Sludge Hornet v2.0

[Sludge]

Fellas...

Done for the week and upcoming weekend. Still working on many things on the Sludge v2.0, but figured I'd at least leave you with the new Betty sounds that Herb modded (increased default volumes) 'til I get back next week.

www.sludgehornet.net/downloads/FA-18 Sounds.zip

There's no instruction file. First delete or backup (rename to xbak.FA-18 folder) your previous FA-18 folder in FSX/Sound folder. Then simply UNZIP, then copy/paste NEW FA-18 folder into the main FSX/Sound folder. It should work as the previous install except the default sounds should be quite loud. Enjoy.

Later
Sludge

[ctec1]

Thanks for the link Sludge and of course Herb for redoing the sound files. Enjoy the time off

[Sludge]

Fellas...

Here's some of the work I've been doing with the CombatHUD, along with the Enterprise fixes.

Enjoy.

Later
Sludge

[heyvern69]

Sludge,

I just got to installing version 2.0 today.  I'll play with it after work.  But I noticed this in the readme:

> "Window panel 6 (Carrier Trap Gauge/IFLOLS) now auto opens when Tailhook down."

Is it possible to disable the "auto" IFLOLS with the tailhook down command?  Is there any way to separate those 2 functions?  I programmed a special button on my joystick to show or hide the IFLOLS lights (window panel 6), and it's distracting to have the IFLOLS pop up, when I ONLY wanted to drop the tail hook).

> This engages the main brakes (toe brakes) until touchdown,
> so pilot can now do MIL power carrier touchdown without
> coasting off the edge of the deck.

This is good.  But I'd still prefer the option to manually lower or raise the tail hook without ALSO automatically opening/closing the IFLOLS panel (win panel 6).

Thanks!!!
-V

[Sludge]

Vern...

Ya, I can do that for those of you that like to manually bring it up. Lemme work on it this weekend, then I'll release a version that auto-opens the trap gauge but not the IFLOLS. I'll leave a separate XML there for those of you that like the IFLOLS to auto-open.

Fellas...

Since we can use more than shift-9 (window 10+), it just takes using the windows view tab, I'll also be working on re-arranging the views so that all of the windows will have their separate window but the main "flight critical" panels (ie. refueling gauge, GPS, etc) will still be shift selectable. I may bring back the old comms panel, or a newer one with better bitmaps/textures/layout, so that you can tune the radios and navaids there. Lemme know if that's something you'd be interested in.

Finally, I'll should be able to release Hotfix 2 shortly, that will have the SBD Enterprise ICLS/TCN integrations for the Combat HUD, as well as the new Combat HUD sizings that should make everything a tad better to read and realistic spacings. I'll include the old HUD Glass texture (far clearer, almost transparent), so you can use what works best for your monitor. Remember, sometimes I do changes based on FSX and flight SIMULATOR playability. Sometimes, the "realism" factor (HUD glass texture) takes a back seat to readability for the masses. When I'm able, such as this case, I'll provide both textures and then you can enable the one that works best for you. FSX and flight simming in general is a balance, and as such, there's always factors of FPS, playability, and basically... is it enjoyable/flyable within the realms of what we have in NATOPS and real world pilot inputs.

Later
Sludge

[heyvern69]

Thanks Sludge!  You are awesome!

Wow.  It's truely amazing what you've done with the Hornet.  You've help make FSX carrier ops SPECTACULAR!  I'm blown away.

After you release the Hornet version 2.0, perhaps someone/anyone can make a short "How to" guide on porting a few of these features over to other carrier based aircraft.  IFLOLS lights, ILS needles, etc.  What-ever features can be EASILY tranferred over to other FSX carrier aircraft via copy & paste of data files and/or quick & easy config file modification.

For example, I've gone into the config and increased the size and position of the IFLOLS landing lights.  But I didn't find a guide on how to do that.  I had to toy around with the config file numbers until I figured it out.

