Using SP2 but these issues have been there earlier than that, I don't know what's at fault, my settings, just FSX or AS.

 

1. Rain without clouds. The weather will perhaps show scattered clouds with some rain, but the depiction is a very few (i.e.) miles apart) clouds, some cirrus and pouring rain, I can understand how this might be occurring, but is it possible to get the engine to generate a believable amount of cloud when rain is given? it looks pretty odd, chucking it down out of an azure sky.

 

2. Cirrus depiction. Frequently I see Cirrus tiles doubled up but slightly offset given a double vision effect, most distracting.

 

3. Distant clouds depicted over nearby clouds. This again very much spoils the effect, especially when you are moving as the distant cloud appears to be the closer as it is covering to closer one, yet the closer one moves more due to the accurate perspective, what causes this?

 

4. An old chestnut this, different layers (i.e. altitude layers) of cumulus having flat bases, obviously the flat base of a cumulus is at the base of any formation due to it being the temperature point at which the water vapour condenses, all higher clouds will just be irregular shape, I am guessing that a shortfall in the way FSX depicts cloud types is at fault here, if not though, any possibility of limiting the flat base tiles to the cloud base layer and using a more irregular tile above that?

Hi there,

 

Please remember to sign your posts with your real name.

 

1) If the METAR is saying SCT and RA, we have (as of now) no option than to render SCT and RA to keep accuracy. Unfortunately in FSX the ceiling of the cloud layer boundary (not the actual visual depiction) is used as a ceiling for rain, so you can be outside of the visual cloud sprites yet still within the layer boundaries, experiencing rain. We have been considering improvements here moving forward, so that METAR is not always followed accurately, for better in-sim visuals regarding certain issues such as rain (i.e. increase cloud coverage despite METAR report, or ignore rain).

 

2) This is due to FSX native interpolation/cell depiction processes coupled with our own interpolation of cloud layers. We aren't specifying multiple layers in this case but FSX creates them. We are working to improve this currently.

 

3) Z-order FSX graphical issue, usually when a stratus layer is below a cumulus layer and you are within a certain distance of the layer. Occurs intermittently and appears related to current system overhead. Choosing a lower stratus cloud occurrence (and disabling overcast enhancement) can eliminate this. You can also reduce this effect by using lower-resolution cloud textures.

 

4) We are working on something along the lines of this.

Hi Damian, thanks for the replies, all satisfactory replies too! It's very pleasing to know you guys are working on these things, I'm sure that it will lead to an even better experience with AS.

 

Kim Gowney.