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The Weather Forecast Thread

> 'Nice' weather girls... >More wet weather set for UK (February 2005)

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BE
Ben Founding member
I T V 1 posted:
...and prefer the more modern colours, rather than the ugly cyan blue. Brilliant!


Brown is a modern colour now is it???
MO
Moz
Andrew posted:
http://www.hillyard22.freeserve.co.uk/looknorth160505o.jpg
Interesting bit on Look North, the map went flat for a moment for the tide times, before moving back 3D.

Hmmm, yes interesting. They did say this morning that they could 'tilt' the picture more. I think they'll have to do that from now on when showing the whole of the UK, for Scotland's sake.

Otherwise, still liking them.
PO
Pootle5
I T V 1 posted:
New graphics, 100% better! They look more modern and prefer the more modern colours, rather than the ugly cyan blue. Brilliant!


The graphics themselves may actually be modern looking and better in a technical and prettyness sense, but they are useless at getting across the basic information people watch a weather forecast for.

BRING BACK THE SYMBOLS, ISOBARS AND WIND DIRECTION/SPEED
NG
noggin Founding member
I've watched a few forecasts now, and have a few more thoughts :

1. The rendering system used doesn't have enough horse-power to do what they are asking of it. This morning, the animating rain stuttered to a standstill as the temperatures appeared - not at all elegant. Also the rendering doesn't seem very well anti-aliased, and some of the motion looks to be frame rather than field rendered. (The animating rain looks to have field-based motion, but the animating maps look like nasty, stuttery, frame-based stuff)

2. The colour-scheme is really dull.

3. Why have they ditched the 24 hour clock - it was much clearer than the 12 hour version they now use. (If they argue that people don't use the 24 hour clock, then they may as well start using Fahrenheit again...)

4. Who thought that new Wind system was an improvement - or are they not using it very often (apart from in the regional forecasts - where in regions with coastal industries it is vital) because it is so busy and confusing? The old version was SO much clearer.

5. Where are the animating isobar sequences, to allow you to track fronts developing etc. Are only the regional forecasts using these? I could find static pressure maps on-line, but not decent animations like the TV forecasts used to use. Is this an improvement?

6. Design-wise - where do you begin? How can it be progress to take a universally understood, widely regarded, and even fondly thought of, well designed (iconic even) system (the old symbols), and replace it with splodges.

The Sun, White Cloud, Dark Cloud, Rain etc. symbols were instantly recognisable, clear and simple - the new shades of brown with blue splodges may animate in 3D, and fly around with 3D cleverness, but they don't help my mum decide whether to take an umbrella to work at all...

What a disappointment.
HA
harshy Founding member
It is, it's just too different really, they should have at least retained the symbols, the BBC tell us they did their research, it makes you wonder exactly who they asked.
MB
Mark Boulton
It has been mentioned already that it would be sacrilege to try and 'redesign' the Tube map - this site shows what happens if you try.

I think anyone would agree that it's best to stick with that we've got!

http://www.simonclarke.org/lul/
AN
Ant
Hardly any good comments on the BBC Talking Point page here!
AN
Andrew Founding member
A nice comparison across the networks from my region
http://www.hillyard22.freeserve.co.uk/looknorth160505b.jpg http://www.hillyard22.freeserve.co.uk/ytvweather01.jpg
http://www.hillyard22.freeserve.co.uk/looknorth160505c.jpg http://www.hillyard22.freeserve.co.uk/ytvweather03.jpg
http://www.hillyard22.freeserve.co.uk/looknorth160505f.jpg http://www.hillyard22.freeserve.co.uk/ytvweather05.jpg
No contest really is there?
BL
Blob


itv weather looks really cheap nd nasty,while the BBC's looks professional.
NG
noggin Founding member


Sadly I'd now have to disagree.

I have nothing good to say about ITV's design - but their presentation is clearer, and provides more information. (If ITV can provide isobars for their dumbed down audience...)
AN
Andrew Founding member
ITV Regional Weather does tend to be more detailed than the ITV National Weather which is very straight to the point.

Look at that last map, you've got symbols, temperatures, wind speed, plus best of all, a nice green landmass, (not to mention Jo Blythe).
MA
marksi
noggin posted:
I've watched a few forecasts now, and have a few more thoughts :

1. The rendering system used doesn't have enough horse-power to do what they are asking of it. This morning, the animating rain stuttered to a standstill as the temperatures appeared - not at all elegant. Also the rendering doesn't seem very well anti-aliased, and some of the motion looks to be frame rather than field rendered. (The animating rain looks to have field-based motion, but the animating maps look like nasty, stuttery, frame-based stuff)

2. The colour-scheme is really dull.

3. Why have they ditched the 24 hour clock - it was much clearer than the 12 hour version they now use. (If they argue that people don't use the 24 hour clock, then they may as well start using Fahrenheit again...)

4. Who thought that new Wind system was an improvement - or are they not using it very often (apart from in the regional forecasts - where in regions with coastal industries it is vital) because it is so busy and confusing? The old version was SO much clearer.

5. Where are the animating isobar sequences, to allow you to track fronts developing etc. Are only the regional forecasts using these? I could find static pressure maps on-line, but not decent animations like the TV forecasts used to use. Is this an improvement?

6. Design-wise - where do you begin? How can it be progress to take a universally understood, widely regarded, and even fondly thought of, well designed (iconic even) system (the old symbols), and replace it with splodges.

The Sun, White Cloud, Dark Cloud, Rain etc. symbols were instantly recognisable, clear and simple - the new shades of brown with blue splodges may animate in 3D, and fly around with 3D cleverness, but they don't help my mum decide whether to take an umbrella to work at all...

What a disappointment.


<claps> We are 100% in agreement. The lack of pressure charts and more importantly wind speed and direction on the national forecasts is inexcusable. I couldn't find an Atlantic pressure chart online earlier - it was only the UK map, which is pointless as it doesn't show a large enough area to show any weather system in context.

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