Active Sky 2012 announced

[Glynn 405]

HelloDamien clearly states:"enhanced thunderstorm depiction, better fog layer generation and new related options, stratocumulus simulation and improved interpolation"Yet you manage to come to the conclusion that" the main core (FSX weather) itself looks, acts and feels like on the versions before "This is before even having the opportunity to try the software for yourself and totally ignoring what the developer is trying to explain to you.

[CoolP 283]

Hello. Have you read the whole post or just some buzz words? Just asking, because the quote is out of context.

[TheBFG 1]

This thread is completely derailed, its not even about Active Sky anymore.

It's a "discussion thread". We're "discussing" ActiveSky2012's relevance with regard to new versions of FS - and all that that entails. I don't see it as off topic at all.

[dburne 2]

After fully reading the announcement, it certainly would appear this product has been developed to compete with REX, offering much the same options along with the hd textures. Certainly nothing wrong with that, as REX's product competed with them in the weather engine department, although it would seem many here would not consider that as serious competition, as they prefer the ASE weather engine be used along with the REX textures. Competition is a good thing, as I think we as the consumers benefit greatly from that.I am a new REX2 user, having had it for only couple of weeks, and love their textures. Runs well on my system also. After reading this and couple other threads, I have already decided to give the Active Sky weather engine a try to use along with REX, as many here are already doing. However now I see on the announcement for AS 2012, they hope to release by the end of the year. I am thinking perhaps holding off till it is released and getting it instead, then if I want can compare the textures as well...

[Jean-Paul 167]

Being a happy Hifisim customer since AS6.5, I'm looking forward to AS2012 and its improved weather engine. The only thing that bothers me a bit is that I'll have to pay for those 16 gigabytes of textures (even if they are probably gorgeous) I have no need for. Owning both FEX and REX Overdrive is already overkill.So here is the question : will you guys sell the weather engine as a standalone and price it accordingly ?

[Glynn 405]

Hello. Have you read the whole post or just some buzz words? Just asking, because the quote is out of context.

HelloAre you sure you read all of Damiens post?

[CoolP 283]

So here is the question : will you guys sell the weather engine as a standalone and price it accordingly ?

Would be a nice idea indeed. I double that question if I may.

[CFIJose 5,485]

I'm really looking forward to this upgrade. I hope that a generous offer is made to long time customers.

[Blaze 102]

I've been a big fan of AS for many years even buying full retail at times instead of upgrading to show support.I really hope in the new release there may be more network options as in support for WideFS. I'm not saying to dump Simconnect but, I have always found it so much easier to use Pete's program. I don't know if it's possible to support both options but if it is I sure wish HiFi would consider it.

[SpiritFlyer 987]

I'm really looking forward to this upgrade. I hope that a generous offer is made to long time customers.

It would have to be very generous indeed to tempt a large portion of their own customer "data base" into purchasing replacements for a weather system they thought they were quite happy with, until told differently. The strategy of not enhancing their own products, but devaluing and replacing them altogether, at additional cost to their own adherents, seems at the very least, ill advised, poorly timed, and a serious marketing error. People who buy from a company are better kept and increased by a constant stream of value flowing from the company to its customers by new offerings that enhance what they already bought, while offering new products that add to the treasure, not deplete it.For instance, whenever ORBX comes out with a new airport or region, any improvements gained by the new project is shared across the board with all the other previously sold products, that become available freely as a patch to their entire customer base, which in turn drives the customers back to the company to buy even more. It becomes a product marketing firestorm. Each, old and new, is enhanced by the revaluation of the old and the development and sale of the new, not devalued and destroyed by each other. But, somehow this AS2012 move seems to work against those know marketing principles. The right way to handle this sort of thing initiates positive interest, the wrong way irritates into disinterest.Kind regards,

[DAD 2,662]

Hi,I refer you to our page: www.activesky2012.com which has a feature list and a FAQ that discuss the improvements and differences. Some of this includes increased performance, enhanced thunderstorm depiction, better fog layer generation and new related options, stratocumulus simulation and improved interpolation. We've also made numerous general improvements across the board in back-end decoding, synthesis and depiction techniques, which comprises the bulk of our "wx depiction" coding efforts moving forward over the past couple years. Beyond just weather depiction, we have improvements in the UI, a new map screen, combined pre-flight or real-time mapping and route editing (i.e. click and drag on the map to move waypoints around a line of thunderstorms), an updated XGauge system, better map graphics, etc. There have also been numerous improvements on the server and client side for AS2012 data, including additions, edits and general grooming of data, increased performance, better data recovery (in case of errors in downloads, disk issues, etc). I'm only scratching the surface, there are hundreds of changes, some small, some major. AS2012's primary focus may be on graphics and subsequent direct integration, but improvements and benefits are also within the software itself, back-end, weather, realism, accuracy , display, UI and all that entails. Hope that answers a few questions. Please check the website for new information, more screenshots and more videos that we plan before release.

