Just purchased Cloud Shadows.. I think it's working...

[HighBypass 2,339]

Hi Steve,

 

Here's a screenshot - I believe the effect is subtle but can be seen underneath the Cessna, near the end of Manchester's runway using VFR Real scenery and the free EGCC version from UK2000.

 

 

I have not tuned the addon yet. It certainly doesn't appear to harm my FSX (thank you!). I do have the METAR option ticked as I usually fly around with FSOpen Clouds enabled which injects current METARS into stock FSX (it doesn't alter any cloud shaders).

 

However, seeing as Manchester is currently overcast I decided to use the default building storms option to get some strong clouds. Not quite the result I expected

 

Any tips please, just so I can see a better display on my system? Summer with fair weather perhaps? Darken the intensity setting?

 

I did note that VC cockpit shadows did disappear if there was no direct sunlight through the cockpit windows - the VC just became a little darker which suggests to me that the addon is indeed working as advertised.

 

Thanks.

[HighBypass 2,339]

YES! Cloud shadows are here to stay on my rig!!

 

A simple check, jump into an airliner 5 miles up and look DOWN  :wink:

 

... and a bit closer to the ground - the hazy cloud also appears to be recognised by the add-on!

 

Most excellent Steve! 

[SteveFx 258]

Cloud shadows uses the fsx shadow intensity value which applies to all other shadows e,g on the aircraft and on the ground.

 

This is calculated by fsx and varies with the sun height, season and visibility,

 

The fixer setting in the shadows dialog Reduce Fade in Poor Visibility reduces the effect of the latter as some weather engines always set the visibility to 10miles which make shadows fairly faint. Looking at the weak shadows on the Cessna I suspect that you possibly may not have that set.

 

Cloud shadows at a distance will be separately faded by any reduced visibility as will the rest of the terrain at that distance.

 

Shadows are also effected by the cloud textures and the cloud models ( how many layers there are)

 

You can make the cloud shadows darker or lighter with the sliders

 

So yes for the darkest shadows you should fly in summer at noon with unlimited visibility and for the weakest fly in winter at high latitudes, late in the day in less good visibility.

 

So e.g in northern Norway you will see no shadows in winter...

 

We cross posted, but hopefully my answers are useful to you. That last shot is very atmospheric, its worth noting that shadows on specular water remain obvious when the shadows are weak.

[HighBypass 2,339]

Thanks Steve - yes a comprehensive reply. I now understand more about what to expect!  I do have the reduce fade setting ticked. FWIW I don't have the shadow boost slider enabled at the moment.

 

FSOpen clouds does add a bit of haze to mask the somewhat unrealistic at times FSX unlimited visibility. 

[phmcr 93]

Just want to say thank you Steve! 

Yesterday on approach into WSSS, partly cloud coverage resulting in sun lit areas in between shadowed ones. Beautiful!

 

Menno