Real Weather Connector for SkyMaxx Pro v3!

[RJC68 823]

Could this be the answer to all our prayers for decent weather depiction ?

 

Sounds interesting 

 

http://forums.x-pilot.com/topic/8656-announcing-real-weather-connector-for-skymaxx-pro-v3/?utm_source=X-Aviation+Newsletter&utm_campaign=2f96e365c7-Real_WX_Connector_Announcement&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_12a9783f11-2f96e365c7-432937153&mc_cid=2f96e365c7&mc_eid=27f85270c3

[jcomm 5,890]

Many thx for the link Richard!

 

As a long time user of AS products, and also long time member of the Active Sky beta team, I look forward to try this add-on :-)

 

I'll do it also in the perspective of my real life work, at the Portuguese Metoffice ( LPPT ), just as I did with AS products which are, by far, the best available for the MSFS platform.

 

Maybe we can finally have in X-plane 10 what I've been missing for a long time ...

 

On my recent return to XPX, to test the results of the "torque bug fix", I even decided to buy SMP again - now on v3 ... but my weather injector ( FSGRW ) doesn't combine very well with SMP v3 in terms of long distance coverage / visuals ...

[Desaix 235]

I own both SMP3 and FSGRW but I must admit that I'm not thrilled but what I see in those screenshots.

As a ASN fan I don't think this connector will come even closer to ASN far weather description, maybe it's the system XP uses with real 3D cloud instead of textures but we are years behind (while on close weather we're months ahead).

 

I don't think I'll buy this new plugin if the price is anything above 5 euros, but I hope to reconsider with more convincing screenshots.

[mtaxp 666]

I own both SMP3 and FSGRW but I must admit that I'm not thrilled but what I see in those screenshots.

As a ASN fan I don't think this connector will come even closer to ASN far weather description, maybe it's the system XP uses with real 3D cloud instead of textures but we are years behind (while on close weather we're months ahead).

 

I don't think I'll buy this new plugin if the price is anything above 5 euros, but I hope to reconsider with more convincing screenshots.

 

Will not come close in which term?

[Don Quixote 76]

I have to say I'm very unimpressed by most of the weather addons for XP. SMP 3.0 is nice for screenshots but frankly I don't like flying with it. FSGRW is a good weather engine but it has no turbulence, and that's a serious lack.

 

This is a matter of taste of course, but for me the best cloud/weather solution for XP by far is the NOAA weather plugin combined with Murmur's cloud tweaks and downsampled cloud textures. This combination has the advantage of the default cloud "mechanics" (visible distant clouds), excellent performance (better than SMP 3) and thanks to NOAA there are winds aloft as well as turbulence effects. The downside is that weather transitions are not perfectly smooth, but that's a small price to pay, especially since all these addons are freeware! :smile:

 

[CFIJose 5,485]

I just have one question:

 

Does this eliminate the abrupt weather changes in XP 10 with SMP v3 and real weather downloads?

 

I want smooth weather transitions! Nothing else matters to me.

[mdavis 10]

I suspect the "new" extended DSF feature in 10.4x might be the reason that extended clouds are also possible now.  I agree with others that weather smoothing is very desirable.  Cloud quality varies with the user's opinion.  It appears that the new RWC will require SkyMaxxProv3.1, and there have been some tweaks in that version according to some of the posts from the developer.

 

So if you already have SMPv3, the 3.1 version is a free upgrade and you'll have to buy RWC if you want it.  RWC will not work alone but SMP does work alone.  Yes, it would be nice if they could integrate SMP and RWC.  Maybe later ...

 

I do find it interesting that it has been so difficult to code weather smoothing.  Both FSX/P3D and X-Plane can potentially use any online weather source (NOAA, FSGRW, etc.), and the "smoothing" code is internal to the weather generator add-on.  If ASW can do it in 32-bits, surely someone can do it in 64-bits with some kind of "averaging" algorithm that re-samples as the position changes.  You put a flightplan into ASW so it can "anticipate" METAR reports along the intended flight path and it generates the weather in advance of the position being reached.  I'm not saying it's easy to do, but it certainly is possible.  What restrictions X-Plane weather coding places on that capability is a question for the gurus.

[Cameron XA 272]

 

 

As a ASN fan I don't think this connector will come even closer to ASN far weather description

 

It seems you are misunderstanding the plugin. Real Weather Connector would facilitate a plugin like ASN, not replace it. Please re-read the product info!

 

 

Does this eliminate the abrupt weather changes in XP 10 with SMP v3 and real weather downloads?

 

Yes, as the product information in the link states, this alleviates the "popping" of weather between METARs.

[CFIJose 5,485]

After reading every post, this connector will add the tipe of weather immersion that I've been wanting since I became a fan of XP10. Thank you!!!!!!!

[jcomm 5,890]

One question - will it be METAR based only?

 

Because it is there that lays most of the limitation in XP weather depiction, specially in Europe where it is very common to find the sector altitude not higher than a mere 5,000 feet...

 

Storms  / TS, specially when embeded, are usually another aspect where XPX is very poor compared to FSX / P3D, specially when ASN is used...

 

And... let's not forget: Synoptic scale is required for good blending of data, not only winds and temp aloft, but also cloud cover. ASN uses, through it's own server and processing network, this kind of scale ( and even above it ) for it's depiction and "weather matrix".

[hychewright 46]

As a new XPX pilot, this is great news.

[airlinejets 709]

It seems you are misunderstanding the plugin. Real Weather Connector would facilitate a plugin like ASN, not replace it. Please re-read the product info!

 

 

 

Yes, as the product information in the link states, this alleviates the "popping" of weather between METARs.

Cameron,

 

An exciting project indeed. Any chance of getting better screen captures in different weather depictions?

[Cameron XA 272]

An exciting project indeed. Any chance of getting better screen captures in different weather depictions?

 

There will definitely be more shots to come as time permits. Keep an eye on that specific section of the forums and we'll post more.

 

I'll see if I can manage the time later today, but no promises.

[AUA425 130]

Hello Cameron !

Thank you for the info and this plugin, for us, who are not really happy with the XP10 weather (and I think many people are not happy :-) )  -> a very good news.

But one question -> since XP10.30 ? (I´m not sure, but I haven´t seen this issue bevore) the visibility layer goes up (about 2000 feet) to "unlimited" (over first cloud layer, no matter which visibility is reported) -> a very "useless" and annoying "feature" (have report this in the FSRGW forum with screenshots, and why such a "solution" at all :mad: :Shame On You: ?, or I´m the only one with this "issue"?)!

will there be some change or solution for this "feature" with the your plugin or it´s all about cloud depiction ?

 

cheers and thank you !!

[Anxu00 176]

As long as this eliminates the wait pause of XPX injecting metar I am on board.  I have to say this is the most annoying aspect of XPX weather.