Took these last night to compare all the stock ASCA themes, with a couple of comparisons of REX textures mixed in.

 

 

And here's the same scene with REX Soft Clouds (texture theme generated based on local weather):

 

 

Finally, this with AS16 + REX Cumulus texture:

 

And this after loading the ASCA textures:

Seems like AS16+REX is the best to my eye.  Thanks for putting all this together!

Thanks for all the work compiling these screenshots. I spent about 2 hours doing very similar testing of the ASCA themes, ASN, and Rex SoftClouds. The cloud textures between the various ASCA themes vary a good bit and some of the themes (Armageddon, in particular) generated a very high rate of texture repetitions with cloud shapes duplicated in a very obvious fashion.  In many cases, I preferred the deeper shadows on the ASCA textures compared to (definitely) SoftClouds.

 

I confess going back to SoftCloud textures and uninstalling ASCA because of the really large number of texture repeats and the "popcorn" cloud effects in P3D. SoftClouds and PTA got rid of almost all the "popcorn" for me but ASCA seemed to bring them back.

 

Loving ASN and waiting for a good comparison between Rex Weather Force (when available) and AS16 before switching weather engines. That said, ASCA seems like a generation 1 product with more potential than polish at this time.

In my eyes clouds in every shot looks pretty awful, except in the AS16 + REX Soft Clouds shot. Can't explain exactly what is odd, but visually is miles behind ASN + REX. Looks like popcorn.

Use to use ASN and Rex soft clouds. Now its AS16 and ASCA. Like it so much more

   Thank-You basementflyguy, for doing these comparison shots. This makes the decision a bit easier.  I am not a huge fan of rex textures, but in this case they are a little better than the competition. I'll keep my wallet in my pocket for a little while longer.

 

Jazz

Glad this is useful. I also think a lot of it depends on the REX textures involved, and the cloud types.

Thanks for the comparison shots.

 

I have REX4 + soft clouds as my texture sets and I just use REX Essentials (fly now feature) as the weather engine.

 

I find they work great together, I find the clouds choices, themes I have chosen to be very good.  I just can't see spending any more money to try something else at this stage.

 

Bryan

Thank you for the comparison shots. I like AS16 a lot. A big improvement over ASN in my opinion. I do like the AS16 and REX the best.

 

Thanks,

 

Greg

I try not to be negative but to me those ASCA shots are dreadful. 

In my eyes clouds in every shot looks pretty awful, except in the AS16 + REX Soft Clouds shot. Can't explain exactly what is odd, but visually is miles behind ASN + REX. Looks like popcorn.

I agree,

 

All those shots look terrible to me. I use FEX textures which to my eye look much more realistic.

But hey, it's all subjective isn't it?.... Like all art.......

 

Stu

I'm really happy in not buying ASCA when I see those shots and several videos.

The ASCA stuff is looking way to unrealistic, like a painting. For Picasso it would be a pleasure to see those pics but come on guys, that has absolutely nothing to do with the real world......

I agree,

 

All those shots look terrible to me. I use FEX textures which to my eye look much more realistic.

But hey, it's all subjective isn't it?.... Like all art.......

 

Stu

 

 

Yes, thanks for those shots, BasementFlyGy, but they all look bad to me too. ASCA as well as REX really hurts my eyes. I am certainly staying with HDEv2 now!!!!!! Saves me money too. But it's great to have all those options! 

Point is: For dynamic changes and reloads, you DO need ASCA. You can use REX through ASCA (just don't untick sky textures in the global automatic theme), but AS16 without ASCA is like a movie with just one frame :-)

but AS16 without ASCA is like a movie with just one frame :-)

 

Hm, AS16 without ASCA is an improved weather engine that does all it can do on its own without the need for ASCA. I rather have good skies than crappy or cartoonish or odd colored looking dynamic skies. As long as the weather itself is dynamic, I am fine. (I am reading reports about how great ASCA is and all they actually are reporting is how great AS16 is... Some seem to think ASN or other weather engines didn't offer dynamic weather...)