msmith301

First off I don't want to get into a discussion regarding VR vs. these other two. While I understand VR is the absolute greatest I have my reservations about it as far as the resolution and also don't have the $500.00 to drop down on a setup. What I'm trying to find out if it's better just using the POV to look around as opposed to using the Track IR. The POV is definitely more stable when performing functions in the cockpit. Every time I'm trying to do something in the cockpit using my TrackIR setup if you don't keep your head absolutely still on what your looking at it moves out of context on you. However when it comes to looking outside the cockpit and in dogfight mode the TrackIR is definitely better. Its so much harder to keep up with finding and holding targets in view using the POV hat when your jinking and banking around. Your sight doesn't stay on your target. The down side to the TrackIR is having to turn your head away from the monitor so it turns the TrackIR viewpoint but at the same time still looking at the monitor. Very uncomfortable feeling. I have yet to be able to set up the TrackIR so it moves your head around the cockpit slowly enough to do instrument controls and yet fast enough outside the cockpit to keep up with viewing targets. I was wondering if there's a way to do both. Pause TrackIR and use POV when you want to look around inside the cockpit but then go to TrackIR when you want to look outside the cockpit and keep up with your targets. I've been watching a lot of YT DCS videos and I can't tell if there using POV or TrackIR.

If I wanted to have absolutely the best Desktop PC (Not laptop) with the fastest CPU/GPU, highest possible graphics and plenty of HD storage for this and upcoming DCS modules what would I be needing? Not looking to build just buy it already pre-built.

My bad. I was using it in reference to the "glass" cockpit of the F-16. Back when F-16 first came out they were talking about the full view glass canopy.

Some people just can't understand the allure of trying what used to be. Anybody can have the fastest, sleekest, most modern that has computer to correct for your mistakes but the real allure is mastering the older fly by the seat of your pants rigs such as the A-4E, The F-86s, the older MIGs and yes the older versions of the F-14. Some of the older MIGs weren't even hydraulically controlled. I remember watching a documentary where a pilot was testing out a captured MIG 17 I believe it was. He said he was pulling so hard on the stick trying to get it to turn tight that the control column started bending and he had to ease off of it...lol. I like when the F-14 starts to depart controlled flight. Makes you feel you're in a real plane instead of just some run of the mill video arcade game. First felt it flying in here with the P-51 trainer. Try to turn to hard and flips back the other way. Just like the F-14.

How do you edit the files? Haven't had a lot of practice working with DCS file system.

Found it. Was looking in game settings for something unrelated and they actually have the ability to select padlock view using certain controls. What I like is the ability to be able to padlock missile launches from the ground. Some of these are so hard to find. Realize it's not completely realistic but at 57 and my vision gone from 20/15 to around 20/40 that little spec can sometimes be hard to see. When I get better at the game and know what I should be looking for maybe I'll turn it off. Give credit to the guys in some of the D.F. video where these guys are tracking a camouflaged Mig down below them down in the trees. I can't see a damned thing..lol.

Where I saw it done was in the F-86 using the UHF controls at the bottom right console. There's a large knob in the middle that has a selection of upwards around 18 +- different selections. Just thought it added a bit of realism to reach down, turn a knob and have music playing. Can you set up a different song for each number on the knob and is this available in other planes? Switches music on at 5:34 in video. Sounds like he's having dinner with my grandmother rather than dogfighing somebody trying to kill him...lol.

What is that and how do you initiate it. I only really need it for heavier framed cockpits like the F-14 where you are always losing site of the target.

Agreed. One of the reasons I went with DCS over any other was because of everything I read about how the simulators where as close to the real thing when it came to the individual module characteristics as there is. I was really saddened to find out when I started looking at the flight model characteristics of each plane that the sims I was flying in the past where all pretty much based around the same flight characteristics or flight envelope no matter what you flew in the game. None of them had their own distinct flight characteristics. In DCS the way that say the F-14 has that nasty reverse roll if you don't use your rudders to help you in a turn. Or the way it starts to shake when on the verge of a stall. But go to the F-5, F-16 or F-15 and you just turn and pull for a tight turn. Try that in the F-14 and your flipping back the other way. Don't get me wrong I love the game and won't stop playing it but I hope the developers use this insight into trying to improve it instead of just accepting what's here and moving on to the next module. They need a team who's only job is going back and fixing bugs and wrong characteristics if they want DCS to continue to be more than just another video game company. Everything I've read here will make me do a little more forum searching to insure the next module I buy does not have a bunch of issues that will only make it frustrating to use.

I considered just using my cellphone with a split jack from my computer and the phone. Build a music file and go. I already have a metal strip attached to my control panel for attaching my phones Steele Magnet holder to.

