REX Sky Force Very First look

[ideoplastic 86]

On 1/2/2018 at 7:35 AM, Bruce Nicholson KMFR said:

I posted twice to the REX forums and no one would provide an answer as to whether SF3D can work in a network environment. Is there anyone using SF3D on a second networked computer? Can one see the maps and other information on a second computer while flying on the server computer? This is how I have my ActiveSky set up. The manual makes no mention of any networking, except for a single general setting on page 60 and most of the comments so far are from users running the sim and SF3D on a single computer. Obviously I can use AS as my weather engine and use a network, but I'm trying to get an idea of the SF3D features compared to AS, beyond the great looking cloud models and textures.

Bruce, I installed SF3D on a networked PC however no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get it to connect to the sim, this is using the SF3D weather engine enabled. 

See my post in the SF3D forum: https://www.realenvironmentxtreme.com/forums/index.php?/topic/46500-some-issues/ - I'm currently away from home but this evening I will submit it to Tier 2 support and hopefully it will be resolved soon.  As regards the error logs in my message they have for the most part been resolved. Interface not displaying fully still happening.

[Bobsk8 12,720]

6 minutes ago, 0Artur0 said:

The weather redraw (injection) issue is a deal breaker for me. I really hoped they would find a way around this problem and I was highly optimistic from the description on their promo page. I guess I'll pass this one.

That could  sure ruin any immersion you had before it happened. 

[Guest]

(Double post due to laggy forum.)

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, 0Artur0 said:

The weather redraw (injection) issue is a deal breaker for me. I really hoped they would find a way around this problem and I was highly optimistic from the description on their promo page. I guess I'll pass this one.

It shouldn’t be a deal breaker because SkyForce is all about cloud and sky textures. The included weather engine could be regarded as a freebie that REX decided to add to it. No one is buying SkyForce for the weather engine, I can assure you. So look at the clouds and decide if they are worth it. Because  the clouds is where it’s all about. When you use SkyForxe with for instance AS you won’t have any redraw problems.

[Tomaz Drnovsek 440]

Just now, J van E said:

It shouldn’t be a deal breaker because SkyForce is all about cloud and sky textures. The included weather engine could be regarded as a freebie that REX decided to add to it. No one is buying SkyForce for the weather engine, I can assure you. So look at the clouds and decide if they are worth it. Because  the clouds is where it’s all about. When you use SlkyForce with for instance AS you won’t have any redraw problems.

Well, from the description on the website I was expecting some sort of groundbreaking all-in-one kind of a product with textures and weather engine. I already have so many texture replacement addons (pretty much all of them) and I'm really reluctant to buy another one. I kinda can't see much of the difference between the ones I bought so far anyway.

[jetsmell 45]

If REX is working on Weather Direct why did they come out with a SkyForce Weather Engine? I'm going to buy SkyForce for the clouds. With time if their weather becomes better than Active Sky then I'll use it.

[Guest]

36 minutes ago, 0Artur0 said:

Well, from the description on the website I was expecting some sort of groundbreaking all-in-one kind of a product with textures and weather engine.

You weren't the only one who expected that. Remember this the next time REX announces something. But still, if SkyForce actually gives us better clouds, it still might be worth it.

[aktorsyl 93]

For those who wanted to see more screenshots of the AS+SF combination.... I did another test flight today. KTPA to KEWR, with ActiveSky & SkyForce (clouds and textures, not the SF wx engine). Flight started in an overcast murky Tampa, and ran into some serious thunderstorms on the way to New York (it was set to historic weather in Aug2017). Screenshots of the trip are below:

 

[Guest]

Thanks for those, aktorsyl... Can't say I like what I see. What a messy sky. I don't like those typical way to sharp REX clouds (with too many shadows and sometimes out of proportion) combined with the fluffy ones. It looks totally fake to me. But hey, sometimes I also don't like the skies I see out of my window.

[Matthijs 79]

Can’t believe my eyes, are these  nuclear explosions or clouds?

[B777ER 2,486]

1 hour ago, J van E said:

It shouldn’t be a deal breaker because SkyForce is all about cloud and sky textures. The included weather engine could be regarded as a freebie that REX decided to add to it. No one is buying SkyForce for the weather engine, I can assure you. So look at the clouds and decide if they are worth it. Because  the clouds is where it’s all about. When you use SkyForxe with for instance AS you won’t have any redraw problems.

Don't forget without ASCA you lose your dynamic sky texture changes.SF does not have that ability.

[olibarke 1]

I've been reading this thread trying to decide whether or not to buy and I think, for now, it's going to be a no.

I get the impression REX have mis-sold this product as some revolutionary game changer, whereas it's actually a texture pack with a below average wether engine.

From the screenshots above, trying to get the best of both worlds just looks messy and pop-corn like. 

HiFi still have the market it seems for now. 

[JoeFackel 760]

25 minutes ago, Matthijs said:

Can’t believe my eyes, are these  nuclear explosions or clouds?

You should try Google pic search and enter "cumulonimbus" there.

So far i see nothing wrong there comparing the screenshots with RL photos. At least you can't overfly them anymore as they don't top out at FL370 like the ASCA ones.

But i looks like there is still no way to get this massive storm cells, could be a limitation of the P3D weather system.

[Cargostorm 151]

25 minutes ago, Matthijs said:

Can’t believe my eyes, are these  nuclear explosions or clouds?

I was thinking the same when I saw the pictures...

From what I have read and seen, I think you only gain little with SF if you already have APS4+ASCA+ENVTEX+PTA (ENVSHADE). It is however a good cloud texture alternative with more variation than REX TD + SC.

[olibarke 1]

Just now, JoeFackel said:

At least you can't overfly them anymore as they don't top out at FL370 like the ASCA ones.

Tropopause...