[F4RADAR] Lightweight standalone radar application
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Amazing tool, any chance we can get RWR info. some how, example if it’s a unknown F-16 it shows up as 16, similarly if it’s a J-7 it shows up as a 7 rather than 21 (I know a separate ask but wondering)
any one else may want to chime in, i am really going through the sim folder and radar.dat files but can’t make a link of where the rwr symbology is being driven from. It seems like there is an index but no actuall mapping, like how does a mig-21 shows up as 21?
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Just released v0.4 which should include nearly all features you would expect from the GUI. Version 0.4 has these changes (04.07.2020):
- History trail for contacts
- Keyboard keys to toggle map, history, labels and bullseye
- Options for all colors, bullseye rings, vector length, history length, size of contacts, and transparency of the map
- Added the option to save preferences in .ini file, will be placed in same folder as .exe
Next I’ll try to add more features to the tool itself. Adding aircraft type can be one of them but I’d like to do so with some sort of fog of war implemented.
I also got the feedback that some bogey disappear for a few sweeps and than pop up again. I can’t really see how that should happen, but if you experience it, do let me know and info on the situation (altitude, speed, distance, etc) would greatly help.
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Version v0.5 is out, thanks Eagle-Eye for the help and also other for providing me with feedback. This version now also sees contacts outside the 3D bubble but has it limitations. Enjoy it while you can!
Version 0.5 changes (12.07.2020)
- Added flights “outside the bubble”, for now both friendly and hostile show up as “bogey”
- Fixed crash when you tried to use the program whilst flying
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I’ve created a lightweight standalone radar application for BMS from scratch : F4RADAR. Currently it shows all contacts within 200NM radius above 5000ft MSL. It shows individual planes and therefore should also be suitable for ATC, and the flights outside “the bubble”. With the right mouse button you can also draw BRAA-lines and it has the option to show a background map. It doesn’t require additional software for other players or server modifications. The only requirements are that your BMS session is in 3D and your own plane is parked on the ramp. Do give it a try a let me know if you have suggestions or encounter bugs.
It should run straight from the box but formally installation of F4RADAR requires
- DirectX (which you need for BMS anyway)
- 64bit Windows10 (feedback from Window7users is welcome)
- although already present on many system Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019 (click link) is required. Normally only the 64x version is needed, but some reported all 3 versions, x86, x64 and arm were needed to fix the issue of “vcruntime140_1.dll is missing”.
Version history and changes:
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version 0.1 initial release (18.06.2020 )
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version 0.2 changes (25.06.2020 )
- Added the option the load and toggle a background map. Any size will do as it will be stretched to the 1024x1024km grid but I kindly suggest the 9.5MB high res version found here
- Added the option to toggle the Bullseye being shown
- Increased detection range
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version 0.3 changes (26.06.2020)
- Speedbased magnitude of heading vectors
- Decluttered info when drawing a BRAA-line and changed color for clarity
- Toggle added in view menu for display of the labels
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version 0.4 changes (04.07.2020)
- History trail for contacts
- Keyboard keys to toggle map, history, labels and bullseye
- Options for all colors, bullseye rings, vector length, history length, size of contacts, and transparency of the map
- Added the option to save preferences in .ini file, will be placed in same folder as .exe
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version 0.5 changes (12.07.2020)
- Added flights “outside the bubble”, for now both friendly and hostile show up as “bogey”
- Fixed crash when you tried to use the program whilst flying
You can get it here on my google Drive folder.
Does it butt-hurt more, if you use “god-mode” apps on public servers, and still get your arse whooped?
As “home-boy cockpit-builder” fancy those apps might be… (and fun to code them), do they not defeat the purpose of “what the battlefield is supposed to be” - native , for all sides - including the “hidden” and “pop-up” surprises of a battlefield (air or ground)?
If i fail to get my point accross… imagine playing COD and the other team has a 3rd party app on 2nd screen “seeing everyone, everywhere, all the time” … - well in this case exception under 5000 feet lol.
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@A.S:
Does it butt-hurt more, if you use “god-mode” apps on public servers, and still get your arse whooped?
As “home-boy cockpit-builder” fancy those apps might be… (and fun to code them), do they not defeat the purpose of “what the battlefield is supposed to be” - native , for all sides?
If i fail to get my point accross… imagine playing COD and the other team has a 3rd party app on 2nd screen “seeing everyone, everywhere, all the time” … - well in this case exception under 5000 feet lol.
Seems like this app has hit a nerve.
I assumed this app was to ‘simulate’ being an ATC. " … requirements are that … your own plane is parked on the ramp"
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@A.S:
Does it butt-hurt more, if you use “god-mode” apps on public servers, and still get your arse whooped?
