AS16 + ASCA + REX Softclouds?

[darth_damian_000 8]

I read over the product description of AS16 and ASCA and I must say that the terminology used is so specific that I have no idea what it means. I presently own ASN, a weather engine, and it does a fine job. How does AS16 and ASCA amplify the experience? Furthermore, I do have REX Softclouds....is this product still useful for me?

 

Thank you.

[Bobsk8 12,545]

I read over the product description of AS16 and ASCA and I must say that the terminology used is so specific that I have no idea what it means. I presently own ASN, a weather engine, and it does a fine job. How does AS16 and ASCA amplify the experience? Furthermore, I do have REX Softclouds....is this product still useful for me?

 

Thank you.

 

I am now using AS16 that I installed this morning over ASN, and there is a great improvement in the way the clouds are controlled by the weather engine now. I saw a bunch of screen shots this morning of the ASCA clouds, and thought they didn't look anywhere near as good as my ReX soft clouds, so I just purchased AS16,  They work and look great together. 

[npole 21]

AS16 will control their textures.. but unfortunately ASCA looks terrible, so you gonna have no advantage if compared with ASN.

Stay with ASN+REX... and wait for the sales (50% discount or more), actually AS16 is a ripoff and doesn't offer any advantage (and if you consider ASCA, it's actually a downgrade).

[pete_auau 1,153]

 

 

How does AS16 and ASCA amplify the experience? Furthermore, I do have REX Softclouds....is this product still useful for me?

 

 

You know  you can  download as16   as  a 7 day  trial period,  that way you  can  see  for  yourself and  if  you like the new  improvements  there are  a few  good  ones   which  you  will find  out  for  yourself. If  you do decide  to purchase  it  since  your  using asn already you will get  a discount.   I  would  stick  with  rex  with  as16 if  you do  decide  to go this way.  AS!^ isn't  a ripoff  as  per  claimed  by  another user   since it  does  offer   good  advantages  over the  previous  version being  asn 

[MrSpeaker 121]

I bought AS16, but Im waiting to see if the new rex storm force (thinks thats what its called) to  see if it will work with AS16, not interested in asca at the moment

[Bobsk8 12,545]

I think AS16 is fantastic, and I have taken three VA flights with it today. A big step up from ASN, in my opinion. 

[JRBarrett 3,038]

AS16 will control their textures.. but unfortunately ASCA looks terrible, so you gonna have no advantage if compared with ASN.

Stay with ASN+REX... and wait for the sales (50% discount or more), actually AS16 is a ripoff and doesn't offer any advantage (and if you consider ASCA, it's actually a downgrade).

I can't speak to ASCA (yet), as I have purchased the software, but not yet installed it. But, to claim that AS16 itself offers no advantages over ASN is completely incorrect, and bordering on irresponsible.

 

Have you actually used the program?

 

I have used ASN on every single flight I have made in P3D for almost two years now, and have spent most of the day today evaluating AS16 vs. ASN in a variety of RW weather conditions at several locations worldwide. The performance of AS16 is a major step up from ASN. The user interface has been completely re-worked, and the various weather maps are much improved visually. Cloud generation (using Rex Soft Clouds), is smoother, And there have been substantial improvements in visibility smoothing in P3D - especially using variable visibility max/min settings between surface and aloft.

 

Thunderstorm (cumulonimbus) depictions are MUCH better in AS16, and related turbulence and icing conditions are much more realistic - to the point that major aircraft damage or loss of control are almost certain in one try's to fly through an active thunderstorm cell.

 

Winds and temps aloft are spot on, but they also were in ASN, so no big change here.

 

CPU load is lower, and FPS are higher, comparing identical flights using ASN vs. AS16 in the same locations, using the same aircraft, and the same downloaded weather.

 

Overall, AS16 is smoother and more fluid in its weather depiction, and overall system load compared to ASN.

[Jim Young 2,356]

I think AS16 is fantastic, and I have taken three VA flights with it today. A big step up from ASN, in my opinion. 

Finally!  I was starting to worry about you Bob as your earlier comments were certainly negative.   Cartoon textures and clouds?  Can't remember them all.  There were a lot of experienced and talented beta testers for this product and I'm sure they were not too happy when they saw your negative comments.  Personally I saw a whole new product almost immediately.  Today I did a flight from KLAX to KSFO (my testing ground) and I saw a dramatic improvement not only with the clouds and weather but also the frame rate.  With ASN, I honestly had to shut ASN down to save some frame rates in many cases.  I have my limiter set at 35 and I saw the fps counter around 30 fps throughout the flight in the PMDG 737 and over FTX/Orx North/South California.  I am really excited with this product.

 

Best regards,

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

I'm surprised at the negative remarks.  I haven't gotten AS16 yet, but this is a good company that really works hard at both making good products and support.  Yes, I'm grumbling about the FSX/P3D pricing thing.  (Among other things, it's going to make people drag their feet on switching to P3D which is going to increase support on the older platform.)  But it's still a good company.

