How is weather calculated?

El_Condoro · Post by **El_Condoro** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 9:26 am

Just curious to know how the game calculates the weather each turn.

Related question, does the date of a turn affect this calculation (June = summer, December = winter etc)?

Molve · Post by **Molve** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:03 am

You set the percentages in the scenario editor. Specifically you set cloudy, rain and snow %'s. (You don't set clear since that is the "remainder".)

So whether its snowing in July (!) is entirely up to the scenario designer.

Cheers,
Molve

PS. You can also code in specific weather during certain turns. Check the Battle of the Bulge scen...

El_Condoro · Post by **El_Condoro** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:47 am

Yes, that's right - I understand how to set the weather but how does the game calculate it if no parameters are set? There is also about 80% accuracy of predictions so what are the actual amounts that the game uses?

e.g. If I set a scenario without any weather settings or weather triggers in, say August, what will the game use the determine what the weather is each turn?

Xerkis · Post by **Xerkis** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:54 am

Probability of Weather: 100 – (Clouds + Rain + Snow) = chance for clear weather.

So if you don't set anything - it "should" always be clear.

El_Condoro · Post by **El_Condoro** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:00 am

Should have done the test before I posted. Yes, there seems to be no 'behind the scenes' stuff going on. Whatever you set in the scenario parameters is what you get, irrespective of month or any other real-world considerations. Thanks.

Molve · Post by **Molve** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 1:14 pm

Perhaps you meant to ask "why do I get clouds when I set parameters to 100% clear?"

The answer is, as you might have guessed already: the parameters control the prediction, not the actual outcome

...the prediction is only 80% certain! If it predicts clear weather 100% of the time you still get clouds 20% of the time!

(At least this puzzled me for a fair while...

You might have thought the game looked at the parameters and decided the real weather first, and then generated a possibly-wrong forecast, but I believe the team looks at such an approach more like "cheating" than "delivering what the gamer wants". Besides, how then explain those clouds...? I think I'm getting to understand the game programmers philosophy, and I feel it is direct and simulationist instead of indirect and game-results-orientated whenever there's a choice...)

Molve · Post by **Molve** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 1:23 pm

El_Condoro wrote:irrespective of month or any other real-world considerations.

If you consider that scenarios do not have any setting for area, latitude or climate this makes sense. Sure there should be snow in January - in Russia. But not in Libya or Burma...