How to make custom optics?

[MrSanchez 243]

I'm working on an UAZ with a SPG-9 launcher on it, now it already had a scope on it so I replaced the texture but obviously, the scope doesn't fit the ammo properly.

This is the scope I found & replaced the previous, default A2 SPG-9 scope with:

So luckily I already had an optics model (.p3d) to work with, although I wouldn't understand how to make one from scratch.

I'd also like to know if any experienced modder here has some experience with custom scopes/optics and what would be the best way to set them up/align them.

I mean, do you match the ammo properties to fit the scope or do you adjust the scope texture/optics model to fit the ammo properties?

Are there any optic tutorials?

Kind regards,

Sanchez

[da12thMonkey 1943]

I'd also like to know if any experienced modder here has some experience with custom scopes/optics and what would be the best way to set them up/align them.

I mean, do you match the ammo properties to fit the scope or do you adjust the scope texture/optics model to fit the ammo properties?

Arma's ballistics modelling isn't 100% realistic so using the real reticle is unlikely to fit the whole trajectory without at least some tweaking. I'd conclude that it's probably better to get the ballistics right as right as possible (or just trust the values you got from Arma 2), then make a reticle to match.

You might find the reticle you're trying to replace the A2 reticle with doesn't match well because the magnification value for the optics is a bit off compared to the real thing upon which the picture is based, or the weapon's zero doesn't correspond to the stadia line that lies exactly across the middle of your optics. Looking at the reticle you posted there, the weapon should have a default zero somewhere between 500 and 600m since the mid-point of the vertical axis of the texture lies between these two range stadia lines.

Edited June 28, 2015 by da12thMonkey

[MrSanchez 243]

So i'd be best off modifying the scope texture to fit the current ballistics of the rocket (which imo have a pretty good/realistic trajectory), using photoshop for instance.

And yeah, one of my big problems is magnification, I remember ACE2 in ArmA 2 having a feature where the scope texture is magnified as you zoom in with numpad+ so it would still fit. After opening the ACE2 files I believe this is done using CtrlSetPosition, cba getFov and sumn called ACE_RscOpticsReticle.

My guess is that in ArmA 3 there is no easier way to accomplish this, is there?

I might just disable zooming in&out with the scope and lock it at 4x zoom (as the PGO-9 scope should have).

Oh and one more question, any easy way to change the trajectory of my rocket so default zeroing is ~550, like a tool/excel or so? Or should I just keep changing speed/airFriction config values, binarizing and rebooting my game until I get it?

Kind regards,

Sanchez

[da12thMonkey 1943]

Oh and one more question, any easy way to change the trajectory of my rocket so default zeroing is ~550, like a tool/excel or so?

The zeroing for the turret is configured by the values entered in the discreteDistance[] array or distanceZoomMin distanceZoomMax config parameters for your turret.

Whether the turret uses discreteDistance or distanceZoom for to control the zeroing depends on turretInfoType, so you'll have to check. discreteDistance weapons/turrets are the ones that have Page-up/Page-down zeroing so the array contains all the ranges you allow the player to zero the weapon to. distanceZoom weapons/turrets are the ones with outdated OFP/Arma 1 style of zeroing - the weapon's zero is the distanceZoomMin value when the optics are at their lowest magnification value and distanceZoomMin at max zoom.

If you want to fix the zero at 550 just enter a value of 550 in those parts of the config.

If your turret has a discreteDistance array, you might also need to look at the discreteDistanceInitIndex parameter. Basically this is a value that tells the game, which index in the discreteDistance array to use for the player's default zero. discreteDistanceInitIndex = 0 is the first value in the array, discreteDistanceInitIndex = 1 is the second value, etc. etc. So if your discreteDistance array only has a value of 550 in it, you should set discreteDistanceInitIndex = 0, since there is only one index in the array.

[MrSanchez 243]

The zeroing for the turret is configured by the values entered in the discreteDistance[] array or distanceZoomMin distanceZoomMax config parameters for your turret.

Whether the turret uses discreteDistance or distanceZoom for to control the zeroing depends on turretInfoType, so you'll have to check. discreteDistance weapons/turrets are the ones that have Page-up/Page-down zeroing so the array contains all the ranges you allow the player to zero the weapon to. distanceZoom weapons/turrets are the ones with outdated OFP/Arma 1 style of zeroing - the weapon's zero is the distanceZoomMin value when the optics are at their lowest magnification value and distanceZoomMin at max zoom.

If you want to fix the zero at 550 just enter a value of 550 in those parts of the config.

If your turret has a discreteDistance array, you might also need to look at the discreteDistanceInitIndex parameter. Basically this is a value that tells the game, which index in the discreteDistance array to use for the player's default zero. discreteDistanceInitIndex = 0 is the first value in the array, discreteDistanceInitIndex = 1 is the second value, etc. etc. So if your discreteDistance array only has a value of 550 in it, you should set discreteDistanceInitIndex = 0, since there is only one index in the array.

I just can't wrap my head around the fact that that value would change the zeroing to 550m when there's stuff like airFriction, initSpeed and all that affecting the rocket. I must try and see for myself ^^. I do intend to fix the scope at 550, since I don't think that this optic had sight adjustment IRL, and if it does, i can't be bothered.

I'll modify the values and post the results here in the morning, in around 9 hours from now.

Thanks for the help so far, I remember you helping me in the past as well ;)

Kind regards,

Sanchez

[MrSanchez 243]

So yeah, just to see if it worked, I set the values to something extraordinary high and there was no difference

discreteDistance[] = {1350};

discreteDistanceInitIndex = 0;

distanceZoomMin = 1350;

distanceZoomMax = 1350;

discretefov[] = {};

So my guess is that I'll just have to continously have to mess about with the 2dscope.p3d to move the optic up/down and/or use Photoshop.

Kind regards,

Sanchez

[MrSanchez 243]

Does anyone know how to change zeroing on a vehicle turret such as a SPG9?

Kind regards,

Sanchez