Weather for Prepar3D v4 - difference between Active Sky, ASCA, ENVTEX, PTA, and Rex SkyForce 3D?

[Nyxx 6,993]

1 hour ago, J van E said:

Well, as I posted before I also seriously wonder if the SF Cloud Sync option does anything... The fact that you get a .net error doesn't prove anything because I also got one when I had SF opened but the sim not running at all. The whole idea of syncing structures is nonsense imho because the structures are on disk and can be called up and loaded at anytime: it has worked like this forever. ASCA also came with some 400 new structures and that addon didn't need a sync option for that either. So why should SF need a sync option...? Imho and until I've been proven wrong I think that whole syncing option is just a marketing trick: after HiFi released ASCA with a truly and noticably sync option for textures REX had to come up with a sync thing too because syncing suddenly was big and so they came up with this.

Don't get me wrong: I absolutely LOVE SkyForce: I think the clouds look awesome and I clearly see the difference that SF makes! It is totally worth the money! But that doesn't mean I am buying that cloud sync stuff. Running SF in the background is a waste of recourses imho and the skies look awesome without it anyway.

It's no surprise you get a .net error when SF is open and it cannot connect to anything.

Also ASCA does not have a "sync option" but you have to have ASCA open for it to work. Close it as see what you get. Clouds, but ASCA will not work and if it did work without being open it would not ask to be open or auto start with ASv4, do you question if it needs to be open? No, i bet you don't, but you question the exact same thing about SF? 

Am talking in the context that if you used ASCA for clouds and structures. SF needing info from a weather engine makes since, so it knows what structures and textures to use, that same info that ASCA would use to do the same job. But you don't question closing ASCA? Even if you did you would still get weather and then would you question if its doing anything? 

So if ASCA said ASCA sync's with ASv4 to bring clouds structures and cloud textures you would call that nonsense? Even though that's just what ASCA does. They might not use the work sync but that just what ASCA and ASv4 are doing, there using each other, there synced.

 

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, Xiropillo said:

in my opinion (only in my opinion), REX install the clouds chosen in the themes menu and overwrites Prepar default clouds using them depending on the weather requests produced by ASP4 engine.

Take note that SF installs cloud textures into the sim, overwriting P3D default clouds. And SF also installs cloud structures into the sim, but those don't overwrite default ones but are additional new ones.

28 minutes ago, Xiropillo said:

should be the same result than AS does because AS does not have any cloud structures to use (unless installed from ASCA settings)

Well, AS does have cloud structures to use because obviously P3D has them by default. ASCA simply adds more and so does SF. Cloud structures have always been a part of the sim, REX didn't invent them or something, and they have always been loaded from disk when needed. Which is why I question the cloud sync option: it simply isn't needed at all.

17 minutes ago, Nyxx said:

Also ASCA does not have a "sync option" but you have to have ASCA open for it to work. Close it as see what you get. Clouds, but ASCA will not work and if it did work without being open it would not ask to be open or auto start with ASv4, do you question if it needs to be open? No, i bet you don't, but you question the exact same thing about SF?

Sync, dynamic changes, injection, etc. all are words for the same thing.  ASCA doesn't call it sync indeed but it does inject textures on the fly. And yes, you need to have ASCA running to make that happen because it is something the sim can't do of its own: it is a brand new functionality that HiFi came up with themselves. Before the release of ASCA it was impossible to load cloud textures and sky textures dynamically, on the fly. And the difference is very noticable and clear.

What SF claims to do is NOT the exact same thing because loading cloud structures during a flight is nothing new: it has always worked liked that. P3D does it by default, the sim can do this of its own already. it is not a new functionality. Before the release of SF cloud structures were already being loaded dynamically from disc, be it default structures or the ones that came with ASCA. You simply do not need a sync option for this. The sim does it by default. Unlike the loading of cloud textures and sky textures as ASCA offers. Which is why I question the functionality of the SF sync option. 