As “home-boy cockpit-builder” fancy those apps might be… (and fun to code them), do they not defeat the purpose of “what the battlefield is supposed to be” - native , for all sides?
If i fail to get my point accross… imagine playing COD and the other team has a 3rd party app on 2nd screen “seeing everyone, everywhere, all the time” … - well in this case exception under 5000 feet lol.
I think you don’t get the point what the app is intended to be used for.
1. you can’t use it as gods-eye as a single pilot (assuming you are not running a second pc with BMS with another callsign)
2. the intend is to bring Human GCI to the scenario
3. If there is an AI AWACS up it still sees and even below 5000 feetI know FO decided not to allow any kind of GCI but we used in at least on one side in the latest FL Tvt and it brought a lot of immersion to the missions. And working with a human GCI is way harder to work with than just hitting “Q2” and getting an immediate perfect answer.
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Understand.
We had similar AWACS apps in the past. Some extracted what was native to the game and avaibleable from the battlefield data - just displayed it better (instead ingame 2D UI) - (i.e units, which got spotted by ground, or air, were then available in 2D).
The “nerve” point - as Pegasus82 points - is when “memory read-outs” are included, because that allows to “read, see, know” more as intented .
Btw… it is a fine line between memory read, or “manipulate” (coders will know).
This app does not work on FO servers.
Note: IF a program “by-passes” the intel-restrictions from the ingame-intel network and gets more “intel” … by defintion this is a “cheat”.
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@A.S:
Does it butt-hurt more, if you use “god-mode” apps on public servers, and still get your arse whooped?
This is one reason why people consider skipping future TvT rounds; too many people spew forth bad manners, false accusations, and so much false pride over how great one is in the sim. If you have an argument, it would be much more effectively made without telling us how great you are or how bad your opponent is.
@A.S:
As “home-boy cockpit-builder” fancy those apps might be… (and fun to code them), do they not defeat the purpose of “what the battlefield is supposed to be” - native , for all sides - including the “hidden” and “pop-up” surprises of a battlefield (air or ground)?
The 2D map sucks for GCI purposes. Anyone who has legitimately tried to GCI knows it shows you far less than what it should. I’ve filled the role of GCI where flights became merged with the pilots having to spot the Red Air prior to 2D seeing them. The flight ended up merged, and I couldn’t provide any meaningful support. What we have now is actually defeating the purpose of what the battlefield is supposed to be for all sides.
We need BMS improved in this area, or we need a 3rd party app. Otherwise, GCI just doesn’t work as intended. Different apps have been tried, including F4AWACS and now F4RADAR. Could they be done better? Sure. You know how you don’t convince a dev to improve his product? By telling him that you’re so good at the sim and that he’s a cheater. Someone put in effort into this, did his own research, consulted with others, and tried to bring something good to the community.
@A.S:
If i fail to get my point accross… imagine playing COD and the other team has a 3rd party app on 2nd screen “seeing everyone, everywhere, all the time” … - well in this case exception under 5000 feet lol.
Comparing GCI software to a wallhack or radar hack in COD is ludicrous for so many reasons. For one, you’re not supposed to use it while flying (F4RADAR explicitly checks, and F4AWACS requires someone running AISPY.exe from 2D). Secondly, there is very little resembling a GCI proper role in an FPS game.
Pressing Q1, Q1, Q1 over and over isn’t a sign of skill or realism.
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Thank you for your work!
We have been waiting for this kind of app for a long time.
Our VFW trains BVR tactics as real as possible, and we concluded that even though BMS4.34 AWACS improved, we still need human C2 to replicate realistic BVR.
There still so much information missing we need from what we can hear from AI AWACS.
AFTTP referred picture call, back range, and cutoff pass, etc…Your App brought a new immersive experience to our BMS life.
I think this app has to be included to BMS install at Falcon BMS 4.34\Tools
USE WITH IVC MANUAL
We’ve tested the app last night and found we need some “steps” to enjoy human C2.
As C2 needs to stay on the ramp (BTW good idea to prevent cheating) and can’t fly, IVC distance dumping becomes a problem.
I think including a small manual to the download file or on the first post would be nice for new users.- Make host and all client apply folowing options to Falcon BMS 4.34\Bin\x64\IVC\IVC Client.ini file:
(don’t forget to remove # as it indicates comments)key-hook = 1 outsiders = all
- When joining the server, human C2 should uncheck the “IVC enabled” checkbox and join the host IVC server manually from IVC Client.
Now C2 - fighter can communicate with each other clearly regardless of their distance.
