I really miss Active Sky.   Yes, I'm using REX SkyForce for weather and clouds, but there is nothing like Active Sky for weather.  I certainly hope HiFi is close to releasing their version for Version5, because flying isn't the same without that wonderful program.  

I'll still use SkyForce for sky and cloud formations along with Active Sky when it comes out, but I thought I'd give HiFi a shot here so that if they read this, they'll realize we're waiting......rather impatiently.

Stan

I think we are waiting for the hotfix to drop next week before we see anything

Okay, not yet made the switch to v5 as yet until the new rig is eventually in situ, but last night on a flight from SBGR, it was amazing to see lightning flashes just north of the mainland of South America, using ASP3Dv4. So, I echo your thoughts, Stan,

1 hour ago, spilok said:

I really miss Active Sky.   Yes, I'm using REX SkyForce for weather and clouds, but there is nothing like Active Sky for weather.  I certainly hope HiFi is close to releasing their version for Version5, because flying isn't the same without that wonderful program.  

I'll still use SkyForce for sky and cloud formations along with Active Sky when it comes out, but I thought I'd give HiFi a shot here so that if they read this, they'll realize we're waiting......rather impatiently.

Stan

Did you point SF and EF to V5?

All we can do is wait. 

17 minutes ago, cyyzrwy24 said:

Did you point SF and EF to V5?

EF doesn't work, I believe.  SkyForce does.  Yes. Go into settings in SkyForce and point to your V5 folder

Stan

Yep, there are some things required for me to consider a sim complete and AS is one of them. PMDG and Leonardo are two more.

Without a working weather system, v5 remains a non-starter.  I can wait for some of the other add-ons to catch up, but life is too short to go back to simming with wind shifts and otherwise flaky weather again.

 

I'm holding off purchase until we get Active Sky.  Like Bob above, I really can't fly without some kind of decent "real world" weather.  

Hook

It's crazy that you can still launch a flight sim in 2020 without real world weather. Hopefully my ASP4 license can carry up but if not 😞

It's likely that Active Sky and ASCA will soon release as P3d5 compatible versions that work with the P3d4 style clouds. I'd be surprised if HiFi releases either add-on which works with the TrueSky clouds, etc. in the near term, although nothing is impossible. TrueSky is an SDK that LM has licensed. Unlike the shaders in P3d, where the HLSL source is compiled to binary shaders at runtime, the TrueSky implementation that is part of P3d5 consists only of compiled shader files. The compiler shaders are flexible enough to allow four different cloud types (cumulus, stratus, CB and cirrus) and a variety of atmospheric conditions at runtime, so it should be possible to drive the atmospheric conditions with real time weather. Possible, but not trivial. Whether it's also possible to add additional cloud types (stratocumulus, altocumulus, cirrocumulus, etc.) based on atmospheric conditions, remains to be seen. This is the same issue that poses a challenge to the development of MSFS. It really depends on how TrueSky has been licensed and whether LM would allow 3rd party developers with a TrueSky license to modify the shaders. It's also possible that because the TrueSky implementation is beta, that LM didn't want anybody recompiling the shaders, although out of ignorance, I still lean towards the licensing as the obstacle.

I keep thinking back to when LM introduced SpeedTrees in P3d, which is also a licensed SDK. Some of the tree colors were a crazy bright green, which completely ruined the immersion. Of course, in that case, it's no big deal to modify the ST texture files with Photoshop. But if a developer does so, then they would probably be violating the SpeedTree licensing restrictions. I don't think anybody cared too much about SpeedTrees, because in additional to looking weird, they also killed performance in P3d4. In P3d5, their impact is not as significant, but for some reason, LM doesn't seem to mind the ST color schemes. In any case, no 3rd party developer ever "fixed" the SpeedTrees.

In addition to all this, the number of HLSL files has been reduced going from P3d4 to P3d5, probably because some of the functions are either no longer needed or have been accomplished in some other manner. This may pose a hurdle to the various 3rd party shader add-ons, although I see that at least one of the payware vendors has released a P3d5 compatible version of their shader add-on. But my guess is that it only works with the P3d4-style atmospherics.

