Take On - Community Preview

[royaltyinexile 175]

As the Take On Helicopters development moves through beta, we're ready to start letting players take a sneaky peek under the hood.

To begin with, we're set to offer a limited amount of work-in-progress content to the community, including one of our helicopters, its associated flight-model and the new interactive functionality.

In this thread, we'll try to keep you up to date with any notable updates to the plans or the preview data. Below follows some early info about the Preview.

• What? Take On Helicopters - Community Preview (Downloadable)
  
• When? Preview Launched on 24.06.11; periodic automatic updates thereafter
  
• Who? Owners of Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead
  
• How? Download from our website, right now!
  

Important! these releases are very much work-in-progress (wip) and do not feature final content.

We’ll try to list major known issues, but if you are not willing to deal with wip features, bugs or instability, please do not try these releases and wait for the game to be finished!

Note: Use shortcut created by the installer and do NOT run directly the binary of TOH Community Preview.

Feedback! We look forward to receiving your feedback in this section of the forums, where you can discuss many different aspects of the game.

The Community Issue Tracker is also kindly providing a project category to post issues to directly, which is useful for identifying/keeping a track of known issues.

Installation! Ripped directly from the file labelled "read me" in the download package, A spoiler it is not:

HOW TO INSTALL, RUN & UPDATE THE COMMUNITY PREVIEW:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

To install for the first time, run the preview EXE to apply the setup automatically (you may be prompted to choose your exact version in some occasions). To update, you must un-install and install once more.

* This will install all preview content to a mod folder "tkoh_preview"

* To launch TKOH Community Preview, you must use the shortcut "Launch TKOH Community Preview". This is located in the main game directory.

* Note, you can always run your Arma2 OA final version in the main Arma2 OA folder if you use default application shortcuts, start menu or run the regular arma2OA.exe without the preview mod folder.

Extra information: you can configure your TKOH Community Preview to include other mods, etc.

* To launch custom mods, just make make sure that in your ArmA shortcut start-up target line:

- You are running the takeonhpreview.exe.exe from your "tkoh_preview" folder.

- You have "tkoh_preview" in your modfolder as in -mod=tkoh_preview

example: "C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead\tkoh_preview\takeonhpreview.exe.exe" -mod=tkoh_preview

- Make sure the shortcut's "Start In" section refers to main "ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead" main working folder and NOT "ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead/tkoh_preview"

example: "C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead"

Best,

RiE

Edited July 1, 2011 by RoyaltyinExile
Scheaky release

[Dwarden 1125]

check my Twitter (my signature) for exclusive picture from it ;)

[royaltyinexile 175]

Hi, everyone!

We usually make our updates around 16/17h, but there's really no point in making you guys hang around needlessly...

We've had to shift our Community Preview back until tomorrow, 24.06.11, primarily due to the incredibly hectic release of information and assets associated with the 10 year anniversary!

On the plus side, this has given us a little more time to fix some initial things up, such as better crash detection (this has proven useful for myself at least :p) and adding support for Cyrillic.

Best,

RiE

[royaltyinexile 175]

OP updated.

The Community Preview has been released! ...Timidly shivering its way into the blinding, cruel world. Feel free not to be gentle!

Best,

RiE

[royaltyinexile 175]

OP updated with info from the read me; specifically, installation instructions!

Best,

RiE

[royaltyinexile 175]

Hi, everyone,

First off, a big thanks for all the feedback and the enthusiasm we've seen from most of the community so far! Hopefully it's been - to some extent - repayed by getting to play around with the new tech, and the chance to make some missions of your own!

There are several issues raised that we can add to our 'known' list, which I'll see about updating for the next commprev patch in the coming days. Also, it's (I suppose) encouraging to see a lot of similar feedback that we've gather from the recent focus testing, which hopefully helps us to focus our limited time and efforts on the most important areas that could do with improving.

From my own brief analysis, much feedback centres upon the following:

• Throttle - naming and mapping it, people not seeing how to properly control the collective.
  
• Joystick Deadzone - unresponsive for many in the centre, less controllable aircraft, difficult to land.
  
• Torque - Underpowered tail, torque induced yaw is too strong, as is rolling in a bank.
  
• Turbulence - Uncertain about visual feedback/ missing effects at other times.
  

Obviously, there are other important and advanced areas upon which people have provided some really great feedback - some of which may indeed be a product of the other issues identified. No feedback gets left behind! However, this is certainly enough be get our teeth into, not to mention all the tasks we're busy with on top of that!

I'll repeat again that everything that we've got is WiP and very much subject to change; in fact, it's partly our own fault for not emphasising some of the known issues, such as the unusual 'weight' of the flight model, which makes the light chopper feel a little more bulky than it should, or not pointing out the legacy naming conventions of 'thrust' and 'brake'.

Best,

RiE

[royaltyinexile 175]

Hello, community test-pilots!

We've finished our first update, which introduced some basic exe fixes, and some specific things too. Other feedback (partly noted in the above post; particularly in regard to the flight model and handling), is in WiP, but requires a longer turn around or are not yet internally tested for distribution.

You should consult the new changelog for recent fixes, updates and known issues, but here's some highlights about the light chopper:

• Pilot's feet respond to pedal adjustments
  
• Ground contact points improved - let us know if it affects your landings and collisions!
  
• Temperature gauges linked to game engine
  
• Passenger proxies corrected - No more ridin' dirty on the exterior of the chopper.
  

Small note, to update, you should uninstall and reinstall the Community Preview. I've updated the OP with all that jazz.

Thanks again, and happy flyin'.

RiE

[royaltyinexile 175]

Ahoj, fellow rotor-wingophiles! Hmm.. unconvinced.

We've launching our second update, introducing some further modifications to the flight dynamics, a prototype extended HUD (programmer-art included!), and a bunch of other fixes and tweaks.

You should consult the new changelog for recent fixes, updates and known issues, but here's some highlights:

• Compatible with Arma 2: Reinforcements - because who needs Arrowhead when you've got BAF & PMC? :P
  
• Big Flight Dynamics modifications - The light chopper should now feel more agile
  
• Prototype HUD - Let us know if you think its useful; particularly, if flying in exterior view
  

Small note: to update, you should uninstall and reinstall the Community Preview.

Thanks again, and happy flyin'.

RiE

[royaltyinexile 175]

Hello, Fellow helicopteers!

Another update to the Com Prev today, bringing some fixes and aesthetic tweaks.

As Always, consult the changelog for recent fixes, updates and known issues, but here's some highlights:

• Light helicopter: improved sound effects - effects better ties to gforces, rpm, start-up
  
• Analogue gauges improved - this ain't our final art work, just an update
  
• Joystick deadband filter removed - note, this doesn't address the deadzone issue, which is being worked on separately.
  

Remember: to update, you should uninstall and reinstall the Community Preview!

Thanks as always for your continued feedback and support,

RiE

[royaltyinexile 175]

Greetings, Fellow Chopperheads!

So, it's our forth update to the Com Prev today, and this time we're proving that we listen to what you say. Ok, most of what you say. Fine - some of it. Alright, alright, so, ONE THING. But... I know you've been waiting for it... deadzones!

Ok, bravado aside, this is the first step in our process of addressing the issue of deadzones, so, of course, we'd appreciate any further feedback that you might have on the topic, and also in regard to the other tweaks and features added this week, and across our three previous updates.

As always, consult the changelog for recent fixes, updates and known issues, but here's some highlights:

• Controller axes deadzones are now configurable - Find it in the Options menu with the sensitivity sliders!
  
• Controller axes are now identified as active while configuring - Visualises your axes
  
• Helicopter controls category added and selected by default - Change your settings in the dedicated category
  
• Better transition when setting collective by controller and then changing to keyboard -Values are better aligned
  
• Better handling of throttle after getting out and getting back in separately
  

Remember: to update, you should uninstall and reinstall the Community Preview! People that fail to read this text will be liable to an indiscriminate slap in the tail rotor.

Thanks as always for your continued feedback and support,

RiE

[royaltyinexile 175]

Greetings, Brethren of the (rotor) Blade!

It's our 5th revision of the Com Prev and, today, we're all about the sensitivity.

Our second step towards addressing the issue of deadzones sees us deploy a configurable linear multiplication factor for all joystick axes' sensitivity. We've also made some changes to the controls set up more generally, so be sure to configure the actions correctly in the new 'helicopter' selection in the controls option menu.

Be sure to consult the changelog for recent fixes, updates and known issues, but, as usual, here's some highlights:

• Primary helicopter and airplane controls better separated and distinctly named - May require manual re-mapping of some controls!
  
• Helicopter controls added for cockpit interaction - Starters, throttles, batteries, etc.
  
• Configurable linear multiplication factor added for all joystick axes' sensitivity - For all your sensitive needs
  
• Analogue gauges improved - Check out that vertical speed needle, huh?

We'd also like to ask a small favour, as we try to improve our support for a range of peripherals. Details of our request can be found here!

Remember: to update, you should uninstall and reinstall the Community Preview! We're watching you.

Many thanks for your continued feedback and support,

RiE

Edited July 29, 2011 by RoyaltyinExile

[royaltyinexile 175]

Grrrreetings, Knights of the Rotor Table!

This - the 6th revision of the Com Prev - adds a first implementation of better controller defaults using schemes. Currently, we include several abstract and generic schemes for various types of controllers, but we intend to ship with good defaults for as many specific controllers as possible.

You can map a scheme to a controller by going to Options > Controls > Controller > Customize > Schemes, selecting the desired scheme and pressing 'Map'.

It's also possible to save your personal scheme. Currently this can only be done using the script command saveJoysticks. It will save to a joysticks.cfg file in your user profile folder (e.g. Documents and Settings\Username\My Documents\Take On Helis). Any controllers defined in that file will also be possible to map, including those you get from other players.

Be sure to consult the changelog for recent fixes, updates and known issues, but, as usual, here's some highlights:

Revision 83450

• IGUI changed - better support for analogue gauges
  
• New controller schemes functionality added - In the 'Customize controller' menu press 'Schemes'
  
• Mini-GPS added to GPS toggle control - default: RCtrl + M
  

Ssssshould you feel you've configured useful defaults for a specific type of controller, consider posting it here, for others to enjoy and for us to steal :n:

Rrrrremember: to update, you should uninstall and reinstall the Community Preview!

Keep on flyin',

RrrrriE

Edited August 5, 2011 by RoyaltyinExile

[DnA 5139]

With Royalty being exiled to Germany to attend GamesCom, I’m in charge of telling you all about our seventh iteration of the Com Prev. Not having released one last week, we felt a little bit bad and worked extra hard today!

The primary focus is on the User Interface, by providing some more customization options, skinning more menus (like controller customization), adding some necessary video options (note: cloud quality will not do anything for you yet :p), and a debug console.

The in-game UI elements have also had some cool changes, namely damage and warning indicators, and target limits for the gauges. During the restricted flight segment you can now see your maximum flight ceiling and minimum speed.

Be sure to consult the changelog for recent fixes, updates and known issues, but, as usual, here's some highlights:

Revision 83836

• IGUI customization added - move around those gauges, hints and titles however you like
  
• PIP toggle and shadow distance options added - pictures within pictures within pictures was too much for some
  
• Improved engine temperature handling implemented - watch your gauges and be sure to let her cool down
  

Remember: to update, you should uninstall and reinstall the Community Preview!

[DnA 5139]

In the previous revision (83836), we included a TKOH-specific TrackIR profile. NaturalPoint has now kindly added the profile to the public game list, so just update this list in your TrackIR control panel and it will start working.

[royaltyinexile 175]

Salutations, padawan of the propeller!

Today marks the eighth glorious revision of the Community Preview, which goes a long way towards fixing the new features added in the last revision, and very little else. :p

Although we've been hard at work plugging in new features, and iterating through feedback from GC 2011, we took on some of the feedback from last week, and today are all set to boot the changes back out the door.

Be sure to consult the changelog for recent fixes, updates and known issues, but, as usual, here's some highlights:

Revision 84010

• IGUI layout customization improved - It wasn't working correctly on triple-head
  
• Shadow visibility option functional - we heard you liked draw distance so now we've got draw distance in our draw distance
  
• Freelook interaction option added in "Game Options" - Controls whether freelook is on or off by default, and whether you will interact with actions or weapons by default
  

As I'm sure you all know by now, to update, you should uninstall and reinstall the Community Preview!

:don 14:

Thanks as always,

RiE

[royaltyinexile 175]

Good afternoon, apprentices of the airfoil,

Today we've released the ninth incarnation of the Community Preview, which takes another crack at the light helicopter's flight model.

There are some specific additions, such as Retreating Blade Stall, and a gamut of small tweaks to its aerodynamic properties.

Be sure to consult the changelog for recent fixes, updates and known issues, but, as usual, here's some highlights:

Revision 84010

• Retreating blade stall improved - effect at high speeds and during high G manoeuvres better simulated.
  
• Light helicopter FM - updated and tuned aerodynamic properties
  
• Controls for manual trimming added - adjustment controls for Cyclic left, right, forward and backward, and Pedals left and right
  

As I'm sure you all know by now, to update,you should uninstall and reinstall the Community Preview!

:404:

We hope you enjoy it,

RiE

Edited September 9, 2011 by RoyaltyinExile