Blake's PINS (Pseudo Inertial Navigation System) and Bombing

[blakeace 11]

Blake's PINS(Pseudo Inertial Navigation System) and Bombing. V1.03.03

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Note: Video is of an older module version. I haven't had time to create a newer one.

Current version has no module, it uses CBA to launch the addon.

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Rover Terminal Testing Alpha Test release included in version 1.2

Requirements:

PRADAR requires extended event handlers found in Community Base Addons.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=103871

Introduction:

RL is limiting my online time atm, and a lot of things I have played around with are just getting dusty on my HD. So I figure better to just release as an ALPHA product and hope the community can enjoy some of these addons. FeedBack welcome especially regarding functionality on dedicated servers.

Background to design choices. Firstly I am an avid flight simulation enthusist, and have been using one piece of software or another for nearly thirty years. That said I believe Arma to primarily be and infantry simulator. It's one unqiue feature over any other software I have used in my opinion is it's ability to allow human players to experince the interaction between different arms within the military. So my focus here was to try and maximise that communication from the air to the ground, so many aspects are simplified in the aircraft so that hopefully on the ground it seems no different to somebody linking dcs a10 to arma.

Most importantly I wanted to maximise situational awareness, so that instead of the pilot always having his head in the map, he always has the most important reference point right there. He can then relay things like how long he will be what direction all from the information displayed. Hopefully it will make things like targetting with referencing smoke a lot easier as the imediate area is framed. Though the pilot still needs to use his eyes to find the exact point and the reference frame doesn't focus right down to the exact point. Resonably easy with a cluster of five buildings, difficult in the middle of a large town or city.

Even if you are just tranporting troops in, and you want to fly low, this gives you the distance to the area allowing you to focus on flying without be distracted by where you are going, or worse plowing into the ground because it took a little to long for your map to close.

Depending on the mission you can add a camera so the pilot can focus in more precisely on the area either as an aid for when referencing points with the ground, or fine tuning for CCIP,CCRP or Laser delivery.

I also wanted to have the different types of attacks represented better. So that the ground controller can make better use of the planes munitions. So unguided bombs can no longer lock onto a vehicle, but the pilot actually has an aiming cursor. Unguided bombs will drift too, so careful consideration needs to be applied in regards to where friendly troops are located. Eg target has a couple of non radar guided anti aircraft guns in a farm, friendlies in nearby woods. You have a harrier on call with unguided bombs. Better to setup a medium altitude CCRP run, to limit the guns effect compared to diving down onto the target. If this target was in the middle of the city then this may not be the right call as a stray bomb could kill civilians etc. Making the decisions of the controller on the ground all that more important.

Things like the height you release unguided bombs affect where they impact as drift is calculated into their flight. Holding the aircraft steady is also important as the rotational forces are passed onto the released bombs.

Installation:

Same as any other addon. If you are unsure, please search the forums for help.

A good starting point is here.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showpost.php?p=1908141&postcount=2

History:

Version 1.03.03

• Fixed: Menus not appearing if the player doesn't start in the plane broken in the last update. (Thanks to Sjaba for finding this one).
  

Version 1.03.02

• Altered: Menus to be created with the aircraft rather than dynamically to prevent duplication.
  

Version 1.03.01

• Fixed: Bomb pipper staying visible when non bomb weapons selected.
  
• Fixed: Action menu item duplication in multi person aircraft.
  
• 
  

Version 1.03

• Minor changes to the rover terminal and have included the pbo by default.
  
• Changed: Rover terminal FEED view now selected by toggling the zoomin key NUM+ by default.
  
• Removed sound when viewing rover feed.
  
• Added code to hopefully prevent the locked thermal view issue.
  

Version 1.02

• Added map auto closes after selecting the steerpoint.
  
• Added a menu item FEED that broadcasts your cameras video feed to an external unit such as a JTAC. (Alpha)(Hold zoomout key to access. Requires a camera).
  
• Added a mod Rover terminal, an adaption of the default laptop that functions as a Rover terminal. (Alpha)
  

Version 1.01.1

• Added HUD secondary System menu item as an option for avoiding conflicting addons/scripts. Causes PINS to use the alternative resource layer.
  
• Fixed a couple of issues when cleaning up after death, where overlay components would remain visible.
  

Version 1.01

• Added Toggle laser off and on while in camera view. LookCenter key Default NUM5.
  
• Added Reset menu item to action menu if overlay disappears. Requires user to hold zoom out key to make visible.
  
• Changed Hud Colour/Display options to require user to hold down the zoom out key. Help declutter action menu.
  
• Removed Zoom action menu, not required with using CBA key handlers.
  
