F/A 18 Super Hornet for Arma 2 OA

[John Spartan 89]

--------------------------------------------------UPDATE ON PROGRESS---------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------BETA VERSION RELEASED--------------------------------------------------

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?144220-F-A-18-Super-Hornet-for-Arma-2-OA

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PLEASE CONSIDER THIS THREAD CLOSED AS ALL DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ADDON IS MOVED TO NEW THREAD

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Hi Lads,

ARMA and this community around this game has grown in last year’s since I have been following it, giving us so much interesting stuff and information to play this simulator in so many different ways. And finally I decided to do some contribution to community of my own.

For quite a while I have been working on port of Franze’s great F/A-18 add-on so it can be used in ARMA 2 OA. For now there is already Meatballs Super Hornet released to community, and I have to admit its great job that Meatball done on it, but there are couple of things I was thinking this add-on is missing. When I started to work on Franze’s F/A-18 my main goal was to make look like the vanilla in game aircrafts, so they share the same ammo, look similarly textured when put next to each other and use/share same functions that ARMA offers. Also Meatball has released only two seated version where I am looking to do booth.

So far I would like to share my work in progress information of this upcoming add-on and find out what community thinks about it. I am open to suggestions and also I will be looking for some advice how to improve the add-on so it can be polished for a release.

So far we have almost finished porting F/A-18 E model and config. F model still needs a loads of work but we are getting there.

So what’s done:

- Franzes model of F/A-18E is ported with working animations and all LOD’s matching new ARMA2 engine

- textures in NAVY grey done for 80%

- loadout to support BIS weapons. Currently aircraft is meant to carry 2xAIM9x, 6XAIM120, 4xLGB and a cannon. Also I was thinking to add another set of weapon proxies for GLTmissile box weapon support. To be honest it’s already quite a fire power on it.

- it’s only two scripts running on it so far, Franzes built in arrestor hook script and suspension animation since i had problems using dampers on J-dogs aircraft carries with BIS damper animations. So it is compatible with aircraft carrier.

- no additional add-ons required

- aircraft has all BIS standard aircraft functions and If I will get permission from Gnat for use of his Afterburner script that will be added as well. Vapour script from BIS is implemented to add some look to flight model.

All the credits of course go to Franze for making this great add-on in first place. Tank’s mate.

Looking forward to any suggestions and ideas to make this upcoming add-on better.

-------------------------------------------UPDATE ON PROGRESS------------------------------------------

Since a lot of people been asking various questions and to save time and create more clarity I would like to answer all FAQ I encountered since start of this project.

For release in my add-on I am planning to include:

- Properly ported to ARMA 2 engine Franze’s F/A-18 E (single seater) and F (two seater) versions

- US NAVY generic grey skins and franze’s two VFA skins, since my goal is to create an add-on that blends in with in game aircraft

- booth versions will support set object texture, so if anyone would like to use custom skins it will be very easy and convenient. Also PSD template for textures will be available.

- standalone

- afterburner

- folding wings

- working tail hook for carrier landings

- fuselage vapour (BIS)

- flares and incoming missile warning system (BIS)

- ATFLIR for F version where co-pilot is in control of weapon systems

- working MFD like on BIS F35

- Multirole, Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground load outs with BIS weapons (selectable/changeable via init in editor) Also if anyone wants a tutorial how to customize load outs on this plane

My goal is to create it as smooth as possible utilizing BIS provided assets and so it would be reasonable on PC resources since not all of us have powerful rigs to play ARMA 2. Also considering MP capability especially for large scale battles

ACE version config may be added later. Also we agreed with Meatball to share resources to archive better results. We are not clear jet will it be a single project or two separate projects but more realistic and custom version will definitely be available from Meatball.

John_Spartan

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b531/John_Rybeck/arma2OA2012-12-0502-02-54-43.png (284 kB)

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b531/John_Rybeck/arma2OA2012-12-0502-01-23-82.png (444 kB)

Edited December 31, 2012 by John_Spartan

[Wiki 1558]

great news, it looks beautiful!!!

things important to me:

-1 seat version and 2 seats version

-working afterburner

-working flares

-working RWR/incoming missiles warning (siren and radar sport of the incoming missile)

-make different version (air superiority with AA missiles, air-ground version with LGB + sidewinder for air defence, air-ground version with Mk82 + sidewinder for air defence)

Really glad that you make this plane!

thanks a lot!

Edited November 27, 2012 by Wiki

[vengeance1 50]

Absolutely fantastic that you are doing a 1 seater, hope you'll add:

Folding Wings

Compatible with F2F Rearmament script

Vapor Trails

[ei8ght 11]

fantastic news =) thx John_Spartan & Franze

[John Spartan 89]

Thank's Lads, it is a lot of work still to be done. Regarding your questions then:

This is how cockpit looks like so far

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b531/John_Rybeck/arma2OA2012-11-2713-55-41-25.png (521 kB)

Flares and radar warning system works just fine, warning system is the same as ingame AH64 (sound and radar visusal varning)

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b531/John_Rybeck/arma2OA2012-11-2714-00-23-87.png (394 kB)

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b531/John_Rybeck/arma2OA2012-11-2714-01-47-98.png (722 kB)

Folding wings are done already, if you look carefuly at the picture i posted in the begining of my tread you can see couple of planes in bacground with folded wings

Fuselage vapour is already added (i decided to go with BIS provided ingame scripts)

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b531/John_Rybeck/arma2OA2012-11-2714-01-14-35.png (422 kB)

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b531/John_Rybeck/arma2OA2012-11-2714-01-11-53.png (514 kB)

And the least but as I think the moust important is loadouts and weapons. My idea initialy was to create a multi-role fighter. Curently equiped with 2XAIM9x and 6XAIM120 gives it outstanding AA capability plus to that cannon and 4XLGB for ground target attacks. I definetly am not planing to implement F2F loadout selection system in BETA (just to get it up running and tested faster) but in RELEASE there will definetly a support for multiple loadouts BIS and NON BIS weapons.

Edited November 27, 2012 by John_Spartan

[John Spartan 89]

About afterburner I still need to get permission from Gnat and Lethal to use their scripts. So far checking how awesome these animations looks on Gnats SU33, it loks like the best possible way to animate burners. I will definetly add AFTERBURNER, just give me some time to contact Gnat and Lethal.

[Wiki 1558]

ok, no problem.

how about the rest?

BTW, if you need beta testeur, I'm ok with that.

[John Spartan 89]

There is still a loads of work to be done before I will be able to post some decent two seater version pictures

Edited November 27, 2012 by John_Spartan

[jumpnjack 10]

Wow nice job so far!

I was wondering if it is possible for the two seat version to have the second pilot in back be in charge of weapons systems, ie guided bombs etc.

[Cards525 10]

My god, it looks amazing!

Will you be able to release a version with GBU's and Mk's on it?

[sv5000 127]

Excellent stuff.

Really like the way you have used BIS assets/scripts etc in your addon.

[soldier2390 0]

This looks really great! Keep up the good work.

Dave,

[singleton 22]

So I am required to ask, will this have the correct ACE configs in it so that us that play at ACE communities can use this?

[John Spartan 89]

JollyresQ - it's a good question. To be honest with you havent thought this compleatly thru so far. I am not playing ACE myself so I kinda left it out. I will definetly contact lads from ACE mod and find out the corect way to make this F/A18 compatible with ACE in future, but I cant promise that will be done for beta realese. Cheers for heads up on this matter, this is one of first suggestins that cought me unprepared - all other suggestins were on the way it was just a mater of time, but as I said we will get it work with ACE to.

[singleton 22]

John, for the most part its simple config editting. Its not that much that needs to placed in. http://wiki.ace-mod.net/ACE_Features_for_3rd_Party_Addons I implore you to please take the time to make this ACE compatible in the final product. You'd alienate a large amount of player base because we cant use your addon to its full potential. :)

[R0adki11 3949]

John, for the most part its simple config editting. Its not that much that needs to placed in. http://wiki.ace-mod.net/ACE_Features_for_3rd_Party_Addons I implore you to please take the time to make this ACE compatible in the final product. You'd alienate a large amount of player base because we cant use your addon to its full potential. :)

Personally i cant see why all addons need to be ACE compatible at the start, its hard enough making an addon in the first place. Let John get the beta out then he can always look at ACE for a later version or versions.

[singleton 22]

Right, so instead of everybody being able to use the addon. Let's just make it so only you can since you don't use ACE :P. Sounds pretty selfish to me! You'd ask the same question if you were in an ACE community. Like I said before, most of it is simple config editting. It's not like the ACE team made it an adventure making addons compatible.

[=kct=blackmamba 44]

@jolly,

u are pretty demanding maybe if u change your attitude he might just want to edit his config.

or u can make a nice FA18 yourself :)

[khaki 10]

I agree with Jolly, however it's even easier to just make a separate config file that adds ACE compatibility after release. So no worries either way.

[Guest]

Sounds pretty selfish to me!

The only one selfish here is you. What have you made in your free time for this community to use? Made something the way you liked it or nothing at all?

And you dare to critizise an addon maker for not giving you the cookie you want but not taking any effort at all to bake the cookie yourself?

If making an ACE config is so easy just ask the author after release wether he allows you to make an ACE compatibel config and release it for all the ACE fans (so don't keep it to yourself, that would be well uhmmmm.... selfish?) to enjoy.

And this is not an ACE community, this is the Arma community where things are made for Arma which people who make it make it how they like it.

Now, @all drop the ACE config yes or no discussion and discuss this authors, what seems to become, great work :)

[fluttershy 2]

Are you looking to include HiddenTexture for people to potentially reskin or add Squadron and VF markers? Really looking forward to it since we are currently missing a capable air-dominance fighter with multi-role capabilitys.

Other then that, rly looks smashing.

[John Spartan 89]

@fluttershy - yeah but latter for final release. Right now I am focused to release it in generic NAVY grey colors to archive my initial goal - aircraft that matches and blends in with original BIS ingame planes.

[vengeance1 50]

This is really great, could you add the ability to drop the Fuel Tank? Just a thought?

Love it!

[fluttershy 2]

This is really great, could you add the ability to drop the Fuel Tank? Just a thought?

Love it!

That would be a very nice addition but also holds loads of problems.

1. Explosion FX for fueltank not present

2. Droping the tanks would alter the flight LOD, if it is done realisticly

3. would reduce the total ammount of fuel (scripted) could create the problem that if you drop the fuel tanks once they are empty you might potentially get fuel back

So as you can see it would be quiet a lot of work to do for just such a small addition.

[franze 196]

That would be a very nice addition but also holds loads of problems.

1. Explosion FX for fueltank not present

2. Droping the tanks would alter the flight LOD, if it is done realisticly

3. would reduce the total ammount of fuel (scripted) could create the problem that if you drop the fuel tanks once they are empty you might potentially get fuel back

So as you can see it would be quiet a lot of work to do for just such a small addition.

It doesn't present that much of a problem as originally it was designed so that dropping the tank would add X amount of fuel to whatever fuel is left, but that could be changed so that the total fuel is reduced when the tank is dropped. Altering the FM is a non-isue IMO. Lastly, you don't need any FX for a fuel tank since JP-8 isn't nitroglycerin like Hollywood would have us believe.