AS2012 or Essentials?

[Dirk98 354]

The Simmarket versions may get updated when REX-E OD is ready. Don't ask me why as I don't know the background. But the REX folks stated that it will happen.

 

But you can always go to the REX forums and grab the REX-E update. This will need you to verify your status, which may only take one post and a bit of wait here. http://www.realenvir...ication-thread/

 

Read this one on the details. http://www.realenvir...r-verification/

 

Now if you are already verified, the download thread is here. http://www.realenvir...l-upgrade-here/ Just log in to the REX forums and click the link for some more instructions on how to download. For not yet verified members, the link won't work.

 

Thank you so much! I'm already verified so I'll grab to the update. I didn't realize I could get the update until the bring it to Simmarket.

 

Cheers,

Dirk.

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

2. AS2012

 

3. Neither, HDEv2 for sky and clouds, see Ed Cox (edetroit) screen shots. Not a fan of most of the REX clouds sets as they look too hard, sharp and unnatural to me.

 

+1

 

Anyone else here that can say freeware textures look better then REX / AS2012 textures?

 

I agree with Jim also..

 

The HDEv2 sky textures are bar none the most realistic looking colors I have found yet, especially the sunrise and sunset. I also like the HDEv2 cloud textures but am using a cirrus set from REX and a cumulus set from FEX.

 

Something about the REX textures just look to sharp and fake to me. I've tried just about every set from the OD pack and haven't found one I really like.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking at HDEV2 it looks that it is for FS9. Would it work with FSX? How about the ground textures (tarmac, runways, etc...)?

 

Check this link: http://simviation.co...1&keywords=hde

 

The sky set is at the top and is remastered to work in FSX and the second download down after the sky set is the cloud set remastered for FSX. Dont use the FS9 pack or it will crash FSX.

[Samaritano 306]

 

Check this link: http://simviation.co....1&keywords=hde

 

The sky set is at the top and is remastered to work in FSX and the second download down after the sky set is the cloud set remastered for FSX. Dont use the FS9 pack or it will crash FSX.

Muito obrigado. Thanks for the link cmpbellsjc.

I see that you are in Plano. I'm in Keller.

I'm downloading to try those cloud textures out.

[tttocs 301]

The initial loading of weather data when you start the Rex app takes maybe a minute but I just start it up and start plotting my route etc. It's all loaded up way before I'm ready to fly. It takes 2 mins at most to do the initial load and then each injection takes no more than 3 or 4 seconds for me.

 

While I've certainly had some issues with real-world injection not properly matching actual conditions, once I worked these out my experience mirrors this. Injection takes at most a second or so, and the initial load and interpolation of data not more than a couple of minutes (and I have a decent, but not super system). When I sit down for a session of flying, I start REX, gather necessary charts and flight plan info, and long before I'm ready, REX is.

 

Don't laugh at me, but I always let REX-E pick the weather related textures, so it will change the clouds every time I start that weather overview screen.

 

No laughing, honest, but this is one of the things I'd hoped Essentials improved on over the previous version and have been a bit disappointed over. Some of the schemes I've had load using this feature have had some pretty bizarre sky colors. I'd happily live with the texture load time, if the textures loaded weren't so over-the-top. Maybe I should give this a second chance...

 

Scott

[SoloTwo 0]

The Simmarket versions may get updated when REX-E OD is ready. Don't ask me why as I don't know the background. But the REX folks stated that it will happen.

 

But you can always go to the REX forums and grab the REX-E update. This will need you to verify your status, which may only take one post and a bit of wait here. http://www.realenvir...ication-thread/

 

Read this one on the details. http://www.realenvir...r-verification/

 

Now if you are already verified, the download thread is here. http://www.realenvir...l-upgrade-here/ Just log in to the REX forums and click the link for some more instructions on how to download. For not yet verified members, the link won't work.

 

If you have REX-OD and install that update you just get the weather engine, zero textures in the program. Just fyi.

[SoloTwo 0]

And I just installed the HDEv2 textures. Sweet mother of god they are beautiful.

[ajpongress 467]

3. Neither, HDEv2 for sky and clouds, see Ed Cox (edetroit) screen shots. Not a fan of most of the REX clouds sets as they look too hard, sharp and unnatural to me.

+1

 

 

 

I agree with Jim also..

 

The HDEv2 sky textures are bar none the most realistic looking colors I have found yet, especially the sunrise and sunset. I also like the HDEv2 cloud textures but am using a cirrus set from REX and a cumulus set from FEX.

 

Something about the REX textures just look to sharp and fake to me. I've tried just about every set from the OD pack and haven't found one I really like.

 

Ok so you both sold me to try out the textures.

I figured "well they can't be THAT good for freeware."

 

Wow was I wrong.

I'm going to have to join the club and say the sky & cloud textures provided by HDEv2 are better then REX OD, REX-E, or AS2012 textures.

The sky sets are amazing! Couldn't believe it. The clouds are also not so "painted" compared to the REX-E clouds I was using before. And the cirrus clouds are the best I have ever seen.

 

Even so, I'm still glad I have REX-E for the airport environment textures, and the water animations, sounds, etc.

But man...those sky texture environments are something else. Still can't believe this package is free.

