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Opus Software

Beta Version 3.38.0

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OpusFSX Beta Version 3.38.0 is now available for download on our website.

Remember when installing the OpusFSX_v338_Beta.msi file you must uninstall your current version before installing the new version (do not delete your previous \OpusFSX installation folder).

After installing please check all the settings in your Configure and Weather dialogues. You can download from http://www.opussoftware.co.uk/opusfsi/downloads.htm

Introduced new Cloud Smoothing software to preserve all local cloud coverage during weather updates and hence prevent or minimise any cloud popping during the weather updates. The Opus on-screen weather reports will append an (S) label to all cloud descriptions to warn the user that Cloud Smoothing is in force at that location and the listed cloud layers may therefore differ from what is reported in the METARs. Cloud Smoothing is inhibited at all specified Destination and Alternate sites.

Improved the accuracy of reported cloud layering, the injected visibility layering, and the weather at the specified Destination.

We now recommend setting a Cloud Draw Distance of between 70 and 110 miles in the simulator. The lower settings of 70 or 80 miles will be adequate for low level VFR, and anything from 80 to 110 miles for high level flying. The clouds at the range of the Cloud Draw Distance will either condense into view or dissipate out of view as you fly toward or away from them.

Please note, OpusFSX has ALWAYS provided this effect which is a natural and direct consequence of using the Opus pioneered Dynamic Weather Themes.

A new 'Weather Refresh Period' has been added to the Weather Downloads dialog for a trial. This period is used to ensure the weather in the simulator is refreshed at regular intervals, intended for use with the Cloud Smoothing option. Set to 60 minutes to effectively disable the refresh checks. The default settings for the weather update options are now set at 10 minutes for Refreshes, 20 minutes for Updates (download of new METARs), and the usual 160km for the maximum update distance.

Added delays to the SimConnect initialisation just in case the new P3D v2 software is having problems with its SimConnect handling in dialog mode. At the moment there are problems in the LM code that will result in the P3D program crashing if the FSXSERVER program tries to connect before P3D v2 has loaded its actual flight. As a result users should only run the FSXSERVER program manually after the flight has loaded. These problems in the P3D code also occur when the P3D Start up screen is displayed.

The 'Include Wing Flex Data' option is no longer adjusted if you have Adjust Options Automatically enabled.

Regards
Stephen smiley20.gif

N.B.

These Cloud Smoothing changes cannot eliminate all cloud popping within the simulator since the FSX/P3D code will always reposition and redraw clouds when a weather theme is loaded.

The only times the cloud popping should be a real problem is when you either have mostly clear skies with a few small patches of cloud, or vice versa, when you have mostly solid cloud cover with a few small clear patches. Under these circumstances the simulator seems to just randomly decide whether to draw any cloud at all or fill in the bare patches.

No one (apart from Lockheed Martin perhaps) can stop the simulator repositioning the cloud when a weather theme is loaded. All I can say is that the new Cloud Smoothing software completely preserves the cloud coverage at each point in space surrounding your aircraft. The extent of the smoothing area is increased with altitude but can be restricted when approaching your destination.

We now know how to completely eliminate cloud popping within the simulator. We have included what we can in OpusFSX and the rest will have to wait for OpusFSI in 2014. We will also need some time to way up the consequences of the cure, certainly at the moment the solution would cause problems with Prepar3D v2.

Anyway we hope you enjoy the new Cloud Smoothing option we have added to the existing code. The cloud condensing and evaporation effects have always been available, these effects are created simply as a result of your Cloud Draw Distance, more noticeable when the weather is injected using the Opus Dynamic Weather Theme method.

Stephen smiley1.gif

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Awesome Stephan just awesome

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

 

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I have posted the new beta 3.38.0 with what Cloud Smoothing code I could add in to OpusFSX, I have explained everything in the Announcement above.

 

The full solution to cloud popping will have to be tested with OpusFSI 2014 to see what the downside is, and what consequences there are to stopping the cloud popping completely. I will let you know what I find though and let you guys and gals decide whether you want it as an option.

 

Stephen :-)

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"Betas are usually provided as msi files but occasionally are provided as ZIP files. Click on the Beta button and download the OpusFSX_vNNN_Beta.zip or OpusFSX_vNNN_Beta.msi file."

 

 

Where is the "beta" button?

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Thanks Stephen, I did not scroll down far enough on the page.  Sorry about that.

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One last question.

 

Earlier today when I was running P3D V2 and clicked on "Addons" I noticed several OPUS entries in the drop down menu.  Now, they have disappeared.  Did I mess up the exe.xml or dll.xml file somehow?

 

I really like how the clouds are appearing in the beta.

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There is a problem in P3D v2 handling its SimConnect links. You should run P3D v2 and load the flight before manually running the FSXSERVER program.

 

Stephen

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