Related Thread: Disable IVC signal damping by distance and LOS
REALISTIC COMM STANDARDS
If anyone wants to study the latest real USAF comm standards just read
Also, you would need the ID criteria.
Refer to KAFTTP 3-3.5 A1.6.3 Identification Criteria and Rules of Engagement.
(KAFTTP is also saved in Falcon BMS 4.34\Docs\05 Other Documentation\Real Manuals) - Make host and all client apply folowing options to Falcon BMS 4.34\Bin\x64\IVC\IVC Client.ini file:
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This is one reason why people consider skipping future TvT rounds; too many people spew forth bad manners, false accusations, and so much false pride over how great one is in the sim. If you have an argument, it would be much more effectively made without telling us how great you are or how bad your opponent is.
I have heart …
I can resonate with that… should not be that way. But in my experience, “biting dogs dont bark much” - with ego-maniac exceptions.
Pilots “talking down” to weaker ones… trying to compensate other things? - are scum imo.Can not simulate emotions, intentions, motivations, anger and happiness. They are real
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@A.S:
I have heart …
I can resonate with that… should not be that way. But in my experience, “biting dogs dont bark much” - with ego-maniac exceptions.
Pilots “talking down” to weaker ones… trying to compensate other things? - are scum imo.Can not simulate emotions, intentions, motivations, anger and happiness. They are real
At least good to know that there are places that drive TvT events where stuff like that could be discussed in a non dictated, adult and objective manner by both participants with different opinions and TvT ruler
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That would be great if the software would work only when piloting an AWACS ,
Else, it would seem a bit wrong. -
@AsafBoy:
That would be great if the software would work only when piloting an AWACS ,
Else, it would seem a bit wrong.You are not really piloting an AC as the requirement to run/use it, is that are on the ground sitting on RAMP. So what would be the difference? It simulates
Ground-controlled interception (GCI) not AWACS -
You are not really piloting an AC as the requirement to run/use it, is that are on the ground sitting on RAMP. So what would be the difference? It simulates
Ground-controlled interception (GCI) not AWACSSo, Is it possible to limit the software when deciding to airborn ?
Cuz if not, and you are not an AWACS, then its pretty much cheating. -
Again the software can only be used if you are sitting in 3d in a jet that is stationary on the ground. You can’t use it when you go airborne. So no it’s not a cheat tool
If you try and take of once you don’t have weight on wheels anymore Status goes red and all contacts dissapear
Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk
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Again the software can only be used if you are sitting in 3d in a jet that is stationary on the ground. You can’t use it when you go airborne. So no it’s not a cheat tool
If you try and take of once you don’t have weight on wheels anymore Status goes red and all contacts dissapear
https://up.picr.de/39037311zb.gifGesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk
Well thought, interesting
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Hi, @Tumbler31
Could you update this to show squark(IFF MODE3)?
Our squardron would like to use dead squark during our training sortie.Cheers,
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Really nice tool!
What would be nice:
type of A/C
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I’ve just uploaded version 0.6. Some small fixes and added all USA airbases. Note that the suggested map image and actual simulator positions differ somewhat causing an offset when showing both. I hope this feature will be of use for ATC applications.
version 0.6 changes (20.08.2020)
- Added USA airbases and associated toggle
- Added game time in the upper right of the window
- F4RADAR now shows friendly contact below 5000ft and with the detection range
- Fixed BE cross disappearing on secondary monitor
@chihirobelmo: m3 squawk codes are not fully implemented in BMS it seems, so not very interesting to show these. Thanks btw for the detailed explanation how to setup IVC correctly!
And on the topic of cheating/god’s eye: I’ve done my best to add restrictions to prevent this. That’s why certain features have not yet been implemented (like airplane type) as I want to do something with line of sight, fog or war or alike. But in the end “cheaters will cheat”. Suggestions to prevent this are always welcome as well as ideas for new features.
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… But in the end “cheaters will cheat”. Suggestions to prevent this are always welcome …
Just a thought.
We have some server settings shared in mp sessions. In this case g_nMPStartRestricted comes to mind:0 = Ramp / Taxi / Take Off
1 = Ramp / Taxi
2 = RampThe info is stored in the xlog.txt file (take the timestamp into account!) which can’t be altered as long as the current BMS session is running.
You can get the info from there and simply say:If g_nMPStartRestricted set to: 2
Then the F4Radar doesn’t work.
In all other cases: F4Radar works. (including if g_nMPStartRestricted set to: is not found in xlog -> SP)Basically this means that the server can decide whether to allow or deny using the tool.
Just an idea for a very quick and dirty workaround.