[Nyxx 6,993]

OK then delete SF and use ASCA with there clouds structures and textures. See what it's like. I ran that combo for around a year.

Then tell me you cannot see the difference from SF. Also unlike you on this matter I am not implying or think the Rex team are lying like you have constantly implied they are doing with telling us we need SF open to use the sync option.

You need "proof"........to what? believe them. Thats sad mate. What benefit do rex get out of telling us we need it open and on if its a lie? 

 

 

[Xiropillo 13]

I won't delete REX as their clouds are awesome but nowadays I prefer using REX for overwriting default clouds, ASCA for doing the same with skies and change them dynamically and AS for injecting weather using the great REX clouds.

So, by now, my work flow is:

Opening REX Sky Force, disable weather engine activating and deactivating again as this seems to be a bug to be fixed. Or maybe not opening as I won't install new cloud themes and seems not to be necessary. 

Second I launch sim, select aircraft and location.

And last launching AS which will automatically open ASCA for skies and both together will minimize to system try as selected in general options.

And this works for me with great clouds, nice skies and matching local weather. Perfect combo in my opinion.

[Nyxx 6,993]

I dont have the SF bug. 

My flow is start ASv4, auto opens ASCA and used in the same way as you. Load my route into AS, then open SF put it onto my taskbar. Never touch anything as I found the textures I love.

Start sim.

Happy days.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Nyxx said:

OK then delete SF and use ASCA with there clouds structures and textures. See what it's like. I ran that combo for around a year.

Then tell me you cannot see the difference from SF. Also unlike you on this matter I am not implying or think the Rex team are lying like you have constantly implied they are doing with telling us we need SF open to use the sync option.

You need "proof"........to what? believe them. Thats sad mate. What benefit do rex get out of telling us we need it open and on if its a lie? 

 

 

LOL As I said before I absolutely love SF. And OF COURSE I can see the difference between not using SF and using it. I'd have to be blind not to see it. Why the heck should I delete it! The only thing is the entire cloud sync option is not needed at all for structures to be used on the fly because that option is there in P3D by default. Even if you don't use AS, ASCA, SF, ENVTEX, whatever. So as long as REX doesn't explain what's happening (and it's surprising they didn't explain anything at all or responded to my opinions about this which I posted about before) it is my believe that that sync option does nothing. As Iñigo posted: he didn't notice any difference at all between leaving SF running or not. And he shouldn't because cloud structures will be used regardless anyway. And the skies look totally awesome regardless too.

[virtualstuff 754]

35 minutes ago, J van E said:

LOL As I said before I absolutely love SF. And OF COURSE I can see the difference between not using SF and using it. I'd have to be blind not to see it. Why the heck should I delete it! The only thing is the entire cloud sync option is not needed at all for structures to be used on the fly because that option is there in P3D by default. Even if you don't use AS, ASCA, SF, ENVTEX, whatever. So as long as REX doesn't explain what's happening (and it's surprising they didn't explain anything at all or responded to my opinions about this which I posted about before) it is my believe that that sync option does nothing. As Iñigo posted: he didn't notice any difference at all between leaving SF running or not. And he shouldn't because cloud structures will be used regardless anyway. And the skies look totally awesome regardless too.

Well test with FC in the metar and AS and see what happens ;-)
Non default structures won't be used when sync is off.
Reread the manual page 31 for example and they made it easy with the red text helpful....

[Nyxx 6,993]

57 minutes ago, J van E said:

The only thing is the entire cloud sync option is not needed at all for structures to be used on the fly because that option is there in P3D by default. 

So as long as REX doesn't explain what's happening (and it's surprising they didn't explain anything at all or responded to my opinions about this which I posted about before) it is my believe that that sync option does nothing. 

I was not questings if you liked it or not I suggested you see what it looks like without SF with ASCA and compare the structures and textures.

How can you say like its a fact that we don't need SF for all the structures. Just because they have not explain to you does not mean they are lying. 

