Hi Guys,I have been using FS9 since it came out. I have a pretty beefy system (Alienware Area 51: 3.2Ghz, 2gb RAM, Geforce FX 5900 Ultra 256, etc...). My resolution is currently set to 1280x960x32.I have been getting great framerates on all default aircraft and payware (PMDG, Dreamfleet, Eaglesoft)... 25ish FPSI have most sliders set to max, and still get great performance.My challenge and complaint about FS9 since the beginning is when using FS realweather. If there are high congregations of clouds at any altitude, my FPS drops to the mid or low teens... sometimes even lower. The farther apart the clouds are, the better. I've tried different settings with not much improvement. I like flying with "real weather", but I'm getting to the point of just using the pre-canned weather.My weather display settings are as follows:Sight Distance = 110Cloud Draw Distance = 603D Clouds = 100%Cloud Detail = DetailedCloud Coverage = MediumIs there anyway to enjoy the great looking clouds without my framerates being blasted? ... even on a high end system?Thanks in advance,JD

I have the same complaint. My system isn't high-end by any means, but I have got it properly tuned for most situations in FS9, from rural alaska to KLAX. However, weather is problematic. Many real-world situations will bring the fps to its knees, especially when my aircraft is flying close to a bunch of puffy cloud layers.I have ActiveSky2004, which has some options to limit cloud layers--and this helps ... a little. But not enough to make everyday flying in real-world an option for me. I've settled on just weather themes or custom weather. I am hoping that someone comes out with a good weather theme creator/generator, because the weather themes tend to be FPS friendly even with lots of clouds for some reason.Some tips for you, since your system seems pretty smoking:* Set up a complex weather situation and then save the flight for your testing. Use FRAPS or the built in FPS meter.* I had heard that the GeForce cards will try to anti-alias the clouds, so you might try disabling anti-aliasing to see what happens. If you're like me, however, that might not be an option (me hates jaggies). I seem to remember something about a tweak setting that would disable the anti-aliasing on those type of textures, but I'm a Radeon guy so I'm not sure.* You can try reducing sight distance and cloud draw distance, but your settings aren't that aggressive, and I notice you already have cloud coverage down to medium.* You might try ActiveSky and see if the cloud layer limiter does the trick for you.* Make sure you have the optimized cloud textures from Chris Willis (available here in the library). Big difference for me. Although it doesn't allow me to have crazy, complex weather, it did make the 3d clouds about as efficient as the 2d clouds.good luck.

Nobody uses the MS clouds, they are impossible. Go to this site and download the High performance version 2 clouds by Chris Willis. These are what everyone uses.Go to this site and follow the links to fps fix:http://fsw.simflight.com/Lee

strange I only use the microsoft clouds and I have no problems at all my fps never drops below 20fps where it is locked at... and everything else is maxed..

What is the optimum version of Chris' clouds? Below are his install instructions. He mentions the DXT3 versions and the 32bit versions. Which are most people using, and which are preferred?-----------------Installation:#1 Unzip the zip files to a temp folder#2 Backup the original Fs2004 files; cumulus01 and all cirrus files, others clouds files are not used in Fs2004.---->>>>#3 You can select the DXT3 cirrus clouds version OR some 32 bits cloud resized version. Copy the cirrus bmp files to Flight Simulator 2004Texture folder and overwrite all new files.#4 Copy the cumulus01.bmp from the cumulus folder to Flight Simulator 2004Texture folder and overwrite#5 If you got error while loading fs2004 using DXT3 version, Enable Render to Texture from your Fs 2004 graphics Display. ---->>>>#6 Using 32 bits cloud, you can leave render to texture disabled like before, but copy the default fs2004 cirrus clouds, than copy the new fsw 32bits cumulus and 32 bits cirrus version clouds to Flight Simulator 2004Texture folder and overwrite.------------------Thanks,