&feature=youtu.be  (1 minute vid showing my IFLOLS)

If the IFLOLS light system can be easily re-sized or copied to other carrier aircraft, a "how to" guide could help others accomplish those tasks.  Of coarse, porting (freeware) features over to new carrier aircraft probably also deals with mod "rights" and giving credit where it's due.

-Vern

[Sludge]

Vern...

No problem, usually I can accomodate most requests like yours. The main holdup I have is time because I got soo much real world stuff going outside of FSX that I have to budget my time nowadays. If I didn't have golf, tactical shooting, concert roadtrips to Dallas, and stuff like that, I could put in the mod time I used to, like I did in the '09-'11 time frame. Even right now, I'm replying via my internet AT WORK because I dont have sim scheduled today and I have some free time.

As far as your other request about "porting" instructions, I can make a basic primer, but as you are discovering... and my hope is that... the community is better served by more users modding on their own. So instead of making exact instructions, I'll can give people a basic primer on how to move stuff and then let them do their own work. That way, we add to the amount of people that can make their own changes/mods and add those to the FSX NavAv world. A great case-in-point is JIMI from FSXBA. He and I are now great friends and I was soo happy that he went his own way with modding the Hornet for his team, but put it out there for everyone to use. That's why I posted the initial thread for his Hornet, 'cause I wanted everyone here to see that my Hornet mods (combined with CombatHUD and Paddles gauges) are not the only way.

If you want a good laugh, go back to my first posts in Fall of '09, and you'll see I had a VERY LIMITED idea of how FSX worked as a whole. Virtuali was always correcting me in some way in some assumption about FSX and the default Hornet. I mean, I still am really "lite" in my detailed and/or programming knowledge but I now have a decent OVERALL understanding of why things work and how they work.

Thats a good video you made and I can tell you are still fighting the "power controls RoD/pitch controls speed" concept a little bit. Your start was great and held the AoA solid, and then IM and IC you started getting "too handsy" with the stick but still pulled it off AR for a Fair 3 pass. Yes, I am a tough LSO, just ask the guys that I LSO'd for during our weekend sessions. You'll know you are on the right path, when being trimmed out, you can use the throttle the whole pass and use the stick only for heading corrections. Give it a whirl and get back to me.

All that being said, gratitude for the good words and thanks for the feedback on my latest version. Love it when my work gives other flyers a good experience.

Later
Sludge

[Tregarth]

Vern,

Have you looked at my "Combat HUD and IFLOLS eqipped Cessna 172" post?  It might be of help to you.  I used Sludge's guidance to import his gauges into the default C172.  I now have the IFLOLS in Dino's T-45, Dodo Sim's Bell 206 and Iris Simulations' T-6 along with his HUD.

I hope this helps,

Tregarth

[heyvern69]

Thanks for the advice Sludge.  I'm a goof-ball virtual pilot, so I'm not typically accurate in any way, shape, or form.  But I'll try to land your style.

Thanks Tregarth.  I'll check out your thread and see what I can gleen.

As for anyone who wants to increase the size of the IFLOLS, I can't say what settings you might need.  But if you use the same resolution that I do, you're welcome to try my settings.  My resolution is 1920x1080.  (Backup your panel config first).  Here's the entry that I modified in the panel config file:


//--- IFLOLS Repeater and Wire Caught Gauge ---//
[Window05]
size_mm      = 1400, 500        
//position   = 3            // 1 = upper center, 4 = center, 3 = left center
window_size   = 1.000, 1.000
window_pos   = 0.150, 0.400
background_color= 0,0,0
type      = special
visible      = 0
alpha_blend   = 0.85
ident      = IFLOLS

gauge00=\FA-18.A-D\Avionics\IFLOLS!IFLOLS.xml, 0, 0, 300, 100
gauge01=\FA-18.A-D\Avionics\Trap!FA-18 CLG, 0.150, 0.400, 1200, 300

[Sludge]

Fellas...

