Viper INS/GPS changes FAQ thread

[Zergburger]

Hey guys, didn't see a thread of this nature yet and i have some questions of my own, so hopefully we can make @Wags and @BIGNEWY 's lives easier by consolidating.

QUESTIONS:

1. The changelog mentions REDFOR vipers having lower precision on their GPS. What does REDFOR mean specifically in this case? If I have a US viper on red team do i get the higher or lower accuracy? does this refer to the multiplayer team color, the nation, or the blufor/redfor set by the map creator in the mission editor?

2. What advantages does the standard alignment confer over a stored alignment given the changes, if any? Specifications for GPS/non-GPS eras would be great

3. What dictates the GPS vs non-GPS era? (i know this has been answered before, thought it might be useful to have it here)

more to come....

[Exorcet]

GPS is separated by coalition. Ideally the F-16 should always be on the Blue side to get its actual performance. Red side is hardcoded to have reduced performance.

See here for more info or if you're interested in revising how DCS works in this regard:

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/343270-modified-unrestrictive-satnav-option/

[Hobel]

vor 16 Stunden schrieb Exorcet:

GPS is separated by coalition. Ideally the F-16 should always be on the Blue side to get its actual performance. Red side is hardcoded to have reduced performance.

See here for more info or if you're interested in revising how DCS works in this regard:

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/343270-modified-unrestrictive-satnav-option/

So just to be clear, there is no option for the red side to have the same GPS quality as the blue side?

    I thought it was the same for both sides, especially if you use this option?

 

[Exorcet]

7 minutes ago, Hobel said:

So just to be clear, there is no option for the red side to have the same GPS quality as the blue side?

    I thought it was the same for both sides, especially if you use this option?

That option exists to level the playing field, but the newsletter mentioned degraded error correction for RED side. I'm not sure if that means always or only when unrestricted SATNAV is unchecked.

[Blackfyre]

@BIGNEWY, @NineLine, I have the same questions as in OP. Could you please answer these?

[Yaga]

@BIGNEWY, @NineLine, I have the same questions as OP. Could you please answer these?

[Lord Vader]

On 4/11/2024 at 1:49 AM, Zergburger said:

1. The changelog mentions REDFOR vipers having lower precision on their GPS. What does REDFOR mean specifically in this case? If I have a US viper on red team do i get the higher or lower accuracy? does this refer to the multiplayer team color, the nation, or the blufor/redfor set by the map creator in the mission editor?

2. What advantages does the standard alignment confer over a stored alignment given the changes, if any? Specifications for GPS/non-GPS eras would be great

3. What dictates the GPS vs non-GPS era? (i know this has been answered before, thought it might be useful to have it here)

Hi all.

1. It's a coalition side feature. Redfor as the name implies, pertains the red coloured faction, so any nation you choose to be there will have a degraded GPS quality. It's not by much, it just simulates the lack of military codes to gain access to the necessary network. You will still have guidance and updated positions, but the margins of error are slightly higher.

2. There are none. According to the documentation, both reach a factor of 10 in precision, so they do not differ except in the procedure and time to align.

3. I'm not sure what you intend to ask here. If you're asking for dates, then all missions before March 1994 have no GPS available.

[Yaga]

1 hour ago, Lord Vader said:

Hi all.

1. It's a coalition side feature. Redfor as the name implies, pertains the red coloured faction, so any nation you choose to be there will have a degraded GPS quality. It's not by much, it just simulates the lack of military codes to gain access to the necessary network. You will still have guidance and updated positions, but the margins of error are slightly higher.

2. There are none. According to the documentation, both reach a factor of 10 in precision, so they do not differ except in the procedure and time to align.

3. I'm not sure what you intend to ask here. If you're asking for dates, then all missions before March 1994 have no GPS available.

Thank you for the reply and for the answers. 

I can see setting a degraded GPS quality for either side, or even both sides could be a valuable tool in mission making. But, If it is hard locked to one coalition that certainly limits how useful it is. 

Is it at all possible to add a checkbox in the Mission Editor for each coalition to "degrade GPS quality"? 

Just an idea. 

[sylkhan]

@Lord Vader is "unrestricted satnav" an option to have same GPS quality as blue ?

 

[Lord Vader]

22 minutes ago, sylkhan said:

@Lord Vader is "unrestricted satnav" an option to have same GPS quality as blue ?

 

Correct.

There may be a few changes in the way this works in the future, but no promises.

[Blackfyre]

21 hours ago, Lord Vader said:

Correct.

There may be a few changes in the way this works in the future, but no promises.

Back in the days, REDFOR didn't have GPS at all without "Unrestricted SATNAV" option, it doesn't the case anymore? I should have tested it, but it would be great to know how it is supposed to work. So, assuming GPS is working now for the red coalition all the time, it is slightly degraded without "Unrestricted SATNAV" option and have full precision with this option?
P.S. Thank you for your answers, they are greatly appreciated

[Lord Vader]

REDFOR will now have a lower tier GPS access, meaning it's slightly less precise and will degrade over time up to a maximum degradation plateau (this depends on various factors, but should go above the maximum 30m drift expected with BLUEFOR GPS). Unrestricted SATNAV will only allow (on) or disallow (off) the ability to access the higher tier GPS guidance available for BLUEFOR.

There is no option to not have GPS available right now, unless you move the dates back, before March 1994, but that will remove it for everyone. In the future, there could be more options to inhibit GPS but, not right now.

 

[Blackfyre]

4 minutes ago, Lord Vader said:

REDFOR will now have a lower tier GPS access, meaning it's slightly less precise and will degrade over time up to a maximum degradation plateau (this depends on various factors, but should go above the maximum 30m drift expected with BLUEFOR GPS). Unrestricted SATNAV will only allow (on) or disallow (off) the ability to access the higher tier GPS guidance available for BLUEFOR.

There is no option to not have GPS available right now, unless you move the dates back, before March 1994, but that will remove it for everyone. In the future, there could be more options to inhibit GPS but, not right now.

 

Big thank you!