Afterburner effects

[Trident]

Just a little cosmetic suggestion from me, I think LOMAC needs more modern afterburner effects. The ones we have now are practically unchanged from Flanker2.0 and are showing their age. Mind you, with some 3rd party mods and heat blur turned on they actually look pretty decent, but few of us can really afford to turn heat blur on (I can't). The thing that strikes me is that NO new technology is required to make a significant difference, if ED were to use a particle effect similar to the existing missile exhaust effect in LOMAC they could come up with a rather good solution IMHO. Here are some good examples of particle based afterburners in other sims:

 

FS2004 using Iris Simulation's MiG-29 add-on (screenshot taken from their forums):

 

http://portal.netherways.com/Reviews/MiG29/IRISMiG09.jpg

 

Wings over Vietnam with the Mirage Factory F-15A add-on (screenshot found on checksix):

 

http://damwaar.homelinux.net/manetsim/Images12/FX2.jpg

 

Obviously ED could play around with different colours, but these examples show that a very nice effect can be achieved with technology that is already present in the LOMAC engine.

[Kula66]

Having seen some yesterday, I'm not sure those are more realistic than those currently in LO - IMHO.

 

Or is there a stage behind that below?

[192nd_Erdem]

Also afterburner "animation" (engine nozzles moving), should be alot smoother. It really looks ugly now.

[Trident]

The MiG-afterburner screenshot is definately very realistic, although I agree that the F-15 effect is overdone (it looks like the thing is on fire!). Like I said, ED can and should experiment with the colours/transparency, there is no inherent need for particle effects to be that bright (unless it's night-time of course).

 

The point is, particle effects are already there and can potentially be made to look far better than what we currently have.

[TucksonSonny]

Just a little cosmetic suggestion from me, I think LOMAC needs more modern afterburner effects. The ones we have now are practically unchanged from Flanker2.0 and are showing their age. Mind you, with some 3rd party mods and heat blur turned on they actually look pretty decent, but few of us can really afford to turn heat blur on (I can't). The thing that strikes me is that NO new technology is required to make a significant difference, if ED were to use a particle effect similar to the existing missile exhaust effect in LOMAC they could come up with a rather good solution IMHO. Here are some good examples of particle based afterburners in other sims:

 

FS2004 using Iris Simulation's MiG-29 add-on (screenshot taken from their forums):

 

http://portal.netherways.com/Reviews/MiG29/IRISMiG09.jpg

 

Wings over Vietnam with the Mirage Factory F-15A add-on (screenshot found on checksix):

 

http://damwaar.homelinux.net/manetsim/Images12/FX2.jpg

 

Obviously ED could play around with different colours, but these examples show that a very nice effect can be achieved with technology that is already present in the LOMAC engine.

 

The AB effect is done very nice in that mig-picture anyway! :thumbup:

BTW, the heat blur effect is only visible with speeds under 400 kts like it must be in RL.

[SuperKungFu]

Also afterburner "animation" (engine nozzles moving), should be alot smoother. It really looks ugly now.

 

I agree, even an old game such as falcon 4.0, once it is patched up to FF3 and pumpy's model, that nozzle is smooth as silk. Plus the after burners actually move. I think Lock On's engine can achieve that as well.

[Mobius1]

That IRIS MiG-29 afterburner is really amazing to see because it's animated very well and looks 1000x better than it does in the picture (even though it looks really great in the screenshot). I would make a video of it in action, but I'm not at my "flight" computer until tomorrow or tuesday, so I'll see if I can then, just to show it off. :thumbup:

[Trident]

I agree about the nozzle animation, but that's probably a function of the aircraft's 3D-model more than anything else. So, I wouldn't expect to see any improvement in this regard before we get new 3D-models. FWIW, I believe the nozzle animation is not sequenced properly either, it should be wide open at idle thrust and then close down progressively as you throttle up only to open fully again when you go into afterburner.

 

Mobius1, a video would be excellent, thanks!

[59th_LeFty]

What about THIS one? :D