SkyMaxx Pro 4 Released!

[Kyle.Sanders]

http://www.x-aviation.com/catalog/produ ... -pro-p-138

[rtataryn]

Bought it and loaded it up this morning. Once again, as with my previous versions of SkyMaxx, I'm disabling it the same day I bought it. I was anxiously hoping in this version they would fix or at least improve the biggest issue (IMO) of previous versions . . . the fact that SMP cannot replicate dowloaded METAR conditions or pre-set ceilings and visibility even remotely close to reality. They didn't, which makes the product essentially worthless for instrument training, or for even just joy flights where actual reported conditions are expected. On the positive side, the clouds, colors and rays are beautiful, as usual, and there are more controls over cloud density, shadows and sharpness than version 3. So for pretty VFR flights, where actual weather conditions don't matter, the clouds are gorgeous compared to stock X-Plane. But I'd rather run the stock weather engine that is dead-on accurate for ceilings, visibility, and reported METAR conditions.

Looked for a low IFR airport to fly approaches this morning . . . Chose KJZP and flew the RNAV 34 to LPV minimums

Pickins County METAR

IMG_0368 copy.jpg (66 KiB) Viewed 6246 times

Procedure turn inbound with Skymaxx Pro v4. Overcast 200 ft. Visibility 5 miles. (Umm . . . OK)

Procedure turn inbound KJZP 34 SMP4 OVC 200 ft. Vis 5 miles.

SR22T_33 copy.jpg (47.19 KiB) Viewed 6246 times

Same view with stock XP 10.51

Procedure turn inbound KJZP 24 stock weather

SR22T_34 copy.jpg (30.95 KiB) Viewed 6246 times

Of course, with stock weather, once you descend into the stratus it's solid soup (no point in showing a picture of solid grey) until the reported ceiling of 200 agl. SkyMaxx won't do that. That's really too bad because this would be an awesome product if it did.

[Kyle.Sanders]

That does seem a bit strange. I've had nothing but luck with it. Keep an eye on some upcoming streams of mine, as I will be having a social guest and will be going into how to optimize SMP and how to fix some common problems with it. Maybe it will help you out.

Channel
www.twitch.tv/kyle_sanders

Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/KyleSandersAviation/

[Kyle.Sanders]

This is me at FL210
Metar:
KDHN 182153Z 35005KT 10SM OVC028 16/13 A3022

I can finally put my draw distance (cloud area coverage) up to almost max without frame rate hit. The "Box" is gone for me. So happy.

[RyanK]

I've had the same issue as Rod with v3. Cloud bases are rarely even close to where they should be, even when you set them manually. For me, that's pretty much the only thing a weather engine HAS to do right.

[Kyle.Sanders]

Rod,
I am curious as to what you are using for weather data for your sim? Built in, NOAA, FSRGGGWWSAS (whatever)?... are you using RWC with these? If so, do you have "Always" set in the RWC control panel?
http://www.x-aviation.com/downloads/Rea ... nector.pdf

[rtataryn]

Kyle, Built in weather data, and yes, RWC set to Always in the control panel. I played with all the settings today and got all kinds of neat effects and noted the improvements from V.3, but as noted, no chance at simulating METAR conditions.

[Kyle.Sanders]

Kyle, Built in weather data, and yes, RWC set to Always in the control panel. I played with all the settings today and got all kinds of neat effects and noted the improvements from V.3, but as noted, no chance at simulating METAR conditions.

I'm not sure we are speaking about the same thing. The settings I'm talking about mean that you should have it on "Automatic".. not "Always"

Automatic: RWC will only be active when X-Plane’s weather is set to “grab real weather from the net”.
Use this setting if you fly with X-Plane’s built-in real world weather, if you use the FSGRW add-on, or if
you use future weather add-ons that communicate with X-Plane using its METAR.RWX file. For most
users, this is the best setting.
In this mode, if you set up X-Plane to automatically download METAR-based weather information from
the Internet, RWC will use this detailed information to position clouds. When real weather is off In XPlane,
RWC will be automatically deactivated, and clouds will be placed using uniform cloud conditions
specified in X-Plane’s weather dialog instead.
X-Plane’s real weather settings are found under X-Plane’s Environment menu. Select the Weather
screen, and select “grab real weather from the net” to ensure RWC has the information it needs. For
more information on X-Plane’s real world weather system, see http://www.xplane.com/?article=download ... al-weather

Always: RWC will always position clouds using downloaded METAR data.
Use this setting if you need to use an add-on that overrides X-Plane’s weather with uniform weather
conditons surrounding the plane (using datarefs,) but you still want the benefits of RWC. Examples
include XSquawkBox (used with VATSIM), IVAO, NOAA Weather, and EFASS. As of this writing, these addons
disable X-Plane’s real world weather system, and inject uniform weather surrounding your plane
that abruptly changes as you move.
The “Always” setting provides a work-around. In this mode, RWC ignores any cloud information coming
from X-Plane or its add-ons, and instead downloads its own METAR data directly from NOAA to position
the clouds with. This allows RWC to keep control of the clouds, while still using the other features of
your add-ons (such as winds, turbulence, network flying, etc.)
Setting up specific cloud conditions via X-Plane’s weather dialog will have no effect while RWC is in
“Always” mode, so be sure to set RWC back to “Automatic” if you want the ability to disable real-world
weather later.

Never: RWC is disabled
Use this setting if you need to temporarily disable RWC, or if you want to use an external dataref-based
weather add-on in its intended form. In this mode, RWC will be disabled, and SkyMaxx Pro will instead
position clouds using uniform weather conditions specified in datarefs.
For example, if you are flying on a network that synchronizes weather conditions, it might be more
important to see the same weather conditions other pilots see, even if it is less detailed than what RWC
can represent. You might want to disable RWC while flying on a network, and re-enable it while flying
offline.
If your add-on disables X-Plane’s real world weather system (most do), then RWC’s “Automatic” setting
will automatically disable RWC while your add-on is active anyhow.

[Kyle.Sanders]

I just got done speaking to one of the SMP developers about these two situations here... they strongly recommend you go to x-pilot and submit a support ticket/forum post. There is something wrong here and they will help you fix it.

[rtataryn]

Kyle, I've run RWC with "Always" and "Automatic" and with "Never change visible weather" checked and unchecked. I've also spent a half a day testing every SMP control panel setting. No setting draws anything close to the METAR conditions. Native X-Plane weather always does - and its exact, without messing with menus and settings.

Even when imported weather is off, and weather is set uniformly over the whole world, although its better than METAR weather, it still won't match the set ceiling, visibility or altitudes of other higher set cloud layers. Are you saying that yours does? I have yet to hear anyone that has had Skymaxx mimic IMC with accurate ceilings and visibility.

I'll submit a report to X-pilot and report back here. I look forward to your Twitch stream on tips and settings for optimizing SMP.