LotATC v2.0.5 - Air Traffic Control Software

[DArt]

There is some time I post here to present you LOME (LockOn Mission Editor). It is still in development and I use lot of source code to start a new project:

 

Since half a year, I have develop from scratch a new LotATC software ( LockOn Air Traffic Control).

After some release, we get now the 2.0.5 version. Compare to the LotATC v1 made by Brothers and Doug, there is a lot of new features. It is difficult to give you a full list but here is the most important one:

 

• Optimized for low network bandwidth
  
• Internal chat to chat between controler
  
• SVG map and additional maps from LockOn
  
• All units can be tags and rename, all is automatically shared between coalition controlers
  
• highly customizable ( target labels, UI, server config)
  
• Choice between standard and realist radar model
  
• Manage LockOn AWACS, EWR and all LockOn radars
  
• Mission replay (with seek forward/backward/pause/resume)
  
• show mission waypoints on map (there is some pb with it on 2.0.5)
  
• can load/save server config
  
• TeamSpeak support
  
• metric/imperial unit
  
• ...
  

You can have more information and download links on the project page (english) : http://lotatc.dartsite.org/

Some screenshots can be found on my blog (in French, but you will have screenshot ) : http://www.dartsite.org/wordpress/tag/lotatc/

 

If you are interested by translate/help the project you are welcome!:thumbup: We are currently 2 developers, 1 spanish translator and a lot of testers from http://www.3rd-wing.net (Thanks to all)

 

The software is in heavy development with lot of new features (you can see the roadmap on the project page), but it is stable and useable. I am in the http://www.3rd-wing.net squadron where we use it every weeks officially since some month with success.

 

A forum is available for help/bug/development (English and French):

http://forum.dartsite.org

 

[Vekkinho]

Cool, I mean brilliant!

 

Thanks DArt!

[GGTharos]

DArt, this rocks. Thank you.

 

The 44th will be testing this in conjunction with LRM 2.0 :)

[PoleCat]

Excellent!

 

Thank you!

 

Out

[Shaman]

Fantastic! This is something we need :)

[Ells228]

Awesome, I'll be in discussion with you soon as this fits in perfectly with VEAO.

[GGTharos]

DArt, some features that would be in high demand:

 

1. Option to draw a 3-minute vector automatically (ie. when you enable this, the designated 'target' vehicle will show you how far it will go in 3 min. It's like the speed/velocity vector line, but it shows you where it will be in 3min). This is useful for intercepts, and it would be useful to activate it on chosen target.

2. BRAA connect - choose two objects and you will get a readout that shows bearing, range, altitude, aspect from first object to the other

3. The ability to draw arbitrary lines and add text to the map - this is useful for drawing CAP areas, operating zones etc

4. Some of the labels should be server-enforceable ... it's not necessarily a good thing that you can put object (ie. aircraft type) in the label :)

5. Ability to save client configuration file (right now I have to set up units etc every time I start the client)

6. Some documentation listing shortcuts in any, etc :)

Edited May 14, 2009 by GGTharos

[DArt]

1. Option to draw a 3-minute vector automatically (ie. when you enable this, the designated 'target' vehicle will show you how far it will go in 3 min. It's like the speed/velocity vector line, but it shows you where it will be in 3min). This is useful for intercepts, and it would be useful to activate it on chosen target.

 

 

2. BRAA connect - choose two objects and you will get a readout that shows bearing, range, altitude, aspect from first object to the other

 

It is already in the roadmap for the 2.0.6, here the ticket asssociate:

http://lotatc.dartsite.org/ticket/57

 

3. The ability to draw arbitrary lines and add text to the map - this is useful for drawing CAP areas, operating zones etc

 

You're right, and same than for the 2., it is for next release :)http://lotatc.dartsite.org/ticket/56

 

4. Some of the labels should be server-enforceable ... it's not necessarily a good thing that you can put object (ie. aircraft type) in the label :)

 

Note, that the aircraft type can only be visible for your coalition and not for the others ;)

But effectively, we could add an option for that in server

 

5. Ability to save client configuration file (right now I have to set up units etc every time I start the client)

 

That is already done, if it is not the case, there is a bug!!! Normaly, you must have a lotatc_client.cfg file in LotATC directory that save your preferences.

 

6. Some documentation listing shortcuts in any, etc :)

 

For sure we need more documentation and tutorial, but the development take me a lot of time and if some people want to help me on this point, I will be happy!

 

Thanks for your ideas, I am really open to any new features/enhancement for LotATC!

[GGTharos]

Thanks for the reply DArt, indeed I discovered the solution to #5 after posting the message.

