REX Sky Force Very First look

[aktorsyl 93]

Anyone compare thunderstorm depiction with AS+ASCA yet?

For me the real downer is that the PMDG wx radars apparently won't work with SkyForce's wx engine (yet, anyway). And then I've also got programs like ProATC-X that uses AS's weather output file to read the current weather. Not sure how that'd work with SkyForce.

 

 

[qqwertz 781]

I really like the weather precision of my current setup (ASP4 with ASCA in dynamic weather mode). Would I lose this precision if I replace ASCA with SF textures? In dynamic mode, ASCA seems to always pick the right kind of clouds, and even though I love REX cloud textures, I am worried that ASP4 would not use the right type of clouds anymore.

Another question I have is about the gorgeous mist effects and rain cells depicted in the video that Jonathan mentioned an hour ago. Will these effects only work with the REX weather engine, or would they be depicted when using ASCA as well?

Peter

[Alessandrov81 2]

Thx for for giving feedback. Too bad it seems i Will stay with as+rtd...

i was hoping something better

could you please give more feedback about fps vs default vs hifi in different wx conditions?

Following this

[aktorsyl 93]

1 minute ago, Alessandrov81 said:

Thx for for giving feedback. Too bad it seems i Will stay with as+rtd...

i was hoping something better

could you please give more feedback about fps vs default vs hifi in different wx conditions?

Following this

From my testing so far, FPS is mostly the same.

[Heavy Metal 83]

Currently downloading...  like to try it myself and with the discount it should be acceptable from what I have seen/heard so far. at the very least, it will give another variety to choose from. unfortunately, not so much time today, but I will check the AS16/SF combination as I think this will be the main one for me to use. 

Hmm, when checking the live stream in the other thread, the clouds do not yet look that convincing.... but let´s see. 

[TheBoom 31]

Feels like half the price is for the wx engine which most of us already have and is far better if you take into account the popping in. 

Would be great if they offered the cloud models and dynamic injection without the wx engine at a lower price. 

I mean considering you could get ASCA + Envtex at the same price now it doesn’t feel convincing enough unless you don’t have a wx engine already. 

[pete_auau 1,157]

1 hour ago, aktorsyl said:

Anyone compare thunderstorm depiction with AS+ASCA yet?

For me the real downer is that the PMDG wx radars apparently won't work with SkyForce's wx engine (yet, anyway). And then I've also got programs like ProATC-X that uses AS's weather output file to read the current weather. Not sure how that'd work with SkyForce.

 

 

for  proatc  you  can  tick  to use  vatsim  weather  as  i  do

[ErichB 3,640]

9 hours ago, pracines said:

But why pay for a useless weather engine, plus still there is no evidence of 3000+ cloud types.

How can you expect to see 3000 cloud variations based on 6 pictures with fairly similar weather.    Use some common sense.

[roi1862 602]

Advice needed. Currently iam using Asp4+ asca. Should i add Envtex to that or SF3D ? 

[ErichB 3,640]

I have not bought it yet.  Will do that tonight, but it does amaze me how quickly people will tear a strip off a product publicly when the entire basis of their test is one small flight with fair weather.

Although, I'm not happy about the cloud redraws - hope they get that sorted.  Has anyone done flights under same conditions using AS16/ASCA,  AS16/REX and REX/REX combos  ?

Anyone using PTA presets?

[aktorsyl 93]

25 minutes ago, ErichB said:

I have not bought it yet.  Will do that tonight, but it does amaze me how quickly people will tear a strip off a product publicly when the entire basis of their test is one small flight with fair weather.

Although, I'm not happy about the cloud redraws - hope they get that sorted.  Has anyone done lights under same conditions using AS16/ASCA,  AS16/REX and REX/REX combos  ?

I hear ya - from what I've seen so far it looks alright. Much more testing is needed, obviously. The negatives I've discovered so far:

1. The cloud redraws, as stated
2. The fact that the weather tab in SkyForce says it's overcast in KPHX (and the METAR says it too), but the depiction is about 2/8. It correctly shows overcast in KDFW though. Weird.
3. The weather tab doesn't seem to show the weather where YOU're at currently (like the current conditions tab in ActiveSky does).
4. Probably just a temporary server-related issue, but the map doesn't work for me at all. Just a black screen.
5. Cumulonimbus looks meh. I understand this is due to sim limitations, but from the advertising one kinda expected close-to-real anvils. Not really the case - they are anvils, but they look very artificial from a distance.
6. No wx radar compatibility with PMDG (yet).
7. No cloud motion effect as with ActiveSky.
8. Still the same "blue sky ribbon" below an overcast layer (sim limitation though, can't really fairly be blamed on SkyForce).

The positives so far:

1. Framerates seem okay. Certainly not better than ActiveSky+ASCA, but about the same. At least not lower.
2. Cumulus clouds look AMAZING. Just absolutely fantastic.
3. The base of clouds look more... rugged? Less flat than ASCA anyway. Same goes for the tops.

I will do a couple of flights later to test it in action as opposed to just jumping to different airports to see the weather conditions.

So far, it's probably on par with AS+ASCA. Cumulus clouds look much much better, but it doesn't completely negate the negatives. I will agree that the advertisements and previews told a different story than reality, yes. Does that make it a bad product? I don't think so, but it's a bit early to tell. I'm definitely not going to write it off yet at this stage.

I wanted to test more thunderstorms and shelf clouds, but there doesn't seem to be many thunderstorms in the world at this particular moment :P (I specifically want to test the weather engine's depiction from real-world weather for thunderstorms, so I didn't artificially "create" any storms)

[ryanbatc 12,834]

51 minutes ago, ErichB said:

How can you expect to see 3000 cloud variations based on 6 pictures with fairly similar weather.    Use some common sense.

Not to mention the 20+ GB install size...  that miiiiight have be related lol

[Tokitaumelie 164]

All

Finally downloaded and test flight completed.

Random theme selected, weather-engine disabled and no integration testing, with other addons or study-level aircraft, as yet. 

Pics posted in Screenshot Forum :

Initial impression, for me at least, very smooth however will see once other addons are added. Went off track and had to double back as I was too busy staring at them clouds :-)

Kind regards

 

 

[ErichB 3,640]

In my opinion, the best way to test the 'experience' is to do a medium to long haul flight passing through various types of weather conditions with the most possible  cloud variety.  That way you get to see it from ground, in transition and from altitude.   A few quick flights in a very localized area is not going be be a very good basis for any kind of review - unless you're under a super cell cloud structure- in which case you've experienced flightsim weather nirvana.

 

The best way to test the hype, is to go storm hunting.

[aktorsyl 93]

1 minute ago, Tokitaumelie said:

All

Finally downloaded and test flight completed.

Random theme selected, weather-engine disabled and no integration testing, with other addons or study-level aircraft, as yet. 

Pic posted in Screenshot Forum :

Initial impression, for me at least, very smooth however will see once other addons are added. Went off track and had to double back as I was too busy staring at them clouds :-)

Kind regards

 

 

Some amazing cloudscapes there.