Hi,

 

I'm looking into purchasing OPUS in the near future, but I have a question about the "Live Camera." I have been looking at purchasing EZdock or FSPS 3D Real Cockpit Effect to get the head movement and shaking in the virtual cockpit that I get in the Flight1 BN2 Islander. From what I have read, OPUS does this. Am I correct? Does the demo version show this feature? Also, does this work for every aircraft?

 

Thanks! This product looks great and has much potential.

The demo is quite limited and intended for cockpit builders to setup and test their network links. But all our camera shake effects are 100% genuine and recorded using 3D accelerometers on baord real aircraft. Also the turbulence (also real) is determined intelligently by the Live Weather Engine. The effects work for every aircaft and you can select either the light or heavy data sets depending on your preference. Others say the effects are just like watching an in flight cockpit camera, I agree of course, and they should since they are all actual recordings.

 

Regards

Stephen

Hi Stephen,

 

I was flying around Switzerland last week and I noticed a problem with disappearing cloud layers. I had taken off from LSZH and the visibility was fairly reduced, it was foggy. As I got to around 3000 ft everything below and around me seemed to suddenly clear up, so much so, that I could see the ground that moments before had been shrouded in a mix of fog and cloud.

 

This afternoon I decided to run a quick test with the latest release, Beta Version 2.21.10, dated 27 Sept 2012. I found an airport that was reporting reduced visibility and positioned myself on the runway at CYKO. Then I gradually increased my altitude, taking screenshots as the visibility notibly changed:

 

On the runway at CYKO

 

Up at 3500 ft

 

Up at 4150 ft

 

Up at 4200 ft

 

Up at 6000 ft

 

Up at 8500 ft

 

Up at 8650 ft

 

Up at 12000 ft

 

Up at 13050 ft

 

Up at FL 270

 

If the conditions at ground level are foggy, then I would expect the area at ground level to become less and less visible as my height above the ground increases. Looking at the above screenshots, this is not the case, as at 4200 ft the ground seems to be more clearly visible than at 4150 ft. The visibility then again is reduced a bit higher up at 12000 ft, but again is much clearer above at 13050 ft. At FL 270 there seems to be no apparent sign of the underlying reduced visibility. Is this an FSX limitation or a bug?

 

Best regards,

 

Jerome

Hi Jerome

 

FSX is not able to show fog or mist patches when looking down through a layer. That is why we have included the options to top the mist an fog patches with thin layers of stratus cloud. From high where you see this cloud you know it is foggy or misty below. The cloud layer is thicker and fuller in coverage for fog than it is for mist. You have just discovered one of the notorious failings of FSX. If you have the effects enabled, keep a look out for that low lying cloud layer as a warning of low lying fog or mist, you will know what to expect when you descend into it then.

 

Regards

Stephen

 

Hi Jerome

 

We will be experimenting with these effects very soon trying to make then as real as we can. We won't be able to solve the poor FSX vis rendering though, FSX just assumes the current vis layer extends all the way down, that's the problem.

 

I should point out there have been disastrous consequences to others who have tried to improve these effects, so I don't think there is any better solution other than topping with the thin cloud layer and rendering the fog and mist visible.

 

We might allow you to tweak the settings in a future version.

 

Regards

Stephen

Hi again Stephen,

 

Thanks for your input! I understand about not being able to look down through a layer of fog or mist, however, if the mist or fog patches are topped up with a thin layer of stratus cloud, shouldn't that thin stratus layer remain visible from above? I also played around with the "Disable Fog Effect" and "Disable Mist Effect" options and wasn't able to notice any difference whatsoever. I checked and unchecked these, reloaded the weather several times and also shut down and restarted OpusFSX a few times, but nothing, no difference at all. Am I doing something wrong, are there some settings within Prepar3D that need to be setup in a certain way to ensure proper functionality of these options?

 

Best regards,

 

Jerome

Hi jerome

 

The limits are quite tight at the moment to prevent too much cloud being used at times of just poor visibility. So the effects are only applied when there are severe fog banks and misty areas. If you just have poor vis then this is most probably above these limits so the LWE will not add cloud tops.

 

We might make these limits adjustable soon so you can then tune the engine to your own specific taste. For now if you see the low lying cloud you will know the vis is severely restricted under it.

 

Regards

Stephen

Hi Stephen,

 

Im closely following this thread in order to evaluate LWE, and it seems there is alot of frustrations among weather engine builders due to FSX limitations.

Just out of curiosity, do you know if many of these limitations are eliminated within prepar3D? I dont have it yet as Im waiting for it to mature, but its more of a what to expect in the future question and if weather engine building and live weather updates hold more promise in that platform.

P3D is virtually the same as FSX, all changes were really superficial and concerned with the user interface. They really wanted to just change the look of it rather than mess with the software. My advice, wait fior version 2 when at least they might get round to fixing a few things but am sceptical since they have had the software for so long already and nothing major has been fixed.

 

Weather engine building and weather updates has already been fixed - we've done it !!!!

 

Good for BOTH FSX and P3D, no need to wait any longer, nothing P3D do will improve anything on this front.

 

Just eradicated the infamous winds aloft proble as well (FSX bug no.1)

 

Regards

Stephen

Stephen, I have just completed my first flight in the NGX using LWE, and was perfect. I had a bumpy landing into NZCH, 16kt crosswind and was the most realistic experience I have had in FSX, weather wise. I have tried (used) the other weather addons, but Opus has nailed IMHO. The cloud depiction was spot on, and no problems with upper winds or temps. I turned off all wind options in FSUIPC and experienced no issues.

 

Regards

Hi Julian

 

Thank you for the kind comments. I am also testing with the FSUIPC4 wind somoothing turned off and have not encoutntered any problems so far. We have included our own unique methods of wind smoothing now and all seems to be well with no additional help. :rolleyes:

 

Release version 2.22 will be posted today.

 

Regards

Stephen

Release version 2.22 will be posted today.

That's great, will keep an eye out for it. I read your post on the F1 forum, so that is why I tested my flight with wind smoothing "off".

Hi Julian

 

We usually get there in the end but I think we have discovered the secret to stable winds now, true winds aloft world wide next. :Party:

 

Regards

Stephen

I just purchased this software myself and did a flight. I am amazed on how it portrays the sky so beautifully. I might have to change my updates to every 45 minutes because I sometimes see it change dramatically while I'm enjoying it.

 

 

Hi

 

Love the images.

 

Please check out the 'Next LWE Upgrade' topic on our Flight1 forum, there's a link to it on our downloads page.

 

Regards

Stephen

Hi wideloadwhit,

 

Very nice pics indeed. What cloud textures are you using?