UAV Quirks

[LorenLuke 11]

I know that it has been touched on numerous times that the UAV and UAV Module are absolute bollocks in contrast to just about everything, let alone what the scripting community can do...

As such I had been working on creating a UAV module to fix it for myself (and see if I actually could do it... :p). Anywho, I noticed something extremely peculiar while doing so and wanted to ask the community if they too had noticed the following:

The UAV Laser Designator does not follow the turret...

I've noticed when adding the "Laserdesignator_Mounted" weapon to say, an AH64, that the designator follows the gunner's optics. Not so with the MQ9; it just shoots a laser straight out from the nose of the aircraft.

Have there been any mods to correct this (I mean actual cfgs written, not something scripted like what Mando or LDL have done)?

-Thanx,

Luke

[gossamersolid 155]

I think RKSL-Rock is working on a new UAV system, not sure what the status is of it though.

[kremator 1064]

the UAV and UAV Module are absolute bollocks

Come on now .... don't sit on the fence !

[LorenLuke 11]

Come on now .... don't sit on the fence !

I'll try to be less ambiguous next time... :P

But in all seriousness, here's the Cfg for the MQ9:

class CfgPatches {

class CAAir2_MQ9PredatorB {
	units = {"MQ9PredatorB"};
	weapons = {};
	requiredVersion = 0.100000;
	requiredAddons = {"CAAir2", "CAUI"};
};
};

class CfgVehicles {
/*extern*/ class Plane;

class UAV: Plane {
	/*extern*/ class NewTurret;
	/*extern*/ class ViewPilot;
};

class MQ9PredatorB: UAV {
	hasgunner = 1;
	ejectDamageLimit = 1;
	unitinfotype = "RscUnitInfoUAV";
	wreck = "MQ9PredatorWreck";
	scope = 2;
	side = 1;
	faction = "USMC";
	crew = "USMC_Soldier";
	typicalCargo = {"USMC_Soldier"};
	displayName = "$STR_DN_MQ9";
	vehicleClass = "Air";
	soundGetIn = {"", 0.056234, 1};
	soundGetOut = {"", 0.056234, 1};
	soundDammage = {"", 0.562341, 1};
	soundEngineOnInt = {"CA\SOUNDS\Air\MQ9\ext\mq9_start", 0.100000, 1.000000};
	soundEngineOnExt = {"CA\SOUNDS\Air\MQ9\ext\mq9_start", 0.100000, 1.000000, 700};
	soundEngineOffInt = {"CA\SOUNDS\Air\MQ9\ext\mq9_stop", 0.100000, 1.000000};
	soundEngineOffExt = {"CA\SOUNDS\Air\MQ9\ext\mq9_stop", 0.100000, 1.000000, 700};

	class Sounds {

		class EngineLowOut {
			sound = {"ca\sounds\Air\MQ9\ext\mq9_engine_low", 0.562341, 1.000000, 800};
			frequency = "rpm";
			volume = "engineOn*(rpm factor[0.85, 0.4])";
		};

		class EngineHighOut {
			sound = {"ca\sounds\Air\MQ9\ext\mq9_engine_hi", 0.562341, 1.100000, 1200};
			frequency = "rpm";
			volume = "engineOn*(rpm factor[0.55, 1.0])";
		};

		class WindNoiseOut {
			sound = {"ca\sounds\Air\MQ9\ext\ext-jetair-wind1", 0.562341, 1.600000, 150};
			frequency = "(0.1+(1.2*(speed factor[1, 150])))";
			volume = "(speed factor[1, 150])";
		};
	};

	class Library {
		libTextDesc = "$STR_LIB_MQ9";
	};
	model = "\ca\air2\MQ9PredatorB\MQ9PredatorB.p3d";
	picture = "\ca\air2\data\UI\picture_MQ9PredatorB_CA.paa";
	icon = "\ca\air2\data\UI\icon_MQ9PredatorB_CA.paa";
	mapSize = 18.500000;
	armor = 10;
	damageResistance = 0.006760;
	extCameraPosition = {0, 2, -30};
	accuracy = 1.000000;
	cost = 200000;
	maxSpeed = 482;
	fuelCapacity = 3600;

	class Reflectors {
	};
	driverAction = "ManActTestDriver";
	cargoAction = {};
	transportSoldier = 0;
	laserScanner = "true";
	threat = {0.500000, 1, 0.100000};
	aileronSensitivity = 0.500000;
	elevatorSensitivity = 0.300000;
	noseDownCoef = 0.025000;
	landingAoa = "rad 7";
	gearRetracting = 1;
	ejectSpeed = {0, 0, 0};
	envelope = {0.000000, 0.000000, 0.300000, 1.000000, 2.500000, 3.300000, 3.500000, 3.200000, 2.500000, 2.000000, 1.500000, 1.000000};
	landingSpeed = 160;
	wheelSteeringSensitivity = 0.500000;
	animated = 1;
	gearAnimations = {};
	driverForceOptics = 1;
	memoryPointDriverOptics = "pilotview";
	driverOpticsModel = "";

	class ViewPilot {
		initFov = 0.800000;
		minFov = 0.300000;
		maxFov = 1;
		initAngleX = 0;
		minAngleX = 0;
		maxAngleX = 0;
		initAngleY = 0;
		minAngleY = 0;
		maxAngleY = 0;
	};

	class Viewoptics {
		initFov = 0.850000;
		minFov = 0.950000;
		maxFov = 0.350000;
		initAngleX = 0;
		minAngleX = 0;
		maxAngleX = 0;
		initAngleY = 0;
		minAngleY = 0;
		maxAngleY = 0;
	};

	class Turrets {

		class MainTurret: NewTurret {
			minElev = -90;
			maxElev = 38.200001;
			initElev = -45;
			minTurn = -180;
			maxTurn = 180;
			initTurn = 0;
			maxHorizontalRotSpeed = 100;
			maxVerticalRotSpeed = 100;
			startEngine = 0;
			body = "mainturret";
			gun = "maingun";
			animationSourceBody = "mainturret";
			animationSourceGun = "maingun";

			class Viewoptics {
				initAngleX = 0;
				minAngleX = -30;
				maxAngleX = 30;
				initAngleY = 0;
				minAngleY = -100;
				maxAngleY = 100;
				minFov = "0.20   /100";
				initFov = "0.20";
				maxFov = "0.20";
			};
			soundServo = {"", 0.010000, 1.000000};
			outGunnerMayFire = 1;
			commanding = -1;
			gunBeg = "laser_start";
			gunEnd = "laser_end";
			memoryPointGunnerOptics = "gunnerview";
			selectionFireAnim = "";
			castGunnerShadow = 0;
			viewGunnerShadow = 0;
			gunnerOpticsModel = "\ca\weapons\2Dscope_UAV.p3d";
			gunnerForceOptics = 1;
			weapons = {"Laserdesignator_mounted", "HellfireLauncher"};
			magazines = {"Laserbatteries", "8Rnd_Hellfire"};
		};
	};

	class Damage {
		tex = {};
		mat = {"ca\air2\mq9predatorb\data\mq9predatorb.rvmat", "ca\air2\mq9predatorb\data\mq9predatorb_damage.rvmat", "ca\air2\mq9predatorb\data\mq9predatorb_destruct.rvmat", "ca\air2\mq9predatorb\data\mq9predatorb_gearbox.rvmat", "ca\air2\mq9predatorb\data\mq9predatorb_gearbox_damage.rvmat", "ca\air2\mq9predatorb\data\mq9predatorb_gearbox_destruct.rvmat"};
	};
};

class MQ9PredatorB_campaign: MQ9PredatorB {
	scope = 1;
	accuracy = 0;
};
};

Can anyone see why the laser wouldn't be slaved to the turret?

-Thanx,

Luke

[That guy 10]

maybe that whole "planes cant have turrets" thing? the game engine does not support turrets for fixed wing aircraft.

the UAVs really are quite a mess. the Russian one doesn't even work properly

[LorenLuke 11]

maybe that whole "planes cant have turrets" thing?

Now, I have to wonder about that because I believed it to be fixed in A2.

Can someone confirm me wrong?

Plus the interesting thing about that is that the turret does in fact articulate and rotate to where the gunner looks, but the laser designator doesn't follow.

Get in as a gunner while commanding a unit and use the keypad delete key to see...

Best example of the weapon not eing slaved is to just plain put

this addWeapon "M230"; this addmagazine "1200rnd_30x113mm_m789_hedp" 

in the init of the uav...

-Thanx

Luke

[rksl-rock 1300]

Now, I have to wonder about that because I believed it to be fixed in A2.

Can someone confirm me wrong?

Plus the interesting thing about that is that the turret does in fact articulate and rotate to where the gunner looks, but the laser designator doesn't follow.

Get in as a gunner while commanding a unit and use the keypad delete key to see...

Best example of the weapon not eing slaved is to just plain put

this addWeapon "M230"; this addmagazine "1200rnd_30x113mm_m789_hedp" 

in the init of the uav...

-Thanx

Luke

You've just answered your own question :D

No it doesnt work properly so it makes turrets on plane practically useless.

And yes UNN and I are working on a new UAV system.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showpost.php?p=1941398&postcount=1182

[gossamersolid 155]

Turrets on planes needs to be fixed in A3 then, enough of these bullshit problems that have existed since OFP... If we can have rotary wing vehicles with moving turrets, why can't we have fixed wing with moving turrets.

[jakerod 254]

You can actually have turrets on planes now technically. You just have to use a little thing called the attachto command. You could attach an m2 turret to the uav and make it invisible using that deletecollection command or something like that and then add a laser designator to it.

[gossamersolid 155]

You can actually have turrets on planes now technically. You just have to use a little thing called the attachto command. You could attach an m2 turret to the uav and make it invisible using that deletecollection command or something like that and then add a laser designator to it.

I'm not talking about a dirty script workaround, we should have working turrets on fixed wing aircraft by default.

[jakerod 254]

I'm not talking about a dirty script workaround, we should have working turrets on fixed wing aircraft by default.

I think we should but I don't think it should be a priority. There are very few planes these days that have turrets on them. With the only ones I can think of being strategic bombers like B-52s and those Russian ones.

[rksl-rock 1300]

You can actually have turrets on planes now technically. You just have to use a little thing called the attachto command. You could attach an m2 turret to the uav and make it invisible using that deletecollection command or something like that and then add a laser designator to it.

Yes its one option but it does not allow you the same 'ease-of-use' as the engine based solution does. It also has some potentially serious mp sync issues. We tried it for several projects before dropping it as imparactical for fast moving aircraft.

---------- Post added at 16:44 ---------- Previous post was at 16:43 ----------

I think we should but I don't think it should be a priority. There are very few planes these days that have turrets on them. With the only ones I can think of being strategic bombers like B-52s and those Russian ones.

Not true at all. Nearly all modern aircraft use "turrets" for targetting pods. A feature that a hell of a lot of people have asked for.

[LorenLuke 11]

Not true at all. Nearly all modern aircraft use "turrets" for targetting pods. A feature that a hell of a lot of people have asked for.

Don't forget about a bona fide unscripted AC-130, any UAV's optic 'eyeball', a the above-mentioned laser designator pod, and potentiality for creating a YAL-1 or a C130 Advanced Tactical Laser variant.

Also, @Rock: If planes don't work with turrets... how do you propose making a working UAV?

-Thanx

Luke

[rksl-rock 1300]

Also, @Rock: If planes don't work with turrets... how do you propose making a working UAV?

-Thanx

Luke

We're using a hybrid system. I'm really not qualified (ie how it technically functions is beyond me) to properly explain it. Its UNN's project. He's finishing up the interface for it and after some testing we'll put up a video to explain it all before release.

But it does work rather well :)