Hard cloud edges in valleys

[SledDriver 39]

is there a way to soften the edges of clouds and fog as seen in valleys and around hill tops? It kinda removes the immersion factor at a stroke.

An example can be seen here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/L5hfjeysMd9QtTf67

[SledDriver 39]

I'll take that as a no then.

[Mace 1,902]

Are those default weather and clouds?  What are you using for those?

I ask, because I haven't noticed those types of hard edges in P3D with ActiveSky and ASCA and PTA going.

[SledDriver 39]

Yes I have ActiveSkyP4 with ASCA and RexSkyforce3D and EnvShade/Envtex all running.

No PTA.

Edited April 12, 2019 by SledDriver

[itsjase 52]

It's been like for as long as I can remember. It's a limitation of 2d clouds unfortunately.

You can rotate them in the air to make them look 3D, but as soon as they clip through the ground they look a 2D picture intersecting 3D terrain and the illusion is lost.

Edited April 12, 2019 by itsjase

[SledDriver 39]

Any ideas how this was done then?

...from this site: https://live-cockpits.weebly.com/tomatoshade.html

He says Tomatoshade. I use PTA. Anyone know if this is something TS can do which PTA can't, or is this blatant Photoshopped misrepresentation/dreamland? Cos I'm not seeing any hard lines up against those hills.

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by SledDriver

[itsjase 52]

It's a combination of luck and angles. Just like most good screenshots are 😉

[pgde 571]

 I use PTA and ASP4 and between Anchorage and Fairbanks, when there are clouds, it looks almost identical to the screenshot above. The issue is not a shader issue. You may want to post on the Active Sky forums, if I remember correctly, this subject has come up before.

[SledDriver 39]

Cheers, I'll have a look over there.

[vgbaron 3,505]

I use ASP4 and Envshade - that's what I see in those cases. I have volumetric fog enabled.

 

Vic

[SledDriver 39]

1 minute ago, vgbaron said:

I use ASP4 and Envshade - that's what I see in those cases. I have volumetric fog enabled.

Me too, but I'm getting hard edges. Horrible.

[itsjase 52]

the hard edges occur when there are cumulus clouds intersecting with the mountains, it looks fine with stratus type clouds and fog.

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

I don't know if this suggestion will help but AS has a setting to positively offset cloud elevations. Some of the "hard edge" issue stems from AS interpolating METARs in mountainous areas and subsequently placing the lowest cloud layer such that it intersects with the terrain. Often, the volumetric fog hides  the problem but not always.

[SledDriver 39]

On 4/20/2019 at 10:25 AM, itsjase said:

the hard edges occur when there are cumulus clouds intersecting with the mountains, it looks fine with stratus type clouds and fog.

I specifically set up a low level cloud layer with stratus to test this, but it had the same problem.

[Oliver Ooi 85]

The effect can be achieved without any cloud layer. If the mountain top is 5000ft, in the Advanced Weather, delete all the Clouds layer, then set the Visibility layer 'Tops' at around 4500ft, and 'Visibility' at 2mi. You also need to turn on Volumetric Fog in settings.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Oliver Ooi