Search the Community

I've been looking into how AI units detect aircraft at night, and the results are actually really interesting. After checking through the detection.lua file and running a bunch of tests, I found that sky_bodies_illumination_factor is set to true, which means the moon phase directly affects how visible you are to AI. The game uses four moon stages quarter, half, three quarter, and full, with each one adding more light that helps AI spot you more easily against the night sky. sky_bodies_illumination_factor = true, other_light_sources_illumination_factor = true, --no effect if sun_illumination factor disabled darkness_threshold = 0.0, --no effect if sun_illumination factor disabled What stood out the most in testing was how external lights change your visibility. The parameter light_source_detection_distance is set to 10,000 meters when light power is at full, and my tests showed that position lights make you a lot easier to see and far more likely to be engaged by AI. Strobe lights also increased detection, but not as quickly as the position lights, while formation lights barely made a difference. as_light_source = { light_source_detection_distance = 10000.0 --for light power = 1.0f }, The file also shows that other_light_sources_illumination_factor is set to true, which means your own aircraft lights actually light up your airframe and make you glow against the dark background. In other words, you are basically making yourself a visible target when your lights are on. Another important part is the darkness_threshold value, which is set to 0.0. That suggests AI detection does not completely disappear at night. It is just greatly reduced unless you are illuminated by your own lights or the moon. max_detection_distance = 50000.0, --m, absolute limit But detection times increase significantly at longer ranges average_det_time_max_dist_0 = 1.0, --s, average detection time of target ahead at the maximal distance average_det_time_max_dist_180 = 10.0, --s, average detection time of target behind at the maximal distance Overall, both the code and testing show that flying with lights on at night, especially under a bright moon, makes you far easier to detect and engage. What should be the cover of darkness actually turns into a disadvantage if you are not careful with your lighting. Contributer: @mach_point_yuh, @lightningw0lf, @zenki1419

Hi, I miss a trigger in mission editor, which would react on target detection (radar/visual). I imagine something similar like "unit/part of group/ part of coalition in zone" in combination with specific unit. e.g. IF unit(radar) DETECTS unit(target)/part of group/part of coalition DO .... I´am trying to bypass it by lua script, but without any succes yet

Hi everyone, A subsequent update has resulted in ships not firing their anti-ship missiles until their targets are detected by their own surface-search radars (which, ignoring atmospheric ducting (which isn't modelled in DCS), are limited to radar horizon, for most ships this is typically on the order of 20 nmi/~37 km, some ships are). Previously, attack unit/group would result in firings, so long as the target was within the weapon's maximum range. This means that ships with longer-ranged anti-ship weapons cannot take advantage of that longer range and put themselves within range of shorter weapons (which can include some gun systems). Sometimes ships will fire 1-2 missiles, but won't follow up until within detection range of their own surface-search radars, this is inconsistent however (possibly related to heavy timewarp usage). While the current set up is somewhat more realistic, ships don't have ESM systems modelled in DCS, the AI won't share targets they detect with each other (in the tracks below their are aircraft that can provide offboard targeting, both via ESM and/or surface-directed radar - targeting should be able to be provided via data link or voice), nor are satellite based targeting systems modelled (outside Given that ships do not feature ESM systems in DCS, the AI won't share targets they detect with each other (and in the tracks below there are aircraft capable of detecting ships at long-range, both via ESM and via surface-directed radars), nor are there any satellite-based targeting systems (such as Legenda), attack group was the only option available to take advantage of the long range of anti-ship missiles. Now there's no option whatsoever. 3M80_Range.trk P-500_Range.trk P-700_Range1.trk P-700_Range2.trk RGM-84D_Range.trk YJ-62_Range.trk YJ-83_Range.trk

Hi I noticed that the ["detectionDistanceAir"] for the SA-6 is the same for Lower Hemisphere and Upper Hemisphere (46811.82421875). I`m assuming Lower Hemisphere is low altitude and Upper Hemisphere is High altitude, if that's the case, I would think that lower hemisphere would have a shorter detection distance than Upper hemisphere due to the curvature of the earth?

as title says.