If you look at the picture you will see the Visibility Layer around the mountains. It's not a cloud layer (although I'm sure MSFS creates the visibility layer as one) ...... I'm using FSE1.2 and ASVKind regardsTerblanchehttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/122872.jpg

Hello Terblanche,I suggest that you play with FSUIPC clouds + visibility settings(if you have the registered version).ASV DEFAULT settings are OK and avoid this effectregards,David

Hi DavidWhat would you suggest be the correct settings in FSUIPC to fix this problem?I do have the registered version of FSUIPC.RegardsTerblanche

Here are my settings for FSUIPC and ASV.I have quite a serious PC but I uncheck Extended textures since I made those changes in the Visibility page.You can see the result on the last pic.I hope that helps.If not, send me your fs9.cfg + specs and I will try to help further.best wishes,David

TerblancheYou don't need FSUIPC to fix this (although if you have it, fine). Chris Willis and a couple of other people created fixes for this layer effect. I'm just revisiting this myself having just reinstalled my (Bluesphere) world textures to solve a problem I had, so will post again if I determine the answer once more. All I can say is I did fix this before, and will do so again!I do not have FSE1.2 and ASV, however, so cannot speak for those programs specifically.Mark "Dark Moment" BeaumontVP Fleet, DC-3 AirwaysTeam Member, MAAM-SIM[a href=http://www.swiremariners.com/cathayhk.html" target="_blank]http://www.paxship.com/maamlogo2.jpg[/a]

Hi DavidVery nice shot, what textures are you using?cheersLaserit

Hi DavidDid you get my PM I've send you to your e-mail address as per AVSIM? Would like to hear from you. I've send you my FS9.cfg content as well.RegardsTerblanche

Holy jumping :-jumpy that's a nice screen shot David.

Hi there Terblanche;This effect is due to the haze layer, which some people like and some don't.On the plus side of using a haze layer you get extra layers of clouds as the haze cloud tile is used at mulitple altitudes thus creating many extra layers or effects. It's suble and has little effect on fps.FE has a total of 12 cirrus sets which use haze effects and if you read the notes with each cloud selection you will see something like this; "A good place to begin this cirrus set offers a good balance of cirrus clouds with varied shapes and patterning. No Haze layer"or; "This cirrus set has some light cirrus clouds that give softer look. A patchy dense layer of Haze will sometimes be evident"or:A cirrus with a softer and a more subtle look. A layer of light broken Haze will sometimes be evidentIn other words the choice is yours and the option to select haze or no haze is in the choice of cirrus sets.First I would say sometimes it's nice to have no haze but boy will you miss the haze effects at other times. When haze is included it can often look spectacular but at others when around mountains does not look so good.It's really a limit of how FS9 works. Some peple have provided fixes for this saying this mountain effect is fixed but really it's not fixed at all just an exclusion of a required cloud layer that FS9 needs to use.In fact many people talk about the horrible effect in game when climbing out through a cloud layer only to find one minute there are heavy overcast clouds and the next nothing but broken clear skies under you.FS9 uses these haze layers to reduce this effect to help fill the hole so elimiating this required layer is really just a compromise effect and certainly not a fix.That's why with FE we have included many variations and densities for haze. Some will give a beautiful clean mountain look while others will have shades in between a hard line to a softer line.Personally, at first the initial release of FE had no haze layers but some people reported something was missing so we looked further in to it and realized that including haze options was a better idea.What tends to work really well, at least for me and most the testers is using a randomized launch that means the haze and cloud effects can look very different with each start.I would take the rough with the smooth here and enjoy the benefits of extra cloud layers sometimes and at others less layers and subtle looks when in mountain regions.I certainly would not suggest use one type over another and I would try some fixed senes to test where you can measure the plus and minus points of using the haze or not.But just to keep it simple for now; in FE the first two sets of cirrus have no haze effect at all and you'll see nice clear mountains. That's how things were in the first release of FE. Update 2 added more cirrus sets with some haze there to satisfy ohters. Update 3 adds more again.As time has gone on I now like the haze effects best as it makes for more spectacular looks overall.Peter

Hi PeterThank you for you detail answer - and let me start by saying I really but really enjoy FE a lot. Just this afternoon I was flying in Alaska with real weather and the clouds were absolutely spectacular! The default clouds do not come near to what I've experienced with FE.-BUT-I've played around with the randomizer and I don't know if it is only my imagination but some clouds really had a hard hit on my frames while others seem to be an absolute joy. So I've stopped the randomizer and fly only my preferred set.Could you give some suggestions on what cirrus set will be a trade off between those "hard" edges and a more suttle look?I will go back to FS9 and play around as well, maybe I'll hit the right one and then I will save that as a favourite.Thanx again for this wonderful add on.Terblanche

Thanks for the complements;First let me assure you it's probably your imagination that some clouds hit fps harder than others. Trust me I know what is going through your mind with uncertainty and wanting the max out of your system so you can enjoy everything to the max.The fact is what affects fps is a complex matter and there are a lot of things that can affect fps, not just the clouds.First, time will dertermin how much AI is running and that can make fps half; also, how far you are from scenery, what the aircraft is doing, is the weather engine refreshing things etc.We had over 30 testers and nobody could say one was fast or one was slow and prove it. What I mean by this is just when we think we know it it turns out we don't.What mostly affects cloud performance is the primitive clouds; or the wire frames that the textures in FE use. These primitive clouds vary in size and can affect fps by 20-40% so any difference you are seeing is these primitive clouds coming in to effect.The primitives are in the weather folder and look like this in an xml file.variation file="_altocumulus58-5s.cld" /> This is what gives the game a diffent look each time and why it's so hard to test clouds in any accurate way.What affects the cloud performance does have someting to do with the alpha density but this will only vary at max of around plus or minus about 5% or less than a fame when it matters. I doubt if you will be able to blindly notice?So I'm really very confident when I assure you don't worry about what cloud set is the best to use in terms of performance. It really is very minimal indeed.As for the cirrus choice please try them all and do some kind of test when haze is in the situation.One thing to remember is if the haze layer is omited then you will miss some spectactular effects by fixing the mountain looks.Thr cirrus sets that have a more subtle look are the ones that say they do with terms like "light haze layer" or "Dense" if not etc.Back to the randomizer. Please feel confident using this and don't automactically blame the cloud selection as to what is causing the fps drop when you get it. It's most likely the primitives as I explained.If you are on msn messenger please contact me on [email protected] and I'll be most happy to talk you through a few things personally. We can talk on voice if you have a mic.Peter