For skin screenshots, which terrain has the best clouds?

[oboe]

I can't seem to find clouds on terrains anymore.  Have they all been removed?   Looking for nice puffy white cumulus clouds...

Also, when submitting skins with the optional 1600x900 fullsize promo shot do you use a caption with skin information, or is it just a picture of the aircraft?

[Greebo]

HTC redid the cloud system a few years ago, but a lot of players had framerate issues with the new setup so weather was dropped in most MA terrains. Hopefully it will be coming back with the next version.

However with a little effort you can still get clouds to work offline in any terrain that you have installed on your PC. To do this you would normally download the AH cloud editor and use it to make a weather system of your own. The editor creates a text file called "terrainname".awa that tells the game where and when to put the clouds.

Below is an awa file I created for CraterMA, although it will run on any terrain. These clouds might not cover the parts of the terrain you want them to on a different map though. Also bear in mind it takes a while (45 mins IIRC) from the terrain starting for all the cloud systems to fully generate. To use it just paste the following data into a notepad text file and then rename the file using the awa suffix. For instance to make a weather file for the Grinder terrain rename the file "grinder.awa". Then place this file in the chconfig/grinder folder of your game folder. You will be able to see the clouds whenever you load the Grinder terrain offline.

0x00021d00
0,0,16,84480,1000,1,1,102,102,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-14520,24000,51480,84472,0,1173,0,0,-84480,0.200
0,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-48840,9000,99000,120737,0,-118195,0,0,-84480,1.000
144,0,16,84480,1000,1,1,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,40920,9000,121440,60919,0,-58530,0,0,-84480,1.000
3600,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-48840,9000,14520,120737,0,-118195,0,0,84480,1.000
3744,0,16,84480,1000,1,1,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,40920,9000,36960,60919,0,-58530,0,0,84480,1.000
288,0,16,84480,2000,1,7,4,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-178200,8500,153120,565436,0,173173,0,0,-84480,0.700
432,0,16,84480,2000,1,7,4,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,199320,8500,200640,-87659,0,-584827,0,0,-84480,0.700
576,0,16,84480,2000,1,7,4,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-344520,8500,231000,410460,0,-425710,0,0,-84480,0.700
3888,0,16,84480,2000,1,7,4,3,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-178200,8500,68640,565436,0,173173,0,0,84480,0.700
4032,0,16,84480,2000,1,7,4,3,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,199320,8500,116160,-87659,0,-584827,0,0,84480,0.700
4176,0,16,84480,2000,1,7,4,3,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-344520,8500,146520,410460,0,-425710,0,0,84480,0.700
720,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,161040,4000,-644160,152805,0,72098,0,0,168960,1.000
864,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,4000,147840,47543,0,-162133,168960,0,0,1.000
1008,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,295680,4000,662640,149412,0,-78890,0,0,-168960,1.000
1152,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-18480,4000,-658680,168960,0,0,0,0,168960,1.000
1296,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-608520,4000,324720,-73819,0,-151981,168960,0,0,1.000
1440,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,549120,4000,396000,-117476,0,121436,0,0,-168960,1.000
4320,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,370920,4000,-471240,152805,0,72098,0,0,168960,1.000
4464,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-267960,4000,-587400,156582,0,-63479,0,0,168960,1.000
4608,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-638880,4000,-59400,0,0,-168960,168960,0,0,1.000
4752,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-419760,4000,513480,-117154,0,-121748,168960,0,0,1.000
4896,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,231000,4000,646800,-166372,0,29462,0,0,-168960,1.000
5040,0,32,84480,1000,1,2,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,624360,4000,66000,-36396,0,164993,-168960,0,0,1.000
1584,0,32,168960,1000,2,2,12,12,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-6600,21000,422400,-118839,0,120103,0,0,-168960,0.600
1728,0,32,168960,1000,2,2,12,12,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,413160,21000,-142560,120808,0,118123,-168960,0,0,0.600
1872,0,32,168960,1000,2,2,12,12,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-281160,21000,-172920,-122884,0,-115961,168960,0,0,0.600
5184,0,32,168960,1000,2,2,3,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-7920,10000,422400,-118839,0,120103,0,0,-168960,0.600
5328,0,32,168960,1000,2,2,3,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,414480,10000,-143880,120808,0,118123,-168960,0,0,0.600
5472,0,32,168960,1000,2,2,3,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-275880,10000,-170280,-122884,0,-115961,168960,0,0,0.600
2016,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,0,2,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,44880,10000,394680,166126,0,30814,0,0,-84480,0.500
2160,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,0,2,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-352440,10000,368280,165867,0,-32183,0,0,-84480,0.500
2304,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,0,2,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-381480,10000,95040,90533,0,-142658,0,0,-84480,0.500
2448,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,0,2,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-93720,10000,-208560,78028,0,-149864,0,0,-84480,0.500
2592,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,0,2,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,237600,10000,-306240,62213,0,157089,0,0,-84480,0.500
2736,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,0,2,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,256080,10000,91080,142854,0,90223,0,0,-84480,0.500
5616,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,1,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,44880,10000,310200,166126,0,30814,0,0,84480,0.500
5760,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,1,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-352440,10000,283800,165867,0,-32183,0,0,84480,0.500
5904,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,1,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-381480,10000,10560,90533,0,-142658,0,0,84480,0.500
6048,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,1,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-93720,10000,-293040,78028,0,-149864,0,0,84480,0.500
6192,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,1,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,237600,10000,-390720,62213,0,157089,0,0,84480,0.500
6336,0,16,84480,1000,1,2,1,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,256080,10000,6600,142854,0,90223,0,0,84480,0.500

[oboe]

Thanks, Greebo.   That worked and was just what I was after.

[Devil 505]

Thanks, Greebo.   That worked and was just what I was after.

(Image removed from quote.)

 

[Lucifer]

Man, i cant wait : This full blue sky all the time is so depressing and unrealistic... IRL pilots had to deal with/take advantage of clouds, it was often a very big part of the dogfight...

"HTC redid the cloud system a few years ago, but a lot of players had framerate issues with the new setup so weather was dropped in most MA terrains. Hopefully it will be coming back with the next version"

[Greebo]

Personally I find the main problem with the removal of weather to be a lack of reference when my plane is pointing up. Without the 15K overcast layer it is harder now for me to get hits on a roping bnzer from below while hanging on my prop. The layer was both a useful guide to my plane's attitude relative to the ground and to the enemy plane's speed and direction of flight.

[oboe]

Thank you so much for that clouds file, Greebo - I always want clouds now in my screenshots!  I think they look great, and I do not find a frame rate hit on my new machine.  Just takes a little longer for game textures to load when I switch back and forth between Photoshop and the game.  I never have used the skin viewer - I prefer to see the skins purely in the game.

I also hope that clouds will be a feature of the new version...

[Greebo]

You're welcome Oboe. I've never had a framerate issue with clouds either, but I've got a fairly good PC and can run AH with all the graphics options turned on. The problem is that for game play reasons clouds have to be enabled for everyone or no one.

I recall HT mentioning in another thread recently that he was still working on clouds for the beta, so they are going to be present in the new version. The issue is whether they will be enabled for the MA. I think its likely they will, but someone will have to write the weather files for the various MA terrains.

[lyric1]

 

[bustr]

This does a bang up job offline on NDisles TT.

WoW!! 

[USRanger]

I still use lots of clouds in my AvA terrains.  Most of them have ava as the first 3 letters in the terrain name.  So if you need winter, desert, etc., you can find them there.

[Greebo]

Here is a weather file specifically designed for taking offline screenshots. Unlike the CraterMA file I posted earlier all the clouds load in the first minute and will last for one hour after the terrain starts. Also the clouds cover the entire area of a 256 mile terrain with just narrow areas of clear sky between weather systems. I have put various cloud types in, cumulus, cirrus etc. You'll just have to do some tower switching until you find some you like.

To use this file just paste the following data into a notepad text file and then rename the file using the awa suffix. For instance to make a weather file for the Grinder terrain rename the file "grinder.awa". Then place this file in the chconfig/grinder folder of your game folder. You will then be able to see the clouds whenever you load the Grinder terrain offline.

0x00021d00
36,0,30,84480,1000,1,8,100,100,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-464640,35000,-487080,132000,158400,0,0,0,158400,0.400
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,9,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,10000,-610240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.800
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,10000,-478240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.700
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,5,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,9000,-346240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.500
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,12,12,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,15000,-214240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.900
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,12,6,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,13000,-82240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.700
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,12,12,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,13000,50240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.700
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,5,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,10000,182240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.500
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,10000,314240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.900
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,9000,446240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.800
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-675840,9000,578240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.900
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,5,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,10000,-610240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.900
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,10000,-478240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.600
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,5,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,9000,-346240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.900
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,12,12,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,13000,-214240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.500
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,12,6,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,13000,-82240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.600
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,9000,50240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.900
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,10000,182240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.700
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,4,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,10000,314240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.800
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,10000,446240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.800
36,0,16,84480,1000,1,8,4,5,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,0,10000,578240,675840,0,0,0,0,84480,0.600

[oboe]

Grinder has the best coast/shoreline textures, but are there any other terrains that have nice features?  I've also used the France winter terrain, but cloudless skies seem OKto me for winter weather.

[Greebo]

For screenshot taking I generally use craterma for ETO, grinder for PTO, avawintr for winter and twinrivr for desert.

[oboe]

I still use lots of clouds in my AvA terrains.  Most of them have ava as the first 3 letters in the terrain name.  So if you need winter, desert, etc., you can find them there.

Another reason I should get back into the AvA...