7 HMD D/L contacts display logic

[BarTzi]

I want to better understand which contacts do and which don't end up being displayed on the HMD.

 

As Wags said, the HMD will display 7 D\L contacts in total, not necessarily 7 in the field of view. I think it's safe to say that it doesn't select them randomly.

 

ED/Devs/community managers/testers - if you could share this with us it would be great!

 

 

[AvroLanc]

There's an additional page within the HMD control page. It's called 'MIDS Info'. Within that page you can set the priority of the 5 different MIDs symbols to show. You can also set the max display range of the contacts. I've not tested extensively, but seems to work, especially the display range.

[Jak525]

https://wiki.hoggitworld.com/view/F/A-18C#MSI_HMD_Indications

 

Will improve it soon with illustrations of the actual HMD boxes and info depicted (callsign, type). But the logic is there.

[hein22]

The distance setup works perfectly, but the priority doesn't. I tried dozens of combinations and the flight members are always in the top priority despite the settings. SURV contacts are under the donor settings rather than other (not sure if this one is incorrect or not though).

[KlarSnow]

That is by design, real thing prioritizes Members and Donors over Others rather heavily. Even if you move Member and Donors to the bottom of the list and others to the top it will still only give Others 3 slots total to play with and saves 4 for friendlies even if there are none there. Ironically if Others is at the bottom it has all 7 slots available if there is nothing else in the link for it to look at. It is that way to prevent exactly what you are trying to do from happening. IE friendly tracks are the priority and you cant really work around it except by changing the ranges it shows stuff.

[BarTzi]

Thank you very much, guys. I didn't know that.

[hein22]

That is by design, real thing prioritizes Members and Donors over Others rather heavily. Even if you move Member and Donors to the bottom of the list and others to the top it will still only give Others 3 slots total to play with and saves 4 for friendlies even if there are none there. Ironically if Others is at the bottom it has all 7 slots available if there is nothing else in the link for it to look at. It is that way to prevent exactly what you are trying to do from happening. IE friendly tracks are the priority and you cant really work around it except by changing the ranges it shows stuff.

 

Source?

[KlarSnow]

The real thing, wheres your source that it doesn't work like I said?

[Jak525]

Interesting Klar, thanks for the info. I will document that on the wiki, I don't think that's been mentioned anywhere.

[hein22]

The real thing, wheres your source that it doesn't work like I said?

 

I don't have any and I wasn't trying to imply that I had one. I never said it doesn't work like you stated and didn't even challenge it, not sure why you are so defensive. I just asked for a source so I can see if it was a valid one. I can see it isn't now.

[KlarSnow]

Maybe ED will put all the specific details to this system in the manual whenever they update it. Unfortunately there is no source that I'm aware of on this that is out in the wild to link you too. Just trying to pass that what they have done is accurate, and does work like the real thing does so rather than fighting it to try and get it to do what you want, or think it should do, maybe just work with it as is, it's pretty accurate.

[Habu_69]

To change the direction of this thread....has anyone found any circumstances necessitating changing from the default displayed contacts priorities? When would one need to use the other HMD page options??

[nickos86]

That is by design, real thing prioritizes Members and Donors over Others rather heavily. Even if you move Member and Donors to the bottom of the list and others to the top it will still only give Others 3 slots total to play with and saves 4 for friendlies even if there are none there. Ironically if Others is at the bottom it has all 7 slots available if there is nothing else in the link for it to look at. It is that way to prevent exactly what you are trying to do from happening. IE friendly tracks are the priority and you cant really work around it except by changing the ranges it shows stuff.

 

So, you would prefer to keep the HMD distance small as possible? If you put a 100 NM distance - the HMD will most likely show you only friendlies. You would prefer to keep it around 20-40 NM tops to increase the chance for the 3 spots allocated not necessarily for friendlies to actually show 'others'?

 

Moreover, If I've got you correctly - in case there are no friendlies - it should show only 3 'others' or in this case it will allocate them the whole 7 symbols?

