Labels

[R1Lawsy]

Hey All,

 

Just wondering if you use labels when flying? I play BS2 and FC3 and try not to use them.

 

But after dying a few times not knowing who or where, I have to turn them on to complete some missions...

 

It really does detract from the realism but there are only so many ejections I can take before it gets old...

 

Cheers

James

[Lange_666]

Be more carefull in what and how you attack. Don't go in with 2 feet forward but be cautious, like a real pilot.

 

Also, compared to real life, this is easy because none of the missions are dynamic but static instead. This means that the same thread will show up on exactly the same spot as the last time. Don't let yourself caught twice...(or 3, 4 or 5 times).

Edited April 29, 2013 by Lange_666

[eFirehawk]

I have the labels enabled as well, however I've edited the Labels.lua file to display all of them in black color showing only an =x= instead of complete information regarding the objects, such as name and range. :) I gree that it copromises a bit of the realism of the simulation, but given the fact that the resolution of our monitors and lack of spatial sense we can take longer to spot and lose track of moving aerial moving targets easier than in real life, so I believe it's actually quite fair to enable them as long as you don't get all the detailed info that they show.

Edited April 29, 2013 by eFirehawk

[R1Lawsy]

I have the labels enabled as well, however I've edited the Labels.lua file to display all of them in black color showing only an =x= instead of complete information regarding the objects, such as name and range. :) I gree that it copromises a bit of the realism of the simulation, but given the fact that the resolution of our monitors and lack of spatial sense we can take longer to spot and lose track of moving aerial moving targets easier than in real life, so I believe it's actually quite fair to enable them as long as you don't get all the detailed info that they show.

 

 

Sounds good - can you tell me how to do that please?

[eFirehawk]

Sounds good - can you tell me how to do that please?

 

Sure, I'm at a work break right now but as soon as I get home I'll take a look at the file and edit this post with the info, unless someone else posts it first :)

[Irregular programming]

No, I never use labels, use your wingman to scout, and read the briefings, that's really all that you need.

[Nirvi]

I use this mod when flying with the Mustang.

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/270020/

 

Without labels it is unrealistically hard to spot another Mustang.

[Irregular programming]

I use this mod when flying with the Mustang.

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/270020/

 

Without labels it is unrealistically hard to spot another Mustang.

 

DCS should really scale units like Falcon does, it's kinda needed.

[Weta43]

No, I never use labels, use your wingman to scout, and read the briefings, that's really all that you need.

 

 

That's a very black & white answer for a question that's got about 3x10^6 pages of discussion about it if you search all the threads. :)

 

Default labels are too wasy. No labels means unrealistically poor SA.

Some sort of half-way house would be ideal.

[Weta43]

The labels aren't hard to customise - the labels.lua in your config folder has the info.

 

 

This is the whole thing, and as I said, it's fairly self explanatory.

This is what I'm using at the moment :

 

 

-- Label parameters

-- Copyright © 2004, Eagle Dynamics.

 

AirOn = true

GroundOn = true

NavyOn = true

WeaponOn = true

 

-- Label max distance depends on graphics visibility range option value

-- For low �E40000.0 m

-- For medium �E50000.0 m

-- For high �E80000.0 m

 

---------------------------------

-- Label text format symbols

-- %N - name of object

-- %D - distance to object

-- %P - pilot name

-- %n - new line

-- %% - symbol '%'

-- %x, where x is not NDPn% - symbol 'x'

-- %C - extended info for vehicle's and ship's weapon systems

------------------------------------------

-- Example

-- labelFormat[5000] = "Name: %N%nDistance: %D%n Pilot: %P"

-- up to 5km label is:

-- Name: Su-33

-- Distance: 30km

-- Pilot: Pilot1

 

AirFormat = {}

AirFormat[50] = ""

AirFormat[3600] = "%D"

AirFormat[5000] = "%N"

AirFormat[8000] = "_|_"

AirFormat[15000] = "'"

 

GroundFormat = {}

GroundFormat[150] = ""

GroundFormat[1500] = "^"

GroundFormat[7000] = "`"

 

NavyFormat = {}

NavyFormat[2000] = ""

NavyFormat[10000] = "D"

NavyFormat[30000] = "`"

 

WeaponFormat = {}

WeaponFormat[120] = ""

WeaponFormat[3500] = "D"

WeaponFormat[8000] = "'"

 

-- Colors in {red, green, blue} format, volume from 0 up to 255

 

ColorAliesSide = {150, 0, 150}

ColorEnemiesSide = {150, 0, 150}

 

 

 

-- Label text format symbols

-- %N - name of object

-- %D - distance to object

-- %P - pilot name

-- %n - new line

-- %% - symbol '%'

-- %x, where x is not NDPn% - symbol 'x'

-- %C - extended info for vehicle's and ship's weapon systems

 

This gives you a fair bit of scope about what you want displayed and at what distance.

