Searching for weather engine

[airernie 263]

If I was in your position although you already bought Opus I would give the fsgrw demo a go.

 

I wanted to give FSGRW a try, but it seems that the demo turns off the Dynamic Weather option. That makes it difficult to compare how the weather injection process affects the flying experience (i.e. frame rates, etc.).

 

Ernie

[WebMaximus 372]

I wanted to give FSGRW a try, but it seems that the demo turns off the Dynamic Weather option. That makes it difficult to compare how the weather injection process affects the flying experience (i.e. frame rates, etc.).

 

Ernie

 

Yes I know. Before buying FSGRW I downloaded the trial version myself but just like you found this to be a problem for the exact reason you bring up. I actually sent the developer of FSGRW a note about this suggesting they should find another approach for the trial version allowing you to try the full product but maybe have a limitation instead where the trial version will expire after x amount of time. Never received an answer unfortunately.

 

In the end I simply took my chances and bought it anyway and I'm glad I did despite already having all other wx engines but I fully understand if you don't feel like doing the same thing now that you just bought OpusFSX.

[airernie 263]

I only own REX, so that's not an issue.

 

I am however, looking at the OpusFSX and its demo has a limitation in that it only funcitons for 8 minutes at a time. 

 

The weather doesn't change that much in 8 minutes unless you can catch a fast moving thunderstorm, so determining the weather injection impact becomes a problem also.

 

Fortunately OpusFSX affords is the ability to return it if you don't like it.

 

Ernie

[WebMaximus 372]

Yep, Flight1's 30-day refund policy is really great!

 

I wish more would have such a great policy because it's not funny to spend your hard earned money those times you're not happy with what you bought afterwards for whatever reason.

[riccardo74 36]

Hi guys, you make me want to buy FSGRW....but what does it have more than ASE I own?

 

I'm trying the demo, very simple (usefull and appreciated) UI, and weather seems a little more real.

 

I like the fact you can save downloaded weather, store it and reload for a second flight session, usefull for my long haul flight.

 

I noted it use FSUIPC, but does it need registered version?

[WebMaximus 372]

I wrote in other threads and maybe also in this one why I prefer FSGRW but main reasons again:

 

- how fast it injects the weather

- how quick and simple the UI is

- how it depicts IMC and LIMC

- how you can actually "feel" the weather in the aircraft's handling

- local special weather effects at certain airports and more to be added (very cool!)

- no cloud popping

- how the weather somehow is rendered on the servers, this I think is what's making it so fast

 

And I'm sure there's more but this was just out of my head.

Forgot to answer your question about FSUIPC.

 

I'm pretty sure you won't need the registered version to use FSGRW but might need it to take advantage of all features in FSGRW. You should double check this though by sending your question to the developers or post your question in their own forum unless someone else in here knows for sure.

[PowerDrag 9]

I don't know how it compares to AS but it doesn't require a registered FSUIPC as far as I know.

[Nurmblitz 59]

Fsgrw? Where have I been? Never heard of it. Got to have a look.

I have used Active Sky since FS9. The newest update to AS2012 have turned out to be a nerve eating experience. i liked Active Sky X with XGraphics although it had that awful fog layer problem in the mountains. The AS2012 seems to be a moody piece of software and the graphics are...behind Fsx own. i suspect that it does not connect properly with sim, so maybe it gets better after tweaking and trying or I take a shortcut and return to ASX.

 

Opus was very promising, but it felt a bit of a prototype still and the camera option messed my views and were painstaking to set up, although a far cry from the set up nightmare of EZDOK. With REX I experimented with FS9 and the loading times were so long that I had to bed before I could get airborne and the textures were not to my taste. If you build your own weather manually and use perhaps some extra cloud textures you can have ok weather with default fsx too.

 

I would say take some time to make up your mind.

[Nurmblitz 59]

Visited fsgrw product page. Got to say they don't brag about their product too much. Very little information...

[WR269 367]

Had a go with FSGRW last night from YBBN to YMML...I knew we had jetstream conditions from the West but a cold front to the south....I had 153 knots from the west/south west at F360 down to F300...spot on.

 

As I got further south, winds died and changed direction slightly, which was again, spot on as per synoptic chart and known conditions. From PKS I could see the low layers of Strato-CU at lower levels, and they were thicker as I flew towards them. Very impressive I must say. Never a wind shift, the wind was as per real life, it was never stationary, very realistic.

Visited fsgrw product page. Got to say they don't brag about their product too much. Very little information...

I did interview Bernd, find it here:

 

http://forum.avsim.net/page/index.html/_/interviews/fs-global-real-weather-an-interview-with-bern-r1411

[Jarkko 59]

I feel that FSGRW and Opus are in a class of their own when it comes to depicting realistic weather.

 

For me FSGRW is the way to go as you can use loads of other plugins with it (LINDA, EFB, AirHauler, FS Flight Keeper, Latitude, ...) without problems.

 

With Opus, I got severe wind shifts and was informed that these plugins should not be used with Opus. I'm not alone with this problem as other Opus users have reported/recorded 40+ kts speed spikes during weather updates (causing overspeeds). No such problems with FSGRW.

[PowerDrag 9]

What would some body recommend for weather textures?, I'v been looking at REX and Flight Environment X and to a lesser extent Active sky, not talking about a weather engine (have one) just want to replace the default FSX weather with realistic and life like textures.

[WebMaximus 372]

After trying lots of different textures both freeeware in the past and lately different payware ones I ended up with the AS 2012 textures listed below and using these textures in combination with a good wx engine such as Opus or FSGRW I now have a FSX that looks better and more realistic than I ever had before and I'm very very pleased with the end result of this combination.

 

Except for the actual cloud textures I'm very impressed by the kind of light the Sky - Dusk - 32 Aerial texture gives at dawn and sunset. The light inside the virtual cockpit looking at the overhead panel for instance in the NGX at this time of day using this texture is nothing but spectacular IMHO !!

 

These are my currently selected and installed AS 2012 textures for clouds, water and sky:

 

Clouds - Stratus - 01 Cinema

Clouds - Cumulus - 07 Blast

Clouds - Cirrus - 17 Deflected

Clouds - Wispy - 04 Wisp

 

Water - Waves - 28 Aqua

Water - Tropical - Default

 

Sky - Dawn - 03 Edge

Sky - Day - 51 Conventional

Sky - Dusk - 32 Aerial

Sky - Night - Clear

[Nurmblitz 59]

Thanks webmaximus, maybe these will help me out in getting used to AS2012. I'll try.

[Nurmblitz 59]

Very good combination, very enjoyable. Thank you webmaximus once again, saved me a lot of trouble finding out myself.