cannot reproduce and missing track file No IR signature on my targets

[brettt777]

I've been looking at all the great tutorials that so many have posted on YT and I've been trying to get better at the weapons systems. I've especially had issues with air to ground targeting and now I think I know why but I'm not sure what to do about it. I was watching a YT video today about using the AGM-65 IR Mavericks on the AV-8B Harrier. I would go through the exact procedure again and again but I could never get the Tpod or the Mavericks to lock onto a target. Then it dawned on me what I was missing... an IR signature. In the videos, whether white hot or black hot, their targets were always lit up and easily detectable. My targets aren't lit up at all. In white hot, targets are white. In black hot, targets are black. No IR signature at all. And these are moving targets; tanks and other such mobile artillery. So I'm making sure I'm in IR mode, etc and wondering what's up... and I see an AI vehicle go driving by my target, and it's glowing like a light bulb. Why are my targets missing a heat signature? I am going into the mission editor and creating a very simple mission; a Harrier with four IR AGM-65's taking off and flying up to an island that has four BTR-80's or T-90 tanks. I assign a waypoint to their location, and I assign some waypoints to the targets so they can be slowly moving. But my targets are always cold. No heat signature at all.

What am I missing?

[Furiz]

 

FLIR is still work in progress,

 

I guess it has to do with shaders not loading properly, cause I get different image from tiem to time,

Try adjusting your gain, brightness and contrast to get better picture for now.

Edited May 26, 2022 by Furiz

[brettt777]

21 hours ago, Furiz said:

 

FLIR is still work in progress,

 

I guess it has to do with shaders not loading properly, cause I get different image from tiem to time,

Try adjusting your gain, brightness and contrast to get better picture for now.

 

Okay, the thing is... my displays DO show an IR heat signature. If an AI vehicle drives by my target, it's bright as can be on the Tpod or the Maverick. It's just my targets that I put out there for this mission. They have no heat signature whatsoever. They might as well be a big rock for all my sensors care. 

I see that your pics are of an F-16. I haven't tried any ground targets with that one. I don't know why it would be any different but at this point I'll try anything. I have tried it with the F-18 a while back and I seem to recall have similar results as the Harrier. I did have some success with the Hornet but probably because I was going after ships at the time. 

[brettt777]

Here are a few screen shots I took just a few moments ago. One is in FLIR white hot, one is in FLIR black hot, and the third one is in CCD. Then there are two of them, one white hot and one black hot, that show an AI vehicle showing a heat signature while my targets do not. And, these are not targets that I put in the mission. These are targets that the game put in there.

I've got to be missing something obvious. Like I said, I have looked at Youtube videos of guys using the exact same setup; AV-8B Harrier with AGM-65F Mavericks and an AAQ-28 targeting pod and their targets are lit up. 

[brettt777]

Okay, now I just think it's a problem with the Harrier mod itself. Here are a couple screenshots I just took of an F-16 and an F-18 with the same targeting pod and the same IR Mavericks. The targets are all lit up like they should be. So apparently I'm doing something wrong in the Harrier.

Edited May 27, 2022 by brettt777

[Furiz]

I think the problem is with those shaders not loading properly, but FLIR is work in progress so best you do is try to adjust gain brightness and contrast to get better picture

 

[Northstar98]

The Harrier has the new FLIR implemented and you're looking at cold targets (which is why they appear the way they do).

The F-16 and F/A-18 uses the old FLIR system, which is just a shader of TV and that is why the targets appear on their displays the way they do.

[brettt777]

3 hours ago, Northstar98 said:

The Harrier has the new FLIR implemented and you're looking at cold targets (which is why they appear the way they do).

The F-16 and F/A-18 uses the old FLIR system, which is just a shader of TV and that is why the targets appear on their displays the way they do.

Funny that you say that. I tried an F-16 and an FA-18 in the exact same mission last night. All targets were lit up and easily locked and tracked. I only have this issue with the Harrier. 

As you see in the screen shots, the AI vehicles show heat. They are obviously moving. I did think about that and I tried making my targets mobile. I still had the same issue. Cold and dark in the Harrier. I am thinking that the game does not have them sitting there all shut down and cold. I had four BTR-80's on a road not moving. I shot one of them with the Hornet and a couple of the other ones moved to change their location. 

What do you mean by new FLIR in the Harrier? I was using the same targeting pod (AAQ-28) as the Hornet and Viper. Shouldn't it work the same way in all aircraft? Or is there some new algorithm exclusive to the Harrier?

I'm gonna go on the Harrier page and ask around and see what I can find out.

Thanks very much for the replies.

[Northstar98]

3 minutes ago, brettt777 said:

 As you see in the screen shots, the AI vehicles show heat. They are obviously moving. I did think about that and I tried making my targets mobile. I still had the same issue. Cold and dark in the Harrier. I am thinking that the game does not have them sitting there all shut down and cold. I had four BTR-80's on a road not moving. I shot one of them with the Hornet and a couple of the other ones moved to change their location. 

Hmm, weird, unless something changed recently, it worked in the Harrier. My free trial expired so I can't test it.

3 minutes ago, brettt777 said:

What do you mean by new FLIR in the Harrier? I was using the same targeting pod (AAQ-28) as the Hornet and Viper. Shouldn't it work the same way in all aircraft? Or is there some new algorithm exclusive to the Harrier?

ED has created a new FLIR system (much fancier, actually tries to represent an IR image); the AH-64D, AV-8B, CA, F-14 and JF-17 have it, the A-10Cs, F-16 and F/A-18 do not, and use the old system (which is a shader of TV).

And note that the Harrier uses the LITENING G4, the F-16 and F/A-18 use the LITENING II/AT (not sure what about the AN/ designation, I know it's AN/AAQ-28 but it'll be something like AN/AAQ-28(V)x), though here I think the difference is just resolution.

[brettt777]

5 hours ago, Northstar98 said:

Hmm, weird, unless something changed recently, it worked in the Harrier. My free trial expired so I can't test it.

ED has created a new FLIR system (much fancier, actually tries to represent an IR image); the AH-64D, AV-8B, CA, F-14 and JF-17 have it, the A-10Cs, F-16 and F/A-18 do not, and use the old system (which is a shader of TV).

And note that the Harrier uses the LITENING G4, the F-16 and F/A-18 use the LITENING II/AT (not sure what about the AN/ designation, I know it's AN/AAQ-28 but it'll be something like AN/AAQ-28(V)x), though here I think the difference is just resolution.

Well, then I'm back where I started. I'm gonna go try the Harrier again and I will make sure my targets are mobile so there should be some kind of heat signature.

Is this new FLIR system something that all the other aircraft will get at some point?