Hey folks,

I am just about to pull the trigger and get active sky 2012,

Is there any needs to know about this before/after I get tis?

Ie any edits to any cfg files (I think there was one where I change texures to 2048 from 4096 in the main FSX.CFG file??)

Do I extract it to its default location then install it into my main F\FSx folder, or extract it to my fsx folder?

Any tweaks or must know's would be great.

Thanks

Paul

Which active sky do I get? 2012? e?

Just install it and you're ready to go. It's a superb product that works perfectly without any additional tweaks.

 

Get the 2012 edition. I guess they are working on a 2013 version, but so far there's nothing. We'll see...

If it were me doing it all again, I'd still go for Active Sky. Opus does seem to present a more realistic appearance in many situations, but AS has one big advantage (for me)---you can access historical wx--wx from as far into the past as 5 years. I often do flights that use wx from last week, month, year, a very handy feature IMHO. I use AS2012.

 

It has graphics that improve the airports, etc in many situations. Note, the graphics will not overwrite any add-ons you already have in place. Cloud graphics are also included but if you have another add-on graphics program (REX, etc) you will find those to generally be better (again IMHO) but if you do not already have add-on graphics you will not be sorry to use those from AS. You don't need to rush out and buy a graphics program as soon as you install AS.

 

The biggest thing you need to do after the initial install (let Active Sky install automatically, it will find everything and everyplace it needs automatically--don't overthink it) is to read the manual and then read the tech tip at the Active Sky forum (elsewhere in these forums) as to how to set it up for your specific type of flying. Again, don't try to overthink things. Go slowly and test to see how things work after each change.

 

No, no tweaks to any cfg files are needed although there are many who will want you to tweak it to death before trying things out. Go slow, and fly and look and test before doing too much tweaking. It runs pretty well all by itself.

 

Active Sky2012, don't leave home without it.

I second the posts above and will add that updates that Active Sky has generated for AS 2012 have significantly improved the software. The developers seem serious about providing a quality product and improving the product as time goes on.

I also use AS2012, it's a solid product, good support and currently undergoing updates and getting better.

There is at least one service pack update being worked on. IMHO, wait until the completed SP is offered for download instead of getting involved in doing what is really beta testing. I'm pretty conservative about that sort of thing.

thanks for your help guys, - so i do not need to worry about 2048/4096 textures?

 

 

 

 

Regards

 

Paul

Not yet, if ever. Learn to use the program itself before going off what may simply be the deep end and to no real purpose.

^{Thanks Dan}

Hey guys, - thought I would just carry on this thread rater than start a new one.

 

Bought A/S yesterday and WHOA, looks great although it did cut my frames in half!! loaded up @ egphstand 6 with my md11, and frames ranged between 5-7 and 18, whereas before(w/o a/s) it was 30.1-29.9.

 

I realise there would be some kind of a performance hit, - but with no AI, default scenery on the ground, cold and dark, with (albeit) med airport.

 

All a/s settings are on default.

 

although it looks a great little tool, it seems as if its massive overkill with the amount of cloud options there are - serious overkill, when they all look the same ?!! - 41 cumulus?? really? 16 stratus, 25 cirrus and 22 wispy.

 

I realise its going to be a lot of tweaking, but is there any immediate things I should be changing to be more frame rate friendly? - I have fast ram, a good stable o/c of 4.7

 

3D clouds are 2048 cirrus is 2048 water is down to 256 and waves at 512 - (I have 2048 in my cfg file anyway)

the other 4 options are all on 32 bit, is this correct? I don't understand the differences, except tat 32bit is for better eye candy and dxt5 for performance - is there much difference?

 

Is there anything in "install options" I should omit?

 

Thanks guys.

 

Paul

 

To add, these tests were actually done with the baron 58 @1000ft.

