Combat Pilot Series (Naval Spin Too)

[3wire]

Not sure where this is going to end up.. The aircraft look good (A2A did the aircraft)... No screen shots of the Hawk Cockpit yet... The concept isn't bad either but for $11.95 a month after a $49.95 first time fee. Cant tell if the scenery of NAS Pensacola area has the FCLP markings. Anybody else been following this? I suspect they plan on releasing follow on packs with other front line aircraft etc... I doubt this will catch on... it's a shame because it the concept is interesting. 

With the latest DCS developments it will be interesting to see if (when an FA-18 is made for it), I will probably never switch completely.. . unless it does all the things FSX does with equal or better performance.

Anyone flying Dino's new F-35C (is there already a thread started on it?)

Combat Pilot Link Here:
http://www.combatpilotseries.com/

[Orion]

Well, the HUD in the screenshots looks like it's aliased to the default Acceleration Hornet gauge for starters...

[SpazSinbad]

'3wire' it has been made clear that this forum is about one topic (FSX Hornet) with associated information. It would be stretching 'the associated carrier landing' info to include a thread about the F-35C as such. Sure there is a thread or two here about Dino's free/cheepware aircraft of the Naval persuasion; but I guess just mentioning them would be the forum moderator's limit probably. Obviously I am not the forum moderator so my guesswork is based on past complaints by the moderator about such matters. YMMV.

As I was typing this Orion posted so we can see a connection to this forum already but how far can that connection be taken? Dunno.

There is a 6.7Mb PDF manual for the 'Combat Pilot Ops' here:

http://combatpilotseries.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/combat-pilot-fto-manual.pdf

I'm on dialup speed for a week so cannott comment on it yet (slow download).

[3wire]

Understand about the F-35C.... this being a FSX F-18 board. The hornet is my favorite bird and this is the place to get the latest and greatest gouge on it. It's also the place to find out what's going on Naval Aviation wise about FSX (is there another site/board for Naval Aviation as good as this?)... All those other areas that go along with the hornet... e.g. the boat, LSO, FCLP, HUDs, etc... this is the place I find out about the other Naval Aviation related FSX stuff too.

I read somewhere that combatpilot was going to have an F-18 (if it gets that far).

Downloaded the Ops manual (thanks)

[SUBS17]

'3wire' it has been made clear that this forum is about one topic (FSX Hornet) with associated information. It would be stretching 'the associated carrier landing' info to include a thread about the F-35C as such. Sure there is a thread or two here about Dino's free/cheepware aircraft of the Naval persuasion; but I guess just mentioning them would be the forum moderator's limit probably. Obviously I am not the forum moderator so my guesswork is based on past complaints by the moderator about such matters. YMMV.

As I was typing this Orion posted so we can see a connection to this forum already but how far can that connection be taken? Dunno.

There is a 6.7Mb PDF manual for the 'Combat Pilot Ops' here:

http://combatpilotseries.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/combat-pilot-fto-manual.pdf

I'm on dialup speed for a week so cannott comment on it yet (slow download).

For one thing Spaz lets not jump the gun here just because someone mentioned DCS. The link he provided is a website to a subscribed pilot trainning website which does include Carrierops and use not only of the T45C but also Hornets. Overall the people attending this forum are enthusiasts who are into carrierops and learning about how to fly combat aircraft in particular the hornet.(but not only the hornet)

[SUBS17]

After reading the manual of what Saiteks trying to achieve with this I have found that this is just paid sim trainning and only involves use of single player missions. They do MP from what I've read but its not with an IP like in a Virtual IP like in a Virtual airwing or trainning squadron. The manual shows some advanced stuff but has awards for combat and lacks any form of combat instruction or trainning. There is also no actual tac manual that I can see nor any mention of organised Squadron vs Squadron type missions. Maybe after Tacpac they probably could do Combat but it would be a while before they would have something like that on the level which could make this company make any money. The cost is extremely expensive and does not have the sort of benefits one could gain from normal Virtual Squadron trainning which is not limited(99% of the time) to just one sim.(FSX) The idea of FighterOps was something similar but had the added benefit of 2 seat trainners and realistic pilot trainning modules based on the real UPT course including IFF. These guys are using FSX and are stuck with its limitations as well as they are not developing a whole sim unlike FO whos cost was quite justified. People probably would pay money for decent trainning but it has to be immensely immersive and rewarding as well as providing the education at the right pace with a real achivement at the end of it. In development at the moment are several 2 seater trainner addons for DCS and 2 companys are backing those up with realisitc pilot trainning missions and courses at a much cheaper(some of them will be much cheaper eg BFT campaign is $4.99 US) and you learn so much more.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/tlaschuk/mapleflagmissions/
As for FSX I would rather reccomend something like the Virtual USNavy or FSX VBA probably would teach you more for free.

