16 hours ago, LRBS said:

I've been using xenviro2020 and have noticed some pros and cons compared to MSFS wx. However, I think it will take some time to achieve accurate weather depiction. One thing I've consistently noticed with xenviro2020 is that during thunderstorms at the same wx location and time, you can see lightning and thunder while MSFS struggles with this. 

Furthermore, the visuals in relation to the SA are significantly different, as seen in the pictures at https://flightsim.to/product/xenviro2020. For example, on slide 2 of 8, the prevailing visibility is 6000, while in MSFS, it's not even close. Slides 5, 6, and 7 of 8 show BKN082, while MSFS is more likely to show OVC. On slide 8 of 8, MSFS shows clear skies, while the metar shows SCT 018. 

Ultimately, the key factor is how ASOBO/MSFS engine creates all the cloud formations, types, and visibility. When they open up the wx to other parties and include an RVR option, we can expect some real improvements.

Agree with LRBS here. I bought XEnviro because I got a healthy discount as I'd originally got it for X-Plane some years ago. I do not agree XEnviro is it the most accurate weather engine for MSFS.

Sometimes though it can be a good alternative to MSFS live weather, when either there's little or no weather depiction from MS servers (less common nowadays) or I'm flying in areas where there's a bit of snow on the mountain tops, but MSFS depicts snow everywhere at sea level and the sea or lakes are frozen - where in real life they would never be. XEnviro has been a better alternative for me than Rex Weather. 

To be clear; MSFS weather is almost always much better than any alternative, and I bought this at a discounted price. I would not recommend this as a general alternative until the API is opened up to 3rd parties.

Scam Alert

On 5/21/2023 at 5:14 PM, odourboy said:

After what I consider a mediocre experience with Xenviro in X-Plane, I wouldn't consider putting out for it in MSFS.

I purchased it for XP12 and was very underwhelmed.  I average 40 fps in XP12, but when I load xEnviro the fps go straight to 19 and don't budge.

However, the experience in MSFS is very different - no major fps hit and weather depiction is very good.

On 5/21/2023 at 3:28 PM, AnkH said:

As long as every weather addon for MSFS is simply unable to depict weather fronts in live weather

I am assuming by weather front, you mean cold/warm fronts.

If you park yourself at an airfield while using xEnviro, the weather will change over time, so all stages of the weather front will be depicted.  If you are flying, the only part of the weather front you will not see is the front in the distance.  As you fly towards it, xEnviro will show all stages of the weather front, from high clouds down to mid then low and eventually rain.

XEnviro will show more cloud types than MSFS, so it has its uses on my PC.  Of course, if you must have local weather prediction at all times, MSFS default live weather is your only option.

21 minutes ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

XEnviro will show more cloud types than MSFS

That’s interesting. Been on the fence about getting it as I think I qualify for a discount, but haven’t seen any clear signs of improvements over default.

What other cloud types have you seen? Do individual clouds produce rain as in default?

On 5/21/2023 at 12:29 PM, Virtpilot said:

There is a good conversation and polling at the official forum about clouds in MSFS. Go and give your vote so maybe we get better and more realistic clouds in some point..... Improve clouds in Live Weather - Microsoft Flight Simulator / Wishlist - Microsoft Flight Simulator Forums 

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/improve-clouds-in-live-weather/593028/112?u=zahidhuubow

9 hours ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

If you park yourself at an airfield while using xEnviro, the weather will change over time, so all stages of the weather front will be depicted.  If you are flying, the only part of the weather front you will not see is the front in the distance.  As you fly towards it, xEnviro will show all stages of the weather front, from high clouds down to mid then low and eventually rain.

Not again, please. For me, this way of depicting weather fronts is NOT what I meant. Just of now, if I look out of my windows, there is almost clear skies above me and in around 20-30nm distance, I can see the next weather front approaching, behind the front, the skies are overcast. THIS is what I want from a good weather addon. Or, as mentioned elsewhere: if I fly over the Alps, I want a weather addon being able to depict clear skies north of the Alps and overcast south of the Alps. Not with a transition phase, as I look out of the cockpit and SEE what is coming (or not). I wonder why I have to expalin this over and over again, do you guys ever actually WATCH weather or do you just take screenshots and compare it to real life pictures? Or do you all live in a region where always 99% of the sky is showing totally uniform weather schemes until the horizon? 

Hard pass.  XEnviro was made to make a very poor default XP environment look 'plausible'.  That's it

 

 

I remembered my experience of selecting settings with the Enviro.   I'm so happy that nothing needs to be specially configured in MSFS !

Triple hard, titanium grade level pass for me. 

4 hours ago, AnkH said:

Just of now, if I look out of my windows, there is almost clear skies above me and in around 20-30nm distance, I can see the next weather front approaching, behind the front, the skies are overcast

For clarification i did say xEnviro will not show a front in the distance.  For others considering xEnviro, I want to refute your claim it doesn't show weather fronts, which it does.  xEnviro is clever in the way it shows the weather. On my last flight I had heavy clouds to the right but clear skies to the horizon on the left.  As I understand it, It is not a true global model, but it does somehow make the sky look different in different direcions.

You personally value the default weather, which is excellent, it is just your statement it doesn't show weather fronts is misleading.

Love Xenviro it adds high cloud on CAVOK days which i think MSFS doesn't do. The cloud depiction and heights also appear to be much better represented. It does a really good job within the limitation of not having SDK access.

Edited June 23, 20232 yr by UKflyer

On 6/23/2023 at 1:57 PM, UKflyer said:

Love Xenviro it adds high cloud on CAVOK days which i think MSFS doesn't do. The cloud depiction and heights also appear to be much better represented. It does a really good job within the limitation of not having SDK access.

Absolutely agree.  Cloud depiction is superior to default (although default is good).  xEnviro lighting is also more more dynamic than default.and realistic looking sky.

Just to clarify for those who do not want a global weather model - default is better for this, obviously. However, I use xEnviro for all flights now as it is very clever how it transitions between areas. It DOESN't suffer from any stutters during weather updates as REX does at times with certain settings.  Losing a local weather model is more than made up by the amazing clouds and skies it produces.