Alright, let’s try another perspective to view this whole thing and another attempt to convince the “pro-METAR injection” community that it’s not the only solution for a multi-platform online network.
Let’s assume there is a world where each individual can only speak the language they were born into and rely on translations to communicate with one another. The universal language is English.
Three people receive tasks that need to be done, but each one of them speak a different language. Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin. The English speaking server relays messages. The spanish speaking person uses a translator that prefers grammar over vocabulary. While the two Chinese speaking individuals receive a vocabulary-only translation. At the same time they need to communicate with one another. It won’t go well, because while the two asian individuals would ace any vocabulary test, the spanish guy has a better understanding about the task that needs to be done. And all three of them have to communicate in a language foreign to all of them.
So while the task is still given in English, why not let the communication between the three individuals be in spanish? The spanish fellow has a far better understanding what needs to be done and can much better relay the message in his own way to maximize the team-effort. The chinese folks might still only be able to use translation via vocabulary, but the results are still the same, it doesn’t matter if the source is English or Spanish. And the two chinese fellows will still be able to communicate with each other and the spanish person.
If you have all three relying on a vocabulary only method, or be vocabulary only in one sentence and grammar based in another for the spaniard, it will not only be a mess for himself, but may still not be able to communicate with the chinese. So a loss-loss situation really.
I am not going to spoil what you need to fill in for all the metaphors. I am pretty sure you get the picture. I want the more grammar-based translation back. Not a random word spaghetti. The spaniards english was perfectly fine for me. Still a heavy accent, but very well understandable. Just needs more work on the translation engine.
EDIT: Let me go a step further and also suggest the task not be given by voice, but in writing, giving the Spanish guy a chance to perform his task even more efficiently and correctly. This would be the equivalent of a 48-hour lag to the real world weather.
You can’t simulate an “exploding” thunderstorm formation by live METAR, but you sure could by a history of METARs dating back 48 hours.
Not to mention the heavily METAR based engine of P3D could easily profit from this by allowing for a more dynamic way of injecting weather as it doesn’t have you rely on a single METAR, where the next could significantly change, but rely on a string of METARs to produce a “moving picture” like a movie.
If MSFS produces a 250/4 wind it will produce a METAR that reads 250/4, relaying that 250/4 wind for P3D and XP engines to use, thus everyone online flying in a 250/4 wind. The same goes for visiblity, cloud cover, pressure, temperature and dewpoint.
So why do people insist MSFS or dated data cannot be used online?
This is a virtual world. Sorry, but slowly this really upsets me!
I soon give up and it can be this static mess. I thought this sim weather had potential to be real great. But now i don’t know what to think about it anymore.
We as customers will never be happy. I think the devs needs to decide there own route for this.