Amazing flight with p3d v2.3 and Active Sky Next

[sanh 823]

I just downloaded ASN and looked up somewhere in Spain with stormy conditions (an airbase on the eastern coast of Spain although I can't remember the name). The take off from Madrid was uneventful but the landing in the storm was awesome. By the time I reached my destination the storm had moved to the south. As i made my approach from the South I found myself leaving the bright fluffy clouds and sunny conditions and saw an ugly dark cloud ahead. This is where the cloud shadows really come into play because they make the area under the cloud seem more threatening. Visibility also looked poor under that stormy cloud. As I passed underneath it I was bumped around in my 757 and experienced heavy rain and visibility dropped to a couple of miles. A I intercepted the glide scope I feared the worst. At around 8 miles I could see brighter conditions ahead. As I passed the large stormy cloud visibility improved, the rain stopped, everything was brighter and I was able to land safely.

 

Amazing realism. Not all down to ASN, P3D played its part. Can't wait to do another flight tomorrow. The transitions were smooth and with no autogen popping, 30fps in my 757 freemium and FTX global textures it was terrific.

[rparson99 32]

Thrilling. Yup, those adverse conditions can really make you sweat in p3d! Element by element, each update has increased the realism. I applaud.

[CarlosF 1,236]

I just downloaded ASN and looked up somewhere in Spain with stormy conditions (an airbase on the eastern coast of Spain although I can't remember the name). The take off from Madrid was uneventful but the landing in the storm was awesome. By the time I reached my destination the storm had moved to the south. As i made my approach from the South I found myself leaving the bright fluffy clouds and sunny conditions and saw an ugly dark cloud ahead. This is where the cloud shadows really come into play because they make the area under the cloud seem more threatening. Visibility also looked poor under that stormy cloud. As I passed underneath it I was bumped around in my 757 and experienced heavy rain and visibility dropped to a couple of miles. A I intercepted the glide scope I feared the worst. At around 8 miles I could see brighter conditions ahead. As I passed the large stormy cloud visibility improved, the rain stopped, everything was brighter and I was able to land safely.

 

Amazing realism. Not all down to ASN, P3D played its part. Can't wait to do another flight tomorrow. The transitions were smooth and with no autogen popping, 30fps in my 757 freemium and FTX global textures it was terrific.

 

 

How did you get P3D to work, cause I keep getting CTD, had to uninstall ASN.

[mwilk 1,106]

Carlos,

            Did you install the new beta for ASN that works with P3Dv2.3?

[Guest]

I came here to post a similar topic but since you already started one, let me add a big AMEN to all you said.

 

First of all I want to say that HiFi customer support is great! Due to my transition from FSX to P3D and installing everything on a brand new computer I somehow lost all my AS-related files including my license keys, which meant I couldn't buy the update but had to go for the full priced version. Bummer. I decided to ask on the forum if HiFi could retrieve my very old data solely based on my name. Vgbaron posted over there that I might try to open a support ticket and so I did. When I checked my mail this morning, the ASE license key was in the mail!!! Just like that! Awesome!

 

So I immediately bought the update, installed it, set up the options and did my first flight with the A2A Cherokee 180 above FTX PNW. Oh my... Why didn't I get ASN earlier. It was awesome!

 

I totally LOVE the historic weather option (which sort of lets you choose the kind of weather you want), specially how it automatically reads the date you set in P3D: how convenient is that! I also love the ATIS options (122.00, 122.02 and 122.05 on the radio) and how a flight plan is loaded automatically into ASN. The new Ctrl-F11 option to get weather info onscreen in the sim is GREAT too.

 

My 90 nm flight took me from heavy low overcast and low visibility to slightly clouded and higher visibility and so within that flight I got to see all kinds of 'skyscapes': what a difference this makes to the flights! The mood it creates is incredible. As sanh said, the cloud shadows really come into play here! It was great to go from overcast to a few clouds: you could see the sun shine on the ground in the distance. Fog was great too!

 

Ever since I got P3D I only used weather themes and mainly one kind so I've been flying with the exact same weather all the time. You do get used to it but now I know what a moron I have been... Should have gotten ASN sooner!!!

 

BTW I was afraid, because of various posts about this, that performance would dip down low. It didn't. In fact, I didn't really notice a difference!

 

In short: go get ASN. It's the best.

 

P.S. The spinning cloud problem is a bit more obvious with ASN though, because it adds a lot more clouds. And sometimes the nearby slight fog would suddenly disappear: I would like to see it go more gradually. But those are my only little gripes. ^_^

[Nyxx 6,993]

I wont say I told you so Jeroen :wink:

 

I only ever fly with real world weather with ASN, makes every flight feel and is different.

 

Have you got REX4?.....you know where is is going don't you...lol

[SpoonerFLIGHT 10]

757 Freemium, no wonder you had 30fps. That plane is fugly

[RoboRay 126]

FWIW, REX4 is "on special" for $26 at FS Pilotshop.

[Guest]

I wont say I told you so Jeroen :wink:

 

I only ever fly with real world weather with ASN, makes every flight feel and is different.

 

Have you got REX4?.....you know where is is going don't you...lol

 

Well, your post on the other forum made me go for ASN after all so you are free to tell me so LOL!

 

I don't have REX4 yet... Buying it only for the clouds is a bit over the top, I think... Maybe I will give the free HDE v2 clouds a try. I don't like the water reflections, unless REX4 can give me very small and subtle ones...? The default waves are WAAAAAAAY to big so I rather fly with Water quality OFF. I also like the default sky colors so no need to change those.

 

But er.......... yes, I am thinking about REX4, I have to admit LOL

 

 

FWIW, REX4 is "on special" for $26 at FS Pilotshop.

 

Hm.... ^_^

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

Well, your post on the other forum made me go for ASN after all so you are free to tell me so LOL!

 

I don't have REX4 yet... Buying it only for the clouds is a bit over the top, I think... Maybe I will give the free HDE v2 clouds a try. I don't like the water reflections, unless REX4 can give me very small and subtle ones...? The default waves are WAAAAAAAY to big so I rather fly with Water quality OFF. I also like the default sky colors so no need to change those.

 

But er.......... yes, I am thinking about REX4, I have to admit LOL

 

 

 

Hm.... ^_^

 

I tried HDE v2 clouds and was getting banding on my external aircraft - reverted back to REX4 clouds had to reboot problem was gone - beware - I did like them wish I didnt have this issue may revisit it later

[Guest]

Just tried the HDE v2 clouds: they seemed to hurt performance a but, even with the 512x512 DTX3 ones. They did look a lot better then the default ones though so I will probably keep them anyway! Best things is they are free... ^_^

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

Just tried the HDE v2 clouds: they seemed to hurt performance a but, even with the 512x512 DTX3 ones. They did look a lot better then the default ones though so I will probably keep them anyway! Best things is they are free... ^_^

 

I think there is dissconnet between the shadows and these cloud sets - shut off aircraft external shadows problem goes away - also take note I had HDR on did not try with that off - you will not see the problem until you are at a specific time of day in the area of dawn and dusk - you can prove this out by using time preview - which is an awesome feature

[Nyxx 6,993]

Well the thing with REX4 for is not just clouds, remember how you used my UK set for FSX, well REX4 is better.

Here is what I like, today your flying from XXXX to where ever, in REX4 you goto a weather window and type in the icao code and it generates cloud and sky colours form the weather report. It does a full set but in setting after you load all the textures you like just have clouds and sky colour as install only.

 

Then you load the clouds and sky colours for that day that the weather report gave REX4, load time for new textures. 2 sec's.

So every flight feels different. That and ASN...job done.

But you also make themes to your own liking

 

$26 come one it's so cheap.

 

No matter what you fly or where you fly, the two things that you need are weather and clouds.

[Guest]

Well the thing with REX4 for is not just clouds, remember how you used my UK set for FSX, well REX4 is better.

Here is what I like, today your flying from XXXX to where ever, in REX4 you goto a weather window and type in the icao code and it generates cloud and sky colours form the weather report. It does a full set but in setting after you load all the textures you like just have clouds and sky colour as install only.

 

Then you load the clouds and sky colours for that day that the weather report gave REX4, load time for new textures. 2 sec's.

So every flight feels different. That and ASN...job done.

But you also make themes to your own liking

 

$26 come one it's so cheap.

 

No matter what you fly or where you fly, the two things that you need are weather and clouds.

 

LOL Yes, I loved that set of yours (kept on using it until I switched to P3D!) but I simply like the default stuff in P3D. Apart from the clouds. Besides, that feature you describe seems nice but I have the feeling it simply is a 'randomizer'... It's just different everytime, which may be nice, but is it realistic...? Did you ever test this? What happens if you let REX4 create a set for the EXACT same weather 5 times in a row? Is it different everytime (randomizer) or not (realistic!)? ^_^

 

But er... do you know if REX4 comes with a very subtle wave animation...? One you hardly notice at 3000 ft and that only becomes obvious when flying really low? THAT might make me get REX4! (26 dollars isn't that much indeed, is it... :rolleyes: )

[RoboRay 126]

I just picked up REX4 this morning, and installed ASN beta on the 7 day trial. All I can say is...

 

Wow.

 

I had been using the HDE clouds but found them distracting due to a couple of clipped off edges in the cumulus textures. Once I noticed the flaw, it started jumping out at me everywhere. The REX4 clouds I've seen look a little better and don't have any visible errors.

 

I love the "check the current weather at an ICAO and load appropriate textures" feature... though I disabled ground texture replacement once I found a set I liked to lock them in.

 

ASN didn't seem to give any performance hit and it's great to finally get back to real weather instead of the same limited themes over and over again. I'm pretty sure I'll be buying ASN when my trial is up.