Now you made me done do it!

[Arthur]

Well, you guys sort of talked me into buying REX Extreme w/Overdrive (I
still don't know what that means). I ordered it today because it is 10% off
day every Tuesday at PC Aviator, so that provided me with the 3 DVD's
virtually at no charge (there was no way I was going to spend days and days
downloading it).

I should have it before the weekend and I'll let everyone know how it works
out.....or I'm going to send Dallas the bill : )


--
Arthur

[Vic Baron]

"Arthur" <agals...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:k7ugl0$2q9$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

AS2012 is far superior as far as the weather engine goes, The graphics are
purely subjective. Many people love REX many people love the new AS2012
graphics.

Anyhow, enjoy REX - it does the job for simple pretty weather as well as any
other.

Vic

[sambodidley]

"Arthur" <agals...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:k7ugl0$2q9$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

I got REX2 with Overdrive from PC Aviator last April for 50% off on
Deal Of The Day. That qualified me for a free upgrade download for REX
Extreme w/Overdrive from REX. I got it downloaded and installed. I'm still
reading that huge pdf manual and looking over the app. I never used the
weather engine in REX2. Realtime weather is just a PITA for most of my kind
of flying. I just use REX for the texture themes. I'm supposed to have more
of that in this one. It runs a lot smoother too when REX is nor downloading
all that weather online. I can't complain since I paid less than $30 for it.
I've spent a lot more and got a lot less for other sim addons.<g>
Sam

[Dallas]

Arthur wrote:

> Well, you guys sort of talked me into buying REX Extreme w/Overdrive
>

> I should have it before the weekend and I'll let everyone know how it
> works out.....or I'm going to send Dallas the bill : )

Why send me the bill?... I bought AS2012. :- /




--
Dallas

[Arthur]

Because.......

A


"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com> wrote in message
news:lNOdnafr45pcQz_N...@earthlink.com...

[mdavis]

I'm working my way through Dougherty's Dangerous list (all 600+ of them)
and always use real time and real weather. I have been using ASE2012
and it always seems to do the job of creating realistic views,
especially clouds. I just downloaded the new beta 2 for ASE2012 which
has dozens of new cloud, runway, taxiway and other scenery enhancements.
Will let you know how it looks after a few flights. Flying in the
dark right now and can't see a damn thing...

[sambodidley]

"Vic Baron" <vgb...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:k7um68$sku$1...@news.albasani.net...

I probably wouldn't have either one of them if I hadn't seen that half
price deal on REX 2 with Overdrive at PC Aviator last April. I didn't even
know it had a weather engine in it at the time. I though I was just buying a
graphics addon like GEX. I ran it with that real weather engine enabled for
a short while just to look at it but then quickly disabled it. It just got
in my way. It seemed every time I wanted to go on a short sight seeing
flight it dumped a thunder storm with driving rain on me before I could get
off the runway. Heck, I didn't fly in those conditions in real life. I
thought, why should I want to dump the unpleasant part of flying on myself
in a simulator that I'm using for my pleasure and entertainment. I don't
feel any need to simulate all the warts of flying just for the sake of
realism. If a person carried that to the limit he might have to kill
himself some day just to keep it real. <g>
Sam

[Dallas]

"Arthur" <agals...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Because.......


Did you buy the wrong thing?

<grin>

--
Dallas

[Danny]

I, along with thousands of others, have REX Essentials, too, Arthur. It's
weather engine portrays wind, turbulence, hurricanes, snow, rain, etc. I am
not sure how another products weather engine could be better. Maybe just
different. Weather is weather and wind is wind. It causes my plane to bounce
around. Wind shear is modeled so you can be blown off course. Heck you can
be blown off the runway. I guess it gets better some how with AS2012, but
as I said, weather is weather....

The clouds are stunning. The ability to change water color, sky color is
there, too. I do not have the Overdrive package as I believe it only
provides a higher resolution cloud maybe. But mine are now set to 4096
resolution.







"Arthur" wrote in message news:k7uo8p$j3i$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

[Danny]

Arthur, here is a video that explores some of the settings available in REX.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dqyXDZRhK0&feature=fvwrel









"Arthur" wrote in message news:k7ugl0$2q9$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

[Arthur]

I don't think I bought the 'wrong thing' inasmuch as I'm not sure what I
bought and how to use it. When I asked the group to tell me if I shouldn't
buy it, no one replied in the affirmative, so I ordered it.

It will keep me amused over the Canadian winter and I'm sure a program with
about 9 gigs of information, should provide some quality entertainment.
I'll let you know.

