Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Fatback

OpusFSX

Recommended Posts

Just popped in to say, I am up and running again. I needed to Tick "enable live camera control" but UN-tick both boxes within there, one of which was "enable TrackIR". For someone not wanting OPUS to interfere with my TrackIR this seemed counterintuitive, but maybe thats just me. Whatever its working the way I want it to again. phew.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Jerome

 

Nice to hear from you again. The main two reasons are time and the fact that most people already have one HD sky and cloud set provider already installed which they would like to continue using. Saying that, we will soon be providing our own cirrus_overcast03.bmp alpha mask file to correct an annoying sky fog problem that sometimes occurs when certain sky textures and visibility effects are employed. But we will keep your suggestion in mind, its a good one.

 

Best regards

Stephen

 

Hi again Stephen,

 

I downloaded the latest Beta version yesterday and last night had one of those "that looks so incredibly realistic" moments! I was headed over to Bermuda from the US East Coast and cruising at FL 390 around an hour before sunset captured these:

 

CUDu6hAKIm.jpg

 

VcN8LeLBqC.jpg

 

rJ1HQu7uIY.jpg

 

2138y1aykZ.jpg

 

XCzWuaimyK.jpg

 

l7PFTQGU8L.jpg

 

10VjOb7jwO.jpg

 

0m1od9lp9a.jpg

 

These are by far the most realistic upper level clouds I have ever seen in a flightsim, seeing them skimming past just above the cockpit was simply amazing, immersion at its best!

 

I experienced two overspeed warnings during the two and a bit hour flight, one at FL 390 and the other one around FL 340 upon descent. I wasn't near the screen at that moment, so I don't have any info as to if and how the wind turned and what precisely transpired. I do know that the Beta has certainly made flying at higher levels feasible, whatever you have changed and tweaked, you seem to be on the right track ;-)

 

Thanks again for all your hard work and excellent support!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jerome

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Jerome

 

We actually adjusted the thicknes of the high level cloud to give the best effect (eye candy) so we are very pleased you liked the effect.You might like to download and try Beta Version 2.21 which has just been posted and includes our first release of the FSX winds aloft bug fix.

 

It is described in the Live Weather Engine Version 2 topic on this forum and in the Announcements topic on our Flight1 forum. I should point out that at no stage have we resorted to using unrealistic global weather, so you can still enjoy seeing the varied weather patterns all around you

 

The next release will include more intelligent simulated upper wind targets based on the known prevailing upper winds in your region. The upgrade following that will include the option for true winds aloft.

 

Regards

Stephen

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Stephen,

 

I just bought your product and am on my first flight with it right now. It's a short one from KECP to KMCO. Everything seems to be running fine. I checked the SPY window to make sure I had a connection to FSX/FSUIPC although I did not wait to see METAR updates there. The weather did look fine in FSX. My only issue was the TAT went up as I climbed instead of down. I don't recall exactly what it was at on the ground. I think around +34C. I filed my flight plan for FL230 but could only get to FL220(NGX). The TAT at FL220 had risen to +51C.

 

I do recall reading an earlier post on this thread I believe talking about TAT. I think you said that is something that FSX controls/calculates based on surface temps, correct? What does that mean for situations like this? Is there something I can manually edit or a way to force the TAT down. In this case it wasn't that big a deal since my flight was short and I wasn't cruising too high. But, my next leg will be up there above FL350 and with a TAT like it was on this flight, there's no way I'm making it there. Is there something I missed somewhere in the config - either of OpusFSX or FSUIPC?

 

Also, another thing I notice now...I use the space bar/scroll wheel to zoom in and out in the VC. That used to scroll smooth but now jumps in .10 increments. Not a big deal, but is there a way to fix that? I admit that I'm impatient. I just jumped in and set up LWE and turned off the camera and that's pretty much it. Maybe there's something in the camera section or something I need to configure?

 

Thanks for your help and for what appears to be another excellent must have for FSX!!!


Regards,

 

Kevin LaMal

"Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings" - Shapiro2024

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi

 

Firstly, you can monitor both the Ambient Temperature and TAT in our Spy window (especially if you think there might be a problem). These are both calculated by FSX based on the surface temperatures we specify, in most cases FSX seems to get it right but there have been reported cases of rising and strange TAT readings. To be honest, that doesn't surprise me after seeing what FSX does with the winds aloft. We will be addressing this issue very soon; in fact soon after we complete the current 'FSX Winds Aloft Bug Fix' phase.

