Returning and confused about REX Stuff

[Mgard78 141]

 

Hi folks,

 

Returning to simming after a looooong pause, and for now at least I will just be using my ol' P3D v4.

 

I have sadly found many of my addons not supported, abandonded, etc. and trying to determine what to use.

 

Specifically for weather, and from REX  (leaving the discussion of REX vs. Hifi stuff for later... 🙂 ),  I originally had Rex Texture Direct + Soft Clouds.  At some moment during my pause I purchased anyway Environment Force (which sees to be one of the ones that's abandoned?) and Sky Force 3D.

So Trying to Determine what to use. And so:

- If one were doing a "Pure Rex" approach, would I need I guess Sky Force and still TD because Sky Force has no textures for runways, ground stuff, etc. ?

-If going a "Mix" route. it seemed that pretty much everyone agreed that the weather engine itself was best to use ASP3D, and then arguibly some folks like ASCA or ASCA/ENVTEX in stead of the REx stuff, but still use Sky Frce for some things? And also throw TD in the mix because of same reasons as above for runways, round stuff etc?

 

Thanks for the insights!

 

[Vineguy 26]

Rex Sky Force will work for P3D all version including 5.3. Texture Direct will work with all versions up to and including v4.5 but not 5.3. Environmental Force will work up to version 4.5 but is no longer supported by REX. 

Hope this helps.

 

[bofhlusr 453]

33 minutes ago, Mgard78 said:

Returning to simming after a looooong pause, and for now at least I will just be using my ol' P3D v4.

I'm in a similar situation. I'm returning to P3Dv4 after a long pause. But in my case, not from simming but from P3D while I checked out MSFS. I'm only back in P3D temporarily for planes that are still not available in MSFS, and to use stuff I bought for P3D but never even got to use (ActiveSky and CloudArt for example) before I was so  rudely interrupted by MSFS. 😂

 

42 minutes ago, Mgard78 said:

- If one were doing a "Pure Rex" approach,

If you have plane add-ons that use their Weather Radar, hopefully, you bought it before they discontinued selling the item. 

I have TextureDirect with Soft Clouds and Worldwide Airports too. I have those installed with OpusFSI as the weather engine. OpusFSI, instead of ActiveSky, because it also came with dynamic movements (EZCA replacement). I'll very likely try out ActiveSky after doing some tests.

SInce you plan to use P3Dv4 only it's probably prudent to just keep it as simple as possible and avoid compatibility issues. I haven't upgraded anything in P3Dv4 for that reason since MSFS came out. So far, everything seems to be running fine.

P3D v4 still has some users willing to help out on any issues that may come up. But no one knows how long that'll last though. The majority appears to have moved on to other sims or versions. It's probably best to make sure that you're happy with how P3D v4 works, and trouble free, for you before support disappears.





 

[blaunarwal 432]

10 hours ago, Mgard78 said:

-If going a "Mix" route. it seemed that pretty much everyone agreed that the weather engine itself was best to use ASP3D, and then arguibly some folks like ASCA or ASCA/ENVTEX in stead of the REx stuff, but still use Sky Frce for some things? And also throw TD in the mix because of same reasons as above for runways, round stuff etc?

I had all REX products but they were late updating it to P3D5 so I had to change to Active Sky to have a weather engine. I once used Active Sky support and this is excellent. They were also very engaged to update their products fast when P3D5 got updated. REX was just waiting a year or more.

[Mgard78 141]

2 hours ago, blaunarwal said:

I had all REX products but they were late updating it to P3D5 so I had to change to Active Sky to have a weather engine. I once used Active Sky support and this is excellent. They were also very engaged to update their products fast when P3D5 got updated. REX was just waiting a year or more.

I also have ASP3D, and ASCA, so it's not that I am limited to REX stuff. But wanted to sort out what of my stuff even works (anymore) and then decide what to use altogether (I know as per preferences some folks even used the whole combo of ASP3D + SF + ASCA + ENVTEX... and still not sure if any of those has the stuff TD has in regards to runway textures, signs, etc.)

[blaunarwal 432]

10 minutes ago, Mgard78 said:

I also have ASP3D, and ASCA, so it's not that I am limited to REX stuff. But wanted to sort out what of my stuff even works (anymore) and then decide what to use altogether (I know as per preferences some folks even used the whole combo of ASP3D + SF + ASCA + ENVTEX... and still not sure if any of those has the stuff TD has in regards to runway textures, signs, etc.)

I use ENVTex for these textures. Also DRZEWIECKI Designs has some textures if you install one of their sceneries. There is also freeware available. I think it is a former free REX texture freeware.