Maxx-XP, in co-operation with Sundog Software and X-Aviation have announced an upgraded version of the SkyMaxx Pro new weather rendering engine for X-Plane 10 and 11.
The package replaces the clouds and sky in X-Plane and according to the developer, it typically runs faster than the default clouds but with double the draw distance compared with SkyMaxx Pro v3. It also increases performance, introduces 3D precipitation, stratiform clouds, crepuscular rays and clouds aloft with wind speed.
New features in Version 4.0:
– Performance improvements allow clouds to be drawn across an area up to 320 km across surrounding your aircraft, achieving fast, realistic scenes at FL300 and above
– The new precipitation system represents rain, sleet, wet snow, and dry snow – as well as mixed precipitation that responds automatically to the ambient temperature. Precipitation is even lit by your landing lights! And a whole new precipitation control panel lets you tweak its appearance to your own liking.
– Rain will start and stop realistically as you fly underneath or through the clouds
– Fly through large, thick overcast layers built from real HD cloud photos, without killing your framerate. Overcast clouds have never looked so good from above and below.
– Lightning effects in SkyMaxx Pro 4 will trigger 3D positional thunder sound effects when SoundMaxx is installed
– Higher-resolution scattered and broken cumulus clouds, with twice the resolution as SMP3
– Cirrus and cirrocumulus clouds now move realistically relative to your aircraft’s motion.
– Works better than ever with Real Weather Connector: more accurate representations of ground fog, thunderstorm placement, and stratus/overcast cloud placement when used with RWC.
– Adjusts lighting on distant cloud puffs at night
Highlighted Features
- Lens Flare
- Cloud shadows
- Clouds aloft with wind speed
- Crepuscular rays
- Full 3D Clouds
- Stratus and overcast cloud layers may now be represented by thick, volumetric clouds.
- Extends all the way to the horizon
- Both solid and broken stratiform representations
- Advanced lighting model with real Mie scattering and fogbows!
- Realistic in-cloud effects for convincing IFR landings and take-offs
- Simulated scud layer
- Real simulation of single, double, and multiple scattering of sunlight and moonlight through the clouds
- 3D volumetric cloud layers adjustable up to 320KM wide
- Uses “dynamically generated imposters” technology to keep frame-rates up
- Convincing high-altitude weather
- Soft cloud / terrain blending
- Adjustable soft blending of any cloud type with terrain
- Makes for gorgeous ground fog, or clouds surrounding mountaintops!
- Lightning effects in SkyMaxx Pro 4 will trigger 3D positional thunder sound effects when SoundMaxx is installed
- Integrates seamlessly with the X-Plane weather menus
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