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SkyForce 3DPublisher: REX Game StudiosReview Author: Ray AndersenSuggested Price: $44.95/images/fsc/wbicons/store-buy-now-button.pngReview: REX SkyForce 3D - Total Atmospheric ImmersionCreated by REX Game StudiosBy Raymond AndersenIntroMy name is Raymond Andersen and someof you might know me better as Rays Aviation - I have had the pleasureof testing the new Sky Force 3D - Total Atmospheric Immersion createdfor the Lockheed Martin Prepar3D v4 platform by REX Game Studios. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-06.jpgThe Sky Force 3D is a program that completely upgrades the weather,the clouds and the various effects in your simulation platform,thereby increasing the realism and your experience of flying yourfavorite aircraft on your preferred sim-platform. The version that I have tested and which is covered by this reviewis the version created for the Lockheed Prepar3D v4 platform, meaning a64-bit platform however; the Sky Force 3D is also compatible witholder 32-bit platforms like FSX, FSX:SE and the previous versions ofPrepar3D. This review will cover my experience and my opinion of this programand I will try to go through as many features as possible to give youthe best overview of this program. Enjoy the read. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-32.jpgDownload & InstallationI downloaded the SkyForce3D directly from the download servers atREX Game Studios. The entire download file is a huge file of 4.61 GB,however the download was completed after just a few minutes due to asuperb connection to the download server where I could utilize most ofmy own download speed of 120 GBit/second. I found no issues downloadingsuch a huge file and I had no interruptions or similar. Installing the program was very easy - simply click the iconand follow the instructions set by the installation wizard. Beforeactivating the installation wizard you should remember to read the'read me file' - the info there can save you for some later issues andheadaches so therefore I of course read the file first. Basically theinformation is that you should not install the REX SkyForce withinyour primary flight simulation folder as that could cause issues, so Iinstead choose to install the software on my E:\ drive since that iswhere I have all my add-ons installed. This drive is of coursemanually selected by the simmer and you can select whichever drive youwant as long as you have the rights to use that drive. Installing the SkyForce3D software actually went quite fast - about3 minutes or so and the entire installation was completed. Theinstallation file now filled up a whopping 30.8 GB, so that is indeed agigantic amount of data. Please do be aware of this before installingon a computer with limited available space. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-10.jpgThe installation process consists of five major steps - Step 1 is theproduct registration which needs to be completed before being able tomove forward. Second step is to select which default flight simulatoryou want the SkyForce to support - here I of course selected theoption with P3Dv4, but you can also select the older versions of P3Das well as FSX and FSX Steam. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-02.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-03.jpgStep 3 is to create a list of your favorite airports - this enablesyou to instantaneously track real-time weather conditions for theincluded airports in that list. You can add up to nine airports intotal, and when you reach nine and enters number ten, then one airportis automatically deleted. If you don't fill out this step during thesetup process, then do not worry because this can also be completedlater as well as altered at any given time. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-28.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-23.jpgThe step number 4 is general settings - here you have variousoptions to either enable or disable, such as REX weather engine andauto-backup, etc. and the final step is step number 5. In this step youspecify the texture resolution for the 3D clouds, the cirro-typeclouds and also the moon. 3D clouds and the moon textures can go up to4096 x 4096 meaning ultra HD whereas the cirro-type clouds are limitedto 2048 x 2048. Please do be aware that the higher setting you sethere will impact your computer's performance and could cause flickeringif your computer comes up a bit short. If the computer comes up short Iwould certainly recommend decreasing these specs a bit. My test wasperformed on max settings with a Asus GeForce GTX980 Strix OC 4 Gbgraphic card, an Intel Core™ i7-4790K 4x4.40 GHz and 32 GbDDR3-2133 HyperX Beast RAM from Kingston, and I did encounterflickering when flying in very detailed weather over a high resolutionground area and with speeds faster than Mach 1. This just as areference. There are no 'auto-find' the correct installation folder which younormally see when installing sceneries or aircraft add-ons, but thatis quite understandable since you actually are recommended not toinstall in the primary flight simulation folder. After the installation is completed you will now find both adesktop icon for the program as well as a PDF manual/guide. The guideis a very comprehensive 91 page manual/guide that contains a varietyof information like Important Info, Compatibility, Installation,Procedures, Recommended Settings, etc. I would suggest reading closelyon subjects that are important to you, but reading the complete guidewill take quite some time even though the guide is an easy-to-readguide. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-12.jpgFunctionality: What Does It Do?When you start up the SkyForce3D the program opens up a quick-startmenu as default - this can be disabled if you would rather go directlyto the main dashboard, but I kept it as a start-up menu that can justbe closed if I want to go into a deeper and detailed setup. Thequick-start menu features a direct entry to 'Randomize', 'Customize','Flight Plan' and 'Settings' - which all are areas to quickly get theprogram set up in only specific areas and then go flying. Going to the main screen of the SkyForce3D you will find a nicedashboard where you can navigate around the various features andoptions together with getting your immediate update on the selectedprimary nine airports. You can select one of the six main areas by clicking on the centerof each entry or you can use the additional selectable icons in thefirst column (the left blue column). From this dashboard you cannavigate to all corners of this program - personally I normally usethe left column because here you have additional features that you cancustomize,however most of the general settings you do not haveto change often as for example the texture resolution which is quitestatic when you first have found the correct setting that fits yoursystem and your desire. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-33.jpgTo take you though the various parts and screens of this program Iwill start with the blue column and start with the icon number 1. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-16.jpgClicking this icon folds out the blue column so that there are aheader for each icon and that's about it. You can fold out this columnat all times and it will be visible on top of the other screens. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-38.jpgNext icon which looks a little like a speedometer in a car, is theicon for the dashboard as you know it and can see on the imageabove. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-29.jpgIcon number three from the top is the icon for the 3D cloud models- in this area you can manage the 3D cloud model and settings within alimited range of options. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-04.jpgIcon number four is the cloud and that is the icon for theenvironment where you can select specific types of clouds to beinstalled - here both 3D and cirro-type. Here you can also customizethe day-cycle, the sun and atmospherics, the moon and phases,lightning effects and sounds. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-34.jpgNext icon is number five and is a plane. This icon represents theflight plan which can either be imported from a local drive ordownloaded from the REX community 'cloud' server. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-19.jpgThe number six icon from the top is the windsock - this will giveyou a very detailed schematic of the weather at a selected airportwith data as dew point, temperature, weather conditions, latest METARor TAF, pressure, visibility, wind direction, etc. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-24.jpgNext icon is number seven and features an interactive weather mapfunction and which in great detail can display a comprehensive weathermap with selected options and hereby provide crucial information aboutthe flight. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-27.jpgIn the SkyForce3D you are also able to create themes and this isexactly what you can do in the next icon. This icon opens up for thethemes area where you can save your own themes or import sharedcommunity themes from fellow simmers - really nice idea. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-20.jpgThe 'PTA' icon takes you to an area where you can select a specific24-hour circle theme with a list of default themes. Do be aware thatthis can be in conflict if you have selected a specific sky-texture asthey are automatically matched and installed with the PTA - thiswarning is also written in the top of this area. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-18.jpgThis icon is a standard icon and it also represents in this programthe general settings. It is not just the settings for the flightsimulation platform or the textures, but it contains all the specificsettings covering everything from general settings to weather specificsettings as well as texture settings etc. There are several entrypoints to unique areas within the SkyForce3D from this area. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-21.jpgOf course there is also a help function - this icon does not openup for a specific area but adds an overlay of help in form of textboxes that are unique for whichever area you are viewing. E.g. lookingat the themes area and clicking the question sign you now get adetailed description of the menu points within this specific area,whereas if you were viewing the environment area a different overlaywould be visible. This way of help that are linked to the specificview is really a nice detail and a superb idea. Very user friendlyindeed! /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-17.jpgThe 3D Cloud Models page is the area where you can select aspecific structure for your flight simulation experience. Thecategories here are Alto, Stratus, Cumulus and Cumulus-Nimbus and foreach category you have pre-installed sub categories where all areselected and cannot individually be de-selected. For each category you have an option - the 3D model option wheree.g. you can select the Alto to utilize either Floccus, Perlicidus orUndulatus or for the Stratus and the Cumulus you can control thedensity of the visuals. For the Cumulus-Nimbus you also have theoption to select either a high or a low precipitation as well aseither a visible rain shaft or a wall cloud. Additionally you can also apply 3D model add-ons for the Cumulusand the Cumulus-Nimbus and hereby gain a more realistic effect fromthe 3D models. Please do note that if you enable the 'Real-Time Sync Mode' youwill need the SkyForce to remain open during flight or else the Syncwill not be able to operate. To apply the settings just click the 'Install Now' button and theselection will be installed to your selected flight simulationplatform. The installation takes just a few seconds. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-41.jpgThe environment area is certainly one of the more exciting parts ofthis program. Here you can select in great details the specific clouds/ cloud-formations that you wish the simulator to visualize. Actuallyyou can do a whole lot more here than just select the clouds - youhave in the button of the screen additional areas to configure such as theskies, the sun/atmosphere, the moon, lightning/effects and sounds. The 'Clouds' are divided into two sections, one is the 3D cloudtextures and the other is the cirro-type cloud textures and yes ofcourse I would recommend going through both. In the 3D cloud texturesyou have a whopping 22 pages each featuring 8 high resolution imagesof clouds. Which one you prefer is completely up to you, but yourselection here will impact your flight simulation experienceimmediately. When you have found the texture you like the best, you can eitherinstall it or add it to a theme which will be describedlater. Clicking the 'Install Now' button will install the texture tothe simulator and the installation is not a heavy installation and iscompleted within just a few seconds. The same goes for the cirro-type cloud textures where you have 20pages to select from,however these textures are for the higherlocated clouds like the feather clouds created from ice crystals(cirro-clouds). The way the cloud texture selection and installation works as justdescribed, also applies to the Sun/Atmospherics and theMoon/Phases. In total you have 20 options for the sun/atmospherics and4 options for moon/phases meaning plenty of options to find the mostinteresting visuals for you. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-14.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-36.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-05.jpgThe 'Skies' part is actually a 10-day cycle where you havepre-installed two options, but you can also here select the Dawn, theDay and the Dusk to match your region or to be displayed as yourfavorite visual experience. There are 25 different dawns, 41 differentdays and 26 different dusks so again there are plenty of options tocreate the exact and most perfect experience for you. Just click the header to go from dawn to day and thereafteryou can click your way through each option using the left and rightarrow. To select and install a specific dawn, day or dusk just simplyclick the 'Install Now' and your selection will immediately beinstalled to the simulator within a few seconds. If you click the 'AddTo Theme' button, then the selection will be added - in the pictureshere below you can see that the name of the theme button has changesto 'Added' which states that I have already added this specificselection. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-07.jpgThe next step is the 'Lightning/Effects' screen which enables youto select lightning and effects from 14 different options. How tonavigate this screen and to select, install or add to theme works justas in the other screens - very user friendly I think, but this screendoes also connect a bit to the last screen, the 'Sounds' where you areable to select a specific rumble for the thunder as well as aunique sound for the lightning and rain. For the sound set of the thunder and lightning there are ninedifferent sound set. There are also two options for the precipitationsounds and also a single one for the wind. All sounds feature a samplewhich can be played individually. To select a specific sound justclick the slider to on for the specific sound file. Of course only onesound set for each group can be selected and when the files have beenselected, just click the 'Install Now' button and the files arequickly installed to the simulator. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-26.jpgIf you click the button 'Currently In Sim' a window in the rightside opens up and displays the complete selection across all screensand areas. The display is all the selections marked with 'Added'instead of 'Add-To-Theme' and quickly give you an overview of what isalready installed in the simulator. It also provides a quick overviewto see if something is not installed or if there is a specific partthat you would like to change. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-43.jpgThe weather page is a quick overview of the weather at yourfavorite airports showing the latest METAR and TAF together with avariety of specific weather information. Details for each airport isshown after clicking on the specific airport's ICAO code andfurthermore you can also go directly to the interactive map-functionfrom this page using the blue 'Map View' button located in the bottomof the screen, to use real weather as base for planning your nextflight. Details shown are the METAR and TAF but also the ICAO code for theselected airport, the date, the temperature, the dew point, weatherconditions, air pressure, visibility, wind speed and directiontogether with a forecast for the next 6, 12 and 18+ hours. This is avery fun tool and also quite powerful in regards to displaying lots ofrelevant aviation information with a very user friendly interface. Clicking the button 'Favorite Airports' reloads the list of yourfavorite airports together with all the linked weather conditions foreach airport. In short this tool is simply a quick overview displaytool and you are not able to make changes to the weather or similarhere - you can use the information for flight planning or just for thefun and interest of how the weather is at your favorite airports. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-01.jpgAnother fun part of this weather page is the 'Search Weather'button - using this button enables you to make a search for a specificairport using the ICAO code or making a search based on certainparameters like the type of weather, the intensity, the visibility,the cloud base and the wind speed - this is quite fun if you arelooking for a flight in very specific weather conditions or if youwould like to make a search of a specific airport that is not listedas one of your favorite airports. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-09.jpgIf you are in doubt what the specific buttons or features do, thenuse the help function - the question mark in the lower leftcorner. This quickly provides you with all the various informationabout what you see as well as which functions are available on thatspecific page (also previously described). Moving on to the interactive map the program now provides avisualization of the weather conditions of the selected area. Thereare several additional options for the view on the interactive map,which can be controlled in the options in the bottom of thescreen. You can select a view on various specifics such as the winds andtemperatures where you can actually set a specific altitude andthereby see the patterns at that given altitude to compare with alower altitude and now plan a perfect flight for the correctconditions. The overlays on the map are divided into weather overlays and mapoverlays where the weather is everything in regards to the precip,winds, temperature, pireps, sigmets and the current information on theMETAR. The map overlays are the flight plan if you have downloaded oradded one, the airports and also major roads. There is also a few mapcontrols in the lower right corner. This interactive weather map is absolutely superb for visualizing aweather system as well as to make flight planning a whole lot moreinteresting, fun but also easier. You gain a grand overview andquickly see potential dangers much easier and quicker when the weatheris visualized like this - I certainly enjoy using this interactiveweather map greatly because I am personally also quite a weather nerdand do find this to be a powerful tool to support flight planning. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-25.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-44.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-35.jpgThemes - this is one of my favorite parts of this program and alsosomething that I remember from previous versions. Here you are able tocreate or download community shared themes for your flight simulationexperience. You can shuffle between all selectable in every area andaspect and thereby create very unique themes that will fit exactly towhat you find to be the out most optimal visual experience. You add your specific clouds, atmosphere, moon, lightning,environment, etc. and you can create multiple themes which you quicklycan shift between. The installation for a new theme is just a fewseconds so this absolutely provides great user friendly customizationof the weather within the simulator. When you have created a theme, you can either save it, install itor share it with the rest of the REX community. You can also 'GoRandom' and let the computer do the selection. There are two pages you can fill up with themes with 6 completethemes on each page meaning that you can have a total of 12 themesready to be installed. If you want the details of each theme, you canjust click the 'View' button and the details are displayed. You canalso change the theme by clicking on the 3D clouds, the dawn, themoon or the sun/atmosphere, etc. and now you are able to customize thatspecific theme by selecting a new input and click the 'Add to Theme'button. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-30.jpgIn the general settings menu you can change all backgroundspecifics and they are all divided into various sections. Thesesections can be selected using the icons in the bottom of the screenand are grouped in four different groups. First group is the general settings which are the simulatorplatform and the path to it as well as backup configuration andvarious applications that can be enabled or disabled. You also herehave your profile data, your settings on auto updates andnotifications as well as your favorite airport list. The second group is the weather settings which covers the weatherengine, the in-sim weather briefings, the specifics regardingFahrenheit/Celsius, cloud sync, turbulence settings, icing settings,the rendering of clouds, haze effect together with volumetric fogeffect, etc. Group number 3 is the textures settings covering which kind oftextures and effect to enable, the resolutions of the textures dividedon 3D clouds, cirro and moon textures. The 3D clouds and the moontextures goes up to 4096 x 4096 UHD settings where as the Cirro-Typeis limited to 2048 x 2048 HD setting. Another great addition here is the Performance Risk Tuner with theRisk Assessment bar to provide the simmer with a very realistic andaccurate idea of the OOM (out of memory) risk. This tool compares thesettings you have selected to your computer's specification andcalculates the OOM risk which is when the computer cannot support thesimulators needs and thereby fails. E.g. with my computer's specs whichare included in this review, and the lowest settings on the textures,the risk of a failure during flight is 13% - If I change the settingsto be maxed out the new calculation states a risk of failure duringflight of 27%. What this risk should be is of course up to you, butwith a 27% risk of failure I still have only tried an OOM failure onceand that was actually without the usage of the SkyForce. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-42.jpgConclusionThis SkyForce3D is absolutely a great addition to the flightsimulation experience. The enhanced 3D clouds with a max resolution of4096 x 4096, really provides the simmer with a sensational and veryrealistic visual experience. On medium computers the program is stilla very powerful visual experience with the lower resolutions as 2048 x2048 or even lower if necessary. The version that I tested was RexSkyForce_20180520_64bit /v.5.0.2018.0520 and the test was performed on P3D v4.1 and P3D v4.3. TheSkyForce worked beautifully on both versions without any errors orfailures. The interface is very user friendly and easy to navigate. Simpleselectable options and the help function created for each featurepages in the program are just superb. I also very much like the RiskAssessment tool even though I normally am more a 'try-it anyway' kindof guy. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-37.jpgI did encounter one issue which was the flickering visuals whenusing the max resolution settings in extremely detailed weather flyingover a high resolution ground area with speeds of about Mach 1 or more,however that was easily fixed by decreasing the visuals to 2048 x2048 instead. If your monitor is not able to visualize the 4K, thenthere is no need for selecting more than 2048 x 2048 in myopinion. Overall this is certainly a very powerful tool and an addition tothe flight simulation experience that I absolutely will recommend tomy fellow simmers. It is not just the awesome visuals that are greatlyimproved, but it is also the complete experience with the feeling offlying in different weather with various turbulence and the addedsound of the rain and thunder, which by the way sounds completelyawesome using my 7.1 surround sound setup. I rate the SkyForce3D for P3D v4+ with 4.80 out of 5 - this trulygave me an exceptional added flight simulation experience. Thank youREX Game Studios for creating this amazing addition for the flightsimulation community - Keep up the excellent work! /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-sky-force-3d-logo.jpgRay Andersen Rays Aviation Purchase REX Sky Force 3D Review Computer SpecsOS Win7 32-bit & Win10 64-bitCPU Intel Core™ i7-4790K 4x4.00 GHz (Turbo 4x4.40 GHz)Motherboard Asus Maximus VII Ranger (ROG-Series)CPU Cooler Antec Kuhler H20 650 Water CoolerRAM Kingston HyperX Beast-series 32GB DDR3-2133Hard disc Primary 500GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD (Solid State Disk)Hard disc Secondary 3TB Seagate Barracuda (7200rpm, 6GB/s)Graphic Card Asus GeForce GTX 980 Strix OC 4GBPower Supply Seasonic 750RT 80Plus GoldSound Asus ROG SupremeFX 2014 Sound (Sonic Radar II)Netcard Asus N53 Wireless USB (Dualband) Intel GameFirst III w/LANGuardInternet Connection 120Gbit/s Lockheed Martin Prepar3D v4Microsoft Flight Simulator FSX + Acceleration PackREX SkyForce for P3D v4REX Overdrive for FSX /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-31.jpg

SkyForce 3DPublisher: REX Game StudiosReview Author: Ray AndersenSuggested Price: $34.95/images/fsc/wbicons/store-buy-now-button.pngReview: REX SkyForce 3D - Total Atmospheric ImmersionCreated by REX Game StudiosBy Raymond AndersenIntroMy name is Raymond Andersen and someof you might know me better as Rays Aviation - I have had the pleasureof testing the new Sky Force 3D - Total Atmospheric Immersion createdfor the Lockheed Martin Prepar3D v4 platform by REX Game Studios. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-06.jpgThe Sky Force 3D is a program that completely upgrades the weather,the clouds and the various effects in your simulation platform,thereby increasing the realism and your experience of flying yourfavorite aircraft on your preferred sim-platform. The version that I have tested and which is covered by this reviewis the version created for the Lockheed Prepar3D v4 platform, meaning a64-bit platform however; the Sky Force 3D is also compatible witholder 32-bit platforms like FSX, FSX:SE and the previous versions ofPrepar3D. This review will cover my experience and my opinion of this programand I will try to go through as many features as possible to give youthe best overview of this program. Enjoy the read. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-32.jpgDownload & InstallationI downloaded the SkyForce3D directly from the download servers atREX Game Studios. The entire download file is a huge file of 4.61 GB,however the download was completed after just a few minutes due to asuperb connection to the download server where I could utilize most ofmy own download speed of 120 GBit/second. I found no issues downloadingsuch a huge file and I had no interruptions or similar. Installing the program was very easy - simply click the iconand follow the instructions set by the installation wizard. Beforeactivating the installation wizard you should remember to read the'read me file' - the info there can save you for some later issues andheadaches so therefore I of course read the file first. Basically theinformation is that you should not install the REX SkyForce withinyour primary flight simulation folder as that could cause issues, so Iinstead choose to install the software on my E:\ drive since that iswhere I have all my add-ons installed. This drive is of coursemanually selected by the simmer and you can select whichever drive youwant as long as you have the rights to use that drive. Installing the SkyForce3D software actually went quite fast - about3 minutes or so and the entire installation was completed. Theinstallation file now filled up a whopping 30.8 GB, so that is indeed agigantic amount of data. Please do be aware of this before installingon a computer with limited available space. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-10.jpgThe installation process consists of five major steps - Step 1 is theproduct registration which needs to be completed before being able tomove forward. Second step is to select which default flight simulatoryou want the SkyForce to support - here I of course selected theoption with P3Dv4, but you can also select the older versions of P3Das well as FSX and FSX Steam. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-02.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-03.jpgStep 3 is to create a list of your favorite airports - this enablesyou to instantaneously track real-time weather conditions for theincluded airports in that list. You can add up to nine airports intotal, and when you reach nine and enters number ten, then one airportis automatically deleted. If you don't fill out this step during thesetup process, then do not worry because this can also be completedlater as well as altered at any given time. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-28.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-23.jpgThe step number 4 is general settings - here you have variousoptions to either enable or disable, such as REX weather engine andauto-backup, etc. and the final step is step number 5. In this step youspecify the texture resolution for the 3D clouds, the cirro-typeclouds and also the moon. 3D clouds and the moon textures can go up to4096 x 4096 meaning ultra HD whereas the cirro-type clouds are limitedto 2048 x 2048. Please do be aware that the higher setting you sethere will impact your computer's performance and could cause flickeringif your computer comes up a bit short. If the computer comes up short Iwould certainly recommend decreasing these specs a bit. My test wasperformed on max settings with a Asus GeForce GTX980 Strix OC 4 Gbgraphic card, an Intel Core™ i7-4790K 4x4.40 GHz and 32 GbDDR3-2133 HyperX Beast RAM from Kingston, and I did encounterflickering when flying in very detailed weather over a high resolutionground area and with speeds faster than Mach 1. This just as areference. There are no 'auto-find' the correct installation folder which younormally see when installing sceneries or aircraft add-ons, but thatis quite understandable since you actually are recommended not toinstall in the primary flight simulation folder. After the installation is completed you will now find both adesktop icon for the program as well as a PDF manual/guide. The guideis a very comprehensive 91 page manual/guide that contains a varietyof information like Important Info, Compatibility, Installation,Procedures, Recommended Settings, etc. I would suggest reading closelyon subjects that are important to you, but reading the complete guidewill take quite some time even though the guide is an easy-to-readguide. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-12.jpgFunctionality: What Does It Do?When you start up the SkyForce3D the program opens up a quick-startmenu as default - this can be disabled if you would rather go directlyto the main dashboard, but I kept it as a start-up menu that can justbe closed if I want to go into a deeper and detailed setup. Thequick-start menu features a direct entry to 'Randomize', 'Customize','Flight Plan' and 'Settings' - which all are areas to quickly get theprogram set up in only specific areas and then go flying. Going to the main screen of the SkyForce3D you will find a nicedashboard where you can navigate around the various features andoptions together with getting your immediate update on the selectedprimary nine airports. You can select one of the six main areas by clicking on the centerof each entry or you can use the additional selectable icons in thefirst column (the left blue column). From this dashboard you cannavigate to all corners of this program - personally I normally usethe left column because here you have additional features that you cancustomize,however most of the general settings you do not haveto change often as for example the texture resolution which is quitestatic when you first have found the correct setting that fits yoursystem and your desire. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-33.jpgTo take you though the various parts and screens of this program Iwill start with the blue column and start with the icon number 1. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-16.jpgClicking this icon folds out the blue column so that there are aheader for each icon and that's about it. You can fold out this columnat all times and it will be visible on top of the other screens. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-38.jpgNext icon which looks a little like a speedometer in a car, is theicon for the dashboard as you know it and can see on the imageabove. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-29.jpgIcon number three from the top is the icon for the 3D cloud models- in this area you can manage the 3D cloud model and settings within alimited range of options. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-04.jpgIcon number four is the cloud and that is the icon for theenvironment where you can select specific types of clouds to beinstalled - here both 3D and cirro-type. Here you can also customizethe day-cycle, the sun and atmospherics, the moon and phases,lightning effects and sounds. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-34.jpgNext icon is number five and is a plane. This icon represents theflight plan which can either be imported from a local drive ordownloaded from the REX community 'cloud' server. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-19.jpgThe number six icon from the top is the windsock - this will giveyou a very detailed schematic of the weather at a selected airportwith data as dew point, temperature, weather conditions, latest METARor TAF, pressure, visibility, wind direction, etc. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-24.jpgNext icon is number seven and features an interactive weather mapfunction and which in great detail can display a comprehensive weathermap with selected options and hereby provide crucial information aboutthe flight. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-27.jpgIn the SkyForce3D you are also able to create themes and this isexactly what you can do in the next icon. This icon opens up for thethemes area where you can save your own themes or import sharedcommunity themes from fellow simmers - really nice idea. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-20.jpgThe 'PTA' icon takes you to an area where you can select a specific24-hour circle theme with a list of default themes. Do be aware thatthis can be in conflict if you have selected a specific sky-texture asthey are automatically matched and installed with the PTA - thiswarning is also written in the top of this area. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-18.jpgThis icon is a standard icon and it also represents in this programthe general settings. It is not just the settings for the flightsimulation platform or the textures, but it contains all the specificsettings covering everything from general settings to weather specificsettings as well as texture settings etc. There are several entrypoints to unique areas within the SkyForce3D from this area. /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-skyforce-3d-21.jpgOf course there is also a help function - this icon does not openup for a specific area but adds an overlay of help in form of textboxes that are unique for whichever area you are viewing. E.g. lookingat the themes area and clicking the question sign you now get adetailed description of the menu points within this specific area,whereas if you were viewing the environment area a different overlaywould be visible. This way of help that are linked to the specificview is really a nice detail and a superb idea. Very user friendlyindeed! /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-17.jpgThe 3D Cloud Models page is the area where you can select aspecific structure for your flight simulation experience. Thecategories here are Alto, Stratus, Cumulus and Cumulus-Nimbus and foreach category you have pre-installed sub categories where all areselected and cannot individually be de-selected. For each category you have an option - the 3D model option wheree.g. you can select the Alto to utilize either Floccus, Perlicidus orUndulatus or for the Stratus and the Cumulus you can control thedensity of the visuals. For the Cumulus-Nimbus you also have theoption to select either a high or a low precipitation as well aseither a visible rain shaft or a wall cloud. Additionally you can also apply 3D model add-ons for the Cumulusand the Cumulus-Nimbus and hereby gain a more realistic effect fromthe 3D models. Please do note that if you enable the 'Real-Time Sync Mode' youwill need the SkyForce to remain open during flight or else the Syncwill not be able to operate. To apply the settings just click the 'Install Now' button and theselection will be installed to your selected flight simulationplatform. The installation takes just a few seconds. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-41.jpgThe environment area is certainly one of the more exciting parts ofthis program. Here you can select in great details the specific clouds/ cloud-formations that you wish the simulator to visualize. Actuallyyou can do a whole lot more here than just select the clouds - youhave in the button of the screen additional areas to configure such as theskies, the sun/atmosphere, the moon, lightning/effects and sounds. The 'Clouds' are divided into two sections, one is the 3D cloudtextures and the other is the cirro-type cloud textures and yes ofcourse I would recommend going through both. In the 3D cloud texturesyou have a whopping 22 pages each featuring 8 high resolution imagesof clouds. Which one you prefer is completely up to you, but yourselection here will impact your flight simulation experienceimmediately. When you have found the texture you like the best, you can eitherinstall it or add it to a theme which will be describedlater. Clicking the 'Install Now' button will install the texture tothe simulator and the installation is not a heavy installation and iscompleted within just a few seconds. The same goes for the cirro-type cloud textures where you have 20pages to select from,however these textures are for the higherlocated clouds like the feather clouds created from ice crystals(cirro-clouds). The way the cloud texture selection and installation works as justdescribed, also applies to the Sun/Atmospherics and theMoon/Phases. In total you have 20 options for the sun/atmospherics and4 options for moon/phases meaning plenty of options to find the mostinteresting visuals for you. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-14.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-36.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-05.jpgThe 'Skies' part is actually a 10-day cycle where you havepre-installed two options, but you can also here select the Dawn, theDay and the Dusk to match your region or to be displayed as yourfavorite visual experience. There are 25 different dawns, 41 differentdays and 26 different dusks so again there are plenty of options tocreate the exact and most perfect experience for you. Just click the header to go from dawn to day and thereafteryou can click your way through each option using the left and rightarrow. To select and install a specific dawn, day or dusk just simplyclick the 'Install Now' and your selection will immediately beinstalled to the simulator within a few seconds. If you click the 'AddTo Theme' button, then the selection will be added - in the pictureshere below you can see that the name of the theme button has changesto 'Added' which states that I have already added this specificselection. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-07.jpgThe next step is the 'Lightning/Effects' screen which enables youto select lightning and effects from 14 different options. How tonavigate this screen and to select, install or add to theme works justas in the other screens - very user friendly I think, but this screendoes also connect a bit to the last screen, the 'Sounds' where you areable to select a specific rumble for the thunder as well as aunique sound for the lightning and rain. For the sound set of the thunder and lightning there are ninedifferent sound set. There are also two options for the precipitationsounds and also a single one for the wind. All sounds feature a samplewhich can be played individually. To select a specific sound justclick the slider to on for the specific sound file. Of course only onesound set for each group can be selected and when the files have beenselected, just click the 'Install Now' button and the files arequickly installed to the simulator. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-26.jpgIf you click the button 'Currently In Sim' a window in the rightside opens up and displays the complete selection across all screensand areas. The display is all the selections marked with 'Added'instead of 'Add-To-Theme' and quickly give you an overview of what isalready installed in the simulator. It also provides a quick overviewto see if something is not installed or if there is a specific partthat you would like to change. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-43.jpgThe weather page is a quick overview of the weather at yourfavorite airports showing the latest METAR and TAF together with avariety of specific weather information. Details for each airport isshown after clicking on the specific airport's ICAO code andfurthermore you can also go directly to the interactive map-functionfrom this page using the blue 'Map View' button located in the bottomof the screen, to use real weather as base for planning your nextflight. Details shown are the METAR and TAF but also the ICAO code for theselected airport, the date, the temperature, the dew point, weatherconditions, air pressure, visibility, wind speed and directiontogether with a forecast for the next 6, 12 and 18+ hours. This is avery fun tool and also quite powerful in regards to displaying lots ofrelevant aviation information with a very user friendly interface. Clicking the button 'Favorite Airports' reloads the list of yourfavorite airports together with all the linked weather conditions foreach airport. In short this tool is simply a quick overview displaytool and you are not able to make changes to the weather or similarhere - you can use the information for flight planning or just for thefun and interest of how the weather is at your favorite airports. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-01.jpgAnother fun part of this weather page is the 'Search Weather'button - using this button enables you to make a search for a specificairport using the ICAO code or making a search based on certainparameters like the type of weather, the intensity, the visibility,the cloud base and the wind speed - this is quite fun if you arelooking for a flight in very specific weather conditions or if youwould like to make a search of a specific airport that is not listedas one of your favorite airports. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-09.jpgIf you are in doubt what the specific buttons or features do, thenuse the help function - the question mark in the lower leftcorner. This quickly provides you with all the various informationabout what you see as well as which functions are available on thatspecific page (also previously described). Moving on to the interactive map the program now provides avisualization of the weather conditions of the selected area. Thereare several additional options for the view on the interactive map,which can be controlled in the options in the bottom of thescreen. You can select a view on various specifics such as the winds andtemperatures where you can actually set a specific altitude andthereby see the patterns at that given altitude to compare with alower altitude and now plan a perfect flight for the correctconditions. The overlays on the map are divided into weather overlays and mapoverlays where the weather is everything in regards to the precip,winds, temperature, pireps, sigmets and the current information on theMETAR. The map overlays are the flight plan if you have downloaded oradded one, the airports and also major roads. There is also a few mapcontrols in the lower right corner. This interactive weather map is absolutely superb for visualizing aweather system as well as to make flight planning a whole lot moreinteresting, fun but also easier. You gain a grand overview andquickly see potential dangers much easier and quicker when the weatheris visualized like this - I certainly enjoy using this interactiveweather map greatly because I am personally also quite a weather nerdand do find this to be a powerful tool to support flight planning. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-25.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-44.jpg /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-35.jpgThemes - this is one of my favorite parts of this program and alsosomething that I remember from previous versions. Here you are able tocreate or download community shared themes for your flight simulationexperience. You can shuffle between all selectable in every area andaspect and thereby create very unique themes that will fit exactly towhat you find to be the out most optimal visual experience. You add your specific clouds, atmosphere, moon, lightning,environment, etc. and you can create multiple themes which you quicklycan shift between. The installation for a new theme is just a fewseconds so this absolutely provides great user friendly customizationof the weather within the simulator. When you have created a theme, you can either save it, install itor share it with the rest of the REX community. You can also 'GoRandom' and let the computer do the selection. There are two pages you can fill up with themes with 6 completethemes on each page meaning that you can have a total of 12 themesready to be installed. If you want the details of each theme, you canjust click the 'View' button and the details are displayed. You canalso change the theme by clicking on the 3D clouds, the dawn, themoon or the sun/atmosphere, etc. and now you are able to customize thatspecific theme by selecting a new input and click the 'Add to Theme'button. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-30.jpgIn the general settings menu you can change all backgroundspecifics and they are all divided into various sections. Thesesections can be selected using the icons in the bottom of the screenand are grouped in four different groups. First group is the general settings which are the simulatorplatform and the path to it as well as backup configuration andvarious applications that can be enabled or disabled. You also herehave your profile data, your settings on auto updates andnotifications as well as your favorite airport list. The second group is the weather settings which covers the weatherengine, the in-sim weather briefings, the specifics regardingFahrenheit/Celsius, cloud sync, turbulence settings, icing settings,the rendering of clouds, haze effect together with volumetric fogeffect, etc. Group number 3 is the textures settings covering which kind oftextures and effect to enable, the resolutions of the textures dividedon 3D clouds, cirro and moon textures. The 3D clouds and the moontextures goes up to 4096 x 4096 UHD settings where as the Cirro-Typeis limited to 2048 x 2048 HD setting. Another great addition here is the Performance Risk Tuner with theRisk Assessment bar to provide the simmer with a very realistic andaccurate idea of the OOM (out of memory) risk. This tool compares thesettings you have selected to your computer's specification andcalculates the OOM risk which is when the computer cannot support thesimulators needs and thereby fails. E.g. with my computer's specs whichare included in this review, and the lowest settings on the textures,the risk of a failure during flight is 13% - If I change the settingsto be maxed out the new calculation states a risk of failure duringflight of 27%. What this risk should be is of course up to you, butwith a 27% risk of failure I still have only tried an OOM failure onceand that was actually without the usage of the SkyForce. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-42.jpgConclusionThis SkyForce3D is absolutely a great addition to the flightsimulation experience. The enhanced 3D clouds with a max resolution of4096 x 4096, really provides the simmer with a sensational and veryrealistic visual experience. On medium computers the program is stilla very powerful visual experience with the lower resolutions as 2048 x2048 or even lower if necessary. The version that I tested was RexSkyForce_20180520_64bit /v.5.0.2018.0520 and the test was performed on P3D v4.1 and P3D v4.3. TheSkyForce worked beautifully on both versions without any errors orfailures. The interface is very user friendly and easy to navigate. Simpleselectable options and the help function created for each featurepages in the program are just superb. I also very much like the RiskAssessment tool even though I normally am more a 'try-it anyway' kindof guy. /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-37.jpgI did encounter one issue which was the flickering visuals whenusing the max resolution settings in extremely detailed weather flyingover a high resolution ground area with speeds of about Mach 1 or more,however that was easily fixed by decreasing the visuals to 2048 x2048 instead. If your monitor is not able to visualize the 4K, thenthere is no need for selecting more than 2048 x 2048 in myopinion. Overall this is certainly a very powerful tool and an addition tothe flight simulation experience that I absolutely will recommend tomy fellow simmers. It is not just the awesome visuals that are greatlyimproved, but it is also the complete experience with the feeling offlying in different weather with various turbulence and the addedsound of the rain and thunder, which by the way sounds completelyawesome using my 7.1 surround sound setup. I rate the SkyForce3D for P3D v4+ with 4.80 out of 5 - this trulygave me an exceptional added flight simulation experience. Thank youREX Game Studios for creating this amazing addition for the flightsimulation community - Keep up the excellent work! /images/reviews/skyforce/rex-sky-force-3d-logo.jpgRay Andersen Rays Aviation Purchase REX Sky Force 3D Review Computer SpecsOS Win7 32-bit & Win10 64-bitCPU Intel Core™ i7-4790K 4x4.00 GHz (Turbo 4x4.40 GHz)Motherboard Asus Maximus VII Ranger (ROG-Series)CPU Cooler Antec Kuhler H20 650 Water CoolerRAM Kingston HyperX Beast-series 32GB DDR3-2133Hard disc Primary 500GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD (Solid State Disk)Hard disc Secondary 3TB Seagate Barracuda (7200rpm, 6GB/s)Graphic Card Asus GeForce GTX 980 Strix OC 4GBPower Supply Seasonic 750RT 80Plus GoldSound Asus ROG SupremeFX 2014 Sound (Sonic Radar II)Netcard Asus N53 Wireless USB (Dualband) Intel GameFirst III w/LANGuardInternet Connection 120Gbit/s Lockheed Martin Prepar3D v4Microsoft Flight Simulator FSX + Acceleration PackREX SkyForce for P3D v4REX Overdrive for FSX /images/reviews/skyforce/t/rex-skyforce-3d-31.jpg