Replacement water textures for FS2004. (Version 9)
08/01/04
The default reflections and water colors leave a lot to be desired in FS2004. These replacement textures will give a much more realistic tone and color to the water in FS2004. The change is quite dramactic and transforms the flight sim experience to a much greater level of realism. The new textures are fully compatible with my earlier versions of "overcast" texture modifications. Textures included are; Clear weather; High noon, mid-sun, low sun, sun-rise and sun-set, overcast and Low moon and high moon. See note about the moon textures (History version 9)
It should be understood the using these textures are dependant on the display settings. The replacement textures supplied will only work on DX9 compliant video cards. You must be able to move the "Water Effects" slider all the way to the right! If not then don't install them as you won't be able to see them!
It is important to stress the default FS9 textures are fully compatible with these new textures and they can be used in any combinations and can be mixed and matched with the new textures. For example it may be that some users want to keep the default sun-rise as it is but change everything else to the uprated specifications. The choice is yours.
First backup the following files in your FS9\scenery\world\texture;
To install a full new version: Simply unzip the zipfile and copy the 8 *.bmp texture files, (in the PWover8.zip\new textures) to your Scenery\World\texture Just overwrite any earlier versions of my water textures.
NOTE: you should not copy over the file named env_dusk_choice2.bmp. Also do not worry about or pay attention to the "Shoot voice control only" See seperate readme.
History and notes to help understand the textures:
Version 6 is the first release of the replacement textures set. This is called version 6 only to avoid any confusion with my earlier release of "overcast" textures.
Version 7 has improved sun-set and sun-rise textures and a small change to the reflections on the low-sun texture.
Version 7 came out as a patch only from version 6 to 7.
Version 8 is a full version version; as version 7 plus further a enhanced sun-rise texture that offers a superior colour tone and transition to earlier versions. As a bonus an alternative version of the sun-set is included. Existing users should note this alternative sun-set is the same as the version 6 sun-set which offers a cooler colour tone and a less blanket coverage of browns and golden yellows. (see readme_sun_set)
Version 9 now includes low moon and high moon textures to give some more exciting moon lite flights. You really need to see this. It is something quite different and again takes the flight experience to a new higher level. Miami by moonlight will actually look like moonlight now. The moonlight textures will only show up when there is a full moon. For reference you can use 8th January 04 to see the effect. Just after sun-set the effect is less dramactic. It is at it's strongest at around mid-night.
You may like to try this to take a good look at the water textures;
What I suggest you try is go to Seattle, where there are lakes and then start a test flight using the FS9 version of "fair weather", which triggers the "overcast"textures. I suggest you try it first at noon in the mid summer. You could also experiment in the winter and at different times of the day. There are differences.
Once you are up in the air and have had a good look around, maybe in spot plane view, then change it to clear weather, which will trigger the clear high-noon texture. You should now see a reflection of the sun almost under you but there should be some generally lighter tone into the suns direction. You should notice a darker blue away from the sun.
Next add a few hours to the time, which will trigger the mid-sun texture, so we should now see a lower sun and a lower reflection; the water reflections should now be more directional than the default water and should be brighter into the sun and a generally a little lighter in tone to the midday sun. In particular the colours should be much more realistic than the default colours.
For the low sun before sun-set (add some more time) and you see the warmer low-sun texture, which is a little more yellow on the sun high-lights and it will transition to/from sun-set/rise better than the default tones.
Also, you may want to to experiment with the color tones of the "overcast" textures. Go to the "overcast textures only" folder and take a look at the seperate readme.
As a further added bonus a voice control file has been included for "Shoot" which will control FS2004 by voice. It is brilliant and it's free.
Note: The moonlight textures will only show up when there is a full moon. For reference you can use 8th January 04 to see the effect. Just after sun-set the effect is less dramactic as the moon is lower and not so bright. It is at it's strongest at around mid-night when the moon is high. You will not see any moon light textures during a new moon. It will be very black! Also, the moonlight textures will not show up if "fair weater" is set as this will trigger an overcast condition so it will be as black as coal.
One more thing regarding the moonlight textures; the default flight in "modern scenic wonders for "Miami by Moonlight" is not as you would expect. The date set is not a full moon so if you try this flight don't forget to reset the date to 8th Jan 04 or it will be black.
And finally, please remember what looks good to one person does not look so good to another. It could be set-up, taste, level of mip mapping and the brightness levels of your monitor but the chances are I will not see it 100% the same as you do. It could also be that you look straight forward and down, as would be the case in a helicopter, where another person looks to the side or at a more distant horizon or users spot views. With this in mind you may not like the new moon textures as they are quite different to what we are used to and there are limits as to how things work and thus what I am able to do with the files. The moon textures look particularly good to me over Seattle and over Miami so I would suggest you spend some time doing some test with the various textures to be sure you like or don't like them as the case may be.