Hi Damian,any plans or chances that you may offer some weather radar implementation for PMDG, especially the NGX? I know you have your own gauge but it 'just' lays on top of the cockpit like a window, I'd love to see wheather radar on the map though. maybe once the NGX SDK is released?Phil

[ubersu 78]

It would have to be very generous indeed to tempt a large portion of their own customer "data base" into purchasing replacements for a weather system they thought they were quite happy with, until told differently. The strategy of not enhancing their own products, but devaluing and replacing them altogether, at additional cost to their own adherents, seems at the very least, ill advised, poorly timed, and a serious marketing error. People who buy from a company are better kept and increased by a constant stream of value flowing from the company to its customers by new offerings that enhance what they already bought, while offering new products that add to the treasure, not deplete it.For instance, whenever ORBX comes out with a new airport or region, any improvements gained by the new project is shared across the board with all the other previously sold products, that become available freely as a patch to their entire customer base, which in turn drives the customers back to the company to buy even more. It becomes a product marketing firestorm. Each, old and new, is enhanced by the revaluation of the old and the development and sale of the new, not devalued and destroyed by each other. But, somehow this AS2012 move seems to work against those know marketing principles. The right way to handle this sort of thing initiates positive interest, the wrong way irritates into disinterest.Kind regards,

Gosh, that must be why Microsoft, Oracle, Lockheed, PMDG, Flight1, et al have such low market share... Get real - every company does things their own way; your choice is to buy it or not and that is strictly up to you. Marketing philosophy correctness is in the eye of the beholder.DJ

[Daveo 36]

really appreciate if someone can answer to my questionthx in advanced

ASE is for FSX and FS9.AS2012 is an FSX only product.

[ryanbatc 13,051]

Since I don't have ANY weather engine yet I'll be eyeing this release. I have FEX textures and simply use 1024 resolution. Then again I hardly play FSX anymore... most of my time goes to Battlefield 3.

[Glynn 405]

It would have to be very generous indeed to tempt a large portion of their own customer "data base" into purchasing replacements for a weather system they thought they were quite happy with, until told differently. The strategy of not enhancing their own products, but devaluing and replacing them altogether, at additional cost to their own adherents, seems at the very least, ill advised, poorly timed, and a serious marketing error. People who buy from a company are better kept and increased by a constant stream of value flowing from the company to its customers by new offerings that enhance what they already bought, while offering new products that add to the treasure, not deplete it.For instance, whenever ORBX comes out with a new airport or region, any improvements gained by the new project is shared across the board with all the other previously sold products, that become available freely as a patch to their entire customer base, which in turn drives the customers back to the company to buy even more. It becomes a product marketing firestorm. Each, old and new, is enhanced by the revaluation of the old and the development and sale of the new, not devalued and destroyed by each other. But, somehow this AS2012 move seems to work against those know marketing principles. The right way to handle this sort of thing initiates positive interest, the wrong way irritates into disinterest.Kind regards,

Hello StephenHifi have not devalued or replaced ASE.AS2012 is a different product for those who would like weather dependant textures as well as a very good weather engine.IE the folks who would have probably bought REX because of the feature set, and those customers who enjoyed AS6.5 and its built in textures or in the past bought ASX and AS Graphics and wished they where more integrated and not separate programs.If you are happy with ASE then stick with it, it is the same today as it was yesterday, nothing has devalued overnight for you.If on the other hand you like REX but wish it had a better weather engine (who doesn't) then AS2012 is exactly what you need.Did you feel that FSX was devalued when MS threw FSX and Acceleration into one box and released it for sale ?.Maybe some here feel that Damien should have stopped at ASE and once everyone has their copy just sit back and provide the weather servers and bandwidth 24hrs a day for free, without attempting to generate further revenue.