Also without some dramatic weather you may not see any difference a few normal clouds look like a few normal clouds, but I've seen some amazing forms and they are not P3D default structures as you imply and if anyone is using SF closed how will you even know.

It my be your opinion (and you entitled to it) they are lying but that's all it is. It's not a fact or proven and until it is then I will believe that they are not trying to mislead us or lying to us. Why? because I see no reason for them to lie about it.

If you're so sure there lying download a program to monitor your CPU usage and see if SF calls for its use. Do a few flights and if SF does nothing, share your results and you might be able to sue REX for false advertising because thats what you're accusing them of.

Then you keep telling people "the sync option does nothing". Well please back that up is what am asking. If your right we can all head over to rex for a explanation and it better be a good one. Until then...it might be...might be better to trust them?

[Guest]

Is this one of those new SF high thundercloud (or whatever you call it ) structures or not?

45 minutes ago, Nyxx said:

How can you say like its a fact that we don't need SF for all the structures. Just because they have not explain to you does not mean they are lying. 

Also without some dramatic weather you may not see any difference a few normal clouds look like a few normal clouds, but I've seen some amazing forms and they are not P3D default structures as you imply and if anyone is using SF closed how will you even know.

You are misunderstanding me completely. Of course we need SF for all the structures. The picture I posted is not a default P3D structure, at least I've never seen it before I used SF and I've seen people promoting SF with these kind of clouds. Afaik this is an SF structure. Right? My only point is that we don't need to have SF running to see the SF structures.

[Nyxx 6,993]

It's called a CB (cloud burst) but its structure does not look right I don't even think it is one it looks more like a cloud with a higher cloud in the background so no, I have no idea what your showing us. But it's not a CB. A SF CB have a structure to it, a base a built up and topped off a bit like a picture of a nuke going off.

" Afaik this is an SF structure. Right?"

No J this is not a SF CB/structure.

It's nothing more than normal clouds your showing. Sorry

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, Nyxx said:

it looks more like a cloud with a higher cloud in the background

Haha, no no, it's not that: it has some sort of round pancake on top and I can fly around it. It's the exact same shape and build up as I've seen in various screenshots. What you see on that screenshot is ONE cloud I can fly around. It's a bit hard to see on a flat screenshot, of course. Here is another one I found.

If you can show me a screenshot of a proper SkyForce CB I'll know what to look for.

EDIT
Here is one looking at it from the side of the top and then slewing down so you can see how the rather flat top 'sits' on the high cloud. It's definitely one cloud.

 

[virtualstuff 754]

1 hour ago, J van E said:

Right? My only point is that we don't need to have SF running to see the SF structures.

Not correct Jeroen ;-) you need to have it running when it's using the non default 3d models ;-)

[Nyxx 6,993]

You first shot was rubbish J the 4 are a lot better. Look a lot better.   

SF running The size and height 

You seem to change the topic off what you keep telling people that SF ON and sync ON is not needed and you have no proof of that. Thats what Am saying.

Anyway my CB are bigger than your 

30,000 ft worth

[virtualstuff 754]

Found my first wedge tornado in P3Dv4 with ASP4 en RSF3d at Canton Texas 7F5 - 29 April 2017 at 23:00 Zulu

[Guest]

15 hours ago, awf said:

Not correct Jeroen ;-) you need to have it running when it's using the non default 3d models ;-)

Sigh... I know the manual says that but it is my believe this isn’t so. The screenshots I posted were all made without SF running and they DO show the SF models. Do you always simply believe what a developer or manual says? I see no harm in using logic and thinking for myself or questioning things. But it’s no problem: if you want to have SF running in the background then do so LOL  

 

15 hours ago, Nyxx said:

You seem to change the topic off what you keep telling people that SF ON and sync ON is not needed and you have no proof of that. Thats what Am saying.

I don’t change the topic because the last 4 screenshots, just like the first, were all made without SF running. I actually AM proving my point.  But again, it is no problem: feel free to have SF running in the background. Who am I to tell you not to do so LOL