Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
flyblueskies

[DISCUSSION] REX Sky Force 3D with Active Sky, ASCA, ENVTEX: tutorial

Recommended Posts

Guest
38 minutes ago, Nyxx said:

It lets you use ASCA with Envtex for Dynamic sky colours.

Exactly. Now SF of course also has sky colors but not dynamic ones and I personally love to see the sky colors change automatically and quite appropriately without having to do anything for it. The 10 day cycle skies from SF do give some variation of course, but it's completely random and has no relationship with the current weather, let alone with the latitude, as is the case with AS.

Share this post


Link to post
39 minutes ago, Nyxx said:

It lets you use ASCA with Envtex for Dynamic sky colours.

Hmm, I am currently trying to use ASCA also for cloud texturing, meaning I turn on all options except structures, as I want this to be handled by RSF. 

As we know, RSF does not inject textures dynamically but only when the user installs a new theme. So in theory, we should be able to use REX new structure sync in combination with ASCA´s dynamic texture sync. Of course we would probably lose some variety of textures as one ASCA set contains less textures than one REX set, however as ASCA can change texture sets what REX can´t, this should be a fair trade-off.

My first but very short test flights showed huge hovering thunderstorm clouds while textures looked more like ASCA; but I am not absolutely sure this works as in theory.

Did anyone else maybe try this?

Now people could of course ask, why do you want ASCA textures with RSF, and thus, degrading Rex product even more by using it just for structures and dismiss both wx engine AND texturing. Well, I actually don´t want to do this as I am very happy with the RSF texturing/structuring combination results, but there are some users around this forum who do not wish to pick a cloud set but want the add-on to choose for them depending on the real weather conditions. So I wonder, if this might be a way to achieve the best of both worlds? 

 

Share this post


Link to post

Maybe, to better explain what I tried.

This picture was taken during my test. It shows an anvil towering cloud which I would expect to be REX work. At the same time the textures look (at least to me) like ASCA. Or am I on a wrong track?

2018-1-13_11-17-35-525.jpg

 

If picture does not show up, sorry, my first try.

Share this post


Link to post
Guest
26 minutes ago, Heavy Metal said:

Hmm, I am currently trying to use ASCA also for cloud texturing, meaning I turn on all options except structures, as I want this to be handled by RSF. 

As we know, RSF does not inject textures dynamically but only when the user installs a new theme. So in theory, we should be able to use REX new structure sync in combination with ASCA´s dynamic texture sync. Of course we would probably lose some variety of textures as one ASCA set contains less textures than one REX set, however as ASCA can change texture sets what REX can´t, this should be a fair trade-off.

My first but very short test flights showed huge hovering thunderstorm clouds while textures looked more like ASCA; but I am not absolutely sure this works as in theory.

Did anyone else maybe try this?

Now people could of course ask, why do you want ASCA textures with RSF, and thus, degrading Rex product even more by using it just for structures and dismiss both wx engine AND texturing. Well, I actually don´t want to do this as I am very happy with the RSF texturing/structuring combination results, but there are some users around this forum who do not wish to pick a cloud set but want the add-on to choose for them depending on the real weather conditions. So I wonder, if this might be a way to achieve the best of both worlds? 

 

I totally get your point. And you are correct in your thinking. And you are doing it the right way. Of course REX says that using their structures with other cloud textures may cause weird effects because only the SF cloud textures are properly linked to all SF structures but still, it will simply work anyway. And if you like what you see, there is no point in not doing it. It won't harm your computer. :happy: But it just might happen that some clouds look odd or wrong or whatever. No one actually knows if this is even true or not...

However, I tend to agree with REX's opinion that textures are less important than structures... Even REX says that it doesn't really matter what cloud texture set you pick because the differences are minor! (Which made me ask why the heck they added 22 sets and not just one perfect one... I didn't receive an answer yet.) And so I also wonder if ASCA's dynamic clouds really and actually make a NOTICABLE difference...! I know for a FACT that the dynamic sky colors can make a HUGE difference but when it comes to clouds... I have tried ALL 22 REX cloud sets and unless I am comparing screenshots they all look a bit the same to me... they are all clouds... And the same goes (or might go) for ASCA's dynamic clouds.

You might want to fly with a static cloud theme for a week or so and then switch to Full dynamics: I wonder if you can really tell whenever new or different cloud textures are being used. I don't think I can. I'd like to see some screenshots of ASCA's dynamic cloud textures being obviously different and obviously more approapriate for specific weather conditions. I think one SF cloud texture set can do it just as well. (And in the end it's also a matter of personal taste, of course.)

