Pilots rear view mirrors - useless

[CF104]

Hi All,

This is just my opinion and I've searched here but haven't seen any comments on the pilots mirrors. For me they are useless unless you're looking for selfies and like looking down the intakes. The center mirror is focused on the pilot and provides no SA what-so-ever. The side mirrors don't provide any field coverage beyond the intakes. I feel that there is no immersion using these mirrors and they need to be a lot more useful than for just looking at yourself.

Cheers,

John

 

 

Edited July 31, 2024 by CF104
grammar

[Whistler_RIO]

I just want to echo this as i totally agree.  Heatblur seems to not be thinking this through.  Both the tomcat and the phantom seem to have mirrors facing the helmet for some reason.  On the tomcat, at least you can reposition them, even though it would be very nice if that stayed persistent in respawns.  The Phantom doesnt even allow you to tilt them. its pretty silly. I would hope they have at least one single user-experience expert on the team to look at stuff like this before shipping....right? (the jester menu suggests otherwise)

 

Edited July 30, 2024 by Whistler_RIO

[Zabuzard]

I just want to echo this as i totally agree.  Heatblur seems to not be thinking this through.  Both the tomcat and the phantom seem to have mirrors facing the helmet for some reason.  On the tomcat, at least you can reposition them, even though it would be very nice if that stayed persistent in respawns.  The Phantom doesnt even allow you to tilt them. its pretty silly. I would hope they have at least one single user-experience expert on the team to look at stuff like this before shipping....right? (the jester menu suggests otherwise)

 

Most of the mirrors in the Phantom are mechanically locked and cannot be tilted IRL. You can easily see that in the 3D model as well if you check its back.

Some can be adjusted very limited by ground crew, not inflight. This will be made available by us eventually.
Tiltable mirrors are a bit complex to setup on the technical side.

Regarding the default angle, I have to check back with the SMEs, but I vaguely recall that they have been used mostly to check flight control surfaces and not to spot enemies behind you or similar. As in, I believe it was supposes to have such an angle - but I will doublecheck it, its been a year or so already :)

[G.J.S]

On 7/30/2024 at 10:21 PM, Zabuzard said:

Most of the mirrors in the Phantom are mechanically locked and cannot be tilted IRL. You can easily see that in the 3D model as well if you check its back.

Some can be adjusted very limited by ground crew, not inflight. This will be made available by us eventually.
Tiltable mirrors are a bit complex to setup on the technical side.

Regarding the default angle, I have to check back with the SMEs, but I vaguely recall that they have been used mostly to check flight control surfaces and not to spot enemies behind you or similar. As in, I believe it was supposes to have such an angle - but I will doublecheck it, its been a year or so already

The external “cheese wedge” mirrors, located on rear canopy bow, are only adjustable by ground crew.

The internal bow mirrors are adjustable by pilot - not to a great degree - but they are adjustable. There is even a warning to check centre mirror (pilot) adjustment does not foul canopy closing.

 

Edited August 1, 2024 by G.J.S

[Gianky]

14 hours ago, CF104 said:

Hi All,

This is just my opinion and I've searched here but haven't seen any comments on the pilots mirrors. For me they are useless unless you're looking for selfies and like looking down the intakes. The center mirror is focused on the pilot and provides no SA what-so-ever. The side mirrors don't provide any field coverage beyond the intakes. I feel that there is no immersion using these mirrors and they need to be a lot more useful than for just looking at yourself.

Cheers,

John

Allow me to address this concern of yours quoting the same one I had for the F-14 and the answer I got from a real life Tomcat pilot:

On 1/5/2019 at 4:42 PM, Gianky said:

So, after watching Jabbers video... am I the only one who thinks that, no matter how cool they are, mirrors aren't there to watch yourself reflected, but to show you what's on your six?

 

 

Don't you think HB should change that?

 

On 1/5/2019 at 5:10 PM, Victory205 said:

Mirrors are for looking at your wingman and checking your wing position in certain maneuvers. Seeing bogey's in a mirror or looking at yourself is a waste of time.

[Whistler_RIO]

17 hours ago, Zabuzard said:

Most of the mirrors in the Phantom are mechanically locked and cannot be tilted IRL. You can easily see that in the 3D model as well if you check its back.

Some can be adjusted very limited by ground crew, not inflight. This will be made available by us eventually.
Tiltable mirrors are a bit complex to setup on the technical side.

Regarding the default angle, I have to check back with the SMEs, but I vaguely recall that they have been used mostly to check flight control surfaces and not to spot enemies behind you or similar. As in, I believe it was supposes to have such an angle - but I will doublecheck it, its been a year or so already

I see. OK thanks for the explanation and your team's consideration to this feedback.

[CF104]

10 hours ago, Gianky said:

Allow me to address this concern of yours quoting the same one I had for the F-14 and the answer I got from a real life Tomcat pilot:

 

Thanks,  This is exactly the point I'm making. Looking for your wingman and checking wing position is all part of SA. The fact that HB has set them in a position for social media selfies makes them totally useless in an operational sense. 

Cheers,

John

[S-GERAT]

On 7/30/2024 at 11:21 PM, Zabuzard said:

Most of the mirrors in the Phantom are mechanically locked and cannot be tilted IRL. You can easily see that in the 3D model as well if you check its back.

Some can be adjusted very limited by ground crew, not inflight. This will be made available by us eventually.
Tiltable mirrors are a bit complex to setup on the technical side.

Regarding the default angle, I have to check back with the SMEs, but I vaguely recall that they have been used mostly to check flight control surfaces and not to spot enemies behind you or similar. As in, I believe it was supposes to have such an angle - but I will doublecheck it, its been a year or so already

 

Hi Cobra, regarding the image quality on the mirrors.. why is so poor compared with the F-14 ones ? Could be possible to add a option in the special options tab to enhance the quality of them ? 

 

Thanks 

[Dogsbd]

My issue with the mirrors is that they are too reflective / shiny in the "off" mode. I usually fly all aircraft with mirrors off, but the F-4 I turn them on because they are less distracting that way than the shiny glare of the mirrors when off.

[Cgjunk2]

The other big issue with the mirrors, is that when moving your head position in VR, the pilot model reflection doesn’t start moving immediately.   Often times, you stop moving your head before the reflection starts to move.   It’s quite nausea inducing.   

[G.J.S]

10 hours ago, Cgjunk2 said:

The other big issue with the mirrors, is that when moving your head position in VR, the pilot model reflection doesn’t start moving immediately.   Often times, you stop moving your head before the reflection starts to move.   It’s quite nausea inducing.   

Indeed. That’s the sole and only reason I leave the mirrors ‘off’. Something like a half second (ish) delay. This is the only aircraft to which this occurs (of those that I have). 

[MAXsenna]

The top mirror is very handy in AAR.  

[Steel Jaw]

Funny topic.  How much SA do we think mirrors give no matter how they're orientated? 

I'm my hornet I only find them useful on deck for tight maneuvering.