Mando Bombs and Mando Air Support Console

[mandoble 1]

So, requests so far:

- if you change the course of reco plane, make it adjust its flying height to current alt selected with the slider.

- if you are in camera mode, lateral black "protections" should go transparent.

Correct?

[mrcash2009 0]

"If" your cool with doing it then yes & yes  

I just think that us 16:9 folk love black border on console becuase before that was real odd, but to have full 16:9 view back in recon camera mode would be great.

[mandoble 1]

New 1.59 BETA, just for testing before 1.59 final release (no mirrors, please).

Including since last beta:

- Black side bars out when in camera mode and console hidden.

- Course changes for reco plane also consider current altitude set with the slider.

- New variable: mando_airsupport_armedrec_man. If set to true, and the reco plane is armed with mando missiles, fired missiles will be TV manually guided (similar to cruise ones, but much less range and different flying characteristics). Dont know how it handles with MMA 2.3, it is quite smooth with MMA 2.4 (kremator )

[kremator 1064]

Sweet work Mandoble !  Checking the 'smoothness' out now

[TAO] Kremator

PS I have a 16:9 display so I have been living with the 'edges' quietly

OK Some feedback .... on launching the maverick (guided by TV) it goes crazy .... I think I would just rather was a missle cam and watch it hit.  My lovely lock-on disappears with launch.

Will add to this as I investigate further - I have alt-tabbed out ... my poor reco plane is still circling Cayo as we speak !

Also for some strange reason the CB just fires its cannons and does NOT drop bombs.  What am I doing wrong ?

One final thing .... the right side of the display is now perfectly black (16:9) but the LEFT side is still visible (hope that makes sense!

[mandoble 1]

In this beta the reco plane missiles are on manual control.

Set mando_airsupport_armedrec_man = false; for automatic guidance.

About the CB, it is controled by an external code variable which depends on the plane type you use for CB. The default one is for harrier. If you use a different plane you would need to change it (it is defined into init.sqf

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

mando_airsupport_carpetcode =

{

private["_plane", "_targetpos"];

_plane = _this select 0;

_targetpos = _this select 1;

while {(([getPos _plane select 0, getPos _plane select 1, 0] distance _targetpos) > 2000) && (alive _plane)} do

{

Sleep 1;

};

if (alive _plane) then

{

for [{_i=0}, {_i<6}, {_i=_i+1}] do

{

_plane action ["useWeapon",_plane,driver _plane,0];

Sleep 0.5;

};

};

};

For AV8B, index weapon 0 is the LGB, so each of these actions drop a bomb. If you are using a different plane, then you need to adjust the code var for the number of bombs and correct weapon index.

[kremator 1064]

Cool. I think the TV control would be very good for LONG engagements but I was firing the maverick from <1.5km and when the button was pressed it broke the view lock and jerked up in the air.

Changing the altitude on change of direction works perfectly.

Coming along nicely Mandoble. When are we going to get access to the 'setup options'

[TAO] Kremator

PS looking forward to MMA2.4

PPS the camera on CM is NOT as smooth as the steering camera on the reco plane (at least it seems that way to me!

[kremator 1064]

For AV8B, index weapon 0 is the LGB, so each of these actions drop a bomb. If you are using a different plane, then you need to adjust the code var for the number of bombs and correct weapon index.

I found that when I changed the 0 to a 1 it worked. The CB is VERY inaccuate though, BUT VERY VERY EFFECTIVE !

[TAO] Kremator

[mandoble 1]

CB might be quite accurate if you select the correct bombing height and you decrease the delay between drops, at least using the default BIS AV8B.

The smoothness of the CM camera is related to the missile itself, it was quite improved with MMA 2.4.

[kremator 1064]

I just found out that it IS accurate if you drop from 243m

[TAO] Kremator

[mrcash2009 0]

This is superb  

Flight heights work perfect, they do say if you dont ask you dont get. In this case if you do ask you get it within hours  

The borders staying visible when right clicking for menu is great (logical), and for all borders to disapear when menu is off for full 16:9 viewing goodness on recon camera is now perfect, 16:9 with FLIR ... mmmmm nice. Not sure about the previous report with odd side bar problems im using 8800GTS (not that this will be relevant to it) and all is working transparent as it should and fine here.

PS - I assume in release the new variable for manual guide after missile fire in reco cam will be "off" (auto) right? I think its a great flexibale option but wont realy use it I find manual guidance a bit tricky, auto by default as normal would be cool.

