VFTCAS - Terrain Collision Avoidance System

[Pl4t0 10]

I think I might've found a bug: because of this addon (things worked perfectly before and after I had it installed) when you're supposed to be inserted via chopper, they generally drop you from at least 50 feet in the air to your inevitable death rather than something like 5 feet, perhaps because of the pilots' new-found fear of trees?

Otherwise, this is pretty awesome :)

[buehgler_as 0]

I think this AddOn is a really great idea. However, it seems to me that as it is currently implemented it will not work as expected in an MP setting or if a player enters an empty helicopter. In both cases the CAS feature will be enabled with a player-pilot operating the helicopter.

My suggestion/"fix" is to change the logic that wraps the core functionality as follows.

while (alive _myac) do
{
 if  {((damage _myac) > 0.2) or (not canMove _myac) or
     (isPlayer driver _myac) or ((abs speed _myac) <= 30)} then {
   sleep 0.5
 } else {
   .... CAS math here ...
 }
}

Basically, this replaces the "_myac == player" checks with "isPlayer driver _myac". With this change you can also delete the "if ... exitwith {}" at the top, since according to http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/exitwith you should not use exitwith unless you are breaking out of a loop.

[AliMag 0]

Hi,

Great work!

My only request would be to make a script version that eliminates the need for the addon.

We have no choice to install a new helicopter or island addon but for behaviour change that does not contains any new model I would definitely prefer to deal with script that you can just include into your missions. The script could check if the addon is already active and exit if so.

Thanks for considering it and again great work.

Cheers

[Uziyahu--IDF 0]

Should have been implemented for AI for sure. For players, not so much. Sure modern birds have these systems installed but it makes for poor game play from a realism standpoint if everything flies on rails.

I don't know about now, but you could assign a flyinheight to a waypoint in OFP:R. A minimum altitude isn't a rail if it keeps the A.I. from crashing into things like they never made it out of Flight School. Additionally, I see little reason for human players to have to constantly adjust elevation if modern systems assist also-human pilots in flying NOE.

[NoRailgunner 0]

If the AI performs a hard turn to the right/left the aircraft moves like beeing "wired and lifted". This issue doesnt look nice and is an showstopper. Maybe it helps if the script controls the AI banking and if the angle is too steep it will recover it till TCAS will look/perform good. :)

[yanquis 10]

Training wheels! Can a version of this be modified for human usage? I was thinking about being able to achieve ground effect. When you go under 35m, there should be a set percentage of vertical thrust added so that if you don't fight it, it will keep you above that altitude. However if you stay nose down and ride that "cushion" you can travel at greater speeds.

uam i the only 1 who cant use this addon cuz it DOES work for human pilots?? i really want 2 use this mod but cant as long as it inhibits my flying

[VictorFarbau 0]

I knew it could happen but still released version 1. In the next release I will introduce a live pilot check. Seems easy but during tests this added a few cycles too many to the radar check loop which caused problems with response time in some scenarios.

And something else I need to get off my chest:

1. This addon is only designed to improve gameplay - not to improve realism in any way. I want choppers to survive a bit longer and not crash into trees here and there. I didn't mean to create a real TFR or flight assistance system of any kind. Gameplay!
   
2. Before you freak out just because BIS doesn't have something like this built in consider this: compared to an Airborne-AI system this addon is just a stupid tiny hack. It forces Helis to fly higher with obstacles ahead, fullstop. It doesn't mean BIS did a bad job on their Air AI in general - VFTCAS only works around a small shortcoming there if at all. So better don't compare 150.000 lines of code with my 5 lines :)
   

uam i the only 1 who cant use this addon cuz it DOES work for human pilots?? i really want 2 use this mod but cant as long as it inhibits my flying

Cheers,

VictorFarbau

[Simon C 0]

I still maintain that people who fly more often would prefer to have the feeling of flying without any other systems interfering. It's more fun to know that you're keeping the helicopter there yourself, instead of a system doing all the work for you. :p

[tcp 10]

The current flight model is not realistic, so what do you have to lose? It's not hard to control the aircraft and I don't think anyone wants a dumbed down version except to assist AI. I just think ground effect needs to be worked on and this mod uses a similar effect except for different purpose.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

I must say I disagree. Ground effect simulation is a nice to have thingie that (for me) doesn't make it easier or harder to fly a chopper. They are easy enough for humans, I don't think I've had a single heli crash in Arma2 other than lag induced ones or practicing stuff in the editor. And I'm only on keyboard and mouse :)

Crash avoidance for AI (and I hope this addon works only for AI) on the other hand, is a necessity, if we're supposed to use AI helis in missions. Seing the output going on, the loops are extremely tight. I really don't want anything else going on, just for the sake of fancyness.

