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The graphics are surreal, but can't say much about the weather model. Condor is the best there is not because of its graphics but because of its most realistic simulation of the weather. Condor balances perfect animation and realism with the capabilities with most computers and as a result, you don't get those sorts of images. Also, from what I understand, Version 2 is really focusing on improving the weather model, and all the other aspects of the simulator will remain mostly the same.
However, since I got started on the weather model, I think there are some excellent possibilities for a Version 2. As we all know, there are A LOT more variables in real life and I think there are some very interesting ways that competitions can simulate a complex weather system. As a competition director for US Nightly Soaring, I think it would be very interesting to have three components/people for a given task.
1) God
2) The Weather Forecaster
3) The task-setter
After setting some basic desired variables and the desired difficulty of the task, the task-setter sends this information to "God". What I mean by this is either the simulator or a person adjusts a variety of complex variables that are not seen by anyone else desiring to do/make the task. Then there is a person, or the program gives a weather forecast based on a limited set of this information. If it's Condor making the forecast, then the task-setter can also place a percentage probability of likelihood of this forecast actually working or being correct. Then the forecast is relayed to the task-setter and he sets the task based on the weather at hand. The pilots flying the task also get a copy of the weather forecast and can make their own judgements on what to do. Also how the variables are automatically set is determined by the scenery developers. They generally have a better idea of what happens in a given location and thus can be more insightful with their local weather systems than any task-setter in any other place in the world.
The kind of things that would be interesting to see are broad changes in weather systems. Such as, the forecaster predicted that frontal passage would happen at a given time, but in fact it came sooner/later. This would drastically effect how one does a AAT for instance. Or something like a cirrus-layer coming in and shutting everything down in a given section. Condor seriously lacks these sorts of vast changes and I think it may be possible to simulate some of these things. I understand simulating a Thunderstorm with all the lightening and rain/hail and intense updrafts may be very difficult or impossible, but simulating an encroaching cirrus deck should be possible, among other things.
The current weather model could also be retained for "typical" racing in the main serverlist, without the added complexities so it is still possible for people to set quick fun tasks with no likelihood of the whole area shutting down. However, for competitions where many desire a high degree of realism, I think this arrangement would be feasible and make the simulator a lot more interesting.
Daniel Sazhin
_________________ [url=http://condor.ephemeride.com/graduate/0/?id=358]
 [/url]
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