FlyBaby

How does EnvTex run with ASP4/ASCA? Does it totally replace all ASCA clouds or just certain clouds. I see that some users run ASP4 and ASCA and Envtex all together. Would all 3 be necessary or does ASP4 with EnvTex suffice?

Thanks to all for the suggestions / comments.

My System Specs : i7-7700K / 16GB 3200 RAM / GTX 1080 I am able to maintain “smooth" flight with most sliders to the right except all traffic disabled / Special effects on medium \ No HDR / No Speedtrees / 8MSAA. I only have ORBX (Global / Vector / OpenC NA / HD Trees) s addons. So… I want to buy ASP4, but I am just looking for a variety of cloud patterns other than the presets in P3D. I am not that big on weather and would just like a similar cloud look (or density), but just representing real weather. I read where 3 cloud layers in ASP4 is a good compromise on performance (I can live with this if it gets me close to the cloud density that I currently have with default clouds. I can also live with the default clouds, but I hear that ASCA really integrates well with ASP4. So my options are 1) ASP4 with Default clouds or 2) ASP4 with ASCA. Can anyone give me a sense of the performance over default clouds that the 2 options above with have given that I mostly fly with the current presets (all of them) in P3D? Is there a big performance impact / pretty much the same / or better performance than default? Also, I see that there are tons of options in ASP4, I really just want to load the program, and just have it load real weather and fly, i am really not that savvy with weather options, I am assuming that I can bypass most of the options to just load and fly. Is this correct?

I agree here. For me P3D needs a lot of addons to make it worth playing. With that said, once Orbx (Global, Vector, OpenLC Na, & HD trees) and 3rd party clouds / weather are installed, P3D shines well and stacks well against the competition. FSW comes pretty feature rich right out of the box for GA flying.

First, there was Flight School for $15 which was an excellent first jump into the flight sim world. We knew a more robust sim was coming after FS, but we did not know that by owning FS, we would get FSW for free. FSW gives us a 64bit structure, Orbx baked in, great rain effects (on both the front and side windows), heavily detailed modeled default planes, a mission builder and then a series of new features (C&D walk through, Truesky) to enhance the product...with more to come (like animated passengers). So, one can complain about what it doesn’t have…and what needs to improve. But when (in the flight sim world) has anyone been able to get so much for so little…$15!? If anything, I commend DTG for risking so much for so little in an effort to compete in this arena. In all my years of simming, I have only seen one other Dev, Reiza (race simming) show this kind of generosity towards their consumers. DTG is showing that they stand behind their product and their word. They are on the right track, attacking the basics and building from there. The sim has a welcoming feel into the world of flight and it offers a unique flight experience. Originally, I hesitated to invest in flight school, but that investment turned out to be “best investment” I have ever made in a flight sim since I started this journey in 2009.

Great job, DTG! This no hassle flight sim adds to the special "complete" feel with every update. Buy it...load it...fly it.

Great news....and the "assistance" for cold and dark start is a really good feature!

Hi, Thanks for the info. My MB (intel) only allows overclocking through the Turbo Boost mode. Meaning, I can only adjust the turbo boost multipliers for my i5 2500k to get to 4.5 Ghz. I am planning on upgrading to an i7 7700k, do you know of a MB that will allow me to overclock without using the turbo boost multipliers or is this something specific to the CPU?

Thanks for your reply!

I have been running an i5 2500k (@4.5 Ghz ) for years now not really understanding how an upgrade would benefit me (i5 vs i7, more than 4 cores etc.). I also have a 1080 card. I run only Orbx scenery (Globle Base + OpenLC NA + Vectors + HD Trees). I am willing to upgrade for at least a 50% fps increase so that I can then invest in a weather addon. My P3D settings are very similar to what Rob has posted and I can maintain a solid 24 - 26 fps over moderate cities...Miami, Philadelphia etc. Can anyone suggest a CPU (not quite as high as the i9 7900x) that could pretty much get me a 50% increase over my current results? i really just want a solid 30 fps with a weather addon.

Earlier, Steven Hood made a comment about not feeling alone in the sim. I do think that adding animated passengers fits well with transport missions etc. for more immersion. For DTG's train sim, I do like to see commuter passengers seated in the cars and waiting on the platforms when arriving in the train station.

That my impression as well. To me, FSW looks to target more of the "casual" simmer, like myself. I only fly GA planes so their current fleet is perfect. I would like to see Heli's eventually; but if Helis never made it in the sim, the sim (IMO) is still worth it with just the planes. The flight sim world reminds of the car sim world....there is Iracing, Assetto Corsa, Project Cars, Raceroom etc.They all offer something unique, have a huge following, and survive despite the stiff competition.

Same with Antsairplanes (Eaglet). Nice rain effects with no noticeable fps hit.

Thanks. That's what I thought, but the visually the scenery looks different than the default.

…other than Carenado without the fps performance hit? I already have 2 Carenado GC planes (sr22 & da42) that I cannot fly due to the fps performance hit.

I have FTX Global + NA OpenlC + HD Trees installed through FTX Central for my P3D v4. However the library does not seem to have these listed, or maybe it does and I don't recognize it. The sim does look like it is loaded. I am trying to track some performance issues and I want to make sure that the scenery order is correct. Thanks for any help.

Is that X-Enviro or default clouds?

Hey thanks. It does ask for transitions for one of the runways...vector...I believe. There was another option, but both led me to the same place. If I understood you correctly, If I choose vector, then ZOWEE is the correct starting point. Thanks for your help!

I am flying Antsairplane Eaglet using the built in GPS 296 to KBWI runway 15L. I downloaded the approach plate (from Airnav) that has waypoints KRENE, MNKEY, ZOWEE, ADCOCK for an ILS approach. However, when I load and activate the same approach in the Garmin (in sim about 30 miles from the airport) I only get ZOWEE as a waypoint (in the sim) prior to the runway. I tried other runways as well and still only get 1 waypoint prior to the runway in the sim. Is this a limitation of p3d V4 possibly using an older database? Are there any 3rd party planes with somewhat up to date or more robust approach charts built in? Or am I just not correctly loading / understanding the process for this plane? I recall doing this with other planes in the past (I believe the sr22) and not having this issue. Edit: this should be in the prepar3d section, can a mod move this? DONE!

All autogen sliders to the right on both v3 and v4. No speed tress and reflections at half believe. I get higher fps (when unlimited) with v4, but stutters.

I have the same issue with almost the exact specs as you. I had a GTX 670 for both FSX and P3Dv3.3 and could get a smoother flight at 30 fps locked, but not in V4 with a GTX 1080. For your V4 setup, are you set to unlimited in the sim? Are you controlling AA in the sim or through NI?

Thanks.

the difference between the following: 1) AUTOGEN_DRAW_DISTANCE (also in the menu settings) 2) LOD_Radius 3) TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP I have seen videos where the autogen goes out very far (even to the horizon). I am just trying to figure out which of these three parameters makes that possible. Thanks for any help with this.

In the First Person Shooter military arena, ARMA is considered a combat sim, while Call of Duty is considered a "run and gun" game. However, COD is by far the most successful of of two when it comes to sales. I think that DTG is trying to strike a balance between the two extremes mentioned above. They have the sim foundation, they have added a mission creator (huge plus, IMO for replay value), eye candy like rain, Orbx; and I imagine more to come. Their reach through Steam is also a plus. I think that DTG will really appeal to a less demanding audience who wants to load up and go without much hassle (loading this addon (utx) vs that addon (vector) etc.), and who can engage / share with the missions for a sense if achievement, etc. I think that they can offer a "flight" experience that distinguishes them from the rest

Is this a setting in P3D's UI or do you have to edit the config file? I remember older fsx LOD settings at 4 or 6, what is the maximum setting allowed?