A note on active sky next

[nelsly 0]

Hi, this is indirectly concerning prepar 3d but I just did a flight into Atlanta with ASN for FSX and it was nothing short of amazing. Above the overcast was just like we all hoped it would be and breaking out right at limits with the vis and wind, well I just about had to change my pants (LOL). Have they done there home work. I can just imagine what it will be like for prepar 3d when it hits the streets. You can try it for 7 days. I think this is gonna be a real game changer.

 

Cheers

 

Nels

[MikeT707 1,181]

I have seen the very positive comments regarding this app within FSX.  This is really great news that such a realistic depiction of weather can be achieved and I am really looking forward to seeing how it looks and performs within P3D.

[GHarrall 494]

I tried the demo....didn't really feel it offered anything that I don't already get with Opus in all honesty.

[Guest]

All those weather engine devs are copying each others stuff and saying they invented it and that their tech is totally new. It makes me think of those detergent commercials where they say their new detergent now actually CLEANS your clothes... wow, revolutionary.

 

Whenever a weather dev announces its newest revolutionary addon I have to think of the boy who cried wolf, really... Still, I will certainly give ASN a try when the P3D version has been released, specially if the reports are positive during the coming month.

[Brian Doney 127]

I've been using Opus with P3D of course, and after being a little put off at first, I've actually come to terms with it, and feel that it does pretty well. Certainly better than ASE which I had been using with FS9/FSX.

 

It does have a few lingering issues that might only be a problem for tube flyers like myself, along with some features I would have liked to see, that aren't present. Cloud transitions, write performance, archived weather, actual compatibility with PFPX, and finally, ATIS consistency on arrival.

 

Before ASN released I made that list for myself for comparison purposes. These are things that I wasn't happy with, using Opus or otherwise. ASN would have to, without any room for interpretation, address all of them for me to have any interest. Trading one bad for another is not what I'm up for.

 

So far, after only 2 flights, it seems to have succeeded. Time will tell for certain though. I can only say that after becoming quite frustrated with ASE, it is nice to have options.

[styckx 1,869]

All those weather engine devs are copying each others stuff and saying they invented it and that their tech is totally new. It makes me think of those detergent commercials where they say their new detergent now actually CLEANS your clothes... wow, revolutionary.

 

Whenever a weather dev announces its newest revolutionary addon I have to think of the boy who cried wolf, really... Still, I will certainly give ASN a try when the P3D version has been released, specially if the reports are positive during the coming month.

 

I said something similar in the ASN thread and well yeah.

 

Summary

 

REX Essentials was supposed to be the IT weather app

Then AS2012 was supposed to be the IT weather app

Then OpenClouds was supposed the IT weather app

Then FSGW was supposed to be the IT weather app

Then Opus was supposed to be the IT weather app

Now ASN is supposed to be the IT weather app

Next Rex Direct will supposly be the IT weather app

 

(This isn't even counting pre Rex Essentials and AS2012, which makes the list even longer but I started personally w/ REX Ess))

 

Insanity.. I stopped at AS2012 when I realized the carrot dangling was only getting worse and the amount of cash you'd spend chasing the "next big thing"  is insane.

[geolpilot 88]

 

 

All those weather engine devs are copying each others stuff and saying they invented it and that their tech is totally new

 

Sorry Jeroen, I beg to disagree with you on this one.

 

Tried out ASN in FSX today, and there are some new things in there (I have only also used REX at times, but did not like their weather engine, textures yes). Rex's "interpolation" of winds aloft is not sophisticated interpolation as far I I have been able to determine (that's coming from someone whose thesis topic involved geospatial vector interpolation). For those who know what I am talking about REX seems at best to use "nearest neighbour" interpolation i.e. grab the wind from the nearest reporting station and apply it to its spatial neigbourhood. Not so apparent in USA or Europe with many close-spaced reporting stations, but in Africa, vast areas have the same wind direction, then a sudden shift to another constant direction over an adjacent huge area does not indicate advanced vector math being applied.

 

AS2012 however clearly uses different math, as evidenced by their easily accessible wind maps that show smoothly variable wind vectors and speeds. And now with ASN they have added 3D interlayer interpolation, and if they know their vector interpolation math like I think they do this is definitely going to make a big difference.