Thanks for the PMs and Emails asking about how I'm doing. I'm doing very well and feel lucky I wasn't in the path of the EF-5 tornado and able to render assistance to those that needed it.

As you may or may not have heard, about 1500 (3pm) yesterday, a EF-5 blasted right through central Moore, OK. Here at Tinker we were let go about 1330, and about 1440 (approx), local news services spotted a tornado forming SW of OKC metro. Again, was lucky that the tornado hit about 2-3 miles south of my house. I headed out with all my quick-survival gear (converted tac-shooting vest into water carrier) north until the tornado/hail-storm passed. Then headed back in to search for some of my friends and their families who lived far closer to the tornado path. More luck, as all my local friends/families were safe and doing good.

Obviously, the recent Sludge work I just completed will be released at a time in the short future when I can be sure that I wont be needed for volunteer relief and when Moore gets back to some semblance of normalcy. Keep in mind that even though I survived intact, just scroll up and count how many times I said LUCKY, and you'll get the sense of how grateful I feel today for what I have and being alive.

If you pray, send your prayers to the families that lost, they need them FAR MORE than I do, especially the parents who lost kids at the elementary school. If you wanna help, there are many organizations (Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc) that you can donate money to... honestly, those are the best ways to help, as they are setup at the local Home Depot (Command Center) and Warren Theatre (medical triage). To put this in perspective, Google Maps: NE 27th St/Eastern Blvd, Moore, OK then Google Maps: Warren Theatre, Moore, OK; see how close it was to me and you'll understand how fortunate I was yesterday.

Take Care
Sludge

[SpazSinbad]

'Sludge' good to know that you and your friends/family are safe. We are just catching up here in Australia with the horrific aspect of that tornado in your part of the world. Very sad to hear that so many people have died in that ferocious storm.

[Herbie]

Hello Sludge!
Nice to hear you, the house and your friends OK! I did worried about you! Not the Sludge Hornet v.2 getting ready. Herb

[hrnet940]

Hi Sludge,
Any word on the auto trim getting shut off?  I was trying the Carrier Landing IMC mission last night and it was showing trimmed at 7.8 as soon as I dropped the gear and flaps one notch.  I was reading through some of the older posts here, but didn't see that you mentioned a fix for this.  Thanks for the great work that you have done with this fine bird and KUDDOO's to you!!!

Wayne

[Sludge]

Hornet...

Ya, I thought I fixed that, but maybe not. Lemme check things out. I'll look at it tonight but will be going off-line for a few days as I'm gonna NUKE my system. Just bought a 250GB SSD and a 1 TB HDD (videos/music/large data), so I'm in the process of backing up stuff and then having to re-install everything. Might take a few days, but I'll let you know when I'm back online.

One way you can try to DISABLE the auto-trim yourself is to go into the panel.cfg file and REM OUT "//" the appropriate GAUGExx line at the very bottom of the file. It should look something like "Gauge21 FA-18A+ FCS PA-PID". If you REM it out and then renumber the remaining GAUGExx numbers sequentially, it should "release" the trim controls back to you while retaining the function of the other necessary gauges.

Just remember, make a copy of the working ORIGINAL Panel.CFG file, rename it to Panel.CFG.ORIG or whatever, then go to town on the Panel.CFG file as described above. This way, you can see have your changes up and examine them line-for-line, in case you get into trouble doing this self-mod.

Later
Sludge

[hrnet940]

Thanks for that.  Can you show me what REM'ing out looks like please?  I learn quick and have self-taught myself most of what I know about computers.  Is it just putting '//' in front of and behind the lines I want to rem?  Patiently waiting.

 I was able to complete the Carrier Landing IMC mission this morning, but used the Combat Hornet as I was able to manually trim it out.  Sorry about not using your fine aircraft, but it was quite twitchy when trimmed at 7.8 for most of the flight down to the deck. 

Wayne