Constant High Altitude Haze

[tamba765 54]

I just upgraded to P3Dv5.2 hotfix 1 from P3Dv4.5. I run ASP3D along with the sim. I've tried many combinations of settings in both programs, but I can't seem to reduce the constant haze that greatly reduces the visibility at high altitudes. This wasn't an issue with P3Dv4.5. I was an airline pilot, so I realize that there are some days when there is a haze, but not every day. So, if you know of some settings in either P3D or Active Sky that might help, please let me know. Also, it would be much easier to get suggestions from some of you on what to try, rather than having me tell you all the many different settings I've been experimenting with. Thanks.

Pete Locascio

[Afterburner 374]

Can you post a picture showing haze at high altitudes?

[mattalln 1]

Turning off volumetric fog in P3D settings seems to help a little. 

[LRBS 946]

A very good day Pete,

 

Yes, you are 100% correct with this unrealistic haze, especially with VF and EA on.

I will attach 2 pictures to illustrate this ongoing issue, unfortunately, it goes on deaf ears, and with unproductive statements and discussions.

The first one is STD WX CONDITIONS, VF, EA OFF, and no HDR, pretty close to reality, me personally I would tone it down by at least 20%.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jqdzxdf785ua3wz/VF AND EA OFF.jpg?dl=0

 

The second one, at the same position, altitude, STD WX CONDITIONS, CLEAR, VF, EA ON AND HDR as you can notice, totally unrealistic.

I was hoping by now to see a better representation. Hopefully, they will fix it before many of us will go for other platforms.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/byo7aks7wdwzewc/VF AND EA ON.jpg?dl=0

Edited July 4, 2021 by killthespam

[tamba765 54]

     Yea, that's what I'm seeing also. There seem to be horizontal bands as you look up from the horizon towards the edge of the haze. P3Dv4.5 was much better at weather depiction. 

This is just a guess, but I'm not sure how well ASP3D works with v5. I'm using the latest beta, but it still looks terrible.

[LRBS 946]

Try this please, on my PC with ASP3D I have a better outcome. Not 100% but............................

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xb4mgp9no3yhm2v/2.JPG?dl=0

 

[Coneman 71]

I've been in the visual arts for a long time, and as a result am a keen of observer of atmospherics. Killthespam, your second pic actually is more realistic looking and looks similar to MSFS as well. The first looks quite dated and from a legacy sim. Of course atmospheric haze can vary quite a bit but there is usually always some scattering at altitude. Just another opinion. 🙂

[LRBS 946]

2 hours ago, Coneman said:

I've been in the visual arts for a long time, and as a result am a keen of observer of atmospherics. Killthespam, your second pic actually is more realistic looking and looks similar to MSFS as well. The first looks quite dated and from a legacy sim. Of course atmospheric haze can vary quite a bit but there is usually always some scattering at altitude. Just another opinion. 🙂

I agree with you that MSFS has a better representation.

Those 2 pictures are from the latest P3D version.

I will attach 3 pictures from my flights (as a professional pilot) where you can make a determination how real or close is this representation of clear weather conditions should look, some in an avoiding thunderstorm scenario, one in vicinity of Bagram and one during a sunset.

We agree that atmospheric haze will be different on each geographic location and it is not always scattering at altitude.

My issue with P3D is that on a clear day, with unlimited visibility having VF and EA on, all over the globe we have this unrealistic haze, which is not realistic at all.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/28yn55bfscknf5e/c.JPG?dl=0

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2kypu1dr41r47rh/b.JPG?dl=0

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e633k16kl3ma349/a.JPG?dl=0

[GSalden 4,656]

EA with AS (vis 199), no shader mods 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9gmsvzklh5upvqq/Foto 04-07-2021 09 21 13.jpg?dl=0

Here a real life cockpit pic :

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cewui0gv1s4byws/Foto 05-07-2021 09 27 51.heic?dl=0

The same white thin band

Edited July 5, 2021 by GSalden

[LRBS 946]

Gerard,

 

To make it clear, I'm not critical of you or looking for a confrontation. 

If I may, in our example, we are not talking about the white thin band. I don't know if you looked carefully, but the initial pictures with P3D were with clear (unlimited visibility), vf, ea off, and no hdr at FL200, the second example same FL200 and clear (unlimited visibility) vf, ea on, and no AS, again just P3D with no mod.