 

My flights around Cape Town today, with a 14kt South Easter were most interesting. With the mountains there the winds can be very dangerous for low level GA flying. And the effects were all there for the first time in my simming experience, Turbulence with lift on the upwind slopes, downdrafts on the downwind slopes, and some fantastic wind-funnelling effects through narrow gaps. Real fun in this light South Easter, going to be a challenge in a typical 30-40kt howler!

 

So I really do not think its all hype and copying at all, these devs really do work hard for years to bring us more realism. I certainly cannot wait to include ASN in P3D.

 

Rob

[tttocs 301]

 

 

Insanity.. I stopped at AS2012 when I realized the carrot dangling was only getting worse and the amount of cash you'd spend chasing the "next big thing" is insane.

 

Why is this "insanity"? 

 

Seriously, it would be my hope that developers would continue to try pushing the envelope, and in fact in many ways each of the engines you mention did bring something new to the plate.  When I bought Opus, it was a dramatic improvement over the older version of REX that I'd been struggling with.  Then REX stepped up with (several) improved versions of their wx engine with no-cost upgrades and since that time I've used both, depending on situations  Still, each of these has limitations and some of those limitations are addressed by ASN.

 

I'm not willing to pay every time, for every upgrade but I certainly am for some things.  But accurately depicted wx is very high on my sim-must-have list.  There are certainly things other simmers find important that I place further down the list.

 

Scott

[DarkstarF16 72]

On the subject of cleaning solutions, I remember a well known brand was selling their new shiny bright bigger and better same named product, in a TV advert. The lady cleaned the stainless steel sink and it magically produced a sparkle. I just had to complain and tell them that their product was indeed excellent but after using a whole bottle, the sink still failed to produce the magic sparkle I'd seen it do on the TV. I can't remember my exact words, but they did send vouchers without any arguments which kept me in that particular solution for a long time.

 

 

[nelsly 0]

Guy's you can try it for free for 7 days. Whats the problem. Either you like it or you don't. Doesn't cost you a cent. If it does what you expect and want, buy it. If not don't!!!!

 

Cheers

 

Nels

[jcomm 5,883]

I never used Opus, so, I can't coment...

 

Internally we're testing the P3Dv2 version. Although the FSX one works there are still aspects that need specific processing for P3Dv2. I am sure ASN will shine in that platform at least as much as it already shines in FSX :-)

 

Jeroen, there are, in fact, features in this new AS engine that make it unique, both in as far as cloud depiction and weather radar modeling goes but also in te way turbulence and winds are injected in the sim. This includes effects of the orography that are so well done that I now use only ASN to simulate my ridge soaring in FSX...

[DeCampos 40]

sticking with Opus after trying demo, which has also added cloud smoothing in it's last update.

[Brian Doney 127]

sticking with Opus after trying demo, which has also added cloud smoothing in it's last update.

 

Pretty sure cloud smoothing has been an option for quite some time, it has never worked very well for me, but it's been in there.

 

Latest version on the webpage is the one I have installed, can't say I've noticed any improvement in the smoothing performance. 

 

Maybe you will have better results.

[DarkstarF16 72]

Personally I am going to try it. I own all three major weather engines, because neither of them are perfect. Of the three, I use AS2012 99% of the time.

 

In general, what is starting to get really boring is the hype. If the new programme genuinely has features the old one didn't have, then great

 

If it does exactly what it says it will do on the tin in FSX then I'll wait till the P3D version materialises. I really can't fathom a reason for spending any more money on the old girl.

[mganz121 159]

The good thing with the P3Dv2 platform, is that the majority of weather engine developers are taking a cautious approach, rather than putting up their hands "to be first". I guess that's the difference with an "always in beta" and market ready product. One thing I learnt with FSX, is not to buy into the hype as it cost me a small fortune, often with unmet expectations. 

 

More importantly, the ability to "try before you buy" will allow me to make an informed decision. So with FSGW's P3Dv2 product update coming out in January and hopefully ASN for P3Dv2 also ready, I am going to enjoy some side by side comparisons.