JESTER LANTIRN Feedback thread

[IronMike]

Dear all,

because of the size and scope of this patch, we would like to offer a specific Jester Lantirn feedback thread. Please post any bugs, findings, issues or suggestions related to Jester Lantirn in this thread. Thank you!

[Dzsekeb]

If there are enemy aircraft nearby, Jester keeps switching from the LANTIRN back to the TCS to check them out. I am not sure if this is intended.

[Wizard_03]

Would it be possible to get a separate jester keybinds for designate and laser always on at some point?  Its kinda clunky having to designate from page 2 of the menu same story for buddy lazing someone else's weapons, I'd be nice to have those binded so we can use voice attack. Thats my only notes. Great work otherwise.

 

I never thought dropping LGBs would be easier in the tomcat then hornet

Edited October 20, 2021 by Wizard_03

[Swordsman422]

I haven't dug into it too much, but so far it's pretty intuitive to use. Redkite's tutorial video is an excellent resource. Jester is a little slower finding targets than a human might be, but at least he's not better than human. And while it's pretty easy on the pilot, you do get a good sense of how hard the RIO had to work in the F-14 to find, ID, and lase targets. I also love it that once a target is destroyed, he'll search for another target without prompting.

So far so good. I'll set out to break him and see what happens afterwards.

[rwbishUP]

Nice update, been trying out the new features. Takes a little getting used too, but an awesome upgrade for SP and MP player/jester Tomcat crew. Thanks for making the F-14 a lot more versatile HB!

[DD_fruitbat]

Love it, great job implementing this.

 

[fjacobsen]

I just tested the Jester AI for the LANTIRN, using an old maiison I had for human control of the LANTIRN.

It work flawless...

It´s very interesting to watch Jester search for targets and changing zoom and modes - very immersive.

 

Good Job HB 

[Rinz1er]

Looks like I can't contol lantirn from the RIO seat anymore. Anyone else experiencing this?

[jfnelson0127]

First, let me say I love the update and the continued work to improve the Tomcat. However, what I assume to be attempts to simulate behavior really need to take a back seat to practicality and playabilty. With For example, I'd rather Jester snap the reticle to targets within the LANTIRN field of view instead of mindlessly "searching" in a circular pattern. I understand what you are trying to simulate, but it's eternally frustrating watching Jester circle the LANTIRN reticle around a column of tanks and never actually lock on to one. A real human RIO would easily spot those targets. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong. If so, please let me know how I can better leverage Jester. However, Spudknocker made a similar observation in his recent Jester video, and I have to agree. I'd love to be able to simply have him snap/track targets in his FOV.

6 minutes ago, Rinz1er said:

Looks like I can't contol lantirn from the RIO seat anymore. Anyone else experiencing this?

Yes. Looks like all of my binds are gone. Haven't checked to see if its simply a case of re-binding or if that function has been eliminated. My guess is its the former not the latter. 

Edited October 20, 2021 by jfnelson0127

[MPK]

Working well so far!

I just finished the "Training day - the LANTIRN pod" mission ... very cool, and I normally hate scripted missions One question though: when hitting the targets at the start of the mission, switching the bottom screen in the front seat to the TID showed blank, which matched what Redkite said would happen in his vid. However, after hitting the tanker, the bottom screen showed the normal A/G radar mode.

Is this a bug? Did jester forget to turn the TID to TV/FLIR mode in the second half of the mission, even though he was still clearly using the pod? For reference, I switched to A/A mode to find the tanker and jester (or the system) definitely switched the display from the LANTIRN to the camera. It is when I went back to A/G mode that this happened.

[NeedzWD40]

Unfortunately, I have a bug to report: if you go to A/G mode, then tell Jester to go to TCS, then when you bring up the Jester menu again the TCS/LANTIRN option is removed. It comes back if you go back to the main Jester menu, then back to A/G weapons, but if you go to Crew Contract and set Jester inactive, you can never activate him again. He remains stuck and frozen. I have two tracks demonstrating this behavior.

F-14A Jester LANTIRN Failure.trkF-14B Jester LANTIRN Failure.trk

[AvroLanc]

Does anyone feel the need for a 'Change FOV' command?

Personally I feel it would be useful. Changing to Narrow would have the most utility. Jester seems to keep in on the 'middle' zoom most often.

[Super Grover]

Actually, the "middle" zoom is called NARROW. http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/general.html#description

The highest zoom level is called EXPANDED, and it doesn't increase the quality of the image as it is only digital x2. Instead, it makes the FOV two times narrower and the pixels two times bigger, effectively reducing the vertical resolution to 128 pixels (256 in NARROW), and reducing pod slewing rates. Jester's eyes are 20/20, and his screen is pretty big, so he doesn't like using that EXPANDED view because he can see much more using NARROW.

[AvroLanc]

36 minutes ago, Super Grover said:

Actually, the "middle" zoom is called NARROW. http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/general.html#description

The highest zoom level is called EXPANDED, and it doesn't increase the quality of the image as it is only digital x2. Instead, it makes the FOV two times narrower and the pixels two times bigger, effectively reducing the vertical resolution to 128 pixels (256 in NARROW), and reducing pod slewing rates. Jester's eyes are 20/20, and his screen is pretty big, so he doesn't like using that EXPANDED view because he can see much more using NARROW.