 

N/I settings are

 

Behaviour - none

AA mode - override

AA settin 8Xs

aa transparency - only 2sgss - normally I run at 8sgss with md11 and default weather

 

Ani - off

Setting - 16X

Clamp

high quality

 

tri opt - off

 

 

CFG=

[bufferPools]
BufferPools=0
[JOBSCHEDULER]
Affinitymask=14

[GRAPHICS]
HIGHMEMFIX=1
SHADER_CACHE_PRIMED_10=1693458432
SHADER_CACHE_PRIMED=1693458432
TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD=2048
NUM_LIGHTS=8
AIRCRAFT_SHADOWS=0
AIRCRAFT_REFLECTIONS=1
COCKPIT_HIGH_LOD=1
LANDING_LIGHTS=1
AC_SELF_SHADOW=0
EFFECTS_QUALITY=2
GROUND_SHADOWS=0
TEXTURE_QUALITY=3
IMAGE_QUALITY=0
See_Self=1
Text_Scroll=1
D3D10=0
TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD=2048

[sOUND]
AmbientUIMusicVolume=-6.000000
PrimaryDevice={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}
VoiceDevice={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}
SOUND=1
SOUND_QUALITY=2
SOUND_LOD=0
UISound=1
AmbientUI=0

[Display]
ForceFullScreenVSync=1
ChangeTime=4.000000
TransitionTime=4.000000
ActiveWindowTitleTextColor=255,255,255
ActiveWindowTitleBackGroundColor=0,28,140,64
NonActiveWindowTitleTextColor=255,255,255
NonActiveWindowTitleBackGroundColor=24,33,87,64
InfoUpperRightTextColor=255,0,0
InfoUpperRightBackGroundColor=0,0,0,0
InfoLowerLeftTextColor=255,255,255
InfoLowerLeftBackGroundColor=255,0,0,128
InfoLowerRightTextColor=255,255,255
InfoLowerRightBackGroundColor=255,0,0,128
InfoBrakesEnable=True
InfoParkingBrakesEnable=True
InfoPauseEnable=True
InfoSlewEnable=True
InfoStallEnable=True
InfoOverspeedEnable=True
BLOOM_EFFECTS=0
SKINNED_ANIMATIONS=1
TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=120
UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=30
WideViewAspect=True

[Main]
User Objects=Airplane, Helicopter
SimObjectPaths.0=SimObjects\Airplanes
SimObjectPaths.1=SimObjects\Rotorcraft
SimObjectPaths.2=SimObjects\GroundVehicles
SimObjectPaths.3=SimObjects\Boats
SimObjectPaths.4=SimObjects\Animals
SimObjectPaths.5=SimObjects\Misc
ProcSpeed=16437
PerfBucket=7
HideMenuNormal=0
HideMenuFullscreen=1
Location=444,138,1476,904,\\.\DISPLAY1
Maximized=0
FIBER_FRAME_TIME_FRACTION=0.15

[PANELS]
IMAGE_QUALITY=1
QUICKTIPS=0
PANEL_OPACITY=100
PANEL_MASKING=1
PANEL_STRETCHING=1
UNITS_OF_MEASURE=0
DEFAULT_VIEW=0
[Weather]
WindshieldPrecipitationEffects=1
MinGustTime=10
MaxGustTime=500
MinGustRampSpeed=1
MaxGustRampSpeed=200
MinVarTime=5
MaxVarTime=50
MinVarRampSpeed=10
MaxVarRampSpeed=75
TurbulenceScale=1.000000
WeatherServerAddress=fs2k.zone.com
WeatherServerPort=80
WeatherGraphDataInDialog=0
AdjustForMagVarInDialog=1
DynamicWeather=0
DownloadWindsAloft=0
DisableTurbulence=0
CLOUD_DRAW_DISTANCE=3
DETAILED_CLOUDS=1
CLOUD_COVERAGE_DENSITY=8
THERMAL_VISUALS=0

[DISPLAY.Device.NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670.0]
Mode=1920x1080x32
TriLinear=1
[CONTROLS]
Controls_Default=Standard
Controls_Current=Standard
KBDAIL=64
KBDELEV=64
KBDRUD=64
[TextInfo.1]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
Heading=1,4
AirSpeed=1,5
WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6
[TextInfo.2]
FrameRate=1,1
LockedFrameRate=1,2
GForce=1,3
FuelPercentage=1,4
[TextInfo.3]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
Heading=1,4
AirSpeed=1,5
WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6
FrameRate=2,1
LockedFrameRate=2,2
GForce=2,3
FuelPercentage=2,4
[slewTextInfo.1]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
Heading=1,4
AirSpeed=1,5
[slewTextInfo.2]
FrameRate=1,1
LockedFrameRate=1,2
[slewTextInfo.3]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
Heading=1,4
AirSpeed=1,5
FrameRate=2,1
LockedFrameRate=2,2

