Visibility of cockpit instruments and external view

[Rhrich]

Thank you for an excellent forum, game and airplane. 
 

Is anyone able to recommend settings or modifications to enhance cockpit visibility? Both instruments and view outside though the canopy. 
This plane is a joy to fly, but unfortunately VR in combination with an ageing (both me and the computer) makes the cockpit visibility, both viewing out of the canopy and the instruments, harder than it should be. 

I’ve got no problem with the steam gauges in other modules, but the artificial ageing and worse, the artificial scratching and dirt on the canopy makes, makes it challenging to view properly. 

It’s my understanding that the developer of this module have made a decision to age the aircraft as much as possible to create the ambiance they desire, and that is any artist right.

But it does somewhat harm the playability. Is there any way to change this? Either with settings or some sort of modifications?

Even though it might go against the artist’s intent I would not regard this as cheating. Having had the good fortune in my career to view and sit in multiple cockpits, including the F-14 and F-16, I can tell from first hand experience that among NATO countries there was 16s with much more wear and tear than what’s presented in the F-14 cockpit (never been in a block 50 US) and there was 14 cockpits in way better conditions than the current 16 cockpit.

Of course, this was not always up to the pilot, sometimes he (or she) would luck out and sometimes not. And the random element introduced in the 14 adds a very nice touch. 

[razo+r]

Look on the DCS website in the user files for cockpit texture skins. 

[Rhrich]

34 minutes ago, razo+r said:

Look on the DCS website in the user files for cockpit texture skins. 

Thank you. The site was somewhat inaccessible and I only found a few mods, but one was named “less forge”. Is this what you had in mind?

The wires add a certain “overtime deployment” feeling that might be expected if a major war was to break out. So even though they again are more of a artist work than realism I like them. It’s the gauges and the canopy I would have liked to change. How do I make the 14s canopy as transparent as the 16?

And is there any way to change the cockpit gauges themselves?
 

In real life they certainly could be, and VR makes it harder to see long distance as it is, so it would be most welcome. 

[MAXsenna]

As mentioned. There are cockpit mods out there that can make it better. Also try out Taz1004's no reflection mod, or what is called.

Cheers!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[draconus]

20 hours ago, Rhrich said:

The wires add a certain “overtime deployment” feeling that might be expected if a major war was to break out. So even though they again are more of a artist work than realism I like them.

Devs and SMEs repeatedly confirmed that's how average Tomcats used to look like on deployment.

20 hours ago, Rhrich said:

It’s the gauges and the canopy I would have liked to change. How do I make the 14s canopy as transparent as the 16?

You'd have to remove the canopy bows Seriously, are you playing without shadows set in options? That makes sun shine on all the cockpit and canopy, making it very hard to fly in any module. The gauges have easily spotted needles so one gimpse and you know everything.

[razo+r]

20 hours ago, Rhrich said:

Thank you. The site was somewhat inaccessible and I only found a few mods, but one was named “less forge”. Is this what you had in mind?

The wires add a certain “overtime deployment” feeling that might be expected if a major war was to break out. So even though they again are more of a artist work than realism I like them. It’s the gauges and the canopy I would have liked to change. How do I make the 14s canopy as transparent as the 16?

And is there any way to change the cockpit gauges themselves?
 

In real life they certainly could be, and VR makes it harder to see long distance as it is, so it would be most welcome. 

No, something like this is what I had in mind: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3313661/

[Rhrich]

3 hours ago, draconus said:

Devs and SMEs repeatedly confirmed that's how average Tomcats used to look like on deployment.

You'd have to remove the canopy bows Seriously, are you playing without shadows set in options? That makes sun shine on all the cockpit and canopy, making it very hard to fly in any module. The gauges have easily spotted needles so one gimpse and you know everything.

1: There was differences I’m sure. I've heard but can’t confirm that CAGs plane usually looked better and from memory I believe the only one I’ve ever sat in was flown by the CAG. 

I get the impression that people have strong opinions about this, and I don’t see any use in discussing it further. It’s also hard to answer: The SMEs and developers only got access to museum pieces (often the most worn planes, and in all cases handled by workmen to make sure there isn’t any useful parts for Iran) and the airmen and maintainers memory will be clouded by time. The images that exist of cockpits when the plane was in service are not necessarily representative.  

The strongest objection I have is the following: If you make it look like a worn, but still realistic, cockpit on a 4k screen with a excellent graphics card, the average player with more average equipment and the constraints of VR glasses will have a much harder time viewing the instruments than a pilot flying the aircraft would. The attempt at realism therefore makes it unrealistic and further compromises playability. 
A simple solution to make the graphics more crisp when in VR or introduce an option seems obvious. 
 

2: Sorry, I guess I’m slow. What do you mean by this? Should I enable shadows? What would your recommended settings be for improving this?

