FORUM ALERT X-Plane 10: Clouds & Datarefs - Questions

[Colonel X 1,430]

Well, this is pretty much all I know about sky and clouds in X-Plane.

 

Great insights, messed with the vertical stripes for hours and never understood how they worked.

 

Do you know if it is possible to "brew" your own sky color using datarefs? I can't seem to find the correct dararefs, the values don't make sense.

[Murmur 3,941]

Great insights, messed with the vertical stripes for hours and never understood how they worked.

 

Do you know if it is possible to "brew" your own sky color using datarefs? I can't seem to find the correct dararefs, the values don't make sense.

 

Hmmm what do you mean? The used skycolors are those in the textures, although there is an art control called "atmo_scale_raleigh" that "squeezes" the skydome producing darker skies.

[Colonel X 1,430]

Hmmm what do you mean? The used skycolors are those in the textures, although there is an art control called "atmo_scale_raleigh" that "squeezes" the skydome producing darker skies.

 

I know my way around the textures... what I want to do is mix these to my taste. For example, when visibility is 16 sm, X-Plane uses (roughly) 23% hazy, 17% clean and 50% ocast. I want to write a LUA script that instead uses 80% clean and 20% ocast for 16 sm (this is part of a larger custon real weather mod I am doing).

 

When I open the sky colors palette and click between the diff. textures, none of the associated datarefs seem to change, so I can't find a way to set them as of now.

 

Any ideas?

[Murmur 3,941]

I know my way around the textures... what I want to do is mix these to my taste. For example, when visibility is 16 sm, X-Plane uses (roughly) 23% hazy, 17% clean and 50% ocast. I want to write a LUA script that instead uses 80% clean and 20% ocast for 16 sm (this is part of a larger custon real weather mod I am doing).

 

When I open the sky colors palette and click between the diff. textures, none of the associated datarefs seem to change, so I can't find a way to set them as of now.

 

Any ideas?

 

Hmmm, as far as I know, that can't be done (unless, maybe, changing the code of the shaders).

[Colonel X 1,430]

Or maybe a script that automatically replaces and reloads sky textures based on reported visibility. 

 

It's just a bummer that there are many sky color datarefs, I just can't seem to understand what they do.

[Murmur 3,941]

It's just a bummer that there are many sky color datarefs, I just can't seem to understand what they do.

 

What datarefs do you mean?

[Colonel X 1,430]

What datarefs do you mean?

 

All that have "skycolors" in their name  :smile:

 

Never mind, I found a way to work around it.

 

I am building a new way to display real weather using datarefs, SMP & RWC and NOAA plug-in, which essentially uses X-Planes weather to build atmosphere & visibility and then let SMP & RWC only inject clouds, and NOAA only inject temp, pressure and winds. This way it's possible to have a natural, smoothly increasing visibility with altitude (no more unlimited vis above the first cloud layer).

[Humpty 751]

Do check this for the clouds

 

http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/33443-lua-default-cloud-enhancer/

 

I am using it.

[Danita 0]

Murmur, can you post again your modified files? There are no longer available on Filedropper :(

[Humpty 751]

Murmur, can you post again your modified files? There are no longer available on Filedropper

 

Danita

 

 This is Murmur script IIRC.  But I think you also need his clouds.png

 

 

set( "sim/private/controls/atmo/scatter_raleigh_b", 41 )

set( "sim/private/controls/atmo/scatter_raleigh_g", 17 )

set( "sim/private/controls/atmo/scatter_raleigh_r", 5.8 )

 

set( "sim/private/controls/skyc/min_shadow_angle", -90 )

set( "sim/private/controls/skyc/tone_ratio_mount", 0 )

 

set( "sim/private/controls/shadow/total_fade_ratio", 1 )

 

 

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/first_res_3d",2)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/plot_radius",2)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_0",0.8)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_1",0.7)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_2",0.6)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_3",0.5)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_4",0.4)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_5",0.4)

set( "sim/weather/cloud_coverage[0]",1.5)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ambient_gain", 1.50)

set( "sim/private/controls/atmo/atmo_scale_raleigh", 25.0)

set( "sim/private/controls/atmo/inscatter_gain_raleigh", 5.0)

set( "sim/private/controls/skyc/raleigh_scattering_mount", 0.212)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/cloud_shadow_lighten_ratio", 0.75)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/shad_radius", 0.75)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/shadow_size", 2048.00)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/shad_alpha_dry", 1.50)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/shad_alpha_wet", 1.50)