Actually the F-14D saw the least amount of service compared to the older A&B models that were the epitome of the Top Gun era. And I don't mean the Tom Cruise movie I mean the school itself. Let me ask you this. How would it feel it they stuck MFDs and Modern Day HUDs in the F-86. We already have A slew of planes in here with all the fancy HUDs and Electronic MFDs. F-16, F-15C, F-18, AV-8, JF-17. It's kind of nice to dive into the beginning of the modern jet age when they where still using the analog instruments. The F-5 was actually developed after the F-14A. The F-5E II came into service in 1972, 2 years after the F-14A first hit the skies and it had analog controls. It wasn't until the F-20 variant of the F-5 that they put the MFDs in the same plane. While I have always loved the F-16 and F-15 I like being able to go back to simple where I can fly and have all the information I need right there. I am having a blast dogfighting in the F-5E where all I have to do is glance down at my analog controls without having to worry about hitting buttons on multiple MFDs. I would rather have a few models that have more attention paid to them instead of all the different models with to many issues to fix. The F-14B in my opinion was very well done.

Actually the book is "Black Aces High".

Been watching some YT videos where it shows the player reaching down and turning a knob and turning their own music on while flying. I used to love doing this in the old days. Gives you something to listen to on long flights. Question: How is this done and can it be done in all planes? Pretty cool when you can make it part of your controls. So far I've only seen it done in the F-86.

Not sure if it was WW2 or one of the later wars but remember reading something in a book (nonfiction) about using prop planes to cut thru communication lines.

Any good resources out there that can help keep information current?

You can also see it in this video at 2:55 as the target moves from top of canopy across mirror. You plainly see it highlighted in mirror image of the crossbar. Small black speck that moves with the plane in the distance as it comes down across to the HUD.

I'm seeing them in Spudknocker's videos. This video in particular was were I first noticed it. The first can be seen at 1:04 to 1:09 as it moves down across the top of the canopy crossbar, across the mirror and into the HUD's target box. 1:30-1:33 where he starts to pull away and out of the HUD the "pipper" as I'm calling it moves back up across the canopy frame and mirror and you can see it as it's moving across the framework. When it's behind the canopy frame it shows up as a really small green speck but you can definitely see it moving along the same path as the target plane. You can see it through out the video. Sometimes it's harder to spot in the faster moving baking and jinking but when he's trying to pull guns on in a hard turn is where it's most noticeable.

I was watching some of the dogfight videos on YT using the F-14 and I noticed when the target went behind the canopy glass framework of the cockpit that a small pipper for lack of a better word would show up so you wouldn't lose track of the other planes location when it went behind the canopy framework. How is this initiated without doing full out labels?

Not sure what you're talking about with the all glass canopy. See attached link: https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/439373-f-14-abd-tomcat-true-topgun/page/2/ The F-14D had the same structural framework around the canopy as all the other models. The only difference in the 14D cockpit was the addition of MFDs and the updated HUD. And I'm sure some others I don't know about. I agree with being OK with only having the F-14B. The purpose of these planes is they are all time period based. The F-14A/B still has all the analog controls left over from the 60s but the better performance maneuverability from the newer fighters. It was built as a better class of fighter/interceptor to replace the aging F-4 Phantom. The Air Force already had its F-15C Eagle and the F-16 Viper. What I like about the F-14 is when you're in the cockpit it looks like an F-14 should from the era. All analog controls. Large metal frame around the front of the cockpit. Although when I first started flying it I have to admit that was one of the most annoying parts about it. It's hard to go from cockpits like the F-86, the F-15 and the F-16 to having all that metal blocking your view. But you start to fall into what the F-14 was. What I can do without is the F-14A with the under powered TF=30 engines.

Should I create the aircraft folder in the mod folder to keep it from overwriting my Tacview folder? Or will it create the mod/aircraft folder because it doesn't exist yet?

:thumbup:

It also says.... If you have installed other DCS World mods, you might already have the Mods and aircraft folders indicated in the file path. If this is the case, merge the A-4E-C folder into any existing folders, so as to avoid overwriting any other DCS modules you might have installed in these folders. I have one other file in my mods file for TachView. But I noticed your file structure on the sample page you posted shows an aircraft file folder leading to aircraft mods but Tacview is in a folder called Tech. Do I need to create the aircraft folder or will it do it itself without messing with the Tacveiw (tech) folder?

Part of the install instructions say: "Do not download directly from the Github repository." This is where I downloaded from at the bottom of the page. https://github.com/heclak/community-a4e-c/releases/tag/v1.4 Is this correct. Don't want to start off wrong from the get go.

Wasn't the Walleye a guided munition? Some of the A4s first missions in Vietnam were supposed to put the Walleye thru actual window opening. Although I don't believed they were ever able to actually make that happen.

If they come out with the F-4 Phantom then we have to have a Vietnam era map. F-4s, Mig-17s, Mig-21s, UH-1s. Add in to that the third party A4-E Skyhawk. If all that's not a reason for a 60s southeast Asia map I don't know what is. But I'm getting a little off topic.