Active Sky coming to MSFS

[Franz007 504]

2 minutes ago, vgbaron said:

And, exactly how many flights have you flown with ASFS to make this determination as to what will be seen? You have a good point, too bad it's not true.  In the flights I have taken (easily 100+) I have not seen this. ASFS behaves as I would expect when flying from clear weather into a front.

A tons but using ASXP that somehow still has the same kind of API-limitation and they also described it similar to how they do for MSFS. So that‘s why I expect it to be quite identical: non local but global. I don‘t know otherwise how they would manage to do that without a fully opened weather-API. But I may be wrong of course and perhaps they achieved some miracles? 😉

[Fiorentoni 4,254]

22 minutes ago, Franz007 said:

A tons but using ASXP that somehow still has the same kind of API-limitation and they also described it similar to how they do for MSFS. So that‘s why I expect it to be quite identical: non local but global. I don‘t know otherwise how they would manage to do that without a fully opened weather-API. But I may be wrong of course and perhaps they achieved some miracles? 😉

You're right, weather is local in AS, since the same API restrictions remain. But the question is: Will you notice it? You automatically assume it will be extremely noticeable, while those who actually use the beta say you don't notice it at all. It's pretty much possible to "fake" a distant weather front during transitions, so it gives you the impression of actually flying into a front. My memory might betray me, but I think that's how AS already did it on P3D back then.

Edited April 16 by Fiorentoni

[MrBitstFlyer 3,881]

5 hours ago, fsiscool said:

With any addon tool, there is no such thing as a clear view to the horizon on one side and bad weather on the other side.

Which addon are you referring to?  in my last flight I had overcast weather with rain and on my left, but on the right I had clear blue skies.  Maybe it's a while since you tried one of these addons?

[RALF9636 1,975]

1 hour ago, Fiorentoni said:

You're right, weather is local in AS, since the same API restrictions remain. But the question is: Will you notice it? You automatically assume it will be extremely noticeable, while those who actually use the beta say you don't notice it at all. It's pretty much possible to "fake" a distant weather front during transitions, so it gives you the impression of actually flying into a front. My memory might betray me, but I think that's how AS already did it on P3D back then.

You won't see a front in the Active Sky Preset Control mode like you can in the default live weather and also in the passive mode of ASFS.

When you approach a front from a region with clear skies ASFS will slowly fade in clouds on your way towards the front. But you won't notice that as immersion breaking. Depending on your flightplan, aircraft and ASFS settings this process can take maybe 20 minutes or 100nm. You will notice that the weather is deteriorating continuously as you approach the bad weather region. That in itself is immersive as long as you think along the lines of "I am getting into a region with bad weather and clouds are building up all around me". If you think along the lines of "Oh my, there should be a front visible here, it is all so wrong" you won't find it immersive. But you will only come to that idea if you simultaneously run another instance of the sim with live weather alongside your ASFS session and see a front there.

So in short: The weather in ASFS Preset Control mode with its transitions is immersive in itself, just don't expect to see weather fronts.

And as someone else has already mentioned, this weather-front-topic is kind of over-emphasized here. It's not that you see such an impressive weather front everyday IRL. Mostly the change from good to bad weather (or vice versa) happens as a continuous transition IRL as well - and ASFS depicts that quite well.

 

Edited April 16 by RALF9636

[MrBitstFlyer 3,881]

7 hours ago, tup61 said:

The question is 'if'. I really love how MSFS can show you different kinds of weather in all four directions up to the horizon (where you can actually fly towards and in and out of) and I would hate to see the same kind of weather all around me.

There are a some things to clarify here.

1.  MSFS has a local weather model, so different weather can be seen in different directions.  However, as many have pointed out, the MSFS world contains mostly variations of cumulus clouds.  If your top priority is a local weather model, and you are not too concerned about cloud depiction, MSFS live weather is for you.

2.  Addon weather, like Rex Weatherforce, uses a global weather model. However, it depicts more realistic cloud types than default live weather.   If cloud realism is your main goal, use the addon.

3.  Global weather addon 'transitions'.  I think some people are assuming with a global weather addon you are in one weather type then immediately into the next one.  These days this is far from the truth - I guess because the developers have discovered new tricks to accomplish the transition.  From the description of ActiveSky so far, Rex transitions the weather in a similar way.  The clouds change very slowly from one area to the next.  So although you may not see cumulus on the horizon, Rex will put in almost invisible cumulus.  You head returns to the cockpit, but when it looks outside again, the cumulus are a little more visible and bigger (they will also change shape and new cloud types introduced if req).  This process continues until the new weather area is completely visible.  the effect gives the impression of flying into a new area over time with clouds appearing to change/grow at a realistic speed.

4.  Weather addons with a global model CAN and DO show weather in different directions.  For example when using Rex, I took off from Glasgow (EGPF) under a layer of stratus.  Looking to the north I could clearly see cumulus growing over the mountains and into the stratus with very dark bottoms - clearly it was raining under those clouds.  It took me 10 minutes to get to those clouds and into the rain. Visibility dropped as you would expect.  Although not a true local model, Rex can show different weather in different directions.  It is quite possible to see cloud and rain in one direction and blue sky in the other.