Edited April 25, 20206 yr by jabloomf1230

29 minutes ago, jabloomf1230 said:

It's likely that Active Sky and ASCA will soon release as P3d5 compatible versions that work with the P3d4 style clouds. I'd be surprised if HiFi releases either add-on which works with the TrueSky clouds, etc. in the near term, although nothing is impossible. TrueSky is an SDK that LM has licensed. Unlike the shaders in P3d, where the HLSL source is compiled to binary shaders at runtime, the TrueSky implementation that is part of P3d5 consists only of compiled shader files. The compiler shaders are flexible enough to allow four different cloud types (cumulus, stratus, CB and cirrus) and a variety of atmospheric conditions at runtime, so it should be possible to drive the atmospheric conditions with real time weather. Possible, but not trivial. Whether it's also possible to add additional cloud types (stratocumulus, altocumulus, cirrocumulus, etc.) based on atmospheric conditions, remains to be seen. This is the same issue that poses a challenge to the development of MSFS. It really depends on how TrueSky has been licensed and whether LM would allow 3rd party developers with a TrueSky license to modify the shaders. It's also possible that because the TrueSky implementation is beta, that LM didn't want anybody recompiling the shaders, although out of ignorance, I still lean towards the licensing as the obstacle.

I keep thinking back to when LM introduced SpeedTrees in P3d, which is also a licensed SDK. Some of the tree colors were a crazy bright green, which completely ruined the immersion. Of course, in that case, it's no big deal to modify the ST texture files with Photoshop. But if a developer does so, then they would probably be violating the SpeedTree licensing restrictions. I don't think anybody cared too much about SpeedTrees, because in additional to looking weird, they also killed performance in P3d4. In P3d5, their impact is not as significant, but for some reason, LM doesn't seem to mind the ST color schemes. In any case, no 3rd party developer ever "fixed" the SpeedTrees.

In addition to all this, the number of HLSL files has been reduced going from P3d4 to P3d5, probably because some of the functions are either no longer needed or have been accomplished in some other manner. This may pose a hurdle to the various 3rd party shader add-ons, although I see that at least one of the payware vendors has released a P3d5 compatible version of their shader add-on. But my guess is that it only works with the P3d4-style atmospherics.

Dont think thats the case with trusky. They wouldnt have mentioned it if that was the case

 

https://hifisimtech.com/prepar3d-v5-information/

 

As you know, Prepar3D v5 includes a new optional cloud visualization system using trueSKY.  This system brings new technical and integration considerations, and requires further HiFi development that is in the works, but we are not yet able to provide firm time-lines.

We anticipate having our first public version ready for beta shortly.  Details will be provided on our website soon (https://hifisimtech.com), so please check back.

Edited April 25, 20206 yr by akabam

24 minutes ago, akabam said:

Dont think thats the case with trusky. They wouldnt have mentioned it if that was the case

It's possible that HiFi has owns a TrueSky license. I didn't say never, I said not soon. One thing's for sure, the two weather engines that presently work with P3d5 only work with the P3d4-style atmospherics.

The other thing that I forgot to mention, because it's a little off topic is LM's use of the nVidia Wakeworks 2.0 SDK for the water. It's a substantial improvement IMO. But that change also poses challenges to 3rd party developers. At least, Waveworks is a DLL, so if a developer knows what they are doing, they can figure out modifications. Although, the water is pretty good right now (especially when compared to P3d4, FSX and XP11) so there may not be a big market for add-ons that mess around with the water.

 

22 minutes ago, jabloomf1230 said:

It's possible that HiFi has owns a TrueSky license. I didn't say never, I said not soon. One thing's for sure, the two weather engines that presently work with P3d5 only work with the P3d4-style atmospherics.

The other thing that I forgot to mention, because it's a little off topic is LM's use of the nVidia Wakeworks 2.0 SDK for the water. It's a substantial improvement IMO. But that change also poses challenges to 3rd party developers. At least, Waveworks is a DLL, so if a developer knows what they are doing, they can figure out modifications. Although, the water is pretty good right now (especially when compared to P3d4, FSX and XP11) so there may not be a big market for add-ons that mess around with the water.

 

I think they only work with the old weather because they didnt get a chance before hand. I am sure Active Sky works for the old weather but they are waiting for Tru Sky to be done on their side to release it. 

THe next few weeks we shall see. I think Rex etc are working on them but havent started yet.

Without getting into details, the other weather programs use the theme based weather injection which AS used many years ago. They developed a method to literally place the clouds in certain spots. This requires much more integration with the code. Add TruSky and it makes it more of a challenge. Now add the current wind direction bug and you have it in a nutshell. I expect we'll hear nothing until after the hotfix drops but I know they are working on it as the top priority.

 

Vic