Some beginner doubts

[Bronco]

Hello, I have some questions:  

1) Is it possible to change the tail number like F-18 ?, that would be great!!... In multiplayer we all have the same skin with the same tail number.  

2) It would be possible to add the data from the logbook "callsign and player name" in cockpit? that would be more than great

3) Skins for the F-14B also work for the F-14A?

 

Anticipating:

If the answer to question 1 is: NO... they should work on that

If the answer to question 2 is: NO... Well ... ask costs nothing

If the answer to question 2 is: YES... That is very good

 

And finally Thanks for creating one of the best DCS module... I'm a fan of the F-14

 

Best Regards

 

[IronMike]

Hi Bronco!

A warm and heartfelt welcome to the Tomcat community!

1) Not yet, but we are working on it. Due to so many different fonts and layouts on the Tomcat's modicis, it is not a small task, and will still take a while until we found a proper solution.
2) No and likely won't be.
3) Yes, you can, you simply need to copy them over to the -A livery folder (or vice versa, if you want to use A skins on the B).

Thank you for your kind words, it is our pleasure, and we hope you will enjoy it a lot.

[Callsign JoNay]

Too bad about #2. Seems like it would be easy enough to do. Or even better would be to put text fields in the re-arm re-fuel loadout window to enter any...

 

Rank

First name

Callsign

Last name

 

I don't think you'd need to worry about fonts or placement as much as nose/tail numbers.

[AH_Solid_Snake]

It depends what your goal is - could they generically just slap text on the side of the airplane? Probably. 
 

But a quick search of F14 squadrons will show you huge variance in font / positioning of the name plates, some are entirely below the canopy line, some split on the canopy line. Some use stencil style fonts, others freehand fonts.

 

There may even be more variance in nameplates than the modex numbers

[Swordsman422]

Another issue with name/callsign is that it was very rare for a) naval aviators to fly the aircraft with their name on it and b) an assigned flight crew to have their names on the same airplane. It was highly unusual for the flight schedule, the mission, air crew experience, and aircraft availability to align so that a pilot flew "his" own jet. You went with the aircraft that was able to accomplish the mission as fragged regardless of whose name was on the rail.

[Uxi]

Ideally all of it: modex, pilot name and the carrier name would by dynamic based on what's in the ME (which would need a field added for RIO)...

[QuiGon]

I wish my biggest issue with the Tomcat would be nametags...

[Slant]

On 3/3/2021 at 4:47 AM, IronMike said:

Hi Bronco!

A warm and heartfelt welcome to the Tomcat community!

1) Not yet, but we are working on it. Due to so many different fonts and layouts on the Tomcat's modicis, it is not a small task, and will still take a while until we found a proper solution.

 

Let me pick this up, as this is an issue for us. I've read the "font argument" from a couple of sides and since you bring it up here, I'd like to point out the pragmatic side of this. I am in a unit with some 30-40 aircraft (12 of which are Tomcats) that includes people from all over the world, some living in places with somewhat restricted data plans for their internet. Our livery folder is several Gigabytes huge at this point. In no small part that is due to us having to include the complete F-14B livery for every sidenumber included in our squadron. If we could somehow cut down on that during the compression phase, the question of what font is realistic or was actually used is secondary. I realise that we're discussing realism here, but this would be a thing where I would argue that the simisms need to take precedence over realism. This is hurting players with low bandwidth and/or limited data plans (or not enough room on their harddisk, we have several people who have to delete maps on their SSDs to make space for our livery) and if we could have a system similar to the Hornet, where the Bortnumber is taken from the garage/rearm window with a generic "best looking for everyone" font, that would be a tremendous QoL improvement for many people.

 

If only as a temporary solution until you come up with something better?

 

But we understand that you may have different plans. Just making sure that you have good feedback.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Slant

[Callsign JoNay]

21 hours ago, Swordsman422 said:

Another issue with name/callsign is that it was very rare for a) naval aviators to fly the aircraft with their name on it and b) an assigned flight crew to have their names on the same airplane. It was highly unusual for the flight schedule, the mission, air crew experience, and aircraft availability to align so that a pilot flew "his" own jet. You went with the aircraft that was able to accomplish the mission as fragged regardless of whose name was on the rail.

 

I think everyone here knows that, but most virtual squadrons use the tail numbers and name plates as a way to personalize their aircraft. You can of course make custom textures for this, but it gets bloated with the F-14. Imagine being in a squadron where you have a dozen guys who alternate between the RIO and pilot seat. You need 12x11 unique textures to accomplish this, every texture many MBs in size. And you have to constantly update them as people are promoted through the ranks.

 

It would just be a nice quality of life feature to have. For those squadrons who want exact fonts, placements, or who simulate flying the available aircraft for the fragged mission, they can continue to customize their own unique textures.

[Bronco]

We customize our planes and helmets, but there are 24 of us online and 16 fly the F-14, too many skins

 

 

and the problem

 

 

This skin is from "reflected"... to whom we thank

 

link https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3313466/

 

The pilot and helmet is from "flying_isoko" whom we also thank

 

link https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3307339/

Edited March 5, 2021 by Bronco