[Woogey]

Actually, what you read about, is just the first installment in a series.  The first part being Lead in Fighter training.  This is new software developed specifically to circumnavigate the limitations imposed by FSX.  Yes there will be combat, Yes there will be multi-player.  Yes it will be worldwide.  You have the ability to form or join existing squadrons.  I have very high hopes for this new spin on FSX.  I suspect that the monthly fee will be a convenient way of keeping the serious people around, and keeping the "Kids" at bay.  We will have to wait and see.  -Woog 

[neutrino]

This is what I found on their website regarding multiplayer capabilities:

First, the MP engine is new and does not use the FSX MP engine in any way. Most of us that fly FSX love a lot of things about it, there is a lot to like; sadly the current MP engine is not one of them. When you log into Combat Pilot and select a server you are online with the community in what I call the Operations Server, it is only when you select “Go Fly” (for multiplayer) that FSX is initialized and you enter our MP engine environment. All of this is accomplished by Combat Pilot and is completely transparent to the user. We have worked with A2A and not only have provided their usual outstanding aircraft, but they also worked to build in levels of detail that work with our proprietary MP engine which will add in frame rate concerns.

...Using our own proprietary code, developed over the last 15 years, allows us to bypass the FSX MP, and gives us some very nice capabilities. We are very very stable; I’ve flown or left aircraft on the ramp all day without a single packet dropped… no drop off line, no clichés – nothing. We can fly large groups of aircraft and not see a significant hit in frame rate and any hits we get are localized; you are not penalized for some other member’s hardware – our servers handle the load, and it has allowed us to add weapons. Has for formation work; it’s good but not perfect if your very close. This is a problem that we are working on and and area that continues to get better. But we will not rest till it is perfect... And gentlemen - Perfect it will be! C.P.D.O.

All I want to know is if they are going to have carrier operations

[Orion]

Sort of sounds like VATSIM or FSHost to me--technically, that is.  You load a FSX flight, then they have a module (similar to SquawkBox or FSHostClient) which connects to the server, managing all the network traffic and updating all the positions of the aircraft.

Since this is military themed, I'd expect in theory, that it would be possible for the developers to insert a carrier (or any other SimObject) with the same precision as they've got for aircraft, as I see it.

I just don't like their subscription based price model.

[SUBS17]

Yeah they have carrierops.

[SUBS17]

Actually, what you read about, is just the first installment in a series.  The first part being Lead in Fighter training.  This is new software developed specifically to circumnavigate the limitations imposed by FSX.  Yes there will be combat, Yes there will be multi-player.  Yes it will be worldwide.  You have the ability to form or join existing squadrons.  I have very high hopes for this new spin on FSX.  I suspect that the monthly fee will be a convenient way of keeping the serious people around, and keeping the "Kids" at bay.  We will have to wait and see.  -Woog 

Are they using Tacpac or are they making their own mod? It does not look like a realistic pilot trainning course IMO.

[2Dog]

SUBS17, as far as I can tell ThunderHawk Studios are developing their own weapons systems for Combat Pilot, VRS not being mentioned as a partner.

[SUBS17]

Well that would be a waste of resouces which could have been much better spent else where IMO. I wonder does that include A/G radar and FLIR? Its better for devs to work together as far as MP modern air combat is concerned because it is such a technical and extremely difficult thing to model in a sim its better for all of them to work together and use the best work combined for one decent mod like ACE and other mods for Arma.

[2Dog]

This post http://combatpilotseries.com/board/index.php?/topic/12-combat-pilot-weapons explains a little bit more about Combat Pilot's weapons systems.

[jimi08]

Subs...

As far as I can tell, Thunderhawk Studios is going for something a little different than the VRS/TacPack route.  Where the VRS guys are working on a very high fidelity aircraft with in-depth systems and flight modeling, Thunderhawk is going for something that is high fidelity, but more streamlined for multiplayer use.  And when I mean multiplayer, I don't mean the 10 to 20 users in one session, but upwards of 100+ people per session.  They are aiming on a much higher scale than what most of us are used to. 

They are also working on getting a slightly higher audience than the VRS guys.  From what I can tell, they are trying to get the "medium level" guy.  The guy that wants a little more than the "Ace Combat/LOMAC/DCS" beginner level stuff, but not the steep learning curve of the VRS/Falcon 4 type stuff.  Somewhere in the middle.  Because of this, you are probably not going to find the fidelity you would be expecting from VRS, but not as bad as something from Abacus.  Probably modeling on par with the Acceleration Hornet.  I will tell you that they have been working on this for a while (before VRS announced anything about the TacPack).

Although the price is kinda steep for most.  I think this has great potential if it succeeds.  I personally would prefer doing sorties and operations with many moving parts (i.e. many medium/high level pilots/operators) instead of operations with just 5 or 6 guys that are extremely knowledgeable in one jet.  You guys must also keep in mind that Combat Pilot is pushing world-wide, not just here in the states.  That on it's own offers many great opportunities/possibilities.

Gent's, I say, hold short...wait for the product to mature and be released, take off your VRS sunglasses, and then give it a fair shake before giving it a thumbs up or thumbs down.