Arthur



"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:437040614374562888.228901Cyb...@news.east.earthlink.net...

[sambodidley]

"Arthur" <agals...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:k80kc7$rfi$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

>I don't think I bought the 'wrong thing' inasmuch as I'm not sure what I
>bought and how to use it. When I asked the group to tell me if I shouldn't
>buy it, no one replied in the affirmative, so I ordered it.
>
> It will keep me amused over the Canadian winter and I'm sure a program
> with about 9 gigs of information, should provide some quality
> entertainment. I'll let you know.
>
> Arthur
>

I have fun checking out all the scenery themes------when it's not
crashing FSX. REX 2 never did that on my computer.
Sam

[Arthur]

Hey Sam, why didn't you mention 'crashing FSX' when I mentioned I was going
to buy the program?

Arthur


"sambodidley" <scoo...@linvalid.net> wrote in message
news:k80mps$no$1...@dont-email.me...

[sambodidley]

"Arthur" <agals...@hotmail.com> wrote

> Hey Sam, why didn't you mention 'crashing FSX' when I mentioned I was
> going to buy the program?
>
> Arthur

Well Arthur, I hadn't downloaded it and installed it at that time. I
just got it a couple of days ago and am still checking it out. I got the
upgrade to REX Essentials free by giving them my order number for REX 2. I
didn't pay but half price for that one on Deal OF The Day at PC Aviator last
April. I posted that here on the group and several people bought it at that
time. I don't use the weather engine in it much because it doesn't fit in
with my style of flying.
Sam

[Vic Baron]

Sorry Danny but you are SO wrong.

Weather is NOT weather and wind is NOT wind. How can another program be
better?

Simple - ACCURACY - if you are planning for winds from 245 @ 20 and you get
090 @ 40 you are going to be surprised.

Sorry but the REX weather engine is grossly inaccurate STILL as far as temps
and winds aloft.

Now, if you fly low and slow and are looking for nice eye candy it is fine
but if you try to do ANY serious fuel and flight planning etc - nope.

The REX graphics are exceptional according to some - personally I have never
liked them as much as some others, including AS2012 BUT that is purely
subjective. What *I* think is realistic and what *you* think looks realistic
may be two different things and we both are correct.


Choice of weather engine depends on what type of flying you do - fortunately
AS2012 now includes a "preset" screen that allows one to select their type
of flying so you get more or less eye candy and more or less accuracy.

Vic

"Danny" <drmckee@yahoo.c o m> wrote in message
news:4PydnXIDleoOsD7N...@giganews.com...

[sambodidley]

"Vic Baron" <vgb...@hotmail.com> wrote >

Now, if you fly low and slow and are looking for nice eye candy it is fine
> but if you try to do ANY serious fuel and flight planning etc - nope.

Some of us simmers are more interested in just "flying" and don't really
care so much about all that data crunching thing. We leave that to the
'planners' who thrive on numbers and such. There are definitely many types
of simmers in this genre and what is just Jim Dandy and Hunky Dory for some
might not be of any interest at all for others. That's the beauty of
simming. Everybody gets to do it his own way. Obviously, Dany is perfectly
satisfied with what he is using for the way he uses it. Well, in fact, so am
I. <g>
Sam

[Vic Baron]

"sambodidley" <scoo...@linvalid.net> wrote in message

news:k814ns$svf$1...@dont-email.me...

Totally agree Sam - which is why I have different setups for different types
of flying. When I use Orbx, I like low and slow w/o any plan and the I like
the eye candy. When I want to shoot CATIII approaches to minimums, however,
I need something much more accurate. Both work. I just feel that painting
all weather programs with "weather is weather" could mislead someone who
WANTS to do accurate flight planning and fuel calcs.

that's why there are bush pilots and airline pilots.

Vic

[sambodidley]

"Vic Baron" <vgb...@hotmail.com> wrote

> that's why there are bush pilots and airline pilots.
>
> Vic

Right! Us bush pilots don't need no steenkin' flight plans.<g>
Sam

<http://www.mediafire.com/view/?94pe1e51x3qihdl>

[Danny]

"Vic Baron" wrote in message :

>>Sorry Danny but you are SO wrong.

Again? I wrong again? My wife would so agree with that assessment, Vic.
I do know, (at least I did read) that REX folks completely redid their
weather engine with REX Essentials.

But, you are correct when saying that one would certainly want the sim to
replicate the type of weather one had planned for or expected to experience,
when making that flight plan. But, without having both programs, I would
never be able to determine which one was going it correctly, given the same
flight plan, same time frame, etc. But, since I am the low, slow, eye-candy
lover that I am, I am sure either program has the...'little engine that
could' provide the experience enhancement.

>>The REX graphics are exceptional according to some - personally I have

>>never liked them as much as some others, including AS2012.

Certainly a Coke or Pepsi thing, eh?

>>Choice of weather engine depends on what type of flying you do -
>>fortunately AS2012 now includes a "preset" screen that allows one to
>>select their type of flying so you get more or less eye candy and more or
>>less accuracy.

Now that is sho nuff cool, uknowhatimsayin?.

[mdavis]

I think you get used to one system and that's what you stick with -
unless you've had some really bad experiences. I use AS2012 because I
started with ActiveSky, went to ASE and now AS2012. I also note that
Chris Willis is one of the programmers for AS2012. It was Chris Willis
who gave the flight sim community so many great cloud substitution files
back with FS9 - all for free - so I feel like I should support him since
he has gone commercial. Same reason I bought FSUIPC - because of the
free support given over the years.

Is AS2012 "better" than REX or REXE? Dunno and don't intend to find out
unless someone shows me better screen shots than I'm getting - which
isn't very likely.

[sambodidley]

"Arthur" <agals...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:k7ugl0$2q9$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

> Arthur

Arther,
Here are some screen shots of clouds that REX made just using the Random
Weather setting for that local airport. That's the only way I use it. I
hate real weather. It's never what I would choose to fly in. I just want
some pretty clouds around when I'm flying.
Sam

<http://s527.beta.photobucket.com/user/sambodidley/library/screen%20shots>

[Danny]

That photo site is pretty buggy. I tried two different browsers with Sam's
three photos. The black left / right arrows not working for me.




"sambodidley" wrote in message news:k81nsc$43a$1...@dont-email.me...

[Dallas]

"sambodidley" <scoo...@linvalid.net> wrote:

> Here are some screen shots of clouds that REX made just using the
> Random Weather setting for that local airport.

<http://s527.beta.photobucket.com/user/sambodidley/library/screen%20shots>


Nice!... Looks almost as good as the free default clouds that come with
FSX.

:-)))

--
Dallas

[sambodidley]

"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:443710709374644458.391201Cyb...@news.east.earthlink.net...

> Dallas

My default FSX didn't look like that before I used REX. I had a clear
blue bird sky with a few thin cirrus clouds at that airport(KLFK). The
water textures on Rayburn didn't look near as good either. REX looks good
enough for Texas. <g>
Sam

[Vic Baron]

"mdavis" <mlda...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:k81kkg$mia$1...@news.albasani.net...

LOL! What's really funny is that the weather engine has NOTHING to do with
the screen shots. FSX cab do that by itself with the proper graphics. The
differences are in the interpretation of the METAR. The engine decodes it
and tells FSX that the sky coverage is 3/8 or few - then FSX uses the
installed graphics to populate the sky. The eye candy is purely in the eyes
of the beholder. If you are not concerned with accuracy and you like what
you see - stay with it - no reason to change.

Chris has done an exceptional job , IMHO and is working with the beta team
to continually refine and improve the graphics.

Vic

[Vic Baron]

Coke/Pepsi is the exact logic.

Sorry if came across a tad huffy - there is SO much misinformation about
weather engines and too many people assume because it paints a pretty sky
that the engine is better - which is fine if one indicates their type of
flying. I had one user argue that brand X was better because he looked out
his window and the clouds were in the same place as in the sim. And he was
serious.

As I said, for low and slow you pays your money and takes your choice - for
more serious planning and simming - size does matter! :)

Vic

"Danny" <drmckee@yahoo.c o m> wrote in message

news:_5idnU_Qxcv32znN...@giganews.com...

[sambodidley]

"Vic Baron" <vgb...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:k81tcn$rde$1...@news.albasani.net...
And he was
> serious.

>
> for more serious planning and simming - size does matter! :)
>
>
> Vic

Serious? Doesn't sound like anything I'd be doing for pleasure and
entertainment. Too much like work to me.<g>
Sam

[mdavis]

Vic is right here. Just a couple of points. There are at least three
variables involved here:

1) METAR source - these weather engines can use incoming METAR data
from FSX/FS9, AS2012, REXE, or in some cases your moving map (i.e.
Plan-G). So obviously it depends on the METAR incoming, which (in
theory) should all be the same regardless of the source - depending on
the time lag (if any).

