I am wondering if a configuration like this is currently possible with the software and, if so, what would that configuration look like? And, what would be the effects or drawbacks of a configuration like this if it is possible?

 

I understand that a lot of people on here want realism everywhere they are during their flight. Opus does this very well. Unfortunately due to FSX, the way it has to have a complete update and then subsequent redraw of the weather, you still can't help but seeing the clouds jump, even if it's just a little with each update.

 

For me, the way I wish I could get it to work and the reason for this post would be to get 3 updates total. The first update would be when you first load Opus at your origin airport. This sets the weather for whatever the radius is now around the origin. The next update would come when you reach cruise altitude. Again, updating the weather for whatever is within the current radius that Opus now covers. If you're on a long flight and would cruise outside of this range, then maybe another update or two would be ok right before leaving the currently updated area. Or, while at cruise, use the time/distance to next update parameters that are set in the configuration now would be fine too. Then, the last update would be as you start descent or at say 80 or 100nm out from the destination airport or descending through a certain altitude(FL180 or something). After that, no further updates whatsoever. Even if that means that your winds at the higher altitudes on descent are something more like what you'd see on ground, so be it. Having the destination airport accurate would be the most important part of the last update, sacrificing higher winds if need be for the descent phase and this final update.

 

Again, I understand that maybe a new METAR report would come in within any of these three phases of flight that would make your current conditions not accurate to what currently is in the real world. For me, I'm ok with that. I'd rather have less cloud jumping at the cost of being exactly accurate and current to the real world everywhere. Also, with the addition of the upper winds/temps, there is that dimension that causes extra updates too as you climb or descend. Maybe those can be gotten rid of by the recovery altitude settings?

 

I don't know if a configuration like I'm talking about is possible with winds aloft enabled too. Maybe not? But, short of shutting down Opus and starting it back up or enabling/disabling live update manually at these specific points in a flight, is this possible to configure to happen automatically? Other than losing some accuracy compared to the real world, does this cause any other adverse effects or drawbacks?

 

This is just my personal idea of how I'd like it. It's probably not something everyone would like so I understand the software isn't going to be tailored for just me. But, I was just wondering and thought I'd ask. Either way, still hands down the best weather program for FSX!!!!

According to the Flight1 forum (Opus main forum) the next stage in the OpusFSX development cycle will be the whole issue of weather smoothing. Maybe this will address your issue. Patience has its rewards.

You're forgetting FSX's limitation to have weather show outside the view of where the person if flying. If weather could be generated 300 miles around the users aircraft and as the user flies it will just roll from the horizon in real life that would be great. But as the user goes from one "grid of about 40-50 miles around the aircraft FSX needs to remove and replace past METAR data with METARS in the area the user is in.

You're forgetting FSX's limitation to have weather show outside the view of where the person if flying. If weather could be generated 300 miles around the users aircraft and as the user flies it will just roll from the horizon in real life that would be great. But as the user goes from one "grid of about 40-50 miles around the aircraft FSX needs to remove and replace past METAR data with METARS in the area the user is in.

 

If that's the case, then the whole premise of Opus is not possible. They generate weather for I forget now, several hundred miles around the aircraft and you fly into those areas. The only thing FSX is doing is drawing things to the screen as they visually come into range. The weather itself is not changing or being updated with new METARs as you fly from tile to tile, its already been set for a couple hundred miles around you.

When you initially load the weather a region is created covering 912km x 912km centered around your aircraft. The maximum weather update distance is 192km, so you can disable the weather updates via the dialog or add-on menu but when you fly beyond the 912km x 912km weather region then the weather will not be correct.

 

As Tony has mentioned we are working on a cloud smoothing option where hopefully the changes to the cloud depictions will be small and not so noticeable in changing conditions.

 

Regards

Cheryl