Active Sky review

[fsiscool 251]

17 hours ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

Even in your short video, ASFS cloud depiction was WAY better.

How can you say that? Because depiction is the same. There are just two types of clouds depicted. The question how the real clouds looked at day, right?

[RALF9636 1,981]

22 minutes ago, mpo910 said:

How to update my AIRAC in ASFS? Do you know this? I use Navigraph Subscription

 

I manually downloaded the file for Active Sky P3DV6 from the Navigraph website and then moved the AS-folder into the ASFS installation, default location for me is C:\Program Files\HiFi\AS_FS\NavigraphData

 

Maybe make a backup of the originial AS-folder before in case anything goes wrong.

Edited April 26 by RALF9636

[DModjo 122]

39 minutes ago, fsiscool said:

How can you say that? Because depiction is the same. There are just two types of clouds depicted. The question how the real clouds looked at day, right?

Neither active or passive are going to show exactly the way it looks in real life. Both will depict based on a data source. The difference is active mode does a better job (in my opinion) of showing a believable weather scene that one would see in real life. Perhaps at the expense of some accuracy given the API limitations.
 

The issue I think with passive/default is that all cloud types and patterns look so similar and predictable/cookie cutter. Cumulus clouds are overused and everything is also overly-transparent. Cloud fronts don’t even look like fronts, but rather just transparent blur which ends up becoming a cloud as you get closer. 
 

But it’s a subjective matter. I’m grateful we have choice! 

Edited April 26 by DModjo

[Ron Lefebvre 120]

3 hours ago, mikeymike said:

Are most of you using default settings? Not in passive mode. 

Or anybody have any recommendations on settings? 

Thanks 

Mike 

Yes.

It is time to see what kind of settings you guys use and why.

I have not changed anything yet.

Using active mode

[sloppysmusic 261]

OK, need definitive answer. Manual states what NOT to do but not specifically TO do in MSFS to make sure it has full control. There needs to be a screenshot in the manual IMO showing the CORRECT in sim settings. Most importantly does AS control sim time or should I set that to REAL TIME in sim?

When I start MSFS and select FLIGHT CONDITIONS weather and time bottom left are set to CUSTOM , top right REAL TIME is OFF and LIVE WEATHER is OFF.

I choose flight (today LOWI to LOWG) and time is of course now wrong (90 mins ago shown). Wind is shown as 270/2 at LOWI.

I start the flight and I have the wrong time and no weather. Clear skies 29.92 baro.

I set REAL TIME in sim and sun moves but still no weather. CLEAR SKY preset is showing when I click toolbar for weather but I have not selected it. Still 29.92

ASFS set to LIVE WEATHER btw.

I cannot do ANYTHING with ASFS at this point that injects anything into my flight. ASFS displays 29.77 as baro. I select historical weather 25 Dec 2023(30.00 pressure). Says active but MSFS still clear skies todays date.

Out of desperation I now select LIVE WEATHER in MSFS (left 25/12/23 still in ASFS) and ....I get actual weather now. I am guessing MSFS default? AS still says I'm enjoying 30.00 winter but I'm not!

Switch to ASFS live pressure back to 29.77 but that's same as MSFS anyway. No change in weather.

UNSELECT LIVE WEATHER in sim and I get |Camp Crystal Lake default 29.57 which now I can NOT get rid of unless I select MSFS Live weather again(or change preset). 

I have of course tried almost every install method. Latest beta over old beta. Remove beta install it again plus connector. Nothing makes a difference. Up top 24 hours ago it was working great and I loved it have many screenshots of superb flights.

Might now delete and install the original release file again. 

My most important question as I've gone TLDR now is what is SUPPOSED to show in MSFS for AS to work? REAL TIME and LIVE WEATHER on or off?

 

Note: ASFS will automatically control the weather mode within the simulator, shifting between live weather mode and preset weather mode as required for proper depiction. The weather conditions shown in MSFS weather toolbar menu is not expected to match ASFS weather (it is only accurate when you first open the weather toolbar menu and does not update until re-opened). Please DO NOT change weather presets or enable live weather within MSFS itself, or ASFS control may be lost and proper weather depiction by ASFS will not be possible. Please allow ASFS to control the preset/live weather mode settings and all weather condition settings at all times while ASFS is running.

