Sludge/Combat Hornet Integrator - Released

[GOONIE]

Nice videos Vern! Looks like a good time, and a good group of pilots.
-Capt

[heyvern69]

Vern, I checked the videos - great fun We should sometimes get together and set a record for a number of players on the carrier and of course do some serious carrier ops We can easily get 4 people and with your wingmen we will be like 10 people

That would be AWESOME!!!  But I noticed, the more people you add . . . (1) the more difficult it is to find a common online flying time, (2) the more time it takes to work out sound and game crash bugs, and (3) the more difficult voice comms are unless you make separate channels in TeamSpeak.  I knew how to make separate channels in TeamSpeak 2, but I haven't tried to figure it out yet for TeamSpeak 3.  My friend "Bingo" usually host's the TeamSpeak 3 server, and I usually host the game, so that we split the CPU duties between us.  And we are the only 2 in our group who know how to open firewall ports to serve the game, so the other guys only have to join in.  Hopefully we can work out these issues.

If you want to get together, Saturdays usually work best for our group.  Obviously, we all live in San Diego, and we typically fly from 12 noon to 3 PM on Saturday CA time.  If you want to e-mail me, we can chat more about the details.  My e-mail is the username here on this message board, @yahoo dot com.

[heyvern69]

Do you have the video uploaded somewhere else, such as YouTube or Vimeo, for those that don't use Facebook?

I tried uploading one of these videos to Vimeo, but Vimeo rejected the video because of the Top Gun background music.  I listed the songs in the credits, but Vimeo said the background music was "copywrited", so it rejected my video.  For some reason, facebook accepted it with no problems.  I didn't try YouTube, assuming it would be the same as vimeo about the music (or worse).

I know a lot of people are leary about FACEBOOK, and everyone should be.  However, I always tell people, if you setup a facebook account - Remember . . .
 
1) You don't have to use your real name.  You can use a callsign or some other name.

2) You don't have to use a REAL picture of yourself.  Even though it's called "facebook", you don't need to post ANY pictures of you at all.  You can, but you don't need to.

3) You can just setup a facebook account with the MINIMUM of real information!!!  That way, you're pretty safe.
 
The only "REAL" thing you need on facebook, is a REAL e-mail.  They send notices to you via e-mail when friends or family share messages or pictures with you.  You can turn those notices off somehow . . . if you don't want notices from facebook.   I haven't turned them off, so I'm not sure exactly how to do that.  But I know it's possible.  And I strongly recommend using a HOTMAIL or YAHOO account for these notices.

If you don't want to (A) play any facebook games, or (B) accept any facebook friends (or family), then just reject everyone and everything!!!  Facebook does not force you to interact with others, and others won't directly know when you "reject" them, or their various invitations.  They only get a message when you "accept" their invites, or when you interact with them.

If you still don't want anything to do with facebook, and you think youtube will accept my videos, I can try creating an account on youtube and try posting there.  But I assumed that youtube would be even more difficult than vimeo about background music.
 
-Vern.

[heyvern69]

Nice videos Vern! Looks like a good time, and a good group of pilots.
-Capt

Thanks! I'm glad you guys like the videos.

However, I really want to turn the "THANK YOU" back to Sludge, Neutrino, Dino, Javier, Orion, and all the others who have helped mod FSX, . . . for making our flight sim hobby (/addiction) so AMAZING.  You guys TOTALLY ROCK!!!  Seriously, you have made FSX absolutely amazing, by finding creative solutions around the limitations of FSX, to make the single player AND multiplayer experience a billion times more enjoyable.  And you've done it for free.  That's incredible.  Absolutely fantastic.  I can't thank you guys enough!

Sincerely,

-Vern.

[Orion]

I actually had a Facebook account, but recently deleted it.  Never found any real use for it, and it was a waste of time for me.  I'd try uploading to YouTube; they seem slightly more lenient.

[SpazSinbad]

Gamefront was good when it was called Filefront. However sometimes now the site does not work well; but it may have settled down since name change. Worth a try:

http://www.gamefront.com/

[Sludge]

Vern...

Appreciate all the good words. I checked out your videos and they sent me down memory lane as thats how THIS FSDT group was during the winter of 09/10, before the "Sludge" was even a coherent idea.

IF you havent already, check out these Y/T of us during last years Multiplayer carrier sessions.  Sound very similar to yours.

Havent talked with Don in a while and only had a brief Skype session with Paco, but other than that, the people in those vids still hang out and fly or keep up on the boards here.

Still getting the UPDATE.ZIP together. Expect it tonite.
Thanks again and enjoy the vids.

Later
Sludge

[Sludge]

Fellas...

Here it is. UPDATE.ZIP folder. PLEASE read the README.txt file first before starting. If you have any questions, send them my way and I'll try to accomodate to the best of my ability.

The important stuff (bucking problem minimized, brake trick removed) is pretty much fixed with a few extras that I threw in there (G-Vapor SOUND and G-LIMITER), along with an update to PLAT_Camera.XML gauge.

Thanks goes out to JIMI (big help in many ways) and Orion for his better idea and fix on the PLAT_Camera gauge.

Sorry for the wait but there was alot of testing/trial-n-error to make sure the problems, especially the "bucking", was minimized to the fullest extent possible.
Enjoy.

Later
Sludge

[wilycoyote4]

The readme is quite a read.  Do you fellas ever sleep?  Lol
I'm really eager to try all this.
Many thanks

OK just made 1st trap and cat
I really like it.

[jimi08]

SLUDGE,

Thanks for the kudos bud!  I've been doing some thinking.... There are two ways to possibly fix your bucking problem....

Solution 1: Shift the nose wheel contact point forward by about 10 feet and up the damping.  This will eliminate the bucking and minimizes the tipping.  Only problem is that ground steering is a little more sluggish than the traditional Acceleration Hornet and the "contact smoke" generated when the aircraft's nose wheel hits the ground/deck will be a little off.

Solution 2: Now that I have a decent handle (well I think I do anyways...) on a true auto-pitch trim system that is native to the F/A-18, that automatically trims the aircraft to 1 G flight, we may be able to shift the CG a little further aft than before in order to better counteract the bucking encountered during rapid deceleration. 


NEUTRINO,

Thanks for the talk a few days ago.  I have since took a stab at making a true auto-trim system as discussed and have had some success.  It does a pretty good job of adjusting the aircraft's trim to maintain 1 G flight during climbs, dives and level flight.  It is set to engage accelerating through 180 KIAS and disengage decelerating through 180 KIAS.  Only problem I am running into right now is that it will command a slight climb as speed decreases and AOA increases in an attempt to keep 1 G on the aircraft.  I am sure I can possibly remedy that with an additional gauge that will try to maintain only .9 or .8 G after a certain AOA. 

Also, based on the NATOPS and the answers given to Sludge from the Hornet driver, the Hornet also has a robust auto-rudder system that is not implemented in the default Acceleration Hornet.  I started work on it last night with some mixed results.  I can set it up to where the rudder will keep the turn ball centered in turns, but for some reason, it will not re-center itself once the aircraft returns to straight-and-level flight.  Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[heyvern69]

I actually had a Facebook account, but recently deleted it.  Never found any real use for it, and it was a waste of time for me.  I'd try uploading to YouTube; they seem slightly more lenient.

Ok Orion,

I'm uploading a new video to youtube now.  Looks like youtube allows some huge file sizes too.  Too bad I have compressed my previous older videos down to really low quality. The first one I'm uploading to youtube is a high quality video of us messing around with Dino's new T-45C.

   (Sorry Sludge, no Hornet footage it this one - 8+ mins) 

And here's a few others:

(Cliche' Top Gun music w/ carrier practice - 7+ mins)

(60 seconds - Take-Off to Landing - 1 min)

(San Diego NATOPS - 8+ mins)

(Night trap in foggy, windy, nasty weather - 1 min)

[Sludge]

JIMI...

No problem, you've definately helped push my knowledge even farther and happy that you're a fellow modder/tester that pushes the envelope. Right now, the "bucking" problem is very minimized and shouldnt be too bad. The only change I may do is the "4th ghost nosewheel" idea you showed me, but other than that, its very good at this point. I was messing with the gear, went back to my most stable config and then changed the default CG's vertical value back to -0.6 and was quite happy with the results. Once I did that, I could only get a micro-buck when landing in the mid-140s and very off-center. BTW, just so you know, I did try moving the nosegear forward and it sank into the deck on a simple throttle up, so I think IF I need any additional changes, I'd prefer to use your "ghost" nose-stability (front training wheel) gear idea.

Wily...

Glad you liked the fixes and its working for ya. Any other inputs, good or bad? And no, I dont sleep much, thanks to FSX... and my unquenchable desire to fix everything. Probly an OCD problem that I have. I have to fix every problem that comes along til Im satisfied in my head (reference the recent "approach speed" issue). Yes, its a curse that I have to live with.

Vern...

Glad you posted those on Y/T. No big deal about Sludge Hornet footage. Im actually taking a liking to this new T-45, and have started flying that more. Although the other night, I couldnt land it to save my life... kept coming in at high RoD and busting the gear. Being drunk probly didnt help much?

Fellas...

Let me know the good and bad of the UPDATE. The "bucking" should be almost entirely done, the nose shouldnt dip into the carrier deck at all, and you should get a very stable platform throughout the whole flight regime. Also, let me know what you think about the G-Vapor "wind" sound. Is it decent and keep it or should I dump it?

Later
Sludge

[jimi08]

Sludge,

The answer from last weeks questions in regards to Rudder on Final...

"Those notes (I'm an LSO as well) are only used for the
E-2. Other AC can get those if they use rudder but they
are not expected to use it...especially the Hornet. E-2s use
rudder due to prop effects on the AC. I have never seen it
used for a hornet approach. Short answer, it is unsafe for
a hornet use rudder in the approach and post touch down."

[Letourn]

Hey guys will you ever stop

I just install the Charlie version last night and finish modding the panel.cfg for my setup and adding my textures and today there is a new release. Oh and yes i know i was really late to install the C release.

I really like the Heat effect..The Cat and Trap with Burner too. The rest is really fine too except for the plane banking right and left before trapping but it might be me i am no expert like you guys.

Sludge in the new release you remove the brake trick...Does that mean no more trap with full burner if so can i keep the brake trick?

Once again thanks to all for making this bird so much better.

Let

Let

Let

[wilycoyote4]

Trap is smoother without much bucking.  Love that 20 degree set for cat.

A note on the next release of the T-45C -----expected soon-----Dino has made many corrections and is working on the rear cockpit but I don't know if he means to make it flyable.

A thought----although I'm likely causing confusion, lol------in FSX, if I'm right, the tail of the aircraft is the reference point for flight forces. (?) 

The Hornet's gear are unique in FSX.  Making the main gear points wider may help and has been done in a few cases but has anyone tried very wide.