 

I can help with #6 if you would like. :)

 

I see that #3 is not necessary then :)

[GGTharos]

Additional feature request:

 

Ability to set a bullseye and then get BRA from bullseye (I see this is already in ticket 129)

 

Extend the map further south so we can use merzifon mod.

Edited May 14, 2009 by GGTharos

[Boberro]

I don't know... but quite useful would be add color to SAM coverage area. You know example 80% of color transparency to SAM area. Same like in BS Editor.

[Vekkinho]

It's a great application, really useful not only for ATC but for GCI too.

 

However, I have a small doubt about it and it's in the fact that LotATC covers entire LOFC theatre, dunno if things are the same with real life ATC stuff! IMHO it'd be great to have LotATC LUA scripted with EWR sites that are placed in the map thru Mission editor so Krasnodar EWR site would show only the parts of the map that it's EWR can cover!

 

This way it can simulate GCI accurately! Trouble with LoTATC is that it covers entire map and has no LOS issues, Earth curvature etc. (not simulated in LOFC but perhaps in the future). LotATC is rather "sattelite like" ATC which covers entire LOFC map so you'll also track canyon flying aircraft for instance. This makes GCI easy, imagine a scenario of planes taking off Khersones that should penetrate Kuban and strike a target in Krasnodar are picked up immidiately and intercept can be scrambled in a minute which is not how the real GCI works. In case of some Red/Blue scenario GCI would suck!

 

Each AB can have one EWR active so if there are Red airbases only the airspace above and around them would be displayed to the Red GCI officer and same for the Blue side.

 

Just my 2 cents!

 

However, LotATC is a great application and will probably be adopted by many virtual wings!

[GGTharos]

.. Who cares if it shows other parts of the map? It won't show contacts if they are outside of coverage.

It also includes a radar horizon and elevation/LOS blocking ;)

 

Try using it before raising alarms ;)

[DarkWanderer]

Well, quite a good program, and a decent realiztion at last. I think, Jabog will be replaced by it in no time.

However, while testing it I've ran into some issues:

1.The program seems not to display the picture correctly when logged on as "red" ATC. There are just markings of some friendly air units but nothing else at all, while "blue" works perfectly. Attached is a symmetric test mission.

2.Plates with contact labels do not move with the markings. After a short time, it's impossible to tell what is what unless you zoom in or out.

3.Tag set window can not be called on friendly air units

4.Cyrillic language is not properly supported.

5.Som contacts are frozen if server settings are changed on-the-fly.

 

But I hope, these will not be an obstacle for futher develomentof the program. Keep up the good work.

Edited May 14, 2009 by DarkWanderer

[Vekkinho]

.. Who cares if it shows other parts of the map? It won't show contacts if they are outside of coverage.

It also includes a radar horizon and elevation/LOS blocking ;)

 

Try using it before raising alarms ;)

 

So can U explain which of the radars scans this contact:

[GGTharos]

I believe you haven't chosen the realistic radar option and/or you have static AWACS turned on.

[DArt]

Thanks for your interest in LotATC. Let me clarify some things.

 

For each coalition, LotATC compute all available radar (SAM radar, Lo AWACS, EWR, static awacs..) and send to the client all seen targets.

 

When launching a mission, you have to specify which objects is in the radar list. To do it, go into server config (Set button of server) and set the different option (for EACH coalition). The static AWACS is a simulation of a static AWACS into LockOn and made by LotATC. Moreover, you have a global configuration that is applied on all coalition.

 

I hope my explanation is clear :)

 

Moreover, you have the realisitic option for radar to be more realist. FYI, real ATC/CGI for French air army help us to make it the most realist that we can do with LockOn.

[soup55]

Great job! AND greatly appreciated! Thank you!!

[DArt]

I can help with #6 if you would like. :)

 

No problem for that! I will appreciate some help for that. I know there is a lack of user documentation, tutorial and user explanation around the software. If you want to help, I can give an access to the lotATC wiki (project page) to add some docs on it!

Thanks!

 

Well, quite a good program, and a decent realiztion at last. I think, Jabog will be replaced by it in no time.

However, while testing it I've ran into some issues:

1.The program seems not to display the picture correctly when logged on as "red" ATC. There are just markings of some friendly air units but nothing else at all, while "blue" works perfectly. Attached is a symmetric test mission.

2.Plates with contact labels do not move with the markings. After a short time, it's impossible to tell what is what unless you zoom in or out.

3.Tag set window can not be called on friendly air units

4.Cyrillic language is not properly supported.

