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Weather Replacer


winz

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Troposphere v1.0



Weather replacer for DCS World

title.jpg

 

What is it?

Troposphere is an application for DCS World designed to enhance the experience by offering different weather condition every time you start a mission. Troposphere allows you to build a database of various weather condition which are then automatically inserted into the mission you are about to fly. More specifically, Troposphere affects this information:

  • Type of weather engine used – Static or Dynamic.
  • Season
  • Temperature
  • Cloud information
  • Precipitation
  • Wind Conditions
  • Turbulences
  • Fog
  • QNH
  • Baric systems

 

Troposphere can be easily set-up in just few minutes and after set-up is absolutely invisible, as it doesn’t need to be running in background to function.

 

Sadly, for the time being, this is SP only. MP functionality is being working on and should come in the next version.

 

And, please also keep in mind, that this software doesn't enhance the representation of weather in DCS World, so the weather will not look better, fancier or more real, it will just be more varied.

 

 

Main Features

  • Varied conditions - Different weather every time you hit the play button
  • Customizability - Rainy fall, or a stormy spring, you can easily specify what conditions should be more common for each season.
  • Quick to set-up - The set-up can be done in just few minutes and a set-up guide is included in the manual.
  • Invisible - Set-up and forget this app even exist. No need to keep it running in the background, it will get called when needed by DCS automatically.

 

Requirements

.Net 4.0

 

How does it work?

Some might be interested if there is any risk in running this -like sim stability, mission corruption. Understanding how it works should make things clearer.

 

-When launching a mission, DCS doesn't directly uses the selected mission. It copies it to a temp folder first and the 'sim' part then uses this temp copy.

 

-There is a function in MissionEditor\modules\me_mission.lua, play. This function gets called by the menu everytime user presses the play button, it is responsible for making this copy. This is the place where the app 'hooks' itself, by adding a simple 'base.os.execute(install path)' with path to the mission give as the parameter. The app then unzips, replaces weather, and zips the temp mission, just before menu starts to load the 'sim part'.

 

Issues

-The main issue is - this is SP only so far. Will not affect MP in any way. The mission loading process is different, and the approach used for SP is not possible in MP. Because of that MP will have to use different approach, which is already figured out and should be implemented in the next version.

 

-The weather report you get at mission selection is wrong. This is because the report is based on the original mission, and not the modified, temp one.

 

Download&Install

Zip file is attached to this post. Download it and extract to any location you see fit. Follow the instruction from the manual (attached to post and included in zip) to set-up the app.

 

Feedback, bug reports, ideas, opinions..etc is very welcomed ;)

Troposphere.zip

Troposphere Manual.pdf


Edited by winz
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Very interesting mate...keep up the work and i hope it is finished soon and for MP.I think that it will be a must have tool for the missions..

I will keep an eye at this post for this tool.

(a demo video from you for this it would be grate)

Lock-On Greece / DCS World Greece http://lockon-greece.forumotion.net/

🇬🇷 1st Hellinic Virtual Squadron for Flaming Cliffs & DCS World
~ Flying since 2008 ~

 

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Released first proper version 1.0

Main changes from previous version

-Added filter by season option, to use only weathers having the same season as the mission launched

-Added weather detail panel, so you can examine the weather properties in-game

-Added group mode - allows to group various weather into a single group and specify how likely you're to encounter weathers from that group for a specific season (i.e. how often you're to experience rain in fall missions, or strom in spring missions)

 

Standing issue- still SP only issue. I'm 100% convinced that the approach I'm using for SP will not work for MP. A workaround is being worked on, will require additional configuration by user, but the 'invisibility' of the app should be unaffected. Should be implemented in next version.

 

Updated first post with details and zipped app. :) Hope you'll enjoy it. :)


Edited by winz
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  • 2 weeks later...
...

Right now there is only a simple 'this doesn't make sense' filter, like snowing in summer should not happen.

 

In Belgium, it does make sense :lol:

DCS Wish: Turbulences affecting surrounding aircraft...

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This is awesome !

 

I took the liberty to implement your application on our dedicated server, and now the weather for each and every mission is randomized every morning.

