Tacview - ACMI Software for Flaming Cliffs

[enigma6584]

Downloading it now. Thank you very much for this. I'm anticipating much improvement in my combat flying. :smilewink: Rep points inbound!:thumbup:

[ss_rage2005]

2 questions

 

Hey all :helpsmilie:

 

As you can see I’m new to this game and forum ”but i love this game now”

 

2 questions

 

1. What version of lock on does it work on ??? …… please

 

2. How do you install / use it ?? …… please

 

Sorry I am new to this, but it looks so cool. So if some one could guide me in the right direction.

 

Thanks :pilotfly:

[enigma6584]

Hey all :helpsmilie:

 

As you can see I’m new to this game and forum ”but i love this game now”

 

2 questions

 

1. What version of lock on does it work on ??? …… please

 

2. How do you install / use it ?? …… please

 

Sorry I am new to this, but it looks so cool. So if some one could guide me in the right direction.

 

Thanks :pilotfly:

 

All the instructions and requirements are listed right on his web page. You'll find the link at the very top of this thread.

[yufighter]

excellent

[ScEBlack1]

Great tool i love it, now i know were all those 120s are going...scary...ED needs this for sure.

[TekaTeka]

Excellent work!

 

Important:

If the server has the same Tacview's config.lua and export.lua in \Config\export\ , the clients can output Tacview files directly in the multiplayer sessions. They don't have to record and replay tracks. This is the host's decision.

[Nate--IRL--]

This has to be the single most useful tool for lock on ever. If as i think Teka is suggesting, we get this working properly in Multiplayer, it will be invaluable to training, and enjoying Lock On.

 

Being able to see where you went wrong and changing your methods and tactics accordingly woould be amazing.

 

Oh and ED if you don't include something like this in Tank Killers or "Destroyer" i will be very upset.

 

Nate

[Megahurts]

maybe we can too share our acmi files

 

This would be invaluable for newbs like me to see.

[Pilotasso]

the problem is that the files are HUGE. I got one with 32 MB (plain text!)

[AJ.eightFive]

Using winrar's best compression I'm able to reduce an 1800KB ACMI file to 500KB. So you could probably compress your 32MB file to 10MB, that's the size of 2 mp3's, not that big of a deal to share.

[Pilotasso]

ooooor...I culd just paste the text here :D

 

Now seriously we could have a place where to upload them. Sending over the mail can be painfull.

[S77th-GOYA]

Could someone please describe the advantages of this utility over a track file with externals, map and labels enabled? Other than the ability to rewind, which is obvious.

[Guest IguanaKing]

Not sure, but I must still praise Vyrtuoz for his efforts, as I don't think what's already available gives us quite the same level of detail. I could be wrong though. Being a Hog driver, the only ACMI I'd see after a mission which ended in my death is "You flew too close to something that was designed to kill your butt. Amen." :D

[Vyrtuoz]

It’s only because LUA does not support binary files...

 

Anyway, in the next version you will be able to convert every flight recording into compressed binary file from Tacview like planned.

 

You can also tweak UpdatePeriod en tacview.lua to decrease sample rate at the expense of quality to reduce text files size.

 

 

the problem is that the files are HUGE. I got one with 32 MB (plain text!)

[Pilotasso]

Could someone please describe the advantages of this utility over a track file with externals, map and labels enabled? Other than the ability to rewind, which is obvious.

 

Well for one I just discovered how blind the F-15 radar is, by letting half the enemies go by just in front of me.

 

I also found a couple of minutes ago, in what I had though to be a brilliant ambush orchestrated on me was infact a team kill, with all enemies trailing far behind me and a friendly taking all his ordnace on my beaten aircraft.

 

I also have found that some people just dance arround multiple missiles like in an obstacle slalom.

 

I dont think dissmissing someones hard work is right. If the ACMI tracks are boring and uneducational for you, then there must be some credit to the tactics employed on the part of the participants, not the tools author.

 

For the sake of the community dont just slap people in the face like this. Hardly gives any motivation to keep the SIM alive.

 

It’s only because LUA does not support binary files...

 

Anyway, in the next version you will be able to convert every flight recording into compressed binary file from Tacview like planned.

 

You can also tweak UpdatePeriod en tacview.lua to decrease sample rate at the expense of quality to reduce text files size.

 

No problemo mate. Not complaining about the tool. Just scanning the public opinion to see what are the chances we can share this stuff.

[S77th-GOYA]

I dont think dissmissing someones hard work is right. If the ACMI tracks are boring and uneducational for you, then there must be some credit to the tactics employed on the part of the participants, not the tools author.

 

For the sake of the community dont just slap people in the face like this. Hardly gives any motivation to keep the SIM alive.

 

I asked a question. No judgments, slaps or dismissals were part of that question.

 

Well for one I just discovered how blind the F-15 radar is, by letting half the enemies go by just in front of me.

 

I also found a couple of minutes ago, in what I had though to be a brilliant ambush orchestrated on me was infact a team kill, with all enemies trailing far behind me and a friendly taking all his ordnace on my beaten aircraft.

 

I also have found that some people just dance arround multiple missiles like in an obstacle slalom.

 

All of that can be seen in a track file. In fact the radar's lack of ability to pick up returns is something that you can only see in a track file because you can see where the radar is scanning and what is showing up on the MFD.

[Kula66]

Could someone please describe the advantages of this utility over a track file with externals, map and labels enabled? Other than the ability to rewind, which is obvious.

 

Well, rewind is a biggy - the number of times I've played back a track and wanted to replay the critical moment! Plus being able to see tracks through the sky relative to one another.

 

Great work, brill! ... worked first time, no fiddling. Fixed a BIG hole in LO!!!

 

Any chance you could add something to indicate cannon firing and perhaps hits? Not sure how difficult this is.

 

James

[169th_Crusty]

Excellent work!

 

Important:

If the server has the same Tacview's config.lua and export.lua in \Config\export\ , the clients can output Tacview files directly in the multiplayer sessions. They don't have to record and replay tracks. This is the host's decision.

 

Good work Virtuoz and... thanks TekaTeka:)

[walternowi]

Thank you Virtuoz. Great tool!

 

Nowi

[GGTharos]

All of that can be seen in a track file. In fact the radar's lack of ability to pick up returns is something that you can only see in a track file because you can see where the radar is scanning and what is showing up on the MFD.

 

Actually, it's all quite a bit better in the ACMI. Have you used it?

 

If so, then you're just blind to the advantage - if you haven't then stop talking and try it before you buy it. ;)

[S77th-GOYA]

Actually, it's all quite a bit better in the ACMI. Have you used it?

 

If so, then you're just blind to the advantage

 

I have tried it. What's all quite a bit better? Help a blind man out.

 

I think it's a good looking utlity that obviously took a lot of time and I join everyone in thanking Virtuoz for his efforts and contribution. But there are several replies here that seem to be amazed in what this utility gives them and I simply don't see it. I want to know what I'm missing. The ability to jump around in time is an obvious advantage but beyond that I can see that there are things that a track would show that this doesn't (cockpit view).

[GGTharos]

And a track can't show what this thing does; a picture of the fight at every step of the way, the ability to easily see tactics being used, a clear indication of how missiles work (some of these missiles have pursued their targets like rabid dogs! I was surprised to see the trajectories therein!)

 

It will also help in some ways bugfix missiles (my pet peeve); in a track you'd pretty much have to watch each missile independently to know what it's doing, and you don't get the history (trail) while in the ACMI you see this.

 

In the ACMI you can also see how formations etc are executed, again, with the history, for which a track is inadequate.

 

THat's the value of it to me, in any case ... it's a tool that can be used to improve team tactics, where tracks fail miserably - mainly due to the inability to rewind, and secondly because of the lack of history.

[Pilotasso]

Exactly ^^^^

 

Learned some more tricks to evade missiles. Tested and aproved. :)

[xll]

it is a great job.

but it seems don't record the gun fire if doing a dogfight, i would not get any log about guns firing, i wonder if its possible to add the guns fire record.

[Megahurts]

Pilotasso & GGTharos

 

The same here, I'm still at the "missile fodder" stage, and being able to see who and how is splashing me has improved my missile evasion tactics from a sucess rate of 1 in 10 to 5 in 10.

 

Regarding the sharing of files, 32mb is obviously a bit large to share for post-op debriefs, but having just checked my own /temp folder most of my SP A2A 1on1 1on2 etc tracks are less than 1mb in size (probably because I'm hitting the silk after less than 5 mins....). I was thinking more of sharing training tracks for engagement from different aspects etc and missile evasion techniques which - assuming each track dealt with one topic - should keep the file sizes down. Of course this is all accademic if the bianary file sizes are going to be small