5.Som contacts are frozen if server settings are changed on-the-fly.

 

But I hope, these will not be an obstacle for futher develomentof the program. Keep up the good work.

 

For 1., see my previous post, if you have not set server config, you will have a default configuration (static AWACS for example in not at the same place for blue and red) that could explain your problem. If you think that server configuration was right, say me.

 

2. The plates positionning is one of the most complex thing in LotATC :D The aim is to present plate for all target. There is a group mechanism to automatically group target with same altitude, speed, bearing that is why sometimes you will find only one target symbol instead of several (there is an option for that in preferences) and you will find plate placed at corner of a invisible rectangle auround the targets . If you zoom inside and if LotATC has the space, it will split the target in several symbol and plates are separated too. With that mechanism, controller see immediately that this targets are a group.

But be carreful, it is possible that the group contains more than 4 targets, do not forget that it is a radar view and not a tactical view ;)

 

for 3, very interesting, normally tag window is working on all unit (planes, ships, sams...) of all coalition. I wonder if it not directly in relation with your 4. Can you tell me if you have some errors in debug files (debug_*.log) in LotATC directory?

 

For 4., for sure, I am French, LotATC default language is English, and I do not use Cyrillic language ^^ Can you explicit your problems, I could fix Cyrillic language in future versions...

 

For 5., it was a problem with 2.0.4, normally fix with 2.0.5, it you have a way to reproduce it, it am very interesting about that.

 

 

 

Thanks for all for your comments :thumbup:

The development of LotATC is really active and we have lot of ideas to develop it in next release. Any help is apprectiated.

[DarkWanderer]

Notes:

System is Vista 64 Ultimate, UAC enabled. LOTATC version is latest published, 2.0.5.

 

1.Statiс AWACS were disabled. I've used only ingame ones with and witout the realistic radar option.

2.Please read my post again. I'm saying that single targets are flying away from their labels, not groups. Zoom in/out just causes window refresh, which moves the labels in-place.

3.It's working on all units, except friendly air. Weird, but fact. I'll post debugs here when I get home.

4.Cyrillic names of pilots (Пилот1) are shown as various symbols of the 128+ part of western-european codepage.

5.I've used 2.0.5. Will re-check and publish the steps.

 

Also:

6.Due to UAC enabled the automatic installation of export script have failed (setup runs as administrator, the game is installed by user). I had to install the files myself. That is, an option to turn LotATC export on and off like in TacView will be quite useful.

 

And if you'll need help with russian translation of the interface - feel free to ask.

Edited May 15, 2009 by DarkWanderer

[DArt]

Notes:

System is Vista 64 Ultimate, UAC enabled. LOTATC version is latest published, 2.0.5.

 

1.Statiс AWACS were disabled. I've used only ingame ones with and witout the realistic radar option.

2.Please read my post again. I'm saying that single targets are flying away from their labels, not groups. Zoom in/out just causes window refresh, which moves the labels in-place.

3.It's working on all units, except friendly air. Weird, but fact. I'll post debugs here when I get home.

4.Cyrillic names of pilots (Пилот1) are shown as various symbols of the 128+ part of western-european codepage.

5.I've used 2.0.5. Will re-check and publish the steps.

 

Also:

6.Due to UAC enabled the automatic installation of export script have failed (setup runs as administrator, the game is installed by user). I had to install the files myself. That is, an option to turn LotATC export on and off like in TacView will be quite useful.

 

And if you'll need russian translation of the interface - feel free to ask.

ok thanks for the precision.

 

1. Ok, I will check with your mission when I return home.

2. For the refresh problems, it is seem to be related to the Qt library I use for LotATC. I will check that with your Vista 64 version.

4. Ok, as I never get Cyrillic pilot name, I'll check that too :)

6. Ok, I work with Linux and WinXP only. I note for the on/off option, I will add it 2.0.6

 

For the translation, no problem, I made a tutorial for that here: http://lotatc.dartsite.org/wiki/TranslationGuide

Thanks :thumbup:

[DarkWanderer]

Well, to be even more precise:

there's no explicit problem with "refresh", window scrolls fine and data on the labels are updated. It's just the labels that don't move.

Thanks for fast response.

[DArt]

Ok!

I think I begin to understand what happens ;)

 

There is chance that is realated to your Cyrillic problems. I will see that in your debug file! :)

Thanks

[X-man]

Dont know if someone mentioned it, but I would like to see a feature to turn off the log recording for servers with lower specs.

 

Otherwise I find this tool very good! Thanks :thumbup:

[aaron886]

Really, really cool! I'm impressed! :thumbup: