Bahger

You can make any vehicle a FAC. Then it's just a matter of giving it LOS to the target (or positioning a UAV) and filling in the necessary information in the FAC waypoint activation command sequence in the right order.

Thanks! Yeah, the rising dawn lighting effects are pretty spectacular.

Got it, thanks!

Thanks, Viper. Er, sorry but...GA? I'm not sure that speeding up a slowed down video is within the remit of MS MovieMaker, my vanilla-flavour DV editing/rendering program. I might need something really expensive, like Adobe to do that. However, this "GA" of whom you speak might have the answer. Sorry this is the second time in one thread that a reference has gone in one ear and out the other.

Glad you liked it, Lindbergh. I could have made a dedicated JTAC mission but decided to use the JTAC element as the climax of a mission with other requirements and objectives so players could get the sense, not just of how JTAC works in-game, but how it might be integrated operationally into a combat mission.

Sorry, Viper, but could you explain? Are you saying that if the track runs at, say, 60FPS according to FRAPS I should record it at a quarter of that? "Speed to default at rendering": Do you mean when I edit the FRAPS output in MovieMaker? Sorry if I'm being dense but I'm sure you'tre onto something.

JaBo, that's a drag (excuse the pun). Are you holding down the bomb release button for long enough? Are you making sure that you are wings-level (release mode is 3 -9, which requires wings-level on release). Did you make the LSS spot track your SPI? I've noticed that the LGB will release even if the Azimuth Steering Line is outside the circular recticle but I imagine there is a limit, are you sure you are meeting all the release parameters? I've never experienced this problem. I'm afraid it's operator error not a mission-design issue but I'm happy to do whatever I can to assist.

This is very helpful, thank you. The last time I tried recording "Full Size" it was a slideshow but that was at 1200 x 1920. Hopefully with the res stepped down it'll be fine. I set framerate at the 29.98 option as I have avoided a couple of stuttering issues with subtitles that way.

I run DCS A-10 at 1200 x 1920 but this makes it impossible to read in-game message text and other fine details in tutorial videos recorded in this resolution and uploaded to YouTube. I've been advised that if I record my tutorial with FRAPS at 1280 x 720, this is the Hi-Def resolution and it will be possible to read text/instrument details if I output DV to YouTube in this res. The trouble is that there is no 1280 x 720 setting in DCS A-10. I have made tutorial videos before in my native res but I am reluctant to do another one when people complain that the resolution is too fine to be able to read critical details on the screen. I have saved a track played in 1200 x 1920 but plan to record it with FRAPS in a more helpful resolution, edit it and then upload it to YouTube. However, as I say, there is no 1280 x 720 res option listed in the sim's available settings. Can anyone advise?

OK Hawk, this is all you have to do: In the Options menu, select "Realistic Radios" (or whatever they call it) and deselect "Radio Assists". The misleading thing for radio novices is that the AM and FM settings on the VHF radios are for Guard channels, so, rather than switch them to AM or FM, in both cases switch the frequency adjustment knob to "Man" or you won't hear anything. This is the default setting for runway starts so you don't actually have to fiddle with this. Now, in my mission, tune the top (VHF AM) radio to 124.00 to monitor Enfield and Uzi flights. Leave the middle radio alone, it's already set to 251MHz for your own flight comms. Tune the bottom radio (VHF FM) to 72.00MHZ to contact Axeman (FAC) when he comes online. Note that the VHF AM radio has two revolving analog number dials on the left of the decimal point, one containing a two-digit value, alongside another with a single-digit value. The FM radio also has two revolving analog number dials on the left of the decimal point but each contains only a one-digit value because the FM range is limited to double-figure whole numbers. Bear in mind that in my mission you won't hear any radio chatter until you are almost at your IP, running in to attack the Shilkas. Neither Enfield nor Uzi will check in until then. As far as radio transmit (as opposed to receive) is concerned: Remember to use the correct transmit switch. On my HOTAS, these functions are mapped to one 4-way button, FWD for VHF AM, BKWD for VHF FM and DOWN for UHF flight comms. If you have any further difficulty I'm sure either WarriorX or I can help out.

I can help you, too. Don't worry, I'm the mission designer and I had problems with realistic comms. I sorted it out with some help from these forums, though, and will post more help here a little later.

Agh, my dang post keeps double-posting!

Thanks for the response, WX, I appreciate the thumbs-up. TOT is not as critical as I made it sound, it's only important to be on time because the helos arrive at their IP at the same time as you arrive at yours, and they won't push until you have destroyed the Shilkas and cleared the way. I had a helluva time managing the AI timing in the ME so I decided not to get too ambitious. I have not played with IR marking, I assume it works the same way as lasing a target through the TGP, right? Would AI ground forces respond to a mark in the way you suggest or would this all be scripted, i.e. dialogue only? I have never actually seen the enemy infantry in the town through the TGP. I'm going to try, though. I'd be inclined to implement this interesting suggestion if it's tactical (i.e. the AI can actually respond to my mark) rather than merely atmospheric (i.e. scripted dialogue). I think the urban illuminations are a WIP -- I really like the effect, actually -- but I'd be very interested to know if knocking out the power source would switch them off. I doubt it, unfortunately; I have found that the only objects one can destroy that are acknowledged in the sim, i.e. in debriefs, scoring, etc., are the designer-placed objects, not scenery, like bridges, etc. However, I believe there is a generator that can be placed by the designer in a mission and made a target. This will not have the effect of knocking out street lights though. It would be great if a dev stumbles into this thread and could comment on this. Not sure if the infantry have IR strobe capability. I think, but I am not sure, that I have seen them use laser sights in one of Matt's videos but I may well be imagining this. I have not found any menu item in the Mission Editor that indicates this capability. HOWEVER, the FAC can "sparkle" a target with his IR pointer. To do this, I'd need to place another FAC, as, for the moment at least, the biggest limitation of FAC implementation is one target and out. Glad you enjoyed the mission, Warrior.

Thanks, Deephouse. For added viewing pleaure, turn up your civilian vehicles setting -- as long as your system can handle it -- and look through your TGP at buses chugging through the village from 15,000 feet, 10 feet away from where you are about to drop your LGB.

That is very useful, Nickhawk, thanks.

Thanks guys, very helpful. This ME is a powerful tool if you plan the scenario and choose the terrain carefully enough, especially if the goal is realism.

Thanks, Sobek, always great to hear from an ED staffer, appreciate the assist, as always.

The JTAC often references a player-placed nav point in the 9-line (like "Ford", etc., they are named after car brands) as either an IP or an egress ref. I just don't know how to place it so that I can influence the direction of egress. I've seen it done though. As for "sparkle", there is footage (Matt Wagner's I think, no time to check right now) on Youtube; it's pretty impressive. I think (unless I'm imagining it) you even see the ground troops' laser sights in action (unless I'm getting A-10 mixed up with ArmA 2) but, either way, it's a great JTAC target guide to have for rockets, guns and dumb bombs.

I'm sad that the sim does not model a contemporary theater like Afghanistan but, regardless, I was wondering if anyone knows whether there is a steep mountain pass/canyon for a mission I'd like to design. I'd like to stage a convoy ambush, with both Blue FACs and Red RPG/Stinger teams nestled in the canyon walls. I'm none too optimistic but if anyone knows of terrain like this, please post, thanks!

This looks like my kind of mission, Geskes, and the briefing and maps in the first post are most impressive. Should I try it now or are you working on any more updates?

Thanks gents. Wicked, I think you'll like the tweaked version. The firefight in the village adds a little spice and giving every Blue entity a name makes the debrief much better.

Thanks for the appreciative comments, guys. Note updated file replaces original in first post, changelog included in post. Dane48, good luck, sorry about the crashes, I have rarely experienced them in this mission but the sim does crash every now and then. Let me know if the new version works better. Crescendo, I appreciate the positive feedback. Yes, I don't like to treat sims as shooters, so if there are known SAMs in my missions, for example, there will always be SEAD assets tasked to them. My object, as you have gathered, is to give the player a sense of immersion in a coordinated operation and even when the workload is high, the scenario should not be a "Hail Mary" undertaking but a workable mission with a realistic relationship between enemy threats and friendly support assets.

Gents: i. How do I influence the "Egress" direction as stated in the JTAC 9-line? I played a mission in which there was a nav point which seemed to do the trick, but I have been unable to reproduce this and in a mission I made, JTAC says "Egress north" when I want "south"... ii. What does a mission designer have to do to get JTAC to offer a "sparkle" option, i.e. for illumination of the target via an IR pointer on the ground that can be seen from the air? iii. Does the placement of a UAV always mean that the FAC does not need LOS to the target and if so, are there any rules for the placement of this object and/or the FAC? As always, thanks!

WX, do you know whether, if I give an infantry unit the same frequency as my buddy flights (124) via the 'advanced' options at their first WP to specify radio frequency and callsign, their comms will be audible just like the flight comms? (As for the CDU, yeah, I might dip my toe in it by using markpoints to drop multiple JDAMs but as for everything else I think I'll wait to find out just how much of a WIP it currently is...)

Hey WarriorX, yes, I downloaded your excellent tutorial a while back and have been using it as I make the transition from easy radios to realistic. It will be particularly useful when it comes to presets. Having said that, even the most well put-together radio tutorial could not dislodge from my thick head the notion that an FM radio had to be set to FM and an AM radio to AM. It was a gigantic brain-fart that I hope to have dispelled now, because hearing comms from friendlies in a properly put-together mission enhances immersion and is sufficient reason for using realistic radios in this sim.