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thealx avatar image
thealx asked thealx commented

FLT [Weather] Cloudmap

Quite long time ago I have noticed these variables inside of FLT file:

[Weather]
.....
CloudmapPosOverride=True
CloudmapInitialPosX=179490.1
CloudmapInitialPosY=118298.6
FixedClouds=False

they were not used before as I remember, but now in some missions they have got values (example above taken from asobo-discovery-copenhagen).

Can we use them somehow? My particular reason for asking - we are making SimConnect competitions app ALBATROSS which inserts thermals for gliding competitions. Their positions are visible in the program itself, but clouds do not match thermals locations in the game, which usually happen in RL.

If it's possible to prepare a cloud map with known thermals location and FixedClouds=True so clouds will always be above thermals, it will add extra immersion to the process.


I know native gliders support and thermals simulation in the development already, but we have to do something before official release.

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FlyingRaccoon avatar image
FlyingRaccoon answered thealx commented

Hello
The documentation about this is being written.
Here's a preview showing what those parameters are for:

1628063266648.png

You can't give a custom cloud map but you can tweak the one you're provided with.
This was designed to shift the clouds and prevent the mission from starting inside a cloud for instance.
In regard of what you're trying to do, and given the limited possibilities here, I'd suggest you go the other way around and place your thermals depending on our cloud positions.

Out of curiosity, how do you create "thermals" using SimConnect?

Regards,
Sylvain


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thealx avatar image thealx commented ·

Thanks for the details, good point to start with.

> how do you create "thermals" using SimConnect

I've made the Kinetic Assistant app last year to add some gliding features like winch, tow and thermals. All of them work in a similar way - by changing VELOCITY BODY X/Y/Z vars. Thermals locations (actually hotspots) can be loaded automatically from API services (https://thermal.kk7.ch/ is main one) or created manually as CSV list, automatic generation never planned as it is too complicated.

When aircraft inside of hotspot location - script creates artificial lift, but not very successfully - VELOCITY BODY also affects total world velocity (slowdown) and attitude (pitch up) so it barely works as a supportive feature for glider pilots, not some serious simulation.

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