Hi, Both have the same performance 32bit or DXT, But with the 32 bits you able you to leave render to texture to off to prevent conflict with some addons 2d panel and flickering screen.ThanksChris Willis[link:fsw.simflight.com/FSWMenuFsSim.html]Clouds And Addons For MsFs

I currently have render to texture turned on as default. Should I leave it enabled? Sorry I'm asking some basic questions. I normally don't use a lot of 3rd party textures, and scenery. The only 3rd party scenery I own is the Honolulu package from Lago.What's the best way to go for me? Do I just stick with the 32bit version and leave render to texture on (as it is now)?Thanks again,John

Hi,-If you are using dxt3, enable render to texture-If you are using 32 bits: enabled or disabled will make no difference until you have addons that's require render to texture to off."Sorry I'm asking some basic questions. I normally don't use a lot of 3rd party textures, and scenery. The only 3rd party scenery I own is the Honolulu package from Lago."The problems was with 2d panel with some 3rd party aircraft when render to texture was at on.If you don't have problems with render to texture to on, you can use DXT version.ThanksChris Willis[link:fsw.simflight.com/FSWMenuFsSim.html]Clouds And Addons For MsFs

Ok, thanks. Last question, how do I know which versoins are which? I have the version 2 .zip file.Thanks,John

Hi, The files is (1.17mb) highest clouds performance v2, 32 bit and dxt version are included inside, chose one onlyThanksChris Willis[link:fsw.simflight.com/FSWMenuFsSim.html]Clouds And Addons For MsFs

I no longer use FS9 for IFR flights using real weather. The 3D clouds are just too frame rate intensive, even with Chris's version.I use FS2002 for 99% of my IFR flights along with Radar Contact, FS Flightmax, and Activesky Wxre. I get great overcast layers in FS2002 but not in FS9, so FS2002 is the obvious choice.For the weather themes in FS9, they are not as frame rate intensive. In the ones that have many cloud layers, I set my clouds to the simple 2D ones.However, for all my VFR flying I only use FS9. It looks much more realistic than FS2002 when flying VFR and the performance is pretty darn good!I allow FS9 to "mildly" change the weather adding clouds during the flight which doesn't degrade performance too much. But for thick-weather flying, FS2002 is still the better option in my opinion, since "smooth" frame rates for shooting IFR approaches are more important than the apperance of the clouds at that point.The new weather system in FS9 is a good attempt by Microsoft, but it is just too taxing for the purpose of simulating murky IMC flights.Happy Simming!Scott :-)ATP/CFII - KCOS, in the real avaition world!

You might try simply reducing your 3D cluod percentage......TonyDigital-Flight

It would be preferable to reduce the cloud draw distance and leave the % at 100 - the 2d clouds just introduce more headaches and variables. I'm often boggled by this - I can limit cloud layers to 10 (10!) with activesky and fly through some pretty serious weather with frame rate locked to 20 and staying in the high teens or better on my P4 2.8/ gf4 ti4600-128mb/1gb ram machine (highest FPS 32bit clouds, r2t=0, textureAGP=0, 1024x768x32, 2xAA, 2xAF, Mips=6 in FS9). I don't know why others don't see this performance as well.I'm starting to think that the negative impact clouds have for some folks is related to some other setting, such as antialiasing or anisotropic filtering, or even the mip setting in FS9. It could also be driver specific, particularly with the geforce cards. It would be interesting to see if changing one of these settings a bit gives you dramatically better results.Best,sg

>It would be preferable to reduce the cloud draw distance and>leave the % at 100 - the 2d clouds just introduce more>headaches and variables. >I agree. The difference in performance after dropping the could draw distance from 60 to 40 is quite large. I also use the FSW cloud textures which help a lot. With 3d clouds at 100%, I can fly through just about anything and keep a decent framerate.

I use Chris' first set. Converted em' to DXT3. Set visibility at 60mi with cloud draw at 80mi; density on high with everything else under weather maxed out. It works pretty good so long as I stick with the built in MS weather options or am careful setting up custom weather. Doesn't seem to consume so much ram as before and framerates are OK.