Folks,

I tried to search and figure this all out, but is there a quick cheat sheet on which of these things does what? It seems that REX Skyforce is the same as ENVTEX? and PTA and ENVSHADE are the same? What should I purchase and use for P3D v4.3 that will provide the best visuals and WX for the sim?

Thanks in advance!

-Bill

8 minutes ago, busdriver said:

What should I purchase and use for P3D v4.3 that will provide the best visuals and WX for the sim?

My opinion:

ASP4 and ASCA for weather and clouds.  ENVSHADE and ENVTEX for shaders and other visual enhancements.  (Use the sky colors from ENVTEX instead of ASCA.)

Don't waste your money on ASCA, get REX Skyforce instead for your textures, and ASP4 for your weather engine. 

25 minutes ago, captain420 said:

Don't waste your money on ASCA, get REX Skyforce instead for your textures, and ASP4 for your weather engine. 

Very bad advice.

ASP4 + REX SF is a weather engine with seperate cloud/sky textures

ASP4 + ASCA is a combo where , in Full Dynamics mode ( ASCA ) , different cloud textures ( up to 8 ) are choosen and show up in your environment at the same time

ASP4 + ASCA for clouds + EnTex ( with ASCA integration ) for skies is even one step more

 

Edited June 28, 20187 yr by GSalden

You can use ASP4 as the main weather engine and shut it off in REX SF and use the textures there only.

I have ASP4+ASCA combo and personally I find the textures lacking. REX SF has much better textures, and for those who don't care for the full dynamics mode, I would recommend ASP4+REX SF combo.

Bill,

To add to Aaron and Greg, Skyforce will give you good looking clouds and cloud structures, a number of sky texture sets and also rain shaft depiction, higher altitude weather.  You would want to combine it with AS4 which is the weather engine.  It will look at current METAR data and will then select the appropriate cloud structures and textures from SF and create representative weather, including visibility ranges based on the current weather you are using.   PTA will enhance the lighting and light scattering effect in the atmosphere and on aircraft surfaces - it's a great visual enhancement.  PTA is my preference over EnvShade.  Envtex is a general texture utility, but I no longer use it.

 

ASP4 for weather

SF for clouds textures and structures.

Envtex for sky colours used though ASCA. 

There is "no bad advice" it's all down to taste/flavor. 

 

Ok, my head is spinning, lol! 

Appreciate the advice! I'm home the next 4 days, and it's suppose to be really hot the next few days, so perfect WX for playing with the sim. I just need to figure this out, and warm up the credit card!

 

 

1 hour ago, Nyxx said:

ASP4 for weather

SF for clouds textures and structures.

Envtex for sky colours used though ASCA. 

There is "no bad advice" it's all down to taste/flavor. 

 

That is correct for most of us.

Myself , I want P3D to look and “behave” as real as possible , not to look as beautifull as possible ...

 

Edited June 28, 20187 yr by GSalden

1 hour ago, GSalden said:

ASP4 + ASCA is a combo where , in Full Dynamics mode ( ASCA ) , different cloud textures ( up to 8 ) are choosen and show up in your environment at the same time

ASP4 + ASCA for clouds + EnTex ( with ASCA integration ) for skies is even one step more

 

3 minutes ago, GSalden said:

Myself , I want P3D to look and “behave” as real as possible , not to look as beautifull as possible ...

And therein lies the tale - my sentiments exactly.

Vic

3 hours ago, GSalden said:

That is correct for most of us.

Myself , I want P3D to look and “behave” as real as possible , not to look as beautifull as possible ...

Agree but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

And how our monitors show colour/contrast etc. Your clouds shadows have a huge blue cast on my screen probably not what you see but way to blue on mine but if that looks right for you then=happy days. How it looks on my screen is evelevent to you all that counts is what looks right for you. We all chase the same goal really it's lucky we have different way to get it.

Up to everyone to find what looks best in their eyes.

 

I really wish PTA can show us the effects as we change them on the fly instead of having to mess with settings and reload the sim in order to see changes.

5 hours ago, GSalden said:

Very bad advice.

How can you possibly say that...!? It's not very bad advice, it is a different advice and just as worthy as your advice. You may not agree with it or have a different opinion but that doesn't make the other advice 'very bad'.

These are all personal opinions. As David said " if that looks right for you then=happy days"! The ONLY things that's very bad here is saying that someone else's personal preference is 'very bad': you can never ever say that.

At the same time I should add that saying " Don't waste your money on ASCA" isn't really helping too. Why is it so hard for people to share their personal preference a bit more objective and positive? Why does ones own opinion also have to be so negative towards others? Don't get me wrong, I've fallen into the same trap quite often but I try to learn from my mistakes. 😉

Edited June 28, 20187 yr by Guest

5 hours ago, GSalden said:

Very bad advice.

How can a much used combination be "bad advice"

6 hours ago, GSalden said:

Very bad advice.

ASP4 + REX SF is a weather engine with seperate cloud/sky textures

ASP4 + ASCA is a combo where , in Full Dynamics mode ( ASCA ) , different cloud textures ( up to 8 ) are choosen and show up in your environment at the same time

ASP4 + ASCA for clouds + EnTex ( with ASCA integration ) for skies is even one step more

 

That's been my advice for about 8 months... but from time to time someone jumps with a different opinion - which is fine, ask 10 people in flight sim a question and you'll get many different answers.