As you can see under those conditions we have two different results at the very same exact position and conditions. So, based on that, nothing is changed as to a location, wx conditions, altitude, the first picture depicts what we should see on a clear day, no haze, just the white band in the distance as you referring to. I hope that you can notice from those pictures in my initial post and the obvious difference.

 

In our case, I would concentrate on the discrepancy of the 2 pictures in my initial post and leave aside all the other pictures we have for the later discussion, clarification if necessary.

 

I understand that you did some mods to the config file and adjust some values, and for that, thank you.

 

The obvious is that there are some issues acknowledged by LM (P3D) and I hope that they might be able to address them, also there are some vendors that try to alleviate or enhance the shortcomings of this issue.

 

At the same time, this EA is very limited and the variety of clouds are quite slim. Flipping the coin, there are people happy with this and are not bothered by the shortcomings, while the others flying for a living at least 60 HRS/MONTH find this bothersome and hope for a fix that benefits everybody.

[SAS443 1,716]

@killthespam is on point.

The milkiness of the "clear sky" preset is a bit overdone if you ask me. And ActiveSky is only making it worse....

Left image was taken last weekend (standard clear summer day in sweden) during  a x-country leg

Right image is P3D 5.2 HF1. (Clear skies preset, no activesky). It looks dull, and not convincing on my end.

Please fix your EA shaders LM....

[GSalden 4,656]

On 7/5/2021 at 2:36 PM, killthespam said:

Gerard,

 

To make it clear, I'm not critical of you or looking for a confrontation. 

If I may, in our example, we are not talking about the white thin band. I don't know if you looked carefully, but the initial pictures with P3D were with clear (unlimited visibility), vf, ea off, and no hdr at FL200, the second example same FL200 and clear (unlimited visibility) vf, ea on, and no AS, again just P3D with no mod.

As you can see under those conditions we have two different results at the very same exact position and conditions. So, based on that, nothing is changed as to a location, wx conditions, altitude, the first picture depicts what we should see on a clear day, no haze, just the white band in the distance as you referring to. I hope that you can notice from those pictures in my initial post and the obvious difference.

 

In our case, I would concentrate on the discrepancy of the 2 pictures in my initial post and leave aside all the other pictures we have for the later discussion, clarification if necessary.

 

I understand that you did some mods to the config file and adjust some values, and for that, thank you.

 

The obvious is that there are some issues acknowledged by LM (P3D) and I hope that they might be able to address them, also there are some vendors that try to alleviate or enhance the shortcomings of this issue.

 

At the same time, this EA is very limited and the variety of clouds are quite slim. Flipping the coin, there are people happy with this and are not bothered by the shortcomings, while the others flying for a living at least 60 HRS/MONTH find this bothersome and hope for a fix that benefits everybody.

We are good . No issues 😄

Since v5.2 HF1 came out I am using the default shaders so all my screenshots or vids show them.

I will look into this but it might be that I cannot modify anything regarding EA Sky.

Regarding your screenshots with HDR on / off they look much more different than on my pc.

Every improvement LM makes on EA is welcome 👍

Here a screenshot with Clear weather , no AS and HDR + Auto Exposure Enabled.

Brightness 0.90 / Bloom 0.60 / Saturation 1.15

Monitor : brightness 9 / Contrast 90

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1l9t4jcs94kmxq9/Foto 08-07-2021 10 26 44.heic?dl=0

There is some haze but it does not disturb me. I have flown over the Alps many time and sometimes with clear weather I saw almost no haze and another time it looked like my screenshot.

I don’t know if these atmospheric conditions can be modified in EA.

Edited July 8, 2021 by GSalden

[andreh 125]

I also have clear line infront of the cockpit where the fog is being drawn over water. It's particularly noticeable in VR since the line moves with your head movement. Anyone else seen this?

This is with EA+AS+volumetric fog on and all the default fog settings in AS. Setting the visibility limit to 200 doesn't fix this.

Edited July 8, 2021 by andreh

[GSalden 4,656]

If you have AS set Visibility to 200 instead of lower. 
That leaves just one level of low haze instead of multiple with lower settings .

[andreh 125]

3 minutes ago, GSalden said:

If you have AS set Visibility to 200 instead of lower. 
That leaves just one level of low haze instead of multiple with lower settings .

Not sure if that was directed at me since I posted last?

Visibility range setting doesn't matter. 199, 200 or any other setting I still get the visible line over water