[JLSeagull 191]

..... actually AS16 is a ripoff and doesn't offer any advantage (and if you consider ASCA, it's actually a downgrade).

 

I am really looking forward to reading the results and findings of your extensive in-depth analyses and comparisons of said programs upon which you base your assertions. Furthermore (and in the interests of safeguarding the entire Flight Sim Community from such a fraud), I would expect you to publish them here at Avsim and every other Flight Sim related Forum Worldwide as a matter of urgency.

 

In the meantime I am not holding my breath......

[Bobsk8 12,545]

Finally!  I was starting to worry about you Bob as your earlier comments were certainly negative.   Cartoon textures and clouds?  Can't remember them all.  There were a lot of experienced and talented beta testers for this product and I'm sure they were not too happy when they saw your negative comments.  Personally I saw a whole new product almost immediately.  Today I did a flight from KLAX to KSFO (my testing ground) and I saw a dramatic improvement not only with the clouds and weather but also the frame rate.  With ASN, I honestly had to shut ASN down to save some frame rates in many cases.  I have my limiter set at 35 and I saw the fps counter around 30 fps throughout the flight in the PMDG 737 and over FTX/Orx North/South California.  I am really excited with this product.

 

Best regards,

 

Jim,

 

I think you should go back and read my comments, because it seems that you didn't understand what I wrote. I like AS16 and think it is a major improvement over ASN, as I stated right from the beginning. The weather generator and the clouds are two different products. The former product is excellent. For great looking clouds, I will stick with Rex Soft Clouds. 

[Jim Young 2,356]

I went back and read them Bob.

 

I think AS16 is fantastic, and I have taken three VA flights with it today. A big step up from ASN, in my opinion. 

This comment is a big step forward from your earlier comments.  I have REX products too and really like them and think they are also excellent products for the community.  As a beta tester for ProATCX, you must know there was a lot of testing of AS16 and ASCA before it was released to you.  I thought the list of testers was impressive. 

[vgbaron 3,496]

I'm hoping that people who took some of those ugly screenies will contact HiFi and try to duplicate them. As I said, in months of testing - flying at least 2 hours a day all over the world - I never saw anything that looked like some of the shots posted.

 

As far as the pricing, with the changes to P3D by LM, the products are going in different direction. It used to be that you created a new installer and you were good to go. With the big visibility changes LM made, this *IS* a different product and no way can the dual license exist.

 

Consider that ASN had 5 free updates through it's life. Also consider that AS16 is one of those add-ons you use every time you fly. Put in proper perspective, it's a fair price.

 

Also we all know that HiFi provides excellent support and you can bet that they are taking all the comments and formulating steps to improve the experience. I expect there will be additional content for ASCA shortly.

 

Vic

[ARCO 245]

I own both AS16 and ASCA and had my first flight yesterday from Taipeh to Hong Kong in the new LionHeart TB21.

 

This was an interesting flight at an equally interesting time in the remnants of the giant typhoon that went across Taiwan the day before and a number of scattered thunderstorms on the way. The experience was absolutely stunning, the way AS16 loaded different textures from heavy storms to CAVOK situations during these two hours or so, the rendition of towering CB was the best I ever saw in flight simulation, the turbulences nearby thunderstorms - remember I was flying a light aircraft - were incredibly realistic (I flew myself in such conditions in RW and remember how much I had to struggle to remain leveled). If you add to that an early evening landing at FlyTampa VHHX with heavy cloud coverage and rain, this was a test flight I shall remember for a long time...

 

I do have REX soft clouds as well, but the integration of ASCA Global Dynamics in AS16 did a splendid job, and I see no reason why I should bother selecting textures when AS16 does that splendidly on the go, besides do I want to see the same set of cloud textures on my take off in Copenhagen and at my landing in Rio do Janeiro? This is what AS16 is all about, a great step towards weather realism and I thank HiFi for their hard work and creativity.

 

To those who have doubts, pick your copy and give it a try, chances are that you will decide to buy, but dont underestimate ASCA that would be a big mistake, unless you never wander outside limited boundaries!

[Novation 534]

 

 

besides do I want to see the same set of cloud textures on my take off in Copenhagen and at my landing in Rio do Janeiro?

 

This would be fine if the textures were good, but all the shots and video I have seen to date are less than nice. Clouds full of mismatched and repeating textures, and some outlandish sky colours. Unfortunately Hi-Fi's forte is not in texture creation. An intergrated engine and texture system is a great idea, but this is not it as far as I'm concerned. I'm also hoping AS2016 does a better job at representing todays local weather, as it missed the mark by miles yesterday. Maybe Britain's terrible summer weather is too much for it :wink: