AH-64 Pack

[franze 196]

That's VBS2, not ArmA2. That's possible in TKOH but not ArmA2.

[scarecrow398 43]

NodUnit and Franze have done superb jobs in making this beauty, the attention to detail is astounding. It flies like a dream and the MFCD pages & the FCR are incredibly useful. The IHADSS greatly aids in target engagement and the PNVS is really fun to use. All in all, despite being in alpha and knowing that they want to add even more, it's already a high quality addon and feels damn near done.

You're a real jerk you know that...

I also have to award you cocktease post of the year for the Aviation category...

---------- Post added at 18:00 ---------- Previous post was at 17:56 ----------

I wanted to say thank you all for your encouragement and patience, there have been a lot of hiccups and bumps along the way (collapsing a 1000 layer psd and saving it for example) but we should be getting into the final chapter of things, we decided to make the skin system a useable feature from the get go rather than let others do all the work. For example, all birds will have a "clean" and "weathered" skin, the A's is already done (please note this is only diffuse, no normals or ambient shadow) http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee200/NodUnit/Acompare.jpg We will likely also use this to create the grey apache texture rather than release it's own kit. Thank you for not giving up on us folks, we WILL get this bird out there, someday soon I hope...

In addition Franze is also working on some tutorial missions for those that don't want to read a great big manual to understand what everything is and does alongside the campaign missions.

The weathered skins look awesome nod...

Aww, i was hoping for a 300 page illustrated manual and you call your self's dedicated, for shame... :D

[giorox 1]

That's VBS2, not ArmA2. That's possible in TKOH but not ArmA2.

So, having something like a real time targeting pod is not possible in Arma 2? I think i saw a mod by one of the SR5 guys that did it, but i recall it looking like just a camera view.

---------- Post added at 04:47 ---------- Previous post was at 04:40 ----------

Yeah, i'm currently working on a project of my own (First ever.) and i had a million other mod/addon ideas. I would be glad to do the model (though textures i need some practice and i have almost zero experience with scripting.) for an A-10C, and my initial idea was not have interchangeable pages, rather just having the TAD and the TGP (Litening pod), but ever since i saw this i also though about having the DSMS (Armament display) and maybe having the MAV display for easier maverick target acquisition. Though all of this isn't possible for me, since i have NO EXPERIENCE (or almost none) with scripting, so i can only dream ^-^ or maybe help out with just the model.

[scarecrow398 43]

So, having something like a real time targeting pod is not possible in Arma 2? I think i saw a mod by one of the SR5 guys that did it, but i recall it looking like just a camera view.

---------- Post added at 04:47 ---------- Previous post was at 04:40 ----------

Yeah, i'm currently working on a project of my own (First ever.) and i had a million other mod/addon ideas. I would be glad to do the model (though textures i need some practice and i have almost zero experience with scripting.) for an A-10C, and my initial idea was not have interchangeable pages, rather just having the TAD and the TGP (Litening pod), but ever since i saw this i also though about having the DSMS (Armament display) and maybe having the MAV display for easier maverick target acquisition. Though all of this isn't possible for me, since i have NO EXPERIENCE (or almost none) with scripting, so i can only dream ^-^ or maybe help out with just the model.

It is possable, but i belive it has to be a entire screen overlay like with MMA.

[franze 196]

You could borrow our method for doing PNVS by using the driverview memory point and binding it to a user animated turret point - it'd only work for one pod but it would enable you to get a controllable view through the pod with the optics/heads down view. With a bit more scripting you can make a laser designator for it, etc.

[max power 21]

I wonder if you can have driver view turrets on fixed wing a/c. I guess the UAVs do?

[franze 196]

The UAVs have a gunner turret; to get a driver turret you basically have to work around using custom animations. That is what we've done to enable the pilot to aim the M230 in addition to using PNVS.

[max power 21]

Ah, very nice.

[Bradders36 2]

Really cannot wait for this addon. Just pure awesome.

[giorox 1]

Makes sense, and the fact that it limits it to 1 turret isn't a problem since, if i were to actually work on said A10C it would only be using the Litening II targeting pod. Though for this to become a concrete addon i'd have to think a little more and maybe require some help (and time :L).

[kremator 1065]

Just to let you know. I have just bought a joystick so that I can use it for primarily your mod! This is looking amazing guys. There is just so much detail and functionality that it will keep me going for ages ! Please keep up the good work!

[nodunit 397]

You'll enjoy flying with the joystick over mouse and keyboard period, it makes a worlds difference..and especially with this bird.

In fact, if you have TKOH I'd suggest getting used to flying with that mindset as it will be closer to this than the default bids, much more agile and responsive but that is a double edged sword since erratic commands can result in you losing control and maybe crashing.

Edited January 12, 2013 by NodUnit

[islesfan186 83]

yeah...i can definitely vouch for that haha. the aircraft responds waaaay different then the BIS aircraft or alot of other rotary winged aircraft addons.

[wolfbite 8]

I just cant get Arma to work with the yoystick properly... It seems to give it a massive deadzone and doest doesnt move back with the stick like dcs... Its hard to explain..

[doveman 7]

I just cant get Arma to work with the yoystick properly... It seems to give it a massive deadzone and doest doesnt move back with the stick like dcs... Its hard to explain..

Tell me about it. I've had to use PPjoy and GlovePIE just to get the collective usable (although I need to work out how to reverse it's direction) http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?136509-Problem-with-Helicopter-Throttle

I'm hoping there's a way to use GlovePIE or AHK to improve the cyclic as well http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?144720-Improving-Joystick-Throttle-in-Arma-with-PPjoy-GlovePIE-AHK

[slatts 1978]

I just cant get Arma to work with the yoystick properly... It seems to give it a massive deadzone and doest doesnt move back with the stick like dcs... Its hard to explain..

Man up, mouse and keyboard ftw :p

[doveman 7]

Man up, mouse and keyboard ftw :p

Maybe I should just map my joystick to mouse and keyboard ;)

[scarecrow398 43]

yeah...i can definitely vouch for that haha. the aircraft responds waaaay different then the BIS aircraft or alot of other rotary winged aircraft addons.

You're a real jerk, you know that? playing around while all us simpletons wait around...

Man up, mouse and keyboard ftw :p

Indeed, the mouse just seems so much more presise for flying in arma.

[nodunit 397]

Could be that the handling characteristics were made to go down the middle of the road, similar to TKOH. The relatively sluggish behaviour of default birds takes away from the joystick..I think the only default bird I fly with a joystick much is the little bird and sometimes the blackhawk.

If you're having trouble with the joystick settings you may want to check the profile as well, and see if you can turn the deadzones off completely, or null it. I had to do that when I got my second stick and it works like a charm now.

[franze 196]

Mouse n' keyboard will still work but there will be a learning period since the agility - and instability - is increased compared to BIS helicopters.

Sorry that we don't have much to show right now, been working on documentation, missions, and scripting. Scripting refinements and fixes have been going through as we try to iron out bugs and implement planned features. Things are getting done and we have only a few major hurdles left before we can go for an initial release.

[doveman 7]

Could be that the handling characteristics were made to go down the middle of the road, similar to TKOH. The relatively sluggish behaviour of default birds takes away from the joystick..I think the only default bird I fly with a joystick much is the little bird and sometimes the blackhawk.

If you're having trouble with the joystick settings you may want to check the profile as well, and see if you can turn the deadzones off completely, or null it. I had to do that when I got my second stick and it works like a charm now.

I guess you mean in the joystick software, as Arma doesn't have deadzones as far as I know. My joystick (Thrustmaster Hotas X) doesn't have any software to set them either, which is why I was looking at using AHK or GlovePIE.

Just looking at Arma's settings it's pretty tricky knowing what to set them to though. For example, there's the sensitivity="High"; setting. Whether that would be better on something else, who knows.

Then there's a line joystickSensitivity[]={0.5,0.5,0.5,0.5,0.5,0.5,1,1,0.5,0.5,0.5,0.5,0.5,0.5,1,1}; which I imagine is redundant and gets ignored as there's a specific line further down for my joystick

sensitivity[]={0.5,0.5,2,0.5,0.5,0.5,1,1,0.5,0.5,0.5,0.5,0.5,0.5,1,1};

It describes which Axis each of these apply to at the bottom of the page here but that doesn't necessarily help us know what to set them to for our joysticks.

I just find this tip by Beagle to set the throttle down sensitivity lower than the throttle up. As I'm using pull towards me=collective up, I've reversed the position of the numbers he's highlighted but I haven't tried it yet to see if it negates the need for GlovePIE.

He also suggested using one of the rotaries on the X52 as a trim. I don't have one of those but I could just map Q/Z to two buttons on my stick, as I can achieve a hover tapping those.

[franze 196]

Those of you with joystick problems have already checked the Controllers>Customize options that ArmA2 provides?

[doveman 7]

I just tried with sensitivity[]={1.4,1.7,2,1,1,1,1,1,1.4,1.7,1,1,1,1,1,1}; and that seems to be better than with 0.5 for the first two values and the Z+/Z- values (3rd number) allow me to achieve a hover without using GlovePIE so that's nice.

I also tried with a Xbox360 controller and that seems to give me more control as I can make fine adjustments by quick movements on the left stick (mapped in Arma to bank and pitch) and use the two bumpers for X/C for pedals and the two triggers mapped to Z/Q for collective. With my Thrustmaster Hotas X, it's hard to make those fine adjustments with the stick as a) it has a lot more resistance, although that can be adjusted so I'm going to try that and b) it has a relatively large deadzone built-in (observed by watching the DirectInput figures with Xpadder), particularly on the X axis, which means it doesn't change at all until I move it a certain amount and then it tends to suddenly slip away from the center so that it's hard to make very fine, precise adjustments. The deadzone's much smaller on the Y axis though.

I have found it much easier to control the helos with X/C mapped to the yaw buttons on the throttle rather than trying to use the twist-stick though. I think it's just too hard trying to twist the stick whilst trying to move it on the X and Y axis all at the same time, so having the pedals controlled separately from the stick is a lot easier.

[DJankovic 401]

Just to let you know. I have just bought a joystick so that I can use it for primarily your mod! This is looking amazing guys. There is just so much detail and functionality that it will keep me going for ages ! Please keep up the good work!

Me too....i cant wait for this AH-64 :D :D ...

[jumpnjack 10]

Im just wondering if you will be making a special helmet for the Apache crew as well?