You can drop some lines out if you want less changes.

As these are text not LODs, they'll change size with your resolution, but if you run the game at the same resolution as your monitor, how big they look when you edit them is how big they'll look in-sim.

 

I think changing both sides to the same colour & minimising the info displayed makes the labels less 'cheaty', and you can decide how eagle eyed ou want ot make yourself by changing the distances at which the various symbols appear.

I based mine on what I decided I could see as planes and vehicles approached the airport I can see out my window at work (apart from the ' appearing for weapons at 8km - that's cheating :) ).

Edited April 29, 2013 by Weta43

[Rogue Trooper]

Only playing ka-50, I never play with labels on. It was difficult to spot ground units at first but once I got used to "rubber necking" I manage to see all threats on the ground quite easily with my Mk1s.

It is still hard to spot an enemy chopper or aircraft in the sky but I think it's correct.

However not being a helo combat pilot.... I could be wrong.

[Weta43]

I manage to see all threats on the ground quite easily with my Mk1s.

 

Yes you can - but only if you narrow the field of view. real eyes can see detail AND see 180 degrees.

That's why edited labels have 'more realistic' SA...

[TimeKilla]

Tbh if you don't have TrackiR then I think most will unforgettably agree labels are a must.

 

With trackiR it must be great fun looking for targets without affecting the aircraft's flight inputs and chain of thought.

Edited April 29, 2013 by TimeKilla
target changed to targets.

[xcom]

Does anyone know the correct distances which airplanes are visible as a dot and at which distances you start to figure out a shape?

 

Weta, I see in your configuration that you did something of the sort... for 15km a single dot and from 8km an airplane shape?

Is that tested to what you can see at a clear day?

[Frogisis]

I use that label mod, too, but made the aircraft dots 25% gray instead of pure black, and increased their minimum range a bit. Makes dogfighting (and SA) much, much less frustrating.

 

Labels are off for everything else, though - Somewhere along the way finding ground units just kinda clicked for me.

[Troutish]

Rowan's Mig Alley had this very cool effect where light would twinkle off the canopies of the enemy migs. not a lot, just occasionally, which allowed you to spot them MUCh easier.

 

I agree that IRL its far easier to spot detail on the ground than it is in any flight sim I've played.

[Weta43]

Weta, I see in your configuration that you did something of the sort... for 15km a single dot and from 8km an airplane shape?

Is that tested to what you can see at a clear day?

For land & air it's what I arrived at from testing for myself, and reading the threads on the topic here and other stuff on the internet.

There are records of people seeing planes at much, much further - but I'm assuming conditions were perfect, and comments from people saying you'd have to be very lucky to find an aircraft at 15km (though if you found it, you'd be able to see it...)

An airliner directly overhead at cruising altitude is at about 10km. At 45 degrees from you, it's at about 14km.

I think a single dot at 15Km is probably reasonable for a heavy, and 'optimistic, but not unbelievable' for a fighter - but you're only allowed one setting for both :-)

The reason I didn't make the labels black was that if they're about the same lumiosity as the sky, it makes them harder to find than a black dot (you actually still have to search for the label, but you can search without zooming in). Black's better if you're going to do your flying at night though :).

[Dudester22]

What I would like to know is if you do this would it screw up your game when a new patch comes along? Does Modman work in this game anymore?

[cichlidfan]

What I would like to know is if you do this would it screw up your game when a new patch comes along? Does Modman work in this game anymore?

 

You will have to reapply the mod. The autoupdater will remove the modified file to a backup folder.

 

I don't know if Modman still works but many of us are using JSGME to accomplish the same thing. See this thread if you need info about it.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=98607

[Exorcet]

I only use them for mission testing. Most aircraft have enough sensors to point you in the right direction when combined with mission planning (and your wingmen are pretty gifted to boot if you're flying with AI). Even with those aircraft that don't have any sensors, it's still part of the fun and I don't feel that the labels are strictly necessary.

[PatriotCFS]

If I were to host a multiplayer mission with my label.lua modded, will all the clients need the modded file, or will the server enforce my label changes?

[Foss]

My guess is, the server will only send a command to the client saying, Labels allowed or not,

which will result in the Client using the clients parameters in the labels.lua.

No file transfer.

[whartsell]

My guess is, the server will only send a command to the client saying, Labels allowed or not,

which will result in the Client using the clients parameters in the labels.lua.

No file transfer.

 

That is correct.

[PatriotCFS]

Good to know, thanks guys!

[Kimi_uy]

This mod looks interesting, gonna try it tonight.

 

BTW, current builds of a10, are able to show friendlies in the HUD (not talking about hooking in the TAD), and those fitted with HMCS can locate friendlies by just panning their heads "off boresight" until they see their actual position, so this ain't too far away of the "IRL" dilemma (correct me if im mistaken).