I looked at the REX site and the ActiveSky 2012 site. Does anyone see AS2012 as far superior to REX? For $20, it seems REX is a slam dunk. Is it easy to install and works through an FSX pull down menu?

I looked at the REX site and the ActiveSky 2012 site. Does anyone see AS2012 as far superior to REX? For $20, it seems REX is a slam dunk. Is it easy to install and works through an FSX pull down menu?

I say as2012 has the better weather program but rex has the better textures so depending on what you want. But when rex essential update that will come out soon will improve rex immensley especially in the weather so depends on what you want now.

I know Paul's question has already been answered but read a lot of posts here and elsewhere that were from Rex users saying they switched to the new AS 2012. Personally, I support both the most I can, but in regard to the textures honestly have not seen one screenshot or one video of the new AS 2012 that looks half as good as my Rex textures. Again, I love both and look forward to Essentials more and more every second. I don't yet own AS 2012 but will get it as a supporter, and for the new weather engine, at least until Essentials is released, but I'll still be sticking to my Rex textures.I just want to add to this topic and have read every post everyone else has made, but one key point needs (re)mention I think. Rex has so many texture sets that I find people normally install it, pick a set, then compare it to the best another product has to show. So basically, due to their chosen set, they then make comparisons and of course make their recommendations and such. Since I started my forum and the "Logbook" section, I've been posting my screenshots and 99% of my forum members are Rex2 users. Every time I post shots people wonder what is wrong with their install since my cloud textures look nothing like theirs (what they said, not me). Even on Rex's Screenshot forum, people have asked. It has nothing to do with their comps, just their choices. Most of my shots aren't even using Overdrive. I stumbled across a topic elsewhere and was pretty upset that the poster giving advice showed a terrible shot of Rex in comparison and the one compared to also was quite plain I thought, but just wanted to show a couple of mine using Rex (without OD, meaning these textures are not from the OD set is all).None of these are edited in anyway other than their quality being "Dropped" and them being re-sized from my old resolution of 5040x1050 (now higher). The darker ones with overcast I did have the ENB mod active, but now a happy user of shade. These shots are also nearly one year old and still far better than anything I've seen with the competition.

Dan. I would love to know what your theme settings are for your last three pics.Regards,

Dan. I would love to know what your theme settings are for your last three pics.

Hi Rick, I'll let you know as soon as I do. That meaning I currently have a fresh windows install and need to reinstall FSX and my addons. I backed everything up so will know soon enough.

Hi Rick,I'll let you know as soon as I do. That meaning I currently have a fresh windows install and need to reinstall FSX and my addons. I backed everything up so will know soon enough.

Great. Thanks a lot Dan.

I know Paul's question has already been answered but read a lot of posts here and elsewhere that were from Rex users saying they switched to the new AS 2012. Personally, I support both the most I can, but in regard to the textures honestly have not seen one screenshot or one video of the new AS 2012 that looks half as good as my Rex textures. Again, I love both and look forward to Essentials more and more every second. I don't yet own AS 2012 but will get it as a supporter, and for the new weather engine, at least until Essentials is released, but I'll still be sticking to my Rex textures.I just want to add to this topic and have read every post everyone else has made, but one key point needs (re)mention I think. Rex has so many texture sets that I find people normally install it, pick a set, then compare it to the best another product has to show. So basically, due to their chosen set, they then make comparisons and of course make their recommendations and such. Since I started my forum and the "Logbook" section, I've been posting my screenshots and 99% of my forum members are Rex2 users. Every time I post shots people wonder what is wrong with their install since my cloud textures look nothing like theirs (what they said, not me). Even on Rex's Screenshot forum, people have asked. It has nothing to do with their comps, just their choices. Most of my shots aren't even using Overdrive. I stumbled across a topic elsewhere and was pretty upset that the poster giving advice showed a terrible shot of Rex in comparison and the one compared to also was quite plain I thought, but just wanted to show a couple of mine using Rex (without OD, meaning these textures are not from the OD set is all).None of these are edited in anyway other than their quality being "Dropped" and them being re-sized from my old resolution of 5040x1050 (now higher). The darker ones with overcast I did have the ENB mod active, but now a happy user of shade. These shots are also nearly one year old and still far better than anything I've seen with the competition.

Hi Dan, you might not think it, but you have described in detail the one area where AS2012 stands head and shoulders above REX (even with Overdrive). Both products have sublime textures, and REX has considerably more of them, but as you point out, you have to work hard with Rex to get it to show you what it can do. With AS2012, because it appears to load a theme so much more quickley (~1 minute instead of 5+), I hit the "WX influenced" button every time I start FSX, and I get stunning skies that are different every time I fly. If you are more patient then me, or you have SSD improving your load times, then this won't be a significant factor for you, but for me it has been enough that I have not started REX since I got AS2012. Having said that, I am waiting for the new REX to see if they have managed to leapfrog AS2012 for weather handling.

Can I ask a follow up question? When people are saying 5 minutes to load for REX. Is this everytime FSX is started? Or only when you tweek the settings for the first time?