• Fixed syntax error that prevented a CBA key eventhandler from being removed.
  
• Tweeked some of the routines to try and reduce mods overall impact slightly.
  
• Added a config modification to help resolve ACE unguided bomb issues. (Seperate PBO found in the ACE_Bomb_fix_beta folder in the download).
  
• Added one more zoom level "Very Wide" North marker set at 200m.
  

Version 1.0

• Fixed missing { in the code contained in the fired event handler.
  
• Changed setting SP to be from within an action menu.
  
• Removed SP reset action menu, not required with the change above.
  
• Resized the text in the camera view.
  
• Removed firing range limits.
  
• Older version history in spoiler.
  

Version 0.5a

• Changed Flir colour from green to white.
  
• Added Lase indicator to the camera view.
  
• Added Grid reference of SP to the camera view.
  
• Added current weapons name and ammo amount to the camera view.
  
• Changed hud colours to be either bright or dark options only.
  
• Changed the camera info to be either black or white dependant on the hud colour settings.
  
• Added the ability to fire weapons from the camera view, keyboard only, watch key. (Joysticks with the ability to assign key strokes may be able to use that function to fire from the stick - not tested).
  
• Added mouse support for moving the camera.
  

Version 0.4a

• Altered the locking algorithm as it was conflicting with targeting vehicle objects.
  
• Added IR and white hot, black hot thermal modes for the camera. Keyboard only, zoomout key. Default "numpad -" to cycle through the modes.
  
• Changed the daylight camera to colour.
  
• Increased the rate of movement for slewing the camera.
  
• Added RST SP action menu. Allows better functionality with other mods. Example [FRL] Myke's missle Box JDAM addon also requires the onmouseclick functionality. Selecting this after using the gps dialog for the jdam will restore the onmouseclick functionality for repositioning the steerpoint.
  
• Added menu item SP-ACRFT Selecting this menu item will also set the sp marker to the aircrafts current position. Useful for marking up something unexpected without needing to bring up the map.
  
• Added menu item SP-LOCK Selecting this menu item will set the sp to the currently locked target if it isn't an aircraft.
  
• Guns no longer fire using the PINS fire default watch.
  

Version 0.3a Changes

• Changed control of the weapons systems to the gunner if there is one on the aircraft.
  
• Changed the binoculars key to be a toggle on toggle off for the flir cam, Hold breath is still only while held.
  

Version 0.2a Changes

• Added config check to increase the number of valid weapons recognised opfor laser missiles now work
  
• Fixed incorrect laser for opfor side
  
• Added basic check to redirect lasers that are under buildings onto a face of the bounding box
  
• Added generic lock cone for laser guided weapons
  
• Added lock indicator when laser weapons have acquired the laser.
  
• Added CBA keys handler to allow the use of the keyboard with some functions
  
• Binocular key can be used insitu of the hold breath key.
  
• The keyboard lookleft etc keys will now move the flir camera around if available.
  
• The zoomin key has better response through CBA handler.
  
• Added line of sight check to the laser, no need to keep refreshing via the flir camera. The laser will still revert to armed from on after 2mins of not using the camera.
  

Instructions:

The action menu contains many options depending on the aircraft and it's loadout.

Interface:

ActionMenu Items:

• CCIP/CCRP mode selection
  
• Ripple amount: Increase or decrease the number of unguided bombs released.
  
• Ripple interval: Set the time before releasing of next munition.
  
• Laser ARM/OFF
  
• Toggle HUD: Toggles between time to arrival and estimated time of arrival. Requires user to hold zoom out key to make visable.
  
• HUD colour: Will alter the heads up display colour. Doesn't include the bombing indicators at this stage. Requires user to hold zoom out key to make visable.
  
• SP-ACRFT will menu item will set the steerpoint to your planes current position. Good for marking up something unexpected.
  
• SP-LOCK will set the position of the steerpoint to where the currently locked enemy unit is, as long as it isn't an aircraft.
  
• SP-SET Select this to automatically open the map, then single click on the map to place the sp position.
  
• RESET HUD BREAKER Use this to restart the hud overlay if another script causes it the disapear. Requires user to hold zoom out key to make visable.
  
• FEED If a camera is in use this will broadcast the video to any nearby Rover terminals. Requires holding of zoomout key to access.
  

Keys/Buttons:

The watch key is your new pickle button. default "o".

Single clicking on the map:

Will set the steerpoint marker.

Hold breath:

Will access the optical camera. If enabled

Look left right up down default joystick hat keys and numpad keys:

Move the focus of the camera view. If enabled.

Zoom in key default Num +:

Toggles between the three zoom states of the camera. If enabled.

Hold breath will access the optical camera. If enabled

Usage:

Any keys referenced below assume default key configuration, if you have altered these the actual key presses required may have changed.

Depending on the aircraft, and if certain object variables have been set determine which features are available.

Navigation:

Once in the aircraft access the map and by single clicking on a position sets the steerpoint to that position. Use the SP-SET action menu item to open the map.

Interval Menu Items:

By altering the the interval values, any weapon like rockets and unguided bombes will fire one after the other with that gap when pressing the o key.

CCIP mode.

Selected via the menu, and this is the default mode when you first get in the aircraft.

Using the fire button will live jettison the bomb.

Using the "watch" key will release the bomb which will land somewhere near the calculated impact point represented by the circle shaped pipper.

The vertical line give steering cues to the steerpoint.

The horizontal line will drop down towards the pipper. When it is over the circle it is representing the calculated release point for hitting the steerpoint.

CCRP mode

Activated from the menu.

This uses the same cues as above, except this time you hold down the "watch" key, this is your authorisation for release if or when the computer calculates you are at the release point.

If you have selected to release more than one bomb using the ripple amount menu, the computer will calculate release to set the target at the centre of the string of bombs.

Camera:

If enabled, pressing the hold breath key will change the view to that of the camera. The camera always looks towards the steerpoint. Adjust the cameras direction using the joystick hat.

Use the zoom in key to change between the three zoom levels.

Careful, changing the cameras focus also moves the steerpoint marker. This can also occur if looking from far off. If there is a hill between you and the sp, the camera will change the sp postion to where it is hitting the intervening terrain.

Be careful while using the camera you have no control over the aircraft. Try to stabilise the aircraft first.

NUM - Will change the camera mode through daylight(colour),IR,Thermal white hot and black hot.

A north marker is displayed to help orient the pilot when communicating with somebody on the ground. Different zoom levels show the north marker different distances from the center point.

Flir WIDE 100m

Flir NORM 50m

Flir TELE 25m

Flir VWIDE 200m

To enable in an aircraft place this in it's initization field.

this setvariable ["FLIRloc", [3.4,0.9,-1.1],true];

The position array sets where the camera view is from for that aircraft.

Laser:

If enabled. Use the menu to arm the laser.

Access the optical camera by holding down the right mouse button.

Use the joystick hat to move the cameras view onto the target.

When you judge your are within the bombs release parameters (no cues given yet) pickle the bomb using the "watch" key.

You can adjust the laser by using the hat, to adjust impact. Though moving it to far may cause the bomb to loss focus and not hit.

Note: I can only check for laser line of site while the camera is active, so after ten seconds the laser will automatically shut off (cheat limiting), to ensure this doesn't occur periodically switch to the camera view until the bomb has impacted.

To enable in an aircraft place this in it's initization field.

this setvariable ["Laser", true,true];

Download:

Note: The ACE config changes PBO is only required if using ACE. From my limited testing it seems to help the situation with unguided bombs. It also changes the cluster bombs to show the aiming pipper for them. At higher levels the cluster munitions will fall short. Best employed at low level or dive bombing. Hopefully my changes don't impact on any other ACE functionality. Hence the beta label

Blakes PINS and Bombing : http://www.armedassault.info/index.php?game=1&cat=addons&id=1901

Added to Six Updater Network.

http://i51.tinypic.com/2yvv67o.png Direct Download | Mod info

http://rapidshare.com/files/2327674441/Blakes_PINS_EE_v1_03_03.rar

Edited February 11, 2013 by blakeace

[b00ce 160]

Woa! Great work, looks awesome!

[Angus S 10]

looks incredible!

[Guest]

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Blake's Pseudo Inertial Navigation System (PINS) and Bombing v0.1 Alpha



Community Base Addons

[ETBSmorgan 10]

Very good add-ons but i didn't see the modules like in your video.

[blakeace 11]

Thanks guys enjoy. I use this and my carrier ops to give me a pseudo harrier sim :D

Very good add-ons but i didn't see the modules like in your video.

There isn't one, video is of an older version. I converted it to utilise CBA so that I could have the code function without first having to getin the aircraft. I have a sentence below the video refering to that. I have increased it's font size to make it easier to see and reworded it. Sorry for the confusion.

@Foxhound, thank you as always!

[kremator 1065]

Nice work blakeace.

Now what happens if we DON'T have a joystick with hat?

[jump artist 0]

also, is there another button that will work other than Hold breath? I cant seem to remap that to use my joystick or any other key. I end up having to hold my mouse and then use my joystick which is kinda awkward. But this idea is amazing keep up the great work!

[blakeace 11]

Nice work blakeace.

Now what happens if we DON'T have a joystick with hat?

The commands are the look up, look down, look left, look right, in the controls dialog. Problem is when in the camera view I have never been able to get the keyboard equivalent to work. No idea why.

Your options are either moving the sp via the map or buying a joystick unfortunately as far as I know.

also, is there another button that will work other than Hold breath? I cant seem to remap that to use my joystick or any other key. I end up having to hold my mouse and then use my joystick which is kinda awkward. But this idea is amazing keep up the great work!

Similar issue to above, to get this to function I am limited to certain items that respond when it that view. The action menu isn't available, so that isn't an option. It is also why I give the ability to alter zoom when not in camera view as the zoomin doesn't always register. I originally had zoomout but after one of the previous patches, it stopped registering, forcing the cycling approach with three set zoom levels rather than a continuous in and out.

I didn't want a toggle on and off system as you have no control over the aircraft while viewing the camera. This was far easier for me to quickly view the camera before switching back to controlling the aircraft.

If I can find another keypress that is redundant during flight but responds in that view I could look at adding a toggle option. That doesn't help short term, and I am not even sure if there is one.

Sorry I can't offer anything more.

Blake.

Edited January 6, 2012 by blakeace

[P.Denton 10]

great job!

Why don't BIS take CCIP mode into Arma3?

In default Arma2, if we need to bomb the target, you must dive into the target and release the bomb like doing so in WW2.

I think MANDOBLE have already made CCIP mode however, more options are always welcome.

[bigpickle 0]

has really good potential to help stop those crazy random bomb droppers (you all know who you are ;p)

Does it work well in MP?

[sabre4809 0]

also, is there another button that will work other than Hold breath? I cant seem to remap that to use my joystick or any other key. I end up having to hold my mouse and then use my joystick which is kinda awkward. But this idea is amazing keep up the great work!

I have always had hold breath bound to H (since the default binding for H is pointless) and disabled the right mouse binding so you can zoom without holding breath. Then with H bound to hold breath I use Logi profiler to get it to bind H to a joy button. Works for me.

I cannot get any of the CCRP or CCIP stuff to work, they just dont show up at all, no action menu regarding them, nothing.

Would it also be possible for you to somehow get it working for the Russian guided weapons, Laser KABs and KH-29L and KH-25ML?

[b00ce 160]

ACE has functionality for the KH-29, its pretty nifty, I have to say. ;)

VxbYTmDWch8

You can use the spacebar to designate then arrow keys to move the laser as you need. The video I made doesn't say this, because I didn't know at the time.

[sabre4809 0]

ACE has functionality for the KH-29, its pretty nifty, I have to say. ;)

No where near the required capability. Ignoring the Su-25, I'd like to employ these weapons accurately and effectively. The current ACE implementation falls short.

[blakeace 11]

Does it work well in MP?

Like my other releases at this time, this has been tested on my small test dedicated server by me, but hasn't had any real MP testing.

I don't see any issues, the bombs are default nothing special, I'm just using the lock feature of the unguided bombs to lock onto where my impact predictor algorithm indicates, plus a drift factor.

One current limitation is I am only creating west laser markers. They should be visible by other clients. Just dont lase directly over a building. The target will be inside as I just create a laser target at the sp point.

I cannot get any of the CCRP or CCIP stuff to work, they just dont show up at all, no action menu regarding them, nothing.

Would it also be possible for you to somehow get it working for the Russian guided weapons, Laser KABs and KH-29L and KH-25ML?

Are you using any mods? I have only developed this with vanilla Arma using it's default unguided munitions. One job that I have yet to solve is how to determine if a weapon is a unguided, laser etc via it's config.

So far the missiles seem to operate differently. So I haven't been able to use the technique I'm using for bombs with missiles.

In the next version I have added east laser markers so if the munitions are able to track a laser target you should be able to lock onto the target created at the sp.

[sabre4809 0]

Been using ACE. Now tryed without it and only vanilla plus required mods, still no joy. No CCRP or CCIP actions or any of it come up ever. All I have in the action menu is intervals and HUD colour, zoom, mode.

[blakeace 11]

Been using ACE. Now tryed without it and only vanilla plus required mods, still no joy. No CCRP or CCIP actions or any of it come up ever. All I have in the action menu is intervals and HUD colour, zoom, mode.

The options only show up once the aircraft is moving as the aiming pipper needs to be visible for the system to switch to bombing mode. You also have unguided bombs selected as the current weapon.

See if that solves it?

Blake

[sabre4809 0]

Always been doing that. Nope.

