Searching for weather engine

[bonchie]

Interesting thread! I too use ASE2012 currently but am considering getting FSGW. As good as ASE2012 now there are still cloud popping which is totally ruin the experience when it does. Beside FSGW also promises XPX support too. XPX is where I fly my GA and bush planes these days.

Turn on Suppress cloud redraws and you won't see popping. It won't redraw clouds in your visual area.

[WebMaximus]

Any comments on REX Essential since the SP2 update a few weeks ago?

 

Supposedly was a big update to the weather engine.

 

 

I'm sure it's great but I'm having trouble justifying almost $55 US, much more then any other weather program, and all it is the weather engine.

 

Opus gives you a camera and effects system plus networking ability. REX and AS2012 give you a vast array of textures and flight planning.

 

FSGRW is probably suffering sales because of perceived lack of value. They need to lower the price or spice up the package.

 

I felt the same when I was deciding should I buy FSGRW or not already having all the other wx engines you mention but now in the end I'm glad I did spend these additional money on yet another wx engine.

 

I guess it all depends on what each and every one prioritize but to me when I buy a wx engine the most important thing is just that...how it will depict the weather. Sure it's nice to have extra stuff such as camera movement, textures etc but again IMHO I think the most important thing is the actual weather. And I still use AS2012 textures since I find them the best available both looking at freeware and payware alternatives and I've tried them all. As for the remaining two wx engines I wish I had not bought them but that is always easy to say in retrospect and fact is I enjoyed them both in the past so I still don't consider it a total waste of money. I think this is true for pretty much everything, you buy one thing and are very happy with it until something better comes along...

[Kaboki]

 

 

The local wx stuff is interesting, but I don't think it's available in enough areas yet to be super compelling at this stage.

 

The list keeps growing, and if you have a particular airport you like to have these effects on you can send them a mail with info on weather and most likely they will add it. I did that with ENVY, and it is now on the list(in preparation) B) When I started using FSGRW a few months ago only 7 airports had these effects, it has now grown to 22, so they are working hard to get more airports in there.

[tttocs]

When I started using FSGRW a few months ago only 7 airports had these effects, it has now grown to 22, so they are working hard to get more airports in there.

 

I don't mention this to be critical, but rather from the perspective of a GA pilot who flies to/from small to moderate sized airports.  I doubt this would ever grow into a feature that would be a compelling draw for pilots like me.  Doesn't mean it isn't a nice feature - just not the one that would sell me.  Other things might though - see previous Q's.

 

 

 

Any comments on REX Essential since the SP2 update a few weeks ago?

 

See previous comments in this thread.  I think it represents a substantial upgrade in stability and I've pretty much moved to it 100% and back away from Opus.  No big changes in functionality, but almost everything works better.

 

Scott

[Kaboki]

 

 

I don't mention this to be critical, but rather from the perspective of a GA pilot who flies to/from small to moderate sized airports. I doubt this would ever grow into a feature that would be a compelling draw for pilots like me.

 

Why is that? I find these effects to be most exiting when flying GA(they have killed my virtual life several times) And if you have a small GA field you like to see these effects, just mail them with info on the local weather phenomena and Im sure they will add it to the list. I got ENVY added, a small GA field in Norway with a 800m runway B)

[bonchie]

See previous comments in this thread.  I think it represents a substantial upgrade in stability and I've pretty much moved to it 100% and back away from Opus.  No big changes in functionality, but almost everything works better.

 

Scott

 

How's the visibilty/haze working in the latest SP?

[tttocs]

 

 

Why is that? I find these effects to be most exiting when flying GA(they have killed my virtual life several times) And if you have a small GA field you like to see these effects, just mail them with info on the local weather phenomena and Im sure they will add it to the list. I got ENVY added, a small GA field in Norway with a 800m runway B)

 

Interesting.  I assumed (yeah, I know!) that larger fields would get most of the attention.  Thanks for letting me now that's not necessarily the case.

 

 

 

How's the visibilty/haze working in the latest SP?

 

I haven't flown much in low vis wx since the SP, but I did do a flight last night (time shifted from yesterday morning) from KGCN (Grand Canyon) to KAPA (Centennial Airport in the metro-Denver area).  KGCN had a reported vis of 4 miles at my departure time, and it was very well represented.  It was a thin layer of light fog and looked reasonably good from above as well.  Changes can still happen more abruptly than I'd like, but that's true for me with Opus too.  Nice mix of wx along the route with everything from the fog layer to clear to scattered, broken and overcast and it was all quite well done with minimal popping.

 

Scott

[Ponk]

I have REX, AS2012 and OPUS.  I like REX textures but prefer AS2012, I like AS2012 turbulence simulation but it doesn´t work as well as older version.  I loved Opus and enjoyed the DHM although it always felt cheating to move the cockpit and not the aircraft.

 

I just tried FSGRW and really like it.  My flight is a round the world, the leg was Wick to the Faroe Islands, a route I have flown many times but this time, due to the local weather effects at Faroe, the approach was quite hairy!  Low overcast to 400ft, min descent was 1200 but kept going just for fun, popped out at 400, then some pretty strong wind shear, it´s been a while since I had to actually fly the aircraft to the runway with so much control input.  Takeoff was equally as fun.

 

The second leg was to BIHN on the east coast of Greenland, this time the vis was 5miles, the hills 5 miles away on short final were just visible, very atmospheric, on final the asi needle was jumping up and down 5kts due to the breeze (not seen that for a while), nothing too bad but had to be watched, a bit of shear on flare so some small corrections and a solid touchdown.  Wow, this is a great programme and I can do a few more legs with the free demo.

 

It´s going to be a keeper, a simple programme, great depiction (tested with the Duke up to 10´000ft only), great turbulence, local weather works well and the database will increase.  

 

I do love Opus but I feel it´s got a bit lost in so many updates and so much concentration of wind aloft for airliners that FSGRW may be the best out there for people looking for simple and effective GA weather depication (it may be great for tube fliers bit can´t comment yet).

That and trying a new AA mode in inspector and having FTX Global just increased my enjoyment in FSX a lot recently.

[Bsal]

I just noticed FSGRW has a forum on its own website here http://fsgrw.freeforums.org/index.php I just finished another flight with it from Frankfurt to Dublin and the cloud coverage is excellent and the turbulence during the trip was very reallistic especially at cruise as the wind was about 110kts most of the way. Future updates can only make it even better.

[Iceman2]

Hi All,

 

Everyone is different we know that, however I guess realism is what we are all striving to achieve whether we are high fliers with the heavy iron or bug smashing our way round the hills with the props.  I have all the WX engines that are available and certainly some are better than others.

 

I have added a really cool feature to the config files of all the UT2 AI Traffic aircraft which will now only show contrails when the temperature is less than -49degs so having accurate upper level temperatures was important for me. Tthe temperature will differ from day to day and between summer and winter.

 

Some WX engines put a massive invisible block of stable air around the airplane so as to avoid wind, pressure & temperature variation that can adversely effect the flight. However this will ultimately effect AI Traffic as well which are flying around us, for example if I'm at FL330 temperature is -42 and wind is 220/86kts, this means that all aircraft around me have the same conditions, that is, no one will be vapour trailing even if they are at FL410 and the poor Cessna near the ground is copping 86kts.

 

No one wants massive wind shifts in direction or speed particularly with the high tech aircraft of today like the PMDG NGX/777 which will ultimately end in disaster midway across the Atlantic after a high altitude stall and stylish double pike into the water.

 

Other important needs are local Airport weather interpretation and overall area forecasting including thunderstorms, arriving warm & cold fronts etc etc.

 

I must say I have only ever seen true overcast cloudy wet/rainy conditions from OPUS and FSGRW and as for high altitude flying goes considering temperatures for vapour trailing OPUS and FSGRW do this job the best and are equally as good IMHO.

 

For the most accurate Airport weather forecasting OPUS and FSGRW also have this feature in the bag and for me have never got it wrong.

 

There is another cleaver little feature which I think is only available in FSGRW that looks at the area weather and not just the airport TAF or MET report which often dose not indicate cloud levels that are above 5000' AGL. Now that can add a whole new meaning to CAVOK. (may still be a high level cloudy day)

 

We all know the out-dated FSX has many limitations and over the years we are seeing advancements in realism that we thought were never possible like the amazing PMDG stuff, Majestic Q400, FSDT, Tampa and FTX scenery to name just a few. Realism is what we love and have come to expect and respect from those that have managed to develop outside the limitations of the so called box.

 

So for me OPUS and FSGRW software have proven that they can develop outside the limitations of FSX bringing us even closer to reality.

 

iceman

[molleh]

I have been using FSGRW a lot lately.  It's just awesome all around. The best thing about it for me is a.) I have not experienced a single major wind shift and b.) when you plug in a flight plan, the predictions along your route are spot on, every time.

 

Plus it does great overcast conditions, as well as the new "natural winds" feature which adds completely smooth and slightly variable conditions to the winds - slight, gradual, smooth changes in speed (not gusts, though it simulates gusting of course as well) and direction that add subtly to a more realistic feeling during flight (when hand flying anyway.)

[B777ER]

I have FSGRW and really like it. What are the kilometer settings for updating the weather and the visibility settings you all are using in FSGRW? I am a NGX flyer so I want what best simulates visibility at high altitude. I know my fsx settings may need to change as well.

 

Sent from Samsung Galaxy Note 2

 

[WebMaximus]

Hi Eric!

 

Funny I looked at your signature 'Over 10 years at Avsim' and just checked my own profile and noticed I've also been at Avsim for over 10 years now...10 years and 2 days to be exact :wink: Funny how time flies!

 

Back to your question, this is how I have my sliders set and this seems to work good in my case.

 

FSGRW Weather Radius 90 nm

FSGRW Limit Maximum Visibility 160 km

FSX Cloud Draw Distance 176 km

[Tangolima]

Opus. with Rex textures loaded (once).  Cant be doing with all the cartoon interface themed BS of the rest!  :blink:

[GHarrall]

Opus is now providing the option to use "bump aircraft" for turbulent motion without the need of having DHM turned on. I hope this puts to rest the notion that Opus only does turbulence through camera effects once and for all.

Opus is now providing the option to use "bump aircraft" for turbulent motion without the need of having DHM turned on. I hope this puts to rest the notion that Opus only does turbulence through camera effects once and for all.