Active Sky coming to MSFS

[Fiorentoni]

5 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

There is a customizable setting for the transition rate. You can set it to instant transition (very noticable but instantly accurate according to METARs) or very slow transition where clouds are fading in and out just like they were naturally building up resp. dissipating. Or anything in between to your liking.

 

(I've been using it for a while too.)

How do you personally feel about it? Does it "disturb" your immersion (the slow transition obviously I mean)?

[RALF9636]

5 minutes ago, Fiorentoni said:

How do you personally feel about it? Does it "disturb" your immersion (the slow transition obviously I mean)?

I think it is very good. I mostly used a very slow transition setting and it was barely noticable. Not disturbing at all. And I was deliberately looking for transitions for testing purposes. Would I just focus on flying instead, I guess I wouldn't notice them at all.

Edited April 15, 2024 by RALF9636

[F737MAX]

11 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

There is a customizable setting for the transition rate. You can set it to instant transition (very noticable but instantly accurate according to METARs) or very slow transition where clouds are fading in and out just like they were naturally building up resp. dissipating. Or anything in between to your liking.

 

(I've been using it for a while too.)

Sounds promising. Though I'd need to see videos of these transitions and an OSD performance monitor.

The REX Weather Force transitions can be brutal, either visually with the instant change type or performance-wise with the longer morphing period type.

[vgbaron]

2 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

And I was deliberately looking for transitions for testing purposes. Would I just focus on flying instead, I guess I wouldn't notice them at all.

I really have to agree with that. I took a few flights just for the fun of it with no intent of monitoring anything and, frankly, I didn't notice the transitions at all. If you are looking for them, you will see them. To me, the overall experience is much better than default and others I have tried.

Needless to say I have always been a fan of historical weather, even back in FSX/P3D days.

 

[MrBitstFlyer]

29 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

There is a customizable setting for the transition rate. You can set it to instant transition (very noticable but instantly accurate according to METARs) or very slow transition where clouds are fading in and out just like they were naturally building up resp. dissipating. Barely noticable as transitions. Or anything in between to your liking.

 

(I've been using it for a while too.)

Good to hear, sounds just like how Rex transitions, barely noticeable, with clouds fading in and out over time.

[KERNEL32]

Transitions? Mehh, this is going backwards IMO. We need the fluid, natural weather we had pre-SU5 (to include the original more opaque clouds and variations).

I and many others from what I can tell are actually quite pleased with the accuracy of the live weather as of lately (rain and weather systems are where they should be, wind is also more accurate now), but the cloud types and lack thereof along with the absence of any kind of consequences of flying in or near bad weather are really annoying.

It's like all Asobo need to do is "turn up the severity meter some" so the clouds are opaque again (more sure of themselves), thunderstorms and towering cumulus build up like they did PRE SU5. And speaking of cumulus, for goodness sake ditch the cumulus everywhere syndrome and bring in cloud variations and OPAQUE clouds again like PRE SU5.

I cannot put my finger on it, but if Asobo just spent some time "turning up the live weather" I think it would be wonderful! For example, I'll go to a place where there is a thunderstorm in real world. MSFS will have some rain shafts and a cloud top that is pathetic (like 10,000 feet instead of 40,000 feet) and no thunder, maybe some rain bands in spotty areas, etc. Its as if they just have the "severity" set too low or not sensitive enough? Pre SU5 we used to get some really good isolated thunderstorms and fronts - I remember it!

Edited April 15, 2024 by KERNEL32

[turbomax]

2 hours ago, vgbaron said:

then use the search function to find an airport with low vis and ceiling. ... Couldn't do anything like that with default - also what I like most is the changing weather along the route getting to final approach in IMC.

bad bad weather can do this:

https://www.badbadweather.com/

"Using Badbadweather.com you can find extreme weather conditions based on METAR reports. It is aimed mainly at flight simmers, who want to search for airports with extreme weather conditions to test their skills on a Flight Simulator or just out of curiosity"

[MrBitstFlyer]

34 minutes ago, KERNEL32 said:

Transitions? Mehh, this is going backwards IMO. We need the fluid, natural weather we had pre-SU5 (to include the original more opaque clouds and variations).

I would also like the fluid weather of MSFS pre-SU5, but until we do we make a choice.  Either use live weather and the poor cloud depiction (as you describe), or use another weather engine that give those clouds you desire albeit with some form of transition.  I choose far better clouds / layers with transitions (which are nowhere as bad as we used to get pre-MSFS).

Rex used to stutter like crazy during transitions, but I have been very impressed lately. The clouds seem to slowly appear / fade over time, giving quite a natural progression to the weather.  Sounds like ActiveSky handles this well too.

xEnviro can display some amazing skies, with those towering clouds you describe - makes me pause just to look at it (transitions not as smooth as Rex, but not bad imho).

[scotchegg]

With the historical weather, cloud turbulence and more ‘active’ atmosphere, this may be worth a punt even before we know more about 2024’s weather.

Guess it’s down to the pricing now for me.

[vgbaron]

2 hours ago, turbomax said:

"Using Badbadweather.com you can find extreme weather conditions based on METAR reports. It is aimed mainly at flight simmers, who want to search for airports with extreme weather conditions to test their skills on a Flight Simulator or just out of curiosity"

It's a handy website.

I've used it but no where near as flexible as historical weather. Many times I found a location and set up a flight but by the time I got there, the weather had changed. With ASFS I cxan plan my flight to arrive with the bad weather and, using the audio feature monitor the ATIS as I go.

[MrBitstFlyer]

4 hours ago, RALF9636 said:

I think it is very good. I mostly used a very slow transition setting and it was barely noticable. Not disturbing at all. And I was deliberately looking for transitions for testing purposes. Would I just focus on flying instead, I guess I wouldn't notice them at all.

You are so right - when focussing on flying, checklists etc, Rex Weather transitions so slowly it isn't noticeable. Your heads in the cockpit, you look outside and its a little cloudier.  Had back in cockpit then look outside and you notice some cumulus - it's almost like the clouds are changing as you would expect.

Really looking forward to ActiveSky after your comments!

[turbomax]

1 hour ago, vgbaron said:

set up a flight but by the time I got there, the weather had changed.

has happened to me many times during my real flying. as real as it gets. 🤣

[SierraDelta]

New video here:

 

[jozeff]

Hifi take my money again please.

Fsx, p3d, xp11, xp12....bought active sky for all of then.

Would be happy to throw some euro's at them again. Great product.  Period.

[MarcG]

29 minutes ago, SierraDelta said:

New video here:

 

Overall that video is cool, but those thunderstorms lack height. I've never ever seen a thunderstorm with such few clouds with such a low cap height. 

The overcast scenes were good, not seen anything like that in live weather since SU5! I just hope they've fixed the opaque clouds as well, that'd be nice. 

Anyway, thanks to others reports recently I'm sold, price dependant.