Vedexent Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Just a few minor ones: If I turn the COMPUTADOR off, I can still use the flight computer/director just fine - so what is this referring to? I get a CAWS alert, but it doesn't seem to have any effect on the computer, or engine operation. Is the IFF ever likely to actually have a function, or is this a limitation in DCS World it'self? What do the UHF / VHF Priority buttons do? Again, they don't seem to have any effect. Is this part of the not-yet-implemented Radio system? Same for NAV PRIORITY - toggling this off doesn't seem to interrupt TACAN or VOR navigation on the HDI What does the Backup ADI cage control for? The control seems to reset itself automatically, and I can't seem to cage the backup ADI - it reacts to attitude changes, no matter what. Emergency Air Brake retraction works fine - but the manual pitch trim does not, even when AILERON HYD OVERRIDE is engaged. Seat height adjustment doesn't work ;) Not complaining - and I suspect that most of this issues are a WIP, but I'm curious.
Tango Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 If I turn the COMPUTADOR off, I can still use the flight computer/director just fine - so what is this referring to? I get a CAWS alert, but it doesn't seem to have any effect on the computer, or engine operation.You're not trying hard enough... :D It has limited effect due to SFM, but effect it does have... It will be enhanced with AFM (I can have some real fun with it then :D ). Is the IFF ever likely to actually have a function, or is this a limitation in DCS World it'self?IFF will never be modelled. It's method of operation is classified (it's up there with nuclear launch codes, for reasons which should be obvious). What do the UHF / VHF Priority buttons do? Again, they don't seem to have any effect. Is this part of the not-yet-implemented Radio system?Radio priority front/back seat. ON is front seat. If you tune the back seat to different frequencies, you can switch between them with this button (of course, the back seat would be permanently tuned to that one freq if flying single crew!). Same for NAV PRIORITY - toggling this off doesn't seem to interrupt TACAN or VOR navigation on the HDISame as above, only NAV radio instead. What does the Backup ADI cage control for? The control seems to reset itself automatically, and I can't seem to cage the backup ADI - it reacts to attitude changes, no matter what.To cage, pull the knob, then rotate all the way to the right. It magically holds out for 2 seconds to allow you to do this, otherwise it pops in again as if you let go and turning all the way to the right has no effect; it behaves as a normal pitch attitude adjust. Emergency Air Brake retraction works fineI was rather pleased with how it turned out. :) but the manual pitch trim does not, even when AILERON HYD OVERRIDE is engaged.SFM limitation... if I could affect flight control behavior then I could implement these, too. Will be operational with AFM. Seat height adjustment doesn't work * rolleyes * WIP :) Hope that answers your questions! Best regards, Tango.
Flagrum Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 (edited) Regarding IFF: afaik the handling of the IFF equipment is very well documented and that information is available and not restricted. What are those "Modes", etc. So the general function and working principles are known and not really a secret. What IS resticted is the cryptographic stuff that is involved - probably the algorithms uses, but in any case the cryptographic keys that are used in a specific situation/mission as such are. But those are not needed to simulate the IFF functionality. The crypto stuff is basically used to prevent the enemy from saying "Hey, I am friendly!" (if he does not use the correct encryption, you know he is lying). This behaviour, though, can be simulated easily without the actual use of cryptography at all. In reality an enemy can not know how to properly answer a crypted IFF request. In the sim, there is no need for cryptography - as the enemy always "cooperates" and does not try to spoof anyone. We could just let an enemy not react to an IFF request that is tagged as "assume this transmission is not readably by anyone except friendlies". Tbh, I never understood why nobody (except LNS, btw!) implements IFF. Lacking of (legally usable) information it is not ... edit: Already from the flightmanual of the DCS A-10C one can derieve how an IFF transponder operates. It is just not implemented ... Other sources: i.e. wikipedia Edited January 28, 2015 by Flagrum
Vedexent Posted January 28, 2015 Author Posted January 28, 2015 I think the problem is that no one has implemented it ... so no one implements it :) An IFF pretty much has to work with everyone, and if "Plane A" can only identify whether other "Plane A" are friend or foe, it's kind of limited. Not useless, but limited. I'm also not sure that there's any functionality in the core to support this - so you could have a mish-mash of implementations (if implementing it without core support is even possible). If ED puts it in DCS 2.0 (2.2? 2.5? 3.0?), you may start to see support for it.
ESAc_matador Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Well, the Mig 21 has some IFF working for your side, not for the type of Aircraft. You select a "channel" and that is all. Just when you detect someone in the radar, press the right button and in the radar there is Simbol that identifies friend or foe. I think it is cool.
Vedexent Posted January 28, 2015 Author Posted January 28, 2015 Well, the Mig 21 has some IFF working for your side, not for the type of Aircraft. You select a "channel" and that is all. Just when you detect someone in the radar, press the right button and in the radar there is Simbol that identifies friend or foe. I think it is cool. Huh - I didn't know that. I guess that's working of Red/Blue faction affiliation? It does sound cool :)
Flagrum Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 (edited) Well, the Mig 21 has some IFF working for your side, not for the type of Aircraft. You select a "channel" and that is all. Just when you detect someone in the radar, press the right button and in the radar there is Simbol that identifies friend or foe. I think it is cool. I think, Vedextend is right. For the aircraft equipped with an IFF transponder it will not add much in terms of functionality. It only gets interesting for aircraft that can actively interrogate others IFF transponders. The way IFF works is roughly like this: Aircraft A interrogates aircraft B: "Are you friend or foe?" Now there are basically 3 possibilities: a) B answers using the correct codes and encryption: "I am friendly!" b) B answers with a wrong code: "I am friendly" c) B answers not at all Case a) is easy: B IS in fact friendly. Case b) can mean that either an enemy is trying to spoof us or that a friendly aircraft has set up their IFF transponder wrongly. For us this can only mean "B is unknown". Case c) is identical in the result to b) - it can mean that an enemy is ignoring our interrogation or that a friendly has a damaged transponder, has set it up incorrectly or is simply not equipped with a transponder. I am not sure if we really want to have to deal with all the administrative stuff concerning the codes and (simulated) encryption key settings. Do we really want to simulate the case that the ground crew has loaded up an outdated encryption key to the transponder? :o) Anyway, this leaves us basically with the case wether an IFF transponder equipped aircraft has turned it on or not. And this information has to be transmitted to the interrogating aircraft - so it can distinguish between our case a) and c), i.e. to allow aircraft B to be shown as "unknown" although it is definately a friendly. This would at least require some protocol for MP games where this information is shared between the clients in a defined way - something ED would have to provide. The approach of LNS is probably a simplification. They probably just show any aircraft of the same faction as "="/friendly, regardless of their respective IFF transponder settings (or even existence), and every other aircraft as "-" /unknown. All in all, the question then remains, how much all this actually would add to the gameplay/immersion ... Edited January 28, 2015 by Flagrum
Vibora Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Most aircrafts in DCS have a basic IFF implementation, that's why you know that they are friend or foe. Roberto "Vibora" Seoane Alas Rojas [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
Vedexent Posted January 28, 2015 Author Posted January 28, 2015 All in all, the question then remains, how much all this actually would add to the gameplay/immersion ... I think this would still be useful. I've seen a lot of "Blue on Blue" kills in multi-player. Now, whether its use outweighs the developer time/cost to implement is another story.
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