Even after reading through all the posts on the topic, I realize I'm not sure how to use Opus "side-by-side" with REX 2.0 or AS2012. As it happens, I have both of them. I've never really used REX, but do use AS2012 all the time to ensure my sim weather is synced-up with the real world. I understand that we want Opus' weather engine active and the REX or AS2012 weather engine disabled. I've read that a lot of people favor REX's textures over AS2012. The business about textures is where my confusion starts. Are textures dynamically selected by FSX, by REX, or by Opus as the weather changes? --or by some combination of two or three apps?

 

How would I actually go about setting things up on a "clean" FSX install? I presume I install OpusFSX and install REX (for example). I presume I disable the weather engine in REX (which I see how to do). I presume I visit the REX 'Textures' page, pick a theme and clicked 'Install'.

 

Now what? Do I need to run REX and Opus when I run FSX? --or has REX already done it's work in installing the textures and now I just need to run OpusFSX and enable its weather engine?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you have on clearing up my confusion.

 

-M.

Even after reading through all the posts on the topic, I realize I'm not sure how to use Opus "side-by-side" with REX 2.0 or AS2012. As it happens, I have both of them. I've never really used REX, but do use AS2012 all the time to ensure my sim weather is synced-up with the real world. I understand that we want Opus' weather engine active and the REX or AS2012 weather engine disabled. I've read that a lot of people favor REX's textures over AS2012. The business about textures is where my confusion starts. Are textures dynamically selected by FSX, by REX, or by Opus as the weather changes? --or by some combination of two or three apps?

 

How would I actually go about setting things up on a "clean" FSX install? I presume I install OpusFSX and install REX (for example). I presume I disable the weather engine in REX (which I see how to do). I presume I visit the REX 'Textures' page, pick a theme and clicked 'Install'.

 

Now what? Do I need to run REX and Opus when I run FSX? --or has REX already done it's work in installing the textures and now I just need to run OpusFSX and enable its weather engine?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you have on clearing up my confusion.

 

-M.

 

I can only speak for REX, when you have loaded your choice of textures through the REX interface you do not need to touch REX again.

 

I would be surprised if AS is any different.

 

OPUS will not dynamically select texture changes, it only displays whatever FSX gives it to work with.

 

Bryan.

Textures can not be loaded into FSX "on the fly". AS and REX load the "themes" and the weather engines select which sets to display but they can not change the 'theme'. That's a restriction of FSX not AS/REX/OPUS

The LWE determines the detailed weather for your sorrounding area (quite a large area).

 

Within each 16km weather cell the OpusFSX LWE tells FSX what the meteorological conditions are. As far as clouds are concerned, the LWE defines what cloud layers are needed and for each cloud layer what the cloud type is (not the texture image, just the type - stratus, cumulus, cumulo-nimbus etc.), what the cloud base is, the cloud height, the precipitation type and level, the cloud coverage (in octas) etc.

 

It is down to FSX/P3D to position all the clouds and select the actual cloud bitmap images it is going to use for each cloud.

 

No weather engine can position individual clouds.

No weather engine can select individual cloud images.

 

That is ALL down to FSX or P3D !

 

To get the same look, cloud formations and matching cloud patterns over a networked system you MUST do one thing ...

 

On a networked system, install the exact same sky and cloud textures, whether that be REX or AS it does not matter. Just use the textures you prefer but make sure you load all the same ones on each of your networked systems.

 

The simulator's clocks must also be synchronized, but this is done by the LWE. That is why it always sends a CLOCK SYNC before each WEATHER UPDATE.

 

Of course, you MUST set up your network correction to allow file access between systems (both ways) in order for the OpusFSX LWE to function correctly.

 

Regards

Stephen

 

P.S.

 

Some people report seeing the famous slanting clouds and complain that the LWE is selecting these strange cloud shapes. I hope you can now appreciate that it is either the simulator that is selecting the silly cloud shape or your texture package that is loading them ... it has nothing whatsoever to do with the LWE. :rolleyes:

 

By the way. the slanting cloud has been seen with different weather engines by numerous people, I suspect it is just an FSX glitch, or FSX trying to be clever and mix the images up to give a bit more variety.

 

The botton line ...

 

Use REX, AS2012 or FEXHD to provide the sky and cloud textures, but disable their weather engines and use OpusFSX LWE to give you real varied weather from horizon to horizon. :good:

Outstanding explanation, thanks.

 

After loading REX 2.0 Essentials on all of my networked clients, I don't really see any significant difference in the clouds (or in any textures, really) from the stock FSX clouds/water. Is it really the case the REX doesn't need to be running (albeit with the weather engine disabled)? Are the differences between the stock textures and the REX (or AS2012) textures really that noticeable?

 

-M.

With FSX not running.

 

You must specify all your sky and HD cloud choices within REX (REX theme creation).

 

Configure REX to install those textures (REX options), then Install then (REX theme creation + Save + Install), this can take some time.

 

Then shut down REX, and finally restart FSX.

 

And, yes there is a big difference between the stock clouds and the REX HD ones. If you are unable to notice any difference then you probably have not installed them.

 

Stephen

I'm pretty sure I didn't do the create/save/install step -- I'll check that out this evening!

 

Thanks VERY much for this info.