New beta available.

Update 060324 B8920 (1.0.8920.30819)
- Added Sim tip/message options to control in-sim tip/messages accordingly (must have Software Tips enabled in MSFS Assistance/Notification options) - Docs updated
- Added instant refresh when temperature units change to prevent slow temp and precip type (snow vs. rain) adjustment
- Added additional auto flight plan load/clear logging
- Various tuning/fixes for in-cloud turbulence
- Additional in cloud detection improvements/fixes for better accuracy
- Increased effective rain/precip rate and fixed an issue where very low precip rate could be experienced (Note: you must be under a cloud to experience precipitation – not seeing precip, or seeing much reduced precip rates when there is less cloudy sky above is normal)
- Increased general precipitation smoothing rate for more visible dynamics on precip condition changes
- Reduced general cumulus density 20% to further reduce potential grainy/shimmering cloud edges
- Reduced general cirrus generation approximately 20%
- Reduced CAVOK/NCD/NSC cloud generation general occurrence approximately 20% per feedback
- Reduced CAVOK/NCD/NSC general cloud coverage approximately 20% per feedback
- Adjusted cirrus altitude and coverage logic to trend to more variable values in general without trending too high in some cases
- Improved turbulence dynamics in vicinity of thunderstorm clouds
- Further slowed general cloud altitude smoothing rate per feedback, by approximately 50% in most cases
- Offset historical downloads to use data set based on -30 minutes for more expected historical playback results without getting METARs past the historical active time
- Prevented download timer from resetting when Refresh weather button pressed in debug screen - now the download timer will fire separate of any refresh results without getting METARs past the historical active time
- Prevented location change/instant weather reset on "reconnect" of MSFS connection, when last disconnect was within 30 seconds
- Fixed issue where some stations were delayed in updating during 30 minute update cycles
- Fixed issue with Chinese language altitude units conversion in Metric units mode (resulted in incorrect cloud/wind altitudes)
- Fixed issue with precip and snow cover units/conditions in some units modes/language settings
- Fixed issue with unexpectedly low precip/rain in -TS/-TSRA thunderstorm conditions
- Fixed issue with Norwegian language units issues incl. temperature
- Fixed missing cloud turb/cloud detection when in Passive mode and no cloud data exists for ASFS but exists in MSFS live weather
- Attempted Fix for issue with gusts/variability for surface layer(s) where it was not properly depicting in some cases

http://hifisimtech.com/downloads

This software is getting better and better every day. It's such a tremendous improvement in every aspect, IMHO.

AS

 

MSFS2020 WX

I agree, besides the Fenix the best add on I ever bought for MSFS.

It's for sure improving, but that AS screenshot looks terrible.

 

3 minutes ago, blueshark747 said:

It's for sure improving, but that AS screenshot looks terrible.

 

It's a subjective matter, people could say the more complex the better, but others could say "it looks horrible", that's maybe why there're so many beta versions trough their open beta program and a very few official or stable releases (and the latest are the ones I'm waiting for, after the "old" v8883).

3 minutes ago, edpatino said:

It's a subjective matter, people could say the more complex the better, but others could say "it looks horrible", that's maybe why there're so many beta versions trough their open beta program and a very few official or stable releases (and the latest are the ones I'm waiting for, after the "old" v8883).

I'm loving the beta progress so far, but that particular screenshot and weather depiction just looks horrible. 

The volcanic ash/ demolition clouds just don't mix well with any other cloud types nor formations. I wish MS/Asobo would redo them already.

 

5 hours ago, LRBS said:

This software is getting better and better every day. It's such a tremendous improvement in every aspect, IMHO.

AS

 

MSFS2020 WX

Activesky is now simulating volcanoes ?

56 minutes ago, blueshark747 said:

It's for sure improving, but that AS screenshot looks terrible.

 

 

7 minutes ago, Baber20 said:

Activesky is now simulating volcanoes ?

ActiveSky making do with the limited capability to influence the weather depiction available to it.

Asobo is responsible for rectifying the 'volcanic ash clouds'.

2 hours ago, Baber20 said:

Activesky is now simulating volcanoes ?

