[COMING LATER] Raygun, buddy, raygun, buddy - multiplayer in the hornet

[backspace340]

So I know it's super early days, but I took the F/A-18C into a multiplayer server where I and about 40 other people were trying out its combat capabilities and in its current form it has a couple of crucial deficiencies that are having a pretty big effect on multiplayer gameplay.

 

The first is no IFF - it's fine in other planes without IFF because they cant normally see all the planes on their radar (because they don't have a decent radar normally). Having no IFF but a relatively good radar is leading to everyone locking each target in turn to check if its enemy on comms - go to any PVP server right now and all you'll hear is "raygun, buddy, raygun, buddy". Is there any chance we could get an indication of how long it'll be till we have working IFF?

 

The second is the RWR - unlike any other module, the RWR is picking up a 'lock' signal even if the enemy isn't actually locked on you. It seems if someone locks someone else within a few miles of you, then your RWR tells you that you've been locked. You can see this by making a quick 2v1 mission, the AI will lock your wingman (and he calls spiked) but you're getting a lock warning. That obviously exacerbates the problem above of trying to work out who you're locking, because you lock one person (whether it's enemy or friend) and its like locking everyone in the area so you end up with false buddy calls. Is that a bug or is it like that in real life?

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

It seems if someone locks someone else within a few miles of you, then your RWR tells you that you've been locked.

I'm not a military pilot, but that seems pretty realistic behaviour to me: when the radar goes into STT, it focuses the radar in a very narrow beam, with the intended target in the centre.

When there is another aircraft hit by that same beam, by being in the vicinity of the former, it gets a "lock warning" as well, which is simply a warning that you're being painted by a radar that's not currently scanning.

Same counts for launch warnings: every aircraft in a close formation will get the launch warning even if only 1 of them is being actively engaged.

[23rd_SATAN]

100% agree, the IFF needs to be a priority!

[backspace340]

I'm not a military pilot, but that seems pretty realistic behaviour to me: when the radar goes into STT, it focuses the radar in a very narrow beam, with the intended target in the centre.

When there is another aircraft hit by that same beam, by being in the vicinity of the former, it gets a "lock warning" as well, which is simply a warning that you're being painted by a radar that's not currently scanning.

Same counts for launch warnings: every aircraft in a close formation will get the launch warning even if only 1 of them is being actively engaged.

 

It seems a lot wider than the very narrow beam I expected, you can be miles away and still get the warning - also, if more than one plane is being illuminated by the STT beam, wouldn't that confuse the missile? It's almost like the enemy radars are in flood mode - but it's happening with old modules too (so it's not like it could be explained by a problem with the hornet's radar). I think ED have added in something to simulate what you're describing, but the parameters are way too large.

[Auditor]

Seconding IFF and I'm going to add: I'm pretty sure Declare not showing up on the AWACS menu is a bug and should be added back as a hotfix ASAP. As in 'as soon as someone notices this problem they should be updating the AWACS menus to allow it', because it's basically the best stopgap people can ask for until the IFF is added.

 

I can declare in my Mig-21 but I can't declare in my F-18? Definite oversight, IMO.

 

Now I can live without it much like I live without it in the F-5, but I can declare in the F-5 last I checked, and the F-5 also has this thing where you're expected to get within visual range before you use any of your missiles; which removes tracking problems and also lets you know if one of those dots on the horizon is coming to kill you or not.

 

Maybe it's a personal problem, but I'm flying the F-18 like a big F-5 right now, and that just feels wrong. I'm not even packing Sparrows anymore because the risk of ramming one up a friendly's ejection seat is too high to risk on most servers.