SA-342 Gazelle February 2024 update

[Polychop Simulations]

**DCS: SA-342 Gazelle February 2024 update**

*Facelift*
The upcoming update for the SA-342 Gazelle will introduce new features, fixes, quality of life improvements as well as a facelift to the external models and textures. 
We're gradually replacing the original liveries that stem from the release back in 2016 with highly detailed renditions that make full use of physically based rendering techniques (PBR), many of which are included in this update. 
The SA-342 Gazelle minigun variant not only received an update on the M134 and gunner models, it now features the first iteration of our gunner AI capable of making short work of any soft target it can get within its sights. 

*Community Contributors*
Over the past few months Polychop Simulations has been working closely together with a number of very dedicated and exceptionally skilled community members who have shown an interest in contributing to the module by putting in their time, effort and expertise resulting in what is essentially a graphical overhaul for the SA-342 Gazelle as well as an extensive set of kneeboard pages and documentation on the all new French liveries that can be found in the module's Doc folder, or more continently, attached to this post. 

*Input system overhaul*
With the upcoming update of the Gazelle we have overhauled the inputs system. This means that it is likely that you will have to rebind all of your controls for the Gazelle module.
The inputs for the Gazelle are now split into separate categories for the three positions - Pilot, Copilot and Gunner (the latter for the Minigun variant only).

The inputs system works differently depending on whether you are flying with other players in your aircraft ("multicrew"). When in "multicrew" mode, each player will only have access to the inputs according to their position.

However, when flying the Gazelle in a singleplayer mission, or flying on a multiplayer server but without other players in the aircraft, the player will have access to multiple input categories depending on the position they are in.

In short, this allows a single player Pilot to also use the Copilot inputs, and vice versa. The priority (in the event of two inputs being bound to the same switch) is determined by the currently occupied position.

For example, if you have the 'Fire Laser' input from the Copilot bound to "Button 1", and the "Force Trim" from the Pilot inputs also bound to "Button 1", then pressing "Button 1" will action different behaviours depending on whether you are sitting in the Pilot or Copilot seat. However if you bind them to different buttons, you can use both from either seat.

The available inputs are as follows:
- Pilot position - access to Pilot and Copilot inputs (Pilot priority)
- Copilot position - access to Copilot and Pilot inputs (Copilot priority)
- Gunner position - access to Gunner and Pilot inputs (Gunner priority)

Please note that we expect further disruption to the inputs system as we continue to bring improvements and add various missing inputs to the Gazelle. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

*The future*
While we have come to a point at which it is now all hands on deck for the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior module's final stretch, Polychop is determined to keep updating the SA-342 Gazelle module on all levels including but not limited to major features such as an English (Empirial units) cockpit, a George like AI pilot/gunner and the transition to the new rotor blur system seen in more recent rotary wing modules. We'd like to be transparent on the fact that the aforementioned final stretch of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior module development will have a certain impact on the development of new features for the SA-342 Gazelle for the next few updates.

https://youtu.be/mjk64Y3mXdE

 

 

DCS: SA-342 Gazelle by Polychop Simulations

• Exterior model art updates

  • Added: New PBR material for glass surfaces.

  • Added: 3D model detail additions

  • Added: Reworked damaged and destroyed 3D models

  • Fixed: General PBR material improvements

  • Fixed: 3D model shape and smoothing

• Overhauled and replaced all external textures and liveries in full PBR

  • Added livery: FR ALAT HRI 1981

  • Added livery: FR ALAT HRI Daguet 1990

  • Added livery: FR ALAT HRI KFOR 1999

  • Added livery: FR ALAT Sable 1990

  • Added livery: FR ALAT Sable 2003

  • Added livery: FR ALAT CE Daguet 1990

  • Added livery: FR ALAT CE OPEX

  • Added livery: FR ALAT CE Barkhane 2014

  • Added livery: FR ALAT CE EALAT

  • Added livery: CYP Air Force Sand

  • Added livery: SRB Air Force Green

  • Added livery: SYR Air Force Sand Teal

  • Added livery: US Marines Grey

  • Added livery: YUG Green / Brown

  • Added livery: UK Army Air Corps BATUS

  • Added livery: UK Army Air Corps BATUS Orange

  • Added livery: UK Army Air Corps Green / Black

  • Added livery: UK Army Air Corps Green / Black UN

  • Added livery: UK Army Air Corps Green / Grey

  • Added livery: UK Desert Army Air Corps - Operation Granby

  • Added livery: UK Royal Marines Green / Black

  • Added livery: UK Royal Marines Green / Grey

• Fixed: Athos / GOA sight now only updates when not stowed (fps gain)

• Fixed: Athos / GOA sight symbology disappearing when changing zoom levels

• Added: Opacity added to Athos / GOA symbology

• Fixed: Magnetic variation not displaying correctly

• Added: Document explaining the new French liveries in the module’s Doc folder

• Added: Kneeboard pages

• Added: Minigun tracer ratio selection (Fewer tracers for NVG operations)

• Fixed: M134 fire logic

• Updated: M134 weapon model

• Updated: M134 gunner model

• Updated: M134 sight now collimated

• Added: First iteration of AI M134 gunner (limited to player controlled Gazelle) 

• Known issues: External weapon sounds not matching correct type of weapon

 

 

 

Edited February 22 by Polychop Simulations
Added change log

[Hiob]

Nice! Much appreciated!

p.s.

I might add, that the promo video looks awesome!

Edited February 21 by Hiob

[Rudel_chw]

Hello,

 

While I fully understand the need to dedicate most resources tothe upcoming helo, I’m really glad that the older bird is not forgotten and you keep improving on it. Thanks a lot for that devotion

 

best regards

[MAXsenna]

Excellent news! The way you have seem to solved how the controls inputs work is the way to go.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Excellent, thank you!

[Crash *]

That's wonderful news. I'm really looking forward to it.

It's great that you keep outdoing yourselves.

[Spetz]

Excellent update. It mentioned reworked damage. Has rotor collision been addressed?

Flying against a Halo yesterday and for fun tried to collide my main rotor with it's tail rotor. Nothing happened. I went so far as to bounce my left side cockpit against the tail boom and they both shrugged it off (except broken cockpit glass for me).

[kotor633]

The update for the Gazelle is today's highlight for me. I'll be happy later when I can fly a few laps with the helicopter in its new look

[Gunfreak]

Quote

Added: First iteration of AI gunner (limited to player controlled Gazelle)

Which weapons does this apply to?

[Polychop Simulations]

Ugh good question, I should have phrased that better. It's for the M134 minigun. 

[Gunfreak]

1 hour ago, Polychop Simulations said:

Ugh good question, I should have phrased that better. It's for the M134 minigun. 

Exactly what I wanted to hear! Off I got to make a Mission with the Gazelle!

[grim_reaper68]

Great job as usual! Can't wait to test all new features (123Go to load OMG)

[Blooddawn1942]

Great update! Thanks a lot guys

All my control settings are gone though. 

[bengo]

2 minutes ago, Blooddawn1942 said:

All my control settings are gone though. 

Same here.

[Moxica]

13 minutes ago, Blooddawn1942 said:

Great update! Thanks a lot guys

All my control settings are gone though. 

Same, and now I can not assign trim. Whatever alternative I choose, they all turn the master on or off.
And the mouse is deactivated for so many functions.. (Like Labels on/off)

Edited February 22 by Moxica

[Len62]

From the OP: *Input system overhaul*
With the upcoming update of the Gazelle we have overhauled the inputs system. This means that it is likely that you will have to rebind all of your controls for the Gazelle module.
The inputs for the Gazelle are now split into separate categories for the three positions - Pilot, Copilot and Gunner (the latter for the Minigun variant only).

[MAXsenna]

Also beware that IF the axis are set incorrectly (differently) for the copilot, you WILL get some very weird behavior when in the pilots seat. Like my toe brakes always gets bound to pitch/roll, and you can imagine my surprise.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[tomudesu]

Thank you for your continued support of the Gazelle. I really appreciate the meaningful and thoughtful effort you and your team have put into your work.

[Gunfreak]

How do you use the AI gunner. 

Is it like the Huey with control menu(weapons hold/returns fire/weapons free/) or is it always on?

[slaintemaith]

4 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

Also beware that IF the axis are set incorrectly (differently) for the copilot, you WILL get some very weird behavior when in the pilots seat. Like my toe brakes always gets bound to pitch/roll, and you can imagine my surprise.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk
 

I bloody uninstalled and reinstalled because this issue was maddening and it never occurred to me to map the controls to be the same.
Someone found your post and cited it on the ED Discord and spared me my sanity, because *things were working just fine on the Huey and every other aircraft I have set up!*
This might need to be stickied--I can't imagine we're the only two people to encounter this.
 

[MAXsenna]

@slaintemaith
Happy to be of service!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Moxica]

I would like to assign the ah-64 style trimmer, but I can't get it to work; I assigned the "trimmer" and "trimmer off" for the pilot, but they do nothing.
Also;, There are no "trimmer" for copilot, only "trimmer off"
Halp!

Edited February 23 by Moxica

[MAXsenna]

I would like to assign the ah-64 style trimmer, but I can't get it to work; I assigned the "trimmer" and "trimmer off" for the pilot, but they do nothing.
Also;, There are no "trimmer" for copilot, only "trimmer off"
Halp!

Not sure what you mean, I trim the Apache exactly the same as in the Gazelle. I'll check the copilot binding when I get home. Only flew from the pilots seat yesterday.
As a side note. Since all the commands/bindings should be equal for both pilots, and the way PC has chosen to solve this is MP focused, I'm confident that one can map everything in the pilot's seat, and just copy the files over the the copilot profile. I'll test myself later.
Cheers! Gonna be a great weekend with lots of rain!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Moxica]

Thx mate!
I suspect you are on the right track.I want to trim like you do, but I don't remember the name of the assigned function.
I tried binding all trim and magnetic brakes I could find, but they do not trim like it used to before the patch.
As in: I did not use the auto-hover, I just trimmed it into stability. It used to work like the AH-64 trim. (Position stick/pedals, click, and let go)
-I'm looking to assign the "click" 

Edited February 23 by Moxica

[YoYo]

Very nice update, thanks a lot! 

I'm glad something started happening finally. This means that there may also be a chance for  Kiowa in this year!

Edited February 23 by YoYo