1 hour ago, CarlosF said:

I for one have not been convinced to make the move just because 2024 depicts stones and rocks with more definition, and the so call "better lighting and clouds" is not enough, besides, the definition of "better" is highly subjective.

If you ask me, 2024 should have been released as an expansion and not a new sim.

It wouldn't work as an expansion because it's been fundamentally redeveloped from the core, primarily to ditch Microsoft's legacy code and make it a properly multi-threaded architecture.

1 hour ago, CarlosF said:

I for one have not been convinced to make the move just because 2024 depicts stones and rocks with more definition

Not being convinced to move to 2024 is a valid position to take, if it does not somehow allow you to do what you want. for example, you want to use an addon aircraft that is not yet available for 2024.  However, to justify your decision by stating 'just because 2024 depicts stones and rocks with more definition' is not factually correct - it has improved in far more areas than that.

1 hour ago, CarlosF said:

the so call "better lighting and clouds" is not enough

There is no 'so called' better lighting and clouds is a fact. it is just not correct to state they have not been improved.  Show me an equivalent image to this in 2020 for lighting and cloud types. I don't believe it will be possible.  I will agree not all clouds in all situations are an improvement over 2020, but they are in the minority of what 2024 can produce.

If subjectively you prefer defaults clouds and lighting in 2020 you'll have no argument from me, but the clouds and lighting in 2024 have improved.

1 hour ago, CarlosF said:

If you ask me, 2024 should have been released as an expansion and not a new sim.

AIUI, MS/Asobo were not able to achieve what they wanted with 2020, so a re-write of large parts of the code were required. A new sim was justified IMHO.

Often said that 2024 is much better for GA than airliners. GA planes fly low and slow and clouds are not an important part of the view. In 2024 when hand flying a plane, you don't have to keep constantly adjusting the trim. Planes fly more realistically than in 2020. And everything below looks nicer.

In an airliner, you're too far above to care so much about improved scenery, clouds are more important, the plane is being guided by an autopilot and you seldom are thinking about trim. And all the lights on the plane and all the more complex electronics and instruments work in 2020 without some annoying bugs that plague 2024.

In VR, the auxiliary pop up windows and mouse work much more reliably in 2020 than 2024.

1 hour ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

There is no 'so called' better lighting and clouds is a fact.

Nah, whenever something like this presents, something as esoteric as clouds and lighting, the only FACT you can cite is that clouds and lighting were changed, and that you see the changes as better.   It's like stating a piece of fine art is 'better':  so some yes, to others not so much.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, Noel said:

Nah, whenever something like this presents, something as esoteric as clouds and lighting, the only FACT you can cite is that clouds and lighting were changed, and that you see the changes as better.

I don't accept that opinion.  The lighting in 2024 passes through the atmosphere & clouds in a more realistic way and thus illuminates the clouds in a more realistic way, this is fact.  The colour temperature of the light is also improved over 2020, this is also a fact.  Somebody may prefer the previous way that light and clouds were produced - that is a subjective decision.

You may decide to concentrate on one example where the clouds do not meet your expectation, but I prefer to focus on those clouds that amaze.

5 hours ago, Noel said:

Right now, today, I'd take 2020 over 2024 in terms of weather and even lighting which of course is why the puzzle with so many positive comments about the changes that came with 2024.

No problem with anybody preferring a less realistic method to create lighting in the sim, each to their own.  It does puzzle me about the clouds though as 2024 can create cloudscapes out of the reach of 2020.

12 minutes ago, Noel said:

Nah, whenever something like this presents, something as esoteric as clouds and lighting, the only FACT you can cite is that clouds and lighting were changed, and that you see the changes as better.   It's like stating a piece of fine art is 'better':  so some yes, to others not so much.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look how dull and pale those clouds are behind Mona Lisa! Da Vinci should have done better!

 

7 hours ago, Noel said:

Here's what I am referring to and this was not a one-off, or from using certain graphic configurations it's just what it is.  This is obviously post-sunset so dark and uniform in color but it's easy to see this uniform cotton ball structure in many scenarios in 2024:

If "your" clouds looks like this - I can understand that you'd prefer 2020. It doesn't look the same on my display though. Overall, I think the clouds and lighting is much improved in 2024 - especially when using HDR. 

2 hours ago, Fielder said:

Look how dull and pale those clouds are behind Mona Lisa! Da Vinci should have done better!

What an amateur!

Edited March 6, 20251 yr by Cpt_Piett

Right! When's the next update, Leonardo? The Duke paid good money for this portrait !

3 hours ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

I don't accept that opinion.

You're denying clouds and light were changed, and that you believe the changes were improved, those aren't facts eh?  And your 'better' is pure opinion.  Sorry, that's a fact 😉

1 hour ago, Cpt_Piett said:

It doesn't look the same on my display though.

Can you conceive of how that might be?  I've turned all sharpeners OFF, tried an NV driver from a year ago and now use the current NV driver and DLSS4 w/ preset C, or K makes no difference to this 'macro-structure' of uniform cotton balls which do not exist in 2020 clouds they are far more random in size.  Seriously, this is way too big of an element to have anything in terms of filters to cause this don't you believe?  And this isn't always the case by any stretch and do not see it at all below cloud layers.  Next time up on high well after dusk look down at the top of cloud layers where it becomes easier to see.  I would love to see that same image I've posted w/o that macro-structure.   

Here you go, from the MSFS forum:
 
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/sad-that-msfs-2024-clouds-still-look-unrealistic/697085

Someone called them, 'popcorn clouds'.  Someone there summed up my experience pretty well with this comment:  "if you notice, all the amazing shots of clouds in 2024 are all, or most, from below the cloud level"
 

Edited March 6, 20251 yr by Noel

3 minutes ago, Noel said:

Seriously, this is way too big of an element to have anything in terms of filters to cause this don't you believe?

I'll keep an eye on this over the next few flights and share some screenshots. At this stage, I'm not sure why we're seeing different things. 

2 hours ago, Noel said:

You're denying clouds and light were changed, and that you believe the changes were improved, those aren't facts eh?  And your 'better' is pure opinion.  Sorry, that's a fact 😉

Eh?  For something to be improved, it will need to be changed - I am surprised you are descending into such word play as your posts are normally focused on positive improvement of the sim. Algorithms and constants for light transport through the atmosphere & clouds has been improved in 2024, that is an undisputable fact. Therefore it is reasonable to say that particular feature is 'better' as far as realism is concerned.

If you believe 2020 lighting is 'better' for you on your system, that is an opinion I will respect and have no argument with.

2 hours ago, Noel said:

Here you go, from the MSFS forum:

I agree clouds in 2024 are not uniformly perfect in everyway, but many clouds are an improvement over 2020 in many ways.  It would be more accurate to say that some clouds in 2024 are not accurate, because that's where we are with the computing power to display the clouds - you yourself often mention this fact.

For me there are just too many wonderful cloudscapes to worry about a few poorer clouds.