Flight environment addons

[sundance70 0]

Hello Aerosoft,

I am just about to make the switch to FSX and was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to advise which environment software is best for FSX?

Flight environment X, Active Sky X, Real environment Extreme?

Perhaps a combination of several, I am no sure which one to purchase and plan on purchasing the Otter X and Tahiti X, Aspen X as soon as I get my new machine (specs in my signature). I already have many Aerosoft products which will transfer over to FSX thankfully.

Thanks for your advice and recommendations.

Regards,

David

[Colin H 1]

Hello Aerosoft,

I am just about to make the switch to FSX and was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to advise which environment software is best for FSX?

Flight environment X, Active Sky X, Real environment Extreme?

Perhaps a combination of several, I am no sure which one to purchase and plan on purchasing the Otter X and Tahiti X, Aspen X as soon as I get my new machine (specs in my signature). I already have many Aerosoft products which will transfer over to FSX thankfully.

Thanks for your advice and recommendations.

Regards,

David

Hi David,

A lot is down to personal taste so if you ask a few people you may get a range of opinions. For what it's worth, here's mine; I have Flight Environment X and X Graphics. I only use X graphics for the airport environment enhancements (something FEX promised a long time ago). For everything else I find FEX a far superior product. The FEX SHD clouds are particularly nice.

From what I've seen of REX, the seascape and airport textures look good, but I still prefer the look for the FEX SHD clouds. I would imagine that if I buy REX I'll do away with X Graphics completely and use FEX for clouds and skyscape, and REX for seascape and airport enhancements.

The other thing to note is that different products might 'look' different on different machines. So it's very subjective. I always find Youtube a good resource for this. Hope that helps.

Colin.

[sundance70 0]

Hi David,

A lot is down to personal taste so if you ask a few people you may get a range of opinions. For what it's worth, here's mine; I have Flight Environment X and X Graphics. I only use X graphics for the airport environment enhancements (something FEX promised a long time ago). For everything else I find FEX a far superior product. The FEX SHD clouds are particularly nice.

From what I've seen of REX, the seascape and airport textures look good, but I still prefer the look for the FEX SHD clouds. I would imagine that if I buy REX I'll do away with X Graphics completely and use FEX for clouds and skyscape, and REX for seascape and airport enhancements.

The other thing to note is that different products might 'look' different on different machines. So it's very subjective. I always find Youtube a good resource for this. Hope that helps.

Colin.

Thank you for your response Colin. I have been looking at the forum for FEX and see that the topic of the weather engine has been going on for a while. Iwas thinking about REX since its brand new but wasn't sure if it covered everything (all in one) or if I needed as you mentioned FEX and REX together to cover ground, water, clouds.

David

[ManuelL 71]

I am using the ActiveSkyX weather engine together with FEX SHD graphics enhancements. As far as I know the FEX weather engine is not expected to be released some time soon - and when it is released it may be more something like a "basic weather engine" while ASX is really great. On the other hand the FEX SHD clouds look just amazing.

As far as I know the ASX people originally were intending to have the XGraphics clouds linked to the ASX weather engine in a way that the cloud graphics change in flight depending on weather changes. However, this seems not to be working out. So you always need to load the textures before starting FSX.

[limp 29]

I'm waiting for a test of REX before buying it... I hope it will not affect the performance too much...

Did any one test REX here ?

[Snave 466]

It will be no coincidence that, following the sort-of release of REX (good luck if you can download it and install it without major problems!) Active Sky have announced a `before Xmas` release of their next-generation weather and graphics engine...

Regardless of the capabilities of the graphical element of REX, it seems the ongoing enhancements promised - and actually delivered - by Hi Fi Sim should put it close to the top for choice by any simmer. Flight Environment have promised much, but delivered nothing, REX is proving to be something of a letdown (hardly surprising given the hype that surrounded it, it should cure cancer not just prettify clouds!) and Active Sky X plods on - a proven, full service package with work still being done on it. There is a beta patch for download even now...

Personally, I have both ASX and FEX, and like Manuel I mix and match to suit my needs and moods.

I might consider REX when it's available as hard copy, properly patched and with the promised enhancements in sight, if not actually delivered. FEX has kind of left me disillusioned about the `weather developers` whereas I believe Hi Fi Sim are to be trusted.

[sundance70 0]

It will be no coincidence that, following the sort-of release of REX (good luck if you can download it and install it without major problems!) Active Sky have announced a `before Xmas` release of their next-generation weather and graphics engine...

Regardless of the capabilities of the graphical element of REX, it seems the ongoing enhancements promised - and actually delivered - by Hi Fi Sim should put it close to the top for choice by any simmer. Flight Environment have promised much, but delivered nothing, REX is proving to be something of a letdown (hardly surprising given the hype that surrounded it, it should cure cancer not just prettify clouds!) and Active Sky X plods on - a proven, full service package with work still being done on it. There is a beta patch for download even now...

