IR Pointer Behavior
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Hi,
A couple of things:
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AFAIK the IR pointer shouldn’t show up on the TGP (Just as I don’t think you can’t see laser beams in the TGP, or am I wrong? :))
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Regarding the size of the IR pointer, You can modify that manually if you like. How to?
1. Open the particle system file with notepad or any other text editor, you’ll find the file at: data\terrdata\particlesystem.ini
2. Do a search and look for “id=$IR_POINTER”
3. This effect is a father effect that is calling IR-POINTER_X - Where X is 1-10. Why 10? it’s for different ranges, so the particle basically grows up with range in order to stay visible at distance.
4. Modify the IR-POINTER_X effects - Change the size parameter to whatever you think fits and test in game.
5. Note that there is no need to exit BMS while modifying, you can modify the .ini file and inside game chat type “.psreload”, that will load the .ini file again with the updated changes (it’ll destroy all existing particles as well).
Now, if you find the size too small and you think that you found a better size balance, please post comparison shots here and maybe I will accept those changes to be the default. Just you need to know that I made this based on what I saw in some vid of how the real marking looks in RL, and it was indeed hardly visible.
- Regarding the beam look as in that vid, maybe later I will do something like that when I have some more GFX knowledge, I don’t think it’s that big of a story to create.
Cheers!
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Hi I-Hawk
Is number 3 in your post a new feature in 4.33?Regards
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Hi I-Hawk
Is number 3 in your post a new feature in 4.33?Regards
FHi, what do you refer to by “New feature” ?
The IR pointer code and effect are new features, but regarding the particle system it’s just a glowing particle and nothing new there (well besides the code calling it exclusively when necessary).
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yes its new (like a new entry in the .ini file) it wasn’t there in 4.32.
He means the effect I-hawk. -
Hi, what do you refer to by “New feature” ?
The IR pointer code and effect are new features, but regarding the particle system it’s just a glowing particle and nothing new there (well besides the code calling it exclusively when necessary).
Hi, I meant that the particle grows with distance from camera. Is that only for the ir pointer or could any effect use them?
Regards
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Hi, I meant that the particle grows with distance from camera. Is that only for the ir pointer or could any effect use them?
Regards
Any effect, you can see it used with other particles as well. And that’s not new to 4.33 it was there since even OF IIRC
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Any effect, you can see it used with other particles as well. And that’s not new to 4.33 it was there since even OF IIRC
Oh, I’ve only seen grow with time, must have totally missed that one. I’ll have a look in the weekend
Regards
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Oh, I’ve only seen grow with time, must have totally missed that one. I’ll have a look in the weekend
Regards
OK wait wait wait wait wait
Don’t get confused, there is NO change in size with distance, I thought you have seen the particle code, if you didn’t then that explains
Look at what I wrote above, there are 10 IR-POINTER_X subparticles, each one is for different distance, that’s all. What I meant by “existing since OF” is the ability to define for a given particle to be rendered only at some distance, that’s all.
Actually, when I created the IR Pointer I was thinking if it’s maybe worth to implement some change of size with distance as well but eventually decided to give it up since I don’t think there is much use for such feature with generic effects.
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And yes - you should be able to see the IR marker in the TGP real good…
No you should not. The IR pointer’s wavelength is outside the wavelength range in which the TGP operates. So you should not see it in the TGP.
If you’re looking at someone else’s pointer you should only see the blinking dot. When you are looking at your own pointer, or if you are on the ground on the receiving end, you see the “light saber”.
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OK wait wait wait wait wait
Don’t get confused, there is NO change in size with distance, I thought you have seen the particle code, if you didn’t then that explains
Look at what I wrote above, there are 10 IR-POINTER_X subparticles, each one is for different distance, that’s all. What I meant by “existing since OF” is the ability to define for a given particle to be rendered only at some distance, that’s all.
Actually, when I created the IR Pointer I was thinking if it’s maybe worth to implement some change of size with distance as well but eventually decided to give it up since I don’t think there is much use for such feature with generic effects.
Haha, no I haven’t looked at it, but now I know what you mean
Imo I think there is use for it for any particle that has light.Regards
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No you should not. The IR pointer’s wavelength is outside the wavelength range in which the TGP operates. So you should not see it in the TGP.
If you’re looking at someone else’s pointer you should only see the blinking dot. When you are looking at your own pointer, or if you are on the ground on the receiving end, you see the “light saber”.
It’s been over 8 years since I used ir pointers on a weapon but iirc I could see others “light sabers” too, it had more to to with moist/dust/smoke in the air than who or where i were, but I have a Teflon memory so I could be completely wrong here
Regards
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Wow lots of good information here, it would be awesome to see the “light saber” in BMS, but I figured it would only be visible in areas where there is a lot of atmospheric scattering like Fenrir mentioned.
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No you should not. The IR pointer’s wavelength is outside the wavelength range in which the TGP operates. So you should not see it in the TGP.
If you’re looking at someone else’s pointer you should only see the blinking dot. When you are looking at your own pointer, or if you are on the ground on the receiving end, you see the “light saber”.
…I guess it depends on the pointer in use…because I have RL experience with one that looks like “the finger of God” shining from an aircraft under IR video. It was a hand-held one, though. And it also depends on particles in the air - I suppose it’s an IR laser, and the beam does/did scintillate and you could see it in the wingman’s FLIR…looking just like a “light saber” as you say. I’ll have to take another look at my vids…
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It’s been over 8 years since I used ir pointers on a weapon but iirc I could see others “light sabers” too, it had more to to with moist/dust/smoke in the air than who or where i were, but I have a Teflon memory so I could be completely wrong here
Regards
+1…having used/seen one in a desert environment.
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…I guess it depends on the pointer in use…because I have RL experience with one that looks like “the finger of God” shining from an aircraft under IR video. It was a hand-held one, though. And it also depends on particles in the air - I suppose it’s an IR laser, and the beam does/did scintillate and you could see it in the wingman’s FLIR…looking just like a “light saber” as you say. I’ll have to take another look at my vids…
Yeah I am just talking about Sniper and Litening AT. They definitely do not have their own pointer visible in their FLIR sensor. Of course if you have a different FLIR or a different pointer then anything is possible depending on the wavelengths they operate in.
But a Sniper or Litening will not see its own pointer.
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Yeah I am just talking about Sniper and Litening AT. They definitely do not have their own pointer visible in their FLIR sensor. Of course if you have a different FLIR or a different pointer then anything is possible depending on the wavelengths they operate in.
But a Sniper or Litening will not see its own pointer.
This makes some sense - I know one of the plus-ups that comes with those pods are that they have IR markers built in…I’ll have to consult the oracle…
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What would you use the IR pointer for?
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As an aid to target acquisition
When would you use it? for myself i dont see the point in using it (pardon the pun) seeing as you have the laser which is at the center of your cross hairs on your TGP. Is it used to just get coordinates for a target which can be passed on to your wingman/flight? its just that too can be done with the laser on the TGP.
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Not every platform is datalink capable. It’s just faster like a laser pointer in a business meeting. “The bad guys used to be on this ridge earlier today. Just thirty minutes ago they were in this field.”