 

Thanks.

 

[KlarSnow]

So if you have Others at the top of the priority list, it only gives them 3 slots, even if there are no friendlies around. If its at the bottom of the list it gets all 7 if there is nothing else to show. Intent behind this is to prevent you from overriding the priorities so hard that you don't see your wingmen/allies and their fighter to fighter stuff. So if you want to see the most off board data, leave it down at the bottom, and have no friendlies around. You'll have to experiment with the range settings, its not something you really customize or screw with much if at all IRL, its just there and shows you what it shows.

[Habu_69]

Is there a .lua file that controls the HMD preferences?

[hein22]

I hope ED can jump in and provide more information.

 

These posts sound a bit made up in my humble opinion.

[Swift.]

I hope ED can jump in and provide more information.

 

These posts sound a bit made up in my humble opinion.

 

Are you talking about Klars? Why would he make this up, you know what he does right?

[hein22]

 

Are you talking about Klars? Why would he make this up, you know what he does right?

 

1st - Yes I do

 

2nd - No I don't.

 

This is just my opinion.

[dundun92]

 

1st - Yes I do

 

2nd - No I don't.

 

This is just my opinion.

 

FYI he is an IRL F-15E WSO.

[KlarSnow]

And EA-18G EWO as of right now, and have flown with JHMCS in the Growler (which works exactly the same as the hornet/superhornet), it works and looks exactly like it does in DCS in how it prioritizes and displays contacts.

 

Dont really care if you believe me or not, just trying to help you not start a spurious bug report or "does it really work like this train" It does, work with it, don't try and make it do something its not designed to do, will save you a lotta effort.

[nickos86]

So if you have Others at the top of the priority list, it only gives them 3 slots, even if there are no friendlies around. If its at the bottom of the list it gets all 7 if there is nothing else to show. Intent behind this is to prevent you from overriding the priorities so hard that you don't see your wingmen/allies and their fighter to fighter stuff. So if you want to see the most off board data, leave it down at the bottom, and have no friendlies around. You'll have to experiment with the range settings, its not something you really customize or screw with much if at all IRL, its just there and shows you what it shows.

 

Superb! Thanks for the info!

One last question - Is there a 'forced' allocation for 'other' contacts? In case inside the chosen distance there are 10 'friendlies' and 5 'others' - will it show 4 friendlies and 3 others or all the 7 slots will belong to friendlies?

Thanks for your time and knowledge!

[hein22]

And EA-18G EWO as of right now, and have flown with JHMCS in the Growler (which works exactly the same as the hornet/superhornet), it works and looks exactly like it does in DCS in how it prioritizes and displays contacts.

 

Dont really care if you believe me or not, just trying to help you not start a spurious bug report or "does it really work like this train" It does, work with it, don't try and make it do something its not designed to do, will save you a lotta effort.

 

Actually I didn't start anything nor stated that there is a bug at all. Just the way you explained things seemed strange to me. I guess I'm entitled to an opinion, no matter correct or not, otherwise this would not be a forum.

 

Forgive me for my skepticism, I've seen many "real life" pilots here so I tend to take things carefully.

 

Thank you for your reply.

[Drac]

For some reason, D/L contacts (circles with data) are not showing up on my HMD display. I am using the default -120 weapons qualification mission. All other data is there. Any recommendations as to what may be the problem?

[hein22]

For some reason, D/L contacts (circles with data) are not showing up on my HMD display. I am using the default -120 weapons qualification mission. All other data is there. Any recommendations as to what may be the problem?

 

It only works if there are donors around. If you have no awacs will not show HAFUs unless L&S and DT2. F/F with AI is bugged right now and will only feed DL when in STT.

[Drac]

 

It only works if there are donors around. If you have no awacs will not show HAFUs unless L&S and DT2. F/F with AI is bugged right now and will only feed DL when in STT.

 

That was it....Thanks