Weather suggestions

[ShamrockOneFive]

In addition to being an avid aviation and simulation enthusiast... I'm a weather watcher. Recently I've been wondering about adding some weather effects to the game. Two ideas that are connected together:

 

Localized rain storms

 

I'd love to see more convective cell rainstorms where you have a thick dense cloud that drops rain over a small area. You're more likely to find these in the summer months and sometimes in the late spring and early fall. We have plenty of maps that fit that category. What I don't know is how frequent these would be in the steppes near Stalingrad or in the Kuban region but I would assume they would appear in these regions whenever a front or boundary kicked them up.

 

Localized thunderstorms

 

I know many people will say that WWII warbirds don't fly in thunderstorms. Probably true but you can't always control the weather and thunderstorms do happen. What combat flight sims tend to do (original IL-2, DCS) is have an overcast weather system that affects the whole map. Sometimes thunderstorms like that are possible but frequently they are not. They are localized. A localized thunderstorm hit my place a couple of days ago... almost completely on its own and the size of the storm was probably 10-15km across. Outside of that area and its clear skies and sunny. I've watched this happen many times in many different places.

 

I'd love to see a localized thunderstorm with the lightning and thunder and some extra turbulence values.

 

What's the point of all of these?

 

I see clouds in flight sims as being more than just cosmetic. They influence flight and tactics. When you duck into a cloud layer is more than just a pretty effect... it can be used to hide from enemy aircraft. With a localized rainstorm these have the same effect causing some added visibility loss in specific areas. With a localized thunderstorm you may actively navigate to avoid it or if you encounter the enemy, having a nearby thunderstorm may affect your tactics either drawing them closer or further away.

 

I realize these aren't priority items but I wanted to toss the ideas out there while I was thinking about them.

 

I like the idea of having a portion of the map affected by rain while other areas are clear. It lets multiplayer scenarios operate with some inclement weather while not affecting the entire scenario. It'd be interesting and if done visually in the right way... quite beautiful. Nothing grabs my interest more than a towering cumulonimbus cloud... especially if its shooting lighting bolts around the top of it. That'd be an outstanding effect.

 

My 0.02 cents.

[Gambit21]

I asked Han some time ago for weather pre-sets that have one half, or part of the map with one cloud condition, and the other portion with another.

Mostly because PTO is coming and we need this.

Say you have completely clear skies down south, then the north is socked in with heavy cloud cover or overcast... and the Japanese fleet hiding under the clouds, etc etc.

In other words, weather presets with part of the map with one cloud condition, part of the map another.

 

He commented "maybe later", as establishing realistic weather/cloud borders was problematic/time consuming.

[ShamrockOneFive]

2 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

I asked Han some time ago for weather pre-sets that have one half, or part of the map with one cloud condition, and the other portion with another.

Mostly because PTO is coming and we need this.

Say you have completely clear skies down south, then the north is socked in with heavy cloud cover or overcast... and the Japanese fleet hiding under the clouds, etc etc.

In other words, weather presets with part of the map with one cloud condition, part of the map another.

 

He commented "maybe later", as establishing realistic weather/cloud borders was problematic/time consuming.

 

Maybe later would be just fine in my book. Its definitely more needed in the Pacific where carriers would duck into a squall. Either way... I'd love to see that happen at some point.

[IRRE_Axurit]

 

I like this idea, it can add a tactical dimension.

 

It could also be interesting to have more verticality with the clouds, as with thunderstorm clouds that can rise in column until the tropoposis.

And of course with upwind and downstream winds, making the flight very difficult even dangerous for the integrity of the aircraft.

[Guest deleted@50488]

Yes, would also love to see weather getting even more attention in all flight simulators.

 

Yet! some scenarios in IL2 even bring cloud streets! 

 

I believe for a combat sim it's probably a bit too much to ask for some specific modelling of weather, so I never push it too much. At least among the simulators ( combat ) I have used so far the graphics and effects in IL2 BoX are my preferred.

 

[ShamrockOneFive]

For sure. IL-2 doesn't need a fully fledged sophisticated weather model. Having things like a tower cloud is more for the visual appeal but scripting some additional turbulence near and in that cloud would make pilots want to avoid it and that then affects the tactical situation of potential dogfights or even just a mission where you may end up deviating from your course because a storm looms. That part would be interesting.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

I demand my lenticulars, CAT and departure end shear immediately!!

 

[VesseL]

No demands here. But more weather conditions would make the sim better. I too would support massive thick cumulus clouds. Flying near those makes the height feel more intence. Is the thermal lift modeled? Sometimes it feels so, especially in 109.