EDIT: as leutenant Columbo would say "Just one more thing" ...

The small radar map top left on reco camera, im a bit slow and only just realised you can still target when clicking on it. Is there a posibility that mouse wheel can be used when hovering over that minimap just to be a little more accurate on placement (or even + - zoom option under it)? Its nice to be in reco on a fixed position running a carpet bombing run and targeting it while in recon cam. I just couldnt get that accurate and wanted to zoom in a bit. No big thing as i can easy exit out of reco but if its worth asking I though id try.

Thanks again.

[Snake Man 401]

For the minimap I agree about the zooming in/out, also would it be possible to SHIFT-LMB click it same as in recon camera window to setup new recon waypoint?

[mandoble 1]

If you are in a reco plane and turn the camera off, you have about 18 secs left to do whatever you want to do with the big map before the reco plane egress unless you turn the control camera on again. The minimap is there just for a position reference with the ability to set a new support general placement wihout needing the open the big map. IE, you detect enemy armour near the position of your plane, you click there to select as support position the position of your reco plane and then you click 4 planes and CAS mission. If you want to select accurately a position for a bomb run, just use the camera and lock on the desired placement, you will have a new white marker there, then just open the big map, select that marker as support position and call for the bomb run. The map is too small to be used for anything else and it is with maximum zoomout level.

[mrcash2009 0]

OK no problem, the marker placement certainly does give you a better way to work with accurate placement in larger map. I kind of like flipping back and forth with more to do and keep you concentrating.

It was just a side issue thought really.

[kremator 1064]

Mandoble,

One thing that is missing is to be able to call anti-radiation missiles. SEAD missions would certainly add to survivability of other air missions.

NOW for the cherry on the cake ..... AWACS functionality. As a commander the console is superb but an AWACS function (that perhaps gives a 'blip' showing air/ground assets (friendly AND enemy) for a short period would be amazing. Now I'm not sure how you could implement it but what about it as an idea?

Regards

[TAO] Kremator

[mrcash2009 0]

Small things here ...

Now that we set height with slider for recon can the current height value echo back and show up under the target with other information at all? some aircraft are slower (like UAV) and its nice to see what height your at to see if you need to tweak or not so you don't get fired at, plus its nice to see current height seeing as your flying at the time.

Also using laser bombs, the code in my init to enable "transmit laser marker" in action menu is :

Quote[/b] ]

Sleep 1;

if (!isNil "mando_missile_init") then

{  

  // Checks if you have a laser designator to provide corresponding actions

  []execVm"mando_missiles\units\mando_haveialaser.sqf";

};

I have a mission with 3 separate teams all with designator added as kit on start of mission, when I team switch the transmit option is missing under action menu on anyone other than my playable character at mission start, how do I implement so this shows up in action menu to anyone I switch too?

[mandoble 1]

Good finding mrcash

There is a missing check there, to fix it create a mando_haveialaser.sqf script in your mission folder:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

/* mando_haveialaser.sqf

By Mandoble June 2007

Check if the player has a laser, and if so, gives him actions to transmit current target to any

friendly unit able to engange "REMOTE" targets.

Execute this script in every machine where there is a player

*/

private ["_player", "_ac"];

_player = objNull;

while {true} do

{

while {!("Laserdesignator" in (weapons vehicle player)) || (!alive player)} do

{

Sleep 2;

};

_ac = vehicle player addAction ["Transmit laser target", mando_missile_path+"units\mando_getlaser.sqf"];

_player = vehicle player;

while {("Laserdesignator" in (weapons vehicle player)) && (alive player) && (_player == vehicle player)} do

{

Sleep 2;

};

_player removeAction _ac;

};

The missing check was && (_player == vehicle player)

Now from your init.sqf execute this one, not the one included into mma 2.3:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

if (!isNil "mando_missile_init") then

{

// Checks if you have a laser designator to provide corresponding actions

[]execVm"mando_haveialaser.sqf";

};

Kremator, Mando Missile Command has already awacs capability, check it working

About SEAD missions, well, it seems you always have a good idea when I'm just about to pack a new version But for now, Gunship mission type with mando missile might do the work, as the choppers or planes selected there will also engange any SAM in range.

[kremator 1064]

DAMN ... how COULD I miss MMA having AWACS function /me hits head !  Will look into this asap.

I'm glad that I keep the good ideas flowing ... and I'm REALLY glad that you have the skill to code it  

Looking forward to the next console!