If anything, separate the addons. Our server needs all the frames it can get...

Btw, how many would be able to fly a chopper if it had a fully realistic flight model? :)

[caprera 0]

I loved this mod when it came out but last night in SP, i had troubles keeping my KA-52 low on the ground until it JUMPED skyhigh 2 times at the same time...

Maybe you should have a look on it...?

[mrcash2009 0]

VFTCAS only works around a small shortcoming there if at all. So better don't compare 150.000 lines of code with my 5 lines

That said, it took your 5 lines to correct it :)

[thyro 10]

Many thanks for this mod FIX...

It is really handy to have and to fly in a back-seat of a chopper knowing that it would avoid crashing on the nearest small hill.

Its quite thrilling to see it flying so close to the ground... really nice mod and I'm grateful for it. Cheers

[VictorFarbau 0]

New build released, all details in Post #1.

Regards,

VictorFarbau

[caprera 0]

Thanks!

[cole 0]

The download page gives me a 403 error after I log in.

[VictorFarbau 0]

The download page gives me a 403 error after I log in.

For the time being I hosted the file in another project section until I figure out why the file space is restricted. Link updated.

VictorFarbau

[SpiritedMachine 10]

Even at a dead stop, my ai pilot drops me out of the sky when doing a transport unload, and will not land. If I attempt to force land first, then unload, he hovers around like he's trying to land but can't. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong here.

[mr_centipede 31]

Even at a dead stop, my ai pilot drops me out of the sky when doing a transport unload, and will not land. If I attempt to force land first, then unload, he hovers around like he's trying to land but can't. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong here.

i had that too, my workaround is put an invisi H on the waypoint. the helo will land, unload and fly off. everyone is safe and sound

[VictorFarbau 0]

That drop behaviour is odd considering that the script won't do anything while the speed is below 30 (which it is when hovering).

With that specific scenario that you had there - could you confirm it always works fine without VFTCAS installed? I'll do my own test as well.

Cheers,

VictorFarbau

[Stewy 1]

This is a great idea Victor - would you please consider an ArmA1 version too? I get lots of chopper crashes when AI is flying too.

Thanks for considering Victor

Stew

[VictorFarbau 0]

Bug confirmed - choppers with "Transport unload" waypoint stay still in mid-air. That's gonna be a interesting one to resolve. Will look into this later today.

VictorFarbau

[VictorFarbau 0]

Bug resolved in build 12 (see 1st page). Not the final state I guess but it runs stable and does what it is supposed to do.

Regards,

VictorFarbau

[Tankbuster 1733]

This is odd. I've put this on my server, which is running CBA, and thus, XEH, but the server app reports VFTCAS requires Extended_EventHandlers.

They *are installed*, Fire and Smoke is installed and that needs them too and it works just fine.

Not sure if this is relevant but if the server machine is rebooted, this error crops up. But if I accept the error and stop and restart the game server app, it doesnt halt with this error.

EDIT>

Ignore above. I made a noob error! The there's a shirtcut to the server exe in windows startup folder and that didn't have the proper mod calls on it. The shortcut on the desktop did, which is why subsequent arma server restarts got all the addons, but the first server after a machine reboot didn't! Sorry for the confusion.

Edited November 6, 2009 by Tankbuster
Error fixed.

[An Fiach 10]

I don't know about now, but you could assign a flyinheight to a waypoint in OFP:R. A minimum altitude isn't a rail if it keeps the A.I. from crashing into things like they never made it out of Flight School. Additionally, I see little reason for human players to have to constantly adjust elevation if modern systems assist also-human pilots in flying NOE.

No, like I said, it is definitely needed for the AI, I was referring only to the human player aspect. It shouldn't be made impossible for the player to crash a heli short of turning off the engines. IRL the pilots know how to handle the bird without those systems and in-game I think there needs to be something that distinguishes between skilled pilots and someone that has never flown a chopper in ArmA 2. Removing the possibility for pilot error detracts from that IMO. I ask, if the thing is gonna fly itself, why not just climb in and click a waypoint where you want to go and enjoy the ride?

Again, just my personal opinion and not to detract from this great addon, simply how I feel about its implementation.