moving map makes HSI unreadable - any solutions?

[nickos86]

Hi,

The bright map beneath the HSI makes it extremely hard to read and understand what it says.

Is it possible to edit the font to be bolded/black, decrease only maps brightness (like in A-10C where is works great)?

 

Thanks

[RaiderOne]

Hi,

The bright map beneath the HSI makes it extremely hard to read and understand what it says.

Is it possible to edit the font to be bolded/black, decrease only maps brightness (like in A-10C where is works great)?

 

Thanks

+1 !

 

 

How is it possible not to be able to make it at least the same quality as on the DCS:A-10C which has been released more than 5 years ago by the same team ?

I don't understand ... :helpsmilie:

[Ramsay]

IRL pilots turn off the map to improve HSI readability but that's not to say DCS's text contrast couldn't be improved.

[David OC]

+1 !

 

 

How is it possible not to be able to make it at least the same quality as on the DCS:A-10C which has been released more than 5 years ago by the same team ?

I don't understand ... :helpsmilie:

 

 

Not quality, they go for accuracy.

 

 

Apparently many pilots do turn off the map by hitting the mode OSB button twice on the left hand side. That's what I do anyway.

[backspace340]

It does seem a bit silly that it doesn't work better or that they didn't figure out putting backgrounds behind the button names like in the A-10C. The contrast buttons are currently non-functional right? Are we expecting it to get better when we can adjust the contrast?

[E-Rock]

The HSI is impossible to read in VR with the map overlay so I always hit the OSB twice to turn the map off. I don't find the map much helpful to be honest.

[backspace340]

It is easier to read if you reduce the brightness to a notch above off btw - though it could still be a hell of a lot easier.

[Rackham]

Try this mod :

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3301897/

[Hamilton]

Hi,

The bright map beneath the HSI makes it extremely hard to read and understand what it says.

Is it possible to edit the font to be bolded/black, decrease only maps brightness (like in A-10C where is works great)?

 

Thanks

 

 

+ 1

[Raz_Specter]

i agree - when the map is bright you cannot ready anything

[NeilWillis]

It's easy enough to turn off the map when you need to read the data. I hear that real-world Hornet jocks turn it off most of the time too. Probably for exactly the same reason. No matter what you try to do to make it clearer, as long as the colours of the map match, or obfuscate the text, you will not be able to read the HSI.

 

It can be worked around, so there isn't really a problem unless you want there to be one.

[Eldur]

The HSI is impossible to read in VR with the map overlay so I always hit the OSB twice to turn the map off. I don't find the map much helpful to be honest.

 

Absolutely the same in non-VR. But well, if even RL drivers do that, it must be impossible to read in the real one as well which is something I'd usually expect from Microsoft or Google (Win 10 and Android 5+ "no contrast" UIs are a crime, hooves down), but not a company that builds military hardware which just has to function in the Danger Zone

[Naruto]

Do what I do with a 15" monitor. It very readable :)

 

[fael097]

not sure about the hornet, but I turn off the map on the a-10c as well, not very readable in my opinion, specially in VR

[Spectre_USA]

The A-10C map used to be quite usable.

 

But since my recent return from a 2+ year hiatus, I just shut the bloody thing off.

 

Will have to try to do the same with the Hornet once the stand-off weapons get released, hopefully at the end of the month...

[ziporama]

One of the dev notes indicated that the team worked on a black text outline for the map to improve readability. I can see a faint outline but it's very small and I think the anti-aliasing just messes with it by blending the outlines of the text into the map. Whoever designed that display at McDonnell Douglas clearly didn't think things through. If only the text color could be changed.

 

When the display controls are all working (eg, contrast) - should be able to make the map a bit dimmer.

 

For now, map off.

[fitness88]

Using VR I zoom in...gives me a clear image. Maybe in real life, pilots do the same by leaning forward a bit to get a clearer image.

[Zyll]

I know it's not realistic, but if I want to get spatial awareness over land or sea, I would not use the moving map, I would bring up the F10 view or the kneeboard instead.

[Direwolf]

Do what I do with a 15" monitor. It very readable :)

 

 

How did you export only AMPCD to the second monitor? Could you please give me the directions (files changes, folders affected, etc.) I am not an IT guy, so if you be the more detailed possible, I´d appreciate.

By the way, I have 2 27¨monitors.

[Xxx]

+1 !

 

 

How is it possible not to be able to make it at least the same quality as on the DCS:A-10C which has been released more than 5 years ago by the same team ?

I don't understand ... :helpsmilie:

 

Exactly my thoughts! The A10c has almost all the desired features, except ground mapping radar.

 

I don't think that programmer is available anymore?:cry:

[Naruto]

How did you export only AMPCD to the second monitor? Could you please give me the directions (files changes, folders affected, etc.) I am not an IT guy, so if you be the more detailed possible, I´d appreciate.

By the way, I have 2 27¨monitors.

 

Read all of the post, I give several different examples how to do different Monitor configurations and tried to explained the best I could. You will need to make a custom LAU file if you only want two monitors. Make sure you change the DCS main screen UI resolution drop down menu to active both monitors in DCS.

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=221925

 

The following script will make all two monitors auto scale to the max size of each of your particular monitors resolution:

 

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('Camera + AMPCD automatic placement');

Description = 'Camera on primary display and AMPCD MFCD on secondary'

 

if displays and #displays > 1 then

primary =

{

x = displays[1].x - screen.x,

y = displays[1].y - screen.y,

width = displays[1].width,

height = displays[1].height,

aspect = displays[1].width/displays[1].height;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

}

secondary =

{

x = displays[2].x - screen.x,

y = displays[2].y - screen.y,

width = displays[2].width,

height = displays[2].height,

}

else

primary =

{

x = screen.width / 2;

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 2;

height = screen.height;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = screen.aspect / 2;

}

secondary =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 2;

height = screen.height;

}

end

 

UIMainView = primary

CENTER_MFCD = secondary

Viewports = {UIMainView}

Edited October 22, 2018 by Naruto

[Chuck_Henry]

Hi everyone! I found this comment on Reddit which explains how to modify the AMPCD text so that it is much more readable when the moving map is on.

 

Find this file in your DCS folder: DCSWorld\Mods\aircraft\FA-18C\Cockpit\Scripts\Multipurpose_Display_Group\Common\indicator\MDG_strokesDefs.lua

 

As always, make a backup just in case. Open the file in Notepad, and change the values to the ones below.

 

stroke_thickness = 0.4

stroke_fuzziness = 0.4

DMC_outline_thickness = stroke_thickness * 8

DMC_outline_fuzziness = stroke_fuzziness * 3

DMC_stroke_thickness = 0.35

DMC_stroke_fuzziness = 0.3

 

It isn't as easy to read as the VRS Superbug's white text over the satellite map, but it's a massive improvement over the default F/A-18C values.

[Zyll]

Would you mind posting a screenshot or a link to one from the Reddit? Thanks and good find!

[Chuck_Henry]

Would you mind posting a screenshot or a link to one from the Reddit? Thanks and good find!

 

Of course!

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by Chuck_Henry

[Zyll]

before and after: