What's the blue band cutting off the bottom of my clouds?

[bushp04]

Can someone please take a look at this screen shot and tell me what you think this blue band is? (And please don't tell me, "The sky!") lol
In this pic, it's above the A4M Skyhawk and cuts across the top of the plane's tail.

It stays in this same position across all cloud types, and just seems unnatural in appearance, as if my monitor screen is somehow overlapping parts of the sky.

It's been doing this for quite a few months now--otherwise FS runs ok (well, there WAS that nasty "out of memory" message back in Aug-Sep 06 that Kimber helped me fix! Thanks Kimber!!)

Any assistance would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125182.jpg


http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125184.jpg

[flyboy208]

http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/83229.jpg

I think it's just a glitch in texture loading, I get the same problem every now and then. See attached pic. Mike :-)



http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125183.jpg

[bushp04]

Thanks, Mike! More tweaking, huh? Oh, well!

Nice shot!

[KylePrestwood]

I remember on FS8 and FS9, fooling with the level of visibility (range in miles), along with it's dimensions (altitude ceiling) would greatly affect that line.

Not sure with FSX, but may want to hop into the weather settings and give it a shot.

Kyle

[Peer]

I think Kyle is right here, it's the same in FSX. You can try to change visibilaty dimensions and see if there are any changes.

[Squitters]

Hi all :D

Think the guys are correct here, its the height of the visibility layer.

[napamule2]

Exactly. Same as FS9. Set visiability to 20 miles, from 0 ft to 28000 and set cirrus from about 10,000 to 29,000, Broken X/8 (your choice) and you won't see that band anymore. If you want to set a Cumulus layer, make that 4,000 ft bottoms, to 9,000 tops, Broken 7/8 (or, even overcast as a 'test'-looks ok in mine). (Kimber, where are you?)
Chuck B
napamule
(Oh, Kimber is the 'guru' when it comes to setting weather in FS2k2 and FS9, and I am practically quoteing her advice.)

[bushp04]

Thanks, mates! I've read Kimber's erstwhile instructions on this before, but I was too thick apparently to know to go into Customized ADVANCED
Weather. Chuck, here's a shot on downwind to El Toro MCAS, with the settings you suggested for cumulus and cirrus.

There appear to be two bands above the aircraft, but I think the haze in the distance is more realistic than what I had before. I've a good bit more tweaking left to do!!

I appreciate everyone's help!! You've set me on the right path!

Thanks!!






http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125322.jpg


http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125323.jpg

[napamule2]

bushp04,
You're getting closer. Remember that your cloud's bottom AND tops need to be set. THEN, you need to set VISIABILITY's bottom and tops to INCLUDE both lower and upper cloud layers.

To see layers, use '-' key (on LEFT) to zoom out. You may have too many layers, with no 'thickness' (ie: top/bottom setting of only a few feet)? Remove layer(s) by clicking on '-' key (on RIGHT).

That haze layer looks about what I get too. That banding sure would irk ME. Now I am thinking vertical snyc of video card. You might have to NOT set it (ie: use default settings). Perhaps that's it? Cheers.
Chuck B
napamule

[bushp04]

Thanks Chuck. Here are the cumulus at 4k-6k, 1st shot with 3/8, next with 5/8. (7/8 did not afford comfortable frame rates)

I entered the Visibility tab, this time, (Thanks!), and set it at Kimber's recommended 0-28000 ft. Frame rates came back to about 20.

Tried putting in a higher layer of cirrus, and you could see the clouds
being drawn on the screen as the jet climbed to FL280. Not good, so I removed the cirrus layer, and got nice puffy cotton ball clouds + acceptable frame rate (20).

One more question: what is the "Base Visibility" shown on the first tab (tab entitled "Clouds"))?

Thanks a million!







http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125468.jpg


http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125469.jpg

[napamule2]

Well, if puffy cotton balls is what you like, then 'ok'. But, you could make lowest layer 3k to 10k (then add layer of cirrus, or even stratus (overcast?) and it will look much better. The FPS MAY take a hit, I guess. But not if you reduce the visability-THIS IS WHERE THE TRICK IS. And to get it down (0 ft) to include YOUR visability (not the clouds) so FSX don't have to draw anything fancy ranging out to 'unlimited' (100 miles?). So, you trick FSX into drawing only clouds close by, thus reducing hit.

I see you have FSX locked to 21. I run mine locked at 17 and give the processing it takes to get those 4 fps back to FSX, so it can draw clouds, and do other things. That's the way it works.

17 FPS WILL look good, and you can still fly a fast military jet. There will be dips to 13, or even 10, but you can still fly at 10 in FSX. Not like FS9 where if you droped to 10 it wasn't flyable.

The 'base visability' is where the clouds start. If you have mountains 4k ft around your airport, and you set base to '0 ft', you will see clouds coming out of the ground. So, set to above the surrounding elevation. Looks better. And if vis is set to 10 miles, and mountains are 15 miles out, you won't see the mountains. Get it?


http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125471.jpg


http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125472.jpg


http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125473.jpg


http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125474.jpg


Spend a few days trying different combinations, and moving the slider in Scenery. You can do a lot in advanced weather. It's a science.
Chuck B
napamule

[bushp04]

Chuck, now-w-w-w I get it!! Thanks for taking the time to walk me thru this!! And the shots are fantastic as well as educational!!

I appreciate it more than you know, mate!!

I should have said at the outset, I'm still using FS9, but I don't think that is relevant to the basics you explained.

Also, thanks for answering the Visibilty Tab question!! Your excellent screen shots well demonstrate your lesson, which I will begin to apply at once!

I'm bookmarking this thread and I'm sure I will refer other simmers to it as the opportunities arise.

BTW, you're right--it is a science, even an art!

Much obliged!

[napamule2]

bushp04,
Excellent. I like to hear about good results. Takes work to make the sime(s) (FS9 too) look the way you want it. FPS are always a concern of course. But, reduce auto-gen to compensate, and be happy.

If you still fly FS9 a lot, try downloading 'Real Edge' clouds (orig for FS2k2 but work in FS9) by Chris Willis, of FSW group, and they are at simflight.com\fsw. I also have their 'puffy' cumulus and they look very good. Like this.


http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125554.jpg


http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/125555.jpg

Just remember to set layer to from x,xxx ft to 10,000 ft, more or less to give clouds room to 'grow' bigger. Also try the overcast, as long as you don't have rain ('percipitation'). You have to play with the temperature and dew point. The closer the dew point to temp the more moisture, thus the more thicker clouds can develop. Add wind in upper layers to see cloud shapes changed. Add winds down to deck, with thunderstorm and watch the light show, and swirlling (tornado?) cloud formations. In fact, if you fly a prop over clouds, the clouds will swirl due to prop wash (look down from overhead). Neat stuff.
Chuck B
napamule

[bushp04]

WOW! Screen graphics wiz AND meteorologist! Quite the combination, Chuck! But I guess it takes a lot more study of atmospherics than I even knew would be required to fly this sim in the most realistic way--and let's face it, there are many, if not most, of us who want that.

A thousand thanks for the intriguing tips!!

Nice variation of cloud shots!

Regards,