New Release: Learn How To Navigate Using Stars

[Swedge 10]

SWEDGE'S STAR NAVIGATION

This free flash application quiz teaches you how to find north in Arma 2 without a compass, using the stars.

Installation

Extract zip contents to a folder and run Launch_Quiz.exe

Credits & Thanks

AEF [2CAV] http://www.aef-hq.com.au

Download

Here (7MB).

[cole 0]

Thanks! That's actually pretty useful.

And if someone feels insecure because of the .exe, it's not a virus and does not modify anthing in your system :)

[SnR 1]

Its very good

[dr_chris 10]

I probably need to get out more and get some mates, but that is actually a pretty cool idea. Good to see this sort of stuff going on in the community. :)

[SwiftyBoy 0]

I probably need to get out more and get some mates, but that is actually a pretty cool idea. Good to see this sort of stuff going on in the community. :)

I definitely need to get out more and get some mates, but you're dead right, this is a cool idea.

[dr_chris 10]

How the hell did it know my rank and the unit that I am in?

Witchcraft!

[USSRsniper 0]

This feature is in BIS games since OFP, and it's one of those small details that make BIS games stand out from others :)

[trickster1982 10]

Ahh that brings back memories of the downed pilot mission in OFP, bumbling around in the dark trying to find friendly forces,was a tough one that!

[CarlGustaffa 4]

@trickster1982: Not really ;) You were on an island with a big mountain, and you knew you were on the other side :) I didn't get this far in OFP, but I played through it in Arma1 via a mod. However, in Arma1, all stars appeared equally bright, so I was never able to find the north star. In Arma2, the big dipper extremely easy to find. So in Arma1, without star navigation, all I did was head towards the big mountain and beyond - mission complete :)

[larsiano 12]

Thanks for this nice lesson in star navigation :)

[Gedis 0]

Well done, i'm studying physics and this summer's august I had 5nights(5 day vacation from city life) of watching night sky in the nature by the educational programmee. Those 5 days and nights were amazing, specialy the nights. We were learning, showing constellations, stars, nebulas, etc. and telling each of sky's object names in latin(had to grind those latin names for few days there).

I just wanted to say, each time i use nvg in arma2 sky tells by it self, that there are a lot of stars there and... cmon, it screems to use them for navigation.

Finally, we have it! Thank you very much. Now it's time to remember my august lessons of watching the sky.

P.S. oh boy, passion for sky...

EDIT, i passed that quiz quite fast( results ), i thought it'll be something harder... Ursa Major (Latin name) = UMa (Latin name shortcut) = Big Dipper and North Star... actualy you can easily find Ursa Minor = UMi = Little Dipper which has North Star as it's tail star A.K.A. Polaris ( look here )

(advice, next time make a timer to count time needed to pass or something, so that community could compete who is learning fast or something... that would be fun ;) )

btw, so by looking at my original post time it took me 8mins to download it, extract, scroll through those pictures, look at first lesson, scroll everything else to quiz it self, complete it and take a screen shot, meaning i made it in less than 8 mins :)

Edited November 10, 2009 by Gedis

[(AEF)Swordsman 10]

Handy little app. :)

The idea behind it is not so much "cram everything into your head as fast as possible", more a case of repetition so that you can find that pesky little star in various circumstances. We've got a series of training programs for 2CAV, this is some of the material that goes along with the recon courses.

[mr burns 132]

Very handy app!

Would´nt start for me using the .exe as the window just stayed grey, but opening the swf in firefox worked fine.

Now that i (finally!) learned how to navigate using stars i´ll give it a little field test on cherna :)

[CarlGustaffa 4]

I hope Arma games never make worlds located in the southern hemisphere. :)

[Gedis 0]

I hope Arma games never make worlds located in the southern hemisphere. :)

hehe, good note, navigating by southern hemisphere's night sky would be a total dissaster for me

[irR4tiOn4L 10]

hehe, good note, navigating by southern hemisphere's night sky would be a total dissaster for me

Got 100% first time and thats starting with next to no knowledge of what the big dipper or north star is.

How would we navigate in the Southern Hemisphere? (Australia here, so its more useful to me)

EDIT: Ah right the Southern Cross! Everyone knows that one here! Not as easy as the North Star but not overly difficult

EDIT 2: For those that are wondering, you locate the Southern Cross, project a line along its axis from the bottom, then find either the more prominent but slightly less accurate pointer stars Alpha and Beta centauri (very bright) or the more difficult to find but more accurate pointer stars of the Triangulum Australe (fairly dim but close by) to project a perpendicular line from between them toward the line you projected from the Southern Cross.

The points where these lines cross are close to the Southern Celestial Pole - the Triangulum Australe lines are easier to visualise and closer to the SCP, but harder to find, while the Alpha and Beta Centauri lines are more difficult to project and thus more prone to error, as well as being a bit further off, but much easier to find

At least thats my take. Ok, its not the Dipper and the North Star but it works

Edited November 12, 2009 by irR4tiOn4L

[Alpha-Kilo 36]

Thank you for this! I have never considered star navigation in ArmA2 because I normally use my nvg at night and, as you said, this ruins star navigation.

I failed miserably at your test (49 out of 50) but I will definitely try it in-game.

I wonder if there are any more similar-to-life training exercises to try out.

[SWT_Janowich 10]

Thanks for this! Thats cool!