Cirrus clouds in P3Dv5...

[birdguy 3,943]

I have the latest version of P3Dv5 (I think - P3Dv5.1.12.26829).

I have 2 startup scenarios set up with identical cloud setups.  Cirrus 4/8 35,000ft - 40,000ft and Cumulus 3/8 13,500ft and 10,500ft.  The cirrus clouds show up sometimes in startup #1 but never show up in startup #2.

Is there some magic or secret to get cirrus clouds to show up consistently in P3Dv5?  I am not using any cloud program addons.

Noel

[andreh 125]

There are no cirrus clouds with EA on, as far as know. It's a missing feature that hopefully LM will fix with a later release.

[mpo910 2,112]

Actually there are cirrus clouds in P3D V5.X. Also with EA Mode on (TrueSky Active).

But as lots of us are using some weather addon to inject the weather and there are some "depiction/render" challenges, which prevents cirrus being injected/rendered properly (or even not at all).

If you take a look in the VolumetricClouds.CFG file (LM-P3D) your will see a "cirrus" cloud section with some parameters.

It is located here:

C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v5

Here is the section which you all will find in that file.

[Cirrus]
max_density_gm3 = 0.05
distribution_base_layer = 0.05
distribution_transition = 0.95
worley_noise = 0.55
worley_scale = 1.0
diffusivity = 0.95
persistence = 0.95
octaves = 3.0
upper_density = 0.95
simulation = 0.0
cloud_width_km = 30
cloudiness = 0.1
base_noise_factor = 0.95
edge_worley_noise = 0.0
fractal_amplitude = 1.5
edge_sharpness = 0.05
churn = 0.2

Using default weather presets will also give us cirrus clouds. But I am aware this is not the way lots of us using the default weather like that or even at all.

So let´s hope that with the next release the depiction gets enhanced and cirrus will depicted better, if cirrus has to be part of the injected weather image.

Marcus 

[birdguy 3,943]

I am not using EA.  And the cirrus clouds are intermittent.  Sometimes they show up and sometimes they don't.

Noel

[mpo910 2,112]

12 minutes ago, birdguy said:

I am not using EA.  And the cirrus clouds are intermittent.  Sometimes they show up and sometimes they don't.

Noel

Ok. Understand. Which Addon are you using for the weather injection?

[pgde 571]

I am using ASP3D w/ASCA and no EA, and notice cirrus clouds most of the time.

[birdguy 3,943]

I don't think I'm using any weather injection.  I don't even know what that means unless you mean third party weather addons.  I don't have any.  I'm just using the stock weather out of the box.

I have no idea what ASP3D or ASCA or EA means.

I am 87 years old and non technical.  All I want to do is recreate the flights I used to make when I was a real recreational pilot.  I just have the basic P3Dv5 installed and all the Orbx FSX/P3D scenery world wide.  I only have 1 aircraft I fly (actually 2) the Quest Kodiak and the Quest Kodiak on floats.

I don't want to fly in weather.  I just want cirrus clouds to put some texture in the sky.

'and notice cirrus clouds most of the time'  pgde...I am assuming you don't get cirrus all of the time.  Well, I get it some of the time but not most of the time.  I would like to get it all of the time.

Noel

Edited February 23, 2021 by birdguy

[pgde 571]

Hey Noel-- no problem. Let me explain. Just like there are add-on airports and scenery, ASP3D (Active Sky for P3D) is an add-on that inserts (i.e. injects) the appropriate/current weather, wind and cloud (and precipitation if present) conditions to be displayed in P3D. As you may be aware, P3D does not have its own way of checking the current conditions and displaying them (which is why you need to select a weather theme (i.e. Clear Sky, Stormy, etc) in the Options window). With ASP3D, all you need to do is select the Active Sky theme and it takes over at that point. ASCA stands for Active Sky Cloud Art) which is a high quality replacement for the clouds and sky textures. If you are using EA (which stands for Enhanced Atmosphere also known as True Sky), ASCA is automatically disabled and P3D handles the cloud and sky textures. From Lockheed Martin's site EA is "Realistic sky, clouds, and atmosphere with Simul trueSKY integration." Simul are the 3rd party developers of EA which Lockheed Martin bought the license to use.

My comment about cirrus was meant to say that if the cirrus is present, it will be displayed when you DON'T use EA and use ASP3D/ASCA.

Finally, I too am a ASEL in real life. I earned my license before I had a Driver's License and was destined to work for the airlines until the military (to build hours) made a requirement for 20/20 vision which I don't have.

Hope this helps and don't hesitate to ask any questions!!!!

P.