If I follow the above to the letter I get clear skies 29.92 all day long.

[RALF9636 1,981]

3 minutes ago, Ron Lefebvre said:

Yes.

It is time to see what kind of settings you guys use and why.

I have not changed anything yet.

Using active mode

Start with the default settings (they are just fine) and make adjustments if you see the need.

 

[SierraDelta 1,351]

6 minutes ago, sloppysmusic said:

OK, need definitive answer.

Why don’t you ask on the HiFiSim support forum?

[Fiorentoni 4,295]

12 minutes ago, sloppysmusic said:

OK, need definitive answer. Manual states what NOT to do but not specifically TO do in MSFS to make sure it has full control. There needs to be a screenshot in the manual IMO showing the CORRECT in sim settings. Most importantly does AS control sim time or should I set that to REAL TIME in sim?

When I start MSFS and select FLIGHT CONDITIONS weather and time bottom left are set to CUSTOM , top right REAL TIME is OFF and LIVE WEATHER is OFF.

I choose flight (today LOWI to LOWG) and time is of course now wrong (90 mins ago shown). Wind is shown as 270/2 at LOWI.

I start the flight and I have the wrong time and no weather. Clear skies 29.92 baro.

I set REAL TIME in sim and sun moves but still no weather. CLEAR SKY preset is showing when I click toolbar for weather but I have not selected it. Still 29.92

ASFS set to LIVE WEATHER btw.

I cannot do ANYTHING with ASFS at this point that injects anything into my flight. ASFS displays 29.77 as baro. I select historical weather 25 Dec 2023(30.00 pressure). Says active but MSFS still clear skies todays date.

Out of desperation I now select LIVE WEATHER in MSFS (left 25/12/23 still in ASFS) and ....I get actual weather now. I am guessing MSFS default? AS still says I'm enjoying 30.00 winter but I'm not!

Switch to ASFS live pressure back to 29.77 but that's same as MSFS anyway. No change in weather.

UNSELECT LIVE WEATHER in sim and I get |Camp Crystal Lake default 29.57 which now I can NOT get rid of unless I select MSFS Live weather again(or change preset). 

I have of course tried almost every install method. Latest beta over old beta. Remove beta install it again plus connector. Nothing makes a difference. Up top 24 hours ago it was working great and I loved it have many screenshots of superb flights.

Might now delete and install the original release file again. 

My most important question as I've gone TLDR now is what is SUPPOSED to show in MSFS for AS to work? REAL TIME and LIVE WEATHER on or off?

 

Note: ASFS will automatically control the weather mode within the simulator, shifting between live weather mode and preset weather mode as required for proper depiction. The weather conditions shown in MSFS weather toolbar menu is not expected to match ASFS weather (it is only accurate when you first open the weather toolbar menu and does not update until re-opened). Please DO NOT change weather presets or enable live weather within MSFS itself, or ASFS control may be lost and proper weather depiction by ASFS will not be possible. Please allow ASFS to control the preset/live weather mode settings and all weather condition settings at all times while ASFS is running.

If I follow the above to the letter I get clear skies 29.92 all day long.

That's because there's nothing you have to set in MSFS, because AS will do it for you. The "correct" state to show in MSFS is Live Weather OFF, real time or not does not matter for AS. (If you want historical weather coupled with the time slider in MSFS, just click the "Force historical time to sim time" box in the AS Historical Weather window. If you're using live weather in AS, the time of day does not matter for AS). You do not need to touch anything in MSFS in regards to weather, just leave it alone and AS will set it appropriately once injected.
Your problem seems to be that it does not actually inject the weather, so a connection issue. You should check the posts on the HiFi forum (you don't need to have an account to read) and see the many solutions posted over there. This will solve your problem - if not, support ticket.

Edited April 26 by Fiorentoni

[RALF9636 1,981]

8 minutes ago, sloppysmusic said:

OK, need definitive answer. Manual states what NOT to do but not specifically TO do in MSFS to make sure it has full control. There needs to be a screenshot in the manual IMO showing the CORRECT in sim settings. Most importantly does AS control sim time or should I set that to REAL TIME in sim?

