Active Sky Cloud Art for FSX & P3D - Released!

[brucewtb 250]

I cannot believe that you are not seeing a dramatic difference in AS 16 compared to ASN... The weather generation in AS 16 is an entirely new experience in simming..

 

My problem is this.  I have a test scenario based around the following conditions due to an intense low pressure system that was tracking down the NSW coast in early June 2016.

 

YSSY 050630Z 08018G28KT 3000 RA FEW014 SCT020 BKN030 18/17 Q0996 FM0715 07025G45KT 8000 RA SCT015 BKN025 TEMPO 0715/0930 3000 +R

 

Decoded textual weather for YSSY

 

Wind: 080 at 18 knots gusting to 28

Visibility: 1.9 SM (3000 m)

Clouds: , Overcast at 1010 feet

Temperature: 18.0C

Dewpoint: 17.0C

Precipitation: Moderate rain 

Altimeter: 996 mb (29.41 inches)

 

Having flown across the ditch from Wellington (NZ) to YSSY  I am 8 nm from td at FL370.  In both ASN and AS2016 I see about 6/8 cloud outside the window - with REX SC it looks pretty good with either ASN or AS 2016 (apart from the cloud pops which I get in both weather apps). I descend through the clouds in moderate turbulence following a STAR for rwy 07 (most unusual due to the cross wind component for the two longer runways).  I overfly the field at 4000 ft in solid overcast with fps dropping into the teens as Flytampa YSSY gets loaded - again same in both weather apps and follow vectors for an approach to rwy 07.  This situation stretches my PC to its limits and I was very much hoping I would see more fps with AS2016 but that is not the case. Overall a very good representation of IMC conditions in both ASN and AS2016 but certainly not "an entirely new simming experience" with AS2016.  But  I have a few more days with the trial and will see how AS2016 performs in a diiferent type of scenario.

 

Bruceb

[harrry 322]

Whats your last name?

 

Btw, if you go to the PMDG forum you better not tell them your name is 4L0M.

R2D2 would have a hard job getting support

[HUSSAR 272]

My assumption is that you still get dynamic processing for those "elements" still "checked" under Enabled Content.  So if Sky Colors are NOT checked, but Cirrus, Cloud Textures, and Cloud Structures are checked, then those 3 checked elements will get the dynamic processing?  Is that accurate or false?

 

 

I'm not sure why I have two Prepar3D v3 listings there, have reported issue and tried to edit one out of the AS16 cfg but no success.

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

 

 

Yes, I installed it, I didn't notice any difference in performance ... I didn't measure VAS.

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

I read this while I was out of town.  I checked my ASCA install, you will find the entry can be edited in the "GraphicsOptions.cfg" located in X:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\HiFi\AS16CloudArt  

 

You will see 2 identical entries, just delete the second one:

 

Description = Prepar3D v3

SimInstallPath = C:\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3

SimAppDataPath =

 

Rob

[Douglas.Matos 1]

AS16 + ASCA :  :wub:

 

 

[MindYerBeak 73]

I was really tempted to buy asca but then i saw those ugly looking skies...some were golden some cartoonish blue you'd expect to see huckleberry hound chasing the masked hornet and and ending up on a skyscraper...and decided to stay away.

[GSalden 4,686]

I was really tempted to buy asca but then i saw those ugly looking skies...some were golden some cartoonish blue you'd expect to see huckleberry hound chasing the masked hornet and and ending up on a skyscraper...and decided to stay away.

That was also the first thing that crossed my mind too.

 

But... when we had clear skies 2 days ago the sky color had the same light blue color ad ASCA.

My REX sky colors were to dark even when they were looking nice..

 

Looking at pics photographers use filters like polaroid ones ...

[MindYerBeak 73]

 

 

But... when we had clear skies 2 days ago the sky color had the same light blue color ad ASCA.

 

Fine.Was one decent sky color enough to make you change your mind ? I didn't see a decent asca picture yet.

[swiesma 625]

Fine.Was one decent sky color enough to make you change your mind ? I didn't see a decent asca picture yet.

http://www2.pic-upload.de/img/31218646/Untitled.png

http://www2.pic-upload.de/img/31218647/Untitled2.png

 

Looks pretty good to me... Comparing it to the color I see when looking outside the window.

 

AS16 + ASCA, no REX or other stuff. I wasn't too thrilled at first, too. But everything I see now is way better then ASN + REX SC. But "a whole new simulator"... nope. I, too, do not think so. Worth the money? I would say yes.

 

Wow....

 

Is that AS16+ASCA+REX SC???

 

Only AS2016 and ASCA. No REX things at all.

[GSalden 4,686]

Today the Sky colors are a bit darker.

Lots of clouds here.

 

It looks the same as Stefan posted.

ASCA is doing a good job ..

[Sethos 4,407]

http://www2.pic-upload.de/img/31218646/Untitled.png

http://www2.pic-upload.de/img/31218647/Untitled2.png

 

Looks pretty good to me... Comparing it to the color I see when looking outside the window.

 

Now show off all the weird yellow, pink and purple ones that make no sense.

[swiesma 625]

Now show off all the weird yellow, pink and purple ones that make no sense.

 

*?*

Never seen anything like this.

Give me a date and a place and I'll fire up P3d...

[MindYerBeak 73]

 

 

Now show off all the weird yellow, pink and purple ones that make no sense.

 

Yep.This is what I mean. Those  those sunsets or whatever they are supposed to be are atrocious.

[swiesma 625]

Just did a short takeoff in Dubai at sunset:

http://www2.pic-upload.de/img/31219301/Untitled3.png

I guess this is what you mean.

 

But compared to my fotos, made with my iPhone, it is not that far off

Too much yellow, but the tones are good I would say.

 

http://www2.pic-upload.de/img/31219307/IMG_2158.jpg

http://www2.pic-upload.de/img/31219309/IMG_2161.jpg

http://www2.pic-upload.de/img/31219308/IMG_2162.jpg

[rparson99 32]

All in all, I like the direction ASN and Rex are taking.  Great stuff.  Now I don't have to fiddle with weather if I don't want to...it just is.  ASN could use more variation in the cloud textures, and maybe soften some a bit...but they do look best when all elements work together (sky color, cloud type, haze...etc).

[paddler 64]

I have been following this topic all along trying to figure out which way to go. Recently I have been a REX texture and ASN weather engine user and happy camper. Always ready to upgrade for performance, I was prepared to upgrade but needed other users input to push me in a direction. I did not see any screen shots or videos that were making me happy with the imagery and agreed with most comments that clouds and sky textures were not great from ASCA. But what the heck I bought AS16 and ASCA but didn't install right away. So two days ago I was sitting in my sun room drinking my morning coffee and looked up at the cloudy sky. All that I could see was a perfect screen shot of AS16 + ASCA textures that I have been encountering in this and other forums. I spent the rest of the day looking at the real sky here and then going back to forum screen shots. ASCA was indeed depicting real clouds and sky in my area as close to reality as one could hope for.

AS16 and ASCA now installed and working perfectly. I am very pleased with what I see on my triple screen cockpit in all of my flights so far. It matches real life. Now I understand that the imagery on the forums can't give you a true perspective of how it will appear on your sim and that you should not be put off simply by those images from others. The screen shots and videos will continue to be a part of my evaluation in the future but only a part.

I am sure that REX will also produce a great product(s) for us. AS and REX will each have strengths and weaknesses in the eyes of the individual users as we each have different needs and desires with our sims. I don't think that anyone will be totally unhappy with their choice whatever they decide.Thanks to both developers for enhancing our sim experiences.