this sunset requires a modified sunglow file

[sightseer]

This is what Im working on.  Its a sunset (two versions) that requires a modified sun glow file.  The reason is that the sunset is mostly in those files and you have to delete parts of it in order to see what Ive done.

Modify as follows:

On the top row are the sun halos.  the rightmost 256 x 256 element is the daytime halo.  repaint this element by creating a large round brush with soft edge=0, width 240 or so, color = RGB 209 209 209.  I tried 229,229,229 but it was too bright with the dataref change (later).  The element next to this element is used to color the sky when the sun is setting but above the horizon. repaint it to RGB 255 242 199.  The next element, moving to the left is the sunset element.  the one in the upper left is the postsunset element.  Both the sunset and postsunset elements need to be deleted.  On the second row are the sun textures.  All Im doing right now is repainting the 'sunset' texture (third from right) to the same yellow as the above the horizon halo RGB 255 242 199.  I really want a more yellow or orange sun that sinks below the horizon but I cant find a way to do it yet.  I think that covers the sunglow changes.  its just deleting two elements and repainting three others.

The dataref changes are simple.  open art controls and look up 'sun' and the top one should be sun gain1hdr and its default is .8.  change it 1.0 to make the halo brighter.  next find sungain2hdr which defaults to 1.6.  Increase this to 1.8.  Also you might try fog be gone = .2.  I fly at 6500 feet or less pretty much all the time.  Sometimes with a clear sky and sometimes a tall layer of scattered cumulus but nearly always with maximum visibility and just the mount texture visible (using the developer menu -> show sky colors -> mount texture ticked).

heres version1:

heres version2 (my recent other threads "AA at BWI etc":

 

all shots in this thread are with the version1.   version2 was made today and I had no idea you could even do that.  and it may not work in the future but im assuming you are a sky designer and can fix it if need be.  the cloud lighting is a wip and my daytime is something Ive never been happy with.  sometimes this looks great and sometimes terrible.

but I hope you enjoy it.

 

ask questions if you have any. remember to run with mount texture only and the datref changes.  try a flight from KPVG starting at 540pm headed to KMTN

 

[Guest John_Cillis]

I wish I could get this file, but I do not understand how to install it....  Can you share more, these are the most beautiful Xplane sunsets I have ever seen!

John

[sightseer]

John -  I can tell you how to install what I've provided but it wouldn't help without the sunglow file and I can't upload a png with alpha which is what the sunglow files are.  I'm also not on the org and I don't want to set up an account right now. My work is really meant for those who have experience editing default files and some knowledge of how the files work together.

I can tell you that x plane has a number of different sky texture files and corresponding sunglow files (found in Resources->Bitmaps->Skycolors)and it mixes them in different ways according to the weather and it runs through the textures on each texture according to time of day.  On the menu at the top is a 'developer' menu and on it is "Show Sky Colors" and selecting that will bring up a box that allows to choose one texture to work with (clean,mount,hazy,etc). This allows a designer to work with just one texture and be able to see what they are doing.  it also allows for a person like me to create a texture that isn't actually very useful because it was only meant to be used on its own with manual weather.  But it is pretty in my opinion.

Unless you know how to edit the sunglow file I don't think I can help.  You need an image editor that works with the .png format and can handle png with alpha.  Follow the instructions I gave above and then save it.  make sure you backup your 'SkyColors' directory before you start.

The texture files I've provided are replacements for "sky_colors_mount.png" found in the skycolors directory. the "sun_glow_mount.png" is the file that needs to be edited.  After editing and saving the sunglow and replacing the sky texture its simply a matter of starting X plane and bringing up the developer menu and then "Show Sky Colors" and select the tick box by the word 'mount".  if you don't do this you'll be seeing default files mixed in.  after that, make the dataref changes and go flying.

These files are just for an enjoyable diversion and not for standard X plane flying.  I hope this helps at least some.  file editing is not hard and once you start you wont be able to stop.