Personally, I have both ASX and FEX, and like Manuel I mix and match to suit my needs and moods.

I might consider REX when it's available as hard copy, properly patched and with the promised enhancements in sight, if not actually delivered. FEX has kind of left me disillusioned about the `weather developers` whereas I believe Hi Fi Sim are to be trusted.

Thanks Simon for your insight - I think I am going to do the following:

REX + Active sky X together on my new computer. Do you think thats a good option?

Regards,

David

[Snave 466]

Seems like a good choice!

[darem 106]

Thanks Simon for your insight - I think I am going to do the following:

REX + Active sky X together on my new computer. Do you think thats a good option?

Regards,

David

Yes, it is. I have REX and the weather engine is - to say it friendly - not well thought out.

The textures in REX are absolutely top end - the rest isn't (for example, if you don't have an english OS, you have to set your language settings to english/US - how lame is that?).

[sundance70 0]

Yes, it is. I have REX and the weather engine is - to say it friendly - not well thought out.

The textures in REX are absolutely top end - the rest isn't (for example, if you don't have an english OS, you have to set your language settings to english/US - how lame is that?).

Thank you going to go with REX for textures and Active Sky X for the weather. can't wait to see what it all looks like with Tahiti X and FlyTampa's St Maarten.

Regards,

David

[darem 106]

Thank you going to go with REX for textures and Active Sky X for the weather. can't wait to see what it all looks like with Tahiti X and FlyTampa's St Maarten.

Regards,

David

I think that's better for now, yes. But you still CAN get stunning results with the REX weather engine. This is a shot from a flight over Germany (original size, completely unedited, using real weather and with acceptable framerates in the high twenties).

[sundance70 0]

I think that's better for now, yes. But you still CAN get stunning results with the REX weather engine. This is a shot from a flight over Germany (original size, completely unedited, using real weather and with acceptable framerates in the high twenties).

Very nice indeed, so this screenshot is only REX and no other addon for texturing? Maybe I should just get REX and see how it is first and then decide whether or not to get Active Sky X.

Thanks for sharing the info and I appreciate the input.

Regards,

David

[darem 106]

Clouds, sky and "tone" is just REX. Ground is Ultimate Terrain X Europe and ProMesh Germany. Plane is the Carenado Cessna 152.

[Snave 466]

As darem says, both REX and Active Sky X perform a similar function - they change certain textures but NOT the bulk of the ground environment. In ASX case, the textures that may be changed (every change is optional) are:

Clouds (all)

Skies (dawn, dusk, day, night)

Visibility variations (for example: murky, clear, polluted - there are infinite variations)

Water (waves, water colour and texture, reflectivity - everything)

Airport environment (runways, taxiways etc)

Lights (all, inc. aircraft)

Roads & Railways

Think of these as `sky and water` products - `with extras` and you won't go far wrong.

What it does not do is make your ground textures look any different, nor does it change when and how those textures appear. For that you'd need a different type of product. Landclass, ground texture replacements, photoreal and mesh all change the `look and feel` of your ground environment, and what causes confusion is some of these ALSO contain modifications to some of the textures also covered by the REX/ASX/FEX prioduct groups. Think of them as `earth and water with extras` products and you won't go far wrong...

So the summary is actually very simple, even though there is a degree of crossover in the product groups and the integration between them can make for hours of complication:

For sky, clouds and water you want REX/ASX.

For anything else you don't.

Hope this helps!

[sundance70 0]

As darem says, both REX and Active Sky X perform a similar function - they change certain textures but NOT the bulk of the ground environment. In ASX case, the textures that may be changed (every change is optional) are:

Clouds (all)

Skies (dawn, dusk, day, night)

Visibility variations (for example: murky, clear, polluted - there are infinite variations)

Water (waves, water colour and texture, reflectivity - everything)

Airport environment (runways, taxiways etc)

Lights (all, inc. aircraft)

Roads & Railways

Think of these as `sky and water` products - `with extras` and you won't go far wrong.

What it does not do is make your ground textures look any different, nor does it change when and how those textures appear. For that you'd need a different type of product. Landclass, ground texture replacements, photoreal and mesh all change the `look and feel` of your ground environment, and what causes confusion is some of these ALSO contain modifications to some of the textures also covered by the REX/ASX/FEX prioduct groups. Think of them as `earth and water with extras` products and you won't go far wrong...

So the summary is actually very simple, even though there is a degree of crossover in the product groups and the integration between them can make for hours of complication:

For sky, clouds and water you want REX/ASX.

For anything else you don't.

Hope this helps!

Thanks Simon for this good explanation. I will get REX/ASX for my sim.