 

If you could please keep an eye out for anomalies and read the 'Reporting Weather Anomalies' topic in our Flight1 forum. This describes a way for you to send me your c:\OpusFSX\Themes\OpusWeather.txt file so that I can recreate the exact same weather conditions and then hopefully nail the problem. Up to now nobody has sent in a report for the TAT problem and we haven't been able to recreate it (sods law). But we will eventually, especially when we turn our full attention to addressing the problem.

 

Not sure about the bar/scroll wheel zoom, we do not actually handle the zoom control. People have asked us to look into it in the future, but at present the zoom control is all down to FSX. No doubt we will take control and add a smooth zoom function some time in the future.

 

If you have downloaded and installed Beta 2.21.0 then I should tell you I will be posting Beta 2.21.1 later today. This sequence of betas is aimed at getting round the FSX winds aloft bug. One of our storm chasers found the problem can still persist with 2.21.0 and I have isolated this to areas where the surface wind directions change considerably between wind cells. The solution put back the wind smoothing we had in version 1 which smooths out all wind direction changes radiating outward from the centre and also between weather updates.

 

Anyway, many thanks for your kind words, support and patience.

 

Regards

Stephen

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Also, another thing I notice now...I use the space bar/scroll wheel to zoom in and out in the VC. That used to scroll smooth but now jumps in .10 increments. Not a big deal, but is there a way to fix that? I admit that I'm impatient. I just jumped in and set up LWE and turned off the camera and that's pretty much it. Maybe there's something in the camera section or something I need to configure?

 

Hi Kevin,

 

I noticed the very same thing and I have a hunch it could have something to do with FSUIPC.

 

Cheers,

 

Jerome

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you could please keep an eye out for anomalies and read the 'Reporting Weather Anomalies' topic in our Flight1 forum. This describes a way for you to send me your c:\OpusFSX\Themes\OpusWeather.txt file so that I can recreate the exact same weather conditions and then hopefully nail the problem. Up to now nobody has sent in a report for the TAT problem and we haven't been able to recreate it (sods law). But we will eventually, especially when we turn our full attention to addressing the problem.

 

Stephen,

 

Thanks for your quick reply. This is part of the reason why I decided to buy as the support has been excellent from what I have seen so far. Anyway, I knew there was a file somewhere that would help you with this. I just couldn't remember where it was in the OpusFSX directory structure and what it was called. That was the only flight I had time to do last night so is it safe to say that file still exists with whatever weather was used for this flight last night? If so, I can send you it when I get home later tonight so you can take a look.

 

Thanks again!!

 

Hi Kevin,

 

I noticed the very same thing and I have a hunch it could have something to do with FSUIPC.

 

Cheers,

 

Jerome

 

Thanks, Jerome. I will take a look at my FSUIPC settings over the weekend and see what I can find. If I do figure something out, I'll be sure to post what I find.


Regards,

 

Kevin LaMal

"Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings" - Shapiro2024

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just completed a flight from KBNA - CYYZ and had to post...Wow! Was it cool!

 

On descent into CYYZ, there was a line of clouds starting from about 80-100nm west of the airport. I checked weather about 40nm out in the clouds, completely IMC, and ATIS said it was few at 3100ft and few at 8000ft. I was thinking to myself as I got closer and closer to the airport that there's no way that can be the weather report. I'm only 30...25...20nm away and I'm still in the clouds. Don't tell me all the hype about Opus is wrong!?

 

Then, as approach vectored me to a left base for 33R, I looked out the left window back toward the wingtip where I had come from and could see the line of clouds I had just flown through end about 10-15nm west of the field and it was few at 3100 and 8000 above and to the east of CYYZ. That was amazing!!! I don't ever recall that kind of experience with ActiveSky. You really do fly into(and out of) the weather with Opus. This is what I've been hoping the weather would be like for years in flight sim and now it's here!!! Great job Stephen/Opus!!!!


Regards,

 

Kevin LaMal

"Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings" - Shapiro2024

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My opinion as well

You might get nicer eye candy once AS2012 is loaded but the fantasy does not grow any fron there.