[TAO] Kremator

EDIT ... OK I must be hard of thinking because I can't find that AWACS mission Mandoble in the video. Do you have a link to it ? Thanks mate.

[Evil Weasel 0]

Hi mandoble,

                first of all thanks for this great bit of scripting. As though you don't have enough work I've got a suggestion for what I think would be a great addition to Arma.

Would it be possible to use your fantastic reco plane targetting overlay to select targets for Maverick missiles before they're launched? I'm hoping that it would be possible to move the camera position to the nose of each missile in turn, thus giving an accurate simulation of TV-guided missile. A potential problem that I could forsee is that the range of the missile would be falsely curtailed due to targets not being visible beyond the users set view-distance, although I guess that it might be possible to increase the view distance to a larger figure using the setviewdistance command whilst in the targetting view.

I would try myself, but I'm afraid that my scripting skill is less than minimal and I figure that an expert like yourself would be the man for the job. If you could put together something like this I believe that it would make a fantastic replacement for the current Maverick missiles, when used by human pilots, as it would require you to actual select targets rather than just tabbing away.

[mandoble 1]

Kremator, the missions inside mma 2.3 are mando_target.Sara and mando_target_addon.Sara, teamswitch till you become opfor side near a bmp2, getin as command and activate the MMC system. From it you will be able to detect aerial units even from quite long range as long as you have LOS with them, you may also switch on/off the radars of your assigned sam sites.

[colligpip 0]

Would it be possible to use your fantastic reco plane targetting overlay to select targets for Maverick missiles before they're launched?

yes I would really like this and the ability to have the recon camera in a plane that i'm actually flying. Ive asked this before but Ill try again:-)

I really love the recon cam mando has made with the abilty to lock and track targets but i want to be able to switch to it in my actual plane - whilst it is auto piloted in a straight line somehow perhaps.

[mandoble 1]

Evil Weasel, I understand you mean to use the same functionality present in the console but from, for example, your own plane, right?

If so, of course yes, it is possible. There are already some visual manual guidance systems present into mma 2.3, for example for TOW and Hellfire launchers, while in these cases the camera is not enslaved to the missile as you would lose control of your plane or chopper. Enslaving the camera to the missile would imply a simple change to keep constant the direction and flying altitude of your own plane while you are in camera mode.

[Evil Weasel 0]

Hi Mandoble,

                thanks for the quick reply. That's it exactly. Whilst you were selecting the target the plane would have to be left to fly on it's current course. I'm picturing this as the time during a real Maverick's targetting when you would be focussed on the cockpit TV screen.  Once the target was selected and the missile launched you could then revert to flying the aircraft. I suppose you could leave the option to keep with the missile camera and maybe change target in-flight; I have to be honest and admit that I don't if this is possible with the real Maverick. If you could create something similar to this that would be great.

[mandoble 1]

Well, this is how it already works from the console with the exception that the plane is not your one. But these targeting system already exists within MMA 2.3, something like

but with the camera on the missile like Maverick case is already included in MMA 2.4.

[kremator 1064]

Mandoble,

Have tried the Command System but the mission keeps throwing up the same errors

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">Warning Message: No entry 'missions\mando_target.Sara\description.ext/DlgMissileCommand/COMMAND_MAP.scaleDefault'.

Warning Message: '/' is not a value

Warning Message: No entry 'missions\mando_target.Sara\description.ext/DlgMissileCommand/COMMAND_MAP.scaleMax'.

Warning Message: '/' is not a value

Warning Message: No entry 'missions\mando_target.Sara\description.ext/DlgMissileCommand/COMMAND_MAP.scaleMin'.

Warning Message: '/' is not a value

Any idea how to fix that? For testing I'm running vanilla QG.

[TAO] Kremator

[mandoble 1]

Yep, same problems here, might something related to the latests ArmA patch. Open mando_missile.h and look for

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

class COMMAND_MAP : RscMandMap

{

idc = 23903;

x = 0;

y = 0;

w = 0.75;

h = 1;

and just below h=1; add

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

type = 101;

style = 48;

So you will have:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

class COMMAND_MAP : RscMandMap

{

idc = 23903;

x = 0;

y = 0;

w = 0.75;

h = 1;

type = 101;

style = 48;

//sizeEx = 0.02;

sizeExLabel = 0.02;

sizeExGrid = 0.02;

sizeExUnits = 0.02;

sizeExNames = 0.02;

sizeExInfo = 0.02;

sizeExLevel = 0.02;

Then reload the mission and try again.