Possible to fly the Tomcat as pilot without switching cockpits?

[Cornflex]

Before starting to learn the Tomcat I just wanted to know if it is possible to fly the F-14 as a pilot without having to switch to the RIO seat? Is the JESTER ai smart enough to handle all the RIO stuff?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[unlikely_spider]

It's possible, at least depending on the context. I recently finished the Earnest Will campaign without having to. I did for convenience to switch some items that you can also use the menu for, like waypoints, but I'm not versed enough in the radar to do a better job than Jester does.

Not sure about how he'd do in a multiplayer environment. That's not my forte.

[draconus]

I play in SP exclusively and I never switch seats. You just have to know Jester's limitations so you can work together, not against each other, and not expect things he cannot do. What he currently does not do is active radar work (search) and LANTIRN operation (not yet). But he's definitely combat ready for both A2A and A2G.

[Cornflex]

Thank you for your suggestions, guys.

I started to fiddle around a bit with the Tomcat and and my biggest problem with Jester seems to be locking up targets. Even when I see them already on his radar he doesn't seem to care. Manually locking up seems to be the only way for me.

I choose the Phoenix and have them warmed up. A-A mode is selected and weapons are armed but he doesn't lock the bandits. I tell him to TWS but nothing.

 

Any tips? *sigh*

 

Thanks in advance.

[draconus]

Make sure these are actual radar contacts (^) not datalink ones (v). In TWS they don't get locked - they will just have assigned priority numbers on the right.

[Kula66]

I have a switch on my HOTAS to switch TWS/RWS ... search in RWS, get the bandits centered in the screen at roughly co-alt, then switch to TWS. The WCS should assign them priority numbers automatically, Jester should IFF them automatically - now shoot and keep the bandit in the TWS scan cone ... crank up to about 50 degress to reduce closure. Works in SP and MP No need to hop into the back.

 

Jester is pretty good within his limitations.

 

[Cornflex]

3 hours ago, Kula66 said:

I have a switch on my HOTAS to switch TWS/RWS ... search in RWS, get the bandits centered in the screen at roughly co-alt, then switch to TWS. The WCS should assign them priority numbers automatically, Jester should IFF them automatically - now shoot and keep the bandit in the TWS scan cone ... crank up to about 50 degress to reduce closure. Works in SP and MP No need to hop into the back.

 

Jester is pretty good within his limitations.

 

 

Thanks for the tip with the keys for TWS and RWS, helps a lot. 

[ustio]

In multiplayer you cannot change seat so the only way to operate the radar is by micro managing  jester. It takes a while to get used to.

 

With that being said then yeah its possible

[QuiGon]

Obviously flying from the front seat only can also be achieved with a human RIO in the back