OK, I was half aware I had the terminology wrong. That kinda makes sense though thanks. 

On a separate point, does Jester ever use Point track mode? Maybe with moving targets? I guess I should play more to find out, but time is limited this morning.

[mattag08]

16 hours ago, Wizard_03 said:

Would it be possible to get a separate jester keybinds for designate and laser always on at some point?  Its kinda clunky having to designate from page 2 of the menu same story for buddy lazing someone else's weapons, I'd be nice to have those binded so we can use voice attack. Thats my only notes. Great work otherwise.

 

I never thought dropping LGBs would be easier in the tomcat then hornet

 

You can use voice attack already. Just need to map the proper button combination.

[RichardG]

Update to manual yet? 

[Super Grover]

2 hours ago, AvroLanc said:

On a separate point, does Jester ever use Point track mode? Maybe with moving targets? I guess I should play more to find out, but time is limited this morning.

Yes, he does. However, he only tries to engage it when the target is moving. The reason is that engaging POINT isn't always possible, and it's easier to lose POINT track than AREA track, and when losing POINT, the pod reverts to RATES. In other words, he uses POINT only when I, as your RIO, would use POINT

[coreyhkh]

is there a way to zoom in with the Lantirn? 

[bonesvf103]

If I use eyeball for Jester to target something, I think I have to wait until he actually stabilizes the LANTIRN before I can tell him to search.  Is that right?  I think I confuse him if I tell him to search targets too soon.

 

Also, once he finds a target, I assume that he makes that QDES.  However if we miss the approach and I double back and I tell him to go to QDES, he seems to not be able to find it.  Am I doing something wrong?

I also second the post above..can he be told to zoom in, or can he be told to adjust the gain?  Maybe if I jump in the backseat and adjust the gain myself he will leave it at that setting when I go back to the front?

Thanks for this great update.  I almost feel like I'm cheating using him for LANTIRN because he is so deadly accurate with it and takes away my song and dance between cockpits.

v6,

boNes

[adirtynurse]

So after playing around with it I have a noticed a couple of things.
1) Very cool of you to include era-specific brevity. 
2) I'd like to make a somewhat selfish request as a VAICOM user. Can you include functions to have Jester slew the pod bit-by-bit. IRL sensor brevity is "slew right one yardstick", "slew up half a screen", "slew left one quarter yardstick", "Zoom in one", "Shadow"/"Track" etc. You get my point. It would be very cool for us VA/VAICOM users to use actually employ sensor brevity in this context. Whether a tandam crew of a single aircraft would actually use this brevity when communicating between eachother over ICS, I don't know. But would still be cool. Also it would cover the "Zoom" request form other users above.
3) Not a huge deal, so feel free to skim over this, but "SPARKLE" is brevity for IR laser marker, not the laser target designator, which would be "LASING" or "LASING 1688". It is funny though how you guys made him say sparkle though.

Overall great work HB. Keep it up and thank you!

EDIT: Should also mention, that actual sensor brevity will be difficult to use with just the menu.

Edited October 21, 2021 by adirtynurse
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[Slant]

Hey everyone. I'm just talking with my buddy and we were wondering if Jester's able to pick up a marking IR laser when we sparkle? In buddy lase situations it feels like this would be a very important Q-type in addition to WP and pointing yourself.

[commiccannon]

I have a little issue. When i go to qeyeballs jester slews the pod right around to the back and left. then i turn into target and lock a target it takes jester a minute or so to bring to pod around by this time i'm over the target. Can it be made that jester keeps the pod onto your eyetracker to reduce this issue please. Other then that its an awesome upgrade.

[609_Relentov]

Great update, thanks HB!

Using Jester AI for the LANTIRN works well for me.  One minor item is when using Direct Head Control.  Once I move the solid red dot in the red circle on the VDI/TV, it seems that when I move down, the crosshair/display wants to move up/forward instead.  Similarly if I try to move left, the cross-hair/display doesn’t move much… seems to favor forward or right motion only.

[kievbsm]

Tried to find but... 
1. Is it possible to find with LANTIRN  a laser spot? 
I can ask Jester to use our laser and other planes can see it. But how I can use their laser spot to find a target?

2. Is it possible to use LANTIRN to set the target point for any non-laser guided bomb? 
For examle, I want to drop my Mk-84 in CCRP mode and need to set the target point on the groung via HUD. Can I do it with the LANTIRN?

This update is brilliant! 
Forrestal, LANTIRN, flight model corrections... Looks like we didn't get the update but almost the new plane!

Edited October 21, 2021 by kievbsm

[near_blind]

52 minutes ago, kievbsm said:

1. Is it possible to find with LANTIRN  a laser spot? 

LANTIRN LTS doesn't have Laser Spot Search, so the other aircraft will have to verbally talk you on to the target. If it's at night and they have IR laser capability, they could visually mark it. 

54 minutes ago, kievbsm said:

2. Is it possible to use LANTIRN to set the target point for any non-laser guided bomb? 

No.