Can't tell from just one shot, but it looks like (in the pic with the 747 sittin' on the wet tarmac) that full overcast looks much better in FS X.-John

Hmmm, what 747? I see a Dreamliner... ;)

4 engined dreamliner?

The real test of overcast will be how it looks from above the clouds. That's where fs9 seems to have the most problems displaying the layer.

I hope they will tune their graphics engine (which i hoped for since FS98) to have a shaded environment below the overcast. No casted shadows or sunreflection (see the pic) if there isn't a sun visible.EDIT: and clouds should drop shadows by now too. If not possible realtime then a generic texture by the amount of coverage, that would be a hughe step forward in realisme!Gerrit

If they fix the overcast and problems with sudden visibility jumps that plague current weather engine then I won't be laughing at the seagulls. ;)Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_beta_member.jpg

>I hope they will tune their graphics engine (which i hoped>for since FS98) to have a shaded environment below the>overcast. No casted shadows or sunreflection (see the pic) if>there isn't a sun visible.>>EDIT: and clouds should drop shadows by now too. If not>possible realtime then a generic texture by the amount of>coverage, that would be a hughe step forward in realisme!>>GerritThis is some of the main pet peeves for me but the biggest by far is Billboard flat clouds that rotate around your aircraft. Those work great for distant clouds but we could use some REAL FEEL clouds around the aircraft. FULL VOLUMETRIC is UN-NECESSARY EVERYWHERE, just need it transitioned from the billboards to just around the aircraft so we can FINALLY FLY THROUGH A CLOUD!On the POSITIVE SIDE, it looks like one of my other wishes with moving vehicles on roads may have come true though! :-)And truthfully if we can install the base sim that looks as good as having to add 50,000 add-ons to FS9 it's all worth it.Carmine http://forums.avsim.net/images/wave.gifhttp://img155.imageshack.us/img155/7118/phoenixtp8mg.jpg

>billboards to just around the aircraft so we can FINALLY FLY>THROUGH A CLOUD!I can fly through volumetric clouds today - can't you?Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_beta_member.jpg

>REAL FEEL clouds around the aircraft. FULL VOLUMETRIC is>UN-NECESSARY EVERYWHERE, just need it transitioned from the>billboards to just around the aircraft so we can FINALLY FLY>THROUGH A CLOUD!fully agree. Like in FS98 when flying through those skyscraper block clouds you were in dense fog for a while. I vote for having this back in FSX (except the skyscraper block clouds :-cool )Gerrit

Hey Michael, You have spoken out on a lot of other concerns of FSX that I feel the same way about so I appreciate your voicing campaign on those! :-beerchug What I am speaking of is the clouds have no "VOLUME" so to speak. Simply fly with clouds setup as scattered and look top down on your aircraft. You will see the clouds "ROTATE" around your aircraft so that the face of them are always facing your aircraft. They are actually paper thin with no BODY. They look to have some body at a distance but up close that is all lost. Look to your left or right in the cockpit and you will see the paper thin cloud come across. That is one thing I can't stand the most killing the simulation.Carmine http://forums.avsim.net/images/wave.gifhttp://img155.imageshack.us/img155/7118/phoenixtp8mg.jpg

>What I am speaking of is the>clouds have no "VOLUME" so to speak. I think you can get rid off such clouds if you put density (or some other slider) at 100%.Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_beta_member.jpg

>>>What I am speaking of is the>>clouds have no "VOLUME" so to speak. >>I think you can get rid off such clouds if you put density (or>some other slider) at 100%.>>Michael J.>http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpg>http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_beta_member.jpgHey Michael, I have all sliders at 100% already but have yet to experience "volumetric" as you say you do.Carmine http://forums.avsim.net/images/wave.gifhttp://img155.imageshack.us/img155/7118/phoenixtp8mg.jpg

I haven't seen those "pancake" clouds for a very long time. I can definitely "experience" the volumetric clouds - I can go through the cloud then after exiting I can turn around 180 and go through it again. Maybe you should post on the main forum why you aren't getting it. However I usually concentrate on the clouds in front of me - if there is something funny going on the periphery of my view - I possibly miss it.I recall there was a discussion in the past debating whether FS9 has truly volumetric clouds or not. If for some reason the clouds are not truly volumetric but are made to 'act' like ones - I would probaly not mind it because truly volumetric clouds may still be beyond reach of current hardware.Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_beta_member.jpg

Hi,FS9's 3D cloud system uses a way of simulating volumetric clouds, using multiple 2D texture "sprites" that rotate around the point of view. It's quite brilliant, and makes the station-based weather system visuals work in a way that doesn't tax the system too hard (relatively speaking, of course). Fully volumetric clouds, at least from the definition I am familiar with, involve fully rendering cloud objects in 3D.... The performance hit is massive, and as far as I know, requires real-time building and texturing such 3D objects in the field of view (without applying external models and textures). Some of the newer combat sims have shown some really cool innovation in this department. From the look of the FSX screenshots I don't see much change from the current pseudo-volumetric system, but of course it is really early yet.Best,

>Some of the newer combat sims have shown some>really cool innovation in this department. Yeah, the rendering of clouds in Lock-On is spot on. The feel of speed when decending through or climbing out those clouds is awesome. Even within the cloud you still experience speed while hardly the wingtip is visible. I agree there is some performance hit, but some tweaking of the overcast gave me very good performance.Best,Gerrit