 

ASFS does not set the time in the sim. It is vice versa. You set the time in the sim you want. Then you have the option in ASFS to get the historical weather for that time with the "Force Historical Time to Sim Time" - option. But you don't need to. You can use live weather or any historical weather in ASFS and set any date and time in the sim you want.

But don't change the weather settings in MSFS while ASFS is running, that messes up ASFS.

 

 

[sloppysmusic 261]

4 minutes ago, SierraDelta said:

Why don’t you ask on the HiFiSim support forum?

I went there it did not recognise my login from ASFS so created a new one then logged in and it gave me 3yo info and said old forums inactive. 

I'm asking here as it's not a support question but a config question. 

[sloppysmusic 261]

2 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

ASFS does not set the time in the sim. It is vice versa. You set the time in the sim you want.

OK that's the answer I needed thanks! Yes it's injection issue then.

EDIT: the reason I asked as even though I LEAVE the sim REAL TIME when I start ASFS then MSFS it is always set RT OFF. So wanted make sure I was not interfering with ASFS control thanks.

Edited April 26 by sloppysmusic

[mpo910 2,112]

I bought ASFS and overall I like the Cloud formats and Weather layers etc.

But, here is something I really do not like.

I flew a Jet from Zurich to Nice.

Startet with Historical weather with Snow and Overcast condition in Alps.

Flew directly to the south, did not change anything in ASFS during flight. Download intervall was set to 15 minutes and smoothing rate 75% PRIOR firing up MSFS

Clouds did disappear according to the MAP slowly and flew from Overcast conditions to clear skies as expected. 

Alps where covered with snow nicely

When arriving in Nice (30 Min later), Clouds where gone es expected.

BUT: Snow coverage all over in Nice. METAR showed 14 Degrees Celsius in LFMN

Thats something I would not expect.

@Damian Clark: Is this correct behavior? Does Snow coverage also fade away when temperatres and METAR do not report any snow at your place of destination for example like in my scenario?

Regards

Marcus

Edited April 26 by mpo910

[sloppysmusic 261]

2 hours ago, sloppysmusic said:

Yes it's injection issue then

Ok I solved this completely (99% sure). Please call me an WNA if I missed it in the manual but I cannot see any mention of it there?

ASFS installs a toolbar widget inside MSFS toolbar. I did not know this as it was disabled by default but looking in settings/toolbar I noticed ASFS so enabled it.

It's a blank square on toolbar no label. If you hover mouse over it nothing is shown. However if you CLICK it the text ASFS appears below with an arrow/pointer which when clicked does nothing. BUT.....ASFS is now enabled again! Click the blank button and the ASFS txt disappears and ASFS has no injection. Click it (toggle) it once more, if the ASFS txt appears then it works perfectly.

Tested this with ASFS app changing settings immediately injected pressure/cloud changes. Toggle OFF of course did nothing.

Will post this on HiFi forums too with the questions are:

if this VITAL toggle is in the manual where is it? If not it should be added in there as I'm not the only one trying fix a very simple problem with complicated solutions.

if this vital toggle needs to be on it should be enabled by default in MSFS toolbar so users can see it's there and have clear text saying ASFS ON or OFF/DISABLED.

at the moment it's either BLANK (disabled) or toggle and wait a second "ASFS" text appears below. Even red/green would help!

 

[pete_auau 1,163]

10 minutes ago, sloppysmusic said:

It's a blank square on toolbar no label. If you hover mouse over it nothing is shown. However if you CLICK it the text ASFS appears below with an arrow/pointer which when clicked does nothing. BUT.....ASFS is now enabled again! Click the blank button and the ASFS txt disappears and ASFS has no injection. Click it (toggle) it once more, if the ASFS txt appears then it works perfectly.

ok  havnt  got   that at all

[sloppysmusic 261]

1 minute ago, pete_auau said:

ok  havnt  got   that at all

in MSFS sim loaded and at airport. Toolbar top right COG icon. Click and lists all available widgets. ASFS is on my list near top and when selected adds BLANK square widget to my toolbar. Clicking toggles ASFS injection on and off. Latest beta.