E:

Tried all vanilla maps, won't work. Lase and 'TGP' works fine. Tried, starting on ground and in air, tried starting as pilot then boarding. Multiple aircraft using correct ordnance.

Regarding the Russian stuff, if you can get the laser guided bombs, KAB 500Ls working that'd be awesome :) .

Edited January 7, 2012 by SAbre4809

[blakeace 11]

Always been doing that. Nope.

E:

Tried all vanilla maps, won't work. Lase and 'TGP' works fine. Tried, starting on ground and in air, tried starting as pilot then boarding. Multiple aircraft using correct ordnance.

Regarding the Russian stuff, if you can get the laser guided bombs, KAB 500Ls working that'd be awesome :) .

No idea at this stage, the only way I get those menu options is when I dont' have the required weapon selected or using a vehicle that isn't equiped with them at all. Effectively the same thing.

My only thought at this stage is maybe somehow the weapon names are different?

The current valid unguided weapons the addon checks for is:

• AirBombLauncher
  
• Mk82BombLauncher_6
  
• HeliBombLauncher
  

You could try putting the script below in your aircrafts init, then cycle though the weapons to see if they do match?

si = this spawn
{
while {true} do
{
	hintsilent format ["%1", currentWeapon _this];
	sleep 0.5;
};

};

The only other thing I can think of is if a global variable is getting corrupted. I have a variable named Blakes_AimP which contains the position of the impact point. I haven't gotten around to converting it to an object variable yet. That one would be quite a long shot though.

The only other thing is you are required to be the driver of the vehicle.

After that at this stage I am sorry I am out of ideas as to what could be happening.

Regarding the Russian stuff, if you can get the laser guided bombs, KAB 500Ls working that'd be awesome .

Which aircraft uses that, and is it from a mod? Is it's display name different to KAB 500Ls?

Edited January 7, 2012 by blakeace

[VirusLIVED 10]

Is this addon compatible with the GLT Missile Box and GLT Real Air Weapons? I just want to make sure GLT mods are not conflicting with the accuracy of this addon.

I do see all the action menus and the hud information appears to be correct, but I'm still not 100% sure they are compatible.

Thanks for the hard work.

[blakeace 11]

Is this addon compatible with the GLT Missile Box and GLT Real Air Weapons? I just want to make sure GLT mods are not conflicting with the accuracy of this addon.

I do see all the action menus and the hud information appears to be correct, but I'm still not 100% sure they are compatible.

Thanks for the hard work.

I've not tried the GLT stuff, os I cannot say. I imagine with this version the biggest issue is if the GLT mod uses custom weapons, they wouldn't register. The next version checks the configs, so hopefully they should be ok then.

As far as the accuracy, I don't think it would as I am "forcing" the munitions to where I want them rather than calculating with these forces it will impact here.

I'm hoping to get the next version out in about a week.

Current changes,

Reads munitions via config

Correct laser for east aircraft. Laser guided missiles now work.

Added indicator for when the weapon acquires the laser.

Added generic acquisition cone required for laser guided weapons.

Added algorithm to paint the appropriate side of buildings instead of losing the laser beneath the building.

Currently working on a way to use the custom keys for some functions.

[VirusLIVED 10]

okay cool, thanks for the fast response. I will be looking forward to the next version.

[[frl]myke 14]

@blakeace

i'm currently working on a update for the GLT Missilebox (FRL Missilebox in the future). If there is something i can add to make sure it works with your PINS, please let me know and i will include it.

[blakeace 11]

Myke;2089900']@blakeace

i'm currently working on a update for the GLT Missilebox (FRL Missilebox in the future). If there is something i can add to make sure it works with your PINS' date=' please let me know and i will include it.[/quote']

Cheers Myke,

I've downloaded your missilebox addon, to get more familiar with it. I may have to add an air fiction Coefficient check, as I imagine you would have some high drag unguided munitions in the box somewhere.

Thanks Blake.

[blakeace 11]

Updated version 0.2a released.

See first post for download.

Version 0.2a

• Added config check to increase the number of valid weapons recognised opfor laser missiles now work
  
• Fixed incorrect laser for opfor side
  
• Added basic check to redirect lasers that are under buildings onto a face of the bounding box
  
• Added generic lock cone for laser guided weapons
  
• Added lock indicator when laser weapons have acquired the laser. (Small circle)
  
• Added CBA keys handler to allow the use of the keyboard with some functions
  
• Binocular key can be used insitu of the hold breath key.
  
• The keyboard lookleft etc keys will now move the flir camera around if available.
  
• The zoomin key has better response through CBA handler.
  
• Added line of sight check to the laser, no need to keep refreshing via the flir camera. The laser will still revert to armed from on after 2mins of not using the camera.