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

[vgbaron 3,473]

Whichever you are using for clouds - if you are using both for different clouds - adjust both.

Vic

[unc1rlm 30]

Important note concerning REX Sky Force 3D's PTA integration!
If you are using REX Sky Force 3D's integrated PTA function be aware that when you install one of the PTA presets an appropriate REX Sky Force 3D sky texture will also be installed automatically! This means that you can't really use the PTA integration if you also want to use skies from ASCA/ENVTEX! Either REX Sky Force 3D will overwrite the ASCA/ENVTEX sky texture or ASCA/ENVTEX will overwrite the REX Sky Force 3D sky texture and things will probably not look as REX has intended.

 

I have PTA on my server or p3dv4.3 machine. I have set up Rex Sky Force on client. Everything good to go. My question is PTA...I have set up to use Active Sky 2016  and ASCA with envetex textures but when I set up REX Sky Force I originally, before I knew about this..it points to the pta in p3dv4.3  (Matt Davies program)....

https://imgur.com/btWfscj

can I edit or get rid of that ( it points only to "browse" so I don't know how to remove it) . I guess the pta's are coming from envetex, right?

Sorry to be confusing. Also..I seem to remember that when active sky 2016 would start...the asca program would pop up and show you the interface it is set on and close itself, I have it set on Global Automatic but it doesn't pop up so I don't know if it is running or not? 

Thanks,

Bob M.

Edited August 2, 2018 by unc1rlm
added words

[vgbaron 3,473]

1 hour ago, unc1rlm said:

Sorry to be confusing. Also..I seem to remember that when active sky 2016 would start...the asca program would pop up and show you the interface it is set on and close itself, I have it set on Global Automatic but it doesn't pop up so I don't know if it is running or not? 

Just look in the system tray - if it's running, the ASCA icon will be there.

 

Vic

[unc1rlm 30]

Never thought about that but no..it doesn't show up there or in the task manager?

Thanks Vic,

Bob M.

[vgbaron 3,473]

Try reinstalling ASCA and see if that fixes it.

 

Vic

[unc1rlm 30]

Yeah, I reinstalled and it seems to be fine and it pops ups, disappears and is in task bar..

Thank you Vic,

Bob M.

[Litmoose 90]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread, but I recently got a new PC and started using my old one as a "server" for my networkable add-ons. My issue is clouds don't seem to be visable/getting sent to my sim. 

 

ActiveSky says connected to the sim and seems to be working fine as far as other weather conditions go, wind, snow etc.

 

Cloudart, I get the notifications in the sim that ASCA has imported textures etc, but nothing seems to appear.

 

REXSkyForce. This is a tricky one, I've selected network mode in the settings and deselected the rex weather engine etc. But I'm not convinced it does anything unless i turn it back on and click start/refresh weather. Then turn it back off again

 

 

Anyone have any ideas?

Edited August 3, 2018 by Litmoose

[unc1rlm 30]

Good question..I am in a network too..maybe someone will jump on here...one of the pros. I suggested over at Rex (https://www.realenvironmentxtreme.com/forums/index.php?/topic/49228-blinking-lights/) about blinking lights as part of the icon in the taskbar so you know Rex Skyforce is actually working. Maybe even a banner similar to Active Sky telling you something. Oh well...new at all this stuff...lol

Bob M.

Edited August 3, 2018 by unc1rlm

[Litmoose 90]

Well I fixed my issue and it was nothing to do with the weather addons. I use the Thopat PTA present, and it changes something in the Clouds.fx file which makes the clouds disappear. After disabling some of its settings they work fine now.

[tecto 3]

Pilots, there are following options explained:
1. REX Sky Force 3D only
2. REX Sky Force 3D and Active Sky
3. REX Sky Force 3D and Active Sky plus ASCA for dynamic skies
4. REX Sky Force 3D and Active Sky plus ASCA for dynamic skies with ENVTEX sky textures

Based on your experience which is the best choose and why?
I have all these apps and I'm a little bit confused what to do. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, tecto said:

Based on your experience which is the best choose and why?
I have all these apps and I'm a little bit confused what to do.  

There is no general best choice: it all depends on your own preferences. 😉 If you prefer the Active Sky weather engine over the Sky Force one, us AS (like most people do). If you like the ASCA skies over the Sky Force ones, use ASCA. Otherwise don't. And so on. It's up to you.

I myself use option 2: Sky Force for cloud and sky textures and Active Sky for weather. The Sky Force weather engine sucks (imho) and I prefer the Sky Force clouds over the ASCA ones. I don't really care for dymanic sky colors (and clouds) and (since I am lazy) I simply don't feel like installing ASCA and ENVTEX just for that. 😉 This essentially means I bought ASCA and ENVTEX for nothing, but well... word not allowed happens. 😉

Edited September 28, 2018 by Guest

[tecto 3]

I will for sure use Active Sky for the weather engine. I'm wondering, which option will give me best looking clouds - I mean as real as possible.

[vgbaron 3,473]

3 hours ago, tecto said:

I will for sure use Active Sky for the weather engine. I'm wondering, which option will give me best looking clouds - I mean as real as possible.

LOL. As I've said before, if I could borrow your eyes I could give you an answer. Purely subjective - personally I prefer ASCA mainly because the integration with ASP4 weather allows for smooth dynamic transitions. There are many that like the older REX Soft Cl;ouds and the new SkyForce. There are also freeware clouds, etc.

Point is, that's a call only you can make.

Vic

[tecto 3]

Ok that's clear :)

I don't understand this highlighted:

Quote

REX Sky Force 3D and Active Sky plus ASCA for dynamic skies with ENVTEX sky textures
1. Start REX Sky Force 3D
2. Go to Global Settings > Engine and disable all options on that page to disable the REX Sky Force 3D weather engine
3. Go to Global Settings > Install and disable all 5 Sky Textures entries on that page
4. Set all other options to your liking
5. Install all the textures you want (no need to install sky textures)
6. Start ENVTEX
7. Go to Application Settings and disable all options on the right apart from Sky
8. Set the path to the ASCA folder and set ASCA Integration to ENVTEX textures only (or ASCA and ENVTEX textures)
9. Click on Install to sim (no need to select a set on the Customization page)
10. Start ASCA
11. Go to Settings and untick Cirrus, Cloud Textures and Cloud Structures so only Sky Colors is ticked
12. Install the Full Dynamics (or Global Automatic) theme 

What is the purpose of disabling ENVTEX textures for e.g. airport, grass or water?

Does SkyForce also have these? 

[Michael Moe 493]

5 minutes ago, tecto said:

Ok that's clear :)

I don't understand this highlighted:

What is the purpose of disabling ENVTEX textures for e.g. airport, grass or water?

Does SkyForce also have these? 

i am with you :-) , i had the same in my head back then and i think the discussion was only what is above us and not below us as i recall so i also use ENVTEX for grass and water-

 

Thanks

Michael Moe