Some folks don't take the time to read user manuals, so I'm adding this to clarify... page 14 of the REX User Manual states:"It will require anywhere between 6 to 12 minutes depending on your system to load the textures if ALL options are checked. This time can be significantly reduced down to a minute or less by de-selecting all water texture options."No program on the market can custom-colorize AND install 120MB of water textures in one minute.

So to be clear, EVERY time you boot up FSX, it will take several minutes to load?

So to be clear, EVERY time you boot up FSX, it will take several minutes to load?

NO!ONLY when you install new REX textures.

Hi Dan, you might not think it, but you have described in detail the one area where AS2012 stands head and shoulders above REX (even with Overdrive). Both products have sublime textures, and REX has considerably more of them, but as you point out, you have to work hard with Rex to get it to show you what it can do. With AS2012, because it appears to load a theme so much more quickley (~1 minute instead of 5+), I hit the "WX influenced" button every time I start FSX, and I get stunning skies that are different every time I fly. If you are more patient then me, or you have SSD improving your load times, then this won't be a significant factor for you, but for me it has been enough that I have not started REX since I got AS2012. Having said that, I am waiting for the new REX to see if they have managed to leapfrog AS2012 for weather handling.

I don't think I pointed out that you need to work hard with Rex. I don't work hard with it anyways. There are just a lot of options to suit lots of individual tastes. I think that a good amount of people just install an app and leave it. I see confirmation about that all over the place with posts like "I have EZCA but never use it because it doesn't work" or I see what is talked about above this post in that a lot of people just don't understand about loading textures and the fact that after they're loaded, you do not need to keep installing something (or anything if you like what you see). A lot of us just want to get to simming, while others like the option to tailor as much as humanly possible. I am the latter type. The only thing I was pointing out is I see people post bogus comparison screenshots and most likely just have no idea what's available in what they have. Anywho, I'm glad you like what you do and look forward to testing out AS2012. For me it will stay both it and Rex and can't see that changing any time soon.

Can I ask a follow up question? When people are saying 5 minutes to load for REX. Is this everytime FSX is started? Or only when you tweek the settings for the first time?

once you have installed rex themnes that you want you dont have to open up rex at all you just open up fsx as normal the only slow time of loading is if you want to change the textures so if you dont change you dont need to open up rex at all. And to add so you wait another 4 minutes to load compared to as2012 according to an earlier post doenst make any difference if you going to do a 2 hour flight or more, means that u can make a coffee or tea while its loading not going to make u sit there an shaking the clock to make it go faster

I raised the issue of loadings but it seems I wasn't very clear what I meant, sorry about that. REX, ASE and AS2012 all allow you to select, tune and configure a 'theme'. When you do so, it takes time to load that theme into FSX but once it is loaded, it stays loaded. Only if you want to change something do you have to load anything again. The way I used to use REX (and I am not suggesting it was the right, correct or best way) was to spend twenty minutes to hour going through all the different options and selections and then load everything which could take 5 or 10 minutes. I would then fly with that theme for a couple of days or a couple of weeks weeks before changing it again. With AS2012, because loading themes seems to be so much quicker, I concentrate on the route and the weather I want and by pressing the 'WX influenced' button, I let AS2012 pick the appropriate textures and load them for me. I don't know what they are going to be until I am airborne but I have never been disappointed yet and on occaision, I have been delightfully surprised. I am not for one minute suggesting that they are 'better' then the ones available in REX or that there are more to chose from (there aren't).If the new version of REX allows textures, appropriate for the route and weather I want to fly right now, to be selected and loaded reasonably quickly, then I will switch back to using it if for no other reason then it has more textures available to select from. And if it can do weather selection and control better then AS2012, then I will use it for that as well.

If the new version of REX allows textures, appropriate for the route and weather I want to fly right now, to be selected and loaded reasonably quickly, then I will switch back to using it if for no other reason then it has more textures available to select from.

Paul, page 50 of the CURRENT REX version User Manual states:"Next is the WX TEXTURES button. This button is used if you would like REX2 to analyze the weather conditions and pick a set of textures that match the weather conditions downloaded by REX2, either real-time, REX2 generated random, or archived weather. Press this button and REX2 will begin installing textures into FSX. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT FSX IS NOT RUNNING DURING THIS STEP and that only textures selected in the OPTIONS page will be installed."

Some folks don't take the time to read user manuals, so I'm adding this to clarify... page 14 of the REX User Manual states:"It will require anywhere between 6 to 12 minutes depending on your system to load the textures if ALL options are checked. This time can be significantly reduced down to a minute or less by de-selecting all water texture options."No program on the market can custom-colorize AND install 120MB of water textures in one minute.

I don't know about "less than a minute", but it is significantly less loading time if you uncheck those water texture options. I have removed all water textures because it typically is not important to me at FL380 in the NGX, and I'm too doggone busy during t/o and landing to notice the pretty water. I'll probably bring them back if I start running down to the Caribbean.I'd like to hear more about AS2012, as long as the discussion doesn't evolve into a REX vs AS debate!