Share this post


Link to post

Actually I was flying with one static RSF set since its release (Denizen) and never missed any variety. My skies have a really immersive look to me and the repetition of clouds have been reduced drastically. While I found ASCA very good, RSF clouds just look better to my personal taste. 

What I tried now, was to change the ASCA themes directly involving different cloud textures (Fusion, Silk and Stratify). AS16 reloaded the themes each time shortly afterwards. The structure remained exactly the same (as expected); sky color changed each time (as expected), the cloud textures however look EXACTLY the same (not expected). So either, ASCA could not inject different textures for whatever reason during this test (surely possible), there is no difference between ASCA sets (very unlikely), or I still have REX textures overruling ASCA (I thought I could clearly tell by now, but who knows...).

Guess, this would require some more testing including shutting down P3D after each change and see afterwards how/if the weather depiction changes. No time for that now, but maybe I will continue some testing later as this got me interested now. 

Nevertheless, I think I will stick with both RSF textures and structures for flying in general, while using ASCA sky colors in parallel. But it is of course great to have some more options to choose from, if I ever should get tired from using same sets over and over again.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
2 hours ago, Nyxx said:

It lets you use ASCA with Envtex for Dynamic sky colours.

Ok thanks

I don't have Envtex-so I take it running ASCA would make no difference?

Share this post


Link to post
42 minutes ago, jkeye said:

Ok thanks

I don't have Envtex-so I take it running ASCA would make no difference?

In what context?

You could still run ASCA for sky colours using ASCA own texture for that.


David Murden  MSFS   Fenix A320  PMDG 737 • MG Honda Jet • 414 / TDS 750Xi •  FS-ATC Chatter • FlyingIron Spitfire & ME109G • MG Honda Jet 

 Fenix A320 Walkthrough PDF   Flightsim.to •

DCS  A10c II  F-16c  F/A-18c • F-14 • (Others in hanger) • Supercarrier  Terrains = • Nevada NTTR  Persian Gulf  Syria • Marianas • 

• 10900K@4.9 All Cores HT ON   32GB DDR4  3200MHz RTX 3080  • TM Warthog HOTAS • TM TPR • Corsair Virtuoso XT with Dolby Atmos®  Samsung G7 32" 1440p 240Hz • TrackIR 5 & ProClip

Share this post


Link to post
22 hours ago, Nyxx said:

In what context?

You could still run ASCA for sky colours using ASCA own texture for that.

Thanks!

I bought envtex and that's what I'm doing now

Share this post


Link to post
1 hour ago, jkeye said:

Thanks!

I bought envtex and that's what I'm doing now

Might what to look here for ASCA + Envtex for Skies.

 


David Murden  MSFS   Fenix A320  PMDG 737 • MG Honda Jet • 414 / TDS 750Xi •  FS-ATC Chatter • FlyingIron Spitfire & ME109G • MG Honda Jet 

 Fenix A320 Walkthrough PDF   Flightsim.to •

DCS  A10c II  F-16c  F/A-18c • F-14 • (Others in hanger) • Supercarrier  Terrains = • Nevada NTTR  Persian Gulf  Syria • Marianas • 

• 10900K@4.9 All Cores HT ON   32GB DDR4  3200MHz RTX 3080  • TM Warthog HOTAS • TM TPR • Corsair Virtuoso XT with Dolby Atmos®  Samsung G7 32" 1440p 240Hz • TrackIR 5 & ProClip

Share this post


Link to post

Hello, in the case of not using any of the settings for ASCA (not skies, not cirrus, not cloud textures or structures) as I don't really like the green color of the skies, does it make sense using ASCA in global automatic together with ASP4 as weather engine and REX Sky Force for structures and textures?

Thanks very much.

Share this post


Link to post
Guest
1 hour ago, Xiropillo said:

Hello, in the case of not using any of the settings for ASCA (not skies, not cirrus, not cloud textures or structures) as I don't really like the green color of the skies, does it make sense using ASCA in global automatic together with ASP4 as weather engine and REX Sky Force for structures and textures?

Thanks very much.

No. Using ASCA only makes sense if you actually use it. :happy: If you disable ALL textures it offers you might as well (or better!) uninstall it. Global automatic will do absolutely nothing with all textures disabled.

Share this post


Link to post
44 minutes ago, J van E said:

No. Using ASCA only makes sense if you actually use it. :happy: If you disable ALL textures it offers you might as well (or better!) uninstall it. Global automatic will do absolutely nothing with all textures disabled.

Jeroen,

I hear what you say, BUT, I have always been under the assumption if the user is not running an ASCA dynamic theme (GLOBAL AUTO or FULL DYNAMICS), then the user loses all benefits of INFLUENCED WEATHER  during the flight.  If I was to run  SF clouds and skies WITHOUT ASCA,  what would make them change dynamically during my flight experience?

