Sludge/Combat Hornet Integrator - Released

[Sludge]

CAPT...

For the BAD

1- This is a graphical "mismatch" that had to be done to stop the "pee pee dance". The Hornet was essentially doing a 1' IFE, so any off-center or mis-aligned hook catches were really overexaggerated in the landing, hence the dance. The hook now catches the micro-second after your wheels actually "touch" the carrier deck (closer to real life), the problem is that the hook now drags INTO the physical model of the carrier.
2- Will work on fixing this problem with the ILS.
3- You can play with the effect itself. Go into it and change the alpha to HALF of what they are... at "COLOR START=255, 255, 255, 200", change the last number to 100 for the top 3 entries. I cant change the Blue color of the texture, but you can tone down the starting alpha to see if that "blends" a little better for your taste.
4- Just change [Window00] alpha blend to a higher number that suits your preferences.
5- Interesting, will have to check out, once I get moved.

Later
Sludge

[GOONIE]

Thanks, Sludge for the quick feedback!

Good luck with the move.

-CAPT

[Johan]

I forgot to add, that if you do test it, you have to setup the separate USB headset as the "default communications" device in Windows and the Voice device FSX sound settings. This will ensure Doug Dawson's sound gauge sends the Betty sounds to the headset (voice device) and the rest to the speaker system.

Sludge,

My headset is just a plug-in, not a USB, and I can barely hear Betty...My Windows setting is on "Speakers", but I don't have any, just the headset. Is there anything I need to do in the sound.cfg?
You can respond after your move, no hurry.
Thanks,

Johan

[Sludge]

CAPT...

I wasn't able to reproduce the problem you had with the ILS on either the Basic or FX versions. If you are getting a TACAN arrow (have the right carrier TCN freq), you have to enable the ILS pushbutton AND be behind the carrier on approach. I forgot the exact numbers I asked JR to mod the ICLS needles to come up with, but doing a pattern, the GS needle comes up around the 90, and the Lineup needle comes up just before the 45.

So to test, I would say slew behind the boat (final bearing) about 3 miles, do a pass and see if the needles come up when you select the ILS button.

Later
Sludge

[sonofabeech]

Sludge!!  ..great update just a bit of feedback this may just be me but the power adjustments especially when low and slow seem to be more consistent.. ie easier to predict the delayed response of the throttles from throttle input to engine response have you fiddled with the response time perhaps ?
The ILS is working as you said G.S. needle at the 90 followed by the L.U. needle (not sure at which point exactly but around the 45 seems to sound about right)
Initially I had the same problem with no needles on your previous test model, but then realised the ILS button on the 2d arming panel (shift +2) needed to be toggled ..perhaps this is CAPT'S problem? Easy to confuse with the ILS button on the MFD in the virtual cockpit which doesnt seem to affect the needles at all.

The only problem I have is on the cat once hooked up and bringing up the power if I don't fire the cat within about a second of advancing the throttle, the hornet
works its way free of the locked position and starts to roll forward. Not sure if anyone else has had this problem. Could possible be due to the delayed hook/wheel
mod that you spoke of ? Its not a major problem for me but I know you appreciate all feedback positive and negative and would want to know!!

Thanks for all the hard work ,time and effort it is greatly appreciated.

Sonofabeech out   

[DigitAL]

The only problem I have is on the cat once hooked up and bringing up the power if I don't fire the cat within about a second of advancing the throttle, the hornet
works its way free of the locked position and starts to roll forward. Not sure if anyone else has had this problem. Could possible be due to the delayed hook/wheel
mod that you spoke of ? Its not a major problem for me but I know you appreciate all feedback positive and negative and would want to know!!

I had this issue as well, other than that - it's fantastic.  Bravo Zulu!

[Tregarth]

Dear Sludge,

I have had a trial flight around El Centro using Serge's FCLP.  That is a really fine looking aeroplane you have produced.  Very nice work!

Comments
1.   I have a 3 monitor, portrait orientation, display; I have not changed the WideAspect setting from TRUE - in this setting the VC view is perfect.

2.  I had to turn on the ILS needles using the switch on the HUD control.

3.  The aircraft is much more easy to fly, putting down full flap made the nose pitch up dramatically but the speed control was better.

4.  Making the IFLOLS semitransparent is inspired.

5.  The HUD heading digits etc are really crisp and very clear - Thank you.  Putting the Trim value on the bottom of the screen is very helpful - a nice touch.

One request; Can you please make the numbers on the UFC number pad clearer?  Since you have removed the Radio Stack the clarity of these numbers has become more important.

