F/A-18 Improvements/Modifications
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@Chuckles I sacrificed not little time for this but did not find any easy/usable or presentable solution so far ((
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My 2 main problems with the Hornet now is the cockpit lights don’t line up and look a bit funny.
Hornet RWR doesn’t show ships. If those 2 would be fixed I’d be pretty happy with it. Used to fly it a lot in 4.33. Would be good if those could be fixed up in the stock install.
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@Hubert3000
'bout RWR ,… yup Hornet’s rwr (type 5 , I think, from mem) doesn’t show ship’s … since never? - raised that question maybe 5-10 yrs ago… well, it is what it is.
It is hardcoded, unfortunately.It will show something - I think type of EW radar, but not exactly the ship…
BUT!!!, it will register SARH type of SAM launched , even from the ship. eg… Sea-Sparrow, or some SA-N-x counterpartYou can change type of rwr in sim/acdata/ in plane, but then you loose original Hornet’s HUD RWR symbology…
At least is functional… If you see EW in the middle of “nowhere” (sea) , you know it is not land-based
Cheers
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@FoxBMS said in F/A-18 Improvements/Modifications:
Anyway as WhiteFang saying, 100% stick to that because this guy has great knowledge about falcon bms structure). Cheers.
P.S. Did u tried to edit the mask in that recommended dds file? I don’t see any difference in game…Hello FoxBMS,
I just got around to trying what @white_fang recommended - thanks @white_fang for the file and recommendation.
It worked, mostly. 3993.dds is still the correct file for the HUD mask (for F-18 E/F at any rate - did not test with any other aircraft). I was able to clearly see the steerpoint info now in the lower right. However, I can only see the first line of DED info unless I lean in using TrackIR (not optimal when refueling to see the fuel onboard). Here’s the view from the F-18F cockpit…From the pic, you can see the first line of the DED, partially blocked. 2nd and 3rd lines of the DED have a line space in between them, and are well-below the canopy front, unless you lean in with TrackIR.
Nevertheless, this is still better than it was. Much appreciation to @white_fang for the file and the recommended instructions.
Here’s a pic of the front of the carrier island, looking aft, now bearing the USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70) moniker. I altered 1757.dds in the …\TerrData\Objects\KoreaObj\ folder to switch the placement of the ENTERPRISE and the VINSON decals (had to redo the alpha channel, also). However, I still do not know how to change the location of the lights on the island’s port side (the side facing the deck). I suspect it is in the 3D model, but I haven’t the skill to go there.
Regards,
Tomcattwo
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There is an old trick in the Hornet if you’re using head tracking. When you enter the cockpit lean back as far as you can then F12. When you return to you normal position more data will be displayed.
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@drtbkj
Naaaahhhh.I was expecting from you, Fra’, that you were suggesting “Made her returned to the manifacturer and pick another one presto!, before CAG notices it.” instead.
This one would be a noticeable improvement indeed.With best regards.
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@drtbkj
Thanks, Joe! That’s a great trick!
Regards,
TC2 -
are there any f/a-18 online
squadrons ??? -
There will be . . .
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@TGW i hope so that is why i came to bms for the hornet and because DCS is too big on file storage killing my space.
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@bkaposta2 You must buy 1TB SSD extra for DCS and your problems will be solved. Regarding BMS Hornet, all aircrafts coming out from F-16 avionics here. It’s highly discutable if and why support other aircrafts in this game. You will face many issues related due to updating F-16 family. That means everytime when new version of BMS released and F-16 systems updated, then everytime you have to solve some issues how to rebind some keys and mirror these changes to F-18 (If even possible). That’s not the case in DCS. There have each aircraft its own avionics, but extreme all the hardware difficult. And on the other hand that’s NOT the case in BMS. 4.37 version runs fantastically smooth. Just in case if u wouldn’t know, In BMS is great possibilities to edit the stuff and make the campaign even smoother! So choice is yours. But if we will develope some extra activity, BMS has still really good potential.
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@Tomcattwo Well, @white_fang is familiarized very well, glad your issues has been solved. According to your issue on VINSON carrier, i’m sorry, i don’t see any issues there (except non-rotating radar), probably you have to circle in the picture what exactly you mean. Thx.
P.S. Btw, i see your cockpit instrument lights on UFC panel are really messy, is that stock textures?
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@Chuckles So far what i found the best option for me:
Use these fonts for each F-18 plane, replace (backup first)
https://www.mediafire.com/file/aukw196drv71xxj/rwr_ded_font.zip/file
Not sure what is your monitor and further setup but for me it’s much more readable. You can try to replace even other fonts, for example hud. Try some variations what is best fits for you. Cheers. -
@Fox_518 said in F/A-18 Improvements/Modifications:
@Tomcattwo Well, @white_fang is familiarized very well, glad your issues has been solved. According to your issue on VINSON carrier, i’m sorry, i don’t see any issues there (except non-rotating radar), probably you have to circle in the picture what exactly you mean. Thx.
P.S. Btw, i see your cockpit instrument lights on UFC panel are really messy, is that stock textures?
@Fox_518 , I will post a picture of the side of the island on VINSON at night to better shiw you what I mean.
Cockpit textures and UFC are stock from OMFKTO Version 1.5.0, before 4.37 release.
Regards,
Tomcattwo
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@Tomcattwo Ok.
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New version 4.37 brings new things, for example new ECM functions. Not sure how to mirror the changes around new ECM functions to CF-188 aircraft. So i decided to look for someone here who is faced to similar issues like me. So far i can share some personal workarounds. New hotspot added for switching XMIT modes (1,2,3), (Btw new callbacks SimXMitInc and SimXMitDec seems works reversal, SimXMitDec is increasing degree/power of transmitting instead of Decreasing).
Back to hotspot, i’m not sure how is the setup in real jet, but in CF-188 is the place (unused switch) seems to be directly as created for this function.
Left click decrease transmitting, that means XMIT mode 3 -> 2 -> 1. Right click increase modes, so 1 -> 2 -> 3. You don’t have visual feedback but if you click just 2 times on single button, you can be sure where you are, if it’s mode 1 or 3.
Similar like at F-16 xmit mode switch, just in F-18 switch is not animated.add to 3dckpit.dat file (for clicking in cockpit by mouse)
For CF-188 (Data\Art\CkptArt\CF-188A Folder)SimXMitInc -2.00467 0.260000 -2.430547 20 311 1
SimXMitDec -2.00467 0.260000 -2.430547 20 311 2https://i.postimg.cc/sgwfyDxp/xmit1.png
For F-18C it is different situation because different switches layout, so one of my idea how to “implement” xmit modes is this as example and simply increment or decrement modes in this way:
https://i.postimg.cc/cLs1V8xx/xmit2.png
If you look closer to the BMS - Full.key file, you will find part 2.11 ECM PANEL. Some new callbacks added here. Unfortunately this plays against F-18 because you have not so much chances how to do equivalent control over this in BMS Hornet cockpit. There is no individual callbacks for each XMIT mode, only increase or decrease, so this limits your options how to make the solution. Also for ECM modes 1-5 is only Toggle functions, not on/off state available. And without visual feedback of the state is not much possible how to use it, just fortune the state by touch the hotspots you have created.
About SimEcmMode1-5 buttons. You can imaginary bind these buttons to keyboard (shift 1-5 in my case), but it’s useful only at ramp start (good sound chosen to hear good the click). If you start with all systems on, don’t press it anymore since there is no any feedback to know if it’s ON or OFF. Possible workaround might be with helios software, if they already updated it there too.
At the end, just classic using with SimCMSDown and SimCMSRight - consent/standby, and switching XMIT modes if needed. This you can OPTIONALLY add to your custom .key file which you using. Make sure no double keys used and prevent interferee with other keys.
SimXMitInc 311 0 0XD2 2 0 0 1 “ECM: XMT Switch - DECREASE TRANSMITTING !!! Ctrl+Insert”
SimXMitDec 311 0 0XD3 2 0 0 1 “ECM: XMT Switch - INCREASE TRANSMITTING !!! Ctrl+Delete”
#SimECMBit 116 0 0XFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 1 “ECM: Bit Test - Test Not used in F-18 and commented it out”
SimEcmMode1 312 0 0X02 1 0 0 1 “ECM: Mode 1 - Toggle Shift+1”
SimEcmMode2 312 0 0X03 1 0 0 1 “ECM: Mode 2 - Toggle Shift+2”
SimEcmMode3 312 0 0X04 1 0 0 1 “ECM: Mode 3 - Toggle Shift+3”
SimEcmMode4 312 0 0X05 1 0 0 1 “ECM: Mode 4 - Toggle Shift+4”
SimEcmMode5 312 0 0X06 1 0 0 1 “ECM: Mode 5 - Toggle Shift+5”To be added, both aircrafts tested and all three xmit modes seems working good and as they should, when emitting active, it can be really seen that systems are detecting worse.
May this will be helpful someone or someone might get better solution. Considering F-18 has ECM (jammer) built in, then it needs these hotspots. -
@Fox_518
For the F-18C/D/E, how about adding ECM 1/2/3 or ECM Mode 1/2/3/4/5 to unused buttons on the MPCD (Multipurpose Color Display) ? Those buttons can do increase/decrease (for example MPCD OSB 20 does Countermeasures programs Off/Stby/Man/Semi/Auto.@drtbkj For your info…
Regards,
Tomcattwo
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@Tomcattwo @Tomcattwo About ECM modes, actually it does not matter where are buttons are, there is still no visual feedback, so can’t see if it’s in ON or OFF state…
Btw In general, i think everytime some updates released with new functions, the other jets should be updated too in the same way. Otherwise it does not make any sense to have other jets in this game when it’s unusable or half usable. You know what mean…