Improved FLIR Simulation

[NineLine]

The new FLIR is promised for 2.0. only!

 

1.5 Caucasus won't get it for another year at least, since the merge of 1.5 into 2.0 is not a priority this year, see Wags post: http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?...&postcount=208

So basically you have to buy 2.0...if you want an working FLIR...sometime in 2016.

 

You are reading more into that quote than is there. The merging of 1.5 to 2.0 is very high on the priority list, maintain all these versions isnt where anyone wants to be any longer than they need to be.

[ALT326]

I can agree that the FLIR in in 2.0 is working as it should. Just flew mission 3 in the red flag campaign and it workes just fine. Now only a merge of 1.5 and 1.2 and I'm happy. Keep up the good work.

[NineLine]

I can agree that the FLIR in in 2.0 is working as it should. Just flew mission 3 in the red flag campaign and it workes just fine. Now only a merge of 1.5 and 1.2 and I'm happy. Keep up the good work.

 

FLIR in 2.0 works better because its in Nevada, the contrast is different there than in the Black Sea map, so of course it looks better. Most likely it will be a little while before ED gets a new FLIR system in place.

[Subferro]

This may be a dumb question, but I was looking at the terrain config .lua files (the same high/med/low ones that Yurgon referenced in his workaround on page 7) and noticed an entry called "Infrared" with parameters such as terrain detail, darkness, and settings for roads/rivers. Has anyone tried editing that? I did a couple quick tests this afternoon and didn't notice anything ground breaking, but I do think lowering terrain detail made trucks pop out a little more (tanks are still tough to spot due to very few 'hotspots' and most of the hull is the same color as the terrain). However, I don't know if it was placebo effect and didn't have time to test with screenshots.

 

My question is does editing this offer the same benefit of changing the terrain noise while only affecting the TGP display, or are these lines not even used? I'll test more tomorrow when I'm back in front of my PC but for now wanted to share with the community.

 

As an aside, it also looks like my default terrain noise has been lowered to 0.6. Maybe I misread Yurgon's post, but I thought 0.9 was default. Did that chance in 1.5.3?

[Yurgon]

My question is does editing this offer the same benefit of changing the terrain noise while only affecting the TGP display, or are these lines not even used? I'll test more tomorrow when I'm back in front of my PC but for now wanted to share with the community.

 

Good question!

 

What are your findings so far?

 

As an aside, it also looks like my default terrain noise has been lowered to 0.6. Maybe I misread Yurgon's post, but I thought 0.9 was default. Did that chance in 1.5.3?

 

You're right, it seems the value has been lowered with 1.5.3.

 

I'm currently using Barthek's ground textures mod, where that value remains at 0.9, but I have less problems spotting targets with that mod than I had before 1.5.3 was released, so apparently there were other changes that affected the ground clutter and/or the visibility of ground vehicles. But I haven't figured out yet whether these depend on the actual textures or if Barthek found other ways to improve target visibility.

[Subferro]

Sorry for not following up. I didn't see a whole lot of difference playing with those settings, even going as far as to directly compare screenshots. Not sure what those settings do but this wasn't it unfortunately. That said there may be something else to them that I'm missing, so if others have ideas I won't completely write off these lines.

[thomasleecht]

1.5.3 fixed?

 

I've updated to 1.5.3 and played A10C Sitting Ducks mission. I found the contrast to be better. Don't know if other missions are like so.

[Windsortheater]

I've updated to 1.5.3 and played A10C Sitting Ducks mission. I found the contrast to be better. Don't know if other missions are like so.

 

Any changes with latest update?

[RightStuff]

The merging of 1.5 to 2.0 is very high on the priority list, maintain all these versions isnt where anyone wants to be any longer than they need to be.

 

Posted in February...

Merry Christmas, DCS! ;)

[NineLine]

Posted in February...

Merry Christmas, DCS! ;)

 

Yup, and a lot has changed since then, such as getting a redone Black Sea map... all for free I might add. SO yes... Merry Christmas.

[RightStuff]

Yes, indeed / and a few days ago I bought my 2nd module this year I forgot to add...

 

So: really looking forward to the join of stable and alpha.:thumbup:

[sobek]

So: really looking forward to the join of stable and alpha.:thumbup:

 

Improved FLIR was never mentioned officially as a planned feature for 2.5, so don't get your hopes up.

[Pikey]

A new FLIR system was mentioned as a feature. wether that is contrary to improved FLIR, I'm not to sure.

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=2659915&postcount=13

 

DCS World 2.0 in 2016 will offer new clouds and weather effects; improved HDR; deferred lighting (more light sources); new FLIR system; an improved Air Traffic Control (ATC) system; enhanced explosions, over-wing vapor, and rain on canopy; procedural grass and vegetation; improved multiplayer with dedicated server support; a new Air Combat Generator with enhanced user control of air-to-air generated missions; new custom overlays option for the Mission Editor, and a new Virtual Reality (VR) tab in Options which will improve the DCS World experience in VR.

[Nu-NRG]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

 

Awesome post!

 

Brings back memories!

[tintifaxl]

Those were the overly (in hindsight) ambitious plans. I'm sure ED did what they could to make them happen, but it didn't work out. Let's see what's on the menu for 2017, but I think (and who would blame them?) they'll keep that to themselves.

[funkyfranky]

I think if someone makes a list with all the things that have been achieved this year, it's gonna be quite long. Personally, I'm very happy with the progress even if not all boxes were ticked. But, even more to look forward to in 2017 :)

[ebabil]

It can be exported from Silver Dragon's list but it is quite a job. :)

[sobek]

A new FLIR system was mentioned as a feature. wether that is contrary to improved FLIR, I'm not to sure.

 

I stand corrected.

 

Well anyway, there was no news on this at all in this year and no more mention of it either, so i wouldn't bet on it.

[Silver_Dragon]

It can be exported from Silver Dragon's list but it is quite a job. :)

 

Wait to reach Dec 31/Jan 1. I move the in progress stuff to the new year and clear 2016 with features release as previous years.

[ac5]

 

Finally, a word towards ED: The TGP worked okay in 1.2. It was almost entirely broken in 1.5. This is not a wishlist item, this is a bug.

 

Indeed... Completely agree.

[Sgt_Baker]

Computationally it's not exactly rocket science to implement a real-world simulation of IR rendering/interpretation. Given that we're talking about tanks, aircraft, humans: Simplistically assign their model a single float defining their average temperature; assign the surrounding an average temperature; have the IR-sensor pixel shader calculate the contrast between the two.

 

Could the "difficult" complaints merely be the hassle of going through every model and assigning them a temperature? Of course, making engine compartments "glow" and vehicle tracks do the same is much more involved, but that's not what we're asking for here, is it?

 

What we're asking for is thermal imaging: Imaging where a tank in full battle should stand out like a nuke in an IR image. Not this silly reprocessing to B&W of the visual image that we currently "enjoy". (Or at least that's how it looks to me)

 

--Baker

[LeCuvier]

To be clear: I have flown the A-10C for years before the first version of 1.5 happened. Before 1.5 visibility on the TGP screen was not great, and I don't know what the real thing is like. But with 1.5 it got much worse - unacceptable in my humble opinion.

I suspect that the resources of ED are stretched to the limit; and it might be that they have just a bit too much on the plate. But they need to set the right priorities and get this functionality right. If the solution comes as a bonus with the F/A-18 that's fine - I'll buy it. If not, I would rather have them postpone the F/A-18 and get existing functionality right. And, by the way, the same applies to the tracks which also got screwed up by the 1.5 changes.

But, in my opinion, no resources should be wasted by developing interim solutions.

PS:

I can very well live without "...enhanced explosions, over-wing vapor, and rain on canopy; procedural grass and vegetation" for years to come. But let's get the essentials right!

Edited February 6, 2017 by LeCuvier

[Sgt_Baker]

But let's get the essentials right!

 

I concur. IR imaging is essential to any modern military sim.

[ac5]

To be clear: I have flown the A-10C for years before the first version of 1.5 happened. Before 1.5 visibility on the TGP screen was not great, and I don't know what the real thing is like. But with 1.5 it got much worse - unacceptable in my humble opinion.

I suspect that the resources of ED are stretched to the limit; and it might be that they have just a bit too much on the plate. But they need to set the right priorities and get this functionality right. If the solution comes as a bonus with the F/A-18 that's fine - I'll buy it. If not, I would rather have them postpone the F/A-18 and get existing functionality right. And, by the way, the same applies to the tracks which also got screwed up by the 1.5 changes.

But, in my opinion, no resources should be wasted by developing interim solutions.

PS:

I can very well live without "...enhanced explosions, over-wing vapor, and rain on canopy; procedural grass and vegetation" for years to come. But let's get the essentials right!

 

Fully agree.

[Northstar98]

What we need is a FLIR simulation that actually behaves like a real one, one that calculates skin temperature, ambient temperature etc for different surfaces like the IR system ARMA 3 has (in which vehicles get hot as they start-up, barrels get hotter as they fire, dead bodies get cold etc etc etc all taking into account the current environmental effects such as air temperature and ground temperature). This would be perfection for FLIR modelling as it's probably the most realistic way of simulating it (again ARMA 3 does this exact thing).

Edited February 7, 2017 by NineLine
Removed OT