[Trusted]
F:\FSX\PMDG\DLLs\PMDGOptions.dll.notnzcqehkinowecqhihutqnzhockrztieikzkql=1
F:\FSX\PMDG\DLLs\PMDGEvents.dll.ullnqlnrakhibczbtnwtkkbotwhttwqnaanrozzq=1
F:\FSX\PMDG\DLLs\PMDGSounds.dll.buhnizqictkkbntnluabuuqauzunbhhtoauhzcho=1
F:\FSX\GAUGES\XGauge.DLL.twlnbwobnckawrhnrucbtlhutkonbwbneozohtcn=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\PMDG_MD11.DLL.naocicwietuewrtaqbwuctilbulihzuathclootw=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\PMDG_MD11_ACS.DLL.hlkquonikinibnzilnlilatrczwczboqinobtbnr=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew0.GAU.hkreezibowlouohowboanzoizckrntbqtubeniqz=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew5.GAU.tokraitqirqeblqchulwnnqntlqoowzceqoocect=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew6.GAU.uttriottlziwcnuwlotrakwabheotznqwzzzqllu=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\vcrew0.GAU.hlrhuqrkrhuhienznzbqenocoraokccahcluhiok=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew1.GAU.eooznblhwkteiliriuwzerkizrkirnloqqlrrqee=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\dcrew0.GAU.qrnekqiiwblzranrinekcikrhcoozctwnrckwlre=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\md11\mcrew13.GAU.aruhbaqtinntzonewinrknanoaleaiocltuuqzni=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew3.GAU.ktiieutiqknawbcokilwiiolenibibnirtncnwtz=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew7.GAU.einnwrzwarebzkuerkrqlinanuwiobrtihaqeant=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew8.GAU.nhkqbouwwwaieicoukteezwrtquntwcqhaniqwlu=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew9.GAU.eakokquzzwqhwtueotlezbktnzrrlhoahzrnnbkn=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew10.GAU.hrqtlaoebniqqohotnrhewonihoqhlrqhnukrwnl=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\fs2crew\MD11\mcrew12.GAU.wlewqilaeiiuukzzobqkeclknaeqozunbkbubntw=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\Bendix_King_Radio.DLL.wncwkiwnkwwwcaarwhbbqnooaruqbihkkzcotall=2
F:\FSX\GAUGES\Magnetic_Compass.DLL.rbcccubuqobwewekzbawquhrzetinqrzkunbiqww=2
[DynamicHeadMovement]
LonAccelOnHeadLon=-0.020000
LonAccelOnHeadPitch=-0.010000
RollAccelOnHeadLat=0.010000
YawAccelOnHeadLat=-0.100000
RollAccelOnHeadRoll=0.100000
MaxHeadAngle=5.000000
MaxHeadOffset=0.300000
HeadMoveTimeConstant=1.000000
[VirtualCopilot]
VirtualCopilotActive=0
[uSERINTERFACE]
PageID=1
SHOW_MISSION_CAPTIONS=0
PAUSE_ON_LOST_FOCUS=0
PROMPT_ON_EXIT=1
SITUATION=C:\Users\paul\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\tester 2
Map_Orientation=2
ShowAllACPaintSchemes=1
SelectAircraftManufacturer=All
SelectAircraftPublisher=All
SelectAircraftType=All
OpenATCOnCreate=0

[ATC]
ShowATCText=0
COMM_MSG_NONE_COLOR=FFFFFFFF
COMM_MSG_ATC_USER_COLOR=FFB6FFB6
COMM_MSG_USER_ATC_COLOR=FFFFD21B
COMM_MSG_ATC_AI_COLOR=FF00FF00
COMM_MSG_AI_ATC_COLOR=FFFF7840
AutoOpenAirTrafficWindow=0
UsePilotVoice=1
PilotVoice=0
[PointOfInterestSystem]
CycleSetting=0
[sCENERY]
LENSFLARE=0
DAWN_DUSK_SMOOTHING=1
IMAGE_COMPLEXITY=5
[TrafficManager]
AirlineDensity=0
GADensity=1
FreewayDensity=5
ShipsAndFerriesDensity=7
LeisureBoatsDensity=5
IFROnly=0
AIRPORT_SCENERY_DENSITY=3