2 hours ago, razo+r said:

No, something like this is what I had in mind: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3313661/

Thank you very much, that’s kind of you! I will test and report back. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Rhrich
Some type errors

[MAXsenna]

12 minutes ago, Rhrich said:

2: Sorry, I guess I’m slow. What do you mean by this? Should I enable shadows? What would your recommended settings be for improving this?

Yes, the relationship with lighting and shadows are pretty borked between some settings.
Enable at least "low" to check if there's a difference.

[Rhrich]

8 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

Yes, the relationship with lighting and shadows are pretty borked between some settings.
Enable at least "low" to check if there's a difference.

Thank you, I’ll make sure to do that! Do you think it will have a major impact on performance? 

[draconus]

3 minutes ago, Rhrich said:

Thank you, I’ll make sure to do that! Do you think it will have a major impact on performance? 

Major, no. Esp. at low setting but obviously it costs some fps.

27 minutes ago, Rhrich said:

...the average player with more average equipment and the constraints of VR glasses will have a much harder time viewing the instruments than a pilot flying the aircraft would.

Yes, even top notch VR headsets have resolution limits but it's not a good reason for making different unrealistic crisp cockpit. I use RiftS - what kind of average equipment do you own?

Edited September 15, 2023 by draconus

[Rhrich]

1 hour ago, draconus said:

Major, no. Esp. at low setting but obviously it costs some fps.

Yes, even top notch VR headsets have resolution limits but it's not a good reason for making different unrealistic crisp cockpit. I use RiftS - what kind of average equipment do you own?

 

1: Thank you. 
 

2: I have a Hewlett-Packard G2. From what I’ve read online it’s got slightly better graphics than the Rift S. My pc have a 3070 card. 

[Rhrich]

Dear all. Late, but I wanted to thank you for your help. 

I found a whole bunch of shadow settings and I couldn’t figure out which one I was supposed to change. 

However I did install this, and it was a tremendous difference. I’m used to steam gauges and this made it all clear. They where not only readable, but it was also easy to see tendencies. Just like in real life.
Also, am I imagining it or did the performance increase also?

It doesn’t look as realistic as standard, but the wear does actually look more realistic. Combined with better readability this is a game changer for me. I’m grateful!

13 hours ago, razo+r said:

No, something like this is what I had in mind: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3313661/

 

[draconus]

7 hours ago, Rhrich said:

I found a whole bunch of shadow settings and I couldn’t figure out which one I was supposed to change. 

There are 3:

shadows - set at least low for good/realistic cockpit experience - this is mostly for own and other units' shadows

terrain shadows - for shadows on the ground and terrain objects

secondary shadows - only for carrier deck lights at night

Edited September 16, 2023 by draconus

[Nealius]

22 hours ago, draconus said:

Devs and SMEs repeatedly confirmed that's how average Tomcats used to look like on deployment.

And they were mid-20s peak athletes with perfect vision at the time they flew the Tomcat. We ain't. Accessibility is an issue that DCS is still grappling with due to hard-headed zero-sum thinking when user options allow both the realism the devs desire and the accessibility the users may need without harming anything in the process. "Win-win" solutions aren't rocket surgery. 

Edited September 16, 2023 by Nealius

[draconus]

8 minutes ago, Nealius said:

And they were mid-20s peak athletes with perfect vision at the time they flew the Tomcat. We ain't. Accessibility is an issue that DCS is still grappling with due to hard-headed zero-sum thinking when user options allow both the realism the devs desire and the accessibility the users may need without harming anything in the process. "Win-win" solutions aren't rocket surgery.

So are we as simulated pilots in the sim. DCS has planty of graphics options, fov changes, zoom peeks, even mods. So let the devs make it realistic and true to life so you can spoil it however you want.

[Nealius]

3 hours ago, draconus said:

So are we as simulated pilots in the sim. DCS has planty of graphics options, fov changes, zoom peeks, even mods. So let the devs make it realistic and true to life so you can spoil it however you want.

And yet I still can't read the switch labels in VR with maximum zoom. Fortunately for me I have spacial memory so the only labels that really matter are the TACAN numbers, but other players aren't so fortunate. And others' lack of ability to view things from other users' perspectives impedes improvement.

Edited September 16, 2023 by Nealius

[Rhrich]

9 hours ago, draconus said:

So are we as simulated pilots in the sim. DCS has planty of graphics options, fov changes, zoom peeks, even mods. So let the devs make it realistic and true to life so you can spoil it however you want.

I’ll add my two cents here. I believe you are confusing realism with difficulty. 
With a few stupid exceptions, the radar altimeter on the Hawkeye is glaring one, instruments isn’t and shouldn’t be hard to read - if the pilot is using energy or concentration on that something is very wrong.
If any plane had instruments so worn they where hard to read one would never fly it except in an emergency. On the other hand, stuff like the trip on the stick might be very worn, much more than the DCS F-14. 

The most annoying part for me is the smudges that makes things unreadable in certain lighting conditions. A trick is to always carry a piece of cotton napkin, suppose it would be microfibre today, to remove any smudges.