Swell and waves modeling using Meteoblue data

Official Microsoft Flight Simulator Wishlist
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Meteoblue has plenty of wave data parameters in the weather data provided through their website. I suggest that data is used to drive wave modeling in the sim. Maybe something like this:

  • Use swell height data from Meteoblue to create ocean swell. These will be smooth, long waves that are independent of wind, probably mainly done with bump mapping
  • Use the wind data already present in the sim to create waves. Wave modeling includes texturing (such as foam), reflectivity (specular reflection, “glassy water” tends to get reduced even with light wind and is gone with strong wind), and bump mapping.

Using swell data rather than just wind data solves the “flat ocean” problem many users are complaining about today - the real world ocean is not flat just because there is no wind.

Using Meteblue’s wind wave data to drive wave is probably not a good idea, since they do not seem to provide wave data for lakes and we need those to have waves too.

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Not only would increase immersion, but it could be possible to even have some of the mega breaks around the world, and they could even add in surfers similarly to how fauna is currently handled (populated beaches in general would be nice). Imagine trying to fly your Cessna through huge 100’ barrels. :laughing:

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Unfortunately, oceans are glass-smooth and flat when winds are low. Perhaps the baseline wave height could be adjusted, or better yet, maybe there is wave height data available from the weather provider?

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Planet Zoo didn’t have any surfer graphic assets for them to use, so we don’t have surfers… :rofl: