P3DV4 ASCA - ENVTEX - SkyForce comparison

[Guest]

I set up a few paused test flights using ActiveSky  historic weather and loaded textures (and structures) from ASCA, ENVTEX and SkyForce into P3Dv4 to compare the clouds. After setting up the testflights I shut down AcitveSky to make sure each situation would be the exact same.

Take note that in between loading the textures of the programs I always restored the default textures (using the SkyForce restore option) before I installed the new textures and I cleared the shader cache each time.

These screenshots can be reproduces exactly on my PC. I took all screenshots twice (from ENVTEX to ASCA to SkyForce to ENVTEX to ASCA to SkyForce) and the screenshots from each addon were the EXACT same every single time: each and every puff of cloud showed up in the same spot and the same way. So there weren't any leftovers from other cloud addons when I loaded another one. And this also proves the situation (weather etc.) was the exact same for every test.

Of course these shots only show one texture set of each addon... and also the dynamic option of ASCA or the syncing of SkyForce can't be seen here. But what you can see, is how the textures from each addon show up differently in each screenshot using the EXACT same conditions.

ENVTEX = Set 1 (clouds and cirrus)
ASCA = Exultant (clouds: Silk and cirrus: Sublime)
SkyForce = Set 1 (clouds and cirrus)

First conclusions
There are clear differences but I think a lot of them are due to the texture sets which were being used. Like ENVTEX shows the softest of all but maybe another ENVTEX set would show different.
However, when it comes to how a single set of textures shows up in the sim using the exact same weather I notice this:

ENVTEX has very little variation

ASCA has more variation but quite often in size, not in shape, making things look a bit busy

SkyForce has the most variation, so not just in size but also in shapes: skies also look more full and more overcast. However not all shapes look good (some are too flat or have straigh edges)

Comparison 1

ENVTEX

ASCA

SkyForce

Comparison 2

ENVTEX

ASCA

SkyForce

Comparison 3

ENVTEX

ASCA

SkyForce

Comparison 4

ENVTEX

ASCA

SkyForce

 

[carlito777 712]

Thanks for the comparison, Jeroen. Very interesting. For me personally, ASCA looks best. But of course this represents my very personal taste. 

Would be nice to see a comparison of a thunderstorm. 

[pscharff 56]

For "Comparison 1" I think the winner is ASCA. For the other comparisons I can not decide. But ENVTEX is the worst at all comparisons for my personal taste.

Patric

[JLuis 409]

Nice comparisons. Well done.

[nicboyGS 34]

you are right, none of those looks realistic enough to the real thing. The so called revolutionary change just does not happen. Maybe still waiting for SF more patches or AS provided next version.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, carlito777 said:

Thanks for the comparison, Jeroen. Very interesting. For me personally, ASCA looks best. But of course this represents my very personal taste. 

Would be nice to see a comparison of a thunderstorm. 

 

2 hours ago, pscharff said:

For "Comparison 1" I think the winner is ASCA. For the other comparisons I can not decide. But ENVTEX is the worst at all comparisons for my personal taste.

Patric

Well, I never understood why people like ENVTEX clouds so much... and that was from looking at screenshots. Now I own it I still can’t say I like those clouds. Maybe a specific set is totally awesome? I do however LOVE the skies (which I use dynamically through ASCA). 

For clouds I sometimes like ASCA and sometimes SF. SF is more dramatic and sometimes also less busy (overcast). ASCA might well be more realistic though... It’s quite hard to decide which one to use but for now I like SF for clouds.

[Chock 17,769]

Thanks for the interesting comparison. I know that sort of thing can be a bit of a faff to do!

I think it's fairly clear that ASCA is doing the best job of things there in pretty much all of the pictures: The clouds in the ASCA pics do seem to appear to stretch over a distance and also look to be the most realistically lit too.

[pracines 823]

Still not seeing anything special/different/groundbreaking about rex skyforce.

Just funding the rex marketing department when one buys it.

[Murmur 3,941]

Interesting comparison. In most pics I like ASCA and then ENVTEX. Would it be interesting to see default clouds though (or some other freeware set).

[timest 472]

Neither one of your scenes are utilizing Sky Force models. I see upside down clouds with incorrect overcast and stratus layering, coverage and heights.

[Silicus 849]

Tim,

why don't you show us a similar comparison to wow us? Thanks J van E for your efforts!

Cheers.

 

[rightseat 277]

Just to muddy the waters a bit, I own ASCA and SF, and I am getting WAY better performance with the SF clouds. So if that kind of comparison helps any... just sayin'. :-)

[Oliver Ooi 85]

If the SF shots were not utilizing the SF models, then those comparison seems no meaning then.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, timest said:

Neither one of your scenes are utilizing Sky Force models. I see upside down clouds with incorrect overcast and stratus layering, coverage and heights.

I've seen you posted that before: how is this possible if I install everything as per the manual? Before I took those screenshots I first restored everything to default by using the SkyForce restore option (and at the time that I installed SkyForce I didn't have ASCA or ENVTEX installed), after that I installed the models and I installed clouds set 1 (both types). Now if this results in SkyForce not showing anything it should be showing, tell me what is going wrong where? There isn't anything else I can do to get SkyForce models and textures into the sim. Are you telling me there is something wrong with the SkyForce engine? Is there anyone out there who actually IS seeing SkyForce models? Maybe more of us have this apparent problem?

3 hours ago, Oliver Ooi said:

If the SF shots were not utilizing the SF models, then those comparison seems no meaning then.

Well, until REX explains how to get all models and textures into my sim properly I will keep saying these actually ARE screenshots of SkyForce.

Saying things are wrong and not showing SkyForce models and then not telling how to solve this apparent problem is a bit too easy and not exactly helpful. You might as well say this of every SkyForce screenshot you don't like.  How can anyone tell if SkyForce is actually working if you have done things by the book? As I said I repeated my tests and things showed up exactly the same everytime. And the SkyForce screenshots ALWAYS are obviously different. 

So PLEASE tell me what I am doing wrong. I would LOVE to be proven wrong. I will post the screenshots on the REX forum too and ask for help on fixing this. 

EDIT

You will be able to follow my adventures here:

https://www.realenvironmentxtreme.com/forums/index.php?/topic/46878-what-am-i-doing-wrong/

But of course I will also report back here when I do get an answer. Hopefully with screenshots that look totally awesome. 

[Johnny19 341]

I agree, SF looks nice and cool. But I am still on hold with buying it. Still not seeing what it does that ASCA doesn't.