Skywatcher12

What's interesting is that in some charts, even in 2006, FS2004 was still making the top 20 of ALL games, not just sims. This is quite an achievement. Despite people telling FS2004 users we should all move on, a little history demonstrates why FS2004 was such a ground breaking sim in it's day and why it can still retain a fan base today. Newer does not always mean better unless you only look for graphics from your software and nothing else.

This good. Comparison against other sims of the time. (Source: PC Gamer) I'll just keep living in the past and keep enjoying my FS2004!

It can't be too hard. Not sure a file conversion even needs to be made, just the data from the downloaded weather may need to be input into AS directly which may be quite straight forward. Without checking AS and all this myself, I can't tell you. Surely someone has by now tried NOAA weather who can provide some info?

Sorry, I didn't see that thread. I would have said NO, DO NOT DELETE!!!

Finally, remember the above applies to FSX as well so you got both sims covered for life. Every weather product can disappear for FS9/FSX and it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever! Long live FS9 and with ASE or AS 6.5 it will.

The last ASE build went 100% online and won't open. It's build 709, tells you on the main screen what build you have bottom left. Any previous build, ASE had an offline mode and will work and open up completely without ANY need for the internet. I think for many people this will simply mean, don't apply the last official patch to take it up to build 709. All ASE functions will work except online weather or downloading of weather files of course. I worked this all out years ago as I knew I had to future proof FS9 weather and ideally ASE. I worked out how to get ASE to work without internet and then downloaded masses of weather with it. It has a really good weather download option where you could set up many files and then just leave it running while it downloads and you go off and do other things. It was a type of semi-batch weather download function. As I've said, ASE is even now a sensational program for our flight sim, it has masses of features. Everyone should still be able to use it following the stuff I've mentioned in this thread.

NOAA website would be the place but I don't know what sort of conversion they need to work in AS as I've never used these files. The member who posted about this and whatever he does to use them deleted his post. Think he worked out best to be hush hush so everyone doesn't bombard the NOAA server and they pull the plug on downloads. He's probably frantically stocking up on weather files right now after he read my earlier posts on historic weather and doesn't want others doing the same. I'm only guessing of course!

The year doesn't matter. Is it a deal breaker if you fly May 23rd 2018 weather or May 23rd 2023 weather? Active Sky works so well you can just use downloaded weather to start a flight. Active Sky will change the weather to predicted weather as your session goes on so it's virtually the same as being online. If you really want the actual weather to be totally correct as it was in the real world at a later point in your session, you can just upload another weather file during your flight. eg load a file at the start of the flight then maybe before desent into the airport load another file so landing conditions will be accurate to what they were in the real world if not happy enough to use predicted weather. Then of course it's a flight sim, we cover large areas of ground so even using static weather works because we will always fly to areas which have different weather due to the vast distances a plane covers. All AS features work apart from the online aspect so it's still a brilliant product.

I'll say again, you can still happily use AS 6.5 offline. The online aspect makes literally no difference. Just get the weather files. I think the other user who deleted his post was downloading from NOAA. Don't ask for step by step instructions as I've never done it.

I hope this topic goes at least 15 pages.

Think I'm the only one still happy. Long live FS9 and ASE and AS 6.5! I haven't kept up with MSFS (this may be wrong) but I don't think it can use anything other than real time weather like the built in weather system in FS2004 did. I hated this as I didn't want to be flying during the day using night weather or vice versa. The control and features of the Active Sky programs were a world ahead of where MSFS is today. There was also a solution to run AS from weather files still available online mentioned in this thread. User has deleted the post.

I bought it and last used it years ago. The actual version of the program I think is unchanged. (v1.7) This means there is nothing different with the program itself from years ago but the connection issues may be server based so they may have improved. I'd personally have to go back and load it again to find what I didn't like or to do a direct comparison to ASE. I remember waiting for it (loading times) took forever and the overall features were far more limited. Obviously give it a try as it's at least the next best to AS and the best weather program still currently available and fully functioning. Thinking about it, I might load it up again just to have that online option and to take a second look at it. If I was to rank the best weather programs, the list would look like this: 1. ASE 2. AS 6.5 3. FSGRW

Get it back. You absolutely want to hold onto it. Works perfectly, just needs to be fed weather files.

Yeah, that's a major issue for many people and they have never fixed it. They throw it back on the user and their connection. It works for me but their connection is certainly inconsistent at times. The product does have some great reviews but how many of those people only use FSGRW and have never used ASE.

Never knew you had a sense of humor Jim. Impressed!

Just a reminder, if you have downloaded weather files there is no RIP or sadness required. The loss of the online aspect means little and there are clear benefits to using historical weather. I downloaded weather for every hour of an entire year plus more! Love my weather! I have gigabytes of it! I simply load the correct weather file for the nearest hour I'm flying in the virtual world. You can then have weather static or you can let AS shift the weather to predicted weather during your flight or you can even load another weather file if you wish. Offline means you can also avoid popping clouds. The only thing you really lose is having real time weather as it is right at this moment and honestly, who cares! FS9 is the best flight sim no matter how grumpy some people get about our happiness and I make sure it can be run forever. A good weather add-on for it is the most critical of all. Long live FS9 and Active Sky!

Woops! I accidently deleted my post for anyone who read the original. I'll write another here. Have some of it still saved to clipboard for easy copy/paste. ASE is the single most important add-on for FS9 above all others. Don't forget it also did great FSX weather. I don't like how many developers handle things and their customers. I really expected HiFi to shut down ASE long ago. HiFi should be commended for continuing their product for so long and were still unofficially supporting the product well beyond any period you could honestly expect them too. I'm not going to be negative on the official end of ASE. I say thank you to the developers. I also have FSGRW but it's not even close to ASE imo.

Ok, no worries, thanks Dorian.

You didn't try what I suggested?

Windows 10/11 really suck but people don't believe me till they inevitably have a problem. Unplug your headphones completely and try speakers.

Neither have I. haha If you search you'll probably find several threads with me in them as it's one of the few FS2004 files I could never find. That file and the WOAI packages they pulled down over the years have all escaped me.

Just looked it up again. The file required for FS2004 is: Falcon50_2k4.zip

There was a modified version that made the aircraft work correctly with FS2004. No idea what issues it has under FS2004 but your problem might be one of them. I've never been able to find the patch/fixes for FS2004.

I think there is very little privacy between what Apple gather and other apps. Tik Tok is a good example.

I'll go along with much of that Larry but I do know there are people who absolutely do like to say, "I don't use Windows." lol Unrelated to above quote: On the Windows privacy aspects, I personally think it's becoming less of an issue. I think we have much bigger concerns with our phones.