I will be using this aircraft much more now and may even try a deck landing.

Thank you for very good work,

Tregarth

[GOONIE]

Sludge,

Still no joy on the ILS on the HUD while in the VC, I've selected ILS on in the HUD switches guage and have the arrow showing (TACAN). See the attached pics, you can see I can get the ILS in the 2D HUD, but not in the VC, same position/ same time/ same settings behind the boat. DO you think it has something to do with VC HUD resolution? The ILS needles are pretty thin, might not show up in the VC, I have no clue.

Thanks for the wake suggestions, that worked great for the day time, I now have the wake a color I like, except at the tail end of the wake, a mile from the ship. What setting in the effect file changes the tail end of the wake? Another issue I have is the wake does not darken at night or dusk, see attached pic at night, looks like a spot light is on the wake. Any help?

One more comment is on the LEX vapor sound(very cool), can you have it fade in and out when pulling Gs? It seems to come on and off too abruptly.

-CAPT

[Sludge]

CAPT...

Yeah, that might be happening, Ill have to look into it (ILS needle problem) further when I get a few extra moments or need a break from packing stuff. BTW, what resolution do you have FSX in? I fly at 1920 x 1200 with FSX aniso and antialiasing enabled. See what happens if you enable those? I'll put up a 2D and VC screenshot for you.

I do have a question about the wake in your approach pics... is that how it looks for you normally? Shouldnt look like that AT ALL. Should look like ONE multilayered wake that fades out a ways back. Have you installed the AICarriers r2, then installed Javier's carriers, then done VooDoo's complete wake updates? If not, then that might be something I'll have to consider adding to the release INFO Readme. I forgot to add that this effect needs all VooDoo's wakes and replacement wakes to be installed, especially the part about nulling-out (.bak) the default carrierwake.fx file. The complete instructions are found on his website (Voodoo's hangar). Two locked chase screenshots of what the wake should look like... after you have everything installed.

Sorry, I wish I could make the sound fade in but I cant because its a "looped" sound within the vapor.fx file, so it would: fade in, play, cut off, then fade in, play and cut off... til the effect was done.

Tre...

Thanks. You'll probly like some of the upcoming additions as well, when I get moved in and work to complete the full release version.

Simon...

Great to hear from ya. When I get moved in, I'll really have to look into that problem when I get time. Its probly from the fix I did that setting the static height in conjunction with the contact points? I havent been able to replicate after many launches, so it will take some testing to figure out what's happening. Thanks tho, as this is the stuff I need to hear about and have a record of, so it gets fixed. Thanks.

Later
Sludge

[GOONIE]

Thanks, Sludge.

I'll try out those settings for the VC HUD, see if I have any luck.

You are right the wake I had in my pictures had a duplicate wake shown (which was breaking up). I've disabled this extra wake and my wake looks more like yours, my question is still how to darken or make the trail end more transparent/faded? See the pic below and the box I've highlighted, anyway to darken/fade this area of the wake?

CAPT

[Sludge]

CAPT...

Cool, glad that worked for ya. That'll help me annotate that in the next README, so that others can get the full effect without it chopping up.

Yeah, the way to change the color on the end is to change the R G B "color end = xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx" values (0-255) under the "// propulsion wake //" header to whatever you want. Personally, for a fading "less dark" effect, I'd start with some faded whites (210, 210, 210) and work to white/grey (195, 195, 195) and then down to greys (125, 125, 125). And just to re-iterate, the last value is the alpha, so for all the COLOR END values it should be 0 (ie. color end = 125, 125, 125, 0) for fading out.

If you get a ending color fade you like, throw that same COLOR END entry onto the "// keel wake //" section as well and see if that makes it even better.
 
Later
Sludge

[Sludge]

CAPT...

Its not your display settings, it was the CYAN version of the ILS lines, they are drawn too thin, so I did a quick fixer-upper and this should fix any problems.

Just download this and copy/paste inside both Sludge Basic/FX Panel/HUD folders. Overwrite yes.

http://www.sludgehornet.com/downloads/FA18_HUD_VC_R.CAB

Thanks for the good catch.
Later
Sludge

[Sludge]

Frenchie...

Dial in 111.00 on the moving carriers and see what happens.

Later
Sludge

[GOONIE]

Awesome! Thanks Sludge, both fixes worked, got the ILS On the VC HUD and the wake looks good! (see pic)

CAPT

[Sludge]

CAPT...

B-E-A-U-timus!! Glad both worked and thanks for the quick testing. Let me identify problem areas (not mods) that need to be fixed for everyone.

Later
Sludge