 

Best part is, the only thing you have to backup is the texture folder so if I want to revert it's just a single mouse click. No installing or loading screens.

Don't think I'm going back though!

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

Muito obrigado. Thanks for the link cmpbellsjc.

I see that you are in Plano. I'm in Keller.

I'm downloading to try those cloud textures out.

 

No problem man. Yep I am another North Texas guy. You would be surprised to know how many simmers there are in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. One day I was in Fry's in Plano looking at Saitek products and there was a guy testing one of the CH yokes. I got to talking to him and he was another FSX user. Turned out he had no idea about Avsim or any of the flight sim community in general. He didn't even know that you could add on to FSX with after market aircraft and scenery. I've actually run into other FS9/FSX users in the area as well. It's always kind of cool to meet someone else who is into a hobby as obscure as flight simming is.

 

[

And I just installed the HDEv2 textures. Sweet mother of god they are beautiful.

 

Ok so you both sold me to try out the textures.

I figured "well they can't be THAT good for freeware."

 

Wow was I wrong.

I'm going to have to join the club and say the sky & cloud textures provided by HDEv2 are better then REX OD, REX-E, or AS2012 textures.

The sky sets are amazing! Couldn't believe it. The clouds are also not so "painted" compared to the REX-E clouds I was using before. And the cirrus clouds are the best I have ever seen.

 

Even so, I'm still glad I have REX-E for the airport environment textures, and the water animations, sounds, etc.

But man...those sky texture environments are something else. Still can't believe this package is free.

 

Best part is, the only thing you have to backup is the texture folder so if I want to revert it's just a single mouse click. No installing or loading screens.

Don't think I'm going back though!

 

Glad you guys liked those textures. I've been using them for about a year or so, about as soon as I found about about them. I can't really speak to the AS2012 textures as I have never tried them out, but I am using the AS2012 "Dark Night" sky set to get rid of the 3am sunrise that I sometimes see when flying late at night during the summer season. I guess I have been so happy with the cloud set that I finally arrived at that I found no need for further testing. Sometimes I wish I had never spent the money on REX, but I do like the Sparkling water set and I use the runway/taxiway textures.

 

A.J. - I think you nail it on the REX cloud textures when you said there were too "painted". I've never been able to figure out exactly what it is, but painted is a good description. I think that they have too many baked in shadows which makes them stand out from the sky too much. I've tried them in different resolutions which believe it or not, I think look better running in lower res to take some of the sharpness out, but for some reason they still seem to exaggerated for me. When I look at the sky in real life, the clouds dont look as pronounced as the REX cumulus clouds do. I think the HDE creator did a good job at not only mastering the sky colors but also the look of a normal cloud you would see on a typical day any where in the world.

[SoloTwo 0]

Which rex texture are you using for water? At one time I had one that looked realistic but for the life of me I can't find it again.

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

Which rex texture are you using for water? At one time I had one that looked realistic but for the life of me I can't find it again.

 

Me?

 

I'm using the Sparkling, but I converted the textures to DXT5 since the native version of 32bit were causing some performance and stuttering problems on my rig. Although that was when I installed them from REX OD. I think Tim fixed it in Essentials so that you could install the water textures in DXT format rather than 32bit so you didn't need to convert them yourself.

 

Also, to make the water look better I am using FSWC, a freeware program (http://www.strikingsoftware.com/) and using the Orion preset. That software takes out the horrible milky water effect when flying at night when the moon is out and makes the sunlight reflections look more realistic. Doesn't work in DX10 Preview though, so you need to run in DX9 if you want to use that program.

[fritzreinhart 0]

I'm kinda new to all this weather stuff. I'm using REX-OD for the moment and like it just fine but I would like to try out those HDE textures. The thing is, I don't have the faintest idea about how I can use REX water, runway textures and weather engine and the HDE textures together. How does one go about doing that? Sorry to be thick, but there you are.

 

Cheers,

Fritz

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

I'm kinda new to all this weather stuff. I'm using REX-OD for the moment and like it just fine but I would like to try out those HDE textures. The thing is, I don't have the faintest idea about how I can use REX water, runway textures and weather engine and the HDE textures together. How does one go about doing that? Sorry to be thick, but there you are.

 

Cheers,

Fritz

 

It's easy Fritz. You just download the HDE textures then unzip them and move them into the texture folder and over write the existing sky and/or cloud textures. You might want to make a backup of the textures your using now in case you want to revert or you could just run the REX UI again and reinstall the REX textures again.

 

Keep in mind the HDE package is only sky and cloud textures, it doesn't change any of the other REX textures like water, airport, lightning, etc., so you can still use those REX textures and the HDE textures together.

[fritzreinhart 0]

Thanks, cmpbellsjc, much appreciated. That sounds easy enough. I shall give it a go.

 

Cheers,

Fritz

[GHarrall 494]

The 'painted clouds' look from REX was always my reason for sticking with FEX.

[mwilk 1,108]

I have both As2012 and Rex-E. I think Rex-E does some really nice things with the new weather engine, but it takes so long from startup to being able to fly that I find myself using AS2012 most of the time. I just timed it and it took more than 8 minutes to interpolate the weather download.