I want hear some opinions and experiences. I currently own ActiveSkyNext and I am wondering if the update price of $40 is really worth the changes. I want to hear about performance (fps) and features as well.

 

Thanks ahead

I too am using the ASN only. I do not have the AS16. Was wondering the same thing. ASN is working fine... gives me the real weather. 

 

I thought I'll wait for the REX weather..but it looks like they are MIA. REX has not come up with anything for a very long time.... Not sure whats going on over there.

Hi Folks,

 

Before Christmas I was ASN + REX + PTA - - - Now I'm AS16 + ASCA + ENVTEX + PTA... I think the performance is good and I'm happy with my upgrade - I always run clouds at the lowest resolutions because I think they look better that way... Yep - it's expensive - is it worth the price - it's up to the buyer... I'm always looking for IMC approaches and it sure seems considerably better in that regard... AS16 does offer a demo license - try it yourself...

 

Regards,

Scott

I had ASN + REX TD/SC and when I switched to AS16 + ASCA I could turn on an extra cloud layer, check a couple of extra options to get about the same performance, maybe still a little better. I love the graphics and the changing textures add some extra realism when the weather changes. I'm very happy with AS16 and ASCA, performance-wise as well as esthetic-wise.

  I get excellent performance and visuals with ASN, REXTD+soft clouds, and the freeware PTA. I am running 4 layers of cloud, even with 4xSGSS enabled, in heavy weather, (ie, moderate snow 3 mile vis), I do not have any performance issues. Personally, I saw AS16 as a minor update to ASN, and doesn't offer anything worth the high cost for upgrading. I am fairly certain that when the 64 bit sims are launched, I will have to repurchase a weather addon. Hifi will definitely be my company of choice. To each their own.

 Personally, I saw AS16 as a minor update to ASN, and doesn't offer anything worth the high cost for upgrading.

 

I feel the same way, the upgrade from what I can see is a minor one.

Ya same here, not worth it at all unless you want the textures.

Ya same here, not worth it at all unless you want the textures.

 

I am not even sure the textures are worth it.  I changed from REX Soft Clouds to ASCA and really didn't notice much.  I even had to double check it was working because I have never noticed dynamic cloud texture changes.

I changed, and I can say it's not worth it. They have this new mode in ASCA, 3D clouds or sth, I can't run it, too much of a performance drain in a pretty powerful GPU. So if you really wanted ASCA, then you need AS16.

As for ASN -> AS16. There are some fixes really, like no more vertical clouds that sometimes appear in P3D, further north you fly, more often those appear too. Was it worth the price? Meh... not really.

I also barely notice these dynamic changes.

 

 

I also barely notice these dynamic changes.

 

LOL!  That's the whole point. If you noticed the changes, there would be a bunch of complaints about cloud popping, etc. etc.

 

Glad to know it's working.

 

 

Vic

Hmmm...  Part of the problem here is that this is so subjective.

 

I upgraded a few weeks back as I really wanted to try ASCA and dynamic.  Seems to work as advertised and as Vic notes the point isn't to allow you to see the cloud changes, but to have the right clouds available to load based on wx type.  It should be transparent to the user, but with improved cloud depictions in any given situation.  What I see (again subjectively) is just that, as well as markedly improved overcast depiction.  There are other nice changes in terms of flexibility and so forth, and turbulence seems (again, subjectively!) to be greater at default settings and...

 

ASNext was good - the best I'd tried in fact, and I've tried many.  To my mind AS16 + ASCA in dynamic mode is better.  If you're a wx junky (as I definitely am) I'd say do it.  If you just want good enough and are happy with ASN, perhaps not.

 

Oh, one more thing.  I was not particularly thrilled with the skies in dynamic mode, so I've left that out of the dynamic equation and am still using static REX textures for that.  To each his own, but kudos to HiFi for allowing that kind of flexibility.

 

Scott

LOL!  That's the whole point. If you noticed the changes, there would be a bunch of complaints about cloud popping, etc. etc.

 

Glad to know it's working.

 

 

Vic

Yeah, that came out wrong, I admit.

But you also can't say that one cannot notice changes, because what is the point of the whole system then?

Something must be visually different, otherwise I can as well stay with one texture set.

W

 

Yeah, that came out wrong, I admit.

But you also can't say that one cannot notice changes, because what is the point of the whole system then?

Something must be visually different, otherwise I can as well stay with one texture set.

Well, if, when you fly with the same texture set, you don't notice that the sets are always the same or you don 't care - then that feature of AS16 wouldn't interest you.

 

The idea is for the cloud sets to change depending on the weather. The proper set will be inserted as necessary. I'm being overly simplistic but it gives you a greatly increased number for cloud sets that provide more accurate depiction of the current weather.

 

If you are looking for something that will jump up and shout at you - not gpoing to happen.

 

Bottom line, if the user notices weather changes, it takes away from the immersion.

 

Vic

I'm still on ASN and REX 4 + Soft Clouds and see no reason to upgrade.

Works like a charm.