XEnviro experimental clouds for (Payware XEnviro) 1.2

Much "misunderstanding" about X-Enviro 1.09.  Let's be honest: who looks up carefully to clouds? Also: the "high" development-price tag from X-Enviro, BUT: do we want "dynamic realistic weather" in X-Plane or not? Beyond a shadow of doubt X-Enviro has developped the most realistic automatic "weather" plugin for X-Plane 11 to this day and... it offers more for the money: a crisper shadowed HD terrain. Question: is a dynamic, quasi-3D environmental system 3 or 5 lines of code and a few drawings??? Why would X-Plane NOT introduce a realistic weather system, calculating and plotting it when such work is only a bagatel? Well, it's not. Obviously XE has choosen for the 'world's standard for atmospheric modelling': the Perez-system (http://www.helios32.com/Perez All-Weather Sky).

The "Model Analysis.pdf" explains what needs to be considered,  and as such: it works quite realistically. Amazing even! Is programming it a bagatel?! No!

Now we learn that "Perez" is based on measurements and formulas made on 21 June at 12 'o clock (high noon) near New York. Implementing this global weather system is a HUGE work. Honestly, I can understand why the "high" price, that in some cases is equal or higher than XP11 itself... Some offer cloud-systems and/or global METAR-data for $200/yr. only, mind you! Surely the price of XE an investment in the future. It simply brings the world wide METAR data, automatically renewed (see Settings), visually to your desktop, improves the scenery. Well, quite an understaking. It is up to you to join the group of "realistic"-simmers. And if not "flying with the weather" (with wind-driven clouds), just stay with the good, billboard XP-clouds. As simple as that... Use "SAT24" or another sat-weather-pic site to find your weather if not using XE, or to find the nearest airport if you do. Do mind however -- METAR data relate to (nearest) airports and between them may be a different weather system! Satellite images can show this. I was confronted with this flying from LEAL Alicante to LEVC Valencia these days. A torrential rain system was over Javea, causing severe inundations there, however flying there in scattered clouds... METAR has its limitations.

Do mind please: I am NOT on the payrol of XE or have any connections with its builders.

HD Clouds: on this forum we can find superb HD clouds for XE, however they fail on version 1.09. The reason is as simple as its solution!

a) Option first: make a new folder within the "clouds" folder of XE, do the 2 there existing "clouds.bin" files in this new backup folder. However, this is but partly 'true' and in fact not necessary! It is for testing, to see cloud-formation itself in slow motion. In fact you could ignore step (a) for the normal, fast start of this !!! BTW: X-E uses "prefab" cloud-shapes. 

Next, my solution:

b) copy the choosen HD texture to "art" in XE, backup your originals first!

c) What do we do with "clouds.bmp" in the XE "art" folder, DO NOT USE THE DIFFERENT " clouds.bmp"  (the reddish one that comes with the HD texture!). Don't use that.  The greenish one from version 1.09 will do almost perfectly. This part is what "makes" the clouds. The exchange of red to green v.v. is the problem!

d) for developers: open the new HD "clouds_rf" drawing f.ex. in Photoshop and use "Curves" to lighten (51%) the darkest parts. Test this later: this takes away undetailed darkest areas of clouds. Having done this invert this image and save it as "CLOUDS.SH.BMP". Then try all of this. The ugly black cloud-fillings on certain points will disappear until total dusk (and dawn). Have fun designing! Remember that "Perez" is a daylight system. Files larger than 2048px have little, sharper effect.

Is XE 1.09 worthwhile? Absolutely! In fact, it is a "separate program" as an addition to X-Plane. Which price would XP have with a professional environmental system?? Your guess... $160?  Pay once and fly forever... (?)

CAVE:

When X-Plane 11 hesitates, over 30 seconds, to startup after changing something in E-X, interrupt a seemingly "hanging" XP with 2-.3 clicks with your mouse on the black startup-screen, then close this via the popup Windows warning screen ("No Response"; use "Cancel" a few seconds after the request "to inform MS" and wait to see things quit), but restart XP after 15 seconds from your Desktop again. It will work. In case of: repeat this more times! It works, really. It restarts where things left-off. Neat trick... Work(s) slowly, but this works surprisingly!

I would advice: jump on this environment plugin future and start enjoying X-Plane anew.

Do read the X-E "Read me" on "Installing" in a PDF file as well.

Some stills per ASUS G20AJ, i7 (3.6Ghz +32Gb RAM), NV1070 (8Gb GRAM). Middle of the road computer. (2015). No tricks. Pics above Spain.

Go to:  http://bit.ly/2IKNvr5   and try it with my improved or different clouds for those who want to test with v. 1.09(s) !

 

 

 

 

 

I am running version 1.09 s and this is how my clouds are looking, anyone knows how I can fix it?

doesn't look brilliant on mine to be honest. I'm running x-enviro 1.09s and i really do not know if something needs to be changed 

Since Xenviro Is in Version 1.09 now, will there be an update to this texture pack to be compatible. Thanks for the texture pack!

Not working at all. 1 cloud include all cloud sets in one time.

As it happens to two people from here, after v1.08 these cloud set started to become strangely weird and wrong drawn. Is there any fix for this?? Images look beatiful BTW.

amazing!

1.8 just came out recently will there be an update for this texture pack to be compatible? thanks for the work.

it is now work at 1.08v https://imgur.com/a/QoWK2

Hi guys , a picture can speak an 1000 words .... xEnviro 1.07 .. ..Set 2 , 2048 x 2048  ...( location north east coast of England ..  River Tees  inlet to be precise  Middlesbrough )    I can wait for 1.08 !!.

This is how I remember the clouds looking on many holiday flights, plus the local flying club lesson treats (birthdays ect) !!  leaving EGNT ( Newcastle ) and EGNV ( Durham Tees Valley ) mind you the weather can change rapidly by the hour in this part of the world. 

 

Thanks for files Kopelent keep producing !!

Nev.

AMAZING!!! Love them! If your PC can handle it the go for it!

A MUST if you own xEnviro as it greatly improves that already amazing clouds!

Perfectly, real clouds !!! Thank you very much. 

I cant thank you enough i have been having a bad experience with clouds in x plane i used to get 7 fps an now i get a solid 30 fps

Absolutely gorgeous puffy clouds. I'm using the 4k set 2 and they look absolutely stunning in version 1.07. 

Thank you very much!!!

Brilliant. Your textures transform xEnviro from really really good to oh my god look at those clouds! Fantastic work.

 

I love these clouds, even in 1.07 they are a big improvement! Thank you Sir for creating and sharing this with us!

Just incredible 

amazing work! cheers!

Excellent!! Big difference! Clouds seem to be much more realistic especially flying through them! Nice! Thank You!

Amazing quality, thanks!

Awesome, ty. I was so disappointed after buying but now all looks awesome

Wow awsome addition to the good plugin xenviro. And not only optically the FPS climbs as well. Gute Arbeit.

Excellent work! Thanks for making Xenviro skies look great

MVP!

Had massive performance problems with default clouds with FPS dropping to one digit. With the 2048x2048 clouds i get just as many fps as i do with xenviro off, even with max settings.