Only the developers can say what extra data they have found in MSFS to accomplish far better transitions than in the past,  but if transitions are holding you back, and cloud realism is more important to you than a true local weather model, then transitions shouldn't  be a barrier to trying products like Rex or the soon to be released ActiveSky.  You may not be 100% onboard with the local weather model, but the extra cloud types you see may be preferred.

Edited April 16 by MrBitstFlyer

[MrBitstFlyer 3,881]

9 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

You won't see a front in the Active Sky Preset Control mode like you can in the default live weather and also in the passive mode of ASFS.

When you approach a front from a region with clear skies ASFS will slowly fade in clouds on your way towards the front. But you won't notice that as immersion breaking. Depending on your flightplan, aircraft and ASFS settings this process can take maybe 20 minutes or 100nm. You will notice that the weather is deteriorating continuously as you approach the bad weather region. That in itself is immersive as long as you think along the lines of "I am getting into a region with bad weather and clouds are building up all around me". If you think along the lines of "Oh my, there should be a front visible here, it is all so wrong" you won't find it immersive. But you will only come to that idea if you simultaneously run another instance of the sim with live weather alongside your ASFS session and see a front there.

So in short: The weather in ASFS Preset Control mode with its transitions is immersive in itself, just don't expect to see weather fronts.

 

A very good description, and similar to what I experience with REX.  Rex, and ActiveSky from your description very gradually transition from high clouds to low as the front is approached.  The benefit is showing far more realist layers of clouds as the front is approached.

[Cpt_Piett 4,715]

Following this discussion on the sideline, I’m amazed how knowledgeable people are about weather. Maybe I’ve been blissfully word not allowed of the default weather shortcomings - certainly I can’t remember the METAR transition in SU5? that keeps coming up. Perhaps things would be different if I had an active PPL license. 

[vgbaron 3,669]

44 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

Mostly the change from good to bad weather (or vice versa) happens as a continuous transition IRL as well - and ASFS depicts that quite well.

This!

[Franz007 504]

1 hour ago, Fiorentoni said:

You're right, weather is local in AS, since the same API restrictions remain. But the question is: Will you notice it? You automatically assume it will be extremely noticeable, while those who actually use the beta say you don't notice it at all. It's pretty much possible to "fake" a distant weather front during transitions, so it gives you the impression of actually flying into a front. My memory might betray me, but I think that's how AS already did it on P3D back then.

Good question. I am curious to see what they could achieve with that version to come. With ASXP it is very noticeable since it apply and draws the same weather 360 degrees around you, even if the transitions are slow. But perhaps they could made it better. It would be interesting to see.

[Franz007 504]

1 hour ago, Cpt_Piett said:

Following this discussion on the sideline, I’m amazed how knowledgeable people are about weather. Maybe I’ve been blissfully word not allowed of the default weather shortcomings - certainly I can’t remember the METAR transition in SU5? that keeps coming up. Perhaps things would be different if I had an active PPL license. 

You don‘t have to be that knowledgeable and also don‘t need a PPL. Just some real observations of clouds and know a bit how weather-tools for sims evolved over time 😉

[RALF9636 1,975]

22 minutes ago, Franz007 said:

 it is very noticeable since it apply and draws the same weather 360 degrees around you

I can't follow. IRL the weather looks the same 360 degrees around you as well most of the time in most regions of the world. So how would you know such a depiction would be wrong when you are in the sim? How could it break the immersion when you don't know if IRL you would see a weather front right now?

 

[Fielder 3,683]

[SAS443 1,727]

2 hours ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

A very good description, and similar to what I experience with REX.  Rex, and ActiveSky from your description very gradually transition from high clouds to low as the front is approached.  The benefit is showing far more realist layers of clouds as the front is approached.

But the typical cold front is the opposite. It is wedged under the lighter warmer air, forcing it rapidly upwards (compared to warm front, the cold front gradient is steep) with convective clouds and showers as result.

I mean they offer two completely different flying experiences.

Warm front has poor visibility, cold front has not. Cold front is choppy, warm front usually is not.

VFR flyers can navigate through a cold front since visibility is usually fine and you can dodge the showers. But VFR in warm front is where people get lost and disoriented (in fact @Cpt_Piett this is what the 180 degree turn in IMC during the PPL checkride simulates, a head-on encounter with a warm front which gradually puts you in clouds)

People write about fronts but fail to deliver what should be both depicted in sim and the associated flying conditions. " I see clouds therefore must be a front". Well no, not all fronts will generate clouds, or precipitation even.

And Convective clouds can form without a frontal system being present, such as convergence lines (see below and ask @jcomm about these and he'll be beaming) and  obviously your local summer thunderstorm.

And we haven't even touched the various types of occlusion fronts and what they bring.

Edited April 16 by SAS443

[HUSSAR 272]

4 hours ago, kiek said:

Finally we can have historical weather together with PSXT and RealTraffic in time shift mode!

That's exactly what I was thinking when I was testing ASFS.

[Franz007 504]

13 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

I can't follow. IRL the weather looks the same 360 degrees around you as well most of the time in most regions of the world. So how would you know such a depiction would be wrong when you are in the sim? How could it break the immersion when you don't know if IRL you would see a weather front right now?

 

Not at all. It can but most of the time it doesn‘t. At FL380 you can easily see 200 miles around or more. And often you will see different looking weather, clouds, sky-covered then blue sky etc.