CompuServe Messages

One "Killer IPAS" I've envisioned recently is a generic SKY.IXP that does what STARS3.IXP plus can handle sky coloration for any time of day, and has parameters for generating a variety of fractal-computed clouds (even animated if you wish), and also encompasses SOLTRK or SUNPATH so that the position of the sun, moon, planets, etc. can be added accordingly. (You would still need SOLTRK or SUNPATH to animate an actual light source for the sun or moon, but the .IXP could produce the image — complete with lens flare in the case of the sun, and phases for the moon!) This would save having to map a panoramic cloud view to a hemisphere or cylinder. Like STARS, it would follow the camera view and adjust itself accordingly.