Flickering rotor shadows

[Cykyrios]

The difference in blur depending on the helicopters is inconsistent, and that blur should only depend on rotor RPM and camera settings/human eye.

 

Some cameras have very little motion blur, which results in sharp-looking rotor blades, and sometimes the blades look as if they were turning really slow (depends on the framerate). On the other hand, some cameras have a lot of motion blur, and they will display a blurred disc, which I believe is what the human eye perceives from outside a helicopter.

 

Now, a game will generally behave as the former type of cameras, unless motion blur is simulated, and shadows are another difficult part. In DCS though, blur is purely "artistic" and depends only on the devs, as the turning rotor is a completely separate 3D model from the slow rotor one.

If anything, I'd rather say the Shark's rotor blades are NOT blurry enough, but at this point, it is just a matter of preference.

[firmek]

At high RPM it should be more of an "solid" disc rather than fast moving blades:

 

 

 

The first image is from BF which is not a sim but as for the visual effect of rotating discs it seams to be more natural than the one in DCS.

Edited April 24, 2016 by firmek

[Mt5_Roie]

I'm wondering if this is an effect in the module or the Sim itself. Since the module deals with the flight characteristics of the aircraft. The sim models the lights and reflections on surfaces. So it might an ED issue and not actually the Gazelle itself. Especially if you say it's in the Huey too.

 

But here's what I'll do. I will volunteer to go up in multiple helicopter rides you guys can get me and record actual rotor flicker. I live in SE PA....I'll drive an hour for a free helicopter ride and science. Let the offers commence.

[some1]

The way the blurred blades look on a screenshot is a different, unrelated topic.

The flickering in DCS 1.5 is caused by shadows, which in DCS are always sharp like for a static rotor, even if the rotor is spinning and shows a blurred model. I don't remember if in DCS 1.2 the rotor shadows were softer or absent, but it looked different back then.