With OPUS you get an ongoing story relevant to the real weather out there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You really do fly into(and out of) the weather with Opus. This is what I've been hoping the weather would be like for years in flight sim and now it's here!!! Great job Stephen/Opus!!!!

 

OPUS is a good investment with all the other features built in. I'm especially liking the dynamic head movement. I'm just wondering when I eventually build my cockpit if this would work -- instead of vibrating the virtual camera, is it possible to vibrate the scenery itself?


Soarbywire - Avionics Engineering

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi

 

That will be a big old Yes and it's called DAM (Dynamic Aircraft Movement). We have already implemented it in part (only on the server) for people to try out and look at the effect. Soon it will be incorporated into the client software as well. DAM is included specifically to allow those using 2D scenic views to enjoy the DHM accelerometer data, it works by translating the XYZ accelerometer data for use in shaking the scenery. It is still considered in development or beta testing.

 

To try it out for yourself, create a 2D main view looking straight ahead on your server and enable all the DHM effects for this view, as you would do for a virtual cockpit view. Display the view on the screen and you will be able to see all the DAM taxiing, takeoff, turbulence, and landing effects.

 

So far the feedback has been positive so it will be incorporated into the client systems soon.

 

Regards

Stephen

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Once again, Stephen and his forward thinking has already implemented what I need, maybe I should RTFM sometime -- haven't touched it since its so easy to setup. Perhaps REX and Active Sky can take note.


Soarbywire - Avionics Engineering

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually you might not find DAM mentioned in the manual, it's still only in beta testing.

 

Have a look at it anyway.

 

Regards

Stephen

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Are there any videos showing the effects of you're addon?..would like to see it in action.

 

thanks!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Stephen,

 

So I did a handful of flights over the weekend and am wondering a couple of things. Oh, and FYI before I start...I'm not near my FS computer right now so I can't get the exact version number, but I bought it last Wednesday evening. So whatever was the current release as of September 12 is what I'm using. And, this really only pertains to the weather engine and LWE. Anyway, on with the questions...

 

I started with the default settings which I believe are update METARs every 30 minutes or 50km. What I notice at these settings is clouds that just appear/disappear whenever the weather is updated. It's accurate weather and there are definitely areas of weather you can fly into and out of if you get there before another update or the update still has that weather there in the METAR report(s). So, while this is the most accurate weather up to within 30 mins, it's not very realistic to see the clouds appear/disappear. (This update doesn't cause any flicker or anything. They just appear or disappear).

 

I tried setting the update variable to 60 minutes and 300km and this seemed to be better for obvious reasons. Less updates = less appearing/disappearing clouds. I'm fine with that. I'd rather fly into and out of weather, even if it's slightly older weather than have clouds pop up or disappear from nowhere. So, one thing I was thinking is what would an extremely high time value and a distance of 400km(or whatever the maximum distance is that you generate weather around the plane now, can't remember off the top of my head now) do? I was also thinking of setting both values extremely high as to not do an update at all on its own and then manually update it at different phases of the flight. What I'd like is from about 150nm out from my destination to have no more updates so I will fly into whatever weather is there - no updating or changing.

 

I believe some of these have been discussed and may even be taken care of since last week or in beta so forgive me if I missed it somewhere in the posts. I do recall you talking about improving the weather interpolation and smoothing algorithms so that may help or even fix what I'm talking about even at the default settings.

 

Or, is this a misconfiguration on my part somehow? I can't imagine that as it's extremely easy to use OpusFSX, that's for sure. :)

 

Anyway, overall I am liking it and as I said in a previous post, this can be(or maybe even is with the right config or latest updates/beta version) what I've wanted the weather to be for a long time in FS.

 

Thanks again for your help and excellent support!!!!


Regards,

 

Kevin LaMal

"Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings" - Shapiro2024

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
Sign in to follow this  

  • Tom Allensworth,
    Founder of AVSIM Online


  • Flight Simulation's Premier Resource!

    AVSIM is a free service to the flight simulation community. AVSIM is staffed completely by volunteers and all funds donated to AVSIM go directly back to supporting the community. Your donation here helps to pay our bandwidth costs, emergency funding, and other general costs that crop up from time to time. Thank you for your support!

    Click here for more information and to see all donations year to date.
×
×
  • Create New...