used to seeing with ENB, there seems to be overlapping effects. I guess what I am getting at is I want to understand what Shade can accomplish that ENB cannot. Bob

Shade and ENB are completely different in my opinion. ENB doesn't add such contrasting/dynamic shadows on the ground or even in the cockpit. ENB simply darkens or lightens blurs/doesn't blur and is constant. With Shade shadows move with your position. It's probably a poor way of explaining it but I don't know how else to put it. Shade looks great stand alone but when you combine it with ENB it is just that much better. For $11 I highly suggest it so far.

[Jean-Paul 167]

Hi, I have looked at all the images and they really look great. I was wondering if anyone is using GEX and would mind posting some shots using this product?I cannot use ORBX at the density level I prefer until I can get a new CPU. For now, I will be using GEX and am just needing to see some images if anyonewould mind. RegardsBob

Here are some random 1600x1200 screenshots of Shade and GEX (without ENB) somewhere between Southern France and Northern Spain,