ASE2012 or no?

[FlyingAxx 2]

Actually I'd been using AS2012 + REX, but more and more I'm moving towards AS2012. For clouds I'm fully on AS2012 even if I'm not fully convinced yet regarding my settings of the fog layer. Sky color seems to be an other weakness of AS2012 I'm not really satisfied with. For me the settings are still a moving target. BTW, I own them all - including FSMeteo - and I know it was a complete waste of money. If I would have to select just one I would decide to take AS2012. REX has some texture advantages but seems too heavy (dramatic?) somehow regarding cloud textures.

[wanabflyer 53]

To the OP: It might be worth seeing what you are going to get with the upcoming REX Essentials before making any decisions, being as its a free update.

[rstough 528]

Been looking at these products myself recently. I've been a long time user of REX, and before that the original versions of Activesky.In my opinion REX is great for graphics, but it has a mediocre weather engine. I've made several posts about it elsewhere recently, but I think it's important to note that those people hoping Essential will bring REX up to AS2012 standard would appear to be mistaken. The REX 'Essential' update will see REX use radiosonde (weather balloon) data instead of forecast data, which they claim will give REX the most realistic weather. However, they neglect to mention this data is very sparse - there will be a LOT of interpolation. Balloons only get sent up from relatively few locations, and even then launches are very infrequent. So there will be no oceanic data, and even continental winds aloft would be interpolated and inaccurate. This will not be as good as AS2012, which uses the NOAAs Global Forecast Model (GFS), the same source used by realworld flight planning.It definitely seems that AS2012 is the only product to have accurate winds aloft, using the 'DWC' mode to directly inject GFS data into the simulator. However, even AS2012 isn't that great because cloud and precipitation data appears to be based off ground-based observations, mainly METARs. This is completely inadequate, particularly in oceanic airspace where there are no METARs or across a country such as Australia where there is a lot of... nothingness... in between weather stations!I am unsure why these specialist weather products have been developed for years and years and they still haven't come up with realistic weather models.So to summarise, get REX if you want amazing graphics, but know that the weather engine is suboptimal and this probably won't change with their Essential update. If you want realistic winds aloft so you can plan your flights with pinpoint accuracy using a tool such as the soon-to-be-released PFPX, get AS2012. This clearly has the better weather engine, although if you're flying anywhere outside the US you're very likely to notice large discrepancies between the simulation and realworld cloud cover and precipitation. The bottom line is both products are mostly for eye candy and a rough approximation of weather, and neither are very realistic.

@gbaleanThough everyone is entitled to their opinion, I feel you're premature in making statements about REX Essential, especially since it has not yet been released.The first point you bring up is that REX Essential will be using weather balloon data instead of forecast data. Then you proceed to accuse us of neglecting to mention that this data is sparse. There are areas where weather data is sparse, this is nothing new to flight simmers. We have to interpolate those areas where data is missing, just like our competitors have to do with their data. However, where you are inaccurate in you assessment in comparing the data REX Essential will be using in comparison to the data provided by NOAA’s GFS. First, the radiosonde data that REX uses does include oceanic data provided by ships at sea. There are many ships that launch weather balloons and provide data to NOAA. There are two reasons for this: one, because often times NOAA needs information about large weather systems that cross the ocean to help better forecast their impact. Secondly, to help fill the gaps for the Global Forecast Models you are stating does a better job.Next, the radiosonde data that REX uses is the backbone of the data for the GFS and other forecast models. Where do you think they get the data? It is absurd to think that the GFS does a better job of handling the gaps of data than the real data itself. A forecast model's sole job is to interpolate data of what it thinks it might be – not what it is. It is a forecast not actual data.The reason we have not chosen to use the model data is because we feel the radiosonde gives the most accurate view of what's going on in the atmosphere. Many of my friends who are experts in the meteorological field know that forecast models can be very inaccurate in their representation of the atmosphere even on a synoptic scale.Finally, the tone of your post suggests intention to discredit something that has not yet been released to the public yet. We have no problems with opinions about products that are currently on the market, but to make a statement about REX Essential before it is released is not right nor is it accurate in that you are not a representative of REX Game Studios. Our team has spent a better part of last year to date working on REX Essential. We are giving it away for FREE. This is how we treat our customers.

[gbalean 0]

(snip)

Hi rstough,It is true that I probably shouldn't have made a premature statement about Essential prior to its release. I am a great fan of REX and will definitely be downloading Essential, however I was hoping I'd find other interested people here when the topic was brought up because all three of my posts at the REX forum along with the Activesky forum seemed to fall on deaf ears (although a REX moderator did reply to point out that there are flight simulator limitations). Perhaps something can be changed before the product comes out.I say you neglected to mention that the data is sparse because of the recent claims that REX will have the most realistic flight simulator weather engine. There are always going to be issues with interpolation, however in my opinion (as I also made clear in my previous post - I'm not making accusations) radiosonde data is inadequate.I am unsure why you'd say that it is an absurd thought that the GFS does a better job of handling the gaps in the data - the GFS is a global computer model that synthesises many different data sources to come up with a model of the atmosphere, of course including radiosonde data. This is surely superior to using only radiosonde data and interpolating in between. It would also enable you to make use of the best available guess of what the weather is in areas where radiosonde data is not present - this is my issue in Australia, where neither REX nor Activesky are accurate.Yes the GFS is a forecast and not actual data. However, the actual radiosonde data is only available from the thin column of the atmosphere through which the balloon traverses, and only at the particular time at which it does so. At any other location and at all other times you would have to make an interpolation. Perhaps I am missing something, because I really don't see how this would be better than using a forecast model that is based on multiple sources and has been interpolated by supercomputers. Most importantly, it is freely available and is just waiting for you to use it. Sure, the experts do notice inaccuracies in forecast models, but there'd be even more when using just one data source. This is why the GFS and other grib data sources are used by the aviation industry. They are the meteorological "Best guess".Apologies for the tone of my original post, suffice to say I was very surprised REX had taken this approach. I am a weather fanatic and really want REX to be the best it can possibly be. It is great that Essential will be free, and it's important to emphasise that you produce quality products and are very generous in providing free updates. REX is also significantly cheaper than its nearest competitor. However, could you please reconsider your approach to weather data, perhaps not for Essential but for a later update.Thanks for taking the time to reply, Edited January 31, 2012 by gbalean

[FlyingAxx 2]

So AS2012 wont be good for Europe?Andy

Andy, even if the density of airports with reported weather might not as high as in the US it seems that the coverage is sufficient to get a quite good picture of the current weather. The farther you go East the bigger are the gaps between reporting stations resulting in something but not the weather you would expect compared to other sources and sat pictures. A weakness of all programs (I bought all of them) is the replication of real overcast. I would recommend AS2012 finally even if it has some (probably FSX system immanent) weaknesses, too. If you are planning to have rides with the space shuttle ore Space Ship One from very high altitudes, I would use REX instead as the sky colors of AS2012 does not continuous change from blue to black space.