There are a couple of important points to mention.

First, I am not associated with AS.

Second, as a reminder, since 2022, we have had numerous discussions about cloud color formations resembling volcanic ash in MSFS2020. This issue has been mentioned in a few Q&A sessions but has been ignored by ASOBO, along with several other issues.

I completely agree about the color issue. Another point to consider is that the photos were taken at the same location and time. One photo shows cumulonimbus clouds near the airport, based on the METAR, while the other shows only scattered or broken clouds.

Personally, two things bother me: the obvious issue of cloud color and, more importantly, the absence of METAR accuracy in the second photo.

 

1 hour ago, LRBS said:

 

Second, as a reminder, since 2022, we have had numerous discussions about cloud color formations resembling volcanic ash in MSFS2020. This issue has been mentioned in a few Q&A sessions but has been ignored by ASOBO, along with several other issues.

No it has not "been ignored by Asobo along with several other issues", and was in fact answered by Seb in a couple of Q&As (see below)

Basically it's the level of processing to render the clouds i.e. to calculate light scattering, shadow casting, etc and the full processing that'd show it most realistically would require too much computational power. The ashen look shows up depending on time of day and angle of sun light, and also more so with cumulus clouds. Given MS/Asobo are taking advantage of multi-threading and other performance improvements in MSFS 2024, let's see if this aspect of clouds rendering is improved.

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/live-dev-q-a-april-27th-2022/516747

Forum question – There are complaints about clouds looking too dark at high altitude, can you adjust the clouds shading to reduce the volcanic ash look?

Seb – I can confirm, it’s been brought up a lot. In a lot of occasion, clouds look great and sometimes it’s looks like you’re flying over a volcano. I spent about 2 weeks on it, I try to change the brightness and the problem is that with dynamic lighting whenever you make something twice as bright in the sim it doesn’t twice as bright at all. In order to have the ash effect go away, I turned the clouds ten times brighter and then in so many occasions there were over exposed.

With real clouds, light goes in and it scatters around and get reflected and comes back out. There’s more energy conserved in cloud than in ash. There’s a little more occlusion and energy taken away because it’s darker. To get the formula right with our cloud system (which is fully 3D), we need to have perfect shadow casting internally of clouds but that would cost a lot of computational power. For the amount of performance, we dedicate to clouds right we get the quality we have right now and it works well in many occasion but when the system is a bit complex it just gets the lighting wrong.

As Martial said, it’s a system, if we do an overhaul of the system at some point and invest more performance into clouds, we can probably get this better but it’s more complicated than just adjusting the brightness.
 

Edited June 5, 20241 yr by lwt1971

5 hours ago, blueshark747 said:

but that AS screenshot looks terrible.

 

Yeah, strange screen shot to attach. Between those two, I’d much prefer the MSFS version. 

1 hour ago, lwt1971 said:

No it has not "been ignored by Asobo along with several other issues", and was in fact answered by Seb in a couple of Q&As

I want to make sure there's no misunderstanding. It seems that we have different perspectives on this issue.  I definitely don't want to start a confrontation, but I don't think accepting that a fix or overhaul is complicated and achieving unrealistic results is what we want. On the other hand, they would not allow other small developers access to the code in order to improve this issue.

Now, if we make excuses and pretend that everything is OK when it's not, many people will disagree.

I like the screenshots. See what you're getting at there...not the textures of the clouds, but the shape of them. Overall, it looks fairly convincing. Personally, i still prefer MSFS default weather visually, but if this matures and can show better weather in the distance with smoother transitions, I'd be all for it. Right now in the sim, flying through thunderstorms is as smooth as silk. I'd like some more accurate representations of severe weather, namely the impact on airplane performance and safety margins.

I have been an Active Sky user for many years and I welcome it in MSFS.  It may have its limitations but in a way it always has.  I have noticed since using it that the fidelity of the weather and immersion has increased 10 fold.  Well worth it in my opinion!

I just installed the latest Beta update 8920 but have not tried it yet.  I am confident it will improve things even further.  Plan to check it out tomorrow!

 

 

When will be added the 3D clouds?