 

Funny situations sometimes, but a whole lot of fun in the end !

 

Thank you so much for the time you put into this :beer:

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This is awesome !

 

I took the liberty to implement your application on our dedicated server, and now the weather for each and every mission is randomized every morning.

 

Funny situations sometimes, but a whole lot of fun in the end !

 

Thank you so much for the time you put into this :beer:

 

How'd you get it to work in MP? Thought it was not supported

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How'd you get it to work in MP? Thought it was not supported

 

No it's not, as far as I know. However, I git-diffed the DCS folder after the "injection", and saw that, basically, Troposphere works like this:

 

path/to/troposhpere.exe your-mission.miz

 

The resulting *.miz file overwrites the previous one.

 

From there, all that was left to do was generate the weather database, then call "Troposphere.exe" on each and every *.miz, file on the server, as often as needed.

 

Et voilà :beer:

 

EDIT: the way Troposphere works is actually described in section 4.b of the manual. Git was faster, though ^^


Edited by daribouca
Added some info
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Glad you like it. :) And a nice workaround :)

I've direct MP support in the works, I just haven't got the time in the last two weeks to finnish it :-/

 

Great, I can't remember the last time the weather wasn't perfect in my flights.

That was the reason I started this. The next thing I'm tired with is flying constantly around noon. ;)

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What an awesome idea - I love being surprised by the weather now, and it gives the Caucasus map a bit of a new lease, too, since the feel of it totally changes with a storm or snow or even just heavy fog.

 

Before, I was always pretending my CO was calling up their CO all like, "It's supposed to rain tomorrow, you wanna fight Thursday instead?" and then s/he's like, "I can't, it's my kid's piano recital," and then they hash out a good, sunny day on which to have a battle.

For when it goes wrong: Win10x64, GTX1080, Intel i7 @3.5 GHz, 32GB DDR3, Warthog HOTAS, Saitek combat rudder pedals, TrackIR 5 / Vive Pro, a case of Pabst, The Funk

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No it's not, as far as I know. However, I git-diffed the DCS folder after the "injection", and saw that, basically, Troposphere works like this:

 

path/to/troposhpere.exe your-mission.miz

 

The resulting *.miz file overwrites the previous one.

 

From there, all that was left to do was generate the weather database, then call "Troposphere.exe" on each and every *.miz, file on the server, as often as needed.

 

Et voilà :beer:

 

EDIT: the way Troposphere works is actually described in section 4.b of the manual. Git was faster, though ^^

 

Great! Thanks.

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now if only we can make an auto update for the *.miz files that reference a real weather station in the black sea region

This is something I would like to achieve in the future. :) But I wonder how 'fun' it will actually be, because all missions you fly during one day would most likely set in the same weather. ;)

 

Will this do dynamic weather during a single mission? As in... I am flying and it will shift the winds as I am flying the mission or have unpredictable turbulence.

Nope. But the dynamic weather in DCS World is able to achieve this.


Edited by winz
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possible to code in real world location weather downloads ?

It's possible and should be pretty straighforward for the static weather engine. Download metar, parse metar, set weather to represent metar information. The engine limitations still apply, single cloud layer, 3 wind lvls, single weather for whole region...

 

What I wonder is if I'll be able to use the dynamic weather. In theory I should be able to download pressure information from real-world stations, create baric systems to mach that information and the weather engine should be, to a degree, able create real winds/cloud cover/precipitation. :)

 

Alas, considering the amount of spare time I have, none if this functionality will be available soon.

 

But almost useless for me if no MP :(

I understand that. I have vacation planned for the next week, so if I somehow manage to smuggle a copy of visual studio and DCS World onto my girlfriends ntb (bribing with wine always works :D ), I should be able to finally finnish the MP support. :)


Edited by winz
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I have vacation planned for the next week, so if I somehow manage to smuggle a copy of visual studio and DCS World onto my girlfriends ntb (bribing with wine always works :D ), I should be able to finally finnish the MP support. :)

 

Cool man :thumbup:

 

But..... don't forget to have time on the beach to play volley-ball with naked gals around :D

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