[TERRAIN]
LOD_RADIUS=6.500000
MESH_COMPLEXITY=75
MESH_RESOLUTION=20
TEXTURE_RESOLUTION=25
AUTOGEN_DENSITY=5
DETAIL_TEXTURE=1
WATER_EFFECTS=7

[AContain]
ShowLabels=0
ShowUserLabel=0
ShowLabelManufacturer=1
ShowLabelModel=1
ShowLabelTailNumber=0
ShowLabelDistance=1
ShowLabelAltitude=1
ShowLabelAirline=0
ShowLabelAirlineAndFlightNumber=0
ShowLabelFlightPlan=0
ShowLabelContainerId=0
ShowLabelAirspeed=0
ShowLabelHeading=0
LabelDelay=1000
LabelColor=FFFF0000

[iNTERNATIONAL]
ASLAT=2
ASLON=1
MEASURE=0
[REALISM]
PFactor=0.000000
Torque=0.000000
GyroEffect=0.000000
CrashTolerance=0.000000
General=0.000000
UnlimitedFuel=True
TrueAirspeed=False
AutoCoord=True
RealMixture=False
StressDamage=False
GEffect=False
ManualLights=False
GyroDrift=False
CrashWithDyn=False
CrashDetection=True
AutoTrim=False
[sIM]
SYSCLOCK=1
[sTARTUP]
DEMO=0
SHOW_OPENING_SCREEN=0
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LoadWindow=1
[FACILITIES]
COUNTRY=
STATE=
CITY=
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Com_Rate=7
[DISPLAY.Device.NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670.1]
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[MULTIPLAYER]
condAccoutPassword=0

 

It's a superb product that works perfectly without any additional tweaks.

 

Not sure about that, I whas pointed out and corrected in another thread that you had to do some tweaks in the config file to get full overcast :huh:

One major FPS killer is the number of cloud levels (can't quite remember how it's worded in the settings) - With that turned up I had a terrible hit on FPS. However I have noticed that since SP2 the FPS has been a lot worse. Where in SP1 I was getting a steady 30 FPS, now with SP2 I'm getting between 23 - 27. Still very usable but not sure what they have done to make it this way...

I think you have taken too heavy a FR hit, FWIW. If you haven't done so already (in truth I didn't read things all that closely), cut your cloud layers to 4 (for a start) and see if that looks good to you. Try more layers slowly, you may not even need more than 4--I think mine are set to 10-12 or something. If you have the option for additional wx stations set on, turn that off too. Mouse over the setting options and any that "may cause a performance hit" try turning off to see if you really need them. If you are a low altitude (GA) flyer, turn off DWC, it will cause odd wind problems. It's for the heavies way up in the flight levels.

 

Yeah, there's a load of cloud options and I always wonder why. I set up my clouds in my old (but paid for) FEX about 2 years ago and have never fiddled with them since. I only use the airport type options in AS--the runway detailing, signage, lights (very nice BTW), etc from the AS menus. Don't approach all this as work to be completed in a hurry. Take your time and do a few flights after each change to see what happens.

_{I will hold off the tweaks just now, because I just noticed my overclock settings have gone array - im stuck @ 3.9, and my bios wont go above that somehow. it was ok last night, so I have no idea whats changed.}

 

_{I mainly fly heavies also, I just used the ga as a reference.}

 

_{Thanks for the tips}

Paul - for the record - AS would have no effect on your overclock but the clock would have an effect on AS especially if below 4.0.

 

The reason for all the graphocs settings is that graphics are an individual preference - what I like, you may not and vice versa. Just fly with the defaults and you are good to go. If, later you decide that you want cumulus with a brighter look - change but start with default.

 

If you are getting a big performance hit right out of the box, something is amiss. With heavy clouds in a dense area, yes, there is a noticeable hit but I notice none at  all with normal cloud coverage.

 

Get your clock back and recheck. Also, you might post in the official support forum http://www.hifitechinc.com/forums/forum.php or check here at avsim - I believe Dave has posted his personal settings that seem to work for a lot of people.

 

Vic