2) METAR interpretation depends on whether FSX/FS9, AS2012 or REXE is
doing the calculations. Some programs just replace default bitmaps and
rely on the FSX/FS9 weather engine to display them, while AS2012 and
REXE read the METAR and apply their calculations to their own bitmaps.

3) Choice of settings within the weather engine. AS2012 now has three
settings for display - one high altitude, one "norman" and one low VFR
flying. In addition, you can "customize" cloud displays to your liking
and ignore the METAR incoming, and there are hundreds of setting
combinations you can tweak if you're doing it manually. I always use
"random" to load cloud bitmaps using real weather METAR data which may
always give me the proper layers, percentage of sky and cloud type, but
it varies (as in the real world) the display of those cloud types and
layers.

Consequently, it is virtually impossible to directly compare two top
notch weather engines side by side. Use what you like and like what you
use.

[Danny]

Sam, what REX has four cloud resolutions, What cloud resolution are you
using in FSX.






"sambodidley" wrote in message news:k81rc5$jef$1...@dont-email.me...

[sambodidley]

"mdavis" <mlda...@sbcglobal.net> wrote

Use what you like and like what you
> use.

For myself, I use what I bought. But I use it my way. Other than the
flight characteristics of my aircraft, eye candy is ALL I care about. I'm
simming the actual flying of my plane and nothing else. Unless I'm flying
over beautiful ORBX country, any flight that lasts over 15 minutes starts to
bore me. I abort out of it and go to another one. The very thought of
siting up an extended flight and crunching all that data for it before even
starting and then sitting there all that time staring at my monitor while it
occurs just puts me to sleep. It does save me money on Ambien, though.<g>
Sam

[sambodidley]

"Danny" <drmckee@yahoo.c o m> wrote in message

news:8KSdnQoZyp5fYDnN...@giganews.com...

> Sam, what REX has four cloud resolutions,

What are cloud resolutions?

What cloud resolution are you
> using in FSX.

Where are cloud resolutions located in FSX?

[Vic Baron]

"sambodidley" <scoo...@linvalid.net> wrote in message

news:k821b8$bc6$1...@dont-email.me...

Whatever floats your boat, or to keep it in perspective, whatever lifts your
wings Sam.

Most of the time I just jump in and take a joyride, pretty much like you.
But sometimes I like the challenge of planning a flight and flying IMC and
YES - it is a lot of work. IRL, I always enjoyed the challenge of IFR flight
but I was usually stressed afterwards. Sometimes it is fun to fly by the
numbers and meet my flight plan requirements.

But most of the time, I like to sightsee and just fly!

Vic

[sambodidley]

"Vic Baron" <vgb...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:k835ft$3n6$1...@news.albasani.net...

I never flew anything but VFR in real life but I ran into a few
challenges doing that. A couple of dead sticks, for instance, were kinda
exciting. For me, I just can't generate much interest in simming anything I
can't relate to in some way. And now, at my age, my attention span doesn't
support any extended endeavors very well. Short and sweet is my limit.<g>
Sam

[Danny]

That REX program you have will install NEW clouds to replace the ones that
came with FSX. REX clouds are much better looking then the cotton balls of
FSX. There are four different resolutions. 512, 1024, 2048, 4096.

You select the 3D Cirrus Cloud resolution you want, (the higher the more
taxing on the system possibly).

Then go to the TEXTURES tab and scroll through the 57 different 3D clouds
and scroll the 22 different Cirrus Clouds, to find the shapes and textures
that looks good to your eye. Then choose SELECT on lower right.

Can do the same for water, sky, sun, runways, etc.

Once finished, click INSTALL on the lower right and these texture will be
sent to reside in FSX, whether or not you run REX before every flight, as I
understand it. The tropical waters, light blue with coral reefs showing
through, are awesome if you fly in any of those areas. But, as I say, you
have to INSTALL these textures, otherwise FSX is using Default, and those
cloud photos you posted did look a little like default.

Danny








"sambodidley" wrote in message news:k8334a$v7p$2...@dont-email.me...

[Danny]

OR on that TEXTURES page, you can select RANDOMIZE and REX will randomly
select each of the texture. YOU then click INSTALL, to send them to FSX.







"sambodidley" wrote in message news:k8334a$v7p$2...@dont-email.me...

[sambodidley]

"Danny" <drmckee@yahoo.c o m> wrote in message

news:mpWdnYpoYKsKtDjN...@giganews.com...

> That REX program you have will install NEW clouds to replace the ones that
> came with FSX. REX clouds are much better looking then the cotton balls of
> FSX. There are four different resolutions. 512, 1024, 2048, 4096.
>
> You select the 3D Cirrus Cloud resolution you want, (the higher the more
> taxing on the system possibly).
>
> Then go to the TEXTURES tab and scroll through the 57 different 3D clouds
> and scroll the 22 different Cirrus Clouds, to find the shapes and textures
> that looks good to your eye. Then choose SELECT on lower right.
>
> Can do the same for water, sky, sun, runways, etc.
>
> Once finished, click INSTALL on the lower right and these texture will be
> sent to reside in FSX, whether or not you run REX before every flight, as
> I understand it. The tropical waters, light blue with coral reefs showing
> through, are awesome if you fly in any of those areas. But, as I say,
> you have to INSTALL these textures, otherwise FSX is using Default, and
> those cloud photos you posted did look a little like default.
>
> Danny

Danny,
I have always run my resolution at 4096. For those screen shots I went
to Texture, chose a theme and then chose the cloud type I wanted as well as
the other textures on that page. I then clicked Install and REX ran the
progress bar showing the install. Then I clicked OK on the Fly Now window
and it opened FSX. When I started the flight REX put up its green banner
showing it had installed the weather. The clouds in those screen shots are
what REX installed. Before the green banner came up there was nothing but a
few thin scattered cirrus clouds showing in the default FSX sky. After the
banner I had what you saw in those screen shots. That was REX installed
clouds.
Sam

[Danny]

Yep. sounds like it was too, Sam. I am running the 4096 textures as well.
does not seem to hit my frames much at all.
I am running DX10, which helps my sim performance as well.

Now gonna check out the other field you found near Bowerman.



"sambodidley" wrote in message news:k83fo4$i90$1...@dont-email.me...

[mdavis]

Randomize - that's the way nature does it.

[Dallas]

mdavis wrote:

> 2) METAR interpretation depends on whether FSX/FS9, AS2012 or REXE
> is doing the calculations.

The real tricky part here has nothing to do with METARs... I gather
from what Vic said that there is a difference in how these programs get
winds and clouds aloft and what they do with them.


--
Dallas

[sambodidley]

"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com> wrote in message

news:Lq-dnSsg-riIEjjN...@earthlink.com...

What REX does on my 'puter is make my bare blue skies look purty. Would
AS2012 make 'em look purtier?<g>
Sam

[mdavis]

Save your money, Sam. Even FSX can show blue skies, although perhaps
not the same horizon fading effects.

[Dallas]

"sambodidley" <scoo...@linvalid.net> wrote:

> What REX does on my 'puter is make my bare blue skies look purty.
> Would AS2012 make 'em look purtier?<g>

I think it's all a scam anyway... the clouds and everything are all the
same as FS default, but after you pay the $50 bucks they look sooo much
better.

<g>


--
Dallas

[sambodidley]

"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:210229679374728205.927540Cyb...@news.east.earthlink.net...

Show us some of them purty clouds you get in AS2012.<g>
Sam

[sambodidley]

"mdavis" <mlda...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:k84akh$fe7$1...@news.albasani.net...

> Save your money, Sam. Even FSX can show blue skies, although perhaps not
> the same horizon fading effects.

The money was spent a long time ago. I didn't want bare blue skies. I
want REX to cloud 'em up for me to make 'em real purty. It does a fairly
good job of that. Here's a few it did.
Sam

<http://www.picfront.org/f/NzMko82b2TN/d/>

[MikeW]

That's interesting, Sam. You got the two scroll arrows >> to appear on TOP
of you photos, how did you manage that?

Nice pics BTW.
--
MikeW
Shrewsbury, UK
Remember, you're always a student in an airplane.

[sambodidley]

"MikeW" <Mi...@spammenot.con> wrote in message
news:4vudncaqt_NRtzvN...@bt.com...

They were on top of them before on my browser, Firefox. I guess yours
couldn't handle those large files. These file are much smaller than the
first ones.
Sam

[MikeW]

sambodidley wrote:

>>>
>>> <http://www.picfront.org/f/NzMko82b2TN/d/>
>>
>> That's interesting, Sam. You got the two scroll arrows >> to appear
>> on TOP of you photos, how did you manage that?
>>
>> Nice pics BTW.
>> --
>> MikeW
>
> They were on top of them before on my browser, Firefox. I guess
> yours couldn't handle those large files. These file are much smaller
> than the first ones.
> Sam

OK. Thanks for that, Sam.
--
MikeW
Shrewsbury, UK
Try to keep the number of your landings equal to the number of your
takeoffs.