Since release of SF, I have preferred to see SF clouds / skies generated by Active Sky weather and ASCA Full Dynamics.  I love the cloud and sky changes I see during my flight and I thought it was due to ASCA dynamics.  

Now, I'm really confused :unsure:


 
Quote

850237

WAT1460.png

Share this post


Link to post
18 minutes ago, vcarlo said:

Jeroen,

I hear what you say, BUT, I have always been under the assumption if the user is not running an ASCA dynamic theme (GLOBAL AUTO or FULL DYNAMICS), then the user loses all benefits of INFLUENCED WEATHER  during the flight.  If I was to run  SF clouds and skies WITHOUT ASCA,  what would make them change dynamically during my flight experience?

Since release of SF, I have preferred to see SF clouds / skies generated by Active Sky weather and ASCA Full Dynamics.  I love the cloud and sky changes I see during my flight and I thought it was due to ASCA dynamics.  

Now, I'm really confused :unsure:

I understand with Jeroen explanation, and thanks very much for your response Jeroen, that if no option is selected, sky color, cloud textures and weather is changed via Sky Force "Cloud Sync" enabled by weather conditions given by Active Sky Weather Engine. In my case I have all disabled in ASCA. Do you have any option selected?

Share this post


Link to post
Guest
23 minutes ago, vcarlo said:

Jeroen,

I hear what you say, BUT, I have always been under the assumption if the user is not running an ASCA dynamic theme (GLOBAL AUTO or FULL DYNAMICS), then the user loses all benefits of INFLUENCED WEATHER  during the flight.  If I was to run  SF clouds and skies WITHOUT ASCA,  what would make them change dynamically during my flight experience?

Don't know exactly what you mean by 'influenced weather' but the MOST important addon in this case is the weather engine, so Active Sky. Even without ASCA and SF Active Sky and just one set of textures will give you very varied looking and dynamic skies! You don't need ASCA or SF for 'influenced weather' if you simpy mean 'different weather' and the different looks of the sky that weather gives.

ASCA and SF only make two parts of the sky look better: the clouds and the sky color.

- Active Sky provides weather.

- ASCA provides textures for skies and textures plus structures for clouds.

- Sky Force also provides textures for skies and textures plus structures for clouds. (It also has a basic weather engine as a bonus.)

Main difference between ASCA and Sky Force: ASCA can inject TEXTURES on the fly into the sim, depending on the weather. So your sky color may change during a flight if needed and the textures of the clouds may change too. However, ASCA can only do that with its own textures! (Or, to make it more complicated, with ENVTEX sky textures. So not ENVTEX cloud textures.)

Sky Force can't inject textures on the fly but provides a lot more STRUCTURES than ASCA does. So your cloud structures may be more varied but your sky color won't change and neither will your cloud textures.

If you run SF clouds and skies without ASCA nothing will be changed dynamically when it comes to textures. However, if you run SF clouds WITH ASCA but all ASCA options turned off still nothing will be changed dynamically because ASCA only does that with its own textures. If you want cloud and sky textures to change dynamically stop using SF and only use ASCA.

The best compromise imho is to use ASCA for dynamically changing sky textures only (the change of a sky color during a flight really makes a difference!) and to use SF for clouds only (the change of a cloud texture is less noticable imho... if noticable at all: the amount of structures SF offer is more important and I like the SF textures more than the ASCA ones). Then you will have the best of both worlds. But running ASCA without any texture enabled will do absolutely nothing.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Guest
27 minutes ago, Xiropillo said:

if no option is selected, sky color, cloud textures and weather is changed via Sky Force "Cloud Sync" enabled by weather conditions given by Active Sky Weather Engine.

Well... it is easy to be mistaken here (and it's hard to explain LOL) but this should read:

"if no option is selected (in ASCA) sky color and cloud textures are changed via Sky Force by loading a theme (nothing gets synced here or injected dynamically: this has to be done before starting the sim), weather conditions are given by Active Sky and "Cloud Sync" only provides structures (so the shapes) of clouds." (If that 'sync' actually inject structures into the sim no one knows but that's another discussion.)

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  
  • Tom Allensworth,
    Founder of AVSIM Online


  • Flight Simulation's Premier Resource!

    AVSIM is a free service to the flight simulation community. AVSIM is staffed completely by volunteers and all funds donated to AVSIM go directly back to supporting the community. Your donation here helps to pay our bandwidth costs, emergency funding, and other general costs that crop up from time to time. Thank you for your support!

    Click here for more information and to see all donations year to date.
×
×
  • Create New...