Honest question to HB about F-14

[ataribaby]

Dear HB,

First, Tomcat is amazing. It is simple fact. I love it. HB sense for details amazes me still. Same for Viggen but Tomcat is simply Tomcat.

 

Following Cat dev and as I am awaiting A model very much, this is question I want to ask HB.

 

When Cat has been announced I was simply stunned with features that has been in pre release materials and as time progressed there is more and more silence about what has been mentioned there. Stuff like dynamic cockpit wear and modifications based on airframe you are flying, dynamic modex numbers and so on.

 

I understand variety of modex for F-14 but some basic implementation with possibility to override modex number font like it is with F/A-18 module will be enough for generic skins. Even Viggen still missing this and you need use custom skin if you want different planes in mission.

 

 

So HB honestly please, is this still planned?

 

Thank you for answer HB, and looking forward into A release.

[IronMike]

I just answered this in another thread: we're still trying to wrap our head around this. Generic modexes are not an option, at least not until we give up lol. There are 2 simple reasons for that: a) it doesn't work with the F-14, really, it just looks bad in most cases. But that's not the important bit. The important bit is that b) if we figure out how to solve this problem, it is something that can be re-used later for other modules. So the patience pays off. It's not something we've forgotten, it's just not the most important thing atm.

 

The dynamic cockpits are still somewhat planned, but we need to "cut our losses" (figurative speech here) somewhere, means: time is always a factor, or better, the lack thereof. During development such awesome ideas then quickly get pushed aside by stuff that is either more urgent or actually adds more to the playability/immersion, etc... That said, it's not something we've entirely put on ice yet, but something we have to see at the end, how far we can take it. Thank you for understanding.

[flybull]

Thank you Iron Mike for your replies in these forums. I would like to echo the OPs desire for dynamic cockpits - particularly the ability to have cockpit age reflecting the specific aircraft. Please don't put it on ice! I think having an old worn cockpit in a an early "A" model would not be worthy of HBs impeccable standards and would be a sore spot.

[ataribaby]

Fair enough. Thank you a lot for answer IronMike.

[IronMike]

Thank you Iron Mike for your replies in these forums. I would like to echo the OPs desire for dynamic cockpits - particularly the ability to have cockpit age reflecting the specific aircraft. Please don't put it on ice! I think having an old worn cockpit in a an early "A" model would not be worthy of HBs impeccable standards and would be a sore spot.

 

Cockpit age never was and never will be an option. This is owed to the fact that texturing one half of the cockpit took 2 years each (pilot and rio). We just cannot spend another 4 years to make a "new" looking pit. And btw, 4 weeks into service, most cockpits looked very similar to ours - but that on the side. Maritime service is just much much more corrosive to materials than land based. But that said: cockpits differed, like mechanics would swap panel positions, etc... cussions, stuff like that. Which is what we wanted to reflect with the dynamic cockpits. But we'll see. As said, there are many more pressing items atm, which will increase your fun or fix where it is broken on a more fundamental level.

[Skysurfer]

While it would be nice to have as a feature after the full release v1.0 one thing to also consider is the "toll" of such features on performance as all of those swappable cushions and panels would have to be rendered and loaded in the background unless you did completely separate models. This ofc. would increase RAM and VRAM demand even more.

[ataribaby]

Maybe if HB release some sort of customization kit or templates for each skin so PPL can easily do their own needed modex versions for each skin will be cool too as it is hardest part for me to do this with existing skins without layers.

 

Some sort of ultimate skin generator for F-14. It should be even online with final generated skin as download.

 

Maybe completely stupid idea...

[IronMike]

The idea is that you dont know what you get kinda, but we'll see what the best approach will be, once we cross that bridge. :)

[Nexus-6]

A "cleaner" cockpit would be okay, I guess (if it was feasible, that is). But, to tell the truth, that would have only really helped me in the beginning. I stopped noticing the built in wear and tear after about a month. Now that I know where to look for the switch panel I want, I couldn't care less. And, as far as modex numbers...I'm not sure I ever took much notice of them in the first place. Lol

[Harlikwin]

TBH even as worn as it is its vastly more readable than say the Mk2 pit (at least in VR).

 

[Nealius]

I just answered this in another thread: we're still trying to wrap our head around this. Generic modexes are not an option, at least not until we give up lol. There are 2 simple reasons for that: a) it doesn't work with the F-14, really, it just looks bad in most cases.

 

Honestly, having six jets with the same modex number looks worse than a modex that's three inches too high and too far left of where it should be. No one is going to notice the latter since there won't be a reference (like five other clone jets sitting next to it). The big-picture is being sacrificed for inconsequential minutiae. This is one situation where perfectionism is a detriment.

[IronMike]

 

Honestly, having six jets with the same modex number looks worse than a modex that's three inches too high and too far left of where it should be. No one is going to notice the latter since there won't be a reference (like five other clone jets sitting next to it). The big-picture is being sacrificed for inconsequential minutiae. This is one situation where perfectionism is a detriment.

 

Again, it is not about perfectionism. It is about finding a wholesome, re-usable solution that will serve not only for this, but also future modules, etc.

 

A little correction, folks: I said it took 2 years to texture the pit, that is not true, the texturing took 6 months each. What I meant was the entire process of modelling, coding, texturing etc for each pit, which took that long. But even if so, 6 months retexturing work just isn't possible.

[LanceCriminal86]

@IronMike have you guys looked at how ED have done the F-18's MODEX? I think there are a few different patterns/locations that can be switched in the liveries for different countries.

 

But, I think I also heard it considered that would increase resource usage if it has to render all of those, even if they are masked or disabled in a skin.

 

I think for the online crowd you could get away with the somewhat common MODEX of nose numbers, flaps on the inner edge of the middle flap panel, and then the tails up top above the rudder. Us nerds that don't mind having 20-30 gigs dedicated to just skins won't care if the dynamic MODEX are wrong because we are disabling them anyways. Squadrons that do their own events usually have custom squadron skins with MODEX and everything.

 

Another thing, what about the BuNOs? I see folks bothered by MODEX all being the same but the BuNO won't be dynamic, if you're in close formation that's just as obvious to my eyes. Dynamic MODEX but all same BuNO seems just as silly to me.

[IronMike]

Yeah, dont worry too much about it guys, we'll find a way. It's also something we didnt devote too much time and effort into until now, as other more pressing matters still take precident. We'll come up with a good solution I am quite sure.

[Uxi]

Everyone has their favorites, but having it for at least one squadron livery (the default Checkmates or whatever) with working modex would be a modest start until the grand fix, if ever.

[Northstar98]

Yeah, I miss the dynamic modex numbers, it can be problematic if you're trying to keep track of who is who if they all have the same side number.

 

The exact same issue is present on the Viggen and as far as I can tell, the Viggen and the Tomcat (fantastic as they both are) are the only player modules I'm aware of that don't have dynamic side/modex numbers.