fsx-ms Clouds In The Way

[BDL 3]

I love clouds. I've used them in real life, or rather the thermals that make them, to keep my glider up. And on FSX don't they look just like the real thing. But, my clouds get between the spot plane and the helicopter I'm flying. That's a serious nuisance when I'm reviewing a recorded flight and keep losing sight of the heli because one of FSX's lovely cumulus has wandered between me in the spotplane and the heli I'm trying to watch. Shouldn't the clouds stay behind the helicopter? How can I put things right?

[jandjfrench 3]

Hi BDL,

I'm not certain that I understand your post but if a cloud that should appear behind the helo in the simulation appears in front of it that would indicate a priority problem.  If the problem is with all of the default aircraft that would indicate a scenery problem; if only certain aircraft, a problem with the aircraft.

Jim F.

[vgbaron 3,495]

How about the fact that sometimes a cloud just blocks your view because that's where it is? I must be missing your point entirely. Clouds happen and if they happen in front of you, they will block your view.

 

 

Vic

[jandjfrench 3]

Hi Vic,

I wasn't sure I understood his post but when he referred to his view from the spot plane I was assuming he meant spot view.  I don't ever recall seeing clouds ever obscuring an aircraft in spot view.  I tried to make it as clear as possible that this was just a consideration and provide help in identifying where the fault lay if this was the case.

Jim F..

[mjrhealth 820]

Sems he is flying a plane that he is using to follow a helo, when reality steps in, a cloud gets between his plane and the helo. Isnt FSX as  real as it gets. Simple issue, set weather to clear no clouds.

[ErichB 3,638]

This must be a windup.

[charliearon 3,017]

Sems he is flying a plane that he is using to follow a helo, when reality steps in, a cloud gets between his plane and the helo. Isnt FSX as  real as it gets. Simple issue, set weather to clear no clouds.

That was going to be what I wanted to tell him except for his first sentence.  I LOVE CLOUDS!  Well then?

[BDL 3]

Blimey, what a turn out. First thanks to all who replied. No my post wasn't a wind up. Second, I can't have described the problem clearly enough so let me try again.

 

I'm training in a Schweizer 300CBi. I use FSX to practice between real flights with Just Flight's 300CBi sim (which, by the way, is very good). I usually record each sim flight so that I can replay what happened and see signs of improvement or areas where further work is needed. My replays are generally done from an outside-the-cockpit view directly behind the 300CBi that I flew - this is what I referred to as the spotplane. While I'm watching a replay I will be about 25m behind the helicopter. If I raise my vewing position in "the spotplane" well above the helicopter I will see lots of fair weather Cu far off in the distance, maybe 2km away. If I then lower the "spotplane" view level with the CBi I'm watching (which is where I normally watch from), the clouds that were 2km away now appear between me in the "spotplane" and the 300CBi.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Brian

[jandjfrench 3]

Hi Brian,

Your latest clarification seems in exact accordance with my understanding of your initial post.  It sounds like a scenery priority problem.  If the helo is an addon I suggest seeing if the problem is present with one of the default helicopters.

Unfortunately, if the problem is with the default there's no easy fix.  If the problem is unique to the addon  I suggest contacting the developer.  Some legal crap here; it seems that fixing the problem would require some reverse engineering and unless you did it yourself the info on how to correct it couldn't be shared.  I am assuming you only have the default weather.  I'm confused by the third sentence in your initial post.  My guess is that it was a rhetorical question to which you neglected to add the question mark.

Jim F.

[BDL 3]

Thanks Jim. Glad things seem clearer now. Yes, my third sentence didn't have a question mark, it was really a statement as I think you guessed. Looking back I could have phrased the post more succinctly and saved you lot some trouble. Sorry. I did wonder if the solution might be to rearrange priorities in FSX Settings but when I couldn't find clouds or 300CBi in the list I thought best seek advice. I did wonder whether lifting the "propeller" stuff to the top might do the job but not being an expert I didn't dare. I've got another (expensive) flight in just over a week and I don't want to mess up FSX at this stage when I would rather continue practising on the sim despite the odd awkward cloud. I'll look into your idea about how widespread this is with other aircraft. The clouds in question are FSX defaults rather than add ons. Thanks again.

Brian

[BDL 3]

The weather selected in FSX is default. I tried a flight using a default FSX aircraft and the clouds stay well behind the aircraft, where they are during the flight that was recorderd. So from Jim's last post it would appear that the problem is with the addon, Just Flight's Schweizer 300CBi. So it looks as though I'll have to turn to them as Jim suggested.

 

Just a thought though, couldn't I just put "propellors" at the top of the list in the FSX Scenery Library? Wouldn't that place the 300CBi's rotors in front of all clouds in any view?

[jandjfrench 3]

Hi Brian,

It's my understanding that the priority of entries in the scenery library is only used to determine which scenery takes precedence in any particular area.  What the Propellers section is doing in there, with its references to Cessna 182s and Sopwiths, seems odd.  The only thing that makes any sense to me is if there was an aircraft used as a scenery object you wouldn't want its prop to be displayed incorrectly with regard to the other scenery objects.  I don't think it's very difficult for the developer to make the changes. 

Jim F.

[jandjfrench 3]

Hi,

Just out of curiosity I looked at the Just Flight website and came across this on the Flying Club Schweizer 300CBi page:

 

Note: All the aircraft in the Flying Club range have now been fully updated to the latest Flight Simulator X SP2 and DX10 preview specifications. Existing ownsers can get details of how to update their aircraft from the Support section on this website.

 

It seems likely that this will correct the problem.

[BDL 3]

Hi,

Just out of curiosity I looked at the Just Flight website and came across this on the Flying Club Schweizer 300CBi page:

 

Note: All the aircraft in the Flying Club range have now been fully updated to the latest Flight Simulator X SP2 and DX10 preview specifications. Existing ownsers can get details of how to update their aircraft from the Support section on this website.[/size]

 

It seems likely that this will correct the problem.[/size]

Right, I'll be looking there and report back. Thanks jandjfrench for the guidance. And thanks Jim for your last post that I was intending to follow up when I get back to the sim.

 

Brian

[BDL 3]

Just a quick word. I'm not losing interest and thanks for all the responses. I won't be able to attempt a solution until after Thurs 18/8. I'll be able to continue with this on Frid 19th and will report anything of interest.

Brian