[Danita 0]

Thanks HumptyDumpy, but yes the replacement clouds were part of the magic

[Humpty 751]

@Danita

 

I think this is script, I do have some clouds but I am really not sure if they are by Murmur

 

 

set( "sim/private/controls/cloud/fade_far_end",0.5125)

set( "sim/private/controls/cloud/sample_opacity",0.02)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/cloud_shadow_lighten_ratio", 0.8)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_0",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_1",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_2",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_3",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_4",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/squish_layer_5",0.2)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/alpha_layer_0",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/alpha_layer_1",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/alpha_layer_2",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/alpha_layer_3",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/alpha_layer_4",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/lo_cir/alpha_layer_5",0.5)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/squish_layer_0",0.8)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/squish_layer_1",0.8)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/squish_layer_2",0.8)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/squish_layer_3",0.8)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/squish_layer_4",0.8)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/squish_layer_5",0.8)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/alpha_layer_0",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/alpha_layer_1",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/alpha_layer_2",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/alpha_layer_3",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/alpha_layer_4",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/sct/alpha_layer_5",0.5)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/squish_layer_0",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/squish_layer_1",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/squish_layer_2",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/squish_layer_3",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/squish_layer_4",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/squish_layer_5",0.2)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/alpha_layer_0",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/alpha_layer_1",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/alpha_layer_2",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/alpha_layer_3",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/alpha_layer_4",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/bkn/alpha_layer_5",0.5)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/squish_layer_0",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/squish_layer_1",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/squish_layer_2",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/squish_layer_3",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/squish_layer_4",0.2)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/squish_layer_5",0.2)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/alpha_layer_0",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/alpha_layer_1",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/alpha_layer_2",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/alpha_layer_3",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/alpha_layer_4",0.5)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/ovc/alpha_layer_5",0.5)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/diffuse_gain", 1.0)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/first_res_3d", 2)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/overdraw_control", 0.0)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/plot_radius",1.5)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/spec_gain",1)

set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/shad_radius", 0.75)
set( "sim/private/controls/clouds/shadow_size", 2048.00)

[Murmur 3,941]

Murmur, can you post again your modified files? There are no longer available on Filedropper

 

Try this:

 

http://wikisend.com/download/602140/Clouds.zip

 

It contains two folders. The first ones are hi res clouds, the second ones are original X-Plane clouds (softer) but modified to look more uniform and with more performance.

 

My advice is to try both and see which one you prefer. You just have to rename the original "clouds" folder in X-Plane/resources/bitmaps/world, and then copy the folder with the modified clouds in place of the original one (of course renaming it to "clouds").

 

Remember that if you run the updater, X-Plane will rewrite the original cloud texture files without asking, so you will have to delete the original files again (cloud_puff0.png to cloud_puff5.png) and leave only the .dds files.

[Danita 0]

WOW Thanks!! This really looks great :smile: It's amazing what can be done with the native engine. I'm sure with a bit of tweaking on the bitmaps more could be achieved. I hope someone from the LR art department is following these forums.

 

BTW, speaking of skies, I was experimenting today with the skydome colors, and noticed my X-Plane only seem to use slots 1-8 instead of the full 16. Reading this thread and noticing you're quite the expert on X-Plane skies, do you know why could this be happening?

 

Video:

File to reproduce: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7686719/sky_colors_clean.png

 

Is it only happening to me? I don't have Skymaxx or other weird stuff.

[Humpty 751]

Try this:

 

http://wikisend.com/download/602140/Clouds.zip

 

It contains two folders. The first ones are hi res clouds, the second ones are original X-Plane clouds (softer) but modified to look more uniform and with more performance.

 

My advice is to try both and see which one you prefer. You just have to rename the original "clouds" folder in X-Plane/resources/bitmaps/world, and then copy the folder with the modified clouds in place of the original one (of course renaming it to "clouds").

 

Remember that if you run the updater, X-Plane will rewrite the original cloud texture files without asking, so you will have to delete the original files again (cloud_puff0.png to cloud_puff5.png) and leave only the .dds files.

 

I do have some other clouds from you, also if you read a couple of posts above I have pasted some lua scripts , these I think are yours , will they matter if used now ?

 

Just used your clouds and went to HUTO got surrounded by clouds but as no HDR I got 30 fps .