Rex present Skyforce.

[timest 472]

4 minutes ago, Rockliffe said:

If that's the case Glenn, then they need to stop calling them 3D clouds! 

The cloud ARE based on 3D. They are 3D models... how do you think we're able to get rainshafts, shelf clouds and so on?

 

[757FO 143]

39 minutes ago, rstough said:

The SDK is still valid on several aspects of the clouds, textures, and weather engine.  So staying updated will be easy.  The WX Radar was different because we were trying to make it work with ALL 3rd party weather add-ons.  That was the difficult part.

Hi Reed,

So if I read this correctly, this means that the AS Weather radar will be compatible with SkyForce? If not, that is a deal breaker for me as I use PMDG/FSLabs products and they have integration with AS weather radar and don't see any other weather radar support coming from them.

Thank you for clarifying

John.

[Kyle Schurb 89]

So difficult for any group to make an effort at being innovating these days. Surprised by a lot of these comments; I just don't get it. 

[Nighthwk 566]

10 minutes ago, Kyle Schurb said:

Surprised by a lot of these comments; I just don't get it. 

How so?

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, Rockliffe said:

If that's the case Glenn, then they need to stop calling them 3D clouds!  EDIT: Just read the entire thread and links... looks very exciting! Maybe they are true 3D clouds after all.

No, they are not. Even Tim's says so. The fact that the clouds still spin (though 'the ill-effect in question has been lessened to an acceptable degree') makes this clear. No matter how often REX types 3D on the Skyforce site, it won't make the clouds real 3D.

But let me add that I couldn't care less if the clouds are 3D or not as long as it all looks good. It's not about the blah blah and the marketing hype or the name of the product: even if REX would call this 'The ultimate sprite sky' I would get it if it turns out to look convincing. So I will be looking forward to the first reviews!

My own question hasn't been answered yet, though: if the weather part of Skyforce offers historic weather. I am happy to see SF supports other weather addons but having just one program for this would be nice, of course. But without historic weather I have no real use for the weather part.

[Rocky_53 1,579]

28 minutes ago, timest said:

The cloud ARE based on 3D. They are 3D models... how do you think we're able to get rainshafts, shelf clouds and so on?

 

Fantastic news Tim! Thanks for the clarification. Exciting times 

[Rocky_53 1,579]

1 minute ago, J van E said:

No, they are not. Even Tim's says so. The fact that the clouds still spin (though 'the ill-effect in question has been lessened to an acceptable degree') makes this clear. No matter how often REX types 3D on the Skyforce site, it won't make the clouds real 3D.

But let me add that I couldn't care less if the clouds are 3D or not as long as it all looks good. It's not about the blah blah and the marketing hype or the name of the product: even if REX would call this 'The ultimate sprite sky' I would get it if it turns out to look convincing. So I will be looking forward to the first reviews!

My own question hasn't been answered yet, though: if the weather part of Skyforce offers historic weather. I am happy to see SF supports other weather addons but having just one program for this would be nice, of course. But without historic weather I have no real use for the weather part.

Tim says... The cloud ARE based on 3D. They are 3D models...

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Rockliffe said:

Tim says... The cloud ARE based on 3D. They are 3D models...

Yes, but that doesn't make the clouds themselves 3D. He didn't say 'The clouds ARE 3D' but 'The clouds ARE based on 3D'. I am sure Tim will correct me if I am wrong (I've been wrong before so no problem there) but to put it simply: from what I understand REX created a completely new system that uses 3D models on which the flat 2D sprites are 'projected'. Or something like that. What you see are still flap 2D sprites, hence the spinning, but the tech behind them is better which makes the clouds look better. But they are still not real 3D. (Am I right, Tim?) The MODELS are something new: we never had these kind of models in FSX/P3D before. And those new models make the sprites look better.

[Rocky_53 1,579]

3 minutes ago, J van E said:

Yes, but that doesn't make the clouds themselves 3D. He didn't say 'The clouds ARE 3D' but 'The clouds ARE based on 3D'. I am sure Tim will correct me if I am wrong (I've been wrong before so no problem there) but to put it simply: from what I understand REX created a completely new system that uses 3D models on which the flat 2D sprites are 'projected'. Or something like that. What you see are still flap 2D sprites, hence the spinning, but the tech behind them is better which makes the clouds look better. But they are still not real 3D. (Am I right, Tim?) The MODELS are something new: we never had these kind of models in FSX/P3D before. And those new models make the sprites look better.

Hmm, well if that is the case Jeroen, they need to rewrite their a marketing material. It clearly says on the video trailer... 3D clouds and weather system. It says nothing about the clouds being based on a 3D model. Tim? Anyway, either way, it does look impressive.

[Nyxx 6,993]

Well after reading more am buying 1st day along with the Maddog MD= Christmas done!

But cannot get enough of the amazing GLJ 25 

[RALF9636 1,956]

15 minutes ago, J van E said:

My own question hasn't been answered yet, though: if the weather part of Skyforce offers historic weather. I am happy to see SF supports other weather addons but having just one program for this would be nice, of course. But without historic weather I have no real use for the weather part.

+1

[gianmarcoragazzoni 6]

Congratulations on this wonderful and immense product that Rex Team have created!
I hope you can give us a fantastic gift with the release of the product in this week before Christmas 

 

[anden145 2,285]

It's all very interesting.

But the cloud models are 3D - the clouds themselves still consists of 2D sprites, which is somehow built around the model? (I have NO knowledge regarding how this is done). But the ESP engine, lacks fundamental features, regarding the weather and cloud depiction, IMO... The thing that clouds can't cast shadows on each other, that the plane casts shadows when it's overcast (like the sun is shining through the clouds somehow), that in hazy or foggy weather, the sun is visible and that plane lights can't correctly illuminate clouds... The clouds themselves aren't (as far as I can tell) susceptible to lighting, other than the cloud shadows on the ground. 

SkyForce looks absolutely amazing - and it will be a first day purchase for me... and that the REX team, has managed (if the marketing holds up) to create true hurricanes, tornadoes, microbursts, fear-full looking and true thunderstorms and super-cells is absolutely just amazing! I would purchase it just for that, to be honest... 

That being said - I wouldn't hold my breath regarding the correction of the major caveats of the ESP weather system. Correcting that, would most likely need access to the core of the sim - and frankly I would think, that it would be Lockheed Martin, who should correct that... but somehow I doubt it will happen... 

[sanh 823]

I will buy. The clouds and variety look excellent. Happy with the weather engine but need more variety of clouds and now they are here!

[pmb 5,137]

4 minutes ago, Anders Bermann said:

That being said - I wouldn't hold my breath regarding the correction of the major caveats of the ESP weather system. Correcting that, would most likely need access to the core of the sim - and frankly I would think, that it would be Lockheed Martin, who should correct that... but somehow I doubt it will happen... 

As Reed states, FSW has 3D clouds based on trueSKY technology. Now, FSW isn't ESP-based but FSX-based, but both have the same root.

Unfortunately I find the FSW representation with qickly billowing clouds and snow-covered ground seen though clouds worse than that of P3D as well as even FSX, 